Feliz Navidad

Once again Bailey guarded our presents overnight as we slept. Ava let us sleep in until 8:15am, Mommy and Daddy were very happy. This year Christmas was a Dora Adventure. Ava got a Dora chair, Dora tent and plenty of Dora accessories. Mommy got lots of fun Gator stuff from Nana and Grandpa including a Gator Snuggie, oh yea, you heard me and it rocks! I've used it every night and it really keeps me warm, it's the best invention! Nana and Grandpa sent Gator gear for the new baby too. Ava couldn't resist walking around in my Gator slippers.

Oh, and of course there is Elmo. He sings, laughs and tells jokes and Ava can't get enough of him. She wears her Elmo and Abbey bib all day, everyday. We have to hide it from her in order to clean it. The rest of the day we stayed in and played, napped, ate and played some more. It was a great Christmas just knowing we'll be a family of four next Christmas still blows my mind.

Noche Buena

Ava spent Thanksgiving Italian style and Christmas Eve Puerto Rican style, she is really getting in touch with her roots this holiday season. Our night started off with traditional Puerto Rican dishes that were amazing, Ava loves it when Lela cooks, just before the fork full of food goes in her mouth she yells yummy-yummy! Avita danced off the pernil and arroz con gandules with Lela and Lelo. She made music with Isabella and Sofia and had a ball running around all night on her sugar high.

Then, just as she was starting to wind down guess who showed up for the night...HO HO HO, Santa and Mrs. Clause!! And Ava was less then amused. She wanted nothing to do with Mr. and Mrs. Clause. She had no idea it was Lela and Lelo dressed up and was not happy that we snapped this picture.

It was a long night for our little girl but her Boriqua blood handled it pretty well. We arrived home around 12:30am, the latest she has ever stayed up. We tucked her into bed and knew soon she would have visions of sugar plums dancing in her head.

Winter Wonderland

So Ava's Snowman obsession continues...after the East Coast got slammed this past weekend with a snowstorm (we got about 9 inches) we took full advantage of the quiet day and headed outside for some fun in the snow. We layered her up and put on her rainboots and we were out the door. Our intention was to build a snowman but when we walked into our garden one of our neighbors had already built one and it was the perfect size according to Ava.

She loved talking to a snowman that was just her size.

She pulled on his carrot nose but it was frozen and stuck in there.

She had to give the snowman a BIG hug. She's a great hugger.

See you later snowman.

The Snowman

So here is Ava's snowman, she says hi to him in the evening when we get home and bye-bye when we leave in the morning. Everytime we pull up to our building she asks the Snowman, "what are you doing snowman?" When we're driving in the car and she gets restless all we have to do is look for all the snowmen in our neighborhood and that keeps her occupied. What is it about the corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal?

She could stay there forever talking to him until I say come on let's go inside. Then...Thumpetty thump thump, Thumpety thump thump,
Look at Ava go.

Big Shoes to Fill

These days our girl loves to put on our shoes and walk around the house. Last night Daddy's shoes were the target, she walked around all night saying "Daddy's shoesys." She is talking so much. You tell her a word and she will remember it, like the other day I pointed out a snowman that our building put up for Christmas and every time we walk by it she says "hi snowman."

She mimics everything we say, the other day Joey was telling Bailey that the radiator was hot, so he said "that's hot Bailey" -- for 20 minutes she kept saying "that's hot" like Paris Hilton. Every time she would say it for no apparent reason we would crack up. If Ava does something wrong or drops something on the floor she automatically says "I'm sorry Dadda" even if it's me she apologizing to. Sometimes she knows what's she's doing and will say it to get away with it, Daddy falls for it all the time and tells her it's okay. Me on the other hand, I'm on to her game.

Christmastime

This weekend we decorated the house for Christmas, the dilemma was where do we put a Christmas tree in our small apartment that has been taken over by toddler toys. Leave it to Daddy to make room and find a place to put our small tree. Upon pulling out all the decorations Ava wanted to play with all of them. She hugged the bears, played with the ornaments and help string the tree with lights. She was a great helper. It was the perfect setting Christmas carols playing in the back ground, hot cocoa and the smell of fresh pine filled the air. Everything was going great UNTIL...the meltdown!!

Thanksgiving with the Loscalzo's

On Thanksgiving we all woke up, made breakfast and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, a Rodriguez tradition. One year before we move out of New York City we will actually attend the parade, once the kiddos are a little older. Later that day we headed Upstate to my girlfriend Krisitie's house for an Italian Thanksgiving, Joey got in touch with his Italian roots, we listened to Frank Sinatra, drank vino and feasted on some amazing food -- tons of it, we were in heaven.

Ava loved their doggie and kitty cat, she loves saying "kitty cat"

Mrs. Loscalzo was well prepared for the toddler visit and Ava had a blast playing with all the toys

Before we left we dressed Ava in her PJ's for the ride home but she got in a dance or two with Alyssa before we left - more Thanksgiving pictures to come

Playdate with Baby Jordan

Last week Ava and I went to visit Baby Jordan who our friends adopted. He was such a little peanut. I couldn't believe how light he was in my arms, it felt so good to hold a newborn again. We hung out for a while, he slept, ate and slept some more - I also forgot how much they sleep. When he finally woke up and showed us his big blue eyes it was my turn to hold him and Ava was not so thrilled with this move. At first she just looked at me holding him, then the tears started to flow. It showed me that we need to start preparing her more for the arrival of her little brother, I guess getting her a baby doll and stroller just isn't enough.

Ava the Elephant

This year Carlyle had a kiddie Halloween party for all the employees tike's. Ava came dressed as an elephant and had such a good time. She loved all the attention and playing peek-a-boo through the glass offices.

Hanging out in the office with Mommy before the festivities

Mommy and the Elephant, pregnant bellies are great toddler perches

My daughter, the grabber

She loved the bats that were hanging around the office, she swatted at them

Relaxing in the conference room after filling her pumpkin with candy

A very tired elephant. It was an exhausting day for both of us, when we got home she played for a while and fell fast asleep. Mommy went to bed soon there after.

Fall Get-a-WHAT?

This year our "getaway" brought us to Chatham, New York which is the farthest North we've traveled, about 3 hours from New York City. Unfortunately, this year the weather did not cooperate, it was a total washout the day we planned to go to the Orchards.

We decided to head to Pittsfield, Massachusetts for the day since it was about a 15 minute drive away. It was Joey and Ava's first time to MA, my second and every time I've visited it's been cold and rainy. Since it was less then desirable out we grabbed a bite to eat at an Irish Pub, we've found giving Ava a lemon while in a restaurant keeps her entertained and hit the Berkshire Museum. It was fun for about 20 minutes and after that Ava was kind of over it. After an hour we hit Ben & Jerry's for some ice cream then headed back. The rain did not stop all day and carried into the evening.

We had planned on going to the orchards on our way home but with all the rain the orchards would be soaked and too messy so we just headed home. We stayed in a great Bed & Breakfast that actually allowed children, that's the big white house. We learned some lessons along the way, like you can't be too far away from a pharmacy or grocery store when you have kids and we were deep in the Berkshire Mountains, with no cell phone reception, another no-no. The morning we left Ava wanted to take Elmo on an early morning walk, which I was able to get a few snapshots of. Can't say it was our best trip but we were together and that's all that matters.