Ava Grace

The New Family Blog

2008-12-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

The Lindgren's are here.

You'll likely see us post on this new blog, as we venture deeper into the wilderness of the midwest. Yet, you might see a few Ava blogs here and there.

Ava's First Snow

2008-12-11T11:23:00.001-08:00

Ava and the fam decided to take a break from "it all" and venture out the door into the ND winter dream. It was complete with snowflakes the size of breadcrumbs to snowsuits that inhibit any form of movement for toddlers.

I missed the op. to take a photo when we all partook in some fun in the deeper snow. Laura wrote "I heart U" in the snow with her feet, and I shoveled the cement while throwing up snow. Here are a few shots of Ava fooling around:

Ava's first after snowplay, scandinavian red-cheeked, runny nose face and complimenting hat hair-do.

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY!

2008-11-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

For the next year, we get to ask Ava how old she is and she can respond by saying, "Twooo!"

Here's another day filled with pancakes and gifts and playing with her gifts in the morning, then a walk with Grandma Doty in the afternoon, a quick nap then Zoo Lights at the Oregon Zoo!

Tomorrow, a party with Ava's friends at a pizza play joint in Hillsboro! Phew! Somewhere in this whirlwind of activity we'll get to packing. ;-)

It's a Choo-Choo! (repeat)

2008-11-27T09:44:00.001-08:00

We're gonna miss days like this...

2008-11-26T22:34:00.000-08:00

The Lindgren fam has a special guest, Laura's mom (Carol), to share the last numbered days in Oregon/Washington. Today, the day before Thanksgiving, we drove to the coast on a gorgeous Fall day.

We enjoyed the beach at a near 60 degree temp with NO wind or fog! The only downer was that there was oil in the water---ick.

We ran from waves, saved a crab from seagulls, (Ava) built a sandcastle like Curious George, we watched the sunset, bought a caramel apple and taffy, ate a caramel apple and taffy, rode a carousel, ate at Moe's, and came home stuffed and ready for the oven.

Bye bye coast! ... for now.

Dancing, Dancing, Dancing

2008-11-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

Laura really wanted to capture this so-called "cute" moment of me and Ava dancing to the end credits of Finding Nemo.

Enjoy!

Welcome Loudon Leonard Fischer aka Little Fisch!

2008-11-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

Ava Coloring Montage

2008-11-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

If You Want to Talk to Ava...

2008-11-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

... ask her about the following: Choo-choos, monkeys, and blocks.

She cannot stop saying these three words. She knows plenty more, and moreandmore each day, but these three are the Top 3. It is almost enough to go nuts listening to it all, but I can't help but break out in laughter. She's practicing talking so much, her rhetoric is shining through. For example, when she wants something, she will go so far as to walk right up to me grab my chin/cheek and have me look her in the eyes, and she will tilt her head slightly askew and ask "Monkey?" Meaning, I want to watch Curious George on the TV.

The best is when she sings. You can ask her to sing a song about something, e.g. a monkey, choo-choo, daddy or mamma, etc. She'll pause for a moment, then start singing "Baa-baa, dooo-doo, Choo-choo, isa choo-chooooooo, baa-baa, isa hiiiiiiii!" After the song is complete, she'll begin to clap while saying, "Yayy!"

Good times.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ava's scary face during breakfast:

It's time to get candificated:

We had mucho fun! AND CANDY! YUMYuMYUMYUMYuMYUmYuYMYUYMYUYYUYYJYMMMMMMFMMFDLSKFUSLDJLK!!

Then, and Now!

2008-10-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

We went to the Pumpking Patch this morning and scoped out the pumpkins, took a hay ride, ate a hot dog, ran around, and shopped at the farmers market. :)

I can't believe our little Ava will be 2!!! in just a month! Here's a nostalgic pic from last year's Pumpkin Patch hurrah:

And here's from today's escapades:

More pics from a few fun weekends to come...

"Adios" Crib, "Hola" It's a Dora Bed

2008-09-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ava's sleeping in a bed-bed. What?!?!?!? Really!?!?!?

We bought this bed frame yesterday at a "Pass It On" sale in Hillsboro, OR. This sale is essentially a county wide garage sale with gently used children's clothing, toys, accessories, or even bed frames.

When we arrived home from the sale I went right to it. I disassembled her crib (thank you great-grandma Marion!) and put it in the storage closet. Then, the Dora bed was erected. (not in 'un-rapido' fashion thanks to a confused "padre.")

ONce finished, dude, our little girl was stoked. The clip below shows her enthusiasm via a song written and performed by Ava. ('Ba' is 'Bed.')

Last night, Laura and were weary about how she might handle the bed, since a crib pretty much keeps our shark in one place. Suprisingly, when it came to 'nigh-nigh time' she only put up a small fuss while staying in her room and in her bed. HOly poo! Really!?!?!?

She stayed in the bed the whole night; even though I (Daddy) had to help Ava through some growing pains last night. This kid amazes me!

She's not a baby anymore, folks.

Yeah, It's Been Awhile.

2008-09-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

We've been busy since we got back home. I haven't taken to0 many pics since the trip; I think I got spoiled using my mom's digital SLR. :-)

Here are some recent pics:

Here's Ava playing piano with her dolly.

Not sure what's going on here.

Ah, here is my first successful attempt at some sort of hair implementationatory device.

This week has been all-about-the-coloring.

More coloring.

Here's a short clip of Ava coloring and telling me what Sesame Street's "The Count" says.

Until next time!

And a new chapter begins...

2008-09-07T14:55:00.001-07:00

Last night was the first night of a new phase. Ava did not nurse last night. We're done. I have mixed emotions about it. I'm sad, but happy, and realizing that she's stepping up to be a little girl, she's not a baby. I nursed Ava for 21.5 months and am so happy I did. It had it's ups and downs, but all in all, I'm glad I could give her the nutrients and nurturing that only nursing can supply.

All week during our nursing session before bedtime I've been telling her that in __ many days, mama milk will be all done. Last night after her bath, and when we usually cuddle up, she asked for mama milk and I said, "No, remember mama's milk's all done. You can have some juice, water, or milk in a cup." I planned my phrase all week and expected a huge tantrum, but she just smiled at me and said, "juice?" That was it.

I'm expecting this week I may encounter some sort of tantrum as I continue to say no, but so far, so good.

2008 Family Vacation

2008-08-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I could go into detail about how much fun was had and how great it was to see everyone, but I'll let the pictures do the talkin.

Now, The Doty's!

The End.

Wedding Weekend

2008-08-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

The Lindgren's had another weekend of unpacking, sorting, tossing, and another wedding. It also included a first, since Laura's new job.

We just moved to Vancouver, thankfully, because she was on-call this weekend and she got 'called'. She had to get up and head out at 2am and Ava woke up shortly thereafter, leaving her a bit confused, since Momma has always been there. I had to get up with Ava and search around the apartment, letting her know that Momma isn't here right now. After looking, I asked her if she wanted to go to bed and I let her know that I was here. She snuggled up closer and tighter than ever before and drifted off to sleep in about 20 minutes. I took a little more than an hour, then Laura came home.

This event was the first with more to come, methinks. I think Laura and I learned that if this happens again on an on-call weekend, we'll have to take it easy, if we can, the next day.

Well, onto the subject of weddings, Troy and Jennifer got hitched on the farm and we were graciously invited. It was a very cool ceremony, including a 1/4 mile procession upon a path directed by two rows of sunflowers, along with an a bride accompanied by live, onthespot, fiddler. Ah, those Hartzel's sure can plan an event!

There were plenty of things for the kiddies to do, and Ava was just another one of the girls out there. I have an image engrained in my mind, when I saw her sitting with 3 or 4 other little girls, all huddled around each other, and Ava was just giggling away. Wow! What a moment!

Below you'll find some cool pics, some of which include our friends Randy and Sarah, as well as one of Ava's friends, Abigail Ketah.

Lost & Found (Unpacked)

2008-08-06T23:43:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Good news! Thanks to the tremendous unpacking adventure with our move to "The Couv", I found some previously unpublished Ava pictures. (See below.)

Here are some pics of Ava and I at the pool. Yes, this complex has a pool, and cheers to Elmo swimming suits!

This was Ava's first 'big' pool experience. She loved it. The pool is a-whoppin' 3-5 foot deep and that's more than enough for Ava at this point. We did a lot of mock motor boat and back-stroke action and even snuck in a submersion special. (Ava's not a fan .. yet!) Enjoy the few pics I was able to snap.

Soothing Phone

2008-07-22T15:15:00.001-07:00

Laura's new job requires quite a bit of talking on the phone. Ava's noticed this. Laura is not at home as much either, and sometimes Ava thinks of her throughout the day, saying "Mama."

Today, Laura, Ava and I went to go sign a lease at an apartment in Vancouver, Wa. We had lunch with Laura before she had to sciddaddle off to work, and Ava and I drove home. Before going inside to take a nap, Ava spots her Dollar Store cell phone toy. She knabs it before I get her out of the car. She continues to hang on to it on into nap time. It was a little more difficult today, getting her down, but this phone did the trick, as you can see in the picture above (sorry, it was taken by my crappy cell phone).

Nigh Nigh, Ava.

.........................................

To note, she woke up after a 2 hour nap and immediately began to play with the phone. It's been 15 minutes of her and phone through the monitor.

Saturday at Cannon Beach

2008-07-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

We certainly enjoyed ourselves. Ava went nuts. She had extra fun raiding other peoples' areas; particularily one young family who had pitched a small, colorful child's tent.

She enjoyed watching other children who actually sit and lie down next to their caretakers. She would go over to them and then lie down in the sand and then do the mock sleeping noises; you know, "[inhale], shoooooooooo. [inhale], shoooooooooo."

Ava, as you'll see in the videos, enjoyed digging and running in the shallows. Laura and I enjoyed our tiny dancer's exhibitions, yet are also very very tired from our fun day at the beach.

Ms. Independence Day 2008

2008-07-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Ava Grace decided to try some new foods on July 4th. You'll find some cute clips and shots of Ava trying out both her first ice cream cone and cornonthecob:

And this is what we ate. Deeeee-lish! more pics below:

Pool Player!

2008-06-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

We got a cool new pool for Ava this weekend (on clearence!! $20!). Here are some pics and some clips to enjoy. The only crappy part was when the sudden rain clouds came swooping in after only about 30 minutes of playtime. Hopefully, this week will bring some more sun.

Apparently, Ava was lying on the concrete as though she was going to take a luxurious nap in the sun, but then she remembered she was Ava Grace Lindgren and she doesn't take a break from anything. Phew! That was close!

Summer Days Are Here Again...

2008-06-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

A Few Pictures From the Oregon Zoo

Ava After the Zoo

Just Another Day

Ava's Special Goodbye (wait for it at the end)

2008-06-17T23:15:00.000-07:00

It Has Begun!

This evening, Ava and Laura went to a Baby Shower and Ava rocked the Kasbah!

2008-06-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

Holding Conversation

This evening, we had dinner with the Butler's and their guests from the Seattle area. Mike BBQ'd up some friggin' fabulous burgers and we enjoyed our meal out on the patio.

Conversation ensued, and Ava, at one point, was off on the sidelines simply observing us and our adult chat. We were all taking turns talking with sudden bursts of laughter to follow. Ava saw this and began her own rhythm mimic.

Ava would spit out a 5 second dosage of "speech", then followed by a long drawn out laugh. She would mimic us (the adults) a few times until we caught on, then we all had a great laugh together.

Ava, you're a hoot! And we love you!

P.S. The pic is not from this evening; nonetheless, it is a great pic from March!

2008-06-14T10:53:00.001-07:00

Ava's 1st Kiss

Not sure if we ever shared this photo. Ava might have to work on her technique.

2008-06-11T20:30:00.001-07:00

Check out Chris' blog for some videos on the side panel.

Mega cuteness. :)

2008-05-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

Fun day in the sun!

Daddy was out of town this weekend, but Ava and I found some fun things to do today.

First up, garage sales. We scored a few items, including pj's, a few toys, socks, and a pair of shoes. We went to this sale where they had a "flinestone" car. It took like 20 min to leave there, as she liked the car so much!

Then, we headed to the Beaverton Saturday Market. We walked around, shared fresh strawberry shortcake, and then Ava ran through the fountains and got SOAKED! Boy was she mad when I told her we had to leave. Oh, before the fountain, I woman came up to us and wanted to take a picture of us. Funny, we will be stored forever in an album of a woman we don't know. hehe :)

We came home, ate lunch, and Ava took a nap. Afterwards, we made a run to Target and then came home, ate dinner together, and then headed to the park. Ava had fun discovering the sand. It was a good day, and I'm so glad it was so nice out. The sun feels so good! :)

2008-05-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

HOT BABY!

2008-05-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

To all those moms and grandmas out there... :) Here are some pics of our little Ava on mother's day. We had a low key day, just what the dr. ordered. Chris and Ava gave me a card and made me a chocolate mocha cheesecake. It was delicious!

And here's a pic that is so typical Ava. She loves to meander outside on the patio. She'd live outside if we let her. :)

Ava's been picking up words like crazy lately. She can say ma, da, dog, kitty, ball, ballon, water, juice, bath, book, and some other words I'm missing (and all the words are variations of the real deal of course.) :)

She can sign a few words too, please, thank you (which is so cute--a thank you in ASL plus a blown kiss attached for kicks), more, want (she actually signs milk for the word more--how in the world did that happen?!), and all done.

She can also count "two...two...two...two..." It's hilarious. And point to her nose, ears, eyes, mouth, and belly on command. She also likes to go around and point to everyone else's nose, including the newborn baby we just visited this past weekend.

Just a day in the life of Ava. Adding millions of neuron connections a day! Living with those crazy parents who actually comment about neurons being born... hehe

2008-04-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

16.5 Months | A Weekend

+ Monday

Ava's experiencing some mommy withdrawals, but we're all still here and having good times. We enjoyed the weekend together. The pic of Laura and Ava are at Anthony and Sarah's wedding. Laura and I took turns walking her. Unfortunately, we didn't think to take pics at the reception. Sorry. :-(

The three pics below are from Sunday morning. Ava and I went for a Sunday morning walk together.

Below is Ava being Ava.

The rest of the pics are from this Monday morning. Some early madness shots, and thn off to the park before the rain came.

2008-04-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

Do Not Go Gentle Into
That Good Night

Sometimes it's a battle but not this night, and I'm always smitten when I see this sight. Good night, Ava. And everyone, good night!

2008-03-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

Easter 'N' More

She's got spunk folks. March draws out more silliness in our lil munchkin. (She'll probably get recruited by the Lollipop Guild soon--gotta represent!)

Here are a few pics as of late around 15.5 months (sorry, daddy wasn't at the easter egg hunt to change the camera settings):

2008-03-11T10:14:00.000-07:00

AVA POTTERS!

Holy moly, Ava just went potty in her potty chair!

We were upstairs (near her potty) and she started going poo. I asked her, "Ava, do you need to go to the potty?" She looked at me expectantly and took off to the bathroom and sat on her potty chair! I took her diaper off and there was already a nice surprise for me, but I let her sit there for a few min anyways. She sat up, and she had gone pee! Yay!

Another beginning into unknown territory begins!

UPDATE:
She also went again later that day. I (dad) just got home from work. We were all playing in the living area, when Ava points to the bathroom and gives out a little, "Uh ... Uh." Momma picked up on it and asked Ava, "Do you need to go potty?"

Well, apparently so, as she bolted to the bathroom door and we proceeded to get her ready to do the dirty business. She actually waited until she sat down and then pee wee wee'd in the baby pot.

I'm blown away. Blown away by pee. Sounds gross, but it's true. Very very true. Wow! .... Wow.

2008-02-23T22:09:00.000-08:00

1st Haircut & Some Giggles

We gave Ava bangs this evening. She wasn't entirely enthused with the process, and I think I liked the messy look before, but I think this is more comfortable for our little ham--see ensuing pics and video below:

2008-02-21T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ava's February 2008

Ava was rocked by a nasty flu virus. She had 2.5 days of puking and is currently switched it up to the other end. Despite illnesses, we've gotten out to the local park. Here are some pics:

Notice how Mother is missing from this string of photos. We have a photo of Laura in PJ's, but I'm not about to post for fearof what might happen... ooooooOOOO!

And here's a fun video for your enjoyment:

2008-02-12T20:58:00.000-08:00

First Words

Ava's been poppin' out some words in the last month. Her first real word is undeniably, "shoes." (Laura and I assume a future fetish is probable.) Here are some other notable wordlings:

Dada, Mama, block, truck, duck, bananna (usually comes out as 'ba' or 'na'), and the killer one that happened today was...... hold on, I have to set it up properly.

I just got home from work, Laura and I were preparing dinner. Laura put Ava in her high chair, then Ava squealed with delight when she saw some cheerios on her tray. Well, Laura asked Ava, "Oh, are you excited about your cheerios?" Ava replied, "sha, sheerios."

!!!!!!!!!!!

Laura and I just looked at each other, and Ava said it again quickly, "sheerios." We tried to get her to say it again, but no such luck. This kids nuts!

2008-02-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

Nana Lindgren was here to visit last week! Yay! Here are some pics from the memorable time we spent together! :)

At the mall--Ava had a permanant smile on her face!

Ava in the sweater Auntie Mandi made for her--thanks Auntie!

Lovely bath shot

At the Children's Museum. Ava "picked" a flower to smell. :) Cutie

Kisses, kisses xoxox

Ava spacin out during lunchtime. Beautiful shot tho...no?

Ava's favorite pasttime...hugging the kitty. Or Ta...Ta as she calls her. :)

Helpin daddy blow out his 27 candles! Happy Birthday Chris!

Yup...Ava you sure need to brush that hair! (Another of her favorite pasttimes)

Finally, lovin her new Valentines doggie from Great Grandma Marian :)

P.S. In order to write this super long blog, Ava has terrorized our living area. She pulled down at least 15 DVDS from the shelf, made Miko squeal, nursed for 2 min, poured grahm cracker crumbs out of the baggie, and is now taking the batteries out of a walkie talkie--who knows where she found that!! So...you'd better enjoy these pics! :) LOL

2008-01-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

I've been requested to post a new blog, since it's been almost 2 months since the previous post!

Ava has successfully adapted to our recent move. She sleeps mostly with mama and dada right now, but her crib is in our room. She's gradually weaning herself, drinking less and less milk. Thankfully, she's gone from nursing about 10 times a night to about 2-3 the last few nights. I'm hoping to have her fully weaned by 18 months.

Ava is developing quite the personality! She LOVES to make us laugh and lately one of her favorite ways to do it is to peek behind a chair or toy and giggle at us. She gives us this little mischievous look that says ---I'm funny! She understands quite a bit, including no no and is starting to test her boundaries. She'll actually run toward something (like the kitty's water dish) when we say no no. About half the time though she'll stop when we say no, so that's a start. :) She follows simple directions, like "go find a book" or "get your shoe."

She's teething again like crazy. She got in 2 molars in one month, and 3 more teeth are on the way. Yikes! I cannot keep up!

Ava's doing good with the motor skills. She walks well, runs, carries toys 2x her own weight, and wants to climb, but hasn't mastered that skill yet. She also likes to ride her little scooter, getting on and off, on and off. Recently she tried jumping. It was so funny, she saw me jump and she bent over and stood up straight quickly, never taking her feet off the ground. It made us laugh pretty hard! :)

And the most exciting development is she's starting to talk! She babbles constantly, but has been throwing out new words daily! She can say "ma" (mama), "dada", "shs" (shoes), and "mr" (more). And then she has her own little words for everything else that I can't quite figure out yet. She likes to read books with mama and dada and her favorite is when she spots a balloon or kitty in a book. She laughs so loud and points to it over and over. This whole talking process is super fun for us!

Ava's eating is getting better. She has been a pretty picky eater, digesting a variety of bananas, breads, pears, cottage cheese, pastas, and the occaisional meat. She's not so big on veggies, however with the move I have to say it's been a rare offering. So I need to get on that one again. She has ventured into eating cold cereal and deli meat. She loves to carry food around with her rather than eat in her high chair as she's soooo busy!

Socially, Ava warms up well to people. She needs some time to get aquainted with her environment, but when she does she's usually smiley and flirty. She loves to look at people when we're out--like a restaurant. And she LOVES kids! She can hear one giggle or talk a mile away and find them!

Ava's up from her nap! Gotta run!

2007-12-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday Ava!

Here are some pics from the week of her 1st Birthday.

We had some friends over last saturday to help celebrate Ava's birthday. Ava recieved balloons in a box from her mama and dada, which she carried around for about a week nonstop! She didn't like the cupcake, but mananged to get a little messy anyways. Maybe next year... She also received her birthday presents from Nana and Grandpa Lindgren just before we started opening presents! What timing!
I can't believe Ava's first year of life has come and gone...and now we're on our way to the second year! She is such an amazing little girl and brings us such joy! We love you Ava!!!

Grandma Doty came to visit this past week and we ventured to the ocean on a beautiful sunny day! It was the first time we've been to the beach since Ava learned to walk and she had a great time chasing after the water...and she probably would've jumped right in if we'd of let her!

2007-11-17T22:22:00.000-08:00

Wedding Fun!

The Lindgren fam had the opportunity to go to Tiffany and Kevin Carlson's wedding today. Had some rough times with our little rascal today, but overall had some fun; especially, the dance and party favor.

They had a photobooth setup, and here is the Lindgren fam's crack at it:

Enjoy some more pics and a video of Ava dancing to Madonna:

2007-11-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we ventured to the Portland Children's Museum. It was such a cool place! They had a baby room (among other neat rooms) where there were lots of texture toys and things to climb on and play with. We couldn't get a shot that wasn't blurry because Ava was moving so fast! She loved the museum. We'll definitely be back some day.

Now some pics from Halloween!

Aren't they cute?!

Ava "reading" a card she received from Great Grandma Doty :)

We carved a daddy pumpkin, a mommy pumpkin, and an Ava pumpkin. :)

Our little lady bug

My cuties. :)

There's a lady bug in our flowers!

2007-10-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Happy

Halloween/Birthday

Party!

We all shoved off to Ava's playgroup pals' Birthday/Halloween Party today. +or-13 babies and their parents found some fun together, as well as some ensuing chaos--see below:

It's picture time!

Our little model taking a well earned sippy cup break. (I (Chris) like this pic because Laura is highly focused on helping.)

Here's Ava's playgroup pal Senora (aka The Dragonfly!).

Good times, good food, I'm pooped.

Good night!

2007-10-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Ava On The Steps

Some goofy Ava goin' on over here! Okay some parental goofin too...

2007-10-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

It's hard to keep up with the posts. Sorry adoring Ava fans!

She's doing great!
She is walking on her own very well and is starting to get cuddly (finally)! She loves to collapse on a huge floor pillow and roll around on it. It's hilarious!
She loves to run away in a frenzy from you if you act like you are chasing her. hehe She gets this ridiculously cute laugh and gleam in her eye that speaks mischief!
Her hair is now long enough to put in a clip that will stay in for at least 30 minutes.
She is still hovering around 20 lbs, which is the same as 3 months ago...does that tell you anything about her activity level!? :P
She's still up very frequently during the night, which is starting to really tax on mama, but weaning time is approaching, so hopefully that will help with the issue...

Here's some lovely pics! The fam went to the pumpkin patch last weekend when Chris got back from the conference. Ava absolutely loves to pound on the pumpkins like a drum. :) The other pics are from the other day--investigating the leaves in the parking lot by our apartment. Enjoy!

2007-09-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Baby Scoop: 10 MONTHS!!

(Can you believe it??)

Ava loves to groove to any kind of music playing...her singing books, commercial songs, daddy's guitar, her activity table, mama singing...you get the picture. :)

She's eating solids like crazy and definitely prefers finger foods over the spoon-fed variety. Today she ate half a banana, a package of dried apples, a handful of Cheerios, some of mama's turkey sandwich, some melon, and a half a jar of baby food. She also insisted on drinking out of mama's (glass) cup which had apple-raspberry juice. She wants to be just like us!

Ava is walking on her own, with mama or dada tailing closely behind in case of any hard pending crashes. She also learned how to climb up the stairs. She thinks it is hilarious!

We are working on signing still. So far she signs "all done" and "tree" pretty consistently, and knows what "milk" and "more" means but doesn't really sign them yet. She walks around the house signing milk, which is pretty funny, so she may think milk means "want." Who knows, but it's fun to watch her learn how to communicate. I can just hear the neurons connecting! (sorry...mama-geek coming out!)

Ava goes to playgroups almost every week when we can, and lately we've been attending "Babies and Books" at the library. Ava LOVES children and knows she's in the presence of another child just by hearing their voice. To sum her up, she's definitely busy, and mama's hoping all this chasing her around will help her lose the last few preggo-pounds and tone up a bit! :)

Oh, and check out Ava's 9 month pics taken by our friend and pro Boone Rodriguez, whose photography co., Gabriel|Boone Photography, has our vote for Presidency! They are awesome!

2007-09-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

Updates on Ava!

The fam went to the Pumpkin Patch for Labor Day. We enjoyed a hay ride, touching flowers, trees, and pumpkins, and enjoying the weather while it lasts.

Ava loves to go on the swings at the park. :) You can see how fuzzy her hair's become. hehe

This past weekend, we went to the Beaverton Celebration Parade where we met up with some of Ava's friends from playgroup. It was fun to watch them watch the parade. Ava however, hated the bands that marched along. Everytime it would get loud, she howled and cried! We left a bit early as she was a bit overstimulated and tired (missed the morning nap).

Mama managed to clip a barette in the beautiful fuzzy hair!

Finally, a video request from Grandma: Ava walking back and forth with her car in our living room.

2007-08-30T21:41:00.001-07:00

Ava Grace Walking?!?!?!

Yep, our little stinker is very persistent. She insists on practicing her footwork throughout the day, and it has paid off with a day like today. This clip shows what Ava has accomplished. She walked a few times before this clip of the same length (if not a a wee bit longer), as well as numerous shorter ventures of no less excitement and anticipation!

GO AVA!

2007-08-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

The other day Chris took Ava outside with her walker and she was everywhere! Some pics to capture the moment.

We went to the Portland Saturday Market and rode the MAX, which was fun (although we lost a shoe bustling from train to train--poor right brown shoe with pink flowers...). Here's a pic of Ava walkin' away. Below is a video of the park experience.

Dada and Ava in the pool. If you look closely you'll see a bikini on Ava. haha! When I put it on Ava she looked down and grabbed the frillies on her top. LOL

The routine in the morning now is, wake up when Ava wakes up (because she pokes at my face, grabs my nose, and squeals as high-pitched as possible), put Ava in her crib with toys and the music on, and take a shower (quickly). This morning I came back to find her the opposite way I turned her and reading her rainbow book. Sooo cute!

And you asked for it! Ava crawling!

2007-08-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ava's CRAWLING!

She can officially take 5 crawl-steps before collapsing tummy-first to the floor. :) However, she still heavily prefers to walk. :P Stinker. :)

Ava with her Leap Frog table. It is her ultimate favorite toy.

2007-08-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Seems like with every day, Ava is doing something new now. She's on this kick where she LOVES to walk, even though she can only balance while standing for a maximum of 5.6 seconds. :)

Currently, Chris and I are working on the sleep routine. Ava wakes probably around 10 times during the night (between 8p-7a) so we need to make some changes. Mama is getting tired of getting up so often still. So, we are on a strict bedtime routine regiment consisting of bathtime, massage, and books. I'm also trying to wean her night time feedings. Hopefully, this will work and we can then work on not having to rock her to sleep. *sigh* It seems like a lot of work, but something needs to change.

Oh, and hopefully the sleep will just naturally get better considering she's teething (she now has 6! teeth) and she's hit some developmental milestones--clapping, feeding self, seperation anxiety, pulls to standing, took first crawl-steps, and is "walking". I'd want my mama too at night if I were going through all this!

Anyways, some cute pics and a movie!

2007-07-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Ava is 8 months old!!!

This month, Ava amazed us with her insane attempts to lunge, crawl, stand on her own, and even walk (with help of course). She's been spending lots of time with mama, as she is currently a full time mom until she starts working again. We spend our days going for walks, playing on the floor, and experimenting with food.

Ava playing on the floor

Ava at the beach, wanting the sand

Observing her peers at playgroup

A video displaying her lunging talents. :)

2007-07-20T23:53:00.000-07:00

Resemblance?

Dedicated to all of you who say Ava looks like Chris. Can you show me where exactly the resemblance is? I'm having a hard time placing it *sarcasm*

Chris:

Ava:

2007-07-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

Ava got some new toys, which she's thrilled about. :)

Ava is having a blast eating--or maybe playing is more like it.

She's also on her way to crawling! (Sorry, video clip still in progress...coming soon!)

2007-07-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ava is a movin and a groovin!

She is so squirmy!
Try to read a story on mama's lap and she tries to reach for mama's toes.
Try to sit her down on the floor and she reaches for the furthest thing away--like mama's cell phone or the tv remote.
Try to feed her and she sits up with anticipation to look around after a few sips.
Try to stand her up to play and she's leaning forward to try and crawl over your lap.

Oye! She's getting very busy and it's so exciting! But exhausting! I will post a blog with pics soon as I capture these events.

2007-07-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Beach & Independence Day Picnics

On June 30th, it was Laura's B-Day, and so we went to Cannon Beach for a picnic. Today (July 4th) was spent being cool in the shade in the park with a soft breeze that kept Ava's hair adrift. Here are some pics of both days:

2007-06-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

Ava now has 2 top teeth!

Unfortunately, Mommy and Daddy are living off of a mere 3 hours of sleep.

2007-05-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

AVA GRADUATES & MORE!

Ava and momma have graduated from their New Moms Group. We're all very proud of these two adorables!

Here, you can see Ava giving her commencement speech (with much ethos!).

Unfortunately, her colleagues did not feel the same way...

Afterwards, Dad got home from work and decided to reward Ava with a ticklefest, as seen below:

After that, we all went out to eat and Momma and Dadda fed Ava too--our Sweet Potato Queen!

We then went to Target to pickup some supplies for our trip to MN/ND, and Ava had her first in-cart-ride experience.

We all then went home sleepy, but for Ava, who knows how long that will last.

To be continued...

2007-05-18T16:02:00.001-07:00

The zoo!

Ava and I were invited to join our friends Darci and Ireland (14 months) at the zoo today! We had a full day of looking at animals and sitting on a blanket/touching grass during lunch-time, and it was all free thanks to Draci for having a membership where she invites a friend for free! (Kids are free under 3 years). **Hint hint, mama and Ava would love their own unlimited membership to the zoo** :)

Ava found the fish in the aquarium!

She spots the penguins...and mama spots the camera.

Ava and Ireland

Naptime!

Ava really likes the feeling of grass

And she likes looking at all the big kids. Don't worry, you'll get there soon enough Ava!

"The zoo is FUN!"

2007-05-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

Much to catch up on!

Ava was dedicated at our church, Ethnos, on Mother's Day. It was a fabulous day and daddy and Ava made mama feel very special all day. She received earrings in Ava's birthstone and a card.

Ava is getting very good at moving around. In this pic it looks like she's gonna take off! She's not quite ready to crawl yet, but in a few more months...look out!

The fam spends a lot of time at the park now that it's nice out. In this pic, Ava found the waterfountains (that bigger kids play in) and thought it looked fun!

We bought Ava her first sippy cups. She's not ready to drink from them yet (still working on the solids), but she was excited to try em out. She also has two bottom teeth (picture of them to come).

Finally, Ava's a cutie! The pic may be blurry, but it captures the excitement and adventures Ava finds everyday!

2007-05-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable!

Ava: 1 day old

Ava: 5 Months, 2 weeks old

2007-05-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

WE REAL COOL, AVA KEEPS COOL

Spring is running towards summer, and Ava and the fam are loving it. Yet, Dad had to think quick yesterday to keep his daughter cool. How did he do it? Check out the pic with something on her head.

Also, note the cute pic of Ava in shades with her mother.

Enjoy!

2007-04-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

Ava's Going Banannas

2007-04-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

AVA SITTING UP!

2007-04-17T17:47:00.001-07:00

Ava's rolling over!
(back to front)

Watch out world, Ava's on the move!

2007-04-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

THE ZOO TRIP

The fam went to the zoo this last Saturday afternoon. Here are some of the pics:

2007-04-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Update!

Ava is sleeping well again, although she has a very late bedtime... Mommy is sleeping well enough again that she is even dreaming! Mama does still wake up about 3 times during the night wondering if Ava is okay.

On the sleep subject...natime is fun!

Ava is on the verge of rolling over! She's getting strong!

2007-03-31T13:21:00.001-07:00

Firsts!
Ava sat in her high chair for the first time this week! She wasn't too sure about it, but soon found out she could knock her toys off the tray easily. :) They should make grippy tape for the trays... (hmmmm...) Notice the plastic spoon. :)

Ava also got a new bath, as she outgrew her newborn bathtub. This one converts from an infant tub to a toddler tub, so we should be able to keep using it for a while. :) Ava loved it (as you can see)! She stretched her legs out for miles...

2007-03-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ava's 4 Month Dr. Visit

Ava is almost four months old (next week)! She had her check-up and is 14 lbs., 11 oz. (75th%), 25 inches long (80%), and head circumference was 40.5 inches (45%). That's up from 11 lbs, 14 oz. and 23 inches from her 2 month appt! She's growing so fast!!!

Dr. said she's "perfect," "very healthy." We discovered she has a birthmark on the back of her head, which I thought was a rash since her birth. Apparently, it's a "stork-bite" from the birth process. :P Dr. rechecked her eye control, and it is now great--there is no sign of crossing anymore.

No signs of teeth yet...mama says "thank goodness!" The dr.'s also saw the first signs of "stranger-danger," as she would start to whimper and her chin would shake when they approached her and started her physical. She definitely knows who her mama and dada are! We're waiting to start her on solids until 6 months, as there is a decrease in getting allergies if you wait until then.

The worst part was the shots. :P She was already in a crabby mood because she started to get hungry at the end of her appt. She cried so hard her face turned beet red, but as soon as I picked her up, she stopped crying. :) Then, I fed her and all was right with the world again. After a mighty burp, she smiled at me. :) She fell asleep on the carride home and (now home) is still in her carseat dreaming away.

Some pics from New Moms Group:

This is Ava's friend, Megan. Mama goes to school with Megan's mommy. Megan is only 3 weeks older.

And a cutie pic :)

2007-03-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been awhile since we've updated this blog. Laura's been schooling (or being schooled by school) and I've been working and juggling different projects on my plate.

All withstanding, Ava is captivating and a joy. She loves to chat; she scrunches up her face when she's tired; she can stand on her two feet with some assistance, but she doesn't like to move much; although, she loves long shoulder rides with her dada; she still loves that boobjuice; and she loves to smile lots with her mama.

Ava got to visit with Grandma Doty this last week, and much fun was had. Here are some pics of Ava over the course of the last few weeks that include some Grandma pics:

2007-03-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

Ava with Kitty Puppet - 3 months 3 Days

The video is quite dark, so if your screen is naturally dark you can just enjoy the sounds.

Also, Ava just undeniably grabbed her first toy so she could taste/feel it. GO AVA!

2007-03-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

Ava helped mama with the laundry this morning...(actually, mama found a way to carry both the laundry AND Ava up the stairs at the same time! :)

Some random cutie pics! She is now 3 months old!!

Ava's working hard on her "tummy time"

...and Miko's checking her out. :)

Here's the pic I was longing for in the previous post....such an angel!

2007-02-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

Here's what's going on in the life of Ava!

I took a nap with Pooh in my big crib for 30 min. this morning! This is when I woke up...

I LOVE to suck on my fist while looking at the scenery over dada's shoulder

We went to an Oscar party!

Dada likes to copy my facial expressions! hehe And I giggle!

Mommy loves me lots

Did I mention how I love to suck hands and fists?

I also love to watch tv, although mommy and daddy dont like it much. However they cant resist letting me watch Sesame Street for a few minutes because I giggle every 5 seconds! (picture yet to be captured)

2007-02-20T21:04:00.000-08:00

PLAY GROUP!

I went with mama to a play group this afternoon to visit my friends. I got tired, so I took a nap in mom's arms while this first picture was being taken. It was the only time mom said, "wake up Ava!" since my arrival. What can I say? I was tired!

Then, I woke up, and there were all these other babies around me. How did I get here!?

And...I'm surrounded by boys!! Oh wait, there's a girl on my right. Thank goodness!

2007-02-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

How fast can my body change? Well, I hadn't been feeling good all day, but not enough where I couldn't be and feel cute. The day was ripe with activities and naps. We all went for a stroll before I had to eat (again). Ooooooo!

Well the light went by pretty fast, dark was coming, and I wasn't feeling too good. I felt like I was stuck. I decided to express myself, so I fussed, screamed, and kicked. Nothing felt good at this point. Not my pink binky, not my parents arms, and not even boobjuice!

I heard my parents talking about me. (At least I think they were talking about me). They kept looking at me, pointing at me, and squeezing my diaper. Well, I felt stuck again, so I let'em have it.

I don't remember too much after that. Hmmmm. Oh yes, I pooped! My parents seem to like that, so I was happy to perform. Mommy even yelled out loud when she saw my duties. It felt good to get that stuff off. Oooooooo!

I felt better. We all talked, walked, and ate. I don't remember what happened after that.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY: If I can't go, I can't go.

2007-02-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day!!

Thank you Nana and Grandpa
and
Grandma, Grandpa, and Renae
for the Valentine's Bears!

2007-02-11T21:25:00.000-08:00

2007-02-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

Ava. 9 weeks and 6 days old.

P.S. If the video is not working, it has not fully synced up with YouTube yet. Come back soon and watch our amaranthine baby.

2007-01-29T16:23:00.000-08:00

Ava and I (Dad) went in for her 2 month doctor's visit. She is 75% percentile in length (23"), 75% in weight (11 lbs. 14 oz.), and 30% (38cm) for her head's circumference (what's up with that!?!). Our doctor said there is nothing to worry about, but I am a little shocked considering the large mass that is my head.

Ava is doing great; although we had the doctor check her left eye as it still crosses from time to time. She said that she noticed minor symptoms, gave us the number to an optrician, but also noted that it can take as long as 4 months for a baby to gain full optical strength.

The big part of this trip involved 6 (yes, 6) immunizations! Ava endured one (sweet tasting) oral immunization, and five shots to the legs. Ouch! Wittingly, the nurse gave the oral first, and then the quick series of five pokes. Ava screamed throughout her shots, but as soon as I picked her up--one quiet little lady. She's a tough one (on her mother's side).

Then, I was able to bottle feed her for comfort, and our little stinker fell asleep on the trip home.

As of right now, she just pooped. She's in her sling grunting, squirming, and I just caught a whiff. Whoa! And there went the second jetting. Gotta go.

2007-01-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

Recap of 2nd Month:

Ava learned to smile, suck her fist, and grab onto objects (see pic). She has giggled a few times, loves her baths, sleeeps thru the night on occasion, loves to coo on the changing table, and is rather social at our new moms group. She can play by herself for small amounts of time, allowing mama or dada to hurry and get a few things done around the house. Most of all though, Ava still loves to eat lots and snuggle. :)

Here's a few pics from this month to enjoy and remember as she begins her 3rd month!

2007-01-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU BRENDA KETAH!

We tried your suggestion of rolling towels next to Ava to get her to sleep in her bassinet. It worked! She has now successfully slept 2 nights in her bassinet. We also wrapped her up tight in a swaddler and I wrapped up a shirt I wore (and had milk spilt on it) around a towel. She didn't cry at all, either. I just waited until she fell asleep and put her in the crib. The first night she slept 5 hrs in a row, and last night she slept only 3, but as long as she's in her own crib, mom and dad are happy!

MUCHAS GRACIAS A MI AMIGA BRENDA! **(I speak fragmented Spanish when happy)** :)

2007-01-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

Ava plays!

2007-01-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

Ava Smiles!!

Ava slowly started smiling a couple weeks ago, however, she's really going at it now! I was able to capture a few smiles on my camera phone (picture me scrambling for some sort of device that would capture such a cute, adorable, once in a lifetime moment) so the quality isn't that great. Serves it's purpose though. Enjoy!

2007-01-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

Five and a half Weeks Old!

I can't believe how fast she's growing up! We had an appt. at WIC yesterday morning and she got weighed and measured. She's now 10 lbs. 9 ounces, and 21 1/2 inches long. That's 2 lbs. 12 ounces heavier, and one inch longer than her birthweight!

Ava's been slowly switching her schedule so that she sleeps longer during the night, but is still somewhat confused between the difference of night and day. She normally goes to bed at 1 (way too late!!!) and wakes up around 6 to eat, and then falls asleep again til around 9 or 10. She's up more and more during the day and I think we're going to have to start intentional nap times soon!

Oh! Does anyone have advice about how to switch from co-sleeping to bassinet sleeping? Every time I try to put her in the bassinet at night, she wakes up 2 min. later--even from a deep sleep! I've also tried to put her in it when she's drowsy, but then she just stares at the little blue and white bears that "stare at her." Chris and I swear they are the culprits of waking her up to "talk" in the middle of the night.

Ava's been sick with her first cold (so sad!!), so we haven't been to intense on switching her to the bassinet yet, but we need to implement it soon, as mommy needs some better sleep, and Ava needs to learn how to self-soothe instead of falling asleep while eating!

We don't have any recent pics (mostly because of her cold) but will post more soon!

2006-12-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

Ava's First Christmas!

2006-12-21T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Many Faces of Ava

She was very expressive today!!

(I think she's thinking mama's got crazy hair!)

2006-12-20T19:05:00.000-08:00

AVA MEDIA FRENZY!

Starring, Ava, Ava, Momma, and Guest Starring Santa!

2006-12-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

Ava is sleeping, so mommy should be:

Doing laundry that's piled up
Washing the sheets that Ava spit up on last night and this morning
Sleeping
Writing a paper that's overdue

But what I really wanted to do was brag about how well Ava behaved when mommy took a shower this morning! Ava sat in her bouncer seat and looked at the hanging toys for a while, then fixated her gaze on the purple towel hanging on the rack. Mommy knows this because she peeked from behind the shower curtain every 30 seconds to see if she was okay. She was, and entertained herself gloriously! Of course, as soon as I finished getting dressed, Ava decided she would like it much better in mommy's arms. :)

2006-12-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

Ava feeds from a bottle for the first time last night! Daddy certainly enjoyed the bonding time... :) It's a milestone, since mommy has to go to work 2 days a week in just a few short weeks. Mommy is thankful for the break!!! :)

Grandma and Grandpa Lindgren are also here to visit! Ava is enjoying their company. :)

2006-12-10T23:06:00.000-08:00

Well, the first wave of grandparent(s) has come and almost gone. Carol, Laura's mom, leaves tomorrow (12.11) for Minnesota, and has been here for a week. She has certainly been a big help with tons of cooking (even caramel rolls!), cleaning (she mopped the kitchen floor today!), made googly faces at Ava (quite the sight), even danced with Ava (even more of a sight), and got some good visitation time put in...

Thanks Carol (Grandma).

2006-12-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

The Perfect Christmas Present

2006-12-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

It's daddy's first day back at work and we're all very sad...
Ava's doing good though, and has had several periods of awake time this morning. Mosty she's slept though...

Here's a few pics to cheer you up, daddy. :)

2006-12-04T22:57:00.000-08:00

Social Graces

Ava gave us the first happenings of a smile and giggle today (picture not of said event). She was highly alert, staring directly at me and Laura when we spoke to her. She then raised her cheeks up with her smile, not once, but twice, followed up by a little giggle. Then we, of course, as parents would like to think that this series of actions were intentional... because they were. ;-)