http://www.avajune.com/ en Copyright 2008 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:26:14 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Garden Elf on Flickr. Whoa baby, either you're aging faster every month, or you're keeping us so busy we don't have time to discuss you online anymore! You are such a nut! We also call you pumpkin, muffin, sweetie, goober, and shortie.

You've learned lots of words and signs, including your colors (for a while, everything was blue!), dahper, i do!, i yuhve you, thirsy, i miss you..., sorn stop!, come on!, shopping, feed roy (turtle) and bushing teeth.

You can sing four songs. You started singing a song to us one day that we didn't know, so we had to ask Ms. Colleen at school to give us the lyrics. It's called "Have You Ever Been a' Fishin'" and it's sung to the tune of "Do Your Ears Hang Low". You also sing "Row Row Row Your Boat" and say "No More Monkeys Bed!" and just last night you sang "Tinkle Potty" to your baby doll.

You love to (un)dress the babies for a "dahper change" and give them baths and have them sit on their little doll potty. You walk the babies in their little stroller and have to take one every morning in the car for the trip to school. Five of the babies have names now so we can tell them apart: Bonnie, Millie, Katie, Hannah and Zhila.

You helped your Soren settle into her desk in 4th grade and love to go pick her up from Carol's House. The last time we were there, you discovered the dress-up room. You loaded up a stroller with a baby doll and a bottle, and then you refused to leave.

You continue to amaze and amuse us every day! Love love love!
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/09/month_twentyone.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/09/month_twentyone.html Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:26:14 -0600
Hard Day on Flickr. July was a busy month! We had cookouts and celebrated birthdays (Mama is getting old!) and you survived the longest kitchen renovation ever. You got to spend a lot of time with your Nanny and Baba during that week, and now when you get mad at us, you call us “meanies” and yell for your grandparents to come help you.

You love to go out and play in Daddy’s truck. You climb all over the seats like a monkey. He lets you “drive” and turn on the windshield wipers and flash the lights. You aren’t yet strong enough to honk the horn, but you love it when Daddy does.

You love music and dance to it when we turn on the tv music channels. You put on Soren’s hat and try to hop around. Your funniest trick now is the Bedtime Negotiation. When we tell you it’s bedtime, you immediately respond with “A minnit? ONE minnit!” and hold up one curved little finger to indicate your offer. We usually fall over laughing and let you stay up another 15 or so. (Your sense of time is horribly warped, as is your sense of humor.)

You love to read books. You bring them to Mom and Dad to read to you every night. You will even sit down with one by yourself and babble through all the pages.

Some of your new words include: mizic (music), naken (naked), body, tunny (tummy), no mahnit (I don’t want it), truck, minning (raining), fall down, sad, mahnit book (I want the book), ghee-up (get up), sit dow, pay (play), sorn (Soren!), choo-choo, noise, daddy hum? (Daddy home?), gum, hon (phone), brr (motorcycle sound), one minnit, cookie, growling, piddies, pretty!, pazza (pizza), ay-buddy (everybody).

Four more months to go until you are two!! How is it possible? You are growing too fast, but you will always be our baby muffin. Love you!
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/08/month_twenty.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/08/month_twenty.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:40:22 -0600
Swinging with Babies on Flickr. Well, it's been another fun month of hilarity and learning. You are saying so many things that we can't keep up anymore. You learn new words every day. The funniest phrase so far is "ah no no" (I don't know) which you say often with your hands raised in the air in the "where" sign. We play the hiding game a lot, and you love to hide under the covers in bed and pop out to surprise us.

Please is now "peace", and Soren is "see-ah". Water is "wah-grr" and diaper is "bupper". You've learned to say "want it" and "no want it" and once "need it".

You're becoming very demanding and extra naughty. You had a time out for knocking over one of the torchiere lamps one day. Daddy sat you on his lap and made you sit still for 1 minute. Later that day, you brought your baby to Daddy and sat her in his lap and said "bad baby". You like to throw things, and laugh if you hit anyone on the head.

You also love to give kisses, and you get embarassed sometimes when everyone is laughing at something you have done. You smile your big sunny grin and cover your face with your tiny hands. You like to help us clean up and put things away in boxes. You love to bring Soren things, and you always share your snacks.

You got a new boy cousin named Marley in June. He's very sweet but not big enough to play quite yet. You tried to grab him and carry him around like your baby dolls, but his parents wouldn't have liked it!

You love school and Ms. Colleen is the best. When you get to class in the mornings, you go right to her arms and give her a hug. One day, you were so happy to see her, you gave her a big kiss. We are so lucky to have her.

Love love love love love!!!
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/07/month_nineteen.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/07/month_nineteen.html Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:28:01 -0600
Getting Ready for School on Flickr. Oh baby! You had another busy month. You walked around the May Fair, helped open presents at Jessie's baby shower, and charmed the restaurant at Uncle Joe's birthday dinner. You got to feed the catfish in Ada at Meme and Pawpaw's house. We went to the Barber Reunion in Hot Springs and you voluntarily signed "thank you" to Aunt Rose when she gave you a lamb puppet. (We named the lamb after Aunt Rose and the fairy doll after Grampa Richard.)

Your favorite toys lately are baby dolls. You especially love the large, life-like dolls and you carry them around the house for hours. You cover them with blankets, pat their backs, and make us change their diapers. You still have lots of fun with the little yellow bus and have recently discovered Soren's Barbie stash. (You think they are all little babies.)

You have been practicing potty training and enjoy sitting for brief moments on your little potty. You generously give kisses now, scrunching up your lips, kissing, and then making a big "MUH" sound afterward. (Most of these kisses are for your babies, but sometimes we all get lucky.)

New words: Di-do (thank you), La-lu (love you), Dit (drink), Oh (cheerio), Mao (mouse), Oh no, See-you (Soren), Sigh (outside, inside, slide), Bup (book, diaper, poop), Tuck (Truck), wet, walk, Please (pits), Melmo! (Elmo!), eh-Ree (Henry), and Soren is teaching you how to growl like a tiger

New signs: turtle (now also used for lizard), dog, school, train, hurt

You are still running everywhere and climbing furniture like a monkey. You keep us very busy and sometimes when your Dad and I are done at the end of the day, we look at each other and just laugh. It has been a very exciting 18 months and we can't wait for the rest.

Love,
Mama, Daddy, and See-you
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/06/month_eighteen.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/06/month_eighteen.html Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:25:55 -0600
Pooh Chair on Flickr. Dear Junie,

April was a busy month! The 1st weekend was the Medieval Fair, which you wandered around in your stroller. The 3rd weekend Ganny and Gonny came to visit you and spent the whole time spoiling you and giving in to your every whim. The 4th weekend was the Norman Music Festival. The music was a little too loud, so we walked around a bit and ended up having dinner at the Vista.

We have been really enjoying the weather, playing outside a lot, and indulging your new obsession with airplanes and remote controlled flying saucers. You also love going out in the backyard with Soren and playing with Roy, her turtle from Arkansas. If she looks away for even a second while he's playing in the grass, you snatch him up and run as fast as your little legs will go.

Your vocabulary really exploded this month. We have been trying to keep a running list, but can't seem to keep up. Some of these you use all the time.

New words: MINE!, nana, baba, foo (food), snacks, eye, no (nose), duh (done and gum), my Daddy, off & on & up (all sound like 'UPF'), bob-o (bottle and bubble), paci, box, basset (basket), boppy (potty)

New signs: airplane, butterfly, SOREN!, turtle, cat

Love you, Muffin!
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/05/month_seventeen.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/05/month_seventeen.html Fri, 09 May 2008 12:42:11 -0600
Sisters on Flickr. Ava June,
You are learning so much we can't keep up! You have so many new words and skills! Here is a run-down...

New words: yeah, neh (no), bye-bye, hi, puh-puh (purple), sigh (slide), Mmm (what a cow says)

New signs: bird, cat, fish, candy, airplane

You can bark like a dog and possibly meow.

You got a new castle for climbing and now think you're supergirl and can climb anything you see! You scale the ladder on the swingset and once Soren turned her head for 2 seconds and then caught you at the top of the bunkbed grinning like a cat. You love to flip upside down and land on your feet.

Everyone is still fighting over who gets to get you out of bed in the mornings and who gets to take you out of the car. You are perpetually cheerful. You are happy and laugh a lot, and you should wear more yellow. We talk every night about you and your amazingness and what a sweet girl you are. We are so lucky!

XOXO
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/04/month_sixteen.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/04/month_sixteen.html Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:55:57 -0600
Cheeseball on Flickr. Dear Ava June Houdini Trouble Zahrai Keys,

You are so much trouble! You are demanding, opinionated, independent and very fast. You tell us when you are finished eating by throwing all your food on the floor. You dump out toyboxes and strew books all over the house. We can't ever find matching shoes anymore. You yell for "MIH" when you want milk, and throw up your hands asking "WHERE?" are all of your devoted followers when you need entertainment.

You can run and dance and you love to fill containers full of little things. The other day, you sorted balls into a big bucket - but only the balls that Monty the Dinosaur can eat. You rejected all the odd-shaped balls that get stuck going into his chutes. You learned how to whistle, but only once.

You can sign "bath", "milk", "where", "ball", "more", "food", "water", and once, the sign for "Soren". You also yelled "Baba" at Baba, but it's possible you were talking about basketball.

You dragged us all to the mall once, by bringing Daddy his shoes and pointing to your jacket. You are so good at getting your point across. You waited impatiently while everyone got ready and then headed off to the car.

We have a video of you playing with your baby doll. You like to cover her with blankies (kitchen towels) and pat her really hard while you babble. You like to sit with Daddy on the sofa and watch dirt bike racing. You love going to school everyday, especially when you get to eat breakfast right away.

Your newest favorite game is falling down in the living room with Soren. She collapses on the floor and doesn't move, and you laugh and laugh. Then you fall over with the giggles. It can go on for hours. You also love the Put-Something-On-Your-Head game (see shorts photo).

You are so happy and so sweet. You share your snacks with everyone. You only frown when you don't get what you want, and yell when everyone around you is too stupid to understand.

We love you, Little Dumper!
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/03/month_fifteen.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/03/month_fifteen.html Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:59:03 -0600
Daddy and His Girls on Flickr. Ava June,

You are up to seven teeth now. You're using sign language for milk, more, hot, food/eat, book, and bath. Your most used words (out loud!) are ba (ball), buh (book), ot (hot), and didi (baby).

Your independence is showing through. You won't let anyone help you eat and drink. You get very frustrated and scream when we try. You like to wrap your didi in your blankets and carry her around. But woe to anyone who tries to wrap her for you. Your way of wrapping her is the ONLY way!

Daddy let you play with some Playdoh for a little while, but you kept pulling off little pieces and trying to eat them.

You love to scribble and draw. You decorated Daddy's white board on a visit to Mom and Dad's work. At home, you scribble a while, then grab your paper and run off. Then, it's as if you come up with a thought mid-step... you stop, lay the paper in the floor, and scribble down a note. Then you're off again.

Anytime you see something you want (even across a large room) you point and scream. Sometimes Daddy has to use your little outstretched arm like a compass and direction find his way to what it is that you are after.

You had a terrible week of stomach virus and pinkeye last week. We had to really simplify your diet so you could keep anything down, but it also helped to make the stomach trouble surprises a little less surprising (we didn't need to see those peas again *ugh*). You're all better now, though, and we are so glad to see you smiling and playing again!

Love,
Mama, Daddy, and Soren
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/02/month_fourteen.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/02/month_fourteen.html Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:36:46 -0600
Glam Baby on Flickr. Ava June,

You change so much every month, we can't keep up any more. We keep asking you to slow down and stop growing, but it isn't working. You have 5 teeth, one nap a day, and you're learning how to talk. You started going to a new day care and you really like it! You have 9 little friends in your class, and really great teachers. You really like to be involved in whatever is going on, and you start babbling any time the rest of us are talking. You communicate really well - you still use the "milk" sign for most everything, but you do clap sometimes for "more" and pat your face for "food". You often just point at things you want and make noise. Soren is now "see-ah" instead of "neh neh", which is so sweet. She used to call herself "see-you" when she was a baby.

You like to dance (see videos!), you walk really fast, you spin in place, you laugh when we tickle you and when Soren does something funny, you play pattycake, you climb everything, and you sometimes throw fits. We put a little potty in the bathroom for you to practice on, and you sat down and peed in it. You make a new face now when you get jealous. When your friend Ruby took away your baby doll, your little green monster came out and you bared your bottom teeth at her. You seem to have a new expression every day, and every morning you wake up prettier.

Love, Mama and Daddy
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/01/month_thirteen.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2008/01/month_thirteen.html Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:40:33 -0600
Strawberry GIrl on Flickr. You turned one on Tuesday, and none of us can believe how fast you have grown! You are 20 pounds 11 ounces and 30.25 inches tall. This has been such a busy month for you. You graduated from Peggy's day care and started at Middle Earth on Monday. You have been adjusting well to the new people and new things. You still cry a little when we leave, but your teacher cheers you up really fast and you get to make reindeer and gingerbread men and play with your new friends.

We had your birthday party on December 1st, and it was really nice. You got to spend time with lots of family and friends and play and eat some cake with Strawberry Shortcake. We took over 500 pictures and posted 26 on the internet.

You have learned many new things this month. One morning we were listening to you on the monitor and we heard something drop to the floor. "Uh oh!" you said. It's your funniest phrase so far. You still say mama, dada, and neh-neh for Soren. You point to things you want now, and everyone fetches things for you or else you will cry. Sometimes, when you get really frustrated, you get down on your hands and knees and bend your head down and wail. It is the saddest thing we've ever seen.

You like to help everyone with their chores. A few days ago, you toddled into the hallway and threw everyone's shoes into a laundry basket. Your favorite activity is putting things inside of other things. We keep you entertained with golf balls and colanders. You are walking everywhere, though you don't have quite enough balance for running yet.

You get prettier every day. Your hair is growing long and getting wavy. It's still almost a strawberry blond color - light brown, but sometimes red in the right light. Your 4 teeth are adorable. We made a plaster imprint of your hand so you can see how very small it was someday.

We love you! This has been a wonderful year. We don't remember what life was like without you. We look forward to many, many more.
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/12/happy_birthday_to_you.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/12/happy_birthday_to_you.html Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:47:09 -0600
Yay! on Flickr. We cannot believe you are almost one. You have been growing extra fast this month (21 pounds already!) and learning so many new things. You are walking more often than crawling now, and your balance is wonderful. Your favorite place is still Soren's room. We found the remote control in the toy box for the first time last week. You got your first top tooth October 23rd, and another a week later. You started sleeping with your Ugly Dog, because you really love using bed toys for pillows, and he's shaped just right. We've started planning your 1st birthday.

Earlier tonight, you looked over at Mom and gave her a really huge smile. Mom smiled back. You looked away, shyly. You looked back at Mom and smiled even bigger. Mom realized something was wrong. That was your naughty smile. What had you done? You just kept smiling. Then you laughed, and Mom saw something green in your mouth. You knew you were done for, and tried to crawl away. But Mom fished it out, the delicious rubber band you found in the office.

Every day with you, we learn something new. Every day is more wonderful than the last. Every day, you eat something off the floor that you shouldn't.

Love,
Mama, Daddy, and Soren
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/11/month_eleven.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/11/month_eleven.html Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:17:53 -0600
Halloween Fun on Flickr. Daddy Clown and his Monkey had a lot of fun at the Halloween party Saturday! (Junie snagged two red clown noses.)
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/10/halloween_fun.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/10/halloween_fun.html Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:56:13 -0600
Cabinets on Flickr. Junie, there are so many things to talk about this month! You took your first steps on September 28th. You aren't quite walking yet, but you will let go and walk a step or two between things. You like to dance to music and bounce up and down whenever you see Soren.

You call your parents Mama and Dada, and Soren is Neh-Neh. "Ba" means either baby, or ball, or bottle. You are making the "milk" sign in sign language now when you want milk, and also when you want food, or someone to pick you up. Or when you want to say hello. Or when you are happy.

We have to mention your obsession with cabinets and straws. You can spend half an hour opening and closing a door. You like to sneak into Soren's room and find her Barbies. Mama caught you the other morning hiding one of Soren's rubber balls inside a baking dish in the kitchen cabinet. You didn't know anyone was watching.

You still love Peggy's house, and all your peeps. You still have two bottom teeth. The top two are almost out, but not quite yet. You love to share! You will share anything you have in your hands, usually by shoving it into someone else's mouth. You love to give us food. You like to bring your babies to us for kisses.

We take walks almost every night and you love riding around the neighborhood in your stroller, especially if Soren is riding her bike. Sometimes, Daddy flies by on his roller blades, and you want to go just as fast.

At night, you sleep with a blankie, the pink baby, and a pacifier. If you are tired, we can turn on your sleepy music (white noise) and you dive right into the crib and snuggle the blankie. When Daddy sets you up high on his neck, you pat his head and grin. You are such a happy girl.

XOXO
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/10/month_ten.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/10/month_ten.html Sat, 13 Oct 2007 22:13:09 -0600
Daddy and Ava on Flickr. Baby Ava,

We usually start these updates by making a list of all the new things you've done in the last month. This month there weren't very many new things, just things you're doing better, or faster, or with more enthusiasm.

You can stand up now for a few seconds without support. You articulate more, saying things like dada and baba. You love to eat everything you can get your hands on: food, paper, toys, crickets, people. You can drink through straws. You have three baby dolls that you love very much. Your favorite place is Soren's room, where she has a new bunkbed - she's waiting for you to grow up so you can sleep in there with her. You like to brush your teeth in the morning when everyone is getting ready.

You have so much energy. You do everything with gusto, and you love to be involved in everything we are doing. We take you on lots of walks and play games and read books. Your favorite books are "That's Not My Robot" and the baby faces book. You're still enjoying Peggy's house and all the boys there. And everyone enjoys you, all the time. Even when you pee on Daddy. *Kiss*
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/09/month_nine.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/09/month_nine.html Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:01:17 -0600
Teeth! on Flickr. Mama finally got Junie's teeth on camera! Those little chompers are sharp!
]]> http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/08/teeth.html http://www.avajune.com/archives/2007/08/teeth.html Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:03:49 -0600