10 things I never want to forget

Ava is growing so quickly and her usual routines are changing so frequently also as she grows. All of the little things that make up her personality and make my heart smile are all the things I never want to forget as she grows up. These are the little things she does now that as her mother I find completely endearing:

1. As we walk inside from the car at night Ava always looks up at the night sky and says, "Buh-Bye Stars," and she waves to them.

2. Whenever she meets someone new, whether it's someone stopping to adore her in the grocery store, or a friend meeting her for the first time she immediately holds out her bunny and says, "Want bunny?" My favorite thing about her is how she is so willing to share, especially her bunny that is one of her most important possessions. She really will make a great big sister one day.

3. She's moved away from having phone conversations on just a phone and now likes to talk on bananas, a crayon, and even a tube of lipstick. She's such a little goofball. Yesterday she kept pretend calling Grandma and asking for a cookie. "Heeyoo? Ga-ma! Want cookie? Okay, Alright, Buh-bye!"

4. When she went to sleep the other night in her new room, without me saying it first, Ava said, "I yaaaa you Mommy, I yaaa you, I yaaa you!!" So sweet, she melts my heart. (I yaaa you = I love you)

5. When I go to get Ava from her crib in the morning she is always holding her bunny in one hand and her 2 blankets in the other and pulls them out with her. But when her feet hit the floor she leaves them in a trail on the floor as she drops them one by one and heads to the kitchen for her morning cup of milk. Of course I grab my morning cup of coffee and she always points to it and says, "Mommy coffee," as we sit and drink together.

6. Ava doesn't kiss on the cheeks or lips anymore. She gives what Grandpa has dubbed "The Hollywood kiss." She takes a few steps in your direction and from across the room she leans forward and gives an air kiss, "mwah!" and walks away. This week she learned to blow kisses so this "Hollywood Kiss" is slowly transforming into a "Miss America kiss." She blows a kiss, "Mwah!" waves her hand high up in the air and says, "Buh-Bye!"

7. Ava absolutely cannot stand to have anything in her hair, not even little piggie tails and of course no more headbands or clips. Her hair is getting longer and fuller now and even in her eyes but if I so much as try to pull is back with a clip she always pulls it out and hands it back to me saying, "Thank you." She is such a girly girl as she loves dresses and all things pink but when it comes to her hair, it must be left alone! (As aggravating as it may be with all the clips & headbands I make, it's still cute to me).

8. Ava's hugs do not consist of her wrapping her arms around you. Instead she pulls them in to her chest and collapses into your arms allowing you to give her a big squeeze. She even says, "Awww Hug!" in the process. The only thing she gives a real hug to is her bunny which she squeezes so tight and says, "Awwwww! Hug bunny!"

9. Ava's animal noises and counting skills are absolutely hysterical. She likes to randomly call out an animal in public and make it's noise which actually makes other store patrons or passersby laugh as well. "Lion, Raaaaaaaaaaaaar! Cow! Mooooooooooo!" She also likes to randomly count out of order and every now and then she'll make it to ten perfectly. But it usually goes like this, "One, two, four, six, semmy, eight, elemen, twell." She really hates the number 3 for some reason.

10. Every day Ava completely amazes me when she says something new and I have no clue where or how she learned it. She's absolutely a sponge and is learning so many things every day and to watch a little child learn and grown is absolutely a beautiful and pleasing thing. I know that she will continue to be this way and I know I'll never forget this trait about her (and, of course, most children) but her memorization skills completely blow me away.