My heart sank this evening as Justin walked toward me and whispered, "Ava said Santa isn't real."
Santa Isn't Real
Monday, May 9, 2016
I am going to try my hardest to hold back these big ole tears that want to fall down my face. The little girl that made me a mama is just days away from being three years old. I am constantly asking myself how we got here... already. Seriously. The time surely does fly by and before you know it.... your child is this incredibly smart, empathetic, sassy, meltdown perfectionist all balled into one. When I allow myself to try and articulate all the love I have for Ava.. I can't even begin to write what I feel. The end result is almost always tears. Picture this? You don't know if you can carry a successful pregnancy... until you do. You spend your entire pregnancy scared, doing everything "RIGHT", and the end result is that there is some concern about your baby. You pray over your baby, yourself, her life.. You do everything humanly possible to keep yourself and your unborn baby girl healthy.
Delivery day comes. You spend over 17+ hours in a hospital bed eagerly awaiting her arrival. You just want her here safely. Daddy watches over the computer screen. He's nervous too. You just want to meet that sweet, perfect baby that has made you a mother. And then, in the mists of all the chaos, worries, and fears.. there she is. Completely perfect at 5 pounds and 11 ounces. She is a full term, HEALTHY, baby girl. You hold her for the first time and your eyes lock. ALL THE TEARS in the world right there. Her first cry, the first time she wrapped her finger around mine. The first time I nourished her newborn body. In those moments, even if we didn't know it, we made one another.
From that day, every decision I made, It was for you. To go back to school, to be a better human being, to be the best role model... it was all for... and unknowingly, for myself too. In watching Ava grow I was able to grow into a better human on earth. There isn't a single day of my life that goes by that I am not grateful for my first born.
♥- Leilani
Delivery day comes. You spend over 17+ hours in a hospital bed eagerly awaiting her arrival. You just want her here safely. Daddy watches over the computer screen. He's nervous too. You just want to meet that sweet, perfect baby that has made you a mother. And then, in the mists of all the chaos, worries, and fears.. there she is. Completely perfect at 5 pounds and 11 ounces. She is a full term, HEALTHY, baby girl. You hold her for the first time and your eyes lock. ALL THE TEARS in the world right there. Her first cry, the first time she wrapped her finger around mine. The first time I nourished her newborn body. In those moments, even if we didn't know it, we made one another.
From that day, every decision I made, It was for you. To go back to school, to be a better human being, to be the best role model... it was all for... and unknowingly, for myself too. In watching Ava grow I was able to grow into a better human on earth. There isn't a single day of my life that goes by that I am not grateful for my first born.
♥- Leilani
Monday, June 15, 2015
Dining is a family "thing" for us, so the full solution was to purchase a booster seat for our home. I'm a little sad to see the high chair go, but I know this is a better choice for Ava. slowly but surely this last year has diminished all of the baby qualities that I once loved so much. This part of her growth makes me even more excited for my pregnancy with baby # 2. I know that I'll be able to experience the baby stuff all over again. If I'm being honest, I miss those days. I miss smelling sweet newborn skin, and breastfed baby breath. I miss Ava's sweet little hands and how she loved to nuzzle into my chest. All of those things went by far too quickly, so to say that I'm excited about experiencing this with another child of mine is a complete understatement!
Aside from the booster seat, Ava has decided she likes to have her hair done everyday. Her hair has gotten so long this past year, and I absolutely love it. She loves bows, pretty clips, and frozen themed ponytails. She loves getting her toes painted, and dancing around in her dance tutu all day long. Her personality is becoming very strong, and it's becoming very clear who my little girl is right now. Her understanding of the world around her has become so vast, that sometimes it leaves me speechless. We really don't give little people enough credit. They take in so much of this world and if you slow down long enough, you are able to catch a glimpse of it. It's the best thing in the world.
Tomorrow marks 9 weeks of pregnancy with our miracle bean, and the day after, I have another ultrasound. I'm so incredibly excited to experience all of this with Justin alongside me. He did miss my OB registration appointment, and I had like an emotional meltdown. Aside from that, he's been present for everything, and extremely supportive to top it off. We have opted to bring Ava along for my obgyn appointments, so she feels included every step of the way. I'm really looking forward to the next two weeks of vacation time for my family. It is much needed, and we can't wait to be near the ocean!
That's all for now, I'm going to attempt to each lunch and pray that it actually stays down.
Happy Monday all!
♥- Leilani
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
It has been almost six full weeks since I last nursed Ava bug, and since we last actively co-slept with our sweet girl in our bed. The first blog I wrote discussed our "cold turkey" method and some of the other things we did in order to get Ava adjusted the best way we knew how. I'm proud to report after an entire almost six weeks, our new routine is down pat and my sweet girl has successfully been weaned. It's weird to say that sometimes and it's also really weird not to have a toddler reaching for my shirt, or patting me to let me know she needs that type of comfort. It took me a couple weeks to really be okay with the decision because I found myself getting really emotional about it after we'd already started the process. My daughter has continued to be resilient and she absolutely loves her toddler bed. We have the same routine every single night and her new bedtime is 8 p.m. which I think works really well for our family. She sleeps through the night and I have finally moved back into my own bed, rather than sleeping by the side of hers. That took me three weeks, back kinks, and my husband telling me to come to bed every night. It really was a comfort issue for me though. It's very weird to suddenly have over a year and a half of co-sleeping become nonexistent.
I have noticed some great benefits from our change and that alone has really made this switch worth it. Ava has become so independent with her sleep and it's awesome to watch. Justin and I also have a lot more time to ourselves at night. We watch our shows together, we snuggle more, and we are able to move in our bed without toddler feet or hands on our faces. Some of those added benefits have been nice, and Ava has only slept with us probably less than a handful of times since we made the switch. We are not against co-sleeping, but she definitely sleeps a lot better in her own bed these days. I got an email asking if I would stop nursing earlier if I knew that weaning would be this easy. My response to that would be no. Breastfeeding was such a huge part of the bond I created with my daughter over the last twenty months of her life. I don't know what kind of mother I'd be if i had chosen a different route. I always preach that breastfeeding is about so much more than nutrition, and it is! I learned to trust my body, I learned what my body was truly capable of, and I was able to be so much more than just comfort for my child. I will say, towards the 18th month mark, I knew that our weaning days would come shortly after. Even before we decided to try for another baby, nursing just wasn't the same for me anymore.
Taking into consideration that you have a child who drinks organic whole milk throughout the day, a toddler that is solely using you for a human pacifier, and the fact that you are having extreme discomforts from the lack of nursing and having your breasts engorged... I think that's when I knew I was ready to stop. Our infertility is sort of a blessing in disguise because If not for having to take medication that could impact my breastmilk, I'm not sure if we'd be weaned right now. The truth is, I wanted Ava to wean herself. She didn't, but I probably would have waited as long as it took for her to wean herself. It's a really tough decision and moving forward (God willing), with our next child, I may make some changes to help me out a little more with this process.
So there it is! My toddler was successfully weaned without any real drama or heartache! I still can't believe how easy it was. How many other mama's are trying to wean their toddlers right now? Have you tried any special techniques? What about mama's that have already weaned? What did you do to end your breastfeeding relationship? Shoot an email or write me in the comments below. I can't wait to hear all of the different methods you guys have!
Happy Wednesday all
♥- Leilani
I have noticed some great benefits from our change and that alone has really made this switch worth it. Ava has become so independent with her sleep and it's awesome to watch. Justin and I also have a lot more time to ourselves at night. We watch our shows together, we snuggle more, and we are able to move in our bed without toddler feet or hands on our faces. Some of those added benefits have been nice, and Ava has only slept with us probably less than a handful of times since we made the switch. We are not against co-sleeping, but she definitely sleeps a lot better in her own bed these days. I got an email asking if I would stop nursing earlier if I knew that weaning would be this easy. My response to that would be no. Breastfeeding was such a huge part of the bond I created with my daughter over the last twenty months of her life. I don't know what kind of mother I'd be if i had chosen a different route. I always preach that breastfeeding is about so much more than nutrition, and it is! I learned to trust my body, I learned what my body was truly capable of, and I was able to be so much more than just comfort for my child. I will say, towards the 18th month mark, I knew that our weaning days would come shortly after. Even before we decided to try for another baby, nursing just wasn't the same for me anymore.
Taking into consideration that you have a child who drinks organic whole milk throughout the day, a toddler that is solely using you for a human pacifier, and the fact that you are having extreme discomforts from the lack of nursing and having your breasts engorged... I think that's when I knew I was ready to stop. Our infertility is sort of a blessing in disguise because If not for having to take medication that could impact my breastmilk, I'm not sure if we'd be weaned right now. The truth is, I wanted Ava to wean herself. She didn't, but I probably would have waited as long as it took for her to wean herself. It's a really tough decision and moving forward (God willing), with our next child, I may make some changes to help me out a little more with this process.
So there it is! My toddler was successfully weaned without any real drama or heartache! I still can't believe how easy it was. How many other mama's are trying to wean their toddlers right now? Have you tried any special techniques? What about mama's that have already weaned? What did you do to end your breastfeeding relationship? Shoot an email or write me in the comments below. I can't wait to hear all of the different methods you guys have!
Happy Wednesday all
♥- Leilani
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Things have been completely crazy this past week with moving, school, and being without actual internet for the next four days (while in the final week of my current courses)! Even with all the craziness, I couldn't NOT write up a short little update on my 20 month old toddler. Yes, Ava bug is 20 months old today... I can't believe it. Seriously, In the blink of an eye you guys, it happened so fast. I've been reminiscing on the infant days a lot more lately. I often look at her in amazement wondering where my itty bitty baby went, and when this vibrant, energetic, spunky little girl showed up. We are at the point in toddlerhood where we notice that Ava learns something new each day. She's becoming more outgoing, she's more daring, and she's become quite extensive about the things she likes/dislikes. Ava can walk up and down the stairs completely unassisted now (still scary for mom) but it's awesome to see. She holds on to the rails herself, she even knows how to unlock the gates (some adults that visit have a hard time with this), you can imagine our shock.
She loves to color, play make believe, and help in the kitchen. She's extremely sensitive to anything negative.. more specifically, the word "no" from mom or dad. She's become attached to daddy even more so these past few weeks and calls him dad or daddy now. She's extremely polite and waves and shakes the hands of complete strangers, if I'm okay with it. She's also started giving her daddy "knuckles" after a triumph of some sort.. like catching fish while taking her bath at night. She's a great whisker in the kitchen and she absolutely loves breakfast foods. We've been introducing new foods and meats into her world like crazy lately, and I love that she's willing to try anything once if she sees that we are willing too. Justin's biggest notice in our girl this month would be the biggest surge of independence that happened. She's even more okay with playing by herself and entertaining herself. She's also extremely persistent. Whenever she wants something she points until you acknowledge or pulls you over to what she wants you to do. That is actually become really cute. She's very strong willed and very observant.
I could go on and on, but the vast change has occurred with her communication. Her ability to understand more and her ability to have her own thoughts recognized by those around her. The mind of a toddler in an interesting one, and I'm so happy that I've documented all of her happenings each month. Some of the new things we've used with Ava bug this past month (with Christmas toys inspired), would be her easel, play kitchen, and toddler "ipad" basically, anything learning. We continue to work on shapes, colors, numbers, letters, writing her name, etc. We incorporate learning games in the tub, during play time, on the go, and even while we are making meals. I've really tried to take advantage of every opportunity I can to assist in our sweet girl's learning process.
I thought this would be shorter, but it's looking pretty lengthy, so this is where I leave you all. Ava is doing fantastic and we couldn't be more proud of her. She's closer to two years old and I'm still having trouble processing that notion. For those of my readers with kiddos, please remember to cherish and savor these moments with your small ones. I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes for me to go back and relive some of the special times I've had with my bug. It tickles me to think that one day my child with be reading this. I hope she loves it.
Happy Saturday all, and happy 20 months to my perfect little human!
♥- Leilani
She loves to color, play make believe, and help in the kitchen. She's extremely sensitive to anything negative.. more specifically, the word "no" from mom or dad. She's become attached to daddy even more so these past few weeks and calls him dad or daddy now. She's extremely polite and waves and shakes the hands of complete strangers, if I'm okay with it. She's also started giving her daddy "knuckles" after a triumph of some sort.. like catching fish while taking her bath at night. She's a great whisker in the kitchen and she absolutely loves breakfast foods. We've been introducing new foods and meats into her world like crazy lately, and I love that she's willing to try anything once if she sees that we are willing too. Justin's biggest notice in our girl this month would be the biggest surge of independence that happened. She's even more okay with playing by herself and entertaining herself. She's also extremely persistent. Whenever she wants something she points until you acknowledge or pulls you over to what she wants you to do. That is actually become really cute. She's very strong willed and very observant.
I could go on and on, but the vast change has occurred with her communication. Her ability to understand more and her ability to have her own thoughts recognized by those around her. The mind of a toddler in an interesting one, and I'm so happy that I've documented all of her happenings each month. Some of the new things we've used with Ava bug this past month (with Christmas toys inspired), would be her easel, play kitchen, and toddler "ipad" basically, anything learning. We continue to work on shapes, colors, numbers, letters, writing her name, etc. We incorporate learning games in the tub, during play time, on the go, and even while we are making meals. I've really tried to take advantage of every opportunity I can to assist in our sweet girl's learning process.
I thought this would be shorter, but it's looking pretty lengthy, so this is where I leave you all. Ava is doing fantastic and we couldn't be more proud of her. She's closer to two years old and I'm still having trouble processing that notion. For those of my readers with kiddos, please remember to cherish and savor these moments with your small ones. I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes for me to go back and relive some of the special times I've had with my bug. It tickles me to think that one day my child with be reading this. I hope she loves it.
Happy Saturday all, and happy 20 months to my perfect little human!
♥- Leilani
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
I'm already emotional about writing this, but 2014 had some really great memories. I know that we are going to start 2015 fresh with a bang! Here's a timeline of what this past year looked like for my family and I:
The Howland's moved to the upper left of the United States and we were reunited with my family. This was made possible because of the compassion reassignment request (for my mom) being approved. Ava bug and I took our first plane ride together (without daddy), and our sweet girl started crawling within days after our PCS. Ava turned eight months old and her first set of teeth came in. Last, but certainly not least, Justin and I celebrated three years of marriage!
We had our first family valentine pictures taken a few days before Ava turned nine months old, my sweet girl experienced snow for the first time, and we went to the Seattle Aquarium for the first time together. We started actively baby proofing this month because our girl could get into almost everything on her level. Ava started feeding herself more and more, and this mama went on a total hippy kick. We also watched our BRONCOS get beat pretty badly during the Superbowl.
Ava's two top teeth cut, we started using big girl cups, and Bug took her first steps. We celebrated Easter with my family and we officially switched our girl to a convertible seat. We also started using our ring slings A LOT more this month. We spent some time down at the waterfront in Tacoma and Ava got to meet Miss Jennifer!
May might have been the best month of my life. My sweetheart turned 24 and my child turned one year old! Ava was full blown walking by her first birthday, and she experienced her first cake smash! Daddy started WLC (military school) and Ava decided to ditch baby foods completely. Washington weather warmed up tremendously, so Ava got to use her first baby pool. I had my first mother's day and Justin made it one for the books, as did my parents! Ava also got her first pedicure. She's such a girly girl and I love it! I also became FRG leader for Justin's previous company.
Daddy spent a long month away at NTC, I introduced the potty with Ava, and I officially started putting Ava bug in her crib. I purchased Ava bug her first pair of big girl sneakers and SHE finally got over her fear of grass. We experimented with paint for the first time and made daddy some awesome gifts for Father's day. Washington weather got so much hotter this month, so Ava had a few different trips to the river.
Justin and I had our first date night since deployment! We had family photos taken at the beach in Seattle, and we considered prepping for baby # 2. I told myself I was going to wean Ava this month... (didn't happen) and I fell in love with the fourth trimester bodies project. Justin decided to actively ride his motorcycle.
Justin and I celebrated four years together! We took Ava to the drive-ins a couple times, Ava experienced her first county fair, and we had my mother in-law out for a visit. We went to Mt. Rainier, Seattle, and a bunch of other random places to show Arleen the beauty of Washington. I had my first appointment with Madigan's endocrinologist, and I had a mature follicle! We tried naturally to conceive, but ultimately the tests were BFNs. Ava had her first late night out, and I got a massive spider bite that gave me some serious reactions.
I forced myself to commit to photography. I got my first DSLR camera and I tried to own it from the start! Our family took a trip to the coast, and Ava got to watch her first sunset. Our Mazda decided to break down on us, resulting in us getting a family SUV. We started the process of purchasing our first home and Justin got LASIK eye surgery. Ava started all of her toddler classes, and we went to our first state fair as a family!
Ava and daddy started "daddy daughter dates" and this mama started taking more time for herself. Ava turned 18 months old, and we officially made the decision to wait a little longer for trying to conceive another baby. I experienced a shift in emotion towards breastfeeding and we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. Ava picked out her first tree ornament, and we put up the tree BEFORE the first of December! We celebrated my nana's birthday (rest in peace nana) and we also got a bit of snow! I made my first DIY backdrop and officially became obsessed with DIY projects. Justin sold his motorcycle!
We had our family Christmas photos taken, Ava got a god mama, and we made a DIY growth chart for Ava bug. We made our first gingerbread house,saw the zoo lights, and played in the snow on Mount Rainier. Justin's grandfather passed away this month, and while it's still hard for him, we keep our hearts full of all the good memories we had with him. We also made the decision to move closer to Justin's job!
I am positive there are a lot of things I left off of this recap, but this year was definitely all about growth. Growing as parents, lovers, and a family. Next month marks ONE year of us being in Washington state, and I can hardly wait to see what adventures we get into! Thank you ALL so much for tagging along for our journey. I hope my readers bring in 2015 with love, friends, and family!
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!
♥- Leilani
January
February
March
I turned 23 years old, and the mister was away for training. Luckily I got to spend my special day with m family. We took our first family trip to Pike Place Market and ate at the infamous crab pot. Ava started dancing around like crazy and she stood up by herself UNASSISTED! I made the decision to become more of a spoken advocate for breastfeeding and attachment parenting. Best. Decision. Ever. Ava bug also had her first park playdate.
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
Ava bug met one of her best pals, Zoe! I met an awesome new mama friend, Tausha. We noticed a spike in Ava's development this month. She became more aware of her body, our actions, and her emotions. Ava and I started crafting hardcore. We made turkeys in October... I embarked on a 365 day photo challenge that has already changed my views and my life immensely. Ava got her first halloween costume (my little lady bug) and Ava and Justin had their first trip to the pumpkin farm! This was also the first month that we attended a halloween function for Justin's Battalion. I also got a new lens for my camera.
November
December
I am positive there are a lot of things I left off of this recap, but this year was definitely all about growth. Growing as parents, lovers, and a family. Next month marks ONE year of us being in Washington state, and I can hardly wait to see what adventures we get into! Thank you ALL so much for tagging along for our journey. I hope my readers bring in 2015 with love, friends, and family!
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!
♥- Leilani
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
The fact that we are less than half a year away from celebrating my child's second birthday is completely crazy to me. Her second year is going by much faster than her first year it seems. Where do I even begin? This month Ava got a vaccine (her last one was at six months old) and that was pretty rough. I cried more than her, they asked me to leave the room...In those moments I was looking at my tiny, newborn Ava.. not my tough, toddler Ava bug. Aside from that, she checked out with a clean bill of health. She's developing as she should, and we have no major concerns. Her words have been a bit limited for her age, but her primary doc says sometimes kiddos are more reserved, and that is definitely our girl in some instances. She is a very precocious toddler though. She imitates like no toddler I know. Last night, I was pretending to give Justin CPR.. so what does Ava do? Yep, she pretends to give daddy CPR as well. Her understanding of the world around her just astounds me.
When she wants you to be quiet, she immediately presses her fingers to her lips with the "shh" sound. When she's emotional she puts her hand on her forehead and shakes her head. When she's upset, she lays on the floor staring blankly at the ceiling (she's definitely my child). She gabs all day long about almost everything, she is even more in love with Cooper (it seems), and she points at literally EVERYTHING within her scope. Her newest obsession is ring a round the rosie and having mom or dad read story after story. When it's time for bed, she lays her head down on her pillow and pulls her Bronco blanket over her. When she meets new people she immediately extends her hand for a greeting.. I could go on and on. 18 months definitely brought on a lot of new stuff for us.
Her physical development hasn't really changed too much, aside from her beautiful locks getting longer and longer. All of her growth seems to be cognitive and communicative. We actively read longer, not so babyish books to her now. The potty has been used more frequently (getting more aggressive with potty training). We even started using a growth chart for Ava bug (look for the DIY post on this). I feel like there's a ton more I can share, but I'm going to save some of this stuff for me. I almost completely spaced on the fact that Ava also OFFICIALLY has a god mother! I'm not sure if I shared that information with you guys, but we are over the moon and completely relieved that we found someone to trust completely with our child. This was definitely a big deal, and we are so glad that Ava and God mama Leeana are already developing such a beautiful bond with one another.
As far as the things we use with Ava bug, I'm not too sure that there is anything new. Just more advanced learning items and books. She started coloring on scrapbook paper, but I'n not entirely sure that counts...Other than small things like cups,slings, and clothes.. Yeah nothing too major has changed. Here's a photo of Ava bug holding onto her god mama's hand.. literally makes my heart grown three sizes!
♥- Leilani
When she wants you to be quiet, she immediately presses her fingers to her lips with the "shh" sound. When she's emotional she puts her hand on her forehead and shakes her head. When she's upset, she lays on the floor staring blankly at the ceiling (she's definitely my child). She gabs all day long about almost everything, she is even more in love with Cooper (it seems), and she points at literally EVERYTHING within her scope. Her newest obsession is ring a round the rosie and having mom or dad read story after story. When it's time for bed, she lays her head down on her pillow and pulls her Bronco blanket over her. When she meets new people she immediately extends her hand for a greeting.. I could go on and on. 18 months definitely brought on a lot of new stuff for us.
Her physical development hasn't really changed too much, aside from her beautiful locks getting longer and longer. All of her growth seems to be cognitive and communicative. We actively read longer, not so babyish books to her now. The potty has been used more frequently (getting more aggressive with potty training). We even started using a growth chart for Ava bug (look for the DIY post on this). I feel like there's a ton more I can share, but I'm going to save some of this stuff for me. I almost completely spaced on the fact that Ava also OFFICIALLY has a god mother! I'm not sure if I shared that information with you guys, but we are over the moon and completely relieved that we found someone to trust completely with our child. This was definitely a big deal, and we are so glad that Ava and God mama Leeana are already developing such a beautiful bond with one another.
As far as the things we use with Ava bug, I'm not too sure that there is anything new. Just more advanced learning items and books. She started coloring on scrapbook paper, but I'n not entirely sure that counts...Other than small things like cups,slings, and clothes.. Yeah nothing too major has changed. Here's a photo of Ava bug holding onto her god mama's hand.. literally makes my heart grown three sizes!
Happy Wednesday all!
♥- Leilani
Monday, November 17, 2014
Ava bug at (almost) 12 months old
Photo Cred: Chloe Photography
These are the first words in this post and I am already crying. They aren't sad tears, but very much happy tears. My perfect little girl is 18 months old today. She is one year and six months and I cannot believe it. I think back on those days of pregnancy and the first few days after she was born, and I can't help but giggle. I was so nervous and anxious about this tiny little baby, and here we are a year and a half later, and we are doing just fine. She teaches me so much you guys. That's the best part of parenting; continuing to learn about life from your kids.
There is something completely moving about having the privilege to see the world through a child's eyes. I look at her in admiration and often times "awe" because of the reactions and expressions she makes about our everyday world. The past month zoomed by (of course), and there really isn't a whole lot to report. Ava continues to show her sensitivity, kindness, and precocious tendencies on a daily basis. If she happens to see me in an emotional place (more than likely because of something new she's done), she comes up and wraps her arms around me, or sometimes she blows me a kiss. When she hears, "I love you Ava bug" she comes running with puckered lips. Her hair has gotten so much longer, and I try to put it up when she lets me. She's gained over three pounds since her first birthday, and we are slowly but surely trying a new food at least once a week.
We work with older toddler geared games now. We work on body parts (just for refreshers), colors, shapes, numbers, letters, and words. We even taught her the hokey pokey the other day and she absolutely loved it. She is the biggest imitator ever as of late. Whatever we do, she does, so we make sure to stay on our P's and Q's when baby is up. She loves brushing her teeth, she loves letting daddy brush her hair, and she has become quite the puppy lover. She let's us know when she's hungry, thirsty, or tired, and she definitely let's us know when she wants to be entertained. Tantrums have made a comeback, and they are still the saddest thing ever.
It happens when she's tired or frustrated and I feel so bad for my bug. I don't swarm to pick her right up, I give her a few moments to collect herself. I tell her I can't understand her when she's talking like that, and I wait for her to gain a bit of composure. She continues to test the waters with what she can touch and do. This happens when we are out, mainly. Ava knows what's okay to touch while we are at home. Her favorite thing in the world right now is calling her dad, or grandma on the telephone. It's actually really cute, and she's been doing it for months now... it doesn't get old. She literally sits and has a conversation with her daddy every morning after he's finished PT.
I still can't believe that my child is officially closer to being a two year old, than a one year old. I didn't think this day would arrive so quickly, but now that it has, I'm sincerely filled with the pride and joy I get from raising this little girl. Happy 1.5 Ava bug! Your mama loves you more than words, more than stars, more than all the trees in the PNW.
Ava bug at (almost) 18 months
Photo Cred: Yours truly
Happy Monday all!
♥- Leilani
Friday, October 17, 2014
The month of October is going much faster than I'd like.. in fact, I can't believe we only have two weeks left for this month. Ava has turned into a completely different toddler over the last four weeks. It's really more communicative milestones rather than physical changes. She understand everything, and her ability to try and say new words has advanced immensely. Even her kisses have changed. She has learned how to do the infamous "duck face" but it's cute on my toddler who's trying to give mama or daddy kisses. She has three different kinds of waves she gives. She can say the words green, yes, and bye bye. She even colors on coloring book pages without much attempt to eat the crayons! I'm blown away by Bug this month. Completely blown away. Her cognitive skills are in full gear and it's been nothing short of comical to watch her little mind work. We started working on "parts of the body" a couple weeks ago. So far, she can point to her head, belly button, and nose. She loves pointing at our eyes, lips, and toes.
She's also started this new thing where she encourages Justin or myself to get up and dance with her. She reaches out for us and loves when we twirl her around and giggle. Just the other night, Ava decided that she didn't want play time to be over... she picked up her rocking horse in an attempt to have her daddy carry it up the stairs... I could not believe it. Justin and I both bursted out in laughter. It's things like that, that have me in complete awe. I take pictures and videos pretty much daily at this point. There's so much I don't blog out (you'd be reading a novel), but I assure you things have taken off rather quickly with our girl.
During the past month we have introduced a few new things with Ava bug. These include:
Regular playdates. I'm really quite glad we did this. Ava is a social bug. She is so kind and considerate when playing with others her age, and I love it! The picture on the left shows Ava assisting her new pal Zoe with her binky. These two girls play so well together. Sharing is always encouraged, they take turns, and I think Ava is becoming a little less timid around others. She has on average around three playdates a week, and it's great for mama to get social time in too.
The time that Justin and Ava spend together.. without mama has also increased a lot over the last month. I don't feel inclined to be included in everything they do, and it's actually rather heart warming to watch Justin take their time so seriously. The whole "daddy/daughter dates" was probably the best idea he ever had. They've only had one so far, but I'm excited to see what creative ideas he comes up with for their date times. It's nice because I've been able to find more "me" time this past month.
Crafts have been at an all time high this past month. I went to Michael's and purchased princess coloring books, paints, etc. We even made turkeys to send to Ava's distant relatives. I can trust her to color on her own, and she's even pretty savvy with her sticker book. I love making crafts at home with her. It's the best way to spend our time indoors when it's rainy or cold outside. She's a great helper and I'm thrilled we've hit this stage with bug. She gets fascinated by textures and colors quite often.
Of all the major things, I'd say those three things pretty much cover it. For now we continue to learn even more parts of the body (she's working on ears as of tonight), ABC flashcards, baby's first 100 words, and little learning tools like that. Ava loves dance class, but we opted out of gymnastics for her. Being social has been the primary focus this past month for sure. I just realized that I've made 17 posts like this since I started blogging (obviously) and although Ava is growing and changing.. one thing has remained steadfast. She is happy 99% of the time. Justin says this at least once a day. She's a very happy, vibrant, loving child. I had to sneak that in there. We are blessed guys. She's an easy peasy kid and we love her to bits!
Happy Friday all!
♥- Leilani
She's also started this new thing where she encourages Justin or myself to get up and dance with her. She reaches out for us and loves when we twirl her around and giggle. Just the other night, Ava decided that she didn't want play time to be over... she picked up her rocking horse in an attempt to have her daddy carry it up the stairs... I could not believe it. Justin and I both bursted out in laughter. It's things like that, that have me in complete awe. I take pictures and videos pretty much daily at this point. There's so much I don't blog out (you'd be reading a novel), but I assure you things have taken off rather quickly with our girl.
During the past month we have introduced a few new things with Ava bug. These include:
Of all the major things, I'd say those three things pretty much cover it. For now we continue to learn even more parts of the body (she's working on ears as of tonight), ABC flashcards, baby's first 100 words, and little learning tools like that. Ava loves dance class, but we opted out of gymnastics for her. Being social has been the primary focus this past month for sure. I just realized that I've made 17 posts like this since I started blogging (obviously) and although Ava is growing and changing.. one thing has remained steadfast. She is happy 99% of the time. Justin says this at least once a day. She's a very happy, vibrant, loving child. I had to sneak that in there. We are blessed guys. She's an easy peasy kid and we love her to bits!
Happy Friday all!
♥- Leilani
Friday, October 10, 2014
It finally happened. Ava bug has finally stumbled onto more "real" words and I don't know how to feel about it. The other night, we were all piled on the couch just chit chatting before bed... all of a sudden Ava turns to look at Justin and says, "Byeee bye." She then proceeded to wave goodbye with her hands and walk away. We (of course) responded with lots of kisses and a loud applause. She was pretty darn proud of herself after that. In those moments when all of this was happening, I couldn't help but feel a little sad. That's my baby growing up in front of me. It really is an emotional whirlwind, confrontingt that notion. Even on the days where motherhood challenges me more than most, I would (and still plan to) do this all over again. These are the days that remind me of how sweet and innocent life can be. The days that give me the curve in my smile.
In other news, Ava bug and I both made new friends this week. If you know me personally, you know that friend is not a term I use lightly. Things happened really fast with Miss T and her sweet baby Zoe. Long story short, Justin and her husband work together. We invited them to our weekly little gym class (blogged about this a couple weeks ago) and then the next thing you know I'm messaging Miss T asking if she'd like to get together for a playdate. Our husbands discussed it at work, so I just took the initiative in reaching out. That same day, Zoe and Ava ended up having their first one on one playdate. Can I just say, swooon? The girls are SO cute together. They share really well, and they seem to be fond of one another. I was super impressed for that being the first time they really interacted. Turns out the mamas really hit it off as well! We have very compatible personalities, and I foresee an awesome friendship emerging!
Since Justin has a four day weekend, I'm not entirely sure what we have going on. I know Ava bug has another play date with Zoe, we have to head out to the pumpkin patch (again), and my family will be over at some point during the weekend. I think another impromptu trip may be in the works, so we'll see! In the meantime, take a look at a couple of the pictures I've taken recently. This "momtographer" stuff has got me seriously obsessed with my camera. Have any of my other mama's started playdates with their toddlers? If so, what age did you start? When did you notice that your toddler really interacted? I'd love to hear from you by email or the comments below.
♥- Leilani
In other news, Ava bug and I both made new friends this week. If you know me personally, you know that friend is not a term I use lightly. Things happened really fast with Miss T and her sweet baby Zoe. Long story short, Justin and her husband work together. We invited them to our weekly little gym class (blogged about this a couple weeks ago) and then the next thing you know I'm messaging Miss T asking if she'd like to get together for a playdate. Our husbands discussed it at work, so I just took the initiative in reaching out. That same day, Zoe and Ava ended up having their first one on one playdate. Can I just say, swooon? The girls are SO cute together. They share really well, and they seem to be fond of one another. I was super impressed for that being the first time they really interacted. Turns out the mamas really hit it off as well! We have very compatible personalities, and I foresee an awesome friendship emerging!
Since Justin has a four day weekend, I'm not entirely sure what we have going on. I know Ava bug has another play date with Zoe, we have to head out to the pumpkin patch (again), and my family will be over at some point during the weekend. I think another impromptu trip may be in the works, so we'll see! In the meantime, take a look at a couple of the pictures I've taken recently. This "momtographer" stuff has got me seriously obsessed with my camera. Have any of my other mama's started playdates with their toddlers? If so, what age did you start? When did you notice that your toddler really interacted? I'd love to hear from you by email or the comments below.
Happy Friday all!
♥- Leilani
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Oh, goodness guys. I think it's been pretty evident that I have been enjoying the toddlerhood journey with Ava... little did I know that this chapter of her life would soon become my new favorite part of her life thus far. I know, I know. For those of my blog readers that have been along for the journey this past year, I bet you are thinking, what about the newborn love you had?! The newborn love I had for my daughter will never go away. I'll never forget her first day of life, her first week of life, or the months that would eventually graduate her from infancy. In these passing days I have just grown to love and become even more accustomed to the Ava bug we have now, and here's why.
Play time: Toddlers take play time to an entirely new level. Once your little one can walk, run, and dance, your whole world changes. At first, this was the change that made me most sad. Ava's physical development took off rather early, and I definitely wasn't ready for it. Now I can't get enough. Whether we are walking on the beach, playing hide and seek, or dancing around the living room... I just love every moment. I love watching her enjoy being active. I love watching her interact with other children, but most importantly, I love watching her growth. This past weekend we took Ava to the The Little Gym. It was an absolute hit from the start. She was in a class with several other tots in her age group, and they all just played! Sometimes they played together, other times they played in the same space... none the less my child interacts with other kids very well. No violence, no snatching, and she learned a few pointers in the sharing department. Play time takes up most of our time during the day, but as long as Bug is happy, mama is happy.
Food Time: Food has got to be the easiest thing with a toddler (aside from their picky habits). I look back on baby Ava, and I still don't know how we went six full months where her only form of nutrition was my breast milk. It's crazy to me that I was able to provide sole nutrition for her. We went from just breast milk to mainly homemade baby food, and now... Ava eats/will try whatever. I love that I don't have to puree anything anymore.. I actually haven't pureed in almost six months! I also love how each piece of food that we give her doesn't have to be cut in super small pieces. She has so many teeth now! She is going on 12 teeth to be exact. I also enjoy taking Bug out to restaurants with us. It's not a regular occurrence, but it sure is fun to order something off the menu just for our girl. It's weird to watch her drink from an Olive Garden cup, and dip her own breadsticks in the soup of the day... The stress of food had decreased immensely. We offer her new foods all the time, and it's refreshing to know that she'll eat what she wants when she's hungry.
Talk Time: Ahh, my jabber jaws. Communication is my all time favorite thing to do with my kid. Whether it's verbal or non-verbal, I feel like we have this mama/daughter language that no one else in the world knows. All Ava has to do is look at me and 98% of the time, I know what's she's saying. I'm not so sure that the same thing applies with her for me, but it sure is fun watching her guess. We can literally sit in the middle of the living room floor talking all day long. This is a fun alternative to sticking her in front of a television or trying to preoccupy her in some other way. I'll ask her a question and her little Ava words start pouring out. I know when's she happy, and I know when she' upset. I also know when she's been offended or when she's just talking to talk. I love that we are at a point in her life where she understands more of our language.
Well, that's all guys. Here's a picture of Ava and I talking the other day. I just love everything about it. Her hair, her sweet little face, and those curls! Be on the look out for the launch of my new "mom- tography" blog! I've gone back and forth whether to share it or not, so I'd love to hear your feedback in either the comments below or by email!
Happy Tuesday all!
♥- Leilani
Play time: Toddlers take play time to an entirely new level. Once your little one can walk, run, and dance, your whole world changes. At first, this was the change that made me most sad. Ava's physical development took off rather early, and I definitely wasn't ready for it. Now I can't get enough. Whether we are walking on the beach, playing hide and seek, or dancing around the living room... I just love every moment. I love watching her enjoy being active. I love watching her interact with other children, but most importantly, I love watching her growth. This past weekend we took Ava to the The Little Gym. It was an absolute hit from the start. She was in a class with several other tots in her age group, and they all just played! Sometimes they played together, other times they played in the same space... none the less my child interacts with other kids very well. No violence, no snatching, and she learned a few pointers in the sharing department. Play time takes up most of our time during the day, but as long as Bug is happy, mama is happy.
Food Time: Food has got to be the easiest thing with a toddler (aside from their picky habits). I look back on baby Ava, and I still don't know how we went six full months where her only form of nutrition was my breast milk. It's crazy to me that I was able to provide sole nutrition for her. We went from just breast milk to mainly homemade baby food, and now... Ava eats/will try whatever. I love that I don't have to puree anything anymore.. I actually haven't pureed in almost six months! I also love how each piece of food that we give her doesn't have to be cut in super small pieces. She has so many teeth now! She is going on 12 teeth to be exact. I also enjoy taking Bug out to restaurants with us. It's not a regular occurrence, but it sure is fun to order something off the menu just for our girl. It's weird to watch her drink from an Olive Garden cup, and dip her own breadsticks in the soup of the day... The stress of food had decreased immensely. We offer her new foods all the time, and it's refreshing to know that she'll eat what she wants when she's hungry.
Talk Time: Ahh, my jabber jaws. Communication is my all time favorite thing to do with my kid. Whether it's verbal or non-verbal, I feel like we have this mama/daughter language that no one else in the world knows. All Ava has to do is look at me and 98% of the time, I know what's she's saying. I'm not so sure that the same thing applies with her for me, but it sure is fun watching her guess. We can literally sit in the middle of the living room floor talking all day long. This is a fun alternative to sticking her in front of a television or trying to preoccupy her in some other way. I'll ask her a question and her little Ava words start pouring out. I know when's she happy, and I know when she' upset. I also know when she's been offended or when she's just talking to talk. I love that we are at a point in her life where she understands more of our language.
Well, that's all guys. Here's a picture of Ava and I talking the other day. I just love everything about it. Her hair, her sweet little face, and those curls! Be on the look out for the launch of my new "mom- tography" blog! I've gone back and forth whether to share it or not, so I'd love to hear your feedback in either the comments below or by email!
Happy Tuesday all!
♥- Leilani
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