SoMa StrEat Food Park

Tonight, Bryson took Ava and I across the bridge, into the city.

I love nights like this. 

It never gets old...that view of the Bay Bridge as you come out of the tunnel.

He took us to a street food park...several food trucks selling foods of all kinds. 

We ordered a couple sliders and a burrito stuffed with Indian-spiced curry potatoes, chicken and rice.

And then I got a Belgian waffle. Because you can't pass up a Belgian waffle.

Ava chowed down on the bananas off my waffle.

Which, naturally came with a free sampling of whipped cream.

What a spoiled baby.

Ava enjoyed staring and laughing at all the puppies walk by and waving at every person who made eye contact with her.

And she really enjoyed the Chinese Dragons as they danced and jumped all over the place.

I'm not exactly sure why they were there, but they were very neat to watch.

I thought she was going to be afraid of them because the drums and music were so loud.

Ohhh no, she LOVED them.

Ava was LAUGHING so hard; harder than I have ever heard her laugh before.

Who can blame her, these things go against everything she has ever known in her life haha.

I was just laughing watching her so enthralled, mesmerized...utterly entertained.

I caught a tiny bit of her laughing at the dragons on video, but this is nothing, seriously. 

I'm not kidding, she was going nuts over these things. 

People were even watching her and laughing along at with her. :)

She was having the time of her life.

Thanks for a fun night in the city, honey!

Videos {June #1}

Ava loves stories! She giggles and smiles the entire time I am reading her a book. If you watch closely, you can see that she even turns the pages herself. 

Ava's a great escape artist. 

Bryson thinks I should be so embarrassed of this video, but how cute that she thought this was funny?

My girl loves giving sloppy kisses.

Ava is lucky that she has a "fun" dad. :) One time we were at our favorite ice cream place in Berkeley and he handed Ava the last little bit of his ice cream cone for a couple minutes. Needless to say, she was in HEAVEN. She definitely was a "natural" chowing down on that ice cream.
*Disclaimer: No, she hadn't had ice cream before. No, we haven't fed Ava ice cream since. Yes, I know I probably shouldn't ever feed my baby ice cream. BUT here's the video anyway. 

Ava made a mess. The first of many, I'm sure.

This is scaring me a little bit. 

Actually a lot.

Ava has been pulling herself up to stand up...

...and then she lets go and she is standing there...all by herself.

Or she will stand up without holding onto anything.

And sometimes she will take a step...and sometimes two.

And then she plops down. (phew!)

BUT come on!

She just learned how to crawl - I am NOT ready for anything else quite yet.

Not now or any time soon. 

But on the other hand, she does look cute!

And I can tell she is so proud, as she stands there focusing...balancing.


Of course, I know it will be a long time until she is actually walking,
but it's crazy to get little glimpses of what is to come.

I took this video as I was typing this post to give you a little idea of what I mean.

Dada

Dear Daddy,

Thank you for playing with me.

Thank you for throwing me up in the air so high I feel like I am flying.

Thank you for taking me swimming.

Thank you for letting me sleep next to you when I am teething and wake up in the middle of the night.

Thank you for reading me stories in your funny kid voice.

Thank you for singing to me while I take a bath every night.

Thank you for letting me climb all over you like a human jungle gym.

Thank you for loving me instantly - from the moment you saw me.

Thank you for being my daddy. 

Happy "Dada's" Day! :)

Love, 

Ava

-------------------------

This video is so funny. 

No, she doesn't know what "dada" means,

but she has started learning how to mimic me when I say dada or baba or something like that. 

And of course on Father's Day, I caught this on video. 

Perfection.

Happy Father's Day!

My dad.

I honestly don't think I can adequately describe how much I love, admire, respect and am grateful for my dad.

He is wonderful beyond words - a superhero dad without question.

My dad has taught me many important lessons...

but none more important than teaching me the kind of man I should someday marry. 

As a young girl, I watched him ADORE my mom.

I remember squealing in "disgust" as they would kiss in the kitchen, and giggling when he called her gorgeous.

There was no question of his love for her. 

And hers of him.

He did laundry, cleaned the house, helped with dinner and homework and did the dishes...every single day. 

When my mom passed away, he did it all as a single dad...

...and he did more.

He curled our hair, sat in the leather chairs at American Eagle while his daughters shopped and even offered his opinion on jeans, hair styles and shoes.

He listened to me talk of boys, dreams, insecurities, goals.

And he did more than just listen...he was genuinely interested. 

He cared.

I have never heard my dad say one unkind word to or about anyone. 

I have never heard him yell or raise his voice.

He is kind, generous, thoughtful, selfless, strong, smart, positive, patient and hopeful. 

He has more faith than anyone I know.

He has spent his life thinking tirelessly of everyone but himself.

(He is the kind of man who would wear the same worn tennis shoes from college if we didn't take him to the store and make him buy new ones).

He is the best of the best.

I am blessed beyond words that he is my dad.

New daddy and baby Ashley (2 hours old)

Love you Daddio! 

Shake that baby booty

The first time Ava crawled it was a bear crawl.

She only did the bear crawl for a day and a half, then switched to both knees on the ground, like a regular baby.
Well, in the process of learning how to bear crawl, Ava channeled her inner Beyonce and backed her little thang up.
She sure can shake that baby booootay.

Wait for 21 seconds into this video...you will not be disappointed. :)

Good thing she's too little to understand what her mom just shared on the internet. :)

Outside

Ava loves being outside.

Mostly, she loves eating everything outside.
Let me rephrase...she loves to TRY to eat everything outside. TRY meaning, I don't let her of course.
Leaves, grass, flowers...she isn't picky.

Our new apartment complex has a nice shaded grassy area where I take Ava and let her explore.
She will crawl all around in search of the next thing to taste.

Can you spot her teeny, tiny barely-there ponytail?
It's cute and so funny looking.

Whatever she finds, she is always willing to share.

"Want some?"

Look what I found...

She was barely 2 months old...
so small and perfect.
This little person I hardly knew but loved so much.

And now look at her.
Bigger, and still just perfect in every way.
And somehow I love her even more...which I never thought possible.

Crib standing

I peeked in during "nap time" today and found Ava doing this...

(She had been quiet, I thought she was asleep)

What the heck?

So much has happened with Ava this week.

I swear she has learned something new almost every day.

She now can crawl, pull herself up on furniture to stand, go from laying down to sitting to standing and back down again and walk along furniture and walls.

She is officially mobile.

This has brought a new adventure into our home when it comes to bed time and nap time.  

Very cute, but oh so frustrating. 

Sleep training 2.0 has officially begun.

Stats: 8 months, 1 week

Today, we went to the pediatrician for Ava's "9 month" well-baby checkup. 

Of course, she is only 8 months and 1 week, but it was the only time they had available until after we get back from Virginia.
Close enough.

Here are her stats:

Weight: 22 pounds 4 ounces (96% weight to age) (50% weight to length)

Height: 2 feet 6.25 inches (30.25 inches) (99.9%)

Head circumference: 17.5 inches (77%)

And in case you are worried Ava might grow to be 7 feet tall and be in the 99.9th percentile forever...

check out MY stats from my own 9 month appointment as a baby:

Weight: 22 pounds, 10 ounces

Height: 31 inches

It doesn't get much closer than that!

Any question that she truly is MY daughter?

Genetics: fascinating.

Thank you to my wonderful mom for recording these kinds of things!

It makes me sick to my stomach to think that her next appointment will be around her first birthday.

Her.FIRST.birthday?

........ not even going to talk about that .......