23 months (100 weeks)

Today marks Aven's 23 month "anniversary" and her 100 weeks on earth so far.  It is a bit bittersweet because she is almost officially 2!  WOW.  Here is a photo collection capturing life this past month, weather in the northwest and general activities that we do in down time.


Aven is really beginning to test her limits and we are having to use the 1-2-3 method with a timeout.  She is also super super funny and says hilarious things everyday which I only wish I could capture and remember forever.


Right now she says "Mommy" or "Daddy" at the end of everything, making it sound very formal (and a bit demanding at times).  She'll say, "more milk Mommy" or "play Legos Daddy."  Her most commonly used phrase is "Aven do it (Mommy) or (Daddy)."  She loves identifying her colors and getting picky about what she wants: spoon Mommy, or fork Daddy, or yellow bowl Mommy, blue plate Daddy.


These past few weeks she has re-discovered how to get into things and how to make a mess.  Somehow I thought we were past this but she seems to have regressed.  Now making a mess of her food is something fun again, playing in the dogs water or the basket of toiletries (including Mommy's tampons), etc are all free game.  In addition, she has discovered that she can climb up on her changing table, on the dining chairs and hence from there onto the dining room table.  It only took a moment for her to get onto the chair and then onto the dining room table.  I walked into the kitchen for a moment and when I returned she was laying on the table pressing the buttons on my Kindle.  Watch out.


She still furiously loves stories and books.  Every night she must read as many as possible before going to sleep and if it were up to her, she wouldn't go to sleep since she would want to keep reading books.  She plays with her babies, wrapping them up and such and likes playing with blocks, legos and other stackable and buildable supplies.  She loves putting on different shoes and practicing putting them on and taking them off again.


She is still a big eater and favors fruits and carbs.  We have an almost weekly event of making Dutch Baby Pancakes on Sundays before church which she fondly calls "Baby Cake-Cakes."  She loves these and happily asks for more, more.


Recently she rode in the bike stroller with Abe and she was able to wear her Eric Carle bike helmet.  She loved it and kept wanting to wear it around just the house.  That night she insisted on wearing it even though we were riding home in the car.

As entertaining as Aven is and as funny as she is she can really push a Mommy's or Daddy's buttons which is extremely challenging on the days when she decides that she doesn't need a nap....because we need a break!  I am afraid that she will grow out of this phase before we are ready, sigh...oh well.

Actually carrying around tampons (where did she find these?)

First "mud puddle" jump (I didn't even point it out)

All the green dots were lined up just by her, she loves to organize things

Ready for school- wearing her St. Patty's day gear

Is loving organizing and playing with Play dough

My little green princess

The kind of weather we've been having lately....rain, show and hail-in excess.

Special visit with Ahma

Looking like Daddy 

Ready to roll!

Face painting at the aquarium- Mommy had a sea star and Aven requested a Dolphin in green.

We love you Aven Lily and you make us laugh each and every day.  You help us to see life in a different way and we love watching you grow and learn about the world.  Can't believe you are almost 2.