Ava driving her 4-wheeler

Note that Ava is not actually ON the 4-wheeler? This is something she does frequently. If she climbs onto the mini atv it is usually to ride it backwards, not caring where she's going. If she runs into something, she just keeps her hand on the throttle, spinning her little barbie wheels. We laugh so that's probably why she does it.

Under the Weather

Well, the trees are blooming! And if we hadn't seen them with our very own eyes, we have sensed them with the rest of our bodies! Ava and I are both chasing our runny noses and trying to deal with allergies. Ava has a cough and yesterday I took her to the doctor who said she also has an ear infection. So we're sitting here at home, taking our meds and chillin' today. I haven't been giving her anything for allergies because the doctor was advising against it but now she said we could start some children's Claritin. We started that and the amoxicillan and hopefully between those two and her Ambrotose she'll be feeling better in no time. For being sick she is still such a darling. More ornery than usual and apparently her attention span has been reduced because she can't focus on one thing for any amount of time. Hopefully she will be feeling better soon\.\\\ (She's currently trying to "help" me by swivelling the armchair I'm in around and around as well as typing, note the slashes above.)

Ava Speak

I swear that Isabelle is teaching Ava Vietnamese. Or maybe German. But whatever it is, it is definitely a language and I definitely do not understand. She talks, talks, talks all the time. Telling stories, reading us books, asking questions, talking to strangers, calling Grandma and Grandpa... I tried to catch her on video last week but she caught me instead. She was sitting in her rocker and reading a book (another favorite past time only surpassed by rocking and chewing on a book). There she was reading the story out loud and totally unaware that I was watching and listening. Here's what happened when I tried to get it all on video. At the very start of the video you can hear her chattering to herself but you'll have to listen carefully.

Ava's Newest Job

Did you hear that Ava has a job? Have I already mentioned that? She started at the Brandon Skateboard Park a couple of weeks ago. Until school gets out it is a pretty easy gig, one or two days a week from 4 to 8. She can only handle the first part of the shift so her daddy picks her up when he gets home from work around 5:30 and then I take over the rest for her. The skateboarders are a great source of entertainment, she often tells me that it doesn't even feel like work because she just laughs and watches them go. I don't think that they appreciate her laughing at their major crashes now and then but she finds it all amusing. Sitting in her stroller she's got a great view and I always make sure she's supplied with snacks and a sippy cup full of milk or juice. The weather isn't always in accord with our work plans and a few times haven't been able to open due to rain. Another day we closed early because tornadoes were closing in around us. Other than the rainy days it isn't so bad. And when Ava goes home I can pull out my laptop and pick up a wireless internet signal from somewhere near the park thus keeping myself entertained until the eight o'clock hour.

Celebrating Mom's Birthday

My wonderful sister-in-law Amy out in California mailed Ava--oops, I mean me! a card for my birthday. As soon as I opened it up and Ava heard it, she had to have it (this is what Amy knew when buying it). Thanks for the card and gift, Amy and Paul and company! And Ava thanks you for the card! Here's the video of Ava enjoying the singing telegram from California.

Where's Ava?

The latest game around the Kingma house is: "Where's Ava?" She likes to play this game with a blanket over her head but she's open to anything. In the pictures above it is a purse of mine that she is using, sometimes it's a t-shirt, and it has even been a sock of her dad's once. On Sunday she was playing this game for Grandpa Marv with a blanket over her head, running around giggling as we all asked, "Where's Ava?" She giggles and squeals and squeaks and it is so cute. Sunday she got a little too excited and took off running with the blanket over her head and bam! ran right into the couch, knocking herself backwards onto her bottom. Thankfully she wasn't hurt and she thought it was pretty funny. (It was rather hilarious from our vantage point because one moment she's full speed ahead and the next she's come to a full stop on her butt!)
What did we do to entertain ourselves before we had her???

Our very own Backyardigan

Who's that with the cute antennaes on her head? That's our very own Backyardigan, Ava Reese! She got this headband for her birthday and it came with a cute mirror that tells her she's "stylin" and a comb for her hair. The headband is rather hard for her to get on her head herself but we help her out there. Combing her own hair is no problem, she loves doing that with her Backyardigan comb or her baby brush. She's even willing to help comb mommy's hair! Sweetheart!