Luxury

Anyone who has been to my home knows I love everything to do with home decor. When Blair and I got married I splurged on a few throw pillows from Pier One that have shaped our living room over the years and their muted aqua floral pattern has withstood my ever-changing style. Sadly, after many naps on the couch, visitors and toddler play, they have seen better days. I have been on a search for nearly a year, for a fabric to replace my beloved pillows at a reasonable price. If you're willing to spend 70.00+ a yard, there are a few options out there, but alas, my budget is a wee bit smaller. After this long and patient search, I at last have found a mix of fabrics that meet my high standards and reflect my style perfectly. They also accomplish my desire of adding another color into the living room mix--light gray. Here are photos of two of the fabrics I chose.

Now on to the luxury part of this post. I stumbled across these amazing throws in a small shop called COCOCOZY. Her patterns are to die for and she has an eye for the same colors that I love! Tranquil, muted and monotoned aqua, gray and neutral. At 265.00 a blanket I won't be purchasing these ever, but if only I could. I love them!

Here are some more of my design inspirations at the moment, propelling me toward a someday quasi-completed living room.

Ava's New Piano

Lots of new things

Ava has been growing and changing like a weed since her birthday. Here are some new Ava facts:

She wears hair clips! Finally she has enough hair and with some persistence on my part she's now used to them daily. She won't yet let me use a rubber band to make a mini-ponytail but I'm content with a bow for now.

She's afraid. Ava has developed a lot of strange fears as of late, including public restrooms (she's afraid of the loud flush), wind and the YMCA (she thinks it's a doctor's office).

She has words. Ava has been talking talking talking for the last 6 months but some of my favorite words include "kuckle" (couple, as in "a kuckle days"), "coutend" (pretend), "pooh-dough" (pillow), and "coo-eye-in" (crying). I am sure I'll think of five more as soon as I post this!

Story #1

The other day I was eating some leftover pizza for lunch and Ava spotted it. She said, "I hold big one?" meaning, she'd like to hold and eat a whole piece of pizza all by herself. I said I didn't think that was a good idea, that it was too big. She looked at me with her wide, puppy dog eyes and said sweetly, "Mommy, I can try" with sweet inflection on the "try" indicating both question and an air of I-can-do-it. Of course I obliged the cuteness and she enjoyed her pizza slice like a big girl.

Story #2

Ava's bedtime routine usually includes reading a few books and then singing a few songs before she is laid in her crib and we say goodnight. Last week however, I picked her up to sing a song and she stopped me and said, "Down, pack 'n play?" I said, "You want to go down in your crib now?" She said, "No, coutend (pretend) pack 'n play?" I clarified and discovered that she did in fact want to go in her crib but pretend she was being put in her pack 'n play. We then pretended for a few minutes that we were at the beach on vacation, that she was sleeping in her pack 'n play and that in the morning we would wake up and go fly kites with Daddy. She happily pretended this nighttime routine and that was that! No song, no dance, just an adorable, big-kid imagination at work. Love her.

Summer Shoes

One of my favorite purchases for Ava's summer wardrobe thus far!

Unfortunately Ava's affinity for mud puddles today

meant washing them after their first wear.

A Day in the Life of a Blogging Mommy

Month 24

I've decided this should be the last post named by how many months it has been since Ava was born. This, among other things, is the sad (and exciting) reality that we are getting used to with a two-year-old. Now she'll be marked by 6-month increments, she'll be two for about four months, then two-and-a-half for a few months, then "almost three" for the few after that. An exciting switch, yes, but a change nonetheless. Another reminder of her age, Ava decided this week that her beloved Ducky will now be called "Duck". A heart-wrenching, "I'm to old to say Duck-KEY" moment. I'm sure she'll switch back and forth or maybe forget her decision altogether eventually, but when the change was announced I must say, I had a mini-meltdown inside. My daughter is TWO... and she knows it!

At 24 months, Ava is:

• Speaking in broken but very clear sentences
• Much more outgoing than she was at 12 months
• Loving trucks, planes, trains and any other mode of transportation, dresses, doing things by herself, playing all kinds of pretend, singing songs (and making up her own lyrics) and taking care of her baby dolls with all the vigor and detail of a real mommy
• Jumping with two feet
• Constantly reciting songs and books from memory, and repeating everything she hears
• Wearing size 3 and 4T in most clothes and size 6 1/2 - 7 in shoes, wearing size 5 diapers and size 6 at night.
• Finally thinning out a bit, weighing in at 28.8 lbs (68%) and 35 in (81%)
• A very good listener
• A great eater, favorite foods including blackberries (all berries really), grapes, broccoli, yogurt, cottage cheese, colby cheese, mac and cheese (yes, she loves cheese) and dried cranberries
• Wanting three meals and two snacks (most days)
• Sleeping 12 hours a night and taking one nap for 1.5 - 2.5 hours
• Finishing mommy's sentences (truly)
• Switching to 2% milk and getting used to cold milk (as opposed to warm). Yes, it took us this long (gasp). Who wants to give up the ten minute snuggle that comes with warm milk? Not I, so I let it linger awhile...
• Counting to 8 and knows most of her letters, colors and shapes

Personality Traits at 2 Years: She still has a GREAT sense of humor, she is very in tune to and observant of others, and she is careful and deliberate but much more adventurous and gregarious than she was at 12 months. She is very sensitive, loves to be the center of attention, still loves to snuggle, and is soft natured but very talkative. In a group of kids she is definitely the most quiet, observant and least rambunctious, but when she's the star of the show she loves to show off, be loud and run around with the best of them. She wants to know and follow the rules, of course pushes her limits but responds very well to consistency, boundaries and calm.

In a nutshell, Ava is truly a sweet little heart and is a lot like her mommy. She is nurturing, personable, affectionate, witty, detail-oriented, purposeful, imaginative, others-centered (as much as a two-year-old can be) and LOVED!

Ava's 24 mo. Photo Shoot

A Special Day

Ava on her birth day

Ava at her 1st birthday party

Ava at her 2nd birthday party

a thomas party

Ava couldn't have been more excited for her Thomas birthday party this year and I couldn't have been more unsure of how to pull it off. But, after some research and creativity, this is what we came up with! A Thomas the Tank Engine birthday party fit for my girlie girl and a grilled cheese bar fit for kids and adults alike. We forgot to take pictures before the festivities began so here are a few post-party captures. Among our missed photo-opportunities was the grilled cheese bar I adapted from Martha Stewart's How to Throw a Grilled Cheese Party.

Ava's Thomas birthday banner

Some of the spread with coordinating labels

Above the grilled cheese bar hung signs with recipe combination ideas

and "How to Make the Perfect Grilled Cheese"

The cupcake toppers that inspired the decor!

Personalized with Ava's name, age and train logo

Train whistles for the kiddos

Ava was blessed to have 7 kids and 16 adults come to her party to celebrate with her! She had so much fun with friends and family and took a 2 1/2 hour nap afterwards to prove it. We so enjoyed watching the kids play together, spending time with cousins and family and seeing Ava's face light up all day. Thank you for all who celebrated with us!

Ava and Liam playing with Ava's new ironing board

Miles, Ruthie and Ava playing with Ava's new Thomas track

No birthday is complete without a special cupcake for a special girl.

Happy birthday my sweet sweet two-year-old.

a family-of-three vacation

Last weekend we decided to take advantage of Blair's slow work week and take a mini-vacation to Philadelphia. Blair works long hours (which means so do I) and as a family we have been pretty burnt-out lately and in serious need of some together time.

On Friday we set out for Exton, Blair's hometown, and stayed the night at his parents house. Ava opened a few early birthday presents, we enjoyed a little time with Nana and Papa and a good nights sleep.

Saturday we met my sister and brother-in-law and Ava's cousin Miles at the mall and had a great time running around and shopping. Now you might think, what a silly thing to do on a "vacation", but believe me--when you live in a small town, shopping in such a big mall qualifies as vacation-worthy.

In the afternoon we had some great family time at home, took a walk, played outside, blew bubbles, picked up sticks, and Ava had a blast with her new lawn mower from Nana and Papa.

Saturday night we went out to dinner and Ava was enchanted with the balloons and serenaded by the waiters for her birthday. Now whenever we go out she starts singing Happy Birthdayand then looks around and says, "People do it??". Unfortunately I had to break it to her that not all strangers are prepared to sing to her at a moments notice.

Early Sunday morning we grabbed our Starbucks and breakfast sandwiches and headed to the city. Ava was much more taken by the "tall buildings" than I expected and it was a fun car ride as we neared our destination: the Camden Aquarium. We all enjoyed this stop and Ava had a blast running around and seeing all the little fish and big fish. Her favorite attractions were undoubtedly the porcupine and hippos, and she loved standing in the shark tunnel!

After lunch we headed to our hotel for Ava's nap. Unfortunately it didn't go so well, she was exhausted and thrown off by the immediate change of venue and refused to nap. Sometimes she can breeze through a missed nap without much harm done but this was not one of those days. So, we took our distraught baby down to the hotel lobby and proceeded to stroll her around in figure 8's for about an hour before she fell asleep.

Despite the less than stellar nap, Ava did very well sharing a room with us in the hotel that night. Even though sleeping next to a pack 'n play meant Blair and I had to also stay quiet after 8pm, Ava slept through the night without a peep and we soaked in the quiet, restful togetherness.

We thoroughly enjoyed and took advantage of our luxurious hotel room and accommodations. Monday ushered in one of the most delicious breakfasts we've had in a long time and then we decided to head to the Please Touch Museum, a recommended attraction for toddler-toting families. Ava absolutely LOVED it and I too was very impressed by the amount there was to enjoy with an almost-two-year-old.

Even though we only had three short days to "vacate", we enjoyed every minute of it!

Spring days

Spring has come early this year, at least for a few days. Ava could not have been more excited to get outside and enjoy the warmth yesterday!

23 months

This month Ava has once again experienced an explosion of growth and is showing all signs of turning two. Illustrated in part by her wardrobe--with only about 3 shirts and 2 pairs of mismatched pants that fit her now--Ava's growing inner-dictionary and monologue have also reached new heights. Though a translator is often needed, she is speaking in longer sentences now, beginning to add smaller words like "the", "to" and "and", and her vocabulary continues to expand daily. Frequently heard semi-sentences around the house are things like, "Show mommy?", "Mommy come in!", "Ava do it, self", and "Baby's crying". Just a few days ago Ava was fussing and I asked her what she wanted. She paused, thinking hard, and then pointed to the remote in my hand and said clearly, "To push the buttons!" as if I should have known all along. She didn't get to push the buttons but she got a big kiss for being so darn cute and putting such a great sentence together.

With her growing vocabulary we've welcomed an onslaught of song lyrics, nursery rhymes and other books that she's memorized to her daily play. It is beyond adorable to watch her sing songs to her baby, "Jesus suv me, dis I know, Bible... so" and use lines from her books as dialogue while she's playing. She has also started to "read" books to herself from memory and fill in many words while we are reading to her before bedtimes.

A couple of months ago you might remember the introduction of the toothbrush into Ava's language and routine. She enjoyed sucking on it and splashing in water with it. However, this month I excitedly presented her with her very first Thomas the Tank Engine toothpaste and she will have none of it. We've tried multiple flavors and she is adamantly opposed. I've continued to make brushing with water a part of our routine (though she also will not let me brush for her so the actual brushing that takes place is minimal) and have set up a goal. I keep telling her that after her birthday party, when she's a big two-year-old, we will start brushing every day with toothpaste. We'll see if a months-worth of mental preparation spares us from having to hold her down for teeth-cleaning time! As for the number of teeth in her mouth, I'd estimate about 13. She has definitely made up for lost time and has three of her frontmost molars and almost everything in between.

Ava has struggled for many months with separation-from-mommy-anxiety but this month we made a breakthrough. She previously has not done well with saying goodbye to me if I am leaving her with a babysitter or even Blair, but in the last couple of weeks she's done much better. I think it is partly due to her age, but I've also made an effort to explain to her that I'll be leaving, say a clear goodbye, and then leave. This helped immensely, as opposed to our previous sneak-out-of-the-room tactic, to limit anxiety. The first few times were hard but just a couple of weeks ago I dropped her off at a friends house and left to a, "Bye mommy. Toys!" and the pitter patter of scampering feet off to enjoy her play date. Success!

January and February have marked a new love for Ava--the love of dresses. We went to try on dresses of the bridesmaid and flower girl variety with Blair's sister Emily a couple of weeks ago and ever since, at the sight of a dress, Ava will shiver her fists and whisper, "Dresses! Exciiiited!" Ava has also begun to have an interest in dressing herself, so here is a picture to illustrate both.

I put off potty-training, mostly because I wasn't ready and Ava's interest died down a little, but we still regularly sit on the potty when she asks to or makes mention of the need before it happens. A week ago she asked to take off her diaper, to which I obliged with the direction to tell me if she needed to go potty. When the time came, she sat quickly and peed on the potty with excitement! She has yet to show any fear of the process which is a huge relief and I pray that continues.

Ava has gone through two major growth spurts this month and has outgrown almost all of her winter clothes. I thought we could last until spring but after multiple episodes of her pulling at her pants and saying, "tight, tight!" and my making her cry while trying to fit her head through a tshirt, I figured it was time to make a few purchases. She is now wearing 2T in most things and 3T in anything that is remotely fitted. Her belly has yet to slim down from her infant pudge so she can't really wear any pants that aren't elastic at the waist and I have to be very selective with her tops, searching for things that fit loosely and are extra long. I am very interested to see where her weight is on the charts at her 2-year appointment next month!

Despite having this month bookended with stomach bugs and the flu, it's been a great one for our little munchkin--growing like a weed and talking up a storm! What fun it is (and what energy it takes) to be the parents of an *almost* two-year-old.

a new love

On the tenth of February I had the privilege, honor and blessing of witnessing a baby being born. There have been only a few times in my life where my emotions have overcome me like they did that evening, and where God's presence in a room was so palpable. My dear, best friend Erin gave birth to a beautiful little boy, Brayden Timothy, and I am so proud of her.

After 22 hours of labor, I was set with the task of capturing the miracle on film--should it happen to come about. Erin had a c-section with her daughter and was attempting, against all odds, to pull off a vaginal birth. Each hour went by and the doctors came to check her, told her they would do everything they could but this just might not happen for her.

So we prayed. I don't remember the last time I prayed so hard. Literally until that final push we didn't know if he would be able to fit, hang onto his heartbeat as long as it might take, or if she would have the strength to finish. Knowing the intense, awe-inspiring moment I'd experienced with my own daughter's birth just two years before, I wanted that so badly for Erin and knew how honestly she yearned to push out her very own baby and hold him on her chest immediately, know his face, be the first to comfort his cry. When he came out, it was almost a shock to the whole room, you could hear the doctor, loved ones and nurses gasp and cry out with excitement that this had happened for the Stube family. Everyone stood and I lost my camera close-up moment, so I quickly ran back behind Erin's head in time to capture this long-awaited sight.

I thought I knew what to expect that day, but I was unprepared on all accounts. For the exhaustion of sitting and doing nothing but expending immeasurable amounts of emotional energy for my dear friend each time she moaned in pain. For the moment the baby emerged and the emotion that would pour out of my eyes in tears without warning. And I was unprepared for how proud of Erin I felt, how in awe at her perseverance after 22 long hours without food, without water and not without pain. How much closer I felt to her after witnessing such a miracle with her and seeing her true character. And for my unadulterated and humble gratitude to the Lord for saying 'yes' and granting such a gift to my friends--my family.

Erin, I love you and will cherish the memories of that day forever. You are such a strong and dedicated mother, your endurance unmatched, and I am so proud to know you. I knew and loved you before that day but am now overflowing with admiration and love and pride. I am having trouble putting into words my emotions surrounding those moments with you--I am so grateful to you for inviting me into that intimate room and sharing your life (and Brayden's) with me. I love you Stube's!