What a fast week Even though it was quick, I’m still ready for the weekend and I’m hoping the sun will pop out for us so we can get to the beach. Wouldn’t that be nice!?

It’s been a while since I have done an “Ava Update” but I felt the need to share some of the amazing things that she has learned and how much fun she is to be around! Also it gives us all a break from healthy talk, recipes, workouts and lets you see a little of what’s going on in my life!

18 MONTH AVA UPDATE

It’s hard to believe a year & a half has gone by since Ava was born. I now understand why people say before you know it Ava will be off to school, because the time passes quicker and quicker.

I really do wish I could freeze time.

I enjoy every day with her, and I guess now that I think about it, I don’t want her to get any older right now.

NEW THINGS:

• Ava loves to run. If she’s not holding my hand and we are out at the store or a field she takes off like she’s in a race.

• Ava can say water “wawa”, Up, Doggie, Ma or Mama, Dada, Mimi (her grandma), Papa, Gaga (grandma), Grapa (grandpa), cheese, milk, moo, baba, Rock, beach, pool
• She knows how to go up and down stairs and she’s quick

• She likest to climb anything and everything. Most of the time its stuff she shouldn’t be climbing on!!
• She loves food (this isn’t new) but the girl likes to eat!!
• Ava loves water. I am talking pools, oceans, bath tubs, Cooper’s water dish… if she can find water she’s splashing in it.

• She likes to walk on her tippy toes. Maybe she will be a ballerina one day.
• She likes to go down slides and be pushed in her toy car

• If you say Slide she says “WEEEEEEE”
• She likes to open and close doors and especially likes to climb on the couch and play with the deadbolt on the front door.
• She now also climbs into the rocker we got when she was just an infant and use it as her “own” relaxing/recliner chair.
• She loves sharing her snacks and feeding cooper and even grandpa!

• She doesn’t like to nap but once she does she sleeps like a champ
• She has mastered the high five and laughs every time.

• Ava loves her “baby” she practically can’t go anywhere without it (the one on the left was an attempt to get her to use a new clean “baby” but she knew it wasn’t hers! She’s a smart cookie)

• She also ADORES her doggie Cooper. She pets him, hugs him, gives him kisses, rides him like he’s a horse, and also pulls his tail occasionally but we are working on that one

While there are LOTS of smiles & happy times, these last few months have also been extremely challenging. There’s no PERFECT child out there. With that said here is some of the  “bad” stuff so you know we have a normal child

Not everything is fine & dandy all the time. Ava has learned how to manipulate Marc and I with her cries and tantrums so we are learning the appropriate way to handle them, and I’m not gonna lie, sometimes its easy to give in and give her what she wants.

Ava knows what she wants at all times but is still having a hard time communicating what she wants to us. So at times she throws herself on the ground and screams or cries. Sometimes while we are at home I will walk away and she stops crying OR if we are in public I ask her to stop, ask her whats wrong or I remove her from the situation.

Truthfully, the first time she did this I panicked. I was questioning why she was all of a sudden such a “problem child”, but realized that it is normal and she was just testing the waters with Marc & I.

On a happier note, Ava loves the outdoors… she’s clearly my daughter!

She gets excited when she sees her stroller to go for a walk, or when I say we are going to the playground. She usually sits right down and waits for her shoes to be put on with a big smile on her face!

She’s such an independent little girl and a fast learner. If you show her how to do something she can usually figure out how to do it herself with only a few tries.

From that point on she usually doesn’t want any help with whatever she has just learned. I love being the one to teach her new things each day and I her reaction to her own success is what really puts a smile on my face.

As much as I want Ava to be independent, I still love that she wants to picked up and held, and cuddled with when she is tired. I know those days won’t be around forever, so I’m taking full advantage when the time arises!!

She truly is a happy little girl and each morning that I wake up and pick her out of her crib I know its going to be a good day.

No matter what time it is and what type of mood she wakes up in, as soon as she sees me turn the corner she smiles SO BIG!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend

If you have or had kids, what did you do to deal with tantrums? 

What is something fun you are doing this weekend?