Fat Lip...Not Back Flip!

So, this past Monday was a tough day in our house. Here is what happened to my darling Ava's face!

We were playing outside in the beautiful sunshine. Ava was walking back to her house when the unexpected happened...she fell flat on her beautiful face. It you have ever watched a child fall and be hurt, it is the most horrible thing you've ever seen. It happens in slow motion, but you can't move fast enough to save the child. Ava fell to her knees, then her chest went down...then the face hit. Her lip and mouth were covered in blood.

It must be quite tragic in her little mind and require some therapy because about three times a day she says, "I fell down outside". This morning she pulled some of the scab off (yuck! I almost turned inside out!) and fought me while I put antibiotic cream on it.

When we called to tell Laura about it, she thought I said that Ava had done a back flip!

On a bright note, here is darling Charlotte and her wonderful face! At our house we say, "Charlotte Grace, we love your face!"

Painting...it is so scary!

This morning Ava has been painting. It is such a thrilling/scary endeavor. It is great to watch her creativity. She is learning about the colors and the way paint works on paper. She identifies the shapes and letters that I paint on her paper...almost before I can complete them!

It is scary when she pulls a paint soaked brush out of the paint cup and wields it like a sword. Paint splatters on the floor (thank God for the plastic mat we keep below the easel), on her smock (which is never big enough to cover her clothes), and on me if I don't dodge fast enough.

I think we're going to mail this one to Danielle and her gang. We can't get to them any time soon...so this will remind them of us!

This one is a little gross..you may want to skip it...

Well, we've started giving Charlotte solid foods to beef her up. She is really enjoying everything...especially carrots. The only problem is her new favorite trick.

Up until now, Charlotte has been exclusively breast-fed. That means that her 'yucky poopy' (as Ava says) has been no big deal. Not stinky, not much of it, and easy to deal with. NOW, in every diaper, there is a really stinky little piece of carrot-orange poop. The worst part of this is that on Friday we will be picking up our shipment of bumgenius cloth diapers. We're switching the girls over to cloth. I'm not crunchy granola or anything...it will truly be so much cheaper.

Anyway, the point of all of this is that Charlotte has a new trick...a stinky little one!

Wrinkled Up Chips

Tonight at dinner we had guacamole with Tostitos Scoops chips. Mark thought they might make taco and dip eating a little easier for Ava. She looked at them for a minute, then said, "Mama, may I have some of those wrinkled up chips?"

Charlotte answered for me, "Babababa."

(happy birthday) Uncle Sean

Well, I don't think we're supposed to say anything...so it has been killing me all day...not to holler HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE SEAN into the telephone with Ava. We love this wild, red-haired man and are so thankful to God for the celebration of his birth.

The first time I met Sean, I felt a little uncertain about a few of his ways... I knew that he had raised two wonderful girls. I knew that Danielle was safe and loved by him, but I wasn't sure about the safe part with Ava. He grabbed her and tossed her around all of the time. He made loud noises and played in ways that Ava had never seen. And...SHE LOVED IT!

So, now Uncle Sean has a special place in our heart. It is a place filled with adventure and special little outings. A place that serves better food and homemade wine. It is a place that loves differently and more wildly than we are accustomed to. It is a place where our children have wonderful nicknames that speak blessings over them.

You are a wonderful man, Uncle Sean and we love you.

Updates...but no videos...

I've been trying for two days to load this great video of Ava trying to jump rope with her winter scarf! It is crazy to watch. She grabs the ends of the scarf (which is too short to be a jump rope) and whips it in front of herself violently while she jumps. She is completely convinced that she is jumping rope!

Also, there was a video of our darling Charlotte, lounging in the high chair while she munches on a turtle teether. The girl is definitely working on teeth, because her gums are pushing so hard on that turtle that it squeaks! Notice the little foot propped up on the tray...darling girl!