Brownwood Rodeo

As you all know Ava will one day be a Rodeo Queen so she can ride around the arena looking pretty and waving at everyone. She is destined to at least love horses because she wasn't at all afraid to sit up on these 8 foot Clydesdale's. (They were probably more around 7 feet for those who are counting)
To celebrate the rodeo in Brownwood there is a big city parade with all the Queens, clowns, cheerleaders, high school band, and this guy. Of course next year he will have some stiff competition since we have already started planning the family float!

Country Girl

This week Ava mowed Mimi's lawn. (She loves to mow!) And then took Mimi for a spin in Papa Keith's big truck. She is definitely going to be a country girl.

Ava's Daily

I just wanted to document a day in the life of Ava. She doesn't realize it now but later she will be able to see she had it pretty good as a baby. Well I imagine as long as there are grandma's and Mimi's in her life she will continue to have it fantastic for as long as she will remember.

So in the mornings we get up and going with some Cheerios. Of course when I say we I mean Ava and Mekah since she's figured out throwing them on the floor makes dog come over. After breakfast there is play time where Sprout crawls all over the house getting into things she is not supposed to. She has definitely figured out what the word "no" means and is starting to find out how she can get around it. I think she has also realized not everything she finds on the floor is good to eat. After snacking on a few rocks and clumps of dirt she is now just handing them to me. Pretty helpful if you think about it.

After play time it is of course nap time when we change the channel to CMT Pure Music and lay on the couch together. She slowly drifts off and will usually manage about a 2 hour nap as long as I lay next to her and cuddle. After nap then it is time to eat again. Usually a hot dog for lunch but if we're lucky we sometimes get leftovers from the night before. As you can see in her video hot dogs are pretty fantastic. After lunch there is more play. Then after more play there is "Daddy's Home!" She usually insists dad hold her for at least 30 minutes before he can do anything else. Then after they bond the chase is on. It's all about chasing Daddy and Dog wherever they go. It's not too long after that we start the getting ready for bed rituals.

Bath time has become so fun its turned to the phase where it's never time to get out. She crawls back and forth, sticks her face in the water, throws toys over board, splashes and just has a good time. Then after bath it's off to the rocking chair to be smoothed to sleep. It usually doesn't take long for those heavy lids to close and drool to start pouring out. So you see she has it pretty good, not a care in the world. As it should be for Grandma's only granddaughter and Mimi's only grandchild.

Panhandle with a BANG!

Ava and I drove up to Panhandle to visit Murr and Dandy for the holiday this past weekend. We visited friends and saw family, got a drug store coke, ate some La Fiesta and managed to sneak in Taco Villa a few times. Ava loved getting to crawl to some new places and hang out with other kiddos. Jayden was very helpful trying to teach Baby A to put on her shoes and catch a ball. Neither of them got it down yet, but by next year they will be thick as thieves! We managed to make it by the Panhandle City pool for a dip and Sprout just watched Rylee and Aiden swim all over the pool. You can tell she's ready to be out there adventuring with them.

To celebrate the 4th all the kids dressed up in proper red, white and blue to go watch the traditional parade on Main Street. Dandy rode in the veterans float, Pokey the Rodeo Clown drove his funny car, and Rylee drove her Escalade we decorated for her. Ava and I even got our toes into the patriotic spirit! I would have to say the best part of the parade was of course the horses! Sprout couldn't get enough of them! We definitely have an animal lover on our hands. After the parade and festivities at the court house it was time for a long nap before the fireworks started.

We went over to Jennifer's house for BBQ and music both of which were excellent! Ava tried some grilled bologna for the 1st time and didn't think it was all that bad. After her big feast she was lulled to sleep by the band, but quickly woke up when it was time for the show! She ohhhhed and awwwwed at the sparkles in the sky and loved to point at them to make sure we were all looking. Ava's first 4th of July celebration I have to say was a success. She saw horses, watched fireworks, ate new interesting things, played with new friends, and got to be held by both her great grand-parents. Of course after all that excitement mommy's little firecracker was all tuckered out.