January

We started off the month by bowling on Tuesday (followed by grocery shopping, yippee).

Ava coloring and cheering me and Grama on.

And then the next night, right before we were about to turn off the lights Fiona lost her first tooth. She had been wiggling on it for days. As she was laying down she was worried that it might fall out while she was sleeping, but then she gave it one more wiggle and it came out! She was super excited. She put it in a envelope under her pillow and the Tooth Fairy came and left her a dollar, plus she left the tooth there too. Fiona put it in her special tooth holder that Grama gave her.

One less tooth!

Random pic of Fiona holding Ava

On the following Sunday we went ice skating after church and lunch. It was Ava's first time and she did really good. She held my hand(s) and Fiona went with Sean. They were much faster than we were. Sean and Fiona skated almost the whole 2 hours of open skate; Ava and I probably skated a little over an hour. Towards the end Ava was skating a little bit without holding my hand also.

That Tuesday we had our first (and only so far) snow day where school was cancelled. It wasn't really that snowy though. I had an appointment in the late morning, so Fiona came with for that. After we got back and had lunch, I shoveled while the girls played and then we had a snow ball fight. Gymnastics was still open also so we did that like usual too.

The following weekend Donna and Margaret came to visit for Ava's birthday. They got here on Friday night and had to leave Sunday, so we celebrated on Saturday. 

Pre-birthday party fort

Ava opening her gifts

She was very careful with the wrapping paper. I think we could have used this piece again.

She loves this puzzle. It's one of her new favorites.

The girls got a ride on Papa (and he survived).

Ava did not want to be sung to and have her picture taken. But she did blow out the candle on her own.

Ymm, cake!

Opening the present Grandma Rose sent a couple days later (Monday, I think).

Opening the present Uncle Leo sent.

Random after school picture with Grama

The last Friday of the month there's usually an event at the mall, so Ava and I went for the January event, which was the 2016 kick-off. It was pretty low-key, just vendors and a bounce house. Ava wasn't interested in the bounce house, but she did love the sunglasses that she got and I loved the Starbucks giftcard I got. :) We checked out most of the vendors and had some popcorn before heading up to the play area. Ava wanted me to play with her on it, which isn't really possible at 5'10" so we left and went grocery shopping. On the way though we stopped at the playground for about 15 minutes.

Cool shades

She liked her popcorn

A little chilly, but sunny

Ava took my picture :)

The last Saturday in January was sunny and beautiful so we decided to check out Wegerzyn MetroPark with some friends in the afternoon.

I thought the ice cracking around the base of the trees was beautiful.

"Baby" Sara (who's actually a month younger than Ava, but that's what we called her right after she was born)

One would talk into one planter while the other listened and then they'd switch (playing telephone).

Ava's fallen asleep in the middle of activities recently. She fell asleep sitting up on my lap in church (although it was during the singing, so that's not too unusual). She also fell asleep in the middle of eating her dinner the other night. We took a picture and video (of course!), but they're on my phone still so I'll add them to next month's post (something to look forward too, haha).

The girls have been singing lots also. They both, but Ava especially, really like "Wonderwall" by Oasis right now. Previously her favorite was "Eye of the Tiger," which kind of sounded like "I'm tired." when she said it.