Two Years Old

My little girl, Ava Elisabeth DePalermo, you are two years old! I cannot believe this has happened, where did two years go? Let me tell you, it has been a very busy and very amazing two years.  You have grown so fast that when I look back at your pictures, it seems like it was just yesterday I was at your baby shower!

So here I sit, thinking back on all of the things that you have done and are learning to do.  I remember when we found out we were expecting you, I was so happy to know that Michael would be a big brother! Then I remember when I saw you on the sonogram screen and knew you were a little girl, that was the best Christmas present ever my love. 

So what have you been up to this past year?

• Well, just a few days after your first birthday, you started walking.  It was so precious to see your chubby little legs walk to me!  You laughed the whole time, so proud and excited!
• You are talking so much and at first most of it sounded like a foreign language, but now you can easily carry on a phone conversation.
• You count to 20, most of the time correctly.  Every once in a while you forget and go from 5 to 9 but that's okay.
• I love how you learned your colors.  With Michael it was with flash cards and scavenger hunts but with you...it was with your bows.  You have quite the collection of bows and yet I feel the need to make more.  You are particular about your bows and like to pick one out each morning and yes, you pick one out to wear at night to match your jammies. 
• You love shoes especially wedges.  I am amazed at how well you wear and walk in them!  I should have known since you raid my closet for my highest heels and parade around the house in them.
• You sit in the bathroom with me and pretend to put on make up while I put on my own.  I love how you look at yourself and say "so pretty!"
• You are quite the bossy little girl.  I do love this quality about you.  It is amazing to see the differences in you and your brother, little girls are just born with such different characteristics.  It's natural!  Michael usually complies with your requests which makes the situation even more comical.
• You have had your first hospital stay now and it was scary for me.  I hated seeing you with all of those tubes and things connected to you, but it was necessary to make you better.  I'm so glad that is over and you are all better!  As you would say, "Good as new".
• You love anything Disney princess, Disney fairies, or Minnie Mouse! Goodness, I guess we should go to Disney World huh? ;)
• You are a little mommy and help me take care of your brothers and our kitty Kaya.  She lets you love on her but runs from everyone else.
• You sing pretty much all the time and always off key.  I love it so much.  We sing songs as I tuck you in and it is one of my favorite parts of the day.
• You will pretty much eat anything, especially if it is on my plate. THANK YOU! One picky eater is enough in my house.
• There is one characteristic that I don't think you will outgrow anytime soon.  You know exactly how to upset Michael.  You do one little thing that sends him off the deep end and then look at me like he's crazy.  Darling girl, please stop this. 
• You are a bit of a drama queen, even for the smallest offenses. This is when Michael looks at me like you are crazy and shakes his head.  You two are quite the pair.

I am so in love with the little girl you are and so blessed you are my daughter.  I am very excited about future talks, shopping, nail appointments and cuddle sessions.  I will always look at you like you are my little baby even though you are growing up sweet one.  I know that today you are two but I also know that I will blink my eyes and be at your high school graduation.  Time, sadly moves all to swiftly so I will cherish each second that I have with you and your brothers.  Happy Second Birthday baby girl, Mommy loves you.

Nine Months Old

 Austin Ryan, my little chubbers!  So sorry my love but that is your nickname and it is all too fitting. I especially love it when Ava calls you little chubbers, so cute! I am certainly loving this stage of your little life because of all the fun things you can do!

• Stranger anxiety has definitely set in.  If you can't see me, you are not my happy little guy and sometimes if you just hear me and someone else is holding you, that's it, you've had enough!  So funny.  I remember when Michael and Ava went through that stage too.  I'll cherish it while it lasts and you aren't too cool for me.
• You are crawling everywhere now and it is cute.  You smile and get so proud of yourself! Now if you could just master the carpet to tile maneuver and catch up to Michael and Ava, you'd be all set.
• You absolutely love your Johnny Jumper (thank you Lulu and Uncle Craig). You squeal and jump as high as you can.  Ava of course feels it is a swing and keeps trying to push you.  Honestly, it isn't safe to leave you in the same room with them because both your brother and sister feel that you are as tough as they are and don't exactly realize that while you are bigger, you are still a baby! Not good for Mommy's blood pressure. Have mercy!
• You have one definite tooth and it looks like two more are on their way.  It has been tough, you aren't taking the teething pain very well.  Your usual happy disposition is gone and you fuss a bit more.  It's okay though, we can get past this, I guess I just have to give you extra snuggles and kisses!
• You still love every food I have fed you so far. Let's hope this keeps going until you move out of our house!
• I love how your face lights up when your daddy comes home!  You just can't wait to get your hands on his face!

 

It has been a busy month and luckily doctor free!  What's next?  It's time to see you walk my love! God help me, with the three of you mobile, I'll never sit down again!

Ava Elisabeth is BRAVE

Well, Ava is all about Merida and her three baby brothers so of course it was only fitting to throw her a Brave party for her second birthday.  Did I just say second birthday?! My goodness, my little baby girl did not get to stay little long enough!

The party first began down at Nana and Pawpa's house where we got together with Jodi, her daughter Ava, Gigi and Mamalu to make Ava's cake.  It was so much fun watching the girls get dressed up in their little aprons to help in the kitchen.  Of course by help, I mean taste the batter, icing and extra cake pieces.  A HUGE thank you to Jodi for driving up from Galveston TWICE with her things to help us finish this cake.  I have enormous respect for people that are professional bakers, it is not easy, especially the decorating part.  I think it was a big success and the kids especially loved running around and jumping on Mamalu and Gigi! Thank you Nana, for setting up the whole cake baking party and for giving us a chance to make such sweet memories.  It was so much fun!

The day of Ava's party could not have been more beautiful outside.  Derin had just come home from a two week trip to Big Bend and was just in time for the big day.  It was a blast watching Ava put on her Merida costume and run around with her bow and arrow set.  I hated to see us beat up the Angus piñata that we worked so hard on, but everyone else seemed to enjoy it.

I cannot believe that Ava is already two years old, I remember going into labor at school!  My poor students.  So my little brave girl is in her second year and is growing up before my eyes, we are so blessed to be able to watch it.

Eight Months Old

Well my sweet little boy, as usual time has flown and I find myself wondering just what has happened.  Some of it is from a lack of sleep and some because you three just keep me so busy I sometimes forget to eat!  Trust me, this can happen, ask any mom!  So much has happened since our last post so let's get to it!

• You had a bit of a scare this month.  I woke up to find that you had some red blotches on your face and they had spread to your body.  I had no idea what it was but as the day progressed, so did your red skin. You were covered and quickly becoming swollen so I took you to the ER where the doctor still wasn't sure what was going on.  He gave you Benadryl and told me to stop your antibiotic you were on for your ear infection. (if you remember, you had already taken this medicine once before for an ear infection with no side effects.)  I trusted him and we went home.  Neither of us slept that night because I was so worried and as soon as the sun was up, I called your doctor and off we went!  She was so glad we listened to the ER doctor because you were having an allergic reaction to penicillin!  Had I kept you on the medicine, something pretty scary would have happened.  So a few short days and some steroids later, you were all better! I should mention that I was pulled over for speeding while taking you to the ER.  The sweet officer looked at you and sent me on my way.  Sorry about that baby, I just wanted to get you there!
• You do sit up quite well and are talking up a storm.  You get on your knees and scoot everywhere.  I am amazed at how quickly you can get what you want by using a combination of rolling and scooting.  You are so desperately trying to keep up with Michael and Ava. 
• You are the BEST sleeper!  THANK YOU SO MUCH for this. 
• You are so happy that you can sit up in the bath now!  I am too, honestly it is so much easier to bathe you this way.  I think you just love to splash.
• You crinkle your nose when you smile, just like I do.  I LOVE to kiss you little nose!

So little man, you are growing quickly and I am loving each stage.  I'm so happy that God surprised us, I couldn't imagine life any other way.