Overdue

Wow, am I ever overdue on updating! Since my last post, we've moved! It's been a slower process due to having a toddler and being pregnant, but our families have been spectacular in helping us out. Kyle's parents came down to help us paint and clean out the overgrown landscaping. His brother and our sister-in-law were wonderfully helpful through it all, too. Thankfully (for us, at least), they live here near us! Then the day we moved (with the help of some AMAZING Christian brothers), my parents came down. They helped us with SOO much--my dad drove down with his trunk full of tools so he could make necessary repairs. A week and a half after they left, my sister and her family came down for a visit. Ava had a blast with her cousin--it made me so sad that they aren't able to spend more time together.

Well, here are a few pics from the weeks past. Unfortunately, I didn't take many pics while family was here. I was too overwhelmed with unpacking and organizing the new house! I'll post them later when my mom and sis get the chance to email theirs to me.

Ava LOVES flowers. If we ever see one--real or picture--she cannot resist "smelling" it!

This is a picture from the day she chose her own outfit. Lovely color- and pattern-coordination, don't you think? AND, not to mention, the white Mary Janes to go with it!! :)

And this, my friends, is what happens when your daughter discovers that she can climb into the dining room chair, then onto the table--only to grab the salt shaker and COMPLETELY empty it all over herself, the chair, the table, and the floor!!

Miss Priss

Sooo...little Miss Ava is becoming increasingly obsessed w/all things girly--hair brushes and bows, shoes, and make-up. I give her my make-up brushes on occasion to let her pretend to put powder or blush on. Well...today she got into my eyeliner--yes, I said eyeliner. How did I find out? She simply walked up to me and...well, I'll just let the picture tell the rest of the story. And may I add that she put the cap back on after she was finished. The girl makes me proud. HA! :)

Go, Hokies, Go!

We made a road trip to the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area for the Orange Bowl. We went with David's (Kyle's brother) family and his parents.

We arrived on Thursday and ate at a great Italian restaurant called Bruschetta. Check out all the Hokie gear!Ava had a blast with her big cousins! They all showed their Virginia Tech pride by donning tattoos.

Ava and Mommy! To all my family, don't worry, I'm not losing loyalty to the Crimson Tide...

On the way home we stopped in Everglades City to go out on air boats. You can barely see Dave, Libby, Nay, and Max!

They had baby alligators that we could hold. I VERY reluctantly held one, and as you can tell, I was thrilled about it. I freaked out the minute he turned his head.

The grin on Ava's face is not at all indicative of her enjoyment on the ride. Those boats get up to 40 mph. As soon as our "captain" hit 30, she got stiff, cried, and almost jumped out of my arms. We calmed her and she tolerated the rest of the ride. Kyle and I had a blast, though. The mangroves are so gorgeous.

Happy New Year!

We had a great Christmas in Alabama. The road trip w/Ava and Maddie was...much better than last year. :)

Pops and Nanna had their hands full with Ava and Brenna. Can you tell who is teething in this picture?

Ava loves Grandaddy! They bonded when he came down to Tampa for his back surgery. So at Christmas, they just took up where they left off!

One afternoon, Nanna kept the girls for Craig, Loren, Kyle, and Me to go see National Treasure 2. Mamaw and Grandaddy stayed to play while we were gone. It was the first movie Kyle and I have been to since Ava was born!

Thanksgiving

We took a nice trip to Virginia Beach for Thanksgiving. We actually went up there the weekend before the big holiday, which was great because plane tickets were half the price and the airport was almost desolate. We had a great time with Kyle's family. One day while we were there we had the traditional Thanksgiving goods--turkey, dressing, green beans, sweet potatoes, and rolls. Nothing compares to being with family, COLD weather, and delicious food!

Ava had a blast with her MeMaw and PaPa.

We exchanged Christmas gifts while we were there since we won't see them in December. Ava got an adorable new baby doll. This girl is completely in love with babies!
She also had fun with PaPa Brown and Sparky. This is the first picture she in which she smiled on cue.
Then, on Thanksgiving Day, we spent some time with the Anderson family. Ava had a blast w/Nay and Max, as always!

Thanksgiving in mind, we are so incredibly blessed with a myriad of dear family and friends. Most of all, right now, we're grateful for our sweet 13-month-old. She never ceases to amaze us. She's now signing several words, and her personality continues to emerge. Above is a picture of her newest obsession--our dog's bed! She climbs in, tucks her baby into it, and drags it everywhere. Hope your Thanksgiving was happy and relaxing!

Happy Halloween!

Thought you might like to see a couple pics of our little ladybug!

Here we are before Ava's first Trick-or-Treat! She looks a little tentative...

Ava was THRILLED to be riding inthe wagon w/her friend, Cooper. :) She actually got really scared when a couple answered their door in full costume. She's her Mommy's girl!

May I PLEEEEASE have some candy?

These next two pics aren't from Halloween, but I love them so much. This was her first day in pigtails!

Desitin, anyone? Yes, she has discovered that her teeth can not only be used for chewing, but also for opening caps on everything from lotion to diaper cream...

Ahhh!!

Wow, for those of you who have tirelessly checked for updates...and been disappointed every time, I apologize! :) Yes, I know, 3 months is entirely TOO long to go w/out updating this thing. Our baby girl turned one on October 12th. I know it sounds cliche, but the time has absolutely FLOWN by! Here are some pics from the birthday weekend.

Go Hokies, GO!! Poor Ava is probably going through an NCAA identity crisis. We dress her in everything from VA Tech to Alabama--Roll Tide! to USF Bulls! (All of which are ranked, might I add!)
My ever-so-talented sister made this adorable cake plate for the smash cake. AND she helped me to make "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" cake. While they are FAR from professional, we were excited w/how they turned out!

Not only did Loren make the adorable plate, but she also made these matching dresses for the girls!

Be not deceived...no one in this picture is holding her own child! -- HA!

BEFORE...

AFTER...TaDah!!

For all of you who have offered friendship, love, and support through our baby's first year, we thank you!