Ava's Official First Birthday (July 24, 2009)

Our beautiful little miracle officially turned one on July 24th. Its so hard to believe that it has already been a year, it feels like it was just a few months ago we were bringing her home from the hospital. As of her first birthday she still can't walk, but will take a few steps, and she loves to cruise. She also says about 10 words and makes animal sounds. She says what a duck, rooster, and cow says. She is one smart turkey.

Everyday is a new adventure where she is constantly learning new things.

In the last month she has started blowing kisses (6/24), said "duck" (7/3), rode a four wheeler and saw fire works for the first time (7/4), turned and came down the stairs on her own (7/7), took two steps on her own (7/9), Says "moo" when asked what a cow says (7/9), said "bear" (7/11), had first bloody nose when fell out of bed (7/12), says what rooster and duck says (7/13), started pointing at what she wants (7/21), started saying "more" (7/22).

For her big day we went to the pond to feed and chase the ducks, one of her favorite things to do. We went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (we had a gift card and they give her her own little plate of bread and banana's), and later that night we went swimming where she learned how to say ball for the first time and then came home and had a cupcake. She must not like the feel of it on her hands, because she sure wanted to shake it off. We sure wish Sissy had been here to spend the day with us.


Chasing the ducks



Big Birthday Grin

Ava and Mom

Ava and Dad

Birthday Cupcake


HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL, WE LOVE YOU!!!

I know, I know, she's slacking again...

Thank you to those of you who faithfully check for updates. I know that I am really behind again. I promise to start updating again the week of the 3rd. Whats to come...

Katrena graduates 2nd grade

California, the beach and disney land.

Kayleigh's wedding

Wheeler Farm

4th of July

Ava's first birthday party

Utah rundown (friends, family, rotations, surgery, you know all the fun stuff)

Utah

We were able to spend 6 weeks in UT this summer while Brent did a dermatology rotation.

We had a great time with all of our family.

The highlights of our trip were my little sisters wedding (our camera had gone bye bye and our new one had not yet arrived, so I have no pictures, I will post some if my family ever emails me any), wheeler farm with Ava, fourth of July in the Mountains with Brent's family, Oquirrh Hills Temple open house with both of our girls, getting my galbladder out, lunch, the park and dinner out with old friends and Ava's first birthday party.

Like I said previously because of the camera situation I don't really have any photos other than those below. There were a few taken on the old camera, but they are on our main computer and I don't have access, so I will post them when I do. In the meantime here are some photos from July...

Ava chasing Ducks, definitely one of her favorite things to do.



Mama duck and her babies

Ava and her little cousin Preston, she looks so tiny to me here and it was only the begining of July.

Ava's First Birthday Party (July 17th, 2009)

We celebrated Ava's first birthday a week early so that she could celebrate with all of her family and not just boring mom and dad. Grandma and Grandpa Watts were there (it was at their house), Grandma and Grandpa North, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Watts, Great Grandma Hansen, Uncle Tyler, Uncle Taylor and Aunt Kayleigh, Jordan, Maria and Hannah, as well as Trena's best friends from UT Charlotte and Caroline and Uncle Wade and Aunt Traci stopped by on their way to the Alan Jackson concert.

We had grilled chicken and lots of salads and rolls. She had her own first birthday cake white with white frosting and pink trim, the adults had chocolate zucchini cake (at Katrena's request). She got lots of fun presents toys and clothes, gift cards and money. She had fun and as always enjoyed being the center of attention.

Here she is with her presents and cakes.



Blowing out her candle with big sisters help.

She seemed to enjoy squishing the cake more than eating it, sister actually had to show her that it was okay to eat it.

Grandpa was actively taking tons of photos the whole evening and he got a lot of good ones, but they are on the other computer. You can see one to the right though.

She finally got the hang of unwrapping or at least pulling the tissue paper from the bag on the last present.

Ava's first "bike/car" it's musical ride with Mickey. The Mickey ears light up and it has a little piano she can play. Quite adorable, mom and dad couldn't pass it up.



Our Family


Ava with Grandpa Watts and Uncle Tyler


Ava with Grandpa and Grandma North (somehow we missed a photo with her and Great Grandma Hansen)


Ava with Uncle Taylor and Aunt Kayleigh


The Girls: Caroline, Charlotte, Katrena and Hannah


Great Grandma and Grandpa Watts


Uncle Wade and Aunt Traci


Jordan, Maria and Hannah North


Ava with Grandma Watts doing what she loves to do most, get the girls sugar toes.

June in Utah

I've already pretty much posted about our Utah trip, and the main events got their own posts, but here are a few other photos from June in Utah that I wanted to share.

When we arrived in UT, my mom had decorated our sweet Braxton's grave to welcome us home.


This is Ava discovering the waterspout in Grandma and Grandpa's back yard, she was having so much fun I just had to let her do it.

Father's Day was on the June 21st and her is Ava and her Daddy

My Dad opening his gift from all of the kids, 2 Charley Pride concert tickets, he said this was one of the best concerts he'd ever been too

My aunt Traci with Ava and her daughter Megan

We also went to Chuck E. Cheese while we were there with my mom, sisters and brother in law Taylor.

Katrena, Kay, Taylor, Karey, Ava, Mom


Same only mom becomes Me


Girls with their Aunts



Karey and Ava







Kayleigh brought back these cute dresses for us from their honeymoon, hers was teal, mine brown, Ava's red, T's hot pink, Karey's white with hot pink flowers, and I can't remember what color my Sister in law Joy's was or Kay's sister in law Katie's was, but they were cute and it was sweet of them to think of us. I think the girls look adorable in theirs.

Oquirrh Hills Temple open house, June 18, 2009

While in Utah we had the opportunity to go to the Oquirrh Hills Temple open house, what a wonderful experience to share with our girls. Not only were they able to enter the Lords sacred Temple and feel the spirit and reverence within the walls it was a beautiful teaching opportunity.

I loved listening to Katrena ooh and aah over the beautiful things that she was seeing, especially the paintings. She kept telling me how life like the paintings were and that she felt like she could touch the things and people in the paintings. As we looked at the baptismal font I explained how when she was twelve that she would have the opportunity to come and perform baptisms for the dead and it was awesome to hear her express her desire to be baptized for her Grammy Ann (who is still alive), so that required a little more explaining.

As we sat in the celestial room it was wonderful to sit and talk to her about the day that Brent and I were married and where certain people sat and the feeling in the room. I also loved looking with her into the mirrors and explaining how it was like eternity.

It was such a wonderful experience for our family and we were so happy to share it with not only my parents and sister Karey, but Brent's parents and Grandmother as well.

I hope that when Ava is older we will have another opportunity to visit a Temple open house again.

Our family outside the Oquirrh Hills Temple


Ava and I

The beautiful Temple at night

Taylor and Kayleigh's Wedding, June 16, 2009

As I stated previously I don't have many photos thanks to a broken camera, but here are a few photos of Kayleigh's wedding.

We are so happy for her and Taylor he is a great guy and treats her so well. She found herself quite the catch, and we couldn't be happier. On a funny side note, Kay got married on our maternal grandmother's birthday and I got married on our maternal grandfather's birthday.

Exiting the temple

With her nieces

Taking photos while her niece looks on.