Dear Ava

 

Dear Ava,

Now you are 32 months old. Closer to 3 (!) than to 2 and a half. 

It's funny, when you're not sleeping at all time seems to move so slowly. 

And then, you walked.

And now, you talk. Non-stop.

Big news. No more bottle. No more paci.

I admit sweet Ava, I let you get away with both for far longer than I did with your brother or sister. 

It's true what they say. The third get's away with murder more.

And I'm just fine with that.

You still love Bobo. And he isn't going anywhere. Ever.

I have visions of him propped up on your bed when you're a teenager. 

We'll tell stories about how you carried him everywhere. 

It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.   
I don't ever want you to grow up.
Is that so wrong?

You are strong-willed. I like that. Not so much now, but later, this will be a great quality.

You know what you like (chocolate) and what you don't (meat).

You can entertain yourself alone for hours. 

Tea party is a recent favorite. Papa taught you to sip water out of your tiny cup and now, this makes you happier than anything.

Except for going outside. 

I hate to think about how cold it will get and how little we will get outside in the coming months.

Another Christmas is coming.

You have made each holiday more exciting. The joy of having a little one around at the holidays is like nothing else. 

And not just for us.

For everyone in our extended family too.

We're decorating this weekend. I can't wait to see how you react to the tree this year.

And today? Today, we saw Santa Claus at the mall.

You looked him up and down and said "I want a present".

I'm pretty sure you got it all figured out.

Sweater - Joe Fresh
Polka Dot Cargos - Joe Fresh
Jacket - Baby Gap
Boots - Ugg

I check in on you every night before I go to sleep. 

Your mouth wide open (just like your older sister's) in sweet, sweet slumber.

And I smile every.single.time.

And I get that feeling. 

Pure joy.

I love you my sweet girl.

More than anything. You and your brother and sister.

xo

Mommy

What That Baby Wore : A Girl in the Garden

There truly are days where you just need to stop and smell the roses.
Immerse yourself in the little things. And appreciate the beauty of all that surrounds us.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I think the prettiest flower in the bunch is the one all in pink.

On Ava:

Linen dress worn as top : Premaman

Leggings: Joe FRESH

Shoes: LelliKelly

Enter our eShakti giveaway here!

What That Baby Wore : Everything old is New again

Ava wore this dress for lunch on New Year's Day.
My brother-in-law thought it looked not unlike a dress from long ago.
I agree.
Even though it's current, it has a certain vintage vibe to it.

Someone's getting her back teeth.
And was featured on The Baby Blackbird's Mini Street Style last week.
Brandy writes a lovely kid's style blog. And is a fellow Canadian.
Love. And love.

On Ava:
Dress - Baby Gap

What that baby Wore : A 20 month old

Guess who is 20 months old?

I realize how cliche it sounds, but I really don't know where the time went.

I was sitting looking at this jacket the other day. 

And I can't believe how big it is.

Big compared to just last winter when she was in a teeny.tiny one.

Big compared to all of the even smaller baby clothes I am slowly very, very slowly starting to put away.

She looks biggest to me when she's sleeping.

So long.

Knit Hat - Old Navy
Jacket - BabyGap {last season}
Leggings - BabyGap
Shoes - Robeez FirstStepz

I don't know how I got so lucky.

Pure joy this child.

Pure joy.

Dear Ava,
20 months! 20 months. 
I would do just about anything to have you be just a few days old and in our bed again. 
You won't sleep there now, not even for a minute. And you thought you would hate your crib.
You were wrong. 
And sleep? You like it now.
A 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon and a full night (praise God) every night.
You are talking up a storm.
You can say mama.dada.juju.izzy.nana.papa.nonna.what's that.numnum.toast.Dora.park.book.go.up.no.cookie...
You are especially good at the very last one.
And you answer everything I ask with "ok mama". 
Cutest.thing.ever
You still love to be outside. But it's getting cold!
Christmas is on it's way. 
I cannot wait to see the joy you experience.
WE love you sweet girl.
xo
Mommy

What that baby Wore : The Reader

I was that kid reading a book while watching t.v.

The one you could find at the library. Alone. All the time.

It's funny that someone as loud as me spent most of her formative years in such a quiet place.

I still love a good book.

Can get lost in them. And still prefer sometimes to be alone with a good book to being anywhere else.

I began reading to each of my children early on.

Isabella always demanded a bedtime story. Or two. Or three.

She could recite every page of Madeline before she could read. I would turn the pages, she would know them by memory. 

I'm hoping her baby sister is following in her footsteps ::

I wonder when she's too quiet, what she may be up to.
Sometimes I'm lucky and find her catching up on some reading in her room.
I try, but she hasn't quite grasped the concept of my reading to her just yet.
But she'll get there. 

Back on the lookout for trouble ::
Quiet moments never last long around here.

On Ava:

Sweater - Zara Kids

Jeans - Old Navy

What that baby Wore : Zara Kids

Little miss finally decided it was ok to wear white. 

And touch the grass with her bare feet.

Blouse + pants - Zara Kids
Hair clip - LV inspired

The hair clip was salvaged from The Original BabyGirl.

We'll call it vintage. 
Because we can.

What that baby Wore : Ruffled

I'm a sucker for ruffles. 
And this little top was an absolute steal.
Love Joe Fresh.

Headband - stolen borrowed from big sis
Ruffled T - Joe FRESH
Floral leggings - Children's Place