Our little fish...

Our pool has finally started to warm up enough that we're all finally willing to get in with Ava. She loves the water!

Since the tri, Ava has taken to wearing my swim cap. She grabs our hand, puts the cap in it, then signs "hat," and waits to have it put on. The other day she wore it for almost 20 minutes before I took it off. She was a sweaty-headed girl after that!

She gets a kick out of being tossed and dunked (almost fully).

Thanks to Doug, we have a pool-side basketball hoop. She learned to dunk the other day and is quite proud of herself....lots of clapping!

Nicky, Brent and Lyla came over on Saturday for a bit and Ava loved just looking at her. We think they're going to be great friends.

A sleeping Lyla was the centerpiece to our dinner table. She's super cute!




Ryan and Ava - playing in the pool. She's also getting really good at "diving." She'll sit on the side of the pool and fall into the pool while you catch her. She thinks it a hoot!

Great days in May!

This weekend, we made the trek up to Orlando so Mom and I could compete in The Danskin, a sprint triathlon, held at Fort Wilderness this year. We drove up on Friday evening and got to relax most of the day on Saturday. Sunday was a blur - up early, race, lunch, drive home. But it was worth it!

Getting dunked in the kiddie pool by Daddy and loving every minute of it!

It was a crazy scene at the resort pool. Ava loved the water and made 3 or 4 trips to the pool in one day!

Race day! Walking toward the transition area and looking like the finely trained athletes we are.

Apparently I took to long during the swim! By the time I saw Ryan and Ava again, she was passed out. :)

And then wide awake for the finish!

Happy to have completed another one! #7 for me and #9 for Mom!

Happy Mothers' Day!

The big O-N-E!

Ava had a great birthday week!

Getting into the plastic container cupboard - one of her favorite places!

Her first birthday present - a great puzzle from Grandma on Wednesday morning. She was very proud of the fact that she put the dog back where he fit (sort of).

After I got home from school on Wednesday, we took a dip in the rather frigid pool (and, yes Gretchen, I know we live in Florida, but the temp is only 70!). She had been pointing to the pool all day and signed 'water' right after we got out.

She LOVED it!

Cold and content.

Grandma and Pop Pop arrived late Wednesday night and took over nanny duties on Thursday and Friday. They had tons of fun playing and reading together.

Ava even got to share one of her favorite times of the day with Grandma.

She would point to book after book and Pop Pop would read them all!

On Saturday, we had a small party for to celebrate. She loved opening gifts, but preferred to play with the cards.

Mom made a great homemade carrot cake, that we attempted to make look like a dog. From this angle it's close...but everyone thought it was a cow. It was de-lish none the less!

Sitting ever so nicely for a group photo-op with Kaylee and Lyla.

With her best friends, Kaylee (4 months) and Lyla (9 wks).

And because it was Derby Day, the ladies donned lovely hats! Stephanie won for most creative - the crab hat couldn't be beat.

Doug and Kaylee.

Attempting to feed Grandma yogurt with a spoon. :)

Ava and I watched "Baby Einstein" one day before dinner. She swayed to the music, clapped, and learned a new sign!

This was toward the beginning of the birthday cake experience. She wasn't too sure about the frosting or the cake itself, but loved the reaction she got from the dogs!

This is the final scene from the birthday cake experience. It is priceless!

**(No babies or dogs were injured in the filming of this scene.)**