Valentine's Day

So my feelings on Valentine's day are rather mixed. I love holidays (even made up one's)! Any excuse to get gifts and have a little romance on a weekday is always good in my book. But I'm usually not a sucker for bad (ok really bad) movies and cheap (insert bad candy/stuffed animal) gifts. I would rather spend money on a yummy dinner and get Ben something he really wants (like bike parts or a Fedor calendar. ) However this year we were on a little more of a budget, not to mention time constraints with me nursing. So we had to settle for bad chinese food from Safeway and a 6pm showing of Avatar. Wow that seems even more pathetic once I've written it down. Anyway, Avatar was pretty ridiculous for a variety of reasons. I will summarize:

1. It's pretty much just the story of Dances With Wolves. (bow and arrows...really?) Except the Indians are 10 feet tall and blue.

2. Could the characters have been any more one-sided. I was ok with the main guy but everyone else was like a cartoon. "Let's kill these bastards so I can get home in time for dinner!" Does anyone actually utter these phrases?

3. It basically felt like he was making a response to Bush and the Iraq war but he was about 5 years late.

4. Don't even get me started on Sigourney Weaver's avatar wearing jean short cutoffs and a mini Stanford tank top...

I was pretty much laughing the entire time at how stupid the dialogue was. I did enjoy the forest scenes at night. It was very creative.

Anyway, there's my rant on the movie. Ben and I had a very enjoyable time just being together and wearing 3d glasses and snuggling. And Ava enjoyed making cookies with her friend John and wishing everyone a Happy Balentine's Day! Here's some photos of the little cuties!

We love Tia Christy!

So Ava has a rock star aunt, otherwise known as "Tia." One of Ava's (and Mommy's) favorite things is to skype with her. Ava prefers me to not be in the room because I take attention away from her and she can't be the center of the universe. Anyway, we love to skype because Tia can babysit from thousands of miles away and mommy can get things done around the house, and simultaneously be entertained by their conversations. Tia is very patient and creative (I think you have to be to have a 45 minute conversation with a new 3 year old.) This is a photo of their most recent chat after they needed me to create a fort for their storytelling adventure. We love you Tia!

Avaisms

When we pull into the Costco parking lot Ava always says, "Momma there's the perfect sparking spot!" She only says this when we go to Costco. I think she knows that there are never any parking spots there and she needs to be on high alert. Unfortunately she doesn't understand why we can't park in the handicapped spot. And frankly, neither do I. Any woman going to Costco with 2 young children should be considered handicapped.

When we play princesses she points her wand at me and says, "I'm going to put a smell on you!"

She plays lots of tricks on her daddy and then says, "I'm dust doking (joking) with you. Mommy we're dust paying dokes on eat(each) otter(other.)"

Her favorite joke is this:

Ava: Knock Knock

Me: Who's There?

Ava: Boo

Me: Boo hoo?

Ava: Boo, Light, Car, Window...stop crying stop sign!

Ava: Am I hiyarious momma or ridicuyous?

Me: Hilarious

Ava: Are they opposites? :)

What I wanted to accomplish today:

*Target

*Power walk around the neighborhood with the babies

*Make sugar cookies with Ava

*Decorate cookies to be adorably valentines dayie

*Clean

*Trip to paper zone for envelopes

*Address envelopes and mail Ian's birth announcements

*Make a Valentine's Day slideshow for Ben's gift

What I've accomplished today:

*fed Ian

*held Ian on the couch for an hour so he would stop crying

*fed Ian

*held Ian on the couch for an hour so he would stop crying, while simultaneously playing princess dolls with Ava

*fed Ian

*made arrangements so I could go to the bathroom

*fed Ian

*thought about getting ready for a walk and then realized it was raining

*read a story to Ava

*thought about making sugar cookies and then realized I didn't have the cream cheese needed in the perfect recipe

*successfully put Ian in his crib for a short nap so I could type what I have not accomplished today

I guess there's something to be said for my accomplished list being longer than my to do list. It just feels like I've done NOTHING today.

Oh...and now I can add cleaning up cat puke to my list of accomplishments...wooh hoo!

So that's where the string to Ava's balloon went.

Waiting...

I've been waiting for something. I got a fake one when I was in the hospital and then after we got home there was the hint of it. There were a few half ones a couple times and once I think there was a real one but when I turned my head to look it disappeared. Then I got a real one but wasn't quick enough with the camera and it didn't come back for many days. Until today...wait for it...wait for it...

"You are not funny mom."

"Maybe a little bit funny."

"OK You're hilarious!"

A smile to me is the recognition of my existence to my child. The silent thank you for the endless sleepless nights, the constant embarrassment of having to gracefully attempt to pull up my shirt in public places to nurse, the endless washing of clothes, and my personal favorite, the throwing up everything I just fed you and then crying because you're hungry. Oh...it is all worth it for the smile. Now back to the laundry...

Hiking With Daddy

When we first moved here Ben found this great little hiking spot across the river. He took Ava a few times before I was invited along and now it is her favorite outing. She loves to talk about how the plants are changing and that dead mouse we saw once. One of the things I love about living here is that you can be outside year round. Everything's just a bit muddier in the winter. :) I love to hear Ava talk about how God made this tree or this flower. I've always sensed God's presence greatly through his creation and I think that's something Ava and I have in common. We took Ian along for his first hike and I hope it will be a family tradition for a long time to come.

A Conversation...

Ava: Mommy my bottom is talking to me!

Me: What is it saying?

Ava: Take me to the potty. I need to go poop!

At least she's been paying attention when I tell her to listen to her body. :)