3.5 Months and Eating Cereal

I can honestly not believe how quickly the past 3.5 months have gone.  This Sunday, Miss Alex started testing her eating skills.  Anyone that knows her knows she has no problem drinking milk but rice cereal...it was an adjustment.

Here is how it started...

 I don't think she could understand why she was such a mess and what the heck this gooey stuff was going into her mouth...She then gave me this look half way through the 1 tbsp of rice....

And finally at the end all was well with the world....

And what was big sister doing the whole time.  No not helping, she had brought her bike in the house and was riding it all over.  It was a very relaxing Sunday afternoon :).

"Look mom, this is how you balance!"

And if we aren't balancing on our bike, we are practicing our dance moves for dance lessons.

Unfortunately our house is all concrete floors, fortunately, she only likes to wear one tap shoe :).  Life is not dull.

Life with girls

Ava and Grace love to play dress up when they get together and boy can they put on a show.
Below is the wedding that we went to last weekend.  Ava married Levi and Ava "married" Grace.

Quoting Grace - "I now pronounce Ava and Grace Best Friends."  They are so fun together.

 But when Grace isn't around and all seems lost....

 Never fear, 

Sweet Alex is ready to dress up,

 Have tea parties

 And make great memories with her big sister :)

  Life with girls is simply wonderful!!!

                          "Life is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination" 
                                                                              Voltaire

Christmas 2011 - What a Wonderful Time!!

This Christmas was wonderful in every way possible!  We started off the Christmas season with a dinner with great friends.  Abby and Garrett, Ryan and Amanda, and Adam and I celebrated the holidays with a special treat to Bohanans.  Don't think we will frequent this place because we would be broke but for a great night out on the town it was perfect.

Scroll back to last year's Santa picture...yep same Santa but different facial expressions.  Ava is in love with Santa now.  She feels the need to tell him all about what is going on in her world.  This year, La Coste, a little town next to Castroville, brought in snow for the last day of school.  Growing up, we almost always had snow around Christmas and I forget that Ava and Alex will likely never see snow unless it is brought in or we travel somewhere with snow.  Don't get me wrong...I am not complaining, but it was nice to play in the snow for a few hours and then drive home safely.

 Our sweet friends the Winklers, we love them so much!  This is Ava's big bud Julia and her playing in the snow.  They had a really fun hill for the kids to sled down on the other side.  It was a little to big for the girlies.

 She did not know what to think about this snow.

 Santa again, we just love this guy!  One funny story though.  Ava told me, this is not the real Santa because he does not have gloves on.  I told her that in Castroville it is too hot for Santa to wear gloves....makes sense right :).

 Bubby and Alex.  Alex loves to cuddle with anyone around

 Our Christmas Angels.  Cousin Connor, Ava, and Alex by Bubby's tree at the ranch

 Santa was everywhere this year!  We are so thankful to the George's for providing Santa with a map to all of our Christmas stops.

 Bet this picture is a lot different next year when Alex realizes that Santa is holding her.

 All the crazy cousins at the Ranch!

 Christmas Eve, 2011

 This is a random picture I know, but it is a cute story.  Connor loves, loves, loves buses and when he saw the  motor home in the drive way, he went crazy!  Pancho and Harley took Ava and Connor out on a Christmas spin in the bus to search for Santa, unfortunately the river got in the way of Santa's house. They were so close.....so Ava called Adam at the store on Christmas Eve to ask him to bring the boat down so that we could get over to Santa's house.  Silly girl.

 Christmas morning cute PJs from Tee. Ava has her Bitty Baby on her back on Christmas morning because she had asked Santa for more clothes for Bitty.  She was really hoping he remembered.... Alex loved hanging out with her two great aunts.  They were great baby carriers.

 Santa, you found us again.

 And you had your elves make Bitty Baby a Dorothy costume too.  How did you know Ava loved the Wizard of Oz so much!!!

 She was so excited about her Bitty Baby's new duds!!!

When we got home to Castroville, Santa had been there too and brought Ava the rest of her list, a piano and Hello Kitty stuff.  I am thinking I need to write Santa a little note and tell him to think a little harder about the presents he gives next year and make for sure they are quiet and not full of sticky sugar :).

 Don't you love the outfit...sometimes you just go with whatever Ava wants to wear.

 My mom's Christmas gift from the crew.  I don't believe we will ever forget the trip this huge caterpillar took to get to her for Christmas.  We love you mom and your love of whimsy.

 How could you not love this sweet little face!!!

 We took two trips to Sea World over Christmas. This first trip was with Connor and Katy then we went back with my family. Sea World was wonderful during the holidays; another thing to do if you have kiddos; it really puts you in the Christmas spirit!

 Abby Cadabby and Connor and Ava

So excited to see Shamu

Mom, Dad, Ava, and Aunt Rosie hanging out after the Walrus show..... I got a fancy camera for Christmas so I hope that I will take more pictures now, I brought it when we went back to Sea World on New Year's Eve and am just loving the pics it takes.

 Ha, I made it into one...no two pictures on my blog.  It is a Christmas Miracle.

 Ava could ride the Sesame Street Merry Go Round over and over again.

 Hanging out in the stroller on our way to the next show.

 Alex is just about three months now and it is just my favorite age.  She loves to interact with people.  She reminds me so much of Ava at this age.  I cannot wait to watch them grow up together.

I mean don't you just want to kiss those little cheeks.  Alex 2.5 months and 10 lbs 4 oz.  She is 2 oz heavier than Ava at this age.

 I love to buy crazy science experiments.  This one was really nifty.  It was pop rocks that turned into a super sour molten drink.  Very retro, huh.  Ava didn't try it after she saw our faces.

Ahhh, the end of Christmas 2011.  Can't wait to see what is in store for 2012.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the love and joy families bring!  We love you all and thank you for making our Christmas memories so remarkable.