It's been a while!

Well I haven't been the best 'blogger'.  But not much has been going on with the Upshaw's.  We've just been doing our normal routine of work, daycare, Victor traveling, and enjoying our weekends as a family.  I wasn't feeling very good last week and Victor was out of town during the day, so we didn't do a lot for Valentine's Day, just spent time with our family.  We thought we might actually get some snow last week, but didn't. It has been an unseasonably warm winter so we've gone outside a little bit.  Our new neighbors graciously offered to build a fence in our yard while they were doing theirs so we now have a fenced area for Ava to play.  Ava got to try out a little slide Victor put in the back for her (see video below).  While I do prefer warm weather, I wish it would snow just once so we could enjoy it before spring gets here.  There's still the rest of February and March, right?!?

My posts are usually (ok, they all are) about Ava though.  Soooo... here is what she's doing. Ava continues to grow and make us laugh by a new trick it seems like everyday.  She is getting really good at speaking and tries to repeat everything. Victor has been out of town this week and she asks to call him and will take the phone and just speak gibberish non-stop to him, it is so cute!  She also loves to dance and has been singing to the radio in the car which is pretty funny!  Right now she has a bit of a cold but other than that she is doing good.  Victor played in an indoor soccer tournament last weekend and I took Ava to watch him play.  She loved it and was so excited to see him out on the field.  She worked on her soccer skills too and seems to be pretty good for a two (well almost) year old.  Speaking of that, we can't believe in just two months our little girl will be two!  We are excited about her party this year because it will be on Easter weekend so we are going to do an egg hunt! 

Here are some pictures and videos from the past month!  Sorry about some of the videos being sideways, they are that way on our phones and don't know how to change them....

Ava loves Mommy's shoes

Watching our fence construction

All bundled up on a cold day.  Sorry this is sideways, not sure what happened.

Watching TV with her favorite shades.

Driving in style...

Matching pink toes

Ava praying before dinner

Happy New Year!

It has been a while since our last post.  We celebrated Christmas with my family the week before Christmas and then headed off to Oklahoma to spend Christmas with Victor's family.  We had a good time and enjoyed visiting with everyone.  Ava understood Christmas a lot more this year and had a great time opening gifts!  On our last night in Oklahoma I came down with the stomach bug that is going around, it was not fun.  After getting settled back in at home we were ready to celebrate the new year.  We decided to stay in town and were able to meet my friend Allyson's new baby, Hilton!  He is so precious and we are glad we got to see them while they were in town!  We planned on having a low key New Year's eve with dinner, a movie and watching the ball drop from home. Unfortunately, Victor came down with the stomach bug and spent the night on the couch sick.  He is all better now and we are ready for what 2012 has in store for us!  Happy New Year!!!

Trying our her new nap mat!

Mittens!

Allyson and Hilton in his tux - what a cutie!

A rare moment watching TV

Coloring

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We enjoyed the day with our family and friends and had lots of good food.  Not much else has been going on with the Upshaw's.  We are just enjoying the unseasonably warm weather this fall and watching Ava grow everyday. Below are some recent pictures of little Miss Ava. 

Cousins...

Nonna and Ava on Thanksgiving

Ava and Cousin Liam playing.

She's ticklish..

Happy Halloween!

This was Ava's second Halloween but last year she was only 6 months and was working on sitting up by herself.  This year she got to enjoy the fun Halloween festivities and dressed up as Tinkerbell.  My sister and I took Liam and Ava to Trunk or Treat at her school on Thursday. Then on Halloween night, Victor and I took Ava Trick or Treating in our neighborhood.  We only went to the homes on our street but she enjoyed it.  She said her version of "Trick or Treat" and loved grabbing candy.  We gave her a few bites of candy but most went back to our Trick or Treaters and Mommy and Daddy!



Ava's 1st Halloween

   

Ava's 1st Halloween





Trunk or Treat



Ava shared all her candy with Liam

Hugging cousin Liam!

Our very first house Trick or Treating!

Trick or Treat

Tinkerbell loving on "B"

Halloween Outfit



Modeling her Halloween bow from Nana Terry





It's finally fall!

It's finally fall!  And the weather has been getting a little cooler making it really feel like fall!  Ava is now 18 months and had her check up last week.  She weighed in at 25 pounds and 32 inches tall, right on track for her age.  She continues to grow her vocabulary all the time, and we are working on her manners, "please" and "thank you".  She definitely has a very strong personality and knows what she wants, and throws a fit when she can't have it!  We are working on that too!  We have been busy lately, we went to Nashville a few weeks ago to visit "Grandpa (or "B-pa" as Ava says) Darvin", enjoying the UT Football season tailgating and went to a pumpkin patch farm last weekend.  We are definitely enjoying the fall and can't believe it will be Thanksgiving in the next few weeks!