The one year old.

-- She's WALKING! She started taking steps about 2 weeks ago and now, she is all over the place. She even tried running from me a few nights ago after I caught her putting her barrette in her mouth. Little turd.

-- She has started repeating words - which has me thinking that I may need to start watching my mouth a little more. Lee worked with her for about 10 minutes trying to teach her to say "dog." Now? She will sometimes even say it when Bentlee is around her. She also will say "num num" when I ask her if she is hungry. She is a little sponge, I tell you.

-- She loves to wash her hands. When I am running water at the sink while holding her, she will look at the soap and grunt as if she is saying 'hey lady, my hands are dirty.' She also enjoys putting lotion on. Every night after bath time she will want it. I put a little on her finger and she will try to rub it into her hands.

-- Aunt Becca taught her how to wipe her face with a napkin and it cracks me up every time she tries. She rubs it all over her chin and ear and laughs like she is super proud of herself.

-- As of last week, she knows how to give kisses. They are the open-mouthed ones and they are the BEST. When I ask for one, she opens her mouth wide and goes "ahhhhh!" I can't get enough of them.

-- Everything is a phone to this kid. If she has any toy in her hand, I can say "say hello Ava" and it goes right to her ear. All girl, already.

-- She is currently obsessed with her fisher-price barn that she got for Christmas. It plays about a million songs and she has started moving her lips whenever it starts to play one, I could swear that she is trying to sing along with it. No sound comes out, but she sure tries.

-- We are done nursing. She slowly started weaning herself months ago and today was the first day she went without it all day long.

-- So, I guess it's official: my "baby" is now a toddler.

What a year.

Vegas [via Instragram]

I will post pictures and tid-bits of our vacation as soon as I get a chance but thought that while I was sitting at the airport - with a sleeping baby on me, I could at least post a few from my phone that I captured while we were there.

It was fun, exhausting and we are already planning a trip back.

(Oh, and I'm SO looking forward to sleeping in my bed tonight. Lets just say that.)

Around here.

We have an almost one year old who has started walking. She's wobbly and unstable but she is on the move.

We are leaving for Vegas in less than a week and the kids are excited, as are we. Its going to be so nice to get away.

We've been having amazing summer-like weather and it has us in the mood to work on the house. We plan on painting and building a deck in the coming months, hopefully. We went to Lowes today to pick out colors and price lumber.

Speaking of planning, I am in party mode and have been working hard prepping stuff for Ava's first birthday. Pinterest is the reason for my new found obsession with DIY crafts. I'm actually still in shock that I am enjoying it so much. Who would have thought?

On to the Championship.

I just love these photos captured of Kaylee's last competition (where she took 2nd place -may I add.)

I am a huge fan of this girl and love how she captures such clean and real shots of such an awesome sport.
I will be ordering soon.

Dreams.

I'm not sure why but I've been having so many dreams lately of my Grandma Lucky's old house.

Its the house I grew up in and its amazing how real they seem. The sounds, the smells, the placement of the furniture, the potholes in the driveway, everything. Its exactly how I remember it being.

I always wake up from it wishing that I could have stayed asleep longer. It makes me feel close to her - crazy as it may sound.

I miss that amazing lady. So very much.

The 11 month old.

-- The talking and blabbering never stops with her. She is constantly making some sort of noise and it fits her silly little personality pretty well.

-- She has taken a couple of steps in the past few days but she only gets about 2 or 3 in before falling on her butt or face.

-- She has a thing for closing doors behind her now. She will crawl into a room and stop to push the door closed. It makes me laugh every time. Knowing her, it's her way of saying: 'don't follow me in here mom, I'm up to no good.'

-- She loves to hug her daddy. She will reach for him and as soon as he picks her up - her head goes on his shoulder and she pats his arms. Yep, she's got him wrapped around her little finger. It's a fact.

-- Somebody can drink from a straw like a pro now. All it took was a Jamba Juice to help her learn.

-- The trampoline has become an obsession of hers. She always wants on it when the big kids jump and she will throw a tantrum when I take her inside. The last few weeks have brought some warmer weather, so I love to take her out and lay on it with her in the evenings. It amazes me how she will stay still for quite awhile just looking at the sky with me. I love those moments with her.

-- All of a sudden she is seeming just so big to me. I can hardly believe that in one month - she turns ONE. It seems unreal. She loves to brush her teeth and help me pick up her toys. She knows what it means to go night-night and she will find her baby and search for a binkie every time I say it's time for bed.

-- Her newest thing (that I absolutely love) is how she tries to brush my hair after I brush hers. Now, It normally results in her "brushing" my forehead or ear, but she gets the idea. [[Oh, and speaking of her hair, I swear that it's getting a little curly in the back! Especially when it's wet and I'm freaking out about it. I have always wanted a kid with curls.]]