Oh-Bla-Di

Earlier this spring, we got to go see Sesame Street Live.  Such a very fun family outing and Ava absolutely loved it!  It was fun to watch her see some of her favorite TV characters come to life.  Though I don’t often use the word, this was truly magical for her.

We started our evening with a yummy pizza dinner near the UNLV campus and then headed over to the Cox Pavilion for the show.  Ava was really impatient to get going to the show and wasn’t really all about waiting on dinnertime to be over.  All she really wanted was to go see “Ava’s Big Bird.”

The show we saw was called 1,2,3 Imagine and was all about using one’s imagination to visit all the places you’d like to see.  Ava loved seeing Big Bird and, surprisingly, Grover.  At the intermission of the show, a vendor came out to sell Elmo balloons.  I think it would have required massive feats of parenting to keep from buying her one of those balloons.  For the second half of the show, all the parents juggled toddlers and giant Elmo heads to keep both out of the way of the show’s spotlights.  Awesome.

On the way home, I attempted to get a debrief from Ava about the show while it was a fresh memory.  Please excuse the giant balloon interloper…

Overall, we had an awesome time at Sesame Street Live.  It was great to do something as a family that was such a treat and will be a wonderful memory for all of us.  Oh, and that balloon?  It stuck around for a month – scaring the bejesus out of me every time it popped around a corner late in the evening.  Wonderful, wonderful memories. 

Our weekend ritual around here always involves two really big cups of coffee for Matt & I.  The size of those cups of coffee are probably directly proportional to how early Whoozy wakes up (usually about 6am…even on Saturdays!).  Anyway, Ava has decided she wants in on the habit too.

Coffee is clearly out of the question for our already early-riser two-year-old, but hot chocolate is the perfect solution.  Toss in a couple marshmallows and we have a very happy Whoozy on our hands.

Welcome to the warm-mug-on-a-Saturday-morning club, little girl!

Last fall, Matt built a great playhouse/slide in the backyard.  Nothing fancy, but enough of a playground to keep a few kiddos occupied while adults enjoyed a cocktail hour or something.  It weathered the winter ok, but we had always meant to paint it to seal it up and protect it from the rain and sun of the backyard.  Well, a good six or seven months later, we finally got around to painting the playhouse red (and blue).

A few weeks before that painting experience, though, Ava got to practice her painting skills on our fence.  Oh, how I wish I’d thought of this activity sooner!  Water + Paintbrush + Dozens of feet of fence = busy, happy toddler (& no mess for mommy!)

Anyway, by the time we were finally ready to paint the playhouse, Ava was totally up for it.  She got to help stir the paint and then slop that stuff just about anywhere on the structure.  We were really ok with it looking like a toddler painted it.  In fact, when Ava pooped out and Matt was finishing, I had to remind him to be sloppy so that it wouldn’t look like Ava quit halfway through the job!

Funny side note, we had to cover all the grass with painter’s plastic.  You know, because plastic grass doesn’t grow out.  Oh, the challenges of desert living!  

A couple of weeks later, while Matt was out of town, I made a topper for the playhouse, so now it’s even more colorful and shady!

We had a great time transforming Ava’s playhouse from something pretty drab to something pretty fab and fun!

Ava’s finally had her first dentist appointment.  She did awesome!!

We started talking about this visit early in the week – mostly during bathtime, since that’s when we brush her teeth.  We talked about opening her mouth wide so the dentist could clean her teeth and about taking pictures of her teeth.  By the time the Friday of her appointment rolled around, she was really excited to go!

Ava did a great job with the x-rays, although she had sort of a tough time with one side.  She didn’t show any signs of being nervous and followed all the technicians directions really well.  She liked the cleaning part and did a great job when the dentist checked her teeth.

The report on her teeth was great…she’s got a perfect smile, but we sort of knew that already.  So grateful for such a positive first dental experience.  In fact, ever since, when we brush her teeth at night, she says, “Just like at the dentist!”  I think we’re both looking forward to her next visit!

Today….on the drive home from work/school

As we’re getting in the van…

Her: I want to listen to violins. (We’ve been listening to classical music in the car for the last few weeks, per her request.)

Me: No, I’m sorry, today we’re going to listen to Mommy’s music.

Her: No! I want to listen to violin music.  (Cue mini-toddler fit.)

Later, as I begin to sing along with the Glee soundtrack (Thanks, Matt, for the awesome Mother’s Day gift!)

Her: No! No singing! No singing!

Me: Sorry, Ava, singing makes me happy, so I’m going to sing.  Also, you don’t get to yell at me.

Her: Please, no singing, Mommy, please.

Me: Why don’t you want me to sing?

Her: Because when you sing it hurts my ears.

Gotta love the honesty, right?  Guess I’ll have to do my singing alone in the car now…whenever that might be.