avablog

I wouldn’t say I went into having kids wearing rose-colored glasses, but it’d be fair to say I’ve still been taken aback a time or two by how difficult parenting can be. Even so, after eight years, the moments of sweetness continue to make up for all the wailing, gnashing of teeth, and rending of […]

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I suppose if someone as cute and funny and lovable as Emmett had been dropped into my life when I was four, I might’ve had a difficult time adjusting to it, too. So it’s understandable that Ava sometimes feels like we’re spending all our time and attention on Emmett, even if reality doesn’t support that […]

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We all trucked up to Mount Vernon yesterday to have brunch and and see the town’s annual Chalk the Walk event. The chalk was all fine and good, but it was a gorgeous day, and it was just nice to get out with L and the kids to do something fun. I even managed to […]

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It’s really cool to see how Ava and Emmett interact with each other as Emmett gets older. Mostly, it’s still Ava acting upon Emmett, but he’s increasingly an active participant in their games. Like last evening, when they got decked out in beaded necklaces and cowboy hats. Crazy kids. Emmett also still doesn’t seem to […]

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I was sitting with Emmett in the living room the other day, listening to Ava cry about something or other out in the kitchen, when I looked into this face and said, “Emmett, why don’t you go give Ava a hug?”

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No, your RSS reader isn’t messing with you. This is a new post! I wanted to put up what turns out to be the closest I could get to a shot of Ava and Emmett together in their tooth-themed Halloween costumes:

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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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Leah and I noticed lately that Emmett’s started making this…well, weird face sometimes. I don’t know if it’s because he’s not used to having teeth in his mouth, or what, but the expression is very much like one his big sis used to make when she was his age. Familial genetics, or a much, much […]

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This blog is hardly useful (fun?) if we (read: I) don’t use it to present information about our kids’ development. Emmett’s going through some changes, so I thought I’d share.

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Yes, Ava cut herself some new bangs this past weekend.

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This is the first image in Ava’s 2010 set on flickr. It seems fitting to feature her here first in the new decade, since this blog wouldn’t be here without her. Leah, as you know by now, dislikes these photos of Ava where she’s sporting a pensive look. But I think it’s a perfect expression, […]

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Sometimes I wonder if it’s possible to take a picture that’s so cute, it makes the viewer vomit upon seeing it. Wouldn’t that be weird? Anyway, if this turns out to be that picture for you, I apologize in advance.

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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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It seemed like a good idea at the time. We were all upstairs, bathing and feeding and getting ready for bed. I took Emmett into Ava’s room and sat with him for a bit. He kept craning his neck to see the big ladybug nightlight Ava keeps on her bed. So I set Emmett on […]

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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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Remember me? Anyway, we’re back from the annual trip to Grand Marais, MN. It was nice and quiet. Emmett slept the whole way up, pretty much, and was awake the whole way back, pretty much. Ava did a great job in the car both ways, thanks in large part to the Magic Treehouse audiobooks I […]

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Leah has been agitating the last couple weeks for a picture of our family, and the recent visit to Decorah gave her the chance she’d been waiting for. As usual, we imposed on Uncle Kevin to get behind the lens and work his magic. For those not in the know, it’s not easy getting a […]

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I miss all the good stuff. This morning, Ava came into our room when she got up so she could get some snuggles with Baby Brudder (she HAS to learn to say her th sounds someday). I got up to use the restroom, and while I was down the hall, I could hear L’s breathless […]

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I was reminded today that there haven’t been any posts to this blog in five days. And I was like, “Really?” But I see it’s true. Why would MySQL lie?

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Whew. This morning was a doozy. Ava was insistent that she didn’t want to go to school, and Emmett’s fussiness from last night carried over into the daylight. At one point, both kids (weird…”both kids”) were crying away downstairs, Emmett on my lap and Ava to her mom on the sofa in the TV room. […]

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