Ava waited very impatiently for her third birthday. She wanted to be 3 so badly she could taste it. Her birthday was on a Sunday this year, but on the Friday before she had a party at school with her friends. As soon as they finished singing to her, she turned to me with wide eyes and breathlessly said, "Mommy, I'm THREE now." And that was it. There was NO convincing her that she was still 2 until Sunday! They sang to her and it was official.....She was 3.
Her Minnie Mouse cake and the chocolate cakeballs that we made to match it.
Miles almost ate his weight in cakeballs!
And she was all too ready to open her presents! She has that part down pat.
In true Nana-style, Miles got a gift on her birthday like she gets one on his. I love this tradition and it's nice for the kids while they are so young and just learning to understand why only one child gets to open ALL the gifts.
Showing Daddy her new Minnie Mouse jammies that Mee Maw and Papa got her.
Her new dollhouse and first Barbie Dolls!
The Birthday Girl!!
Miles is ready to start helping open presents!
2010 School Pictures!!! They did such a good job.
Kinley's cheerleading photo! I LOVE this picture! She is growing up so quickly now....And is as pretty as a picture!
The first year that we haven't had tears and drama going to see Santa! Yeah!! And this one didn't seem creepy like the one from last year! And his whiskers were real, just ask Ava. She said he has whiskers "like Pito!"
Nana at "Trunk or Treat" in the neighborhood, taking Miles in the wagon. He was just about trunk-or-treated-out.
Yes, we decided to Dress up this year as well, but not as Spongebob and Patrick like Ava wanted!
Earlier in the day we went to the "Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear" here locally (couldn't make the big one in DC, so this was the next best thing!!) The kids had a blast and we mets lots of really nice (and intelligent) people!
Miles taking a walk with Pito with Matching strides!
Nana rescuing Miles as he was at a full run towards the pond in the background. The faster you chase after him, the faster he runs and harder he laughs!
His shirt speaks for itself!
Our little spot in the park. It was such a great day for a peaceful rally!
Ava's shirt didn't come in my size or I swear I would have ordered it!
Ava and Miles had a Halloween carnival at school and had a lot of fun. Miles won for most original costume!
Nana with Ava, I mean, Minnie Mouse!
Miles was determined to bounce in the bouncy house, play games, etc in full costume!
The sweetest Minnie Mouse I have ever seen!
The teeth MADE his costume!!!
Ava and Miles singing "Happy Birthday" to Grandaddy on his 87th birthday!
These photos are actually in backwards order because that is how I uploaded them.... They are from our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. The day ended with our kids and their cousins carving pumpkins on our back deck. We have so much fun each year!
Nathan making a very elaborate pumpkin!
Getting Ava and Miles started on theirs.
Kinley working hard!
Ava taking a break.
Miles climbing, as usual.
Brad taking a break inside. What a great picture of him!
What is going on with that hair girl?!?!
Miles with his pumpkin.
Kinley with her pumpkin.
Ava with her pumpkin.
7 little pumpkins for our 7 little pumpkins!
Again, Kinley, what is up with the hair girl?!?!
Miles and Nate going for a spin all around the yard.
Miles, unable to resist eating his pumpkins in the raw, gave in and went for it!
Checking out eat others progress...
Group shot at the pumpkin patch!
This isn't like the corn at home?!
Loving the hay and sand!!!
I have climbers and I just have to accept that I guess.
The corn pit.
The barrel ride. This year Ava actually stayed awake for the whole ride!!
He looks so small in it by himself!
Such a Big Girl!!!
Again, with the eating of the pumpkins....
That is one strange looking gourd!
Sweet Girl!!!!!
Losing his balance...
Showing us his "find"!
They loved feeding the goats corn. I think they actually could have done this all day long!
Our little scarecrow!
He hadn't eaten, so I am fairly certain he was eating dirt. Nice.
Another goofy gourd.
Sweet pea on a huge pumpkin!
Big sister walking alongside Ava while she rides the pony. They are going to be such good friends!
Miles first pony/horse ride. He LOVED it!! He kept "thrusting forward" trying to get the horse to go faster, making everyone watching laugh. I wish I had gotten it on video!
Looking so small on that big horse!
Well, that's one way to hold on!
Ava found the pumpkin she wanted and didn't let go until she was back on the hayride.
Ew Gross! Silly girl!
Miles found one he wanted, but had a hard time carrying it.
This is Ava's!
Our Family!
Run Ava, Run!
This is more his size!
My pumpkins with their pumpkins!
Brad's crew!
Hayride!
It weighs more that he does!
A day at the Zoo with Hayden, Amber and Andrew....
Cheesing for the camera. Not really the look we were going for, but you get a A for effortM!
Miles after a "faceplant" at the bottom of the slide.
Miles thinking that the Zoo rocks! He did NOT want to leave!
Hammin it up for Daddy!
This is probably my favorite one and will accompany Miles on his first date!
Ava trying to make sense of the facades.
It was a hot day and the popsicles hit the spot!
THIS is the way to ride, whether you are at the zoo or the fair. I only wish it was motorized and would carry me too!
Ava's and Miles' first trip to the state fair. Ava wanted to ride every ride there.
Miles started to tucker out after a while. It was hot and he had missed his nap. Lucky for him, there is plenty of room in the wagon to stretch out and sleep!
Watching Ava ride and wishing he was tall enough to get on too! Soon enough, my sweet baby boy!
You could never convince her that she wasn't actually driving that boat!
Looking at the baby ducks. This was Ava's favorite of all the animals they saw at the fair!
In our Razorback gear on a game day, going for a walk/ride in their new wagon!
Miles trying desperately to figure out how to maneuver his way around an iPod.
Nana and Ava doing what they do best....read. Ava has known her letter sounds for months and is now sounding out words. She only knows the "soft sounds" that letters make, not the "hard sounds" so words like CANDY don't make much sense when she sounds them out, but words like STOP do. It's kind of hit and miss right now, but she loves trying to sound them out.
She is becoming quite the little veteran at the nail salon! Mommy's manicure/pedicure buddy.
Chillin in the chair!
Miles was crying in the backseat and Ava yelled, "Stop the car Mommy! Miles is Nasty!". I pulled over to see what was wrong and found this.....then I remembered that I gave him a cookie that Aha (Grandmother) had given him....and he was out! He wanted another one, which I didn't have. And Ava was correct, he was nasty!
Miles in his chair, waiting for me to make his dinner....I can't cook any faster!
Ava on her new trampolene!
Miles on his new trampolene!
Visiting Granny, their 95 year old Great Grandmother, who just adores them! I love seeing her with them. It absolutely warms my heart to no end!
Ava decked out in all her pink sparkles on her way to school. She takes this very seriously, of course.
My babies sitting quietly and painting. Such a rare, quiet moment at our home!
Ava and I had a "Girls day" again recently and went to Barnes and Nobles, Purple Cow for lunch and to her personal favorite, Kroger. She loves that they have carts that are just her size. THEY may regret this move. Already, my ankles do, as Ava rammed into them no less that 10 times and on each isle continued to yell, "Bye Bye Mommy, I'm leaving you!" and run down the isle with her cart like a crazy person. This did not amuse me (much) or anyone else shopping at Kroger, but Ava had a blast! You might be surprised by all the things that are eye level to a 2 year old in the grocery store. I found all kids of stuff in her basket when we made it to the checkout.
I'm not sure if you will be able to get this video to load or not. It is one of Ava singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on her new Karaoke machine that G & G got her for her birthday. She sings all the time anyway, it's just that now EVERYONE can hear it! She also got a pink digital camera and now NO ONE in this house is safe at any time. We have to check it periodically to make sure that she hasn't snapped anyone in any compromising stage of dress or position.
Miles is growing like weed! I swear that recently he took a 4 hour nap and when he woke up he was taller and had more hair. Brad thinks I'm crazy, but I swear that is what happened! He is the happiest baby and is always laughing/smiling. He is a very physical kid. He is a runner and a climber. He loves to tackle Ava, attack clothes while you are folding them as if he is playing offense on an NFL team, and hand you things ONLY so you will play a game of tug-of-war with him.
Ava's newest thing besides trying to read already is that she wants to tell Mother Nature what to do. She recently yelled at the moon all the way to school because it was still in the sky. "You GO DOWN moon!!! It's wake up time! It's NOT your turn! It's the sun's turn. You GO DOWN moon! I'll see you tonight when it's night-night time and the stars come up and the sun goes down!" She also has learned that the green means go and the red means stop. She insists on the passenger headrest being up so that she can see the traffic lights (so she can tell me how to drive)! She yelled at me to stop because the light 20 yards up was red. And then yelled at me to go when it was green despite the fact that the car ahead of me hadn't moved yet. I told her that I could handle this as I had been driving for a few years. She got very frustrated and said, "You're killing me! Let me drive this car!!" I couldn't help but laugh at her. I was killing HER??? She also yelled at a white truck recently because he wasn't moving through the drive thru at McDonalds fast enough for her. She said that Santa Claus "is NOT bringing you presents you mean old Truck! You are getting COAL!" Poor truck. She ate ALL her dinner recently and ended it by saying, "Santa Claus is so proud of me!" This is such a cute age, I love it and everyday is cuter and funnier than the last. And Miles is hot on her heels! Together I know they are going to keep us in stitches! You can't buy entertainment like this!
