Cheese! (it's not cheese)

Art and I had a great time in Hawaii. We enjoyed the beach, the pool, lounging, indulging in cocktails and the total lack of responsibility. But in the end, we were excited to come back. We missed the tantrums, early wake up calls, Elmo, constant games of "chase", and food throwing. But mostly we missed our sweet girl. 

We brought her a little (commercialized) piece of Maui back with us. 

Hasn't noticed she's wearing a hula costume yet. 

Walks purposefully with her briefcase. 

Wait a minute...what is this weird skirt thing...

Save me from the plastic grass skirt! Oh the tackiness! Horror! 

Luckily for me, Ava decided to help me unpack. 

I heard her walking around saying "Cheese! Cheese!". When I looked over I realized she had gotten into my toiletries bag. 

Can you guess what she found? 

To her credit, they DO look like string cheese. 

Bite Size

Tonight Ava was running around the house before bed, saying something that sounded like "bite size". Regardless, I enjoy watching her run around with one pigtail missing, tights long gone and jabbering up a storm. 

Ava for President!

I finally joined the new decade and sprung for an iPhone. Prepare thyself for many, many videos of Ava. 

Here's Ava on her soapbox addressing all the important social issues of the day. Ava for President! 2050!

*This video is poor quality because Ava's babysitter texted it to me then I uploaded it from my text messages. Hopefully the others will be better*

Champaign Easter and Caviar Dreams- Ava Interview

This past weekend Ava and I spent Easter in Champaign with Grandma and Grandpa E. Why no Art,  you ask? Daddy went to a bachelor party in Las Vegas, because it wasn't "his" Easter (true, he is Orthodox so their Easter is next weekend). I sense a solo trip by Mommy coming on while Art watches Ava for a weekend. Just a guess. 

Anyway, poor Ava didn't get any attention all weekend. Let's see what she has to say. 

Mom: Ava, tell me about your Easter weekend! Wasn't it so much fun?

Ava: Totes. I had a blast at the park. Remember when I would only stand by the swings and ignored all the other cool stuff and whined until I got to swing for 30 minutes? That rocked!

Mom: Yeah, I remember.There are lots of other things to do at the park though! Like going down the slide, playing on the horses, stuff like that!

Ava (staring blankly): But they're not the swing. Nothing compares to the swing. NOTHING!

Mom (sigh): Okay then. Moving on...

Ava: Grandpa taught me how to play the piano! 

Mom: He helped teach me, too! What a cool thing for him to teach us both!

Ava: For sure. Look, we're both playing with our eyes closed. I'm a savant!

Ava: Grandma sure likes to kiss me. What's that on my back? 

Mom: Uh, nothing. Just a little fun backpack. It's not like a LEASH or anything. 

Ava: Then why is there a long, suspicious looking string that Grandma is HOLDING while I'm walking!? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS THERE!

Mom: It's just the monkey's tail! Grandma was helping so it didn't drag on the ground. 

Ava: The jig is up, mommy. I will not be the laughingstock of the playground as the kid who runs around with a leash!

Mom: Take it up with Grandma; it was her idea. 

Ava: I had fun going to dinner on Saturday night at the club. Thanks for playing Elmo's Adventures in Grouchland to keep me happy and totally occupied! 

Mom: Anytime Ava. Anytime at all. 

Mom: You looked pretty cute on the dance floor with Grandpa. 

Ava: Yeah, he sure is tan. Did he just get back from Naples? Say, I'd like to go back to Naples. Let's get on that. 

Mom: We'll see. Someone has been throwing a lot of tantrums lately. 

Ava: I'll tell Kate to knock it off. 

Mom: On Easter morning the Easter bunny left you eggs with raisins inside. Did you like that?

Ava: That was awesome! Except Lucy and Kate kept trying to steal my raisins. Hey, why do you and Grandma give your dogs people names? 

Mom: Because it's ironic and funny. Duh. 

Ava: And on the third day Jesus rose from the dead...

Kate: Yes, that's right. Keep looking over there. 

Ava: I was SO thrilled with my new set of golf clubs. Did you know that they can be used as missiles, to hit things or as a teether? 

Mom: In fact, their use as a weapon escaped me until I saw you with them. It was a lapse in judgement. 

Ava: So multi-functional. I need a second set to keep at home. Why did you make me leave them at Grandma and Grandpa's house? 

Mom: Let's move on.  

Mom: Why were you crying here Ava? Were you over-stimulated? Tired? Hungry? Missing your Dad who is in Las Vegas this weekend?

Ava: Um, no. I found the Illini cheerleading outfit and remembered that we fired Weber. He was such a nice guy! Who cares about win-loss records? How could they?

Mom: Regardless of what I may teach you, sometimes it DOES matter who wins and who loses. Should we really have been paying $1.3 million to a guy who can't get us to the Tournament or recruit? 

Ava: But he was nice. 

Kate: Nobody mind me. Nothing to see here. Move along. This Elmo belongs to ME! 

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! GOD BLESS! 

Easter Warm Up

Today our friends Sam and Megan graciously hosted us at the Union League Club's "Breakfast with the Easter Bunny". Knowing how kids Ava's age are (and particularly how Ava is), we were fully prepared for a screaming, crying meltdown. We were thrilled that she seemed totally cool with Mr. Bunny, even though he was holding her in awkward poses. 

Ava and Liv had a great time drinking juice (Ava's first juice!)

And eating cupcakes (with no icing, I'm a mean mom). 

Thanks for the fun morning, Elsener Family (Oh, and Graham IS there...he's just behind Art :)

Dinner Time

Mom, it's dinner time! Chop chop! 

No fair....I NEVER get to go in the pantry. 

Spring?

This is what a 15 month old in Chicago would normally wear on St. Patrick's Day. Because it would be 30 degrees. Or maybe, if we were REALLY lucky, it would hit 40 and we'd bust out the shorts and long sleeve shirts. 

This is what we wore instead. You know, because it was EIGHTY THREE degrees. So for those of you who don't think global warming is real (it is), I rest my case.

Recently Ava has spent a considerable amount of time perfecting her smile. Seen here...

And here. Art and I literally crack up every time she gives us that silly grin. 

We were so thrilled with the weather that we immediately went and bought some outdoor toys for Ava to play with in the back yard. Kate was interested....Ava was not. 

Although she did eventually come over and check out the water table. 

**If Ava seems unusually pale to you, the reason is twofold: she inherited my fair skin (too bad for her) and also I have her covered in about a 1/2 inch coating of 60 spf sunblock**

Most of our time outside was spent running up and down the sidewalk (and skinning both knees in the process) and trying to figure out how to open up the gate and escape. 

At her 15 month appointment last week, Ava was 22 pounds, 4 oz. (42nd percentile) and has catapulted to 31 inches (68th percentile). Head continues to be in the 99th ;) 

New words: No-way, crazy, pretty, yuck, daddy, shoe, sock, play

New skills: Spinning in circles, scribbling on her Magna Doodle, putting herself into "downward dog" position, identifying her feet (in addition to her head and belly)