Pumpkin Patch of Horrors...I mean, Fun.

Sometimes you have those moments when you go, "Whoa, I'm a parent". One of those happened this morning, when we all got up and left at 8:30 on a Saturday morning to drive an hour and 15 minutes to a pumpkin patch in Northwest Indiana. 

We were going to meet our friends the Elsener's and their two kids. My biggest worry was that Ava would fall asleep in the car and not nap later. Oh, the naiveté. 

I mean, here she is at breakfast. Happy, smiling, looking totally ready for a great day of picking pumpkins and riding tractors!

There aren't even any interim pictures that I can post to show how it devolved into this. 

Maybe she doesn't like the color orange. 

Liv and Graham, two of the happiest, sweetest kids I've ever met, along with Zava (Ava's naughty alter-ego). 

In hindsight, maybe she was scared of the tractor. Although maybe not...at this point, we'd been off of the tractor for a good 20 minutes. 

In all seriousness, this is the kind of thing I love and I'm glad we did it. It was definitely an "experience" Happy Fall everyone!

Art, Lauren, Ava and R2P2. 

Oh, there's a blog here?

Yeah, I've been a bad mommy blogger. In all fairness, when the things that make you throw up include (but are not limited to): 

-Kate's dog food

-Ava's breakfast, lunch and dinner

-Changing diapers

-Curbing your dog

-Riding in the car

-Cooking

-Sneezing

It doesn't leave much time to take pictures and blog about your super cute kid. 

We've all very excited about R2P2, as my brother calls the in utero baby.

Ava doesn't quite seem to "get it" yet. Here are some of her expressions when we've mentioned the her little brother or sister. 

Excitement!

Shock

Disbelief

Skepticism

Grudging acceptance

The Movie

Art spent his lunch hour playing with iMovie. Below is the finished product. 

Anatomy of a Smile

Lauren: Ava, what are you doing? Come here and let me take your picture!

Ava: Ugh, mom, I'm busy with my new chalkboard. Art wastes time for no man and no lady with a camera. 

Lauren: Smile! Say Cheese!

Ava: Ok, fine. Wait, no, that's not it. Let me try again.

Lauren: What in the world...

Lauren: Beautiful! So sweet!

Ava: Did you get it? I can do this all day. 

Lauren: Yep, got it. Thanks honey.

Ava: Really? Because I'm feeling like you didn't get a good look at my teeth. Let me try again. 

Lauren: Did you have spinach for dinner? 

Ava: Why yes, how did you know?

Art and I think Ava's smile is the funniest thing we've ever seen, including Season 1 of The Office and lolz cat memes (WAY funnier than those). 

Ava's World

When I heard that GapKids was releasing a DVF line, I had to get in line. Ava definitely dresses better than I do. 

(I did wait until it went on sale...I have some common sense)

In other news, Ava got her first car. Art says it's the only car he will ever buy for her. He seems to think she's going to be escorted around in an armored car once she hits her teens. Poor, poor, delusional daddy. 

In a completely unrelated note, Ava loves to pretend she's eating with adult utensils. Whatever works....until she starts banging them on the windows. Which happens. A lot. 

I've got a Yankee Doodle Sweetheart

She's my Yankee Doodle Joy!

I intended to re-enact the Statue of Liberty from last year since I have about 32 red, white and blue outfits plus a Lady of Liberty headpiece. My subject matter had other plans. 

Uncooperative? Moi? 

Happy Birthday America! 

Father's Day

*Art keeps asking where his Fathers Day "homage" is. I guess this will have to do....even though a certain someone received neither a Mothers Day card nor gift. Since we were in Hawaii, I will give him a pass*

Ava had a great Fathers Day weekend with her dad and both Grandpas and Grandmas. She also spent it slathered in SPF 1000 sunblock since we were outside a lot. 

You can tell my parents were not at ALL excited to see her. 

Learning how sprinklers work.

Keeping cool with the water table.

Ava is lucky to have such great guys in her life as these three. Happy (belated, naturally) Fathers Day to the best Dads out there!