Ava's Adventures

I'm back....

2010-03-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

So, after a 4 month hiatus (I know no one was counting except a certain someone) I finally got my act together and gathered some pictures to put up here. I have been spoiled with the ease of taking pictures from my I-phone. It is so much easier to put them on Facebook instead of transferring them to the computer and uploading them to the blog. Then my biggest obstacle, writing about each one. For those that know me, I am not concise and it takes me forever to write. So anyway, I spent a good hour uploading some pictures that get me through early January. I will give people a chance to catch up, then add some more of the more recent months soon. Don't forget to come back, we have her 1st birthday party, ski trip, and walking just around the corner! For now, scroll down to the bottom and enjoy,
~Gabby

More Maui and 1st Birthday

2010-03-22T20:32:00.001-07:00

Bye Maui, I'll be back soon!

No, this is not Ava!
We captured this amazing shot from the condo of a humpback whale breaching out of the water. I could not believe how many whales we saw while in Maui. On our last day they were swimming just a few yards from the shore, they were so beautiful!

Ava's not so sure about this sand after all, especially the taste.

No, we did not send her out to sea-wow, she's such a drama queen!
But this did make for a great photo opportunity.

Ava was not a fan of the birthday hat, or maybe it's the barrette that's bothering her?

"Cake, what cake?"
That is the caption from 1 of my favorite birthday cards. Although it doesn't really apply here since you can see the big piece of cake on her plate-but still, I love it! Almost as much as Ava loved her cake and ice cream.

Happy Birthday Ava!
We can't believe you are 1, and by the look on your face you can't either?!

One of Ava's most favorite birthday gifts was from her cousin Lauren, she lived in this raft in the pool for a few days.

There were no bathtubs in Maui, only jacuzzi sinks-it really is the latest craze!

Maui

2010-03-22T20:22:00.001-07:00

Sports Illustrated called and asked Ava to submit her best bathing suit shots for their swimsuit addition. This is what she sent them....

Ok, just kidding, but she did look pretty darn cute swimming around in Maui!

Merry Christmas

2010-03-22T20:16:00.001-07:00

Auntie Fish knows how to cuddle

All I want for Christmas is an "Ava-tar"!

This was my favorite family photo of the bunch, but as you can tell Ava is not quite sure...

Happy Hanukkah!

2010-03-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

There were a lot of "1st's" for Ava this year-she got to celebrate a special 1st Hanukkah with her family up in LA. If only mom had planned her outfit better...I blame dad on this one for sure!

Early December

2010-03-22T20:09:00.001-07:00

We recently started taking Ava to this awesome park right up the street from us-Hilltop Park. She loves the bucket swings, and now she even goes down the slide.

She was mesmerized by Santa Claus. Good thing she went to visit him, I think she got everything she asked for, and more!

1st Thanksgiving

2010-03-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

We are soooo thankful for Ava! Here is a fun shot of her with her Godmommy Patty at the Gershon parade!

Weekend with the Grandparents and Great-Grandparents

2009-11-20T21:10:00.000-08:00

Ava was so happy to see her grandma and grandpa and grgrpa and grgrma that she got right to her feet!

Grandpa kept Ava happy while waiting for our table for dinner that night.

Great-Grandpa even got a kiss good-bye!

Some Recent Favorites

2009-11-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

So I have not done such a great job of keeping up with this blog (obviously) and to catch up I will just post some of my favorite recent pictures of Ava. She is going to be 10 and a 1/2 months on Sunday and it's just so hard to believe she will be 1 soon! She has mastered crawling and I am pretty sure she can beat me in a race. Her favorite food is Yo-Yo baby, even dad tries to steal bites of this yummy stuff! Currently she loves to pull herself up on everything including her crib, coffee table, baby piano, and my personal favorite-the dishwasher.

Baby Mozart (yeah right, not with these parents!)

What were you thinking mom?

Special Delivery

Happy Halloween (and Happy Birthday Dad too)!

2009-11-11T10:21:00.000-08:00

Poor Ava...because Mom likes turtles she is stuck with lots of turtle clothes, decorations, bath mats, and of course she had to be a turtle for Halloween too! Grandma Kuehn found a "Squirt" (Crush's sidekick from Finding Nemo) costume at Disneyland and Ava fit into it perfectly.

By the way, this was the best costume ever! It was designed so that the top was a zip-up jacket with a hood and pants, so Ava probably had no clue she was in a costume and could carry on-crawl-like normal!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-11-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

Our neighbors invited us to go to a local pumpkin patch with them and I'm so glad we went. It was so nice to see our little pumpkin mixed in with all the rest!

First Trip to Disney Land

2009-11-11T10:03:00.001-08:00

Ava took her first trip to Disneyland when some of her favorite cousins were visiting from Boston! She was completely mesmerized by all the new sights and sounds. Her first ride was "Buzz Lightyear" which she rode with Grandma Kuehn and Auntie Lyndsey. After that it was time for "It's a Small World," in which Ava looked like she could be one of the little people-she was just their size. I can't wait to take her to Disneyland as she gets older, it really is the happiest place on earth-as it keeps Ava very very happy and therefore Mommy very very happy!

New wheels!

2009-10-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

Grandma Susan bought Ava her first car and she loves it! She will let you push her around in that all day long. She's such a natural, isn't she?

Where did we leave off? September updates

2009-10-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am way behind here...a lot has happened over the past few months. Ava spent Labor Day weekend in Newport Beach with Grandma and Grandpa Susan. See below how she modeled at the Anthropologie store.
She also got some good time in with her Great Grandpa.
Then she took her first visit to the San Diego Zoo with mom and Auntie E (Dad was away in Vegas hanging out with some other animals). Where she had her portrait taken (she was all smiles over that one):
She went apes over being at the zoo and stuck her neck out to see everything!

Frozen Yogurt

2009-08-31T21:52:00.001-07:00

It was so hot this past weekend that I thought it was the perfect time to introduce Ava to some sweet treats. We took her to Golden Spoon and we got her her own mini Vanilla frozen yogurt. I'm pretty sure she liked it, all 5 bites! Fortunately for Ava, mom had the rest before it melted. Something tells me ice cream is in our very near future...

New Hobbies!

2009-08-31T21:42:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Ava explored her potential hobbies. The first one was reading, this is mom's favorite hobby. She got to read with Grandma and I am pretty sure they both enjoyed it. We'll see when she is able to start participating in book club with mom, I'm just not quite sure when "Good Night Moon" will make the list?

Then she gave playing cards a shot, this of course being dad's favorite hobby. Take a look at that poker face!?! I think the pacifier gives her away though.

In the end the card game wore her out, but I'm pretty sure there will be plenty more card games in the future!

Another sink shot

2009-08-17T19:38:00.001-07:00

Ava's getting so big she can't fit into any of our sinks anymore. This may be the last time for a shot like this, good thing she made it worth it!

Time with the Family!

2009-08-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Ava was so lucky over the past few days to see some of her cousins. Here are some photos of her time with them, as well as a great shot of her with Uncle Night-Night. It's hard to tell whose happier?

Hanging Out!

2009-08-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

Some of you might wonder what Ava does in her free time...well, she loves to lounge around with Coco. Coco barely notices Ava, but Ava adores Coco. She also catches up on her celebrity gossip with US Weekly. I know this will make her cousin Kerry very proud! Sometimes, she is just as happy sitting in her crib.

7 months

2009-08-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Ava is already 7 months old. This is such a fun age, she is so happy and really starting to be aware of all that is around her. She has also discovered her tongue and how to stick it out at us! Here are some shots from this past weekend; including sitting in a high chair at Mimi's, and a visit to the grocery store where she got to try sitting in the cart like a big girl (I promised we paid for the almonds she was holding!). Many thanks to Auntie E who made her happy all weekend.

More Pool Time

2009-07-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Ava liked the water even more this past weekend; she was kicking and splashing all around. She even decided to try and pick up a little water basketball with the help from her mama! They make quite the team...if only Ava stopped trying to fit the basketball in her mouth.

Wind Up Toys!

2009-07-27T20:56:00.001-07:00

Ava had fun playing with all of Grandpa's wind-up toys this past weekend. She had a hard time picking which 1 was her favorite since they all tasted so good to her, although I think the pink dinosaur is the true fave.

Nordstrom Sale!

2009-07-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

Ava got to go to her first Nordstrom sale last weekend. She seemed to love cruising around the mall, and she got many compliments on her cute little headband. However, the highlight of the trip for Ava was when we spent some time at the McDonald's playground...she was so excited to look at all the other little kids (the highlight for mom was the new pair of shoes and sweater she purchased at the sale)!!

Auntie Lyndsey's and Uncle JJ's wedding

2009-07-27T20:47:00.001-07:00

Ava made a brief appearance at the wedding to pose for some pictures. We're still awaiting some more family shots, but this one is just for Auntie Lyndsey-all the fish faces are just for her. As you can tell Ava is still trying to perfect hers. Lyndsey looked absolutely stunning on this day and we are all very excited to welcome JJ to the family!

Cuddle Time With Cousin Haley

2009-07-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

This picture just had to make the blog-how cute are they?!

Swim Time!

2009-07-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ava took her first dip in the pool on July 3rd. She was a little unsure at first, but then seemed to enjoy kicking and splashing. I thought the best part was her cute little ruffle suit with matching hat-too cute! The after picture in her robe isn't bad either.

Sippy Cup time

2009-06-29T21:47:00.001-07:00

While she still can't quite drink out of it, I could not resist letting her try. How cute was it to find a cup with her name on it too.

Tummy Time

2009-06-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

Ava is much better on her tummy now. Ever since she has figured out how to roll over (about 2 months ago) she doesn't stay on it for too long. But I snapped this shot real quick to prove she doesn't mind tummy time anymore.

Peas Please

2009-06-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

I was getting bored with rice cereal, and I am pretty sure Ava was too, so we decided to spice things up a bit last week and introduce her to some new baby food. Even though I know it is a total myth that if you introduce a baby to vegetables first they will have a preference for them when they are older, I could not resist trying. She needs all the help she can get in the taste department since her mother HATES veggies. So I was cruel and gave her peas first! I find peas detestable, but you can see from the video that she enjoyed them!

Activity Center time

2009-05-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors are lending us quite the contraption for Ava. We refer to it as the "Activity Center" since "Activity Gym" has already been claimed. You should see our house now; it is a maze of bouncy seats, play gyms, bumbo seats, and swings. However, Ava has really been enjoying the Center, as she can stand and look around. There's a short video-WARNING, turn down the volume so you don't hear her obnoxious parents in the background.

Rice Cereal Anyone?

2009-05-31T21:24:00.001-07:00

Ava turned 5 months old yesterday and we decided to give her some rice cereal to see how she liked it. Well...she liked it. The first couple of bites ended up all over the tray and bib, but pretty soon after she kept opening her mouth for more. She even wanted to hold her own spoon as you can see.

Hat or No Hat?

2009-05-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

You decide, she seems happy, either way!

Daddy's Graduation

2009-05-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

We attended Jason's Graduation ceremony this past weekend at SDSU and Ava was so proud of her dad. She definitely enjoyed the ceremony more than her daddy did, all those new noises and sounds, she was just mesmerized! Here's a couple of shots of the proud family.

Sleeping Beauty

2009-05-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

Oh and only if she slept just a little better. Even with our trials of her sleeping habits I could not help but share this picture of her sleeping peacefully. **Note: the onesie says: "Mines just baby fat, what's your excuse" - Wow-That's harsh Ava!

The top picture just demonstrates that when she is tired, she is tired, and must sleep right then and there! Thanks Grandma Susan for the comfy spot!

4 Generations

2009-05-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

Even though it was Mother's Day we snapped this great shot of Ava with her dad, grandpa, and great grandpa. She was so excited, she couldn't keep her top down!

More New Friend's

2009-05-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

We got to meet Scott and Erika's little one, Madilyn over Mother's Day weekend. She is 2 months younger than Ava but, weighs more than her, is taller than her, and has a LOT more hair than her! We look forward to seeing the little ones play together as they get older.

Happy New Year!

2009-05-16T11:53:00.001-07:00

I know it is a few months after the fact, but I had to buy this onesie for her since she made our New Year's so happy!

Dinner Out?

2009-05-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

We discovered that noisy restaurants are a great place to bring Ava. They usually keep her asleep for most of the meal and when she does wake up there are so many new and colorful things to see that she is just mesmerized. Besides, if she gets fussy (which she hasn't knock on wood) the sounds drown her out! So far she has eaten at Island's, Claim Jumper, and Zeke's BBQ (in LA). Although, poor Ava, the menu is always the same for her...bottle of milk please!

I'll smile at you if you smile at me

2009-04-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

Lyndsey was getting the best smiles out of Ava after the baptism. I LOVE this picture; it's hard to tell who is having more fun!?

Ava and her Godparents

2009-04-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

Uncle Jak and Cousin Patty-she is so lucky!

Ava's Baptism

2009-04-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

Ava was baptized this past Sunday and it was such a beautiful ceremony. She was the only baby getting baptized and the Deacon gave a wonderful sermon. She was asleep until he woke her with the cold water at which point she cried, but then calmed down right away. We had a fun time celebrating that day with family and friends. Above you can see the before and after pictures!

2009-04-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ava's first party

2009-04-29T21:24:00.001-07:00

Ava went to her first birthday party on Saturday and got to spend time with her friend Jillian. They were both much more interested in what they could possibly put in their mouths!

New Friend!

2009-04-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

Ava made a new friend this past weekend when Victor, Jalila, and Cailin came to visit! Cailin is absolutely adorable and such a sweet girl. I cannot wait until they see each other next time when Ava is sure to be more excited to see Cailin.

Ava and Coco

2009-04-20T21:42:00.000-07:00

Ava has finally started to notice Coco, and Coco definitely notices Ava. Poor Coco does not get as much attention as she used too, but she does enjoy giving Ava lots of licks and sniffs.

Ava Loves Bath Time

2009-04-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

We took a little video of bath time the other night. Splish splash!

Mama's Little Helper

2009-04-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

Ava was kind enough to help me with the laundry the other day. I could not resist this photo opportunity.

Ava's 1st Lobster Dinner

2009-03-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

And, since she slept from 9-6 that night, I think we should have lobster more!

Father and Daughter

2009-03-30T21:23:00.001-07:00

Who's making who laugh?

Bumbo Seat Smiles

2009-03-30T21:17:00.001-07:00

Ava discovers TV

2009-03-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

and oh boy is she mesmerized by it! I am fairly certain she gets this affection for TV from her father.

Quiet Please - NOT!

2009-03-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

While some babies prefer utter silence, Ava is at the opposite extreme. She prefers the vacuum cleaner to help lull her to sleep or to calm her down. We have also downloaded the best bargain application for my I-phone - "White Noise", we use this in the car to calm her down since she absolutely hates her infant seat. Lastly, while visiting with the grandparents this last weekend we found that the jackhammer works just as good at keeping her quiet. Bring on the noise Please!

I Love Turtles

2009-03-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

Ava does not get a choice in the matter, she is forced to enjoy turtles too, including the ones on this adorable outfit from her cousins. She does not seem too bothered by it.

Quiet time with Great Grandpa

2009-03-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Hour with Gramp's

2009-03-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

Ava and I met up with Grandpa Gary for Happy Hour and a good time was had by all.

Ava meets her cousins

2009-03-18T14:18:00.001-07:00

Ava loves...

2009-03-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

to be on her back. In particular on top of her diaper changer in the pack 'n play. However, she was really enjoying the quilt her Auntie Lyndsey Fish made her on this particular evening.

It Hurts to Smile

2009-03-06T20:09:00.000-08:00

really and truly

Checklist

2009-03-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

Baby: CHECK
Dog: CHECK
Husband: MISSING
Mind: GONE

Couch potatoes...

2009-03-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

Jason likes it when she is low maintenance.

Auntie E!

2009-03-06T19:57:00.000-08:00

Or the "Baby Whisperer," as we call her, took great care of Ava while we were visiting. Bath time in the kitchen sink was fun for all, and afterward everyone was wiped out! More pictures to come of Ava and her cousins.

Extended Vacation!

2009-03-06T19:51:00.000-08:00

Ava and family got to spend a few days with her grandparents, and here are a few pictures of her time with them! Unfortunately, Grandpa Gary was under the weather and was quarantined for the weekend. Don't worry get pictures next time.

A True Lakers Fan

2009-02-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

Our Little Lady

2009-02-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

Mom could not resist picking up a few outfits for Ava at Old Navy last week (an extra 50% off clearance, who wouldn't be tempted) including this mini skirt. As you can see she loves the outfit as well!

Smiles Away!

2009-02-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

We can't get enough of Ava's smiles, they are coming more and more frequently now. They are even cute at 3:30 in the morning after her midnight snack! Here are a few smile shots I just had to share.

Little Baby Valentine!

2009-02-17T20:37:00.000-08:00

Ava was rather fussy on Valentine's Day, I think it is because she was upset that her mom was turning 30? Auntie Lyndsey came for a visit and managed to get her calm for this cute picture-which does not do the baby outfit justice! (Thanks Patty!)

Special Visitor!

2009-02-17T20:35:00.001-08:00

Ava got to meet her first East Coast relative when Cousin Kerry came for a visit. I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, mom or Ava. She looks pretty content with Kerry-THANKS SO MUCH for visiting!

Check out that hair

2009-02-11T21:51:00.000-08:00

This is how dad does Ava's hair:

and this is how mom does her hair:
I think it is quite obvious whose hair style she is more
comfortable with! A mohawk? Please, dad!

Play Gym Time

2009-02-11T21:45:00.001-08:00

Now that Ava is starting to focus in on objects she loves her Einstein Play gym (thanks Nick and Laney!). Although, Coco is still wondering what this is all about...

A couple of Ava shots

2009-02-11T21:40:00.000-08:00

Ava has started to smile and boy does it make her mom and dad happy! She gets so excited she kicks her feet in the air and she is just so pleased with herself. For those following the stats, this past Monday she weighed in at 9 pounds, 3 ounces-no wonder she has that grin!

Thank you Auntie Erin!

2009-02-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

Auntie Erin came for a visit this weekend and thanks to her Mom and Dad got some much needed sleep. She managed to keep Ava occupied for 5 hours between feedings giving me the longest nap I have had since she arrived! Let's see if we can keep this trend going...

Relaxxing with Mom!

2009-02-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

After Ava's bath time (in the stock pot) she decided to hang out with mom for a bit. She is starting to focus more on things around her and it is fun to watch her watch you!

What's for dinner?

2009-02-02T11:28:00.001-08:00

We could not resist this photo opportunity with Ava. At first she enjoyed her miniature tub, but towards the end she could not kick her feet as much as she wanted and was rather unhappy. Oh well, the photo was worth it!

Weekend full of visitors - Part II

2009-01-27T16:37:00.001-08:00

She also got to meet her Great Uncle Ken (known as Uncle Night-Night) and Great Aunt Leslie. Leslie was an expert at getting little Ava to burp, hopefully mom was able to pick up some tips!

A weekend full of visitors!

2009-01-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

Ava was very popular this weekend getting to meet her Godmother Patty, and cousins Matt and Rebecca, and Great Aunt Kathy.

Food Aggressive Children

2009-01-27T16:29:00.000-08:00

We thought it was just the dog, but apparently Ava has a bit of her own food aggression too. This photo captures our 2 children being fed (content for now).

Daddy and Ava

2009-01-22T18:49:00.000-08:00

This was just too precious not to post. Grandpa Gary says he taught Jason this position as it is his favorite too!

Bath Time-Grandma style!

2009-01-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

Grandma Susan visited this week and has been a lifesaver for mom, dad, and Ava! One of the highlights was bath time in the kitchen sink-check out our little (chubby?) lady!

Ava's First Bottle

2009-01-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

Since Dad wanted to get in on the feeding time he gave Ava her first bottle this past Tuesday, and she took right to it. Although, there should be no doubt given the fact that she is an "aggressive eater"-I just love my little barracuda!

Uncle JAK!

2009-01-19T10:57:00.001-08:00

Uncle Jak got to spend some quality time with his niece this past weekend. He was trying to teach her to put her pacifier in her own mouth and brainwash her into being a cross-country runner. Dad was not happy with this last idea as he is holding out for tennis or golf.

We'll Miss You Auntie Manda!!

2009-01-14T20:35:00.002-08:00

It was a sad day saying good-bye to Auntie Amanda. We are not sure who will miss her more when she is in Italy; Jason, Gabrielle, Ava, or Coco? I think it's a toss-up!

Ava meets her Great Grandparents

2009-01-14T20:31:00.000-08:00

Ava's calendar got a special sticker this last weekend, "Special Visit." She got to meet her Great Grandparents for the first time. As you can see it was love at first sight!

And what about the Grandpa's?

2009-01-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Gary is a natural and proves there is no place Ava would rather be than with him!

Grandpa Tom looks like he has done this a few times!

Thank goodness for Grandma's!

2009-01-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

And what about Coco...

2009-01-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

Coco has been pretty good as far as big sister's go. She gets a little alarmed when Ava is fussy, but otherwise she stays away for the most part. Her daddy still gives her plenty of attention!

Happy Ava pictures

2009-01-10T12:57:00.001-08:00

Ava was quite pleased with herself after the Dr.'s good report! Mom was also relieved!

1st Dr.'s Appointment

2009-01-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Ava visited Dr. Spiegel on Monday, January 5th when she was 6 days old. She impressed the Dr. by weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces!! For a net gain of 11 ounces since she left the hospital 5 days earlier. I guess she has a taste for breast milk?!

Bath Time!

2009-01-08T11:40:00.001-08:00

Bath time was a little scary for Ava and Mom at first, but we are slowly getting into a routine! She looks so cute in her hooded turtle towel!

Meet the Family Part II!

2009-01-08T11:21:00.001-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Yates, and Auntie Erin beat the Kuehn family to the hospital! They earn major extra credit points here!

Meet the Family!

2009-01-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Kuehn, Auntie's Lyndsey and Amanda, and Uncle Jak were all at the hospital to meet the newest
member of their family. They eventually got to hold her!

Last Minute 2008 Tax Deduction!!!

2009-01-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

Ava Riley Yates joined us on Tuesday, December 30th at 5:42 a.m. She weighed a slight 6 pounds, 5 ounces and was a giant at 18.5 inches. For those of you who knew about our name ambiguity, we decided on her name about 10 minutes after she arrived. (Although, mom claims Ava was always the front runner!)