To Protect

Poor baby girl. She has become more independent lately and wants to do everything herself. It's good and bad. I love that she wants to be more independent; it's always so much fun to see her eyes light up when she learns how to do something new all by herself. But, I have to really control my urge to protect her in every situation. I'm MUCH more protective of her than I ever was with Sean. My heart squeezes whenever I hear her cry or see her eyes fill up with tears. A few days ago, she insisted on going down the front porch stairs by herself. She also insisted she try without holding onto the handrail. Before I could catch her, she lost her balance, fell down two stairs and landed on her face. Her poor nose is totally scratched up and she's constantly playing with the scab. It's experiences like this that remind me itmay not be sucj a bad thing to protect her from life's ills; forever.

Almost There!

She's almost two! I took her down the street a few days ago for her mini photo session (I wasn't overly pleased with her first session) and came away with a few I'm absolutely in love with!

Pouty

Ava has begun her Terrible Two's!  She's become very vocal lately about her displeasure with anything that is not her idea.  I cannot help but laugh out loud when she scrunches her nose and eyebrows down in a classic pout of displeasure.  It's cute now...but check back with me in a few months;  I may be pulling my hair out by then.

Nervous

Ava has begun a new nervous habit. She has followed her Aunt Aubre in this one; she bites her cuticles. It's super cute, but I know it's going to result in plenty of hangnails and bleeding nails. *sigh*

Sleeping Beauty

It's no secret that Ava has slept in our bed since the day she was born.  We tried everything to get her to sleep in her own bed, but she craved close contact.  She still does.  However, after almost two years, Lyle and I had both agreed that we needed to put more effort into getting her into her own bed.  Sometimes, parents just need some "alone time"...if you know what I mean.  As much as I love having Miss A in my bed (there's nothing quite like a chubby, cuddly, delicious smelling baby sleeping with her arm across your neck), I also knew that getting her into her own bed would be a trial.  I knew she would scream for hours and that was something I have never felt prepared for.  Hearing my babies cry/scream gives me major anxiety and I cannot, CANNOT just let them cry.  I have no control over that...I always pick them up and comfort them.  I told Lyle once that when we decided to finally make her sleep in her own bed, I would be sleeping in the car in the garage, to make sure I couldn't hear the crying and the please for "Mommy"!

Several weeks ago, when my double ear infection hit, I couldn't hear much of anything and I didn't feel well at all.  I spent most of each day in bed sleeping so I could escape from the pain.  Lyle was in charge of taking care of Miss A and one night, I guess he just decided to get her into her own bed.  I couldn't hear the crying and even if I could've, I'm not sure I would've cared. 

Here we are, almost a month later, and Sissy is now sleeping in her own bed.  SLEEPING IN HER OWN BED!  I feel like crying with happiness!  :)  She now takes a scheduled nap every day between 1 and 2 pm, for roughly 2 hours, and then is down for the night by 9:30 pm.  She still wakes up at least once each night, but falls back to sleep quickly with her bottle. 

Lyle and I are enjoying our own space again.  It's divine.  As much as I enjoyed sleeping next to my angel (I waited a long time for that angel and I was drinking in her scent each night), I am grateful to be able to snuggle with my husband again.  In many ways, that blasted double ear infection turned out to be a blessing. 

To the Left...

I've been watching Ava a lot lately;  more than I usually do.  It seems she may be a southpaw (a.k.a., left handed).  She tends to eat and do almost everything with her right hand...but when it comes to holding a crayon, pen or pencil...it's left hand all the way!  She doesn't even get how to hold a crayon correctly in her right hand...but did it without direction in her left hand.  Surprisingly, it doesn't really bother me.  I believe my youngest sister is left-handed...and she's pretty talented.