avablog

Dear Ava, Tonight your brother had a fever, and I was talking to your dad about the situation in front of you. Though we didn’t realize it at the time, this made you feel a little jealous and sad. When I came into your room to chat beneath the stars on your ceiling, you first […]

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We’re up in Madison this weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving at Aunt Rachel and Uncle Kevin’s house. One of the photographic highlights thus far, IMO, is this shot of Ava wearing an owl sweater Leah purchased a couple years ago and stored away for just such an occasion. I suspect there may be more pictures before […]

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I suppose if I were a little kid who was into dolls, and I had a new sibling, feeding that little sibling would be about the coolest thing in the world. Turns out being fed by your big sibling is pretty cool, too.

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I have thousands of $ worth of camera gear sitting around, and all I use it for is to take pictures of my kids. And sometimes my wife, if she’ll let me. I can’t decide if that’s a tremendous waste or one of the coolest things ever. I know what Leah would say. I also […]

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As I type this, Ava is off at her first sleepover at her friend Aaron’s house. Leah’s taking it pretty well, especially after Ava dismissed her almost completely offhand when Leah dropped Ava off. The event seemed auspicious enough that I should take a picture of it, so I did.* * I know. You’re saying, […]

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Make popcorn. This is how we always used to make popcorn when I was little, before air poppers and microwaveable bags. Ava and I popped some yesterday and then tucked in to watch Willy Wonka (Wilder Willy Wonka, not Depp Willy Wonka). Actually, Leah and Ava tucked in to watch the movie while I walked […]

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If I were shooting film, would I be more responsible with my shot selection? Maybe. Money is a big motivator. Let’s hope I never have to find out.

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Leah keeps threatening me she’s going to set up an appointment at Flash for a family portrait. I hate Flash. I might as well get that out there right now. Anyway, I’m telling her not to do it, that I’ll take the shots. She’s unconvinced. So I set up a little studio in the living […]

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Sometimes I get a picture of Ava I love more than others. Last night I came across one of those. Dunno if it’s the pose, or the look on her face, or what, but this image just speaks to me.

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I took this shot the other day on a lark. Sometimes pictures just show up on my laptop and I have no idea where they came from.

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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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We spent the weekend in Madison with Leah’s sister and her husband. Had lots of fun, as usual, but didn’t end up getting as many photos as I would’ve liked. When isn’t that the case?

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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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Last weekend we made the annual trek to Decorah for apple cider making. The weather was a bit sketchy, but we managed to dodge the showers long enough to gather, clean, and press a whole load of apples. As you might expect, I got all sorts of pictures and video from the event, most of […]

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I love you. Forever and ever.

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I have an inkling that it would be a lot easier to explain the birds and the bees to Ava right now than to do it when she’s 11. Or 13. I’m guessing that when she’s older, there’ll be the danger that she can get up from our talk, walk out the door, and put […]

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First, an aside. Why can’t squirrels be more like farm chickens? I mean, you can’t run over a farm chicken if you try, but squirrels just seem to freeze up when a car comes upon them. Anyway, I squished one on the way home from dropping off Ava at school this morning, and it’s not […]

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I’d be hard put to come up with an image from the last couple months that better describes Ava’s summer. Pigtails, corn dogs, and carnival rides. Oh, and those boots. Always with the boots. This is a shot Gramary took at the Regina Fall Fun Festival over the weekend. Poor kid has a couple inches […]

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Ava’s in a major Western wear phase at the moment. I can’t tell if Leah’s happy about it or not, but Ava sure does have a blast getting dolled up in her boots, hat, and bandana. In fairness, I should probably note that the kid still keeps in touch with her princess roots, too. This […]

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Ava went downtown with her Gramary over the weekend to partake of the festivities surrounding a sand castle building competition. One such festivity was a free concert, and, well, you just know Ava’s gotta move. Photo by Gramary:

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