Happy Holidays!

I will post pictures later...

Wow, what a Christmas it has been! We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of time with family and friends in Michigan. We hope Santa was good to you this year!

Big news! Ava took her FIRST STEP on Christmas Day at Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly's house. (that date will be easy to remember...) She got brave enough to take one step without holding onto anything, in between two ottomans. I'm betting she'll be walking more within the month. Yesterday she took a few more steps to me and flailed herself into my arms.

Ava has really been a "Mamma's girl" lately, wanting to be held by Mommy most of the time. While in Michigan, this seemed to be the case. By the end of the trip, Ava was reaching for grandparents wanting to be held by them. As long as Mommy or Daddy aren't in the line of sight, Ava seems to do well with whoever is holding her. It's interesting how babies go through phases such as this.

Our holiday celebrations started when we hosted the appetizer / dinner portion of our sub-division's progressive dinner party. We have THE BEST neighbors! Some neighbors have lived here since the sub-division was built in the 1980's. The neighbors are very tight-knit and wonderful people. In our court, we will soon have three kiddos. Ava was born this past March, some neighbors just moved in with a three year-old boy (Matthew), and our neighbors Tony and Elaine are due to have a baby girl at the beginning of this month. Kid-central! I joked that we'll soon have a baby-sitting triad, which I am serious about implementing! :-)

Ava then seemed to do very well riding the 11+ hours to Michigan. She slept for most of the ride, and was only awake for 3 hours of the ride. We visited with Ava's Great, Great Aunt Jean in Kentucky on the way, bringing lunch to her. While in Michigan, Ava was a night-owl, staying up some nights to 10 pm. Now to get her back on schedule....

We've never rocked her to sleep. We basically put her down in her crib, zipped up in her sleep-sack, put "Bun" next to her, pacifier in her mouth, and she'll go to sleep. She really was a trooper during the entire trip, taking naps whenever and wherever needed. Lately she doesn't enjoy being laid down to have her diaper or clothes changed. She also doesn't like her carseat. I'm not sure if the long car-ride up to Michigan traumatized her, but she has had a few melt-downs in the car seat. The only common factor on any of these "melt-down" rides are the car seat, so I'm thinking she hates to be strapped in and unable to roam freely. She is her own little independent gal, not preferring to be held but likes to enjoy crawling and scooting about on her own.

While in Michigan, we stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Carey. Ava enjoyed play-time in the floor. Toys and new outfits galore! I don't know where we'll be putting all of the toys? We celebrated Christmas with the Lawsons on the 23rd, with the Careys on the 24th and with the Griffiths on the 25th , loving every minute of it. We also celebrated by eating dinner with Grandma Burnis, Aunt Janice, Aunt Freda, Uncle Dave, Adam, Kristen, Grandpa Dean, Grandma Dolly, Sherry and the kids the Friday before we left.

A recap on our Michigan adventures:

-This was the first green Christmas I can remember, for some time. No snow the ENTIRE trip. It felt kind of strange!

-Took more four generation pictures, this time including Ava's Aunt Sherry and cousins Daymian and Jordan with Grammy Lawson and Grandma Pam.

-Shelly and Sherry were able to spend "sister-time" together, getting pampered for a day. We both got a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure. Sherry got her make-up done for the four generation pictures. Daddy Doug was nice enough to watch Ava (with Grandma and Grandpa Carey and Aunt Tracy's help) while Mommy was out with Aunt Sherry.

-About Ava's holiday food: She loves bananas. She now eats practically a whole mashed banana in one feeding. She is enjoying solids more. She eats faster, which is a good thing! She tried sauerkraut for the first time and actually seemed to like it. She seemed to like the nibbles of chicken sandwich we gave her, too. Ava could turn into a fruit puff, she enjoys them so much! She also eats her fair share of oyster crackers. Her 1 1/2 teeth are coming in handy, now.

-Ava got her first haircut! Because Aunt Linda is a beautician, we asked if she could trim Ava's hair. We're glad she agreed! Aunt Linda basically cut the "Donald Trump" long-hairs that covered Ava's ears. All of the hair cut was equal to one "lock" of hair, so not much. I'll have to post the video of Ava's haircut. She kept looking back at Aunt Linda as if to say "Um, do you mind? Why do you keep touching my head?" She was a wiggle-worm. Ava was able to play and enjoy time with baby Laura twice because the Lawsons kept Laura for the week.

-We played the "Left / Right" Christmas story "game" at the Griffith Christmas celebration. Six adults and four kids played. Sophia didn't really understand the concept of "left" or "right", so Aunt Sherry ended-up getting the gift from Sophia each time it should've been passed. It was pretty cute. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. We all had our pictures taken for the first time with a stand-up Santa cut-out, too.

-Ava got to meet our sweet friend Molly's little girl, Zoe, too. Zoe is two months younger than Ava. Zoe had a surplus of smiles and is as tall (if not taller) than Ava right now. It was great to finally meet her.

-Ava didn't completely understand how to rip a present's wrapping to shreds, yet. She'll get there. She loved opening "Mumble" (a penguin from happy feet), which cousin Mike gave to her. She couldn't wait to get Mumble out of the package, and had big kisses for him.

We're back home safe and sound and missing everyone already. We're thankful to have been able to spend so much time in the great white / green north!

I will be sure to post pictures later.

Enjoy this new year! I genuinely hope and pray that the years only get better for each of you, and that you're able to cherish each moment God gives to each of us.

With love,
Shelly