Ava Funnies

I can't believe that my Ava girl will be 4 years old in just a few weeks!  It seriously seems like she was born just yesterday, but then again the last four years have been so full of fun and amazing (and tough . . . let's be honest here!) moments with her!

I thought I'd share a few funnies that show Ava's firstborn intense big and hilarious personality!  :)

• Ava is flat out obsessed with the garbage truck.  Go ahead and laugh (it's all we can do).  We have no idea why, but the sound of the garbage truck is literally what gets her out of bed most mornings. :)  If she hears even the slightest tremble that sounds like the truck (school buses are now frequently mistaken and are cruising around way too early . . . not a good combo), she flies out of her room and heads straight to the front window to watch the truck roll by.  It is not uncommon for her to run out in a panic with tears already streaming because she is terrified of missing the truck.  As you can imagine, this drama is not our favorite way for Ava to wake up each morning, especially when it is an hour before we expected.  At least our garbage men know they have a huge fan at 5245 Chamberlain who is always ready to give them a wave and a smile bright and early in the morning!

• Ava loves to watch movies and is a big fan of the fact that you can "pause" them so you don't miss anything.  Unfortunately, she's been disappointed to learn that this feature doesn't carry over into real life.  The other day she was, you guessed it, at the window watching the garbage truck.  She started crying because she had to go to the bathroom, but didn't want to miss the truck going by.  She panicked, looked at me dead serious, and said, "Mom, you have to push pause.  Pause the garbage truck."  Never thought I'd have to tell my daughter that there isn't a pause button in real life and that she'll have to miss the garbage truck so she doesn't wet her pants!

• My girl has LOVED watching the olympics!  She had a meltdown one night because I told her it was bedtime.  She said, "But I saw a girl on the TV and she looks like she will be so good so I really need to see if she wins."  Nice try . . . mommy can stay up way past her bedtime to watch gymnastics, but not 3 year olds!  The Olympics have also gotten Ava thinking about what sports she would like to do. She announced the other day that instead of going to school when she turns 5, she wants to take ballet.  Not mutually exclusive, my dear. :)

• She might have a big personality, but she is still my very little girl.  As I got the kiddos dressed one day, I realized that Ava and Grayson were wearing the same size clothes . . . 24 months!  Um, just 2 years behind in sizes!  At least it has saves us money on clothes . . . this is her third summer wearing the same swimsuit and she is in all her summer clothes from last year!  I let little girls at church wear all the clothes that Ava has out grown, but they are quickly catching up and will pass her by soon!  

Swimming in June 2010.

Same swimsuit in May 2012!

• Speaking of my little girl . . . we are always trying crazy creative ways to get her to eat.  She really doesn't get excited about eating unless it is what she will tell you is her favorite food . . . "cake and junk" . . . and she definitely doesn't get that often!  Our latest strategy was all Chad's idea and has been working well for the past 2 weeks.  Ava gets a hole punched for every bite of the main dish she takes and we try to see how high she can go.  Amazing what a sticky note and a hole punch can do to make meal time not such a battle (at least for now)!

• I've been doing some preschool stuff with Ava and she is doing really well.  She has a short attention span for "school" so I have to make it fun or even better make her not realize she is actually practicing what I've taught her!  We've been working on her writing . . . I started out writing words and then she would copy them below, but now she will write if I just tell her the letters in the word!  I've been having her make a lot of cards to send to people where she writes the message by herself (tricky and encouraging to others . . . win/win)!  The other day she brought me a paper and asked me to write a bunch of words on it for her to copy.  When I asked what words, she said, "Just some words I know like camouflage or something."  What?  I laughed out loud at that one!  One, that is a completely random word.  Two, I wasn't exactly sure how to spell it . . . she had to make due with camo!

My girl is so funny, creative, and imaginative.  She can definitely be strong-willed and controlling, but she comes by it honest (firstborn, my daughter, a sinner)!  It has been so amazing to watch her learn and grow, to see her love and serve others, and to witness the seeds of the Word that we are planting begin to grow in her heart!  I'm blessed beyond measure with this precious girl who makes me laugh, cry, smile, and thank God!