What an UNBELIEVABLE year we've had! Ava Kate turned one in June and if the truth be told, that's when life got....interesting! Walking, Talking (back to mommy!), Running, Climbing, Falling, Bumping (her head on EVERYTHING!), Teeth (finally!), Lots and lots of smiles and laughter. I cannot believe how fast it's gone! I'll get to the pictures, but first to share a few of my favorite times....In February, Ava Kate started staying with my wonderful aunt 2 days a week, it was SO hard but rewarding to see her adjust! Now she and Anabeth, my cousin's beautiful little girl, are BFF's! ha! Then it snowed in March and a moment I won't forget is the way the road I grew up looked during the snow and feeling a really wonderful feeling having my daughter see the snow for the first time there, it was beautiful. And, I won't soon forget that beautiful smocked white bubble she wore this spring or the st. patricks day headband she grudgingly modeled for us or the bunny ears that she just wouldn't give in on wearing, so her Papa played easter bunny and wore them for her! My heart aches a little to realize just how quickly those "first of" moments flew by this past year. The way she would push up off the floor on all fours and not understand how to go further, then moving on to standing up, taking a step, walking, running.....truly, we blinked and all this happened! Another favorite was a day at the zoo she and I had alone, I remember thinking, "wow for the first time, she's really taking it all in!"...it was truly a miraculous moment to me. Her 1st birthday which I worked tirelessly to put together, lots of people say that's all for the mommy and maybe it is, but there's a part of me who thinks she'll really appreciate it one day, that 4 foot wide by 5 foot tall planter of faux daises (she'll remember!!! ha!)...just like the 44 paint chips on the wall I went thru before deciding on the color "SPROUT" for her nursery and it HAD to be from this ridiculously expensive kids decor store,....seriously, that was nuts! Oh well, at least I can blame pregnancy on that one! In July, we traveled to wonderful little Apalachicola for family vacation, only poor Ava Kate was sick most of the time and I was worried to death about her! In august, we went on another mini vacation - the tennessee aquarium and gatlinburg for a few days with our great friends and neighbors...we had a blast! Ava Kate's dedication to the church was a sweet day for our family! In September, Ava Kate walked the catwalk as a model for Pottery Barn Kids as a bumble bee...too cute and in October, we had the most precious little ballerina for halloween! I can't remember the day, but I had one of those "ah-ha" moments one afternoon when I took her to the park to swing and mom met us there, it was kind of one of those moments I think I'd looked forward to my whole life...pushing my daughter on a swing while my mom looked on...a milestone for me, I think! Then, there's was this one day when I had gotten her ready for "nannys" aka, my aunts house and she was sitting on the stairs waiting for me to put her bag together. I looked up and she was just watching me, I realized there would be MANY more of those moments and thought I'd better mind my manners a little better. She looked so intent on taking in what I was doing, it was cute...and it was one of those days she looked like she had grown...more toddler, less baby! bittersweet!!! I'm sure I have many more moments to savor and boy will I ever. We wrapped up the year with a wonderful wonderful Christmas with our family, Santa was so good to Ava Kate and we even got a little surprise of our own........stay tuned!
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