What a Big Girl!

First of all I have to say Happy Anniversary (3 days late) to my parents. They are celebrating their 39th year of marriage. Now that's an accomplishment! Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!! We love you and thank you for setting an example worthy of following.

Ava is doing new things everyday and this week she has started pulling herself up to a standing position. She is always so proud of herself when she gets up! She grins from ear to ear. We actually did not know she could do this until one morning we walked in to see this:

What a big girl! Now I know every baby does this eventually, but it seems like such a big deal when it's your own. And I am just SURE that no other baby does it as well as ours:)! Standing and falling is her new favorite game.

Last weekend Brian decided at the last minute that we should go to Atlanta for an outdoor concert. It made me feel good that we can still be spontaneous! So he got off early and we headed to Piedmont Park to see Jerry Jeff Walker. I am not a fan as I didn't know who he was, but Brian likes him. The thought of being outside was appealing to me. It was great weather for it. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and walked to the park. The weather was so awesome! When we got there we found a place on the grass and parked our chairs and Ava's stroller. She did great too. We took turns strolling her when she got bored and she eventually fell asleep. The folks next to us commented on how good she was. Yea, well, we know. ha ha! I think she was the only baby in the whole place! We did see another family on our way out. The mom and dad had 2 older children, and the dad said, "we were making bets that we had the youngest ones here but looks like we lost"! Yea, I think we won that one.
We walked back and it was close to 11:00 by that time, poor Ava. She had a hard time that night with sleeping. She had slept the whole walk back so when we got back and changed her she was AWAKE! That was the price we had to pay I guess. She got to sleep in the next day so it all worked out. We ate an on open air Mexican restaurant Saturday and I walked to some local shopping while Brian headed back. I found some great deals at a closing sale...woohoo! I like me a good sale. Saturday night we got some awesome Thai food again, outside. It was another beautiful night. We don't have any plans for a big vacation trip this summer since we did just get back from Vietnam. So, it's nice to just take a weekend here and there to do something different and special. There's so much in Atlanta to do too that we haven't gotten to still. Hopefully we'll have more weekend trips like this in the near future. It can be very refreshing.

This week is just another run-of-the-mill week, no special plans. Ava keeps things interesting though with the new things she's doing. She keeps us on our toes!


Here are some more pics from the week:

Showers of Blessings

This past Sunday, a couple of girls at the church, Kelly and Elizabeth, threw me a shower. It was held in the fellowship hall of the church after the service. Before the service started, Brian went to drop off something in the kitchen for me and when he came back into the service he wrote me and note that read, "I stopped by the fellowship hall and it looks REALLY REALLY nice!!!" He was very impressed with the decorations and food and the hard work the girls put into the shower, as was I. And it DID look very nice, just perfect. I have to add here that other girls from Sunday School helped out as well and added their touches and good cooking. It was quite an effort and we are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. Not only did they bless us with their prayers but also their generosity and thoughtfulness in throwing us this shower. After the service, Brian hung out a little while because it was Ava's lunch and nap time, of course, so while we all ate, he fed Ava and she fell asleep on his shoulder. He held her and she slept a good while and woke up just in time for the opening of the gifts. I'm so glad he stayed too. She would have been in quite a mood had she not slept. So THANK YOU Brian! After she woke up he took off for home. I guess he didn't want to be the only guy hanging out at the shower! After she woke up we grabbed one of the exersaucers from the nursery and she sat in that while I opened gifts. I could tell she was a little groggy for a while and then she perked up and was a happy girl. Give that child an exersaucer and she's good to go, or stay I should say! So here are some pictures from the shower. The food was awesome and the decorations sweet. Elizabeth made the cake herself---I'm impressed. The icing was a exact match to the invitations. Doubly impressed.
By the way, Beth, she wore the dress you gave her. She got MANY compliments! You did a great job picking it out. It is beautiful.

Celebrating her First Fourth

We had a great weekend up in Athens for the Fourth of July holiday (I can't believe it's already the fourth!!). Well, actually we were home for the Fourth and then the next day we went to Athens. It was Ava's first Fourth of July and we didn't see any fireworks--shame on us! I don't know that she would have like them anyway. Every year I start thinking about the Fourth and want to go see fireworks somewhere and have a picnic, but then when it comes down to fighting the crowds I just say "forget it!" So we opted to stay home and cookout there. It was very relaxing and quiet. When she gets a little older I think we'll venture out. Then on Saturday morning we headed up to Athens, baby and dog in tow. Ava was in her holiday garb. I found her the cutest dress that says "I'm an American baby!" all over it! I guess it looked like a flag...but I thought it was adorable on her. Clark, Ashlie and the kids came over and we grilled steaks and corn and had quite a spread. No fireworks. I almost bought sparklers but figured mom had bought some, o well. No such luck. I should always go with my first instinct I guess. But we did have a water balloon fight. When we were there a few weeks ago and Jennifer's family came and John, sensing the kids were bored, decided to surprise them with water balloons. So he and Brian and Clark went outside and filled the balloons with water. They made three water balloons for the kids to defend themselves with and then kept the rest for themselves! They thought they wouldn't have a chance. We called all the kids out and if I'm remembering correctly, the guys threw all the balloons they had at the kids and not ONE of them got wet!! Because the guys didn't want to throw them too hard at the poor unsuspecting children, the balloons would just bounce off them, hit the ground and then pop! So their plan was not working out as they'd hoped, but the kids got into it and it was quite a show. The guys definitely got their due. Then when papa came home from the store, they all hid in the garage until he got closer and then ran out and screamed "happy father's day!!" as they pelted him with balloons! Unfortunately only his shoe got a little wet. Drats. I believe I heard the kids say this is a new tradition...the water balloon fight that is, not attacking Papa!It sure is a great way for kids to cool off in the summer, and let off some frustration with the parents at the same time!

This past weekend Clark had gotten Wade some more water balloons so that was also on the schedule for Saturday. So Clark and Wade and Ashlie tried to get each other wet while Brian and Papa filled the balloons with water. Brooks tried to help as well.:) Ashlie sort of inadvertantly got in the mix. Wade got her good! He loved that...I'm not so sure that Ashlie did however. From this picture I'd say she wasn't thrilled. Wade looks rather pleased with himself!

Ava had a big week last week. She learned how to sit up on her own. I turned around to do something and when I looked back, I caught the last second of her pushing herself upright! I couldn't believe it! It took me by such surprise. I would clap after she would do it successfully and say "yaaayyy Ava!", and so she also learned how to clap! Well, she can't make the sound but she loves to sit up and then do the clapping motion. It's the cutest thing. AND her two bottom teeth are coming in nicely. You can see them a little bit in this picture. She hasn't had too much pain with these. Hopefully it's a sign of good things to come. So we're making progress over here.

We don't have too much going on this week. I do have to take her for vaccines. Yuck. Never fun but necessary. And then we may go to the park Wednesday morning with some girls from church. We'll see how that goes. It will be nice to get out of the house and outside.

Hope everyone has a great week!!