Happy Birthday Ava- we love you!

Sifting through the goods...She LOVES to receive gifts!

Singing Happy Birthday to our lovely Ava...

Zhu Zhu Pet fun...

Ava is 4!!!

Ava's 3 tier B-Day cake (creative design by ME, execution and stylistic touch by Morgan!)
Thought I would add an additional shot of the cake, since Morgan worked so hard on it.:)

Could she be any cuter? Really?! OH MY!

Ava unwrapping a gift sent by Grandma and Grandpa...a zhu zhu pet!

Baking a cake together...I don't think I can ever catch Morgan's eyes open!

A Birthday cake from Morgan! (Plastic of course!)

Digging in...

Looking at all she got. After driving 11 hours + in a car with two girls, we decided it was a necessity to purchase some more Dora videos...so she got 2 for her birthday, along with lots of puzzles! She can finish puzzles rather quickly now, and is really good at them!

Videos from OBX

Ocean for the first time...I laugh every time I watch her little face!

At the movies with the Ream's....One of their favorite spots!

Our surfer girl. Boogie boarding like a champ! SO PROUD that she conquered her fears!

Vacation OBX Lounge Shots

For all of you out there, this is what a Dora addiction looks like...Oh my! Knee high socks and a hoodie to block out the outside world. Notice the glazed over look, and the statue-esque pose. She has literally had the shakes being home and not having 9 hours of the same Dora episodes!But oh man she is cute- and oh man did we need it in the car for sanity! It worked!

Insisted on having her bedtime story read by her "Joey"


Doing a little work with Daddy on vacation! Checking her email of course!

She looks sweet...but everyone knew that she has a bit of a fiesty latina, 2-year old side...

The lounge great room...that couch was phenomenal!

The view from our back porch...

Grill Master plus..Michael Samples! YUM! One of the best meals ever!

Playing chess...she is a child genius, what can I say?

Nothing beats Dora on the big screen!

Rylee switched over to Julie's lap most of the time!

Vacation OBX 2011 Ocean Shots!

Playing in the sand...our friends Shaun & Carolee took pics of our cool sand castles...

more to come when we get the pics!
Daddy & Rylee taking a snack break. This was one of Rylee's favorite spots...she was like a bottomless pit...goldfish, apples, fruit snacks...the girl ate and ate, and ate!
The beach wears you out!


Our brave little boogie boarder. Mr. Matt decided to purchase a $3 board to see if the girls liked it, both Rylee and Ava did it! They were so brave, and loved every minute! (BTW- doesn't Daddy look buff?- WOW!)

Heading out to the ocean to catch some waves :)

Walking to the ocean for the first time with Uncle Ben

Rylee was a little hesitant at first- but warmed up to the ocean quickly! With some help from "Mike-y" and Uncle Ben!

Her smile is intoxicating in any place!

So excited to see the ocean for the first time!

Experiencing it for the first time!

Friends for life now! Ava & her friend walking to the beach for the first time :)

Ava's 1st day of preschool!

Our 1st day at preschool! Talk about being a big girl!
Creative play in class...hmmm sounds really fun!

Ava's 2 teachers...Mrs. G & Mrs. F. They are wonderful!

Waiting to go to school. Rylee literally was woken up 5 minutes prior to this photo being taken. Poor girl! HA!

Getting suited up for school!

Really, could she be any prettier?

Pre- preschool interview...one for the future to show!

Grandma & Grandpa visit us in OHIO!

Playing with Grandpa...learning to write letters with some cool dry

erase cards given to Ava for her birthday...

Looking at all of Grandma & Grandpa's really cool gifts!

Becoming a lady bug!

New tables for the girls! They use them daily, and they sure will come in handy when we head out to Outer Banks for vacation this coming week!

Learning how to blow a "kazoo?" I have no idea what you call them!

Opening up there first gifts!

Making pigs in a blanket with Grandma & Grandpa for game day...

We also had a round of cheesy nachos! YUM!

Wow!

Cooking with Grandpa & Grandma...pigs in a blanket.

Opening up gifts...

Having some fun with grandparents...

Tooting our cares away to some seriously good giggles! I never get tired of this sound...the giggles of course!

Ice Cream fun!

Two handed cone smasher! YUM!

So hard to get Rylee to ever smile- we get so anxious to take the shot-

and then the camera can't take it fast enough! UGH!

Rylee's first time in a big girl car seat!

My girls have such tan skin here! Must be from all of our Zoombezi Bay trips this summer! Our last day was the Saturday before Labor day...we are all in mourning, especially Mommy!

First time in her big girl car seat! So excited! Ummm please forgive my big ole butt at the end of the shot...not one of my finer sides...I should really get Daddy for this!

Ava's first trip to the Dentist!

Getting her flouride treatment! What a brave big girl!
LOVE the glasses on her!

Counting teeth...she has some pretty ones!

Getting acquainted with all of the tools that will be going in her mouth!

Video footage of her teeth cleaning.

Rylee is 2! Big Girl!

My Baby getting her grub on!

Who wants a kiss?
I swear there is no alcohol in the cake! :)

Waiting patiently...

Our neighbor Morgan is a cake making specialist!

I gave her the idea and she executed it in detail!

After a fun day at Chuck E. Cheese...waiting to decorate the funfetti cake!

Singing to the big girl!