Mastered the Straw!!

Until Ava had her palate repaired in December she was physically unable to suck.(Cannot produce suction if your palate is wide open) I've tryed many times since then to get her to use a straw...but I guess after having to bite on a nipple to get fluids for the first 2.5 years of her life...it was going to take some time to learn how to suck.

Today while we were shopping in Walmart she grabbed my cup of diet coke out of the cart and proceeded to drink it...from the straw! I was shocked to see the coke move up the straw...she just all of a sudden got it! Now she doesn't want to drink anything without a straw.

Her ability to purse her lips together and suck will also do wonders for her speech therapy! She will now be able to direct the flow of air more precisely when forming certain sounds.

FELL!

Fell...out of her crib today!


Other than nap time Ava is in my bed...but I will on occasion, when she wakes up early and I've been on the late shift the night before, put her back in her crib with a half dozen books and a cup of cherrios so Mama can get a much needed additional hour sleep.
She is usually quite happy to sit there with her snack and read "Boo" her books...not this morning...I was barely back to bed and heard a THUD! It didn't take me 30 seconds to get into her room...she was already standing beside the crib whaling!
She has never as much as raised her foot to the crib rail before...so don't know what possessed her to climb out today. She must have rubbed her nose on the wood rails coming down as this "rug burn" type of abbrasion showed up on her nose an hour or so later.


This crib is now history!



Ava's new "Big Girl" bed!(not as far to fall)




Trying out her new bed at nap time





She always falls asleep in my arms in the rocking chair before nap...so not sure how this new bed thing is going to work out if I actually start her in the bed before she's asleep...any hints on how to keep them in the bed!...when there are no barriers to keep them there.






Reading "Boo" a book after her nap!

3 Word Sunday!

FOREVER FAMILY DAY!!!

Together One Year Today!!!

A MUST READ!!

This blog is a MUST read, especially for those still waiting!

http://www.afterstories.blogspot.com/

3 Words Sunday!


If you want to know what 3 Word Sundays are about go to my post on Sunday March 9nth.

Happy Easter!

TOP O THE MORNING!


Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Ava and I baked last night...made a cake for Nana and Papa and cupcakes for day care.

Happy ST. Patrick's Day!!

THREE WORDS







Our submission for this week! If you want to know what "Three Words" is all about go to last Sundays Post.

3 WORDS

Pug Mama started this great blog activity on her blog, and every week she makes a video of everyone who participates.

What this is:

Sum up your week in three little words. "You can sing it , you can say it, you can write it , you can draw it. It can be funny or sad, or poignant as long as it's honest." 3 words to sum up your week-posted in any form you chose. Video, picture, etc...get as creative as you want. We will do it on Sundays, that way you will have had enough time to think about how you want to sum up your week.


Our Submission:

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

CNY 2008

Sunday afternoon Ava and I and my friend Sherri and her daughter Shauna went to my agency's CNY party in Toronto.


Ava in her traditional Mongolian Dress


Having fun at the craft tables



Ava and Shauna making their cherry blossom trees




Trying to get a picture of Ava and Olivia(her mom Deb is a friend from the waiting moms group) sitting on the steps...everytime Ava would sit down, Olivia would stand up and visa versa!






Having fun running around on the stage after the show was over!







The Lion Dance








Two tired girls!

FAVORITE FOTO FRIDAY!!

Since Ava has been sleeping in my bed, this is the sweet face I get to look at just before I go to sleep every night and as soon as I wake up every morning...who could ask for anything more?

OUR LAST HURRAH!!!

Well, I head back to work tomorrow after being home with Ava for almost 10 months! It's going to be hard to not be with her all day every day but I am looking forward to a pay check again...so I can start to pay off my adoption and parental leave debt.
For our last Hurrah, Ava and I spent last week in Peurto Plata, Dominican Republic with my friend Mary and her three kids. We had a great time and already miss the sun and heat! I didn't think she would but after reading about Sen's girls napping by the poolside while in Cuba I tryed having Ava nap in her stroller on the beach...she slept two hours in it each day we spent there! The last day there we took an "Outback Safari Tour" going into the countryside, visiting a local family in their home, children in their school and at the end of the day we were taken to a secluded beach and went boogie boarding...well everyone else went boogie boarding...Ava and I tryed our luck at a few more pictures. Here they are below.

More pics of our week away.

A white dress....$15.00

A sandy beach destination....$1600.00

A not so cooperative 2 1/2 year old....Priceless!!!

*any of you who are familiar with sign language will note that Ava is signing "cookie" in several of these pictures...I tryed bribing her cooperation with the promise of a cookie...didn't quite work...she got the cookie anyway!

THANK YOU!

Doris, a wonderful friend from "3D's adoption" that Ava and I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know this past summer has nominated us for the "Blogger with a Purpose" award.
I am shocked and honoured! Just wish she lived closer .
I began my blog back when my paperchase for China started as a way that friends and family could follow my journey to adopt my daughter Ava and then also keep up to date once we arrived home. I never guessed I would meet so many great people and make so many new friends as a result of it. I keep the blog pretty simple...just pics and updates on what Ava is up to now...I'm a very private person and the more personal issues (attachment issues we are dealing with etc.) I'm just not ready to blog about yet...maybe soon. I know the buzz is all about keeping it real and not candy coating your blog...but that's not for everyone...so for now you all just get to enjoy looking at my beautiful Ava.
I am now supposed to extend this honour to 5 other bloggers...but I am only going to choose one.
"Eliza's Story", it's on my side bar...sorry I don't know how to link it here. Tiffany is also a single mother who is juggling working full time, living life and being a fabulous mother to Eliza all while maintaining her sanity! She also, doesn't get too personal on her blog but I have learned tons from following her blog. It seems that even though Ava is several months older than Eliza developmentally I think she is following right behind Eliza...it's keeping me one step ahead of the game! I'm so hoping that some day Ava and I will have the honour of meeting them both in person. The invitation is always open if you ever want to head north!

AWARD GUIDELINES:

Awarded parties must nominate 5 people who have not received the award.

1.The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.
2. In their post about the award they need to link back to the original entry.
3.Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to "Eric Novaks site" (don't know how to do that so you'll have to go back to 3D's site to link...sorry!)

AVA'S TWO FAVORITE THINGS RIGHT NOW.....

SNOW/SNOWMEN....

and SPINNING....





this is what she was doing while she was supposed to be napping!




hoping this is typical toddler fascination...and not a symptom of autism!