Our Awesome Ava

Nicky B, Babysitter Extraordinaire

2011-12-30T18:02:00.008Z

I have never spent a night away from Ava. There's never been a need. I've preferred to be the last person she sees at night and the first person she sees in the morning.

In just over three years, we've managed that with minimal ease. For consistency and security, it's really suited Ava. Then when our friends Max and Mark announced their wedding plans - a fabulously stylish evening ceremony yesterday at Vale Royal Abbey, I called on the most fabulous, trustworthy, loving babysitter I know.

Enter Nicky B.

Nicky and her eleven year old daughter Lois have known Ava since she was a baby. Ava adores them both in equal measures; she follows Lo like she's her shadow and is utterly besotted with Nicky. So Team B picked up Ava yesterday lunchtime, along with her overnight bag and backpack (packed with the essentials: lipbalm, 'Charlotte's Web' and a pack of tissues). Within five minutes, the house was far too quiet: getting ready for the wedding was uninterrupted by offers of cups of 'air-tea' and our dogs wandered around aimlessly, no doubt wondering where their best friend was.

Any thoughts that Ava would be unsettled evaporated with the receipt of this texted picture:

She'd only gone and plonked herself down herself down behind Lo's Christmas drums!

The girls went swimming, which Ava loved - pretending she was a fish while Lo was the shark. I can imagine the squeals!

When they got back to Nicky's house, Ava got a lesson in i-pad use:

Ava played with Lo's Silvercross prams, complete with Lo's Annabel doll (and I hear Louis the kitten also snuck in for a ride!):

Swiftly followed by some obligatory colouring in...how cosy does this scene look?

After a nap and a lush-sounding dinner of homemade lasagne and salad which Ava tucked into with gusto, she was treated to an indulgent manicure:

But not just any ordinary manicure.
Setting the style gauntlet for Spring/Summer '12 - 'The Ladybird'

The evening was rounded off with yet another viewing of 'Elf' (which she only got on the 22nd - we're now into double digit viewings), before being tucked up in Nicky's bed with Lo for the night...trusty new Hatley wellies by her side...

As Dave and I pulled up Chez Nicky this morning, we could hear Lo and Ava charging round. I'd missed my little lady loads.

Nick, you are our diamond. Big love to you and your infamous Lo. XXX

Santa Baby

2011-12-27T21:31:00.005Z

Our Christmas this year was fabulous. Considering that last year, Ava was ill with an ear infection and found the whole day totally underwhelming, this year made up for it. She's been so aware of the count-down: Santa, reindeer, learning Christmas carols - it's been wonderful. Dave and I love Christmas anyway, but seeing it through a child's eyes - our daughter's eyes - is priceless. And it was our last Christmas as a three - we'll have Baby Lea with us in 2012!

Christmas Eve saw us walking into town with Mark and Max. Ava took her scooter, a third birthday present from them and received her early Christmas present from them: an amazing pair of beaded glittery high tops.

Christmas Day, Ava woke at 8am. Bliss! she 'pings' awake and when I stirred her to ask if she thought Santa had visited. The girl is like a coiled spring! We woke Dave and Ava squealed her way downstairs: if she could have slid down the banister, she would. Look at the main present Santa brought her! Of course, she hust HAD to road-test it in the afternoon, she took to it really quickly:

Other top presents included Top Trumps and additions to her tea / baking set, which are expanding:

Nativity

2011-12-27T20:17:00.004Z

I was so lucky to be able to see Ava in her second Christmas nativity at nursery this year - the same afternoon I finished work for the holidays. Dave and I walked across to Nunu and waited for Ava to make her appearance: we'd all been singing the songs for weeks!

I made the classic mistake (how was I to know at the time?) of waving to Ava as she and the other children from the 2-3's room filed outside into the crisp air. She stood with the others (pink coat, bobble hat) and ... froze during the first song - looking out at all the parents, pausing only briefly to stick her tongue out at Dave! Cheeky minx, bless her.

By the end of the song, however, Ava had started crying and ran across to us in the audience. No amount of coaxing could get her back to where she should have been; the only thing which placated her was a Love Heart while being helf by Dave.

The funniest thing was how loudly, confidently and well she sang when the children from the 3-5's room started singing. Ava's had regular visits with Sid and Fin for when she moves up to her last room at Nunu in the new year (sob) and the parents all turned round in surprise to see Ava atop Dave's shoulders, belting out the songs! My little understudy. X

Ava Turns Three

2011-12-27T19:33:00.018Z

December 10th: how is our little girl already three? How did that happen so quickly? I did as I've done each year and crept into her room at the moment she was born - 01:52am and whispered 'Happy Birthday!'

Ava opened her presents and cards in our room - hobby horse, story books, the obligatory pens and markers, Play Doh (the smell reminded me of when I played with it as a child), tea set, clothes...all that, and a party to look forward to in the afternoon with her friends from nursery. Dave also surprised Ava with two goldfish, who she promptly named David and Petra!

Cafe Symphony hosted her party and Jen Maybury of My Little Picasso led the kids in a fabulous range of Christmas-themed craft activities: making glittery porridge oats for Rudolph, tree decorations and the like: everyone loved it.

There was a buffet to tuck into, homemade cupcakes and a disco to indulge in - it was wonderful to see Fin kissing the birthday girl, a reunion between Ava and Aaliyah - her beloved friend who left nursery in August and lots of general merriment. Thanks to Max and Mark who brought balloons for the little ones - they were such a hit!

At home, presents of scooters, roller skates, tutus and jigsaws awaited - what a very lucky girl to have had such a great day with such lovely friends.

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-04T18:07:00.010Z

"We three Leas..." Our last Christmas as a three.

We picked up our Christmas tree today at Keele Christmas Tree Farm; it's Ava's fourth. We noticed a definite change in Ava's understanding of all things festive at 6 days off turning three. Last year at Christmas she was ill with an ear infection and definitely seemed underwhelmed at the whole scene on Christmas Day morning. Today, she merrily sang Christmas carols on the drive over to Keele, was jumping up and down as we looked for just the right tree (gotta be real, Nordman Spruce with wonderfully bushy silvery-green long needles) and then whooping as she saw Nicky & Lois.

Decorating the tree was wonderful - the moment when Dave snips the netting is always one that we hold our breaths for - very National Lampoon when the branches spring out, hopefully not releasing numerous squirrels burrowing in the deepest corners of the branches!

Ava chose where the lighter weight decorations went, hung her nursery decorations including the two we have for our dogs Jessie & Indi. She then treated us to a 'piano acoustic' rendition of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' ... on her keyboard!

Halloween 3

2011-10-31T14:15:00.006Z

Ava's 3rd Halloween was spent with Teams Barnes, Beech & Farrington, just like the previous two. A little more reluctant to sport a witch's dress this year, Ava initially preferred to hang out in her own clothes, then resort to angel wings from Miss Martha as she played after dinner.

Ava adores nine year old Amelia, who is fabulous with children...

We didn't bring her pj's with us for the drive home from Stockport (excited for Dave & Adele and family to move back to Sandbach at the end of November!), so when the offer of wearing Harry's pj's arose, Ava leapt at the opportunity to both try them on and pose:

Later, if these weren't enough, Ava changed into a dashing pair of Thomas the Tank Engine pj's ... again, Harry's...

Another fantastic night.

Lunch with Nick-Nick & Lo-Lo

2011-10-31T13:56:00.009Z

Any time spent with Nicky & Lo is precious: I've known Nicky for fourteen years & Lois since she was born. Ava is besotted with both of them, so a sumptuous Sunday lunch at their beautiful abode meant lots of play time with Lo ... and their new kitten, Louis!

Ava is treated like a grown up princess whenever she visits; she has her own special table & clinked flutes of juice with Lo:

"Hmm, yes, a lovely bouquet"

After lunch it was time for apple picking in the garden with Lo. But would Ava put her own Converse on? Nooo, not when Nick-Nick's around to ask! And Ava took great offence when chastised by Dave:

News!!!

2011-10-31T13:33:00.005Z

On August 23rd, a little test confirmed what I had suspected all month ... we are going to have a second baby.

We are thrilled that we'r able to give Ava a little brother or sister - although ask her and find she is 99% unwavering:'I am having a sister. It's a girl.' Like with Ava, we would like the surprise when the baby is born, so we won't be asking to find out its gender.

A spring baby means longer walks in the sunshine and more daylight hours than when Ava was born on December 10th. It also means another summer and autumn of being on Maternity Leave.

We had our first of two scans on October 14th, which dated the baby at just over 12 weeks. The second scan is the day before Miss Ava turns 3, so we're hoping to take her with us to the hospital to 'meet' her brother or sister on the screen.

As I write this, I'm coming up to 15 weeks and the exhaustion which I felt from weeks 7-14 may be quietly subsiding. It's the last day of my half term and the third day I haven't needed an afternoon nap just to 'recharge'.

Ava has been wonderful. We told her from the start so she would feel involved. She kisses my tummy every day, has started talking to the baby and even announcing which of her stuffed toys 'my little sister' can have. She has made plans for the baby to play in her room also - so, so far, we're really impressed with her reaction. We have no doubt she'll make a fabulous older sister.

Here is the wonderfully clear scan picture of Baby Lea; right arm by his/her side, left arm waving:

Easy as A-B-C

2011-10-31T13:16:00.004Z

September 20th:

Ava's been making real progress with learning the alphabet, thanks to a musical toy from Sharon:

Viva Espagna!

2011-10-31T12:29:00.040Z

We flew to Alicante for a second year on August 22, in search of a week's worth of sun, sea, sand and relaxing as a family. Santa Pola did not disappoint.
Miss Ava was all ready for the prospect of a ride to the airport in the back of her grandad's car - she'd been asking us when we were going on holiday & thought each of the planes in the sky were meant for her!

Lunch in Giraffe at the airport involved a closer look at the planes beyond the window...

...and soon enough, we were on a plane ourselves, while Ava wasted no time in networking with the beautiful little boy sat in front of her (who gallantly offered both his teddy and his blanket, should she want a cuddle or become cold):

Ava then became quite coy, taking to hiding behind her sunglasses. You can't fool us who's behind them, Ava!

Upon landing at Alicante Airport (in scorching temps), Ava assumed the role of seasoned traveller - effortlessly navigating her own suitcase through Arrivals.

The next morning (which would come to be a memorable day in our family), we were greeted by a blissful sight: a pool outside our bedroom window:

The afternoon demanded a reunion with the train which makes it way around Santa Pola - I'm sure Ava remembered it from last summer!

Check out Ava's tan - this is on the evening of our first full day there:

She clearly has Dave's skin/ability to catch the rays safely!

The next day, the pool featured highly, which is where Ava perfected her doggy paddle with the help of some frog armbands:

An afternoon walk to the Sunset Bar was hotter than we'd remembered, and the heat/pool combo caught up with our little lady...

Of course, after waking up and being rehydrating, there was only one way to go get groceries for dinner:

Choo Choo!
Tan update on Day 2:

The next morning, Ava made friends with Luna, the Alsatian cross two doors down. Intermittently throughout the day, she would quietly stalk her...

Meanwhile, for me, reading by the pool remained a constant...occasionally going for a swim but mainly content just to soak up the sun and a half dozen novels...

Whilst all the page-turning was going on, Ava was mid-transformation into a mermaid - she was spending so much time in the water...

All in all, a wonderful family holiday.

The Making of Chateau Ava

2011-10-31T12:14:00.009Z

Proof positive that the half term has ben a hectic one is right here: October 31st & I am updating Ava's blog for the last two months. Shameful, really, but I couldn't let the calendar tick over into November 1st without writing posts to cover September and October.

Mark & Max gave Miss Ava a redundant playhouse from their garden which she was only too keen to accept: with a little TLC and a fine new roof care of Paul & Sandbach Roofing, it will be a perfect spot in the garden for Ava to indulge in her drawing, hiding and 'ice lorry' eating!

It also meant I got to jetwash it once it had all been reassembled, which I love doing: so long, cobwebs, spiders' webs and dust!

And, just for a few minutes, Ava got to relish in the idea of it having a retractable roof:

Splash Sunday

2011-08-08T08:21:00.030+01:00

Ava & Oliver had a play date yesterday. We maximised the time outside in the Barnes' grounds when it was gloriously sunny & hot before the rain inevitably set in.
First up was the bouncy castle. Both Ava & Oliver have the same one, so much posing & bouncing was in order:

Lunch was a fairly civilised affair: Ava & Oliver took theirs in the great outdoors, cafeteria style...

...while Oliver chose to expose a little 'cheeky something' to us mums sat on the lawn:

Oliver: "This couscous has a somewhat sharp flavour to it"
Ava: "What are you talking about, these cherry tomatoes are simply divine"

Next up came the mixing of ingredients to make chocolate Rice Krispie cakes. What started out as being quite controlled...
...rapidly descended into a chaotic scene which would have seen Jamie Oliver shaking his head in dismay:
Part of the fun is surely in the tasting, as Ava & Oliver sampled their wares:
...and when Ava moved on to pastures new, Mr Barnes Jr cut a solitary figure in his 'kitchen':

No sooner had I turned my back than this sight met me:
??? Where was Ava? Not only had she stripped off down to her knickers, but she emerged from the house, Bond-girl-style, still in her gladiators & wielding a bubble gun at her unsuspecting target!
Ah, the photo opportunities for 18th birthdays started to unfold before us...

Clearly, what's good for the goose & all that...Oliver wanted to indulge his inner naturist:
Wendy & I would have joined together in a collective sigh, had it not been for us holding our sides & hooting with laughter.
The kids briefly took the party inside, with Oliver running into the living room for a spot of tv - unbeknownst to Ava, who couldn't understand why Oliver was standing naked behind a curtain:
The party moved back outside, where Miss Ava & Master Oliver took part in a spot of leisurely bathing...
...a minor dispute involving an oversized rubber duck took place: It all got a bit cramped in there at one point:
However, neither seemed to care for long: it was time for a spontaneous suds-off:

After drying off, it was time for some cuddles...

That evening at Max & Mark's, a similar theme recurred to round off the day: dodging raindrops & fine dining!

Ava's Summer

2011-08-06T12:31:00.037+01:00

My last blog post was Father's Day on June 19 - so long ago. I've inexcusably slacked somewhat but am back on course now. No excuse with all this glorious time off work!
What's been going in on Ava's world?
A highlight was spending the afternoon with Miss Martha when Team Ball came over for a bbq at the start of July. In fact, at times the girls looked like they were from a not-yet-made- SATC: The Prequel!

Quite happy with a bouncy castle, endless sun & 'ice lorries', Ava was thrilled to spend time with one of her favourite playmates.

Miss Martha needed no encouragement when she recognised a pop song!

On a balmy July 7th evening, Ava read to me & her dolls for the first time. It was fabulous, I was so proud. She even remembered to say 'the end'. I've tried and for some reason the video won't upload..

Two days later, we headed to Dave's parents' holiday home in Wales. The weather was perfect for a walk to the beach.

I love this picture of Ava studying her shadow:

And this is one of my favourite pictures of the year so far:

Delamere Forest last Wednesday was yet another fun day in the sun. Trike, bottle of water - what else do you need?!

Ava loved exploring deeper & deeper into the forest...past the uprooted trees, collecting pinecones ... but she made it clear she did NOT like the mud!

She bossed us about if we didn't keep up wth her:

...but agreed to pause for liquid hydration!

That afternoon, we shampooed Jessie & Indi. Ava took great delight in ordering them around (I sense a theme here): "Come on, Jessie! Don't hide! Your turn!" Indi went first...

Then Jessie. Slippery before she was even wet!

Miss Ava then decided it was as good a time as any to strip off, and enjoyed some water play ... before Dave chased her for it back!

Yesterday, we took Indi to Brereton. We can't fit both dogs in the Beetle & Jessie's not as reliable off the lead when other dogs are around - part of what happened to her before she was brought to the RSPCA means she sometimes runs at other dogs, despite wagging her tail, therefore sending mixed messages. Indi, however, gorgeous bear of a chocolate lab that he is (and was mistaken for during our walk!) loves nothing better than a leisurely lope through the woods, round the park & in the water.

A Special Day for Daddies Dave & Rob

2011-06-19T19:28:00.021+01:00

Today we spent a great day celebrating Father's Day in Chester with Team Aldridge. Rob is my ex-Head of English who left Sandbach last summer to teach at the Kings School. We haven't seen him in nearly a year, so it was lovely to see him, Rachael & their super-lovely two daughters Beth & Imogen, who quickly made friends with Ava. We oohed & aahed over the Medieval Parade which left the square shortly after we met (and shortly after Ava had spent some of her piggy bank pennies in Zara). It was a spectacular sight! Seeing a toy elephant was a bonus... En route to the playground, the girls climbed some stairs & posed outside some fab front doors... The playground was a unanimous hit! Ava spent her time on the swing grinning at the girls! And later on, we indulged in tapas at La Tasca.

Safari, So Good

2011-05-29T21:44:00.042+01:00

Today we took Ava out for the day:

Once we got inside the park, I sat Ava on my lap so she had a better view of the animals. Recovering from chicken pox means lots of treats!

Dave said he felt he was entering Jurassic Park. Check out the security:

The tigers were beautiful (though reluctant to get up from their midday snooze & come any closer) but there were constant reminders of what was in place for everyone's protection...

The lions were breathtaking. One of the lionesses strolled over to the side of the road to tuck into her lunch:

One of the cubs had boundless energy!

The pride were totally stunning...

Ava got to see a real-life Bambi!
And then...the absolute highlight of the day:
Dave & I were in stitches before we even drove through, with a rapturous Ava bouncing up & down on my lap. We could see a whole manner of (ahem) monkey business going on! (Ava's eyes were, of course, promptly covered!)

And...our first passenger among many!

One started caressing our windscreen wipers admiringly...all under Dave's watchful eye:

Some baboons looked quite composed as they hitched a lift:

Others jumped aboard while the cars were driving:
Some passengers were very tiny!
Damage to cars did take place. I'm ashamed to say we saw all this take place - & had a giggle -

Then there were little vandals we actively caught red-handed! Yes, the item below was unknowingly left behind!

Then there were the camels who approacheth:

...& weren't shy in coming right over to the window!

There were lots more treats in store...

Ava wore her tiger top - although when we asked her which animals she thought she'd see at the safari, she said 'Um...cows. And sheep also!'

The meerkats were fantastic. We saw one alert...

...& one very, very chilled!

It was clear that Ava had had a wonderful time. She learned about lots of different animals & has gone to sleep tonight cuddling her stuffed toy giraffe. We loved the place & will definitely be back again soon.

Giving Ava a Little Bit of Her Bounce Back

2011-05-22T17:41:00.010+01:00

Ava got chicken pox on Thursday. The dreaded pox probably started a couple of weeks ago & would explain why she was so clingy & resistant to her bedtime routine. She was collected from nursery with a grand total of 3 spots. By Friday she only had 12. Yesterday they multiplied with such speed as would leave Usain Bolt in the dust.
Today? More still.
We thought/hoped she would get off with a mild case of the pox. In the main, she's been very bouncy & cheerful & ... well, Ava. She was most impressed that this horribly lurgy resulted in pale pink calomine lotion being lovingly applied at regular intervals; slightly more did she welcome the 'ice lorries'.
Friday was spent curled up under her duvet on the sofa watching 'Homeward Bound' on loop - Ava was quite content & only occasionally rubbed at her tummy.
Last night was painful for Ava. She lasted only a half hour in her bed before waking up & inconsolable - even when brought her downstairs with me(the dogs were thrilled to see her). I found a pock spot on the corner of her right eye, which explained the rubbing. So that's a daddy-daughter trip back to the Doctor's on Monday. When I eventually scooped her up & carried her upstairs to our bed, she woke briefly to point & instruct me to 'lie there' - so she could have my pillow. Hmph. A very long night ensued. I thought Ava was having vivid dreams, but she must have been woken by the itching of the wretched spots. By then, she'd lost all interest in her cream, so with a very heavy heart, I took to stroking her hair & trying to soothe her back to the relief of sleep. I'd take this from her in a second if I could.
So when I went grocery shopping this morning & found this...I couldn't resist.

She sampled our neighbours' bouncy castle last month, squeals of delight confirming how much she adored the 'boing' again & again. So I knew it would make a little girl very very happy. I wasn't wrong!

Ava took in a couple of her favourite books & even indulged in one of her 'ice lorries' & received a friendly visitor when she came calling inquisitively...

Gimme a High [Dry] Five!

2011-05-17T21:57:00.002+01:00

Ava enjoyed a dry five hours in her knickers today, after her nap at nursery until she had her bath. We're so proud of her! She's undoubtedly tired of me asking her 'Do you need to go to the bathroom?' every ten minutes. Only two changes today!

For the second day in a row, Linzi's opened the door to Ava at Nunu. Their greeting goes like this:

Linzi: Hi Ava! Are you alright?
Ava: Me have knickers! (then scampers past her & into the kitchen)

This morning she chose pink underwear to start the day, announcing that 'Lyla's got knickers too' & 'Me show Aaliyah!' Show & tell - at 2! We love that she's so proud of wearing knickers durng the day instead of nappies - but I will admit to missing that padded bum!

Mummy, Me Have Knickers!

2011-05-15T19:53:00.003+01:00

A landmark purchase took place yesterday in H&M (where else?).
I bought Miss Ava her first set of underwear!
She proudly chose them herself, taking care to look at all the options, then indulged in two hissy fits: one when I told her she'd have to let me put them on the counter to pay for them & the other when she wanted to hold them - without the bag. She stomped her feet, raised her voice & stopped smack in front of a Bugaboo-pushing supermodel mummy with no sense of humour. Ah, the irony - growing up in the sense of having knickers bought for her, not so grown up that she can't kick off like a petulant toddler when things don't go her way!
This morning we had a full try-on session...all seven pairs got modelled, much to poor Dave's bemusement, who had barely opened one eye when Ava's star-clad bum bounced past him on our bed. Gleeful, she paraded around in them for an hour - dry, I add - and watched 'Tom and Jerry' wearing a most curious ensemble of aviators, hoodie and knickers.
Last night she was treated to her favourite babysitters, Alexia (Lek Lek) & Sarah, while Dave & I had date night. We came home to a blissfully snoozing Ava curled up on Alexia's lap - certainly a day where Ava's seemed 12 years & 12 months all at once.
Tomorrow she'll go to nursery wearing a pair of knickers, her Nunu bag full of back-up knickers and extra spare clothes. Toilet training notches up a gear!

Keep Calm & Let the Dummy Have It

2011-05-13T20:07:00.017+01:00

Dear Ava,

Yesterday I snipped the end off your beloved dummy. It was time to make the separation & you clearly weren't prepared to a) leave it with Santa's milk & cookies, b) give it to the fairies or c) offer it to little babies who don't already have one. Whoever suggested cutting it had a great idea!

You looked round the corner of the kitchen, saw me holding it & said with a clear warning:'Don't touch it.'

Looking back through pictures, we can tell that your dummy's been plucked from your mouth in time to pose. This one from your Naming Day last August is a clear indication of how offended you were by that removal!

Daddy & I didn't mean for you to have a dummy when you were little - when I was pregnant, one of my fab students Liam Clowes brought a Spiderman dummy back from Florida as an early gift for you. It was too tempting to resist letting you try it!

Exhibit A: New Year's Eve, 2008.

In the beginning, you slept just fine without a dummy...
December 26th 2008: 16 days young.

By two months, you had a dummy to help you sleep when you had afternoon naps...

February 18th 2009.

On Wednesday you turned 29 months young. You're too old for dummies now. You haven't had it at nursery for over a year - no excuses now! Last night, you spent your first night in 27 months without your dummy. It took two hours for you to fall asleep & you were inconsolable when you woke up this morning at 3am. So I caved & let you sleep with us. But we're moving forward now! You don't need it to talk through or help you get to sleep. You told me this morning as we were brushing our teeth that you wanted to give your dummy to the 'baby birdy' who's nesting in the hedge - what a good idea.

What a brave girl, Ava-Boo. Daddy & I know how much you loved your dummy. It's got you through some sleepless, sad times & also just been a comfort ... so long, dummy ...

Love you forever,
Mummy XXX

Kate says ''I Will''

2011-05-06T21:08:00.019+01:00

THE STORY OF A GIRL WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH A PRINCE

Happy one-week anniversary, Kate & Will! Last Friday I was curled up on the sofa with a hot mug of tea at 7:45, just ahead of the 8am live transmission by the BBC of what turned out to be the most fabulous wedding celebrations of the new Duke & Duchess of Cambridge. I admit, I was a little apprehensive when Dave announced he was eschewing all nuptials by playing golf with friends that morning. As much as I wanted to share the experience with Ava (I remember watching Charles & Diana get married when I was 6 with my mum), I made an executive decision to a)put key books in easy reach, b)move the Tom & Jerry dvd she's currently obsessing over & c)move her teapot & cups to her kitchen. An early self-portrait taken by Ava was sufficient distraction: I, meanwhile, was watching the lovely Huw Edwards & absorbing all the coverage: Ava grew tired of playing with her toys & decided to make a cup of tea 'like Mummy'... The only question was 'Earl Grey' or 'Breakfast'? Then it was back to the camera: Cheese, Mummy! We deftly took a pic of Mum & daughter to commemorate the day - early bird faces - while Ava looked fresh as a daisy, it was too early for Mummy's lashings of Lancome! Can you believe I then had to LIVE PAUSE the wedding to do a mad sprint upstairs because Miss Ava decided she wanted her bedding?! Our little madam was determined to get in every shot... Ava then set to work, preparing a picture for the happy couple... Perfect! Satisfied that she'd seen everything she came to see after the two balcony kisses, it was all too overwhelming for my princess & she fell into a contented sleep.

Easter Picnic

2011-05-06T20:47:00.008+01:00

On Easter Sunday we took Lady Lea to Shrewsbury to see Vicky & enjoy a blissed-out picnic by the river. The weather was perfect, we took our vintage hamper & Ava took her trike.

Ava feasted on berries & delighted in catching up with Vicky ... until the lure of the playground was too much & she ran off with Dave.

They paused to indulge in Daddy-daughter cuddles....how great is this picture?

Pap alert! Aviators on!

All Aboard!

2011-04-23T16:08:00.013+01:00

This morning we got up nice & early to pick up Ava's grandparents from the airport. They'd been on a three week cruise around Singapore & Thailand.

Despite the early hours, Ava insisted on wearing her aviators (in case she got papped?!). The same followed as she had an oj:
When Dave drove Ken & Carol home, I took Ava on her first train ride. She's been squealing at the very sight of them whenever we take the dogs for walks & this was a perfect opportunity: Manchester Airport to Sandbach in 25 mins.

Trying to get the dummy from her in order to get a picture was another task. At one point when I switched on my camera she gave a very distinct sigh & said 'Cheese.' A daughter fed up of being photographed? Too bad!

We had a lipgloss moment so she could look her best while scouting for animals of the bovine variety...as well as the obligatory sheep & horses...

After we arrived at Sandbach Station, we all went for breakfast at the Glasshouse, where Ava indulged her love of raspberry jam on toast:
...and perfected her communications with Dave!

A visit to the park rounded off the morning nicely...

Mid afternoon (after Dave took her to watch the football & she tidied the players' water bottles...we're raising a mini-Monica), we went to Liz & Paul's pre-wedding party. Ava had an absolute blast, coyly letting herself be chased by the uber-cute Oakley (I'm in love with his name) & making shapes in their dining room with Jasmine. The ONE time I leave my camera at home! Thanks for a great time, Liz & Paul!

Saturday Sights

2011-04-16T22:07:00.011+01:00

Gorgeous weather today! As Charlotte jetted off for Rome, we went Rome-ing into town & after bumping into some of the fab girls from Nunu, we had a mooch round the carnival - Dave & Ava tested out the mini waltzers...

Ava seemed unsure initially, but soon got into the spirit of things:
(How grown up does she look with one ponytail? Can we pause time for a while?) When we got to the park entrance, there was a super-cute black Newfoundland with the fire service called Oscar just waiting to be cuddled:

The falconry exhibit in the park was amazing & I got to hold a 15 month old hawk. They have 6 more vertebrae in their necks than humans & can turn their heads 270 degrees:

The kids' park beckoned to Ava & of course, she answered. Swings, slides, she did it all & loved it:

In the afternoon, I took Ava to Stockton Heath with Laura & Ava zoomed in on the world's ugliest doll. However, after repeated plaintive cries of 'My baby! My baby!' I was powerless to resist the £4 purchase & Ava was quite content to talk to her & cradle her...until we stopped for a drink & she found my lipstick:

Early evening, Ava eschewed her usual pre-bed routine by indulging in an original interpretation of one of the acts from 'So You Think You Can Dance?' featuring two surprise partners:

4, 5, 6, 10

2011-04-09T22:36:00.020+01:00

This morning we took Ava, Jess & Indi for a big walk into the fields and woods near our home. We're so lucky they are nearby - on a sunny, warm day like today it was great to breathe fresh air under a cloudless sky ... knowing tomorrow's still the weekend. Ava went with Dave & Indi earlier in the week & totally loved it. This is what our conversation went like when they returned to find me still marking:-
Me: Did you have a good time, Ava?
Ava: Yeah! Saw chickens!
Me: Wow! How many did you see?
Ava: 4, 5, 6, 10
Me: That's a lot of chickens, Ava! What else did you see?
Ava: Saw horseys, cows, trains, sheep.
Me: Brilliant! How many were there?
Ava: Umm...4, 5, 6, 10
And so it went on. Last night in bed before she drifted off to sleep, she was enthusiastically going through the animals she'd greet this morning on one hand. And this morning she was so excited, she wore her favourite tshirt with Charlie & Lola wellies for the walk:

She caught an early glimpse of the horse grazing & had to stop & watch him...
Her facial expressions were priceless; everything was met with a reaction, whether it was ecstatic squealing (Jess & Indi chasing after a thrown stick), flamboyant waving (one of Mr Branson's many trains whizzing past) or just silent awe...

In fact, I'm not sure who was more excited to see the trains:

Ava picked her route through the walk, watching ladybirds, listening to singing birds & pointing out other canine companions...

Of course, she had things tightly under control with her own two pals!

And sometimes, it was important just to stop for a second, drink in her surroundings & consider her next movements...

Unless, of course, she was conserving her energy...

The walk through Bluebell Wood meant Ava got to see Jess & Indi in one of their favourite spots:

'C'mon in! The water's warm!'
Jess & Indi just loved showing Ava all their favourite routes...

Course, her squeals went supersonic when a stick was unearthed for her two best friends...

On the walk back home, things were a little more serene from aloft...although Ava & Dave individually had one thing on their minds...

Love You, Mummy!

2011-04-03T21:43:00.009+01:00

Mother's Day started with breakfast in bed, while my gorgeous daughter sat next to me, happily eating strawberries and surrounded by story books she'd lined up for me to read to her.
We headed into Manchester & straight to H&M to avoid the rain, where Ava delighted in experiencing her first ever ride on an escalator. Her eyes widened...these things we take for granted! I took an empty pushchair up in the lift & heard Ava crying as the door slid open - she wanted to go back down on the escalator! She later got to indulge when Dave took her up the escalator in Next:

Piggy bank funds were spent on ballet flats, skinny jeans & a summer dress.

After a mooch in the Triangle & showing Ava the feet-nibbling fish which we experienced when we went diving in Thailand, we headed to Zinc for lunch. There followed a delicious meal of veggie Thai green curry. Ava tried and decided she likes rosemary bread dipped in olive oil & balsamic vinegar, then shared Dave's roast.

The funniest part of the day was when we took Ava into Waterstones & she ran amok, squealing as Dave had to chase her down the side of the shop. She'd shouted 'Charlie & Lola' as soon as she saw the books of her favourite tv characters & loved the activity centre at the back of the bookstore. She picked up loads of books, idly lefed through them, showed us most of them, then decided all that space was too good to waste!
Love you Ava. Everyday. XX

My Martha, My Glasses

2011-03-19T22:43:00.005Z

There's a new fash accessory about town & both Ava & Martha are in the know.

So intent are they on laying the toddler trend for S/S '11 that they will even sport their mum's to reinforce the point.

Yes, Ava has had her first pair of 'sunnies' / 'shades' / 'eye candies'. I gave them to her Thursday morning after a trip to London the previous day & Thursday night saw a great big hissy fit of the monumental kind ... because she couldn't wear them to bed. 'MY GLASSES! AVA GLASSES!' MUMMYYYYYYYY!'
The way she behaves when she wears them, you'd think she was actively avoiding interest from paparazzi. Ditto her gorgeous friend, Martha:

I mean, who wears their sunglasses indoors unless you're trying to attract attention?

This afternoon we caught with Team Ball & the girls got to catch up. Ava & Martha also!! They'd previously played a couple of weeks ago at Martha's house, which involved lots of Peppa Pig & toy sharing...

Even Jeremy, the most adorable Beagle ever, got involved!

And when it came time to say goodbye over Half Term, Martha & Ava knew they'd hook up again soon...

There's a mutual adoration between the girls. Miss Martha's 9 months younger than Lady Lea & spent today toddling after Ava. Ava has spent the last week asking 'Where's Martha? My Martha!' & absolutely loved seeing her beautiful little friend again. Blowing kisses as the car pulled down the drive was testament to that.
Spring & summer play dates await ... bring your sunnies, Liv & Martha!

Take Me for a Tikka!

2011-03-13T21:03:00.009Z

My birthday curry today was doubly special because it was Ava's first. Dave & I love Indian food & we want Ava to try lots of different foods, so off we went to Eastern Spices in town. Great food, great, friendly service. And understandably, very quiet at 5:30 on a Sunday! 'Hmm...starter...pakora or poppadoms?' Posing with Daddy was a must - as soon as Ava sees the camera, she calls out 'Cheese!' No time for posing for this shot - the chicken tikka was a big hit! Mushroom pilau rice, mushroom naan, Ava tried it all! Ever-Monica, Ava got off her chair & waited to hand back the empty sachets of hand wipes at the end of our meal... Ava was overjoyed to hear some of her favourite tunes, wasting no time in entertaining us...

I'm the Queen of the Castle

2011-03-13T20:48:00.008Z

After seeing how much Ava loved playing with Martha in her Peppa Pig tent, we ordered Ava one of her own:

She's been creative about where she plays...we had to act quick!

Ava seemed a little hesitant at first, then soon got into the spirit of things. That same afternoon, Dave peered through one of the castle 'windows' to find Ava pouring milk from her sippy cup into her teacup & drinking from it, completely oblivious to the world.

We bought Ava a big velvet cushion for inside her castle, but someone may be assuming they are a welcome guest. No sooner had the below happened, than we heard Ava screech 'No Indi! Not allowed in there!'

Hair's the Thing

2011-03-06T16:47:00.006Z

Hair style is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself. ~Hubert de Givenchy, Vogue, July 1985

Ava had her hair cut by Becky at The Rooms for the first time yesterday. Throughout, she was calm & poised as she took in her styled suroundings .... so was Ava!

Twenty minutes later, she emerged proudly clutching my hand, chirping 'Show Daddy.' A sharp & swingy bob looks great on her; thanks Becky! I sense double appointments are not too far away...

Oh...

2011-02-24T20:13:00.002Z

Ava's new word is 'Oh'.
And, like any actress worth her salt, she has concocted a number of ways in which to deliver this one-liner:
a) feigning mild interest
b) displaying genuine surprise
c) said dismissively, the oral equivalent of an arched brow
d) demonstrating understanding
This has been coupled with amusing results with the word 'why' (love how she uses this).
Situation:
Daddy: Night Night Iggle Piggle! Are you going to bed now too, Ava?
Ava: No. (said emphatically)
Daddy: It's nearly your bedtime
Ava. Oh. (pregnant pause) Why?
Daddy: Because you've had a long day. You must be tired; you need your sleep.
Ava: Why?
Daddy: Because this is when little boys & girls go to bed, to sleep, so they can wake up in the morning ready to play & learn new things.
Ava: Oh! (note the exclamatory; she hopped off the sofa, got her milk & I followed her up the stairs)

Movie Kiss

2011-02-10T14:08:00.003Z

First thing in the morning when she wakes up. Last thing at night after her bath, story & sippy cup of milk. When we give her the rare treat of chocolate Buttons. Completely spontaneous, for no reason at all.
Ava loves giving kisses. This extends to boys in her playroom at nursery, much as it pains Daddy Dave to learn! So with Valentine's Day fast approaching, we've been looking at a little variation on the theme.
When Ava & I lean in to kiss each other, I say 'Movie kiss!' & she shuts her eyes & puckers up. It makes me melt every time. She takes it very seriously & each time she smiles after the kiss after she opens her eyes.
Dave's her knight in shining armour...how will he cope when Ava launches a 'movie kiss' on some unsuspecting little boy?

It's Me & Thee, Lady

2011-01-25T19:58:00.003Z

"Hi Sidney.
With Mummy Daddy.
Yeah....yeah...
Okay bye."

So go the telephone conversations Ava holds with her friends from nursery. She has the head tilt totally mastered, the gazing into the distance, right down to the triumphant snapping of the [albeit Night Garden] mobile shut. Gotta love this girl of ours!

One of her new Christmas books was about Tigger so that's prompted a return to her 'boing-ing' ... on our bed, on the sofas ... guess who likes to pretend she's a tiger with a very stripey, very bouncy tail?

Dave goes to Germany tonight on business for a week, so it's girl time Chez Lea. So that includes curling up in front of the fire with grapes and oranges (her latest snack of choice), a shopping trip to Stockton Heath, QT with Nick-Nick & Lolo, letting Ava sit on the kitchen island with the latest Charlie & Lola magazine while I flick through recipe books, snoozing in bed with me on Saturday & Sunday morning (before she 'pings' awake & announces 'Ava stairs') and singing along to my latest ipod downloads in the Beetle.

Tutu Cute

2011-01-16T21:35:00.027Z

Ava is fast becoming a feisty little minx. She loves loves loves the daily rough-and-temble sesh with her Daddy, squealing for more and learning about her limitations. The number of times my heart's been in my mouth as she's 'boinging' perilously close to the sofa's edge.
But she does have a softer side she loves to indulge. She clutches her rag doll Poppy close to her when she sleeps. She has to have Penguin by her side when I read to her. And I love that. She's not a precious, wrapped-in-cotton-wool toddler, nor does she look like pink frilly lace has thrown up over her. Hands up all those who cringe when they see little girls who've been clothed head to toe in varying shades of tacky pink. Ick.
So when Ava got an invitation to her friend Fin's 2nd birthday next weekend with a Princess & Pirate theme, we wasted no time in heading to her favourite shop, H&M, for an injection of girlyness. A tutu, ballet top & tiara were obvious choices!

Ava is a huge fan of Lolo, nickname for Lois, my bestie's beautiful 10 year old daughter. She loves everything Lolo's about: confidence, girlyness-mixed-with-tomboyishness, great style. So what better occasion to roadtest the party outfit than today, when they came over for lunch.

The arrangement? Ava & Lolo would wear their tutus (who are we kidding? Of course Lolo had a tried and tested number) to lunch. Ava was ready a half hour early and waited eagerly for their arrival...

Us adults felt strangely underdressed!
Lunch was an elegant Italian affair...yes, Ava usually dines in a tiara!

Dessert saw Ava display her love of homemade chocolate pots and biscotti. We give her chocolate as an occasional treat and she relishes every time it touches her lips...and the rest of her face!

Ava was a lucky little lady today...Nicky bought her three pairs of dressing up shoes along with her twinkling tiara. I can't wait to look for a dressing up chest so Ava can start to amass these fabulous clothes and accessories and indulge her imagination.

...and all this on the day Ava said 'LOVE YOU!' to me unprompted for the first time and said 'KISS!' to Dave for the first time tonight, also unprompted, as he tucked her into bed. Love this girl.

It's All About 'San-San'

2011-01-02T20:02:00.017Z

At two years young, Ava celebrated her third Christmas last week. The build-up was incredible & it's only because she & I have been ill for the last week that I now have the opportunity to recount our holidays. Dave & I finished work (thank goodness) on Friday December 17th, the same day as Ava finished nursery. To us, that meant one thing: two weeks' bliss! So on the Saturday, it was an inspired decision to visit some pretty special animals. Ava has been fascinated by animals from a very early age (I still smile wryly at the memory of Indi's face inches away from hers from in her Moses basket when we first brought her home from hospital); seeing reindeer for the first time was sure to be a hit.
We weren't wrong. Ava was entranced by the sight of a male & female reindeer & even managed to squeeze in a visit with Santa ('San-San'). We learnt things like how their antlers are made from hair; their fur is hollow so when they sleep on the snow, they don't freeze. The male reindeer had shed his antlers the previous weekend & I got to hold them.
The drive home was punctuated by a wonderfully funny sight: Quiet for a moment, Ava called out from her carseat, 'Mummy! Look!' Sunday was a great day; while temperatures dipped further, we drove to Manchester for the German markets & an afternoon with Ollivia & her family. Imagine it. Two Daves. Two little toddler ladies. And two ladies who like to talk it up. A LOT. A recipe for success! Ooh, & some grilled mushrooms.
How cute are these two? Miss Martha & Lady Lea hadn't hooked up since August but they caught up on all the essentials while us grown-ups sipped hot mulled wine: where's your outfit from, what have you asked Santa for, see any cute boys on the way over, how long til your mummy & my mummy run off to H&M... Miss Martha then attempted a very classy air kiss but was foiled by Ava's camera-shyness. Those two words in one sentence? Not a chance.

The day before Christmas Eve, Ava & I caught up late afternoon with Nicky & Lois at Noah's Ark to exchange Christmas presents. This involved hot mochas, hot chocolate fudge cake (well, Lo's, strictly, but Ava didn't let that stop her)

Then, before we could check the calendar... It was Christmas Eve. Ava awoke with runny ears & red spots on her forehead & cheeks. My first thought was: 'The pox have arrived.' But they failed to sprout anywhere else, so we called the NHS helpline & after providing details of Ava's symptoms (misery quickly moving to the foremost), it was suggested she had a virus. Push fluids, keep warm, lots of cuddles. I was heartbroken for my little girl: we wanted her to have a magical Christmas, relish the build-up & wake up the following morning in a flurry of excitement. I, meanwhile, was rapidly developing a bloodshot & weepy left eye. Not a good look. Throat far too sore...surely not at Christmas, us being ill? As a teacher, there's nothing worse than being ill at the times we hold dearest: weekends, holidays...but Christmas? PUHH-LEEASE! It only later transpired after a conacellation appointment to see our doctor that Ava had a double ear infection & I had a throat infection and conjunctivitis. So Team Lea (led bravely by its alpha male....Indi....just kidding, Dave) snuggled for the day, watched old movies & sipped hot drinks in our pyjamas. Apart from the illness, it was a dream day. The tree looked fantastic & we were poised for San-San's arrival deep in the night. Poor Ava was no better Christmas morning - a marker of this was her lack of reaction to all the presents under the tree, including a wonderful trike from her grandparents. Ava bought Dave a Blackberry & even uploaded all his contacts, charged it & added a homepage picture - very thoughtful, Ava! We were expecting Dave's parents & gran early afternoon so after a lazy breakfast amid some great presents, we organised the wrapping paper-strewn living room so we could rediscover the sofas.
PS. Ava LOVES sprouts. Can't get enough of them!

Ava-Boo, We Love You Two

2010-12-13T20:46:00.017Z

Our awesome Ava turned two on Friday...& we spent the evening celebrating how much wonderfulness you can pack into a twenty four month young. Ava was born at 01:52 in the morning. As I did last year when it was her first birthday, I set my alarm for 1:50 & crept into her room to whisper 'Happy Birthday.' This year, we brought her into bed with us, so she'd wake up in our room, surrounded by love...& all her wonderful presents & cards. Check out the Tina Turner hair! Ava got Daisy Doo pyjamas from her grandparents... ...a fantastic learning laptop from Teresa... ...and one of her presents from us was her first Etch a Sketch. If only Dave would let her try it! I thought, if Dave can use it, I'll leave Ava a message too... That evening, Nicky, Steve & Lois came over. It was like Ava had her own personal dresser & stylist! Ava blew out both candles on her home-baked cupcakes... ...& when it all got a bit overwhelming (this is after Ava was heard singing happy birthday to herself), she went straight to 'Nick Nick' for the cuddles Nicky had been hankering after... ...and then returned to the sofa to indulge in the rest of her uneaten cupcake. The evening's celebrations were rounded off with Ava deciding that, at two, she was of the age to begin dressing up:

It was so sad to watch Ava realise that Lois was leaving with Nicky & Steve. Ava panicked, clung to 'my Lolo' & cried her eyes out. She absolutely adores Lo, Nicky's pride & joy...& it gave me a similar lump in my throat the next morning when, getting ready to choose a Christmas tree, I put in one of the cupcake hairclips Nicky bought Ava when she looked at me & said 'Where Nick Nick?'
Our beautiful two year young...

51 + 6

2010-12-01T16:29:00.014Z

Last Sunday Dave, Ava & I drove to Nicky, Steve & Lois' new house for Sunday lunch. What was described as a cosy house was clearly played-down: number 51 was immediately welcoming, with a gorgeous back garden (including an amazing tree house which Ava eyed up, along with a fushia basketball net). Hanging Buddha canvases on the fence completed the zen-look. Dave & I fell in love with the snug: a wonderfully warm, sunny space decorated in true Nicky-style. Loved it. You wouldn't think they'd moved in only two weeks previously: Nicky had stamped their look throughout the house, attacking painting jobs with gusto ('Why won't this yellow cover with white?') & knocking out old fire grills to replace with multi-height candles in the space. The dining table looked amazing, with personalised luggage tags round the wine glasses, chalk-written messages on slate in the centre of the table ... even Ava (why do I type 'even'? Nicky is the hostess with the mostest) had her own 'table for one', complete with name tag, fab cutlery & a wonderful view. What a lucky little lady. We didn't see much of Ava for the first hour: she absolutely adores the wonderful 'Lolo' & chased her round with barely contained joy. The tree house was met with such excitement she practically needed to be bribed to turn her direction away from the [as yet unopened] door for a second... If the tree house was an instant hit the retro red wagon received regular & full-volume peals:

Lunch was a wonderful affair - Ava experimented with water from a champagne flute (& did quite well, if spillage is anything to measure it by!) & the champagne cream over warm mince pies was beyond decadent.

After dinner, while the adults made small talk, Lo & Ava hung out...

It's All About 'My'

2010-11-25T20:44:00.019Z

Ava is embracing possessive pronouns with relish - her latest word is 'My!' (actually, her latest word is 'Theo', the name of the new kid on the block as from today. Ava calls him 'THEEE-YO!') & suddenly everything belongs to her. Talk about assertiveness. Our gorgeous chocolate lab didn't stand a chance the other day when he came within sniffing distance of Ava's yogurt. Her response? 'NO Indi! MY!' My wonderful ex-colleague Carol had this to say: Re: 'My' it could be a few things at this stage ie it is a possessive pronoun, obviously, but if she uses it a lot she could be using it as a pivot word - her way of starting off new phrases. I think her use of My rather than 'mine' is just because the articulation of the 'n' sound takes a bit more effort. Kids avoid difficult sounds sometimes (as do adults!).
As endearing as this telegraphic stage is (this morning we were treated to 'My shoes!' 'My coat!' 'My dolly!'), it can also be the teensiest bit frustrating. Ava now insists that she must have everything we come into contact with, and today she & I did battle over my sunglasses and my ipod (our daughter has developed a vice-like grip, but for the record folks, they're MINE)
Ava's also started saying 'Um...' when you ask her who she's played with at the end of a weekday. It's ALWAYS the luscious Sidney, my friend Barbara's son, but on Friday I sat on the sofa next to her & asked my usual two questions:
Me: Did you have a good day today, Ava?
Ava: (emphatic nodding of head) Yes
Me: Who did you play with?
Ava: Um...Idney, Molly, Arlie (Harlie), Lila (for some reason, she can't pronounce Edward, the name of this absolutely gorgeous, pint-sized little friend of hers, who comes toddling over to you when you arrive in the afternoon, looks up at you & taps your leg for attention. I could squeeze him, really I could)
I wish I could have been at Ava's nursery yesterday when Dave picked her up. She squealed when she saw him and when he scooped her up high in his arms, she pointed to her chest & announced smugly to her little friends: 'MY Daddy.' Judging by the look on Dave's face as he recounted this tale, he was beaming with pride.
Last night when I was getting Ava ready for bed after her bath, I experimented with proper nouns & personal pronouns. I pointed to my chest & said 'Mummy', then pointed to Ava's chest & said 'Ava.' My heart melted when her eyes lit up & she pointed to her chest and said 'Mummy!' I like to think she meant that she loves me. Then I tried out 'I' and 'Me'. She smiled at me, tipped her head & pointing to pictures of her on our dresser, called out 'Ava!'
We're working with 'Mummy loves Ava, Daddy loves Ava' & tried it out this morning. Her response as she headed out the door with Dave? 'Bye Mummy! See you soon!'

(Oh and some fabulous news - the wonderful Teresa from nursery called us last night! Although she no longer works at Ava's nursery (sad face times three), Ava says her name regularly & we'd wondered where she had been as we hadn't seen her recently. We were beyond disappointed as we'd really hoped she would be Ava's carer in her final room at Nunu. When Ava moved into fab Becky's room in January, Ava met & totally fell in love with Teresa; they used to greet each other with a roar & infectious giggling each morning, so we're thrilled that we're going to see her again soon. And check this out: once I put Teresa on loudspeaker on my mobile & Ava realised who was speaking, she started kissing the screen! Too cute...)

A Weekend with Friends

2010-11-23T14:36:00.029Z

We love weekends. So it was awesome to spend last weekend with two families (despite having lost my voice & still, nearly four days later, not having found it). Friday night, Ava spent some quality time with a special someone... (Matt Cardle singalong video refused to load...)
On Saturday, while Dave indulged his inner-DIY, Ava & I went to Nantwich & Ginger & Pickles to catch up with her gran. After lunch Chez Barnes, Wendy & I took Ava & Oliver to feed the ducks. Ava insisted on getting closer & closer: 'My!' she cried as she saw a swan. They loved throwing bread to the ducks (most of which was deftly caught mid-air by a posse of seagulls) & just taking in the scene...

They weren't very happy, however, about being asked to hang around on a bench and pose for a picture - very unlike them both! We soon worked out that it must be because neither of them had had a nap.

Late afternoon, joined by Dave & Steve (who Ava calls 'Teve'), we went into town to see the Christmas lights get switched on. We saw Alex from Ceebeebies, who must have been handed a redundant mike - we couldn't hear him - and after several countdowns, the cobbles were aglow.

Sunday morning, Ava made Dave laugh when she came toddling in from the hall wearing my gloves. Unknown to either of us, she'd been rummaging in my bag & managed to get them on her hands. I don't know what caught my eye first: that wretched dummy, the Marmite on her cheek or the state of her hands!

Ava had a blast on Sunday. Nicky, Steve & Lois came over for lunch & Ava was thrilled to catch up with 'Lolo' - they pilfered chocolate together...

Played with their new Beanies together...

Indulged their love of dancing with abandon to the The Black Eyed Peas together...

Declared war on each other, pelting each other with balls from Ava's ball pool (the fabulous Nicky couldn't help getting a little competitive)...

And then relaxed together. Ava fell blissfully asleep in ten year old Lois' arms...

When Ava Met 13B

2010-11-18T19:53:00.011Z

Last Wednesday, Ava came into work to meet my A-level Language class & my colleagues Sally & Ellen. The module they are covering is called 'Child Language Acquisition', studying how communication skills & language develops & evolves from birth to the age of eleven. I collapsed the lesson, organised prompt sheets for observation, cleared the tables & chairs, brought in a load of Ava's books & toys ... & warned the class not to expect a 'typical' Ava as the circumstances were very new to her.
Surprisingly (or perhaps not), Ava was only reserved for the first ten minutes of the hour. She clung to my leg, looked wide-eyed at my students, who sat cross-legged on the floor, waiting for me to use some of the ten features of Child-Directed Speech, for Ava to use telegraphic utterances, for me to show features of Skinner's positive reinforcement & Bruner's LASS theory.
I really enjoyed showing Ava off - while she was initially shy, she soon singled out a male student to kick the football to ... fifteen years older than her! I'd bookmarked some extracts from 'Waybuloo' & 'In the Night Garden' on Youtube to show on my whiteboard ... Ava quickly got distracted from the attention of the students & was in awe of what, to her, must have seemed like the world's biggest tv... I could tell she was more confident when she started running around, oblivious to the giggling students... And when Ava discovered the keyboard of my computer, she delighted in tapping various keys... Busted!!! The end of the lesson saw Ava being indulged by my Associate Teacher, Charlotte, showing her just how fun a chair on wheels can be...

Relight my Fire(work)

2010-11-18T19:36:00.007Z

So after a delay in blogging due to being ill with a virus, I have two catch-up posts.

Bonfire Night was another opportunity for Ava to hook up with Oliver & Harry (or, according to Ava, 'Oli' & 'Arry'). We ate together, toasted Wendy & Steve when they announced they're expecting another baby (Team Barnez is expanding!) & watched Steve & Dave Beech take the setting up & letting off of fireworks very seriously. Check out Dave's gear...

Contrary to Harry, who's a little hesitant around fireworks...
...Ava LOVED the experience, watching first from inside...

Then getting all wrapped up...

And then lapping it up, squealing in awe!

Holding her first sparkler was a perfect end to the evening...

Hallowe'en Love Triangle

2010-11-01T13:42:00.025Z

Ava dressed up to thrill for a Hallowe'en get together, hosted by Team Beech. Clearly loving being the centre of attention between Oliver & Harry, Lady Lea wasted no time in testing out the toys, having made a late start to the day. She came into our bed at 8am & snoozed solo (note the territorial arm spreading) for a further hour. Even up to fifteen minutes before we left the house, Ava fell asleep with Dave... Enter the boys: Oliver & Harry. Both worthy contenders...

Before Ava sat down for dinner, there was the cashing up to do...

Then she couldn't resist a little L'Oreal swing of her hair in the car...because she's worth it...

Wendy & I were glad to see that our munchkins didn't get themselves pigeonholed according to gender stereotypes when they played with Harry & Amelia's toys:
Although, when Oliver got a little stuck...
'Just a simple suction malfunction.'
And then, wily Ava had Oliver right where she wanted him...

'You missed a bit, Barnes. Don't think I won't notice if you take any shortcuts.'
You'd have thought Ava was filming for Top Gear:

'No Daddy. You're behind the times. This is a finger-touch-activation. Keys are so 2009.'

'So. These are pedals. I got it.'
Pudding was fed to her (coy, Ava - very coy) by Harry's dad, the fabulous Dave Beech (who, it seems, also still pulls the same facial expression when feeding toddlers):
The delicious Harry with his disarming grin was quite the demon on wheels - & even stopped mid collision to allow for a photo opportunity:
Toy time just got better after dinner...
'Now Harry, be sensible. You'll never get any music out of that tiny pink guitar.'
'How about I look after it for you. It goes much better with this pink purse I've pilfered from Amelia.'
Cunning - she then gave it to Oliver!

Ava followed up by cosying up on Steve's lap to drink her milk & oversee playtime between the two boys vying to be the object of her affections.

Once Oliver & Ava changed into their pyjamas for the drive home (cosy), things hotted up. First, Ava flirted a little with a nearly 4-years-old-Harry (look at the anticipatory smile here ... & her hands round Harry's waist!):

Then Wendy & I captured some smooching in the kitchen between Ava & Oliver:
Harry then appeared in the kitchen, eager to spread a little love (I'm convinced Ava only wiped Oliver's kisses off with an arm to entice Master Beech):

A fabulously entertaining evening in all & wonderful to catch up with Team Beech.
We're looking forward to Bonfire Night Chez Barnes (watch out for the popcorn fireworks, Sue!) on Friday...

Snuggles at Snugbury's

2010-10-25T12:40:00.006+01:00

Dave came home on Saturday afternoon - a few hours earlier than anticipated - & just in time for a family trip to Snugbury's for an indulgent ice cream. This is only our second visit; we went the same time last year when Dave got back from Monaco for the first time. It was clear that Ava was ecstatic to have her Daddy back. We waited on the sofa in the window for his return & when he pulled up, Ava froze for an instant, to make sure it was really him, then started bouncing up & down in unrestrained delight, smacking the back of the sofa & laughing her little head off. Even in the car, when we could tell she wanted to have a little snooze, it was as if she didn't dare close her eyes in case Dave disappeared for another week. 'Daddy sit' was the gorgeous two-word statement from her mouth when we paid for our ice creams... Then the two of them fell into blissfully contented silence, eating their ice creams (check out how different Ava looked this time last year!)

Candlelight & Milk

2010-10-25T11:37:00.010+01:00

Last Thursday, with her main man still away on business in Monaco, Ava was invited to Oliver's for a dinner date ... chaperoned by Wendy & I. They feasted on a chicken & tomato casserole with sweet potato mash, followed by homemade apple crumble & custard, washed down with a cup of milk. Tres romantic! We arrived late (something to do with me chasing Ava round Next) to find that Oliver, sat at the head of the table, had already made a start! Bibbed & covered in his meal, he made Ava giggle.

With Oliver still in his highchair & Ava elevated by two cushions, they made for such a cute pair at the dining table...

This picture looks like Oliver is about to propose a toast to his beautiful date...
All too soon, the munchkins got bored with sitting still & wanted 'down' to play with Oliver's many toys (a minor power struggle ensued over who got to sit on the toy fire engine...both Ava & Oliver temporarily forgot all date etiquette); however Wendy's call of 'Dessert!' brought them scampering back to the table.

The flirting which followed was deftly captured on film (working on uploading a reluctant video!). How Ava coyly (ok, perhaps not so) attracts Oliver's attention through the French doors...& then uses Oliver's dummy as a ruse for some impromptu 'peek a boo!'...

After play time, it was time for the date to come to an end. Oliver & Ava needed no encouragement from Wendy or I to show their affection for each other (unabashed PDA!)

And check it out - Oliver kisses with his eyes open!

The Great Outdoors

2010-10-16T21:36:00.016+01:00

Saturday. Sun. Slides.
Early this morning, Dave headed off to Monaco for a week on business. That left Ava & I to our own devices. So we had a mooch around Stockton Heath, looking early at Christmas decorations (who am I kidding - it can never be too early), buying cards & I also bought the first of Ava's second birthday presents in a fabulous store called Etc.
Wendy & I planned to take the munchkins to the park in the afternoon. Ava & Oliver had a blast, scaling the climbing frames, negotiating rides & laughing at each other.

"Lady Lea: You may indeed pass."

Ava soon got into the swing of things (note the pun) & really enjoyed making her way round the climbing frame, which is where she spent most of her time. I had to laugh when she got a bit precious at the sight of other children wanting to approach - Oliver was away at the other end, taking the slide head first, or I'm sure he would have placated her!

"My dear Oliver. Do stand up. There is simply no need to kiss my feet
every time you see me!"

The Simon Says activity board was a big hit with Ava. I tried several times to get a video of her successfully repeating the instructions each time, but she ran off laughing!

Simon Says touch your knees!

"My turn! My turn!"

Then there was the ... the, um ... wow, I feel very old in not remembering the name of this one...

There's nothing like feeling the autumn breeze rushing through your hair...

But overall the frame was a firm fave:

Man, that is high up...

Two sniffly noses eventually got the better of Ava & Oliver & we headed back to Wendy's for more coffee & more playtime for the two...in a warmer location! On next weekend's shopping list: hat & mittens!

One Plus One = TWO!

2010-10-13T19:32:00.005+01:00

Today at 5:15pm, something of monumental significance happened.
Ava put two words together for the first time!

Being a teacher of English Language, I have become more than a little 'textbook' where Ava's linguistic development is concerned...as if I needed to be any more neurotic! Ava has been in the holophrastic stage for ages now (being able to speak one word, although she can easily repeat a couple of words which we say first & she then imitates) & I've been acutely aware (okay, more than I should be) that the textbooks suggest that around 24 months, the telegraphic stage replaces the previous - which means being able to utter two words together. Ava was 22 months young on Sunday.

Dave & Ava picked me up from the train station after a course today in Manchester & we went to my in-laws', where a certain adorable feline lives. I'm definitely not a cat person but I have to make an exception where Tigger is concerned...he's quite the cutie & Ava, animal lover that she is, adores him. So when we went into the living room, having squealed & grinned & done a little impromptu dance (this is Ava by the way, NOT Dave!), Ava very clearly said 'Hello Tiggy!'

I froze, asked Dave to repeat what Ava had said to make sure I had heard right.
OUR LITTLE GIRL IS NOW IN THE TELEGRAPHIC STAGE! YIPPEEEEEE!

The luscious Bella in Marbella (speaking of other fast-forward females) is a mere two hours older than Ava & is already in the post-telegraphic stage, stringing three words together & no doubt headed for more. This has shown two things: 1) I am a competitive mummy. I admit I felt more than a little envious that Bella was post telegraphic & Ava was holophrastic. 2) No two children develop linguistically at the same rate. Despite going to a fabulous nursery full time & being stimulated with all manners of activities, Ava hasn't hit the telegraphic stage until she's been ready. Part of me feels a little sheepish...I now wonder what the fuss was about (despite wondering when she'll do it again). I was like this in the run-up to my due date when I was pregnant, when I was waiting for / encouraging Ava to lift her head during tummy time (which she loathed), roll over, sit unaided, crawl, stand, walk...anyone sensing a pattern?!

I am a very proud mummy tonight, while our Ava Boo is sleeping peacefully in her bed in the next room (which by the way, is going wonderfully - Goldilocks is loving it!).

Here's another two words, Ava: Clever girl!

Heaps of love,
Mummy & Daddy XX

Pucker Up, Buttercup

2010-10-10T18:03:00.006+01:00

Dave & I have a fast-forward female on our hands.
Ava has spent the afternoon chasing boys & kissing them behind postboxes.
Ahem...she's 22 months young today.

Today was Oliver's christening, the boy we have since convinced ourselves has lined himself up to be Ava's future betrothed. However, while everyone was in church, I excused myself with an increasingly vocal Ava, who couldn't understand why Oliver had moved from sitting behind her in the pews to miles away at the front of the church. So for a half hour, Ava & I sauntered amidst the gravestones in the garden. Ava found a cat, who she tried to lure over to her - she even threw her dummy in its direction, perhaps thinking she could use it as bait. We stopped to read the memorials of a five year old child & a seven month old baby who died in 1864.

Being such a warm & sunny day, it was perfect that we were all driving over to Flavour in town. The bi-folding doors were opened to let the sun in, Ava had her lunch with the other children before we indulged in Sunday lunch.

Ava is increasingly like Dave in that she likes to be on the move - unless we're reading a book together, she's not very keen on sitting still.

Enter Oliver.
And Harry.

Suddenly, Ava had another boy vying to be the object of her affections.
And whereas some little girls - some grown women might accept one male & happily carry on, Ava is like me - even numbers is best. She welcomed Harry.
She egged him on! More than twice, Dave approached the nearly three year old munchkin to say 'Was that you I saw stealing kisses with my daughter behind the postbox?' Harry loved it. Apparently at home, he embraces whoever's close by & announces with puckered lips: 'Let's kiss like they do in the films!'

When Oliver emerged from Flavour, under the watchful eye of the men who were engaging in boytalk, Ava squealed with delight & effortlessly juggled the attention of both boys - planting kisses on cheeks, tops of heads & full-on mouth-to-mouth CPR-esque smooches.

Even when it was time to go, Ava insisted on being lowered into Oliver's pushchair so they could share a lingering goodbye kiss. Bearing in mind over a dozen adults were in attendance, about to be the last of the large party of us to leave the afternoon, neither Ava nor Oliver were in the least bit self conscious about this very PDA.

Dave & I thought she'd be worn out from all the chasing & being chased & we weren't mistaken. Ten minutes arfter arriving home, having made a mug of filter mocha coffee & throwing on my pj's, this sight greeted me in the living room...

Worn out, clammy from running round...& that was just Dave, who was nodding off side by side with his adoring daughter.

Our Little Slip(per) of a Daughter

2010-10-07T20:37:00.016+01:00

Yesterday we bought Ava a pair of slippers, her first pair since she's been able to walk. You know, to channel that 'come home, autumn evening, put on comfy clothes & chill' vibe. First, Dave had picked out a fluffy cream pair from Mothercare when I was pregnant ("The baby can wear these Christmas Day." Because Ava was only 6lb 12oz, they were miles too big for her). Then there was the fabulous pair of faux leopard print ones which came with a matching robe from Ava's favourite Aunty Sharon. Then yesterday, came these beauties...

Ava LOVES 'In the Night Garden' & squeals 'Daisy!' when Oopsy Daisy appears on the tv or in her magazine. So when we found Daisy Ugg-style slippers, we hit the jackpot. Course, then we found fab winter tights, so Ava clutched those under her arm. Then I found an uber cool alpine hat, but as soon as I plonked it on her head, Ava took off at speed down the aisle in an empty Next with it still on - laughing loudly! Slippers & a winter hat - a curious ensemble!
Putting them on at home was hilarious - Ava got changed & transformed herself into Lady Muck while Dave fit them...

Where are they now?
On Ava's feet.
Where is Ava?
Tucked up in bed, fast asleep.
She refused to take them off.

In other news... Ava's even more enamoured with the camera - if I take the camera out of the study, she poses without delay, waiting! She has an enviably positive self-image: she grabs the camera to inspect the result, nodding & grinning. Can't work out if she's an aspiring Annie Liebowitz or a star in the making!

And a favourite from this morning...

Ava has the X-Factor

2010-10-03T10:33:00.020+01:00

Ava knows that if she's going to be staying up past her bedtime, she needs to put in a few zzzzz's before the nominated event... Last night Team Lea & Team Coleman converged: we did the same exactly a year ago when it was the show at the judges' homes. Ava learnt to say 'Benny' & 'Pip', the Colemans' two dogs & insisted on going to see them every few minutes - BFF Sharon & I were glued to the oversized tv, watching our luscious Simon pass judgement on the bands. And poor Louis with his lot! Ava has changed SO much since we all watched last year's X-Factor together. Check out the differences between these two pictures: Of course, calls kept coming in which Ava was required to field... & she put in serious quality time bonding with her favourite Aunt:

She even let her Uncle Darren indulge her in some of his wittiest jokes: When Kieron came in, he may have been all smiles, but Ava went very coy & shy! She has always been totally mesmerized by the fabulous KC, & let's face it, who could blame her? She curled up with the guys, indulged in some dancing & sampled some delicious prawn bites (but preferred to dip the stick in the sweet chilli sauce!)
A girl with great taste, Ava had to slide off the sofa to get closer when a certain judge graced the screen... She even brought her milk & rag doll, Poppy to watch Simon with her... So entranced by Mr Cowell's responses to the bands, Ava did not appreciate the distractions behind her! We ended the night playing 'Spot the Coleman' on a gorgeous family shot Sharon had framed...

Finally, our independent Cinderella gathered her toys together & put her own slippers on before Piper, our Beetle turned into a pumpkin.

Hair's the thing...

2010-10-02T17:19:00.003+01:00

This morning, Ava let me put her hair in a teeny tiny ponytail for the very first time.
Mum.
Daughter.
A hair brush & a ponytail holder.
Ava stood perfectly still, perfectly patient, wearing a massive smile in our sun-flooded bathroom on our sacred Saturday family day.
And sure...she pulled it out five minutes later, but...
It's these moments that reaffirm why I became a mum.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

2010-09-22T21:20:00.005+01:00

My favourite picture of Ava asleep at two days young: December 12th, 2008.

A punctuated update on Ava's approach to 'hitting the hay'. Night one, Ava slept for three hours befoe waking suddenly & not being able to locate her dummy. Dave's response? 'I put her in our bed so she can nod off.' GRRRRR! Momma Bear was displeased - how does that introduce her to her new fandangled bed? Ava was returned to her bed a mere hour later when I went up to bed...we got up a few times in the night with her. My ongoing frustration over Ava being reliant on falling asleep with a dummy in her mouth ('pacifier', my fab Canadian friends!) is just that - she can't fall asleep without it. So if we go into her room within seconds of hearing her stir, return dummy to owner, Ava will pretty much go straight back to her dream.
Last night, Ava went to sleep in her bed at 7:30 & slept til 1:30. It took 10-15 mins to soothe her, convince her in hushed tones that staying in her room was better than going into Mummy & Daddy's room (despite her persistent pointing) & when I slipped back under the covers, it was with a message to Dave that 'Ava won't go back to sleep for me; she keeps launching the dummy across the room which I've returned to her. Your turn!' (payback for wimping out & putting her in our bed on Night 1. Rookie mistake, Lea). Then from 1:30-5:30...peaceful, blissful snoring from Lady Lea's room (I assure you, the snoring is only barely audible when you lean against her ajar bedroom door!).

Tonight: Ava went to bed at 7pm & it's all quiet upstairs at 9:30. We're persevering!

Dream rich, fulfilling dreams, little girl...

Every Picture Tells a Story

2010-09-21T21:24:00.019+01:00

When my camera's not to hand, my trusty mobile acts as a go-between, capturing little moments of Ava's antics that I love looking back on. Like the days when you developed an old film found in your camera, I finally uncovered my mobile cable earlier tonight after a couple of weeks of searching high & low (now why didn't I think of Dave's sock drawer before now?!)...

Lady Lea & Miss Martha caught up with each other in Giraffe last month. Ollivia & I spent most of lunch cooing over how they communicated with each other. One anticipated the other's wants/needs/squeals...very cute to observe.

Dave & Ava, losing themselves in the wonderful world of Dr Seuss while in Spain. Ava loves her books, loves being read to, loves identifying the dogs, cats, elephants, balloons, skis & babies in 'Oh, the places you'll go!'

Here, Ava pretends not to struggle with the fact that my new work bag is almost as big as her. However, that will not stop her from trying the slide the handles up her arm. Where has she picked this up from?!

'Dear Diary...Mummy wanted to go shopping again. I insisted on bringing a pen...'
Ava decided to self-graduate from her trusty Crayolas to, well, any of my stray pens from my pencil case. Will she accept 'no'? NO!

Dave chose a fabulous outfit for his favourite girl a couple weeks ago in H&M: a silvery grey tunic, faded jeans with folded lace-trimmed pockets & knitted ballet flats. I took this picture before either of us had chance to 'tame the mane' - the back of Ava's hair regularly resembles a Tiny Turner-style nest!

Man, I love these flats...

Thank goodness these aren't my Pradas & only an £8 pair from Topshop...

Wear them like Mummy wears them, Ava! And instantly, she slides them up onto her head.

Helping themselves to apples from Wendy's trees, Ava & her fab friend Oliver discuss the crunch, texture & possibilities of the fruit in a crumble...

Potty training is going quite well; Ava brings the potty to me & gestures that she wants her jeans/skirt/dress/leggings off so she can sit on it.

But most of all, this is the picture from my mobile that I love. I caught Ava on the hop last Sunday, whipping out of Wendy's kitchen doors to catch Oliver in their garden. Hair flying, eyes bright, it totally captures her fun-loving, whimsical nature...

And So to Bed

2010-09-19T18:54:00.011+01:00

Tonight is a big night in the Lea household.
Ava sleeps in her own bed for the first time.
First, she slept in my womb.
Then she slept in a baby crib in hospital.
Next, she slept in her Moses basket for 11 weeks.
From then, she slept in her cot.
When necessary, she owned a good half of our bed. Diagonally.
Tonight however, she is in her bedroom, with a changed layout & a decidedly more grown-up vibe going on.
Her cot has been transformed into a junior bed.
While it feels like we've had Ava in our lives forever, today has made me very sentimental, wondering where my baby has gone. At 21 months, we decided to 'graduate' Ava from cot to bed & see how she handled it. We're potty training her at the same time & she's making real progress, why not two changes at once?
So this afternoon, Dave & Ava went & bought a bed guard, to help protect against midnight antics. But why don't they look trendier than the hot pink version Dave returned home with? If they can revolutionise the look of stairgates, who's overlooked this re-style opportunity?
Dave set to work, dismantling the cot while Ava pottered round her room. So within a short time, Ava's room went from this...

...to this...

Suddenly, Ava has a lot more floor space, a totally different view when she sleeps...we hope she loves it. The child gate at the door ensures that we don't get scared out of our wits when a tiny face appears at our side at 3am.
Everyone who knows me, knows I've never subscribed to the 'baby' look...giraffe prints, borders...& sure, in time, there'll be a wood floor, fluffy rug, different feature wall...but for now, what's more important is maintaining Ava's sleep patterns of up to 11 hours straight through.
She looked so tiny, tucked in bed with her duvet up to her chin, clutching Elle, her favourite sleep toy.
How's she doing so far?
It's been a half hour & not a peep.
Updates tomorrow!

Plan B

2010-09-11T21:48:00.011+01:00

With both of our husbands swanning round the Belfry this weekend for the annual golf competition, it was a great opportunity for Wendy & I to get the munchkins together for some quality play time. Plan A? Take a fabulous picnic in a vintage hamper to Dunham Massey with some teddy bears, Snugburys money & of course, our cameras. After a mooch round the Farmers Market (where I sampled & bought the most most delicious nut roast) in town with Ava, Wendy & Oliver, we moved to Plan B. Plan Barnez! We'd have a picnic in Wendy's kitchen. While there weren't the deer that Ava & Oliver would have loved to see again at Dunham Massey, Wendy is the hostess with the mostess; check out the yummy mummy treats! Ava & Oliver tucked into toasted sandwiches...

then had a minor altercation involving some organic carrot snacks...

Clearly, a picnic indoors or outdoors wasn't going to interrupt all the conference calls Ava was required to take...

Then it was time for dessert: fromage frais with red grapes & raspberries. Predictably, it went everywhere!
Oliver 'Two Cups' Barnes made a bold move by drinking Ava's milk from her cow cup - that definitely did not go unnoticed (& while Ava was taking a particularly important call ... sneaky, Master Barnes!)...

When the air had cleared, milk had been returned, Ava had stopped making her very audible protesting squawking sounds & Oliver had learnt the error of his ways, it was time to chill in Wendy's gorgeous living room with some alphabet blocks. It's great watching our toddlers play together; Wendy & I have been friends for seven years - sharing anecdotes, swapping advice & elbowing each other out of the way to see who can get the best shot is a constant joy.

Third Room's a Charm

2010-09-06T19:38:00.005+01:00

Lady A started in a new room at Nunu this morning ... it was the breakfast room Dave or I used to drop her off in when she first started at nursery, one whole year ago (pause for exhalation of breath...already??). This is the third picture we've taken outside the entrance: first in September 09, then in January this year, when she started in Bec & Millie's room, and now, September 6th 2010, she has moved to Sarah & Rachel's room. Still a bit clingy after returning from having us all to herself for a week on holiday & me exclusively at home the week before, Dave & I begrudgingly left her to have reassuring cuddles with fab Sarah before heading to work (NOT the morning to have a load of photocopying to do!) Look how much Ava's changing! Hair's getting longer! No longer the blonde fluffy mohican Alexia first commented on! Check out the differences from her September & January posts...our Miss Ava is now a toddler.

Ava spent over seven months with Bec, Millie, Ann, Ellen & Debbie & had a total blast. I was really proud to come home today after a pretty frazzled work day & read Ava's progress report from nursery which Bec had written. Ava's so lucky to be in the care during the week of such fab girls. Now she's movin' on up & is still with Sid, Harley and the rest of the posse she's known since day one in Alexia & Linzi's room. We love that, love the continuity, the security of her keeping her nursery friends close by.

Thanks so much for how you've cared for & helped stimulated Ava's development as her key person, Bec. You're awesome & Dave & I are very appreciative of everything you've done. Mwah!

Little Miss Tantrum

2010-09-02T21:49:00.004+01:00

I have seen a glimpse of the 'terrible twos' (having tried in vain to convince myself it's a mere urban myth).
It's not pretty.

While we were holidaying in the fabulous Alicante, Ava slept with us in a super-comfy queen size bed. The second bedroom wasn't toddler friendly & I do love waking up to the sight of our little Lady A snoozing peacefully.
As idyllic as that sounds, Dave & I knew the issues with bedtime we would have on our return home. Let's face it, who would go back to cot-slumbering when you could re-enact Goldilocks' visit to Mama & Papa Bears' beds?
Yesterday was very difficult. After letting Dave put Ava in our bed since our return (I had cupcakes, Naming Day, return to work on my mind), Tuesday was the first night since last Friday that we insisted Ava stay the night in her nursery, in her cot for the night. Ava's bedtime routine has always been very structured since she was a mere seven weeks young: play time on our bed, bath, story, milk, bed. On the last one, we have stumbled!
Ava sits on my lap on her seat in her room, drinks her milk & I place her in her cot. Now that her legs are getting longer, she wily wraps them round me like a baby chimp, so that I need to unpeel her from me to lay her in her cot.
Why bother, I ask myself?
The first thing she does is flip to her front, stand up, rush to the foot of the cot, launch her dummy across the room & scream bloody murder. Ooooooh - where does she get that temper from?! It's so very difficult not to laugh at her; Ava takes her little amateur melodramatics very seriously. There are minimal, if any tears (clue one), there is a drum sound of her kicking the base of the cot in a tirade of unleashed fury. Dave has also been witness to her shaking her cot back & forth. Collective 'Whoa....'
I'm unsure I can video it for collective consumption ... maybe as a visual aid for my co-yummy mummies of younger tots? A 'Ten Step Program to Disengage the Co-Sleeping Cycle'?
What's our response? I don't pick up Ava out of her cot. We give her five minutes at the start of her performance / outburst to establish herself & in all seriousness, to express herself. We pride ourselves on being parents who let Ava express how she feels. Then either Dave or I go in calmly, offer her her errant dummy / place it on her pillow, give her a hug & walk out. Twenty minutes tonight, but it's decreasing in the time it takes for her to self-soothe & fall into a fitful sleep.
Oh, but how I hate the sound of her ragged & uneven breath after exerting herself...

Sweet dreams, Miss Ava. Your cot is soon to be transformed into a bed...

What's in a Name?

2010-08-29T17:51:00.008+01:00

'What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'
-Act 2 Scene 2, 'Romeo & Juliet'

I'm not sure whether or not Juliet got it right.

Ava means: breath of life, waterfall, bird, desire, voice, life. And truly, she is every one of those. In that sense, Juliet was mistaken. Would Ava be the same little girl, had we called her by another name? Doubtless yes. So in that sense, I'm on the fence with the wronged lover of Shakespeare's world. We love that her name fits her like the ubiquitous glove: it's not a name heard every day, called to every other girl; she's one on her own. Constantly refreshing like a waterfall, her voice is lilting like a bird's; she is our life.

Yesterday we held a Naming Day for Miss Ava Grace Lea. As her parents & non-church-goers, we made a personal choice as parents of a new family that we should let Ava grow up & learn about different religions instead of speaking for her. In our experience, religions divide & rule & distort; people get babies christened to access the better schools, but never go to church & the whole idea of standing in a church & promising to 'ward off the Devil' was just anathema to Dave & I.

So our nearest & dearest (unfortunately Charlotte & Tom, Sonia & Nige already had plans & so couldn't attend) helped us celebrate Ava: we held it this year as opposed to last spring/summer so that Ava would be more aware of her surroundings. I got myself nice & stressed over food prep (it's not often I cater for 30!), baked personalised cupcakes (which turned out pretty fab, I have to say) & had loads of fun setting up a playlist on the ipod of Ava's favourite songs, from Alexandra Burke's 'Bad Boys', to Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro', to 'C' is for Cookie' by Sesame Street.

Our dear friends Sharon & Darren are Ava's guardians; Darren read an excerpt from Ava's favourite book, 'Oh, the Places You'll Go!' by Dr Suess (Paola, you have no idea how dogeared & well-learnt this book is that you sent Ava!):

'Congratulations!
Today is your day
You're off to great places
You're off and away.

You have brains in your head
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
Any direction you choose.

So be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
Or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea
You're off to great places! Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting...so get on your way!'

Then we toasted to Ava Grace Lea ... who was a total social butterfly by that point, mixing & mingling with adults & children alike. Lois was her favourite friend, daughter of my fabulous amiga Nicky, both of whom were absolute stars to us yesterday. Nicky got me organised, Lois entertained Ava.
So where are the pictures? Wonderful Kirstie Hunt (check out her pictures & blog: http://www.kirstiehunt.co.uk) spent a couple of hours with us & captured what we're sure are some brilliant moments from the day. More to follow!

Sol, Mar y Sonrie

2010-08-29T08:47:00.052+01:00

Fresh from our Alicante adventure, I am even more convinced that en Espagna, the lifestyle is one to emulate. We may not mirror their climate (boy, there’s the understatement of the year), but the whole concept of siestas, adopting a more relaxed approach to daily affairs, sangria (Paola, you know what I’m talking about!) – Team Lea embraced it all. And none more so than Miss Ava. With a fabulous villa & flights booked, we made our way to the airport last Friday with Ava having no idea that she would get up close to the planes she has been pointing excitedly to in the sky. Bags & carseat checked in, we headed to Giraffe (a favourite of Ollivia, Miss Martha, Ava & mine) for some lunch. Any excuse for Lady Lea to get out the crayons – she’s now upgraded to pens – and Dave wasted no time in getting visually creative with his little girl. Ava & I met a Canadian mum with a baby daughter also called Ava; it seems the name is really popular in that wonderful country. Her strong accent made me homesick in a heartbeat … an incentive for a future holiday! I’d been anxious that Ava didn’t struggle with takeoff, ears popping, the whole altitude thing. I needn’t have worried. She totally loved the experience of being onboard, kept looking around in awe, breathing ‘pane!’ in excitement.
A walk up & down the aisle of the plane meant Ava got another chance to ogle the bling tiara that a girl was sporting for her hen weekend – had she got any closer to her, I’m sure a little hand would have reached out to try it on! Of the 2hr45min flight, Lady Lea fell asleep ten minutes before landing. In fact, she also missed the landing on the way home, in which she slept the whole way. Hola Santa Pola. What a little slice of heaven you are. With searing heat, cloudless skies & unmissable views, we explored our villa, which overlooked a fabulous nature reserve & gave Ava unchartered access to regular takeoff views from Alicante Airport. Then there were the pools. Uno, dos, tres! Dressed to impress, our little lady quickly navigated herself out of the villa & round the corner to poolside, where she made friends with Spanish toddlers (translation: boys), splashed, dunked & laughed her way through many an afternoon. Dave & I expected that because her daily routine had changed for a week, she may not nap as well as she had been doing once a day. However, Ava warmly embraced the concept of siesta, sleeping for up to three hours in the late afternoon & staying awake with Dave & I until we went to bed at 11! No wonder she didn’t rise until nearly ten in the mornings. We saved the splendour of Carabassi Beach until our last morning, where Dave did a ubiquitous Joey: ‘Check it out! Dug me a hole!’ (& promptly deposited a laughing Ava into it!), watching in disbelief as she unflinchingly ate handfuls of damp sand. Even when she knew she had cold water in her sippy cup, she just had to drink from a bigger bottle. Holiday highlights? The leisurely Santa Pola train rides, the afternoon in the centre of Alicante, where we had lunch by the marina & Regatta Club, dahhling, but most of all, delighting in Ava’s enjoyment of her first trip abroad, showcasing various swimsuits, hat & dress ensembles, learning to wink the Ava way, sampling paella & that fabulous personality which stole our hearts twenty months ago. The little lady even got a tan & blonde highlights!

Ladybird, Ladybird, Fly Away Home

2010-08-10T18:05:00.009+01:00

Ava has been at home with me today. After a Rice Krispies breakfast, we did some colouring, although Ava soon became distracted by my new Havaiana's, so she did what I've been waiting patiently (well, not so patiently!) for her to do, & tried them on...

A bit of colouring after that, then we got ready to walk into town. I haven't weighed Ava since the end of March, when she weighed 24lb. Today, at exactly twenty months, she weighs just 26lb 2oz - we put that down to lots of activity, Donna's fabulous cooking at nursery & lots of healthy food at home. Ava has grown to love different types of seafood (salmon is her current fave), loves all vegetables, most recently griddled courgettes from Rob's allotment & knocks back the milk & water. She's very slight & is like a blur most days when she moves - whether that's chasing our dogs (she now says Indi!) or being chased by Dave.
After lunch & a two hour nap, we sat out in the sun & painted. Ava however delighted more in trying to lick the paintbrush & then letting the water from the cup trickle over Indi's back, followed by squeals of pleasure (not from Indi!).

Then, she practiced her right-footed kick of the football until Indi decided he'd join in ... & Ava just wasn't prepared to share her football. She also now says 'football' ... Dave & I have both noticed that her vocabulary has increased loads since the weekend. When either of us say a word or phrase she likes the sound of, she copies it. So now she can copy things like 'Stay there, Jessie!' & 'See you later!' They sound adorable & when we praise her, she nods solemnly & says 'Yesh'. Too cute.
When Dave came home from work, he took his little lady outside to play in the garden while he mowed the lawn while I baked some cupcakes (that's right, Laura, cupcakes!). Imagine how I melted when Dave called me out to say that when Ava had picked up a ladybird - Ava calls them 'bug-bug' - watched it climb up her arm & take flight, Ava looked at Dave & said 'Flowed away.' My lady used the past tense for the first time! Swoon.

And my personal favourites ...

A Girly First & a Not-So Girly First

2010-08-09T18:32:00.006+01:00

Today Ava came home from nursery with two bits of important news: one I could see, the other I was told about...

Her first ponytail, care of Ann! Ann's been itching to get at Ava's hair; until the front section's grown long enough to tuck behind her ear, the interim measure's been a hair clip (which rarely stays in for very long) or one of her many bandanas ... a look she'll be sporting when we're in Spain this month.

The not-so-girly first was that Ava road-tested a potty today! A day before she turns twenty months...Ann had told Dave at the end of last week that she would start potty training soon with Ava pretty soon because she'd been showing some tell-tale signs ahead of the others her age: the concentrated face for a #2, the sidling up immediately after & turning round for a nappy inspection; she'd even pulled her nappy off one day last week when it was wet! Little Miss Independent sat on a potty three times today & didn't seem to mind (in fact, I'm pretty confident that if handed a book / magazine, Ann may have got some moisture in the receptacle!) The weather hasn't been on our side this summer: I'd planned to give Ava lots of nappy-free time in the garden with drinks of water & a potty on the grass to try & get her to link the two together.

So, because of a bout of tummy troubles, Ava & a couple of her friends are at home for the next two days before going back to nursery on Thursday. We're going to walk into town tomorrow & get her weighed, then come home & 'olour', which Ava just loves doing. I remembered about this fab playdough idea from a great blog(http://gigiphotography.com/blog/?p=3305), so we may experiment...

For the Love of Joe-Joe

2010-08-06T21:21:00.008+01:00

Today our little lady kissed goodbye to her first love interest. Joe-Joe spent his last day at nursery before he starts in Reception next month at primary school.
I really feel for my little girl. Bless her, she won't remember Joe-Joe when she grows up, but we'll remind her - we'll show her the picture that was organised at nursery as a Valentine's Day present to her ...

I was so moved by the thoughtfulness of this: the girls at Ava's nursery are fabulous & this picture still takes pride of place in Ava's bedroom: there is a faded chocolatey smudge on Joe-Joe's forehead from where Ava has kissed it so much (she never tired of kissing him).
Why 'Joe-Joe'? When Ava first learnt to say his name, it came out sounding like 'Go-Go'. My language training has taught me that that's called reduplication: repetition of the same phoneme / unit of a word. Over time (doubtless because Ava practised saying it so much!) it has softened in sound to 'Joe-Joe', & that is how he has become known.
Why do I keep this sort of thing? I don't have anything remotely like this from growing up. I think it's really important to keep sentimental momentos like this - it helps to shape your early years. I keep all Ava's daily record sheets from nursery, her paintings, her everything. I'm the mum who values these, who values how much Ava will love going through them all in later years.
Memory is a curious thing. A few months ago, Ava would cry if one of us left the room & we learnt that her understanding was that we had permanently disappeared. At the same development time, though, she'd wake up each morning pointing to the picture & trilling 'Joe-Joe! Joe-Joe!' over & over while making kissy sounds. You draw your own conclusions. What makes me a little sad, though, is that Ava will go into nursery on Monday, walk through the kitchen, look to her right & Joe-Joe won't be there. She'll likely hold out her palms like Becky has said she's done before if Joe-Joe's not been in, & she'll say 'Joe-Joe all gone.' She won't understand that she won't see him every weekday.
I've totally delighted in watching Ava become attracted to a boy nearly three years older than herself. When she moved up to the 1-2 room on January 18th, Joe-Joe quickly caught her eye. Ava is laughingly known for taking her place at the round table directly opposite from the kitchen door, behind which Joe-Joe, his beaming smile & his friends ate their meals. Very clever of my little nosy lovebug, realising that she could eat her food & ogle the comings & goings of her favourite boy.
I've been lucky enough to witness early blatant flirting when Joe-Joe has come into the 1-2 room to say hello: Ava has squealed, practically run away in the opposite direction, before throwing herself at Joe-Joe at high speed, simultaneously wrapping her little arms around his waist & lifting her head up for his adoring kiss. I've seen the little blush creep across Joe-Joe's cheeks when he's acutely realised there's a gaggle of us swooning nearby. It's beyond adorable.
So, soppy mum?
Oversensitive love fiend?
Neither & both.
Love has been defined as so many things: it's not what makes the world go round, it's what makes the ride worthwhile. I could go on.
What I do know is that Joe-Joe has effortlessly lit a besotted smile on my little lady's face every weekday for the last seven months.
I'm thinking of the day when Ava's older & I show her this, reminding & recounting to her the love that was at her nursery - & how lucky she was to have a special someone outside her family to show affection for so early on in her precious life.

The Fabulous First Fifty

2010-08-02T20:39:00.007+01:00

Ava said her fiftieth word today!

As I prepare to start in my promotional post as English Subject Leader at Alsager next month, I've been prepping an A-Level Language course which starts off in Year 13 with CLA - Child Language Acquisition. It's totally interesting, having a toddler at home to make the learning real ... although as an already self-confessed 'Monica', this could escalate to dangerous proportions.

So when I saw a list in a textbook of a girl's first fifty words, I got out a pen & made a list of Ava's.
Except I got to 24 & stopped.
Surely not?
A colleague-to-be suggested that Ava will doubtless say more at nursery, words she wouldn't necessarily use at home.
15 extra words later...
Then I remembered a few more & Ava picked up a couple of new ones over the weekend (see previous blog post; she now makes a 'Shhh' sound & gestures with finger to lips when she says 'Oli')
...& today she said her fiftieth - 'G(r)andad'!

Mamma, Dadda, Jessie, do(g), mo(r)e, bye, hello, hiya, socks, shoes, ta, all gone, Harley, Joe-Joe, up, down, yeah, no, Teresa, Becky, ca(t), moo, (a)gain, foo(d), ba(ll)oon, p(l)ane, uh-uh, boo(k), ele(phant), ball, dirty, Jaden, tractor, teddy, cow, car, quack-quack, dinner, baa-baa, door, see-saw, Millie, Zebra, mouse, baba (baby), row-row, ball, dirty, (h)ot, chee(r)s, Oli, G(r)andad...

& as I've just found out to my error ... showing my deplorable numeracy skills (of course, that is, when I'm calculating percantage discount off shoes), we're up to fifty-two!!!

Date Night

2010-08-01T10:49:00.010+01:00

Last night we took Ava for a play-date with Oliver, under the guise of having dinner with Wendy & Steve, Keith & Louise. Ava wisely played it coy at first, refusing to stray from my side & really making Oliver work for her attention. Unlike previous blog posts which have recounted Ava's unabashed flirtations with boys at nursery (& by boys I mean Joe-Joe & more recently, Isaac), last night saw Ava being marginally more reserved. She even reinforced this by chilling with Dave, to show Oliver who her favourite man is. Minutes later, Steve brought out a selection of Oliver's toys & that encouraged the two to jointly investigate. Success! Ava delighted in the talking toolkit & the fire engine (with a fireman Dad, Oliver's ridealong was carefully selected!). Of course, possession is 9/10ths of the law & Oliver showed his displeasure at Ava occupying his favourite wheels... But wily Ava shot round the dining room & attempted to create a distraction: 'Look Oliver! Outside! Birdies!' Of course, fellow firefighter & self-confessed speed-demon Keith couldn't give up the opportunity to race Dave, so each took a toddler &, well...the video speaks for itself...

All too soon it was past Oliver's bedtime. After Wendy had returned downstairs & Ava could see we were all engrossed in conversation, she made tracks to visit Oliver...even crawling instead of walking, to keep herself unobtrusive...

Wendy went over to her, had a cuddle & explained to Ava that even though it was way past Ava's own bedtime, 7 months younger Oliver had gone to sleep. Ava learnt to say 'Oli' & showed her understanding by knowingly putting her finger to her mouth making a 'shhhh' sound.

That Will Costa-You One Mistaken Identity

2010-07-29T21:37:00.003+01:00

So Ava & I met Laura at Costa for coffee & catch-up this afternoon. While Laura went to order a drink, Ava turned to her left & called out 'Dadda!'

What?
Had Dave joined us?
Was he at the window, having caught the adoring eye of his darling daughter?

None of the above.
Ava was addressing the following:

Gino.
The man who founded Costa Coffee in 1971.
On a canvas, hanging on the wall.

I think Jacqui would tell me that in Child Language Acquisition terms, that's called 'overextension'.

...and in other revelations, today the children at nursery all gathered in the 1-2 room to say 'Happy Maternity Leave' to Rachel. What did Ava do?

Picked up the hem of her dress, lifted it up over her head & paraded around the room, wiggling her bum as she went...

Is it a Bird?

2010-07-27T08:47:00.012+01:00

Ava's been fascinated with planes for some time now - she picks them out of the sky when they're a mere dot & squeals 'Pane! Pane!' so we thought before she flies on one for the first time next month, we'd take her to see them a bit closer up. The observation area on Sunday was full of picnicing families & Concorde enthusiasts, but a little thin on the plane front. A China Airlines jumbo jet full of cargo landed & a couple of Fly2 took off ... then a Scandinavian Airlines landed & six fire engines rushed over to it on an isolated patch of runway - Ava was rapt with all of this. She was more than happy to pose in front of Concorde's trademark nose, but insisted on being put down straight after ('Down! Down!') so she could chase two birds.
On the way back, we stopped for lunch, where Ava (to the amusement of other diners) showed us what I've been teaching her at home:

And in reverse from Friday, we finished off a visit to feed the animals at the farm with an ice cream: One of her favourite expressions is still 'Uh oh!' - used correctly here to indicate the soggy mess that had become her strawberry ice cream cone (& once clean sundress) Dave made me laugh, trying (& failing in spectacular style, as she escaped from his clutches miliseconds later) to disprove the age-old truth that men & multi-tasking don't go together: trying to catch a carefee & ice-cream dressed Ava while talking on his phone. Run Dave, run!

My All-Star Girl

2010-07-21T15:48:00.011+01:00

'Give a girl the right pair of shoes & she can conquer the world.'
-Better Midler

This morning, Ava stepped into some fabulous new footwear.

Mini Manolos?
No.
Girly Gina's?
Nope.
Little-Lea Louboutins?
Uh-uh.

Converse.

Footwear so retro, yet achingly on-trend, she was met with squeals of delight at Nursery, as she practically skipped into the 1-2 room, no doubt loving the feel of her feet in such cool shoes. Not the boring & predictable pink, but a fab purple:

Could the teeny, tiny box be any cuter?

It's been a great weekend, to mark the beginning of summer holidays. Friday evening, Ava coloured with Dave. This is rapidly becoming a favourite hobby. Her favourite crayon colour is yellow & when she becomes completely engrossed in her crayoning, she lies flat out on her tum, leaning her head on her left arm. This is really neat, considering Dave's dad says this is the exact same way Dave used to colour when he was little.

On Saturday we went to feed the ducks...

...followed by an ice cream in the sun...

...before resting up for a Sunday trip into Manchester, where Ava was treated to holiday clothes in H&M, summer pj's and a yummy lunch in Zinc:

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

2010-07-08T18:20:00.002+01:00

Ava's nursery carer, Becky, informed me this morning of a brazen act.
When Ava was at nursery yesterday wearing her sundress with matching knickers, she pulled her dress up as a bus drove past the window.

Where has she got the idea to do this? What motivates a [nearly 19 month old] toddler to 'reverse moon' public transport?

Answers on a postcard ...

"Hello, RADA? This is Ava calling."

2010-06-04T14:49:00.001+01:00

Little Miss Ava is all about the melodrama & I've seen it unleashed this week while she's been at home with me. What started out months ago as dramatic pauses for reaction have since been exaggerated, to accompany a hand to open mouth, head tilted at a jaunty angle...you name it, Ava's doing it. I'm sure much of it is fuelled by knowing she is entertaining; three days ago she decided to 'fly' round the living & dining room. How? Why, stick your arms out behind you & make 'whoooo-ing' sounds, of course! Last week saw the beginning of a new nightly routine: Ava pulls her pyjama top up, sticks out her tiny tum & whizzes round in circles in front of Dave, giggling maniacally. It's only a matter of time before the application to RADA is submitted on her behalf.

Half Term started purposefully, with Daddy-Daughter night. While I went into Manchester with friends after work to watch the long-awaited 'Sex & the Ctiy 2', Dave treated Ava to some multi-cultural styling:

How did Dave respond when I sent him a picture text of our Cosmopolitans before the movie? By sending a picture text right back of his & Ava's drinks before watching 'Finding Nemo':

Wednesday was a full day for Ava. We drove to the farm to give the ponies, goats & sheep some breakfast & then after a nap (purely to refuel), Ava ensconced herself in Charlotte's garden, nibbling on home-baked scones. Getting ready to go to Charlotte's was a big deal: she had to have her bandana on, sun cream & then insisted on showing her rag doll Poppy how to brush your teeth.

And what's Ava doing right now? Talking to my books in the study, of course...

Fern I Am

2010-05-22T20:59:00.008+01:00

Ava made a gaggle of new friends this morning & they all live at Wheelock Farm. For the first time ever, Ava met calves, goats, pigs, sheep, a baby black lamb & two Shetland ponies. So at ease with these new experiences, she morphed effortlessly into Fern, the main character from one of my all-time favourite novels, 'Charlotte's Web'. She was curious, confident & totally calm. She even fed a sheep from her hand & didn't flinch. We've said it before: Ava just loves the animal kingdom!

The new experiences didn't stop there.
Ohhhhh no.
Being so scorching a Saturday, we bought her a paddling pool. Cue repetitive pointing & squealing when she plonked herself in it (and that was before the 02 went in!) Let's just say that prancing round the garden with the May breeze tickling your bare bum is beyond liberating!

After a two hour nap for the exhausted Ava, a totally revived-&-ready-for-round-three Ava tucked into homemade chicken & veg kebabs, sat on an adult patio chair (she decided to forego her highchair).

Quite simply, a perfect family day.

When Ava Met Poppy

2010-05-15T20:22:00.012+01:00

Rag dolls are the ubiquitous first doll choice. Hardy, made to last & totally forgiving if dragged by one arm around the house.

A trip to Stockton Heath this morning was in order with Ava & Charlotte, to serve several purposes: 1. to case out Tom Ford-esque super cheap sunnies after breaking the arm on my beloved Top Shop pair, 2. to look for a replacement mirror for above the fireplace in the living room and 3. to give Dave some time & space to finish blitzing the mother of all patios.

When we walked in 'Etc' Ava pointed to a new assortment of rag dolls, nestled in between the Bobbypin range & Emma Bridgewater desirables. I've been looking out for a rag doll for Ava for some time now; one which stands the test of time & will grow up with her. One which doesn't look as creepy as so many I've seen in stores & kids clutching. I had a Raggedy Ann doll when I was little, who, I'm told, had one of her braids chewed off by me (cue 'eww' sounds).

Enter Poppy.

I have learnt, to my error, that when Ava reaches out her arms from her pushchair to hold an item while we're out shopping, she will flat out refuse to give it back. So many times recently, I've had a real fight on my hands, while trying to maintain a dignified composure, to wrestle an object from Ava's surprisingly vice-like grip.

So this rag doll never made it into Ava's arms. I held her while we walked round & finally paid for her.

This afternoon, after delighting in watch my daughter play with her first doll & drag her around the living room in tow, Ava & I both ventured upstairs for a nap, feeling like some R&R was prescribed. Ava has a runny nose & cough, I have the beginnings of something cold-like. Three hours later...!

Tonight, while Dave's out at a poker night, Ava has been smuggled into our bed after lasting only twenty minutes in her cot. Hey, when toddlers are ill, the rules are that there are no rules.

So imagine how this mom felt when she tiptoed upstairs to check on her snoozing princess:

Welcome to the family, Poppy. Tomorrow, you'll meet Ava's gaggle of teddies: Coco, Lyra, John, Rodney, Lola. They'll show you around...

Flirting Tips from Toddlerhood

2010-05-12T22:45:00.001+01:00

Our sistren in the wild have a very good reason for flirting: survival of the species. Why do you think peacocks have a tail like that? In the art of feminine wiles, we could surely take a lesson from the beasts of the field & the birds of the air. Female baboons use potent eye contact. The female fruit fly will not mate with a male until she's seen him dance. Cranes perform what looks like a swooping pas de deux. A female pony prances & dances in front of a male, periodically peeing merrily. Shameless hussies!

Or, take tips from Ava.

Wallflowers are so 2009. To get ahead with members of the opposite sex, take note of the steps below:
1. When you set eyes on the object of your affection, freeze mid-step.
2. Follow immediately with squeals at full volume, whilst simultaneously dashing away in opposite direction from said object of affection.
3. Turn coquettishly to resume eye contact with member of opposite sex, pound feet at alternatingly high speed to mimic the sound of drums. This is widely reputed to be a warning call to fellow females & is loosely translatable: "Back off, baby. I got this one. Take two steps back or I'll knock your morning milk in your face."
4. While object of affection is transfixed & rooted to spot, approach at high speed, all the while maintaining eye contact. This is essential.
5. Only stop when your head meets said object's waistline. Throw arms around waistline with carefree abandon, making largely distinguishable cooing sounds.
6. Repeat where necessary.

*Following up by peeing like a pony is a little kinky for my taste, but far be it from me to judge.

I witnessed Steps 1-5 this afternoon when I picked up Ava from nursery. Joe was the fly, Ava was totally the spider. He didn't stand a chance.

Not that I saw him protesting, however...