Ava:: 2 years 11 months

So Ava is almost 3. That's just crazy. I won't do a huge post because I'll do one for the big three in a month but here are some updates. She is loving preschool and can't wait to go every day. She loves showing off her folder and everything she brought home. It's really fun to hear her talk about her day. She just started dance and {so far} really likes it. I love seeing her act out her class or just randomly bust out a song that they did in class. Dance and swim overlap for a few weeks so she is still doing swim on Mondays. She really enjoys it and has gotten SO much more comfortable in the water. She's definitely the youngest in the class but she can hold her own pretty well.

Ava adores Cole more and more every day. Every so often they will have a little spat but mostly they love playing together. Cole adores following Ava around and Ava can't go anywhere without Cole now. She is so sweet teaching him to sign and learning new words. I hope they continue to stay so close! She is starting to create these stories to play out and has Cole play different roles {patient, student, friend at preschool etc}. Cole is so great just going along with whatever she is doing and keeping up with her ever-changing scenarios.

We've moved some things around in her closet so she can pick out her own underwear and put it on and then has a choice between 2 outfits to pick from. We've done this for a while and has really worked well. Sometimes she'll ask for a specific outfit to wear and sometimes she'll want to choose from the closet---depends on her mood. She still loves doing things on her own and helping out around the house which is a big help to me too!

Ava's still big into her dolls, Little People, art, puzzles, books, kitchen and dramatic play. She "teaches" me swim and dance and all about preschool. She has such a great imagination still! I adore hearing her stories and hearing her take on things. She'll ask the greatest questions during reading time and I'll always ask her to tell me what she thinks. I love hearing her answers. She sings her preschool songs at home and it's the cutest thing ever. I don't think she will ever make it in the singing business but it's too cute hearing her version of the song.

Happy 2 years 11 months, Ava Lou!

tiny dancer

Ava had her first ballet class today! She was very excited but a little nervous to go in without me. She did the whole class and loved it! She came out with a huge smile on her face and asked to go back next week so I think it's a hit! She came home and showed me some of her new moves. Steven and I had to finally convince her to take off her leotard so it wouldn't get messy---she wanted to stay in it all day.

all smiles!

can you believe her hair goes in a bun??

waiting in the lobby

heading in!

Ava on her rug

all smiles :)

she loves it!

Ava & her sticker book

preschool pizza party

Ava's preschool hosted a pizza party on Friday night! It was fun getting the tour from Ava and seeing where she liked playing. We've been to the school quite a few times before but I liked having Ava be the one showing us what she liked and what she does in each area. We chatted with her teachers and met some of her classmates and their parents. Ava was a little shy at first but started playing with some friends in the sand area and in the library area. It's so adorable watching them interact and build relationships.

Ava's school was actually just featured in our local paper about it's High Scope approach but it isn't available online yet---I'll post a link when it is. It's really such a great school. I was really picky when it came time to finding one and this school has been amazing. Most importantly, Ava loves it and it's a safe place where she can grow, learn and explore. Ava is one of only 5 kids who is 3 {I think she is the only one who isn't 3 yet} in this class but her teacher said she is doing really well and adjusting well to the school which is great.

the preschool is in an old converted house---so cute

bad view of the playground

digging in---we got our tuition's worth of pizza :)

mama & ava

one of her favorite parts of the climber

looking into the main room

another view

invention area

writing area

Eric Carle was the featured author this month

library area under the loft

the loft

table top/manipulatives

another view of the writing area

another view of tabletop/manipulatives

blocks {this is Ava's favorite room according to her}
they just had a construction theme that Ava really enjoyed

new farm theme to explore

dramatic play
there is currently a beach theme that Ava's teacher told us she really enjoyed

Cole ready to explore

Ava in the dramatic play loft

more dramatic play

dramatic play kitchen {I think I remember that blue table from when I went there :)}

Ava's hook for her backpack

her meeting room

another view

one of the circle songs

the kitchen was turned into snack/art/playdoh/sensory table

sensory/art/sink

playdoh area

Ava enjoying a delicious popsicle

first word

Cole's been babbling a lot more lately and yesterday he clearly said his first word........


MAMA!!


Yay! He says it over and over again when he plays but just laughs at me when I say it. Despite Steven's best efforts to say "dada" Cole went with "mama" first.

apple picking---take 2!

We were out of apples so on Sunday I took the kids apple picking at a local farm. It wasn't as good as Honeypot Hill but the kids still had a great time. Our first stop was the hay ride of course---Ava would stay on that for hours if she could! She was a big help picking all the apples. I found a great new recipe we are going to try out once we get a free moment :) We also picked out some sweet baby pumpkins for the house. I set them in certain places and Ava decides they look better elsewhere and moves them.

a new friend

on the hay ride

picking apples

ha trying to take a picture with the cute decorations :)