Family Time

Over the weekend we had Mark's father & step mother in from OR, Mark's step-grandmother in from ND, and my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins drove 45min up from Kendall, FL. 

So the last few days have been spent visiting with them and of course me taking a million pictures to document Ava's reactions to our family. 

Meeting "Grandma Jay" Jaselta Lorenz for the 1st time on Friday. This is Tim's (Mark's Step father) mother)

Ava was given her middle name Loren to include this special side of the family.

*Sidenote: for those who have asked me before... Ava's middle name is pronounced Lo-ren. Not Lauren. I didn't spell it wrong.
  It is Lorenz without the Z.
Think: the classic beauty, Sophia Loren. 

Hanging out at home

Hanging out with her Grandpa McGuire 

Trying to chew on her "SuSu" - Grandma Sue McGuire

Mark and I had my mom, his dad & step-mom, and my Aunt, Uncle & cousins over for a BBQ on Sunday. 

My Tia (Aunt) Onelia Vega

Alexa, my youngest counsin, and my tia Onelia fighing over who gets to hold Ava 

My Tio & Godfather - Elvis Vega

Alexa (my youngest cousin and former flower girl :) with her new favorite baby cousin. 

The Vega Kids: Nicolas, Alexa, and Catalina 

My uncle catching up with my mom. This is my father's brother so he and my mom go waaaay back. 

Mark's new favorite thing to do with Ava. 

I don't know how Sue does it, but she gets Ava to "talk" back to her every time. It's hilarious. Ava makes her loud screeching sounds. 

See?

Last night we went to Mark's mom and Step dad's for dinner to visit with Grandma Jaselta again. 

Right after Mark walked in from work.
Laughing at their height difference. 

This is today. My pink petunia.

My Water Baby

Today my mom and I took Ava to the pool since it was another gorgeous day out. 

Days like today make me so grateful that we decided to live super close to my mom. I love sharing all of these memories with her... 

My little water baby. 

Ava loves baths, did great at her first pool party, and did great today at our pool. She loves looking down at the water and never fusses. 

She is a South Florida baby through and through! :) 

This makes me happy.

She wore her polka dot bathing suit given to her by her "aunt" Megan Nolan :) and her sunglasses were a gift from her cousin Zoey.  

All smiles - with pacifier and all. I didn't know how she would react to wearing sunglasses but she didn't even seem to notice they were on her. She left them on the entire time. 

With her nonna {mesmerized by the water}

Well, Ava beans, you are a water baby and thank GOD for that! 

As soon as you can fully support yourself and sit up, you will be going to the beach with mama! Your tailgating high chair (thank you Jared & Jacki Roche) is ready to be put to use! 

How cool is this thing?!   

cup holder and all!  

Until then, the pool will do :) 

Snapshots of Today {Atlantic Avenue - Delray Beach}

Today my mom and I thought it would be nice to drive up to Delray Beach and walk along Atlantic Avenue with Ava. 

It was absolutely beautiful outside! 

We walked around and found some very cute stores. One was this place behind me and now I can't think of the name of it for the life of me... Sequence? Sparkle?  

It was full of fun, colorful jewelry. 

Next, I found Periwinkle. Adorable store that screamed South Florida style! 

Later on we stopped into Sazio's for lunch. 

I secretly love when she is tuckered out and just wants to me to hold and cuddle her. 

My salad was delish! 

Sesame Seared Tuna Salad

with Baby Greens, Tomatoes and Scallions in a Cilantro Vinaigrette

excuse Ava's out of control bangs...

Ava was exhausted after a long day out. A tough life she leads

...Headed back home for a long nap. 

Once we got back home Ava got her second wind and was all smiles before her nap. 

After I put her down for a nap, my mom stayed over and I walked over to the pool for an hour to get some sun before I started the fish tacos for tonight's Taco Tuesday dinner. 

Great day. Happy 5 months, Ava! 

You truly make every day better than the last. 

Easter 2013

Hope that everyone had a very Happy Easter with your friends and family. 

The night before Easter we had dinner at Mark's mom and step dad's house. 

It was a pretty entertaining night considering my mother in law discovered that Ava has a tooth! 

The following morning we went to our church, Shepherd of the Coast Lutheran Church, and attended the family service. We normally attend the 9:30AM  family service because Mark plays the drums for this service and it is held in the school gymnasium  (it is super casual, can you tell?)

 The "super casual" part of it took me a while to get used to once we got married considering I am Catholic and mass is very quiet and traditional. Now that we have a baby it is actually pretty nice to be able to sit back at a table (we get to sit at large round tables with our family and a carafe of hot coffee - score!)  and have plenty of room for the stroller incase she wants to sleep. I also am loving being apart of this church as I really enjoy Pastor Dan's sermons. Pastor Dan married us on the The Floridian Princess and then was at Holy Cross Hospital the following day that Ava was born to meet and bless her. It is such a personal and caring congregation that I am enjoying being apart of it even though I am Catholic. Although there are things that I miss about St. Anthony Catholic Church, it is very important to me that we get to spend every Sunday with our family.

 Also, can you believe it has been a year since we announced that we were having a baby to our family? 

I attached that post below

 click here: We're EGGspecting!!!!    if you want to relive it with me :) 

That was such a fun day...

I regret not taking more pictures of Ava in her Easter dress. (WHAT WAS I THINKING?!) 

It was a beautiful dress that Mark's mom bought her. 

I look forward to next year because Ava will be walking and I get to give her an Easter egg hunt! 

Our 1st Easter as a family is in the books! :)