13 months

This was a big month for you, baby girl. No wonder there were so many tantrums, because there was lots of progress as well!

- walking! finally!!!

- more words (mama and dada)

- pointing

- 5 teeth

- becoming more independent

- transitioned to one nap

- motioning with songs

 

 We sure love you sweet Ava Mae. I can't believe how much you've changed - I really feel like you're a toddler now. Thank you for still giving me kisses and loves and I can't wait to see how your personality grows and develops!

California and Disneyland

In August we met in California for a Walker Family reunion of sorts. My parents rented a beach house and we played cards, sat on the beach and visited Disneyland in a whirlwind weekend trip.

 

Ava loved Disneyland and hanging with the family so much that she just pooped out in her stroller...that's never happened before!

We got to meet my niece Claire for the first time. What a doll. Ava just could not get enough of her. Don't you love their matching onesies?

Worlds largest sourdough Mickey Mouse head 

Grammie and her two grandbabies!

The family with the 4 new additions in the last 3 years!

While there we got to visit with the only great Grandma that Ava had not met. It was so fun! Here is a 4 generation (kind of!) picture of the Hulterstrom girls.

Thanks for the great trip Mom and Dad!

dancing!

She won't talk or walk, but she will dance! 

(beginning and ending are the best)

(so she is actually saying "hi" a lot now, and waving, but amidst all the unstoppable jabbering, no other real words to my amazement. she walks a ton holding on to our hands and really could walk if she had the desire...apparently she just doesn't! she is really good about giving kisses and loooooves babies. she also just discovered a love for the pool and a great knack for throwing tantrums [the plopping-herself-on-the-floor-and-crying-when-she-doesn't-get-something-she-wants kind of tantrums]. love this stage.)

picking peaches

This oh-so-cute farm just outside the city has strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, apples and pumpkins available to pick during the summer/their season. We went as a family on Saturday and gobbled up the amazing peaches and nectarines - so fun! Ava was in HEAVEN...always begging for more of any fruit she could get her hands on - full manifestation of the fruit gene!

look at that joy!

happy as can be

full mouth...and look at that yummy juice!

we didn't even have to use a ladder :)

milestones

Ava took her first steps yesterday!!! She even performed for her grandma and grandpa on 

g-chat video.  We are so excited! 

(photos of Ava's Seattle birthday party - courtesy of Lar)

our sweet girl turns 1!

I'm so far behind...


Ava Mae turned 1 on July 23rd, so we held a little gathering in her honor. It was lady bug themed in honor of her favorite blankie (thanks Jamie for the idea!). We had cupcakes and brownies and invited some friends over. I had planned to have everyone outside in our yard, but mother nature decided torrential downpour was the order of the day so we squished everyone inside instead. Made for a cozy evening, but the kids seemed to have fun!

We have made some great friends here in Boston and their support really means a lot to us! Mel and Derrick (above) just had their first - what a sweet baby.

Jamie, Bryson, Eliza and Rachel, Hailey and Ethan (two of the 5 kids from the ward who were born within 3 weeks of Ava)

This is the face of pure joy. We got a great video of the cupcake action and I will get it up soon. Let's just say she was not letting go of that cupcake for ANYTHING!

This is a perfect portrayal of our life these days - Ava always wanting to be touching me/in my lap and I am constantly trying to reassure her that she is okay sitting on her own.

She got a lot of great books from our wonderful friends!

Thank you again to all our friends who were able to come!

1 year stats:

Height: 31.25 inches (97th percentile)

Weight: 23 lbs 14 oz (86th percentile - a big girl!)

Head: 97th percentile

At 1 year, Ava is curious, happy, sweet and chatty! She doesn't have any real words yet (to my sheer amazement), but she jabbers up a storm and is constantly "talking" to me. She started sucking her finger a couple weeks ago, and it is her new favorite thing (see above picture!). She LOVES pulling things out of the bathroom cupboards, and still puts a lot of things in her mouth. She loves playing peek-a-boo, cuddling with her blankie, and greeting daddy when he comes home from work. She has an amazingly infectious laugh and great smiles, but those who aren't around her often have to work hard to see them. She is cautious around new people but loves to be out and about. She still refuses to sleep on airplanes and loves walking while holding on to our hands. She can unload the bookshelf in 5 seconds flat, loves bubbles and laughs at Toy Story. She is my cuddle bug, "punky" and sweetheart, and we have sure enjoyed her 1st year of life!

more eating adventures

This girl loves to eat. I feel like more than half the videos we have of her and from this angle, eating one thing or another. This one is pretty funny - we gave her a mango seed with some mango on it to suck on. She had a hard time holding on to it, but sure got testy if it fell down!

Check out the excitement 35 seconds in...