avablog

After this:

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G.G. is in town this week to spend some time with Ava, who has a week off camp. Yesterday, the two of them put together a nice picnic lunch and met L and me in the park next to our office, where we dined on sandwiches, chips and fruit under a cloudy sky. It was [...]

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I want you to know, Dearest Boy, that I feel frustrated today by the knowledge that we have all been here in this world for so long now that every word I want to use to tell you how inspiring you are has been used thousands and thousands of times in every way to profess [...]

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Emmett is a big fan of dogs. It’s interesting to watch him approach them when they happen by, and to watch how he instinctively reaches out to pet them on the back. If the pooch happens to lie down, Emmett takes that as his cue to plop down on top of the dog for a [...]

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“They grow up so darn fast.” It’s going to be fun to someday look back on Ava’s “horse period.”

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Dear Emmett: I can’t believe that a year ago at this time, you were head down and bottom up in my belly–kicking and kicking and ready to go! Now, all these months later, you’re still ready go, everywhere you can! You started walking for real last Thursday, just a few weeks before your first birthday, [...]

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I was putting in a new flower bed in the front yard yesterday and so had gardening implements all over the place. Emmett, who went from 0-60 in about 5 seconds last week in the walking dept., made a bee line right for my spade. Once there, he propped himself up on it and surveyed [...]

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I hold it true, whate’er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; ‘Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. In Memoriam A. H. H. by Alfred Tennyson

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For your consideration. Ava at her dance class dress rehearsal on Monday: And ECP giving me a smile on a walk we took yesterday while I was home with him: Crazy kids….

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There was no plan to get this shot annually, but now I’m thinking it might not be a bad idea. The 2010 version: And from 2009:

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Had a really nice weekend, starting off with a dinner party for our friends Dawn and Ben. Then G.G. and Poom Poom rolled into town Saturday morning to do the Easter thing with us. The whole group took a walk to a nearby park yesterday afternoon, where we got some pictures I’m really fond of. [...]

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I came home the other day to find the fam sitting in the front yard, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. I’m not going to go into how cute and funny and busy our little fella is. Instead, I’ll leave you with this image of little ECP, who in this picture is either 1) choking on [...]

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It’s like her artistic urges had been percolating all winter and only then were being released. Nothing like putting down some serious chalk to get you feeling back to normal.

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From a walk Ava and I took downtown and back this morning. I’m home with her today for the start of her spring break. It was just awesome to hold her hand and stroll down the street, talking about birds and flowers and what an amazing day it is. I could get used to this.

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Gramary took Ava out to a farm yesterday to see some goat kids. While there, Ava collected a bunch of eggs, one of which she asked me to scramble for her — with ham — last night when she got home. She was as thrilled as could be with her booty. This morning, Ava asked [...]

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Fresh snow trumps freezing temps. Either that, or Ava has some undiagnosed nerve damage that makes it impossible for her to feel cold. Oh well. So long as she’s having fun….

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Gosh, I hope this isn’t too lousy…. Part of this set.

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I wonder if there’s a costume in the world that could be less scary than this one. Maybe a cotton ball costume. That said, if you do happen to have some strong fear of cows, please, avert thine eyes now.

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Lots and lots of cuteness going around this weekend. Kinda like the flu, only I can’t seem to catch it. A couple choice shots for your enjoyment. First, our big girl: Next, the NKOTB: All together now:

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No matter what I do, I can’t keep Ava from becoming cuter as time goes by. But I’ll keep trying! All I can do in the meantime is document her cuteness to the best of my ability.

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