Birthdays Are Specials!

I think that Birthdays are special. They should be fun and full of laughter. Little miss Ava turned three on the 12. I feel like it just sneaked up on me. I am not sure where the time has gone but I am so glad that she is mine. 

*I failed to take any good pictures. 

We decided to have a Minnie mouse party. Here are the invitations, ears and the decor I went with. 

 

FYI... These ears and the next few were really hard to make, once I had it figured out, it was easy.

 I made this super cute banner for Ava, with the help of a cricut machine of course.I also made the cake and just covered it in sprinkles. I loved making the bows for the the banner, ears and cake. 

I got the super cute straws at pick your plum. I found the drinkers wrappers at http://catchmyparty.com/blog/free-mickey-minnie-mouse-birthday-party-printables-from-printabelle .

The games we played were, freeze dance, pin the bow on Minnie and colored a Mickey or Minnie page.

We also had light up balloons.

Bryce got a 3D printer awhile ago and wanted to make Mickey mouse mold for the cake. 

The Birthday girl refused to take pictures, but I did snap one of her picking her nose 

She thought it was funny to put the Minnie ears on Bryce 

Andrew helped her blow out the candles.

Ava came out of her room, wearing this during the party. It was so cute. She is defiantly her own person. 

We put these up the night before she went to bed, so they would fall on her when she opened the door on her birthday. She was a little confused and excited all at the same time. 

The next day our friend had her little girls party, it was tinker bell themed. Ava played with her wings for awhile but then decided to dress up as a pirate. I just love this photo

Before Ava's party I was thinking we needed to find something that was a first for her. I never did come up with anything. On the 13 we went to our friend b-day party and then to a wedding. On the home we decided to stop by a McDonald's to grab dinner. As we were finishing up Ava fell off her chair and hit her head on another. Bryce picked her up and then I grabbed her. I went to check if she had a bump only to realize my hand was covered in blood. 

Bryce went for Napkins and a couple in the play area kept reassuring me that head wounds bleed worse then they really are (they had ten kids) . I know they that they were trying to help. But in the moment I just wanted them to shut up as I figured out what to do. Ava would not let us get a look at it, so we decided to head to our friends house, who lived down the street. As long as we didn't talk about the head or look at the wound Ava was fine. Bryce had to hold her as I rinsed. I about freaked when I saw it. As calm as I could, I said we are going to the ER. Steph agreed and Vance was just saying how cool it was.

At the hospital Ava repeatably told us to take her home and got upset anytime a doctor or nurse came in the room. We tried to numb her wound but she was having none of it, after discussing the options, we decided that doing the staples without numbing would be the best option. It was easily the most traumatic experience for the three of us as a family. By then it was 10, (she was tired) they wrapped her in a sheet, held her down cleaned the wound and grabbed the staple gun and I walked out. She got two staples. We left put her in the car and she was fast asleep. we talked about what happened in the morning and that we needed to keep it clean. She only acknowledges her wound when we clean it or during bath time.

This experience was a first and one of those moments that remind me that I am a mom. As a friend put it a real mom moment, there are moments in parent hood that make us realize that we really are parents.   

Guess what? Tomorrow is my Birthday!

This year for my Birthday I will not be stressing about a capstone and I will not be in class! Instead I will be be spending the day with Ava, going to lunch with  my mother in law and doing some shopping. Then we will dress up and go to a ward trunk or treat. So excited, because I love trick or treating. Bryce will hand out candy and me I will be stocking up on goodies taking Ava around. Last year I turned a quarter of a century old and didn't have a party because I was so stressed with school. So this year, I booked in the fun, first  i did a girls night with two of my favorite's from high school. Then past weekend we did a murder mystery dinner! it was so fun. Pictures to come later.

Ava's birthday, post one

Here are some pictures of Ava's birthday. For her actual birthday we invited Kyla and her parents over for cake and games.  

 Both the girls had something to open. 

 playing games 

 While all the other adults played Mario Cart, I volunteered to cuddle baby Kellan. 

 Once the Turley's left. We Skyped with Bryce's family. Ava loved it. 

 Bryce had the next day off, so we went to build a bear in SLC.

Ava did not enjoy waiting her turn

 Giving "Princess Bear" a bath. She named the bear. Lucky for us Ava picked the cheapest bear and I picked out clothes for the clearance rack for the bear. 

 Making Crepes for the birthday girl. 

  We had Ava's birthday party a few weeks later. I am still waiting to get those pictures. So I will post about the super cute sesame street party we had later. 

Princesa

Princesa (prin-ces-a), is how Ava says princess. It is very cute, I think we may finally have another nick name for her other then stinker shorts, short shorts or tiny. These names were given by Bryce to her in her first few weeks of life and they have stuck. (anything with the word shorts refers to a diaper).

My dear sweet little stinker turned two today. I still don't feel old enough to have a two year old. Their are moments when I ask myself "am I really a mom" or "am I old enough to be one". I really am a mom and love every moment of it.

It is hard for me to believe that just two years ago we were snuggled in a hospital room. I could not put her down, she just smelled so sweet. Now I am lucky to cuddle with her for more then a moment. Here are some fun facts about her.

~She loves animals! (stuffed or real)
~She enjoys watching Sesame Street, Blues Clues and Curious George ( he is a naughty monkey).
~She likes to dance, her toes painted, to wear "pretties" (jewelry)
~Playgrounds are the coolest thing to her. Slides and playing in the dirt are her favorite things to do at a park.
~The potty is fun to play with. She likes having toilet paper and will play sit on the potty.
~Bubbles baths are a must
~Chocolate milk is her favorite drink. She would only drink it if I let her.
~She prefers not to wear clothes and dislikes dresses and sandals. She says "No like it" we usually have to convince her to wear something by pointing out the flower, heart or something she likes so she will wear it.
~She will list all of Bryce's family if just one of their names come up. Dusty and Haley's names are always said together.
~She knows that grandpa feeds the cows.
~At Grandma and Grandpas she wants to give the dogs bones every five minutes. (Pip and Lucy don'r mind). She says "doggy bone"
~She enjoys going on their four wheeler
~She likes to cuddle on her terms. First things in the morning and right before bed are the best times.
~She like to hide and then get you. She will tell you when she is "hiding" and when she "gets you"
~She is reserved most of the time and does not like crowded places. (just like her dad)
~She likes to play with her friends and will ask for them.
Okay so this list could go on...I will just sum up just how great she is. She is very smart, beautiful, talkative and stubborn.  I enjoy hearing her laugh it is music to my ears. I love watching her grow and learn new things everyday. I hope that I can always remember to treasure the moments (good and frustrating)  with her. I feel  very blessed to have an amazing daughter. Happy Birthday Ava!

Here are some pictures from the past two years! I love this little girl so Much!

 What the freak are you guys doing to me?...