Ears, ears and more ears

Since mid-September we have been in for nine ear infections. We are now allergic to two antibiotics, a couple don't work, we have been to the pediatric allergist, but today was the day for tubes and let's hope this cures the problem of constant ear infections!!!!

Pretty sad when this last ear infection has lasted more than two weeks we have been on three antibiotics and the Dr. said today that he drained a ton of junk from both ears, poor little girl!!

So, at 5:15 this morning we headed out to the hospital - and what could make a girl so happy as this hour is to realize she has a new stuffed Barney which was so kindly given to us from a very special person.


Ava enjoyed pre-op, she especially enjoyed hiding under the chairs Heath and I are in. Each time a new nurse or dr. would come in she was always under the chairs just looking at them, like what's up?

Here we are in the pre-op enjoying a little Barney on the portable DVD player. Just having that today was worth the $50 Gree and Grandpa spent on that jewel.



Don't I look so cute in my gown?


Gotta love hospital gowns!!!!!


Overall, the surgery went great and hopefully this will be the answer to the problem!

The days I never thought I would have...

Let's take a look back shall we let's say oh 8 years ago. I had just graduated from college and started my job in corporate America. I worked in downtown Dallas on the 38th floor of the TXU building, rode the train into work everyday and loved it. I loved my job, loved the people I worked with, the company I worked for everything. I wanted to succeed and was well on my way to doing just that. Can I just say during this time how many times I said I never want to have children. They are fun and all but I really like to give them back to their parents when they get cranky!!!!

Well, today was a day I promised I was never going to have. Ava has not been feeling well but it seemed as though it was just the junk that every other kid has right now, just the time of year. Well, last night it got worse, blah, blah - called the dr. this morning said to come in. From the time I called the dr., Ava broke out in a rash all over her stomach and back and I am thinking glad I already called the dr., I am so on top of my mother's intuition today. Well, then we head for the dr. which is a little bit of a drive for me. She started crying this so sad pathetic cry and then about halfway there it happens projectile vomiting everywhere. I immediately pull over praying that I don't get hit by a semi which seriously could happen on this particular highway. Get as much of it cleaned up, realize I don't have a change of clothes for my child. On the way to the dr. I am fretting about taking my child into the dr. in a diaper but then realize I did have a onesie in the back. So, if you can imagine we both smell like throw up my child is in a onesie, socks and tennis shoes (high fashion in the toddler world) and here we go walking in to sign in.

I sit down and my poor child can not even hold her eyes open. Then, I see this new mom with her newborn (make-up, cute outfit and all) there obviously for a well-check I know she is looking at us or smelling us and thinking that will never happen to me and new mom I have news for you, I thought the same thing too!!!! In fact, I never dreamed this would ever happen to me because I was never supposed to have children!!!! Once we get back in the room as we are waiting I just start to giggle at the wonderful paths our lives take and how I wouldn't trade being a Mom for anything it is just funny that at one time I couldn't have even dreamed this day.

So, I thought I would post some pics from last week of a happier time here at the Hamrick house.

The other day Ava was playing with the hand towel in the bathroom and although it looks like she is closing her eyes this is how she winks at people, cracks me up everytime.


Aren't I beautiful and the queen of drama.


I have to hide from the paparazzi.


This is her latest trick to get the trigger of the spray bottler in her mouth and push it backwards with her teeth, therefore, spraying herself in the face. Weird I know.


I mean don't you want your face dripping with water 2-3 times a day?


Then, just to prove her Taz self, I was trying to get some cleaning done so Ava played on her stool in the bathroom and within a matter of minutes had everything pulled out of the open cabinet and all over the floor.


Well, that is all for now, please excuse me while I go whip out my engineering degree to figure out how to put the car seat back together after it has all been washed!!!!

18 months

Well, I can't believe it Ava is 18 months old. Man, the time is flying some days more than others but I just can't believe that she is almost two. As my mom said the other day it is almost depressing to look at clothes because she has grown out of all the cute baby stuff and is now a little girl!!!

Here is what she looked like one year ago!



And then today. We were outside playing and I can't believe how big she is.

Here are some of the things I want to remember about her at this age:

• She loves little boys ages 5-9. She loves to hit and act wild and crazy and wrestle with them. She thinks it is just hilarious. In fact, the first name she can say is Drew and he is a third grader that is so sweet to her anytime she sees him even in the middle of church she starts shouting his name. It is hilarious and I know it drives him crazy but he is sweet with her.
• I often refer to her as the Taz short for Tazmanian Devil. When she is finished playing with a toy she just throws it behind her and moves onto the next. You never know where stuff might end up in this house. I honestly think Fisher Price ought to hire her for durability testing.
  
• She is not a nurturer. I laugh as people write about their little girls getting dolls and how they instantly start loving on them. Ava likes to poke their blinkie eyes and them tosses them aside.
• She is passionate (or what most would say she has a temper and is strong-willed). In fact, yesterday she was so mad at me she started jabbering off something and it probably was a good thing I didn't understand a word of it because I am sure it would have warranted a big punishment.
• Although I mention she is a Taz right now her favorite thing to do is take a lid of, remove the contents of whatever, put the lid back on, then take it off put everything back in and put the lid back on, it can provide tons of entertainment for her.
• She has just started gaining and exploring how far she can push her independence.
• She loves to dance, it is quite spastic but so hilarious.
  
• She loves Barney and when the I Love You song comes on she drops whatever she is doing, comes to find me and gives me a hug and a kiss. So Sweet!!!!

She is truly a joy and so much fun!!!

Christmas with Gree, Grandpa, & Aunt Haley

Well, Ava's fourth and final Christmas event was with my family. After getting home from this Christmas and looking at all of the loot together, I looked at Heath and said we need a bigger house. He told me to keep dreaming!!!!

Ava had a great Christmas in Snyder, below Gree is helping get her drum set together, lovely music to my ears. She is holding a toy off her super duper cool stroller from Aunt Haley.


Here is her Aunt Haley with the cool stroller, any baby doll would be lucky to ride in such a cool thing, in fact I think Ava wishes it were her stroller.


The next two pictures are of her play kitchen that is a diner. It is way cute and has a million accessories that without fail end up all over the house every single day. Ava loves to sit and the booth, play the juke box and dance. She has also learned how to serve coffee and cook burgers - little chef in the making.






She also got many other things such as a new purse and shopping cart and a vacuum cleaner. All of which she loves. Thanks Gree, Grandpa and Aunt Haley for a great Christmas!!!

Tradition

Each year Christmas Eve is spent in Snyder with Mammy and Pappy. Everything about it is traditional not just the fact that we are together each year but the way we do Christmas is the same each year. We have a pretty large family and usually it is ran like a well-oiled machine. Stockings are done first from the youngest to the oldest. The cousins draw names that is the first gift that is opened one at a time from youngest to oldest. Then, we open our gifts from Mammy and Pappy again youngest to oldest. The aunts and uncles then take their turns opening their gifts. Then, Mammy and Pappy open their gifts from their kids and grandkids.

Below is the gift from the grandkids this year and it says it all - Generations. The picture Pappy is holding is a picture of them with all their grandkids (16 of them) and great-grandchildren (12 of them). I think I can speak for all of us cousins that now that we are older it isn't at all about the getting of the gifts, while it is nice and fun we are all grateful for the memories and the time together that this tradition has allowed all of us to share. Each year and throughout the year someone will always talk about something that happened at one of our past Christmas's and then someone else will add something in and then before you all know it we are all talking about something and crying from laughing so hard. This year was no exception, several hilarious memories were made. I am so grateful to Mammy and Pappy that although I know it isn't always the most fun thing in the world to make tons of homemade candy every year and tons of great food to feed an army this tradition has given us all such great memories to last for generations.

There is no particular order of these pictures it really is just for family members to see some of my pictures that I got and I know Mammy is going to kill me for putting a picture of her on my blog.

Santa Came

Well, these pictures are totally backwards and I don't feel like messing with blogger to get them in the right order. This was after a morning of playing with all her new stuff that Santa brought, all that stimulation can wear a girl out so let's take a rest in my new sweet convertible.


Let's go Bitty Baby in my new sweet ride that I don't know how to drive but it makes lots of cool sounds!!!

Here is the loot


Aren't I the cutest little thing around?

Christmas Dress

Here is Ava's Christmas dress this year, complete with matching tights and Christmas pacifier holder thanks to Aunt Haley. Doesn't she look thrilled to be in her cute dress. I am sure she is thinking seriously peeps are we really going out in 20 degree weather, you have got to be kidding me!!!


Here we are trying to add last night's Christmas package bows to our outfit. The more the better with this girl!


I think Daddy needs a bow with his outfit too!!!!

Christmas with the Hamricks

We had a great weekend and Christmas with Heath's family. Despite the fact that Ava woke up the morning we were to head out with double ear infections, she really did great and had a lot of fun. As soon as they said it was time Ava acted like she knew exactly what we were talking about and went and started trying to rip all the shiny bows off the presents.

Here is she looking at her Dad thinking are you sure it is ok for me to rip this paper off, because you have been telling me no for a long time.


I finally got my hands and mouth on one of a few of those bows. And yes, when I told her they were bows she immediately put them on top of her head, I was so proud!!!!

Here are all the girls in their matching aprons.


Here they are with their matching signs for their rooms.


And Ava's favorite present was the indoor/outdoor slide. She loves it!!!!

Things in December not related to Christmas

Here are just some things Ava was up to in December which have nothing to do with unwrapping gifts, just her being her every day self.

We are still into accessories, we love mittens and may wear them around the house for an hour or so just clapping our hands together who knew they could be so much fun!


We still love bows but apparently need a lesson in matching our bows with our outfits red does not go with pink. And yes, an old phone charger can be necklace and that is what she is in the process of doing is putting it around her neck.


Apparently, we are trying to make a fashion statement in the toddler world, don't you think it looks cool to have an unbuttoned onesie hanging out under your jacket with no pants on?


Here is her new hiding place between the file cabinet and toy bins. She can barely fit in this area and has to have help to get out but because it is the most difficult place to get into and out of, of course Ava is bound and determined she needs to spend time there. She is also sporting her new favorite look of hanging your tongue out of her mouth. We do this if we are excited, trying to be silly or sometimes just walking around. It isn't the most attractive thing but it is pretty funny!!


And, last but not least our new favorite toy, the laundry basket. She will put things in and take things out (including herself) for an hour or more everytime I do laundry.