Oh-Bla-Di

Out of the blue last week, Ava said she wanted to go ice skating.  Seemed like the perfect time, so we found a place to go.  Surprisingly, for this being a desert, we had several choices!

We showed up at the rink just in time for an open skate, rented our skates, and got ready to go.

The rink was pretty crowded, but we were able to use some of their toddler walkers to help Ava get a good start.

Eventually, though, the walker ended up being more trouble than it was worth, so we moved on to just holding hands and working along the boards.  By the fourth or fifth time around the week, she was really starting to get the hang of it.  Whoozers was even starting to let go of everything and just scoot on around.

Ava had a great time skating and was a huge fan of “going fast” when we would push her around the rink.  She was totally wiped out afterward, but woke up the next morning asking if we were going again.  I think it was a hit!

The kids’ school hosted a Winter Festival earlier this month.  It was a pajama party and had lots of good food, TONS of kids running around like crazy people and a really cute little program.  The kiddos wore matching jammies and Matt & I wore jammies (in spite of his initial reservations), too.  The toddlers and transitions classes film their presentations but the Preschool and Kindergarten classes perform LIVE!!    This was super fun and Ava had a great time singing her class’s song.

I’m a little snowman round and fat,

With an orange nose and a big black hat,

I like to be outside on a snowy day,

Until the sun melts me away.

That’s what Ava said when she walked into the front room at the end of her birthday party and saw this sitting there.  I think I might forever kick myself that I didn’t get it on video.    Matt did a fabulous job turning our crummy, Craigslist, purple princess bike frame into a shiny, red piece of wonderful that is perfect for our girl.  When you work on something like this for your kiddo, this is exactly how you want them to react.

Although we had been a little concerned over how well the bike would be sized for her and how she’d take to it, there was really no need.  Whoozers climbed right up, rang the bell, and rode that bike right down the hallway.

Ava went to bed that night asking to go ride her bike first thing in the morning and we did just that.  With an entourage of six (four adults, a baby and a dog), she pedaled up and down our street like she’d been doing it for months.  She rode in a mostly straight line pretty well, but we practiced steering quite a bit too.  Mommy, Daddy or Noah were the targets and she followed us from one side of the street to the other.  Once she learned to trust the training wheels, she did a pretty good job.  Also, if she’s not busy being nosy and telling other people what to do or where to go, she remembers to watch where she’s going.  

I think we’re going to put a lot of miles on this bike and we’re so glad she loves it.  Happy Birthday, dearest girl!

It’s her birthday!

Ava had a fun filled week of birthday celebrations, beginning with her birthday party at school on Thursday.  The kids made her cake during their morning activity and then got to eat it for snack time.  Such a great way for her to get to celebrate with her school buddies.

At the end of the week, we started gearing up for her big pizza party on Sunday night.

We made Renfro’s pizza and had lots of friends and family here to celebrate with us.  Grandma & Grandpa Caspers were here, along with the Hoffmans, Baldizans, Nicole, Tim, Cray Cray & Amber.  Grammie & Grandpa even Skype’d in for the candle blowing and present opening.

For weeks in advance, we’d been querying Ava about her cake preferences.  She kept wavering between pink and purple for her cake color so, in the end, she got both.

As she has for each of her birthdays, Ava soaked up all the attention.  She loved having her guests sing “Happy Birthday” and blowing out her candles.

After cake and homemade strawberry ice cream, it was time for opening presents.  Whoozers is a slow present opener, as she prefers to open each item and play with it for a while before moving on to the next one.  We finally opened the last of her gifts on Wednesday morning.  Our girl received such sweet and thoughtful gifts from her friends and family…people obviously know her very well.  Grammie and Grandpa sent a “Belle” dress and stereo that, along with the bug catcher and magnifying glass from Grandma & Grandpa, has kept her occupied for hours since the big day.

The helmet goes to her other “big” gift from Mommy & Daddy…a bike!  More on that coming soon…

All in all, I think Ava had a great time celebrating turning three.  Matt and I are so very proud of our girl and amazed at how quickly the years have gone.  Looking forward to seeing her grow and change between now and her next birthday…maybe by then she’ll have really learned to iron.  

To all my Helens, don’t worry….we’re raising this one right.  Apron, twirly skirt, and leopard print sparkle shoes included.

Ava, say “Helen!”

*Funny sidenotes: While cooking in her kitchen, this Helen kept getting so much food all over herself that she had to take imaginary showers.  She would open the imaginary door, step in, scrub herself off, and then return to the kitchen ready to cook.  The apron was added to help avoid the need to shower, but she finally was so covered in food that even the apron could not diminish the need for another shower.