16 months old!

Ava is 16 months now, and it's getting harder and harder to call her a baby! I can't believe how big she is and what she has learned! She is full of personality and isn't afraid to show it! We love her so much; she is our world!

Ava's lounging on Grammy and Pawpaw's hammock! She loves it!

We have been up to so much this summer! We have mostly just hung around Northwest Arkansas but we have been swimming, to baby bookworms, to the Springdale Aquatic Center, hung out with Grammy and Pawpaw, Aunt Julie and Mollie, and Granna Pops! Ava is always into something and has so much fun wherever she is!

Ava also had her first surgery a week ago. She had to have her tongue and upper lip clipped and stitched. She did really well. The hardest part on her was waking up afterward and not knowing what was going on or anyone around her. Once I got to hold her she cried really hard on my shoulder for about 15 minutes and then started to calm down and drink some. After that it was like it never happened! Her lip was a little swollen and sore but she didn't let it stop her! I love that about her!

Here are the things I don't want to forget about Ava at this age:

-She is jabbering up a storm! We can understand a lot of it, but she still has a few regular phrases that we don't know what they mean!

-She loves playing on the couch or chair. She puts her head in the corner, rolls over, walks from one end to the other, and jumps!

-She loves Dixie and Fez and will kiss and hug on them as much as they let her.

-She has discovered her belly button and loves to show it and see yours!

-She has just started blowing kisses. It's really sweet.

-Whenever anyone is getting on to her she will immediately start waving at you and saying "hi". It's so sweet and almost makes you forget you are getting onto her.

-She loves loves loves string cheese. It is by far her favorite treat, and she would eat it and only it for every meal if she could.

-She says hi to anyone and everyone even her "kitty"! I love this too!

-She is still sleeping really really well; we have been really blessed with a good sleeper!

-She loves being in her pink car and plays with it everyday.

-She loves books still, and has certain pages in them that she wants you to go right to and leave it there.

-She loves the cow page in one of her books and will moo with us.

-She goes to the refrigerator when she wants her drink or cheese.

-She still loves to play peek-a-boo.

-The itsy bitsy spider is her favorite song, and she will try to put her hands together like you do in the song and say "spider" when she wants to sing it.

-She is quite the little dancer! She moves her shoulders and hips and is really coordinated at it! We all love to dance with her!

-She loves being around other kids, especially Mollie! She gets so excited to see her Mollie, and wants to hug and kiss on her.

-She can recognize Mollie in a picture and wants to carry it around for awhile. (Mollie is 5 months younger than Ava, and I just know they are going to be so close. I LOVE this!)

I'm sure there is so much more, but I can't think of anything right now. I'll add more later.

In about a week we are going with the Greers to Gulf Shores for a week and are so excited! Hopefully, I'll feel post pictures really soon after we get back. HA!