Low-Key Weekend

Hello!

We had a nice, low-key weekend. Doug left Friday afternoon for Raleigh, NC, to attend a seminar that will help with his test-taking of the ARE exams. He has two tests left to take (out of nine; he has passed seven), and wants to get these tests out of the way, and become a certified architect. I'm glad he was able to attend, although we missed him! He drove back Saturday after the seminar, and got in around 10 pm. He missed us, too, he said.

So, that left Ava and myself to a girl's weekend. Ava is pulling up on everything now. On Sunday afternoon, while standing up, she let go and stood by herself for approximately 5 seconds before she lost her balance. She did this a handful of times. It was surprising to us when she stood by herself.

She is definitely cutting a tooth. You wouldn't know it by her demeanor, but there is FINALLY a large bump on her lower-left gum area. She doesn't like for me to touch it. I gave her some teething tablets, as I've heard they help with the discomfort. She smacks her gums constantly, now, which must help.

With Doug out of town, my "task list" was thrown to the wind. By choice. But, I tried to occupy Ava with a Baby Einstein DVD (she's finally somewhat interested in these DVD's) on Saturday. I left the room for a split second. When I came back in, the TV was turned-off, and she was standing next to the TV armoire, playing with the door to the VCR. She also figured out how to open the DVD player. I told her "no" and signed "no", but she looked up at me with the biggest grin on her face. I thought it was pretty funny, but didn't let on... She's turned the TV off with a remote a few times now.

She also pulled on the tablerunner on the trunk in our living room. Everything on the trunk (a breakfast tray with books, remotes) came down when she lost her balance, but luckily didn't fall on her... It did spook her. I think our living room is now going to be looking a bit sparse, but heavy on the kid-toy decorations...

How do parents keep lamps atop tables, I wonder? Ah, life's perplexing questions...

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava