What IS that?!!

I know I took this picture because this material was all over her face....but I cannot remember for the life of me what it is that she was eating....I want to guess a fudgsicle...but it doesn't quite look like fudgsicle material.

oldies of Ava

These are from my cell phone from WAY back! the one above was when Ava was very fresh and Rich was real tired after running the marathon course the day before!!

What else can we do on a Saturday?

This past Saturday the fam went on a hike at the Blue Hills Reservation with our friends Mark, Nancy and their little girl Ruby. The sad thing is the pics are on my camera, and I can't find it!! So i'll post some later. The two girls seemed to enjoy their backpack rides while we all walked on some trails. Ruby was chatting up a storm and seemed to be trying to have a conversation with Ava, whom was mesmerized by her. Afterwards we headed back to JP to have a bbq and hang. Ava was her usual self, all over the place. Eating rocks and gravel, running on dangerous walls and scaling anything that was scalable. Its making me exhausted again just talking about it. Ruby on the other hand started taking some small cues from Ava but was easily reeled back in by her parents and her own self. I have to say that I think Ruby is one of the only kids Avas ages that I have seen her REALLY engaged with, like a lil buddy. They were laughing together, mimicking each other and just having a good ole time. Until Ava started stealing stuff out of Rubys hands.....like the bubble maker wand.



After the bbq, we headed home for a brief moment and then headed to Charlestown to see the Stroms and the Rings. Ava had a blast getting Liam into trouble with his parents, by showing bad behavior that Liam could copy. Ha ha! One of those moments was sitting on top of the kiddie piano(see below-thanks tashy). Ava is SO serious. Even with that bink. We WILL get a picture without that in her mouth someday. You can tell how innocent and sweet that Liam is, and Ava, what IS she thinking?
IN any event we got her in her jams there and drove home. It was a very busy and eventful day!!! Thanks to all for making it happen!

Avas little sister!

Today we had our 18 week ultrasound. It occurred after the house was ravaged by the 24 hour flu this weekend.

My email:

Just wanted to let you know we had our 18 wk ultrasound today. Everything looks good, but there seemed to be a lot of 'free space' between the little bugs leggies. Meaning they 'think' its a girl. They are pretty honest about never stating its a girl because 10% of the time it comes out a boy.

I think Rich and I would agree that our fav comment of the morning was, "wow, this one is going to keep your hands full!" I would REALLY like to chalk this ones behavior up to the fact ive (and the whole family for that matter) been recovering from the 24 hour flu and not really able to eat anything with exception to the half bagel and gingerale I had going in to the ultrasound. I figured that the gingerale would perk the babe up a bit and Im hoping I was right....because BOY if there is another little Ava...I will be gray before im 40 for sure.

UNREAL! Heres to Ava as a big influence and sister to her lil is on the way! I try to explain to her there is a baby in my belly and she will be a big sister, but she just points to her belly button and and says "belly!". Then seems to almost 75% of the time climb on my belly and sit there bouncing up and down. Is this a prediction of the first few years of their lives together?? YIEEEE!!

let the tantrums begin!

I couldn't resist sharing a sad/mad Ava. I should actaully put some reference behind this moment. Ava was this upset for about 45 minutes. She threw her dinner on the floor without so much as taking a bite and then wanted to go outside. And you can imagine that I wasn't about to go outside and let her play without eating supper. It was a stand I tell you. I should also recall my own mother telling me I had temper tantrums that lasted and hour. After that 60 minute mark, I was a happy camper.

Mommys shoes

Ava has taken a liking to them. And you know, she walks OK in them too! Not sure what it is about these shoes in particular, but she always picks them out of the closet amongst all the other shoes entangled in each other. She then proceeds to set them up and slip into them and clomp around the house. Silly girl.

Thank You

I would like to take a moment to thank you all for supporting us and my family for the sad news of Jason. Its been a very difficult week and if I didnt have this sweet sweet girl here to make everyone smile, including myself it would be so much harder. I know miss Ava did not really have chance to get to know Jason, but think she really does share his love for music. I gave her his maracas tonight and she would NOT let go of them. She shook them a bit and then started holding them by the stems and using them more like ski poles....even climbing the stairs to bed! SHe held them through story time and took them right into the crib. Don't worry I will take then away before I got to bed, but there was just something so special about her having an immediate attachment to them. I know Jason loved her dearly as he kept a picture of her nearby at all times in her tiger suit.

For those of you who missed his obit you can find it here:
Jason B. Tibbetts

Thank you again, you all have been so important during this time. Ill add a pic of Ava and her new maracas later. :)