Is it really December 13th already?!?

Where does the time go?! We were sans blog last week because I had the camera on my annual trip to the Everglades with my 7th graders. We had a great time, completely lucked out with the weather, and made it back safely (for the 7th year in a row!). For as many field trips as I've been on, I absolutely love going to Everglades City and kayaking in the sawgrass prairie and mangroves. It's, by far, one of my favorite trips!

When I returned home last Friday, I was welcomed by flapping arms and plenty of smiles from Miss A. In fact, she was practicing her first sign - 'more' - while playing 'airplane' with Ryan. She started to work on the sign for 'Daddy' as well, but it's not honed quite yet.

This is her attempt at signing 'Daddy.'

Our girl is still not feeling 100% after getting sick post-Thanksgiving. As much as I don't like her to be sick, she does like to cuddle more when she's under the weather.

On Wednesday, I made a trip to my friend, Danielle's, house to see her twin boys (6 weeks). This is Penton. Note the lamb ears at the top of his pillow. :)

This is Max.

Getting a good stretch in before dinner time.


When I got home one day last week, I walked out to the back porch to find out what all the squealing was about. Ava and Grandma were having a great time in the sky chair.

Thanksgiving trip to TN

Whew! What a trip!

We left Florida on Tuesday afternoon and drove until late that night. After staying overnight in Perry, GA, we finished our trip the next day and arrived at Ryan's Aunt Donna's in the early afternoon on Wednesday. It was a fun-filled, although pretty short, trip and we left to come home on Saturday. Ava got to spend time with her grandparents, Aunt Krista, and cousins, as well as some of the extended family on the Bogert side. We are really glad that we made the long drive to spend Thanksgiving in Tennessee.

Ava's first nap in the car on the trip up north.

Hanging out with Grandma and Ainsley on Wednesday evening after their arrival in TN.

Pop-Pop and Ava checking each other out.

GG Bogert loved every second that she got to spend with her great-granddaughter.

Playing with Aunt Krista.

This is the scene that greeted me when I woke up on Thanksgiving morning. Everyone was hanging out on the landing in our condo, watching Baby Ava.

Love from cousin Lane.

Two cute monkey cousins in matching monkey pj's!

On Thanksgiving, Ava and I had a mini photo shoot after lunch.

This is her telling me how she really feels about the photo shoot.

And back to the sweet girl we know and love.

Hanging on with every ounce of strength to cousin Carrie's necklaces.

Ava received her first Christmas present from some cousins. Emily and Megan were very excited to see her reaction.

She loved her present (stacking bath rings with a turtle), and loved the bag and tissue paper too!

This is only half of the shoes on Thanksgiving Day!

Lane and Jack were mountain climbers, using belts as rappelling rope and the stairs as their mountain.

Playing with cousin Megan.

On Friday's family walk. It was a bit chilly, but a beautiful sunny day. It was nice to work off some of the calories that we consumed over the course of three days!

My two loves.

After waking up from a short snooze on our outing.

I love this picture!

On Saturday, the girl cousins lined up to get a chance to hold Ava.

(From the left: Nicolette, Megan, Emily, Katie)

Nicolette and Katie spent much of Saturday preparing a play to put on for the family. It started off as a rendition of 'Nanny McPhee,' where Ava was appropriately cast as The Baby. (All lines are written exactly as found in our official scripts.)

Her script read:

Scene 1: bangs on pots and pans

Scene 2: sleeps and crys

Scene 3: goes to wedding

'Nanny McPhee' morphed into 'The Trap,' and all actors were fired with the exception of Ryan and me.

Ryan's script:

Scene 2: Ryan comes and saves her but first he asks will you mary me.

My script:

Scene 1: Sneeks out with Ryan as friends. Then she gets caught in a trap. Then she yells somebody help me over and over.

Scene 2: She says yes (with pation).

To Katie and Nicolette's delight, we put on a 24 second performance that is sure to receive wonderful reviews. We even sneaked in an unscripted smooch, much to our directors' dismay! :)

On our drive home, Ryan was speaking in his Donald Duck voice and Ava was beaming at me after trying to crane her neck to see him. CUTE!

New videos!

Not much to report this week. Ava and Grandma went to lapsit at the library on Wednesday. Apparently she loves watching the other kids and found a boyfriend of the same age too. She started a couple new foods this week. First was pears and then mangos. The pears were a hit, but not the mangos so much. Her 'mango face' is hilarious; she scrunches up her face and smacks her tongue. She's not a big fan, but didn't mind them mixed with the pears.

Bath time this week was tons of fun with the new bath turtles and book.

Watching Daddy during tubby time on the deck. Soon we'll have to move tub time indoors when it starts to get 'cold' out.

We took a walk mid-week and a beautiful crescent moon was out. Ava sat on the ladder on Ryan's truck so I could get a picture of her reaching for the stars.

Another night, another hit with the turtles. She is her mother's daughter.

During her bath, Ryan was walking by and she watched his every move. You can tell by the look on her face that she is absolutely in love with him. The feeling is mutual.

Although I miss out on feeding her during the week, I really look forward to snack time on the weekends. We just got a new high chair and she loves eating with one hand and banging the tray with the other.

Following in her cousins' footsteps, Ava is already drinking from a straw. She tends to drool all over herself, but she's getting better every day.

Two weeks worth!

Ava watched her first 'Signing Times' DVD and we practiced the sign for 'milk.'

Here she was helping Grandma with her knitting.

Enjoying some banana at Green Cay with Grandma.

Caught ya!

A finger in the mouth and a foot up on the dash - cruisin' in style.

Snoozin' in the sky chair after a rough day of playing.

Playing with Daddy.

Caught ya again!

Ava's first taste of sweet potato.

She likes it! :)

We picked up a bath book for her at the Book Fair and she can't get enough of the turtles.

On Saturday night, we went with some friends to the Zac Brown Band concert. What a great show. Kenny and me tailgating pre-show.

The man of the band!

We were probably 50 ft. or so from the stage. They put on a phenomenal show.

I couldn't get enough of this kid. He was 10 ft. in front of us and on his dad's shoulders for the entire concert. I love his 'rock' fingers! :)

Here's a little 'Chicken Fried.' They also played 'Devil Went Down to Georgia' which was INCREDIBLE!

So long, October!

Ava watched her very first Baby Einstein video this week. It was all about the ocean and she was glued to the images of all the animals and puppets.

Dressed for game day. "Let's go Yankees!"

At 6 months old, she loves to sit up all the time and is getting much more stable. Someone stills needs to have quick reflexes in case she gets a little top heavy, but most of the time she can sit by herself for quite a long time.


On Friday, she wore the shirt from the Colorado Irenes. Too cute. Plus, she looks a little like E.T. here.

Saturday was a BUSY day. Not only did we host a party, but it was Ava's first day of solid food! We started her with avocado and she did a great job. No crying or fussing, just some funny faces and lots of sticking her tongue out.

A happy and full girl.

All dressed up for the party. (Thanks Grandma!)

Our friends' son, Gavin, was a monkey. :)

And then there's Doug and Brent. Cops from the show Reno 911. Hilarious!

Ava's first experience with avocado.