A day with my first born....

I spent all day Thursday (Ava's Birthday) with my little girl. We went to the mall and I let her ride the carousel 6 times (she loved it). She rode the horse, bunny, big buck, alligator, eagle and the seal. She also rode the train and little car in front of Kirklands. We had cookies from the cookie company (before and after lunch) and chicken from chick-fil-a (one of her favorites).....we basically did everything she wanted to do. At one point we are going thru the mall and I look at her in her stroller and she is eating her cookie, singing "Happy Birthday" and bobbing her head from side to side (she was having a GREAT time). She had chocolate all over her face and at that moment I don't think I could have been any happier!!!! That night we had her Granny over for a late Birthday supper for her (her's was last week) and she made Ava a little lamb cake (part of the whole "eieio" theme for the next day). Not sure where Ava learned to blow out candles on a cake...but somehow she knew just what to do. Seems like just yesterday I was planning the whole "first birthday" and seems like the day before that I was walking up my walkway holding a 3 day old baby and thinking...WOW!!!! I'm a MOM!!! Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would get to plan another "first birthday". Before I know it Emma will be one..I'll turn around and they will both be teenagers...one more turn and I'll sending out of the nest...

Gone are the days of sitting still for a pic!

Easter Morning

The Easter Bunny was good to my babies this year. They had lots of goodies in their baskets. Emma could barely hold in the excitement lol.... Ava was amazed at all the goodies (mental note to self....less candy next year!!!).

Marshmallow Peeps

Growing up...my favorite thing in the Easter Basket was Marshmallow Peeps. This is Ava's first experience with Peeps (or bunnies). She did not care for it...so guess who ate them?????

Dying Eggs

This was our second year to dye Easter Eggs. Last year Ava broke almost all of them. This year she only broke a few...but we had dye everywhere!!!!!!!! We used "Elmo" egg dye.

this is what Emma thought about the whole process.....

note the beautiful green rubber boots...she wears them all the time!!!

a job well done!!!!

Easter at the Camp

Easter Sunday at my Dad's camp is a long standing tradition. We have little ones that used to participate in the big Easter Egg Hunt...watching their own little ones now..... This day has grown to include my family from both sides (Mom and Dad) as well as my sister-in-laws family (the Hatten's) and family friends. It is one of my most favorite times of the year. This year the egg hunt was a little rushed because of the rain...and the treasure hunt had to be cancelled (sorry big kids)...but we still had a wonderful time. This was the first year Ava hunted (last year Jason pulled her in a wagon) and she really liked it. Can't wait till next year......

Good Friday

Every Good Friday we have a huge crawfish boil with Jason's side of the family. Over the years it has grown to include my family and lots of friends. We look forward to this all year long. Especially now that we have family living so far away (we miss you Crickett, Lydia, Collin and Margo) This year Mrs Lidice and Aunt Sally made all the little girls matching dresses. It made for some really good pictures.

Collin and Margo
the cousins......

a picture for Granny!

me and my girls

sister love

a Sad Sad day..........................

I am returning to work Monday....sigh........ I have had 8 weeks off and I can truly say I am SAD! I do not want to go back to work and leave my babies. I want to be a stay at home Mommy! But alas...I must work to feed my babies lol.... Funny...when employees tell me they plan to take 8 or 10 weeks off for a maternity leave I think (wow, thats a long time)...now I think (thats just a drop in the bucket). I only took 6 weeks off with Ava and I truly regret not taking more. I know I will regret not taking 10 weeks (but gotta pay the bills). I have had so much fun just sitting ad holding my new baby (she is very snuggly). I have also had fun playing with Ava (she is such a fun age right now) She comes up to me and says "mama, play?" We read books and cook in her little kitchen and anything else she wants to do. Everyone told me that once I had children, the stuff that used to matter, no longer would. I thought they were full of it. But now I can see the big picture. For example....at this moment it doesn't matter that there are Cheerios all over my living room floor (whereas that would have sent me into orbit in the past)...what matters is that Ava is able to say "eerios mama!!!!....pease" and cock her little head to the side when she wants something really bad. What matters is that Emma has the cutest smile and smiles ALOT! Here are some pics of what I will be coming home to each afternoon after going back to work Monday.....

All Smiles

My newest baby girl showing off her blue eyes and smile!!!!