A Day I Want to Remember

Today was the sort of day I never want to forget.  Nothing especially out of the ordinary happened, which is part of what makes it such a memorable day.  The morning began as it usually does.  Adam left for work, and Avynlee and I saw him off as we often do.  She waves goodbye, says "Bah, seeee." (Bye!  See ya!) and "I wah ooh" or "I uh too"  ( I love you or I love you too).  She gives "pah pah" and "kih!" (pat pats are hugs, and kisses).  Then we went about our morning as usual.

She was really hyper all day.  She was running around and getting into everything.  I figured, since I can't possibly clean my house, work, or begin any projects, I may as well join her.  We tickled, wrestled and laughed much of the morning.  When the UPS man rang the doorbell and knocked on the door, it terrified her.  She jumped and brought her hands to her mouth looking nervously at me.  I picked her up, quickly consoled her and signed for several packages.  A bunch of office supplies (off topic, I LOVE office supplies) arrived for Adam.  Avynlee and I opened the boxes together and played with some of the stuff before moving it into his office out of the way.  Even though she had no idea what any of it was, it was still like she was getting presents.

After lunch, Avs "helped" me make dinner.  It takes longer and is messier but she loves it.  I do too.  She helped me pile ingredients into the crockpot and would demand her turn to "ho!" (hold) or "tur, tur, tur" (stir, stir, stir).  After our dinner preparations were done, we played the piano for a while.  Avynlee loves music and loves to play the piano.  She climbed up on the bench, shuffled through my piles of music, and selected some songs, of course, having no idea what they actually were.  She's just seen me do the same.  She plunked random keys for a while and then climbed on my lap, looked at me, and sat back...meaning it was my turn.  I played and sang a few songs for her on the extremely out of tune piano.  I would only do that for her.  I sang "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar at the top of my lungs while playing the worst sounding accompaniment ever.  She still thought it was lovely.

When Adam got home, we all played in the living room for a while.  Then Avynlee raced over to the piano and climbed up on the bench.  She began softly playing and clearly singing a little song she was making up.  It was magical.  I couldn't make out most of what she was saying but there were definitely some "I wuuuuv" (I love) and "I wuh wuuuuuv"  (I will love).   She was trying to mimic the song I had sung to her earlier.  I started to cry.  My baby notices everything I do.  Even when I feel like a huge screw up, she thinks I am the greatest example ever.  When I feel ugly, she drags her grubby, chubby fingers through my too long hair and says "pih-ee" (pretty).  She already loves music enough that she wants to create it herself.  She is such an amazing little person and she brings so much meaning and importance to my life.  And she makes me sappy.

Before bed, Avynlee asked to watch a show.  "Show!  Show!"  She can even request which show she wants.  Her favorites are "Tues" with hand actions (Blues Clues), "Bah" (Barney), "Bah, buh" with wheels on the bus arm actions (Barney Bus), "Mih, Min" (Mickey, Minnie for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), or "pah pah pah pah pah pah rah!." (pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, Rocket for Little Einsteins) and then she'll sometimes specifiy if she wants the one with the cows or the train and penguins, etc.  Tonight we watched two episodes of Little Einsteins.  In one episode, there is a volcano and a monkey nearby has it's tail stuck in a tree.  Avynlee was SO concerned the entire episode.  She kept saying "uh oh" or "oh no!" and clapping her little hands to her mouth in panic.  She would repeat the words "eeh eeh" (monkey...it's the noise they make), "hah" (hot...for the volcano), "tuh" (stuck), and "tee" (tree) over and over.  She was so worried .  That episode may be a little too intense.  Or perhaps she was just feeling especially sensitive tonight.  The next episode there is a music pet. who needs her ticket to get on a train.  The ticket makes a clicking noise and so does Avynlee (with hand motions of course).  She was quite concerned about Melody the music pet and if she would, in fact, get her ticket after all.  Avynlee was pleased when the ticked was obtained but later when Melody the music pet boards the train and has to leave her friend, Leo, there is sad music and Avs kepts saying "Mehdee, sah!" (Melody is sad) and putting her hands over her mouth in grief.  Don't worry, in the end the train pulls up to Leo's house and he gets to keep Melody.  This was pretty much the greatest thing that has ever happened to Avee.  She quickly sat up tall, as in disbelief, clapped her hands to her cheeks and let out a quiet squeak.  Like a combination of utter joy and relief.  Maybe I cried a little that time too.  My sweet baby is so dramatic, and emotional, and sweet, and sincere.  It's amazing.  Her intense reactions are not something she gets from me.  But they are wonderful.  She is so real and raw and I love it.  I promise I don't cry over my phenomenal daughter every day, let alone twice, but she is breathtaking and marvelous and I can't believe how lucky and blessed I am to have such a smart, beautiful, talented, caring little girl in my world.

I know this post is really long and directionless, but it is more for me than anything else.  I want to be able to read this, think back, and remember every little detail.  I just can't forget her beautiful little song or her tender facial expressions.  I know this is going to go by much to fast so I have to cherish it while I can and document what I can because my baby girl is the best.

Super Heros

My favorite friend, Carlye, threw her cute son the funnest super hero themed party.  I made some super hero capes for the crew and we kinda crashed the party and stuck around (which made Avynlee very happy).  Avynlee loves other kids so much and the poor little nugget never seems to get enough kid interaction.  She was in heaven chasing those little boys around and playing with her best friend, Madee.  I stole some pictures from Carl's blog because these little best friends make the cutest super hero duo ever.

 Cutest friends, right?

 Madee and Avs loved playing on the coffee table.  They hugged on it.  They stomped on it.  They jumped from it.  It is a pretty rad play thing.

 Look at Avs just watching those boys play.  She thought they were so cool.

 See the creeping in the bottom right picture, that poor boy was definitely Av's favorite and I'm afraid he didn't return the sentiment.

Thanks for letting us crash the best super hero party ever.  We had so much fun!

Crap I've done from some random list

As of Sunday, April 7, 2013, I have...
              (X) Shot a gun
              (   ) Gone on a blind date (am I the only one?...I once got set up on one but switched to the setter upper right before)
              (   ) Seen someone die (I've been too close though)
              (X) Visited Canada  (best honeymoon EVER!)
              (   ) Visited Europe
              (   ) Visited South America
              (X) Visited Las Vegas
              (   ) Visited Central America
              (   ) Visited Asia  (AK has!)
              (   ) Visited Florida  (AK has!)
              (X) Visited Mexico
              (   ) Visited Washington, DC  (AK does a lot more traveling than I do it seems)
              (X) Seen the Grand Canyon
              (X) Flown on a plane
              (   ) Served on a jury (I've been called to jury duty before, just never chosen)
              (X) Been lost
              (X) Traveled to the opposite side of the country 
              (X) Swam in the ocean
              (X) Cried yourself to sleep
              (X) Camping in a trailer/RV
              (   ) Rode on an elephant  (AK has, I want to though!)
              (   ) Rode on a camel
              (X) Eaten just cookies or cake for dinner and/or breakfast  (please...)
              (X) Been on TV  (Everwood!)
              (X) Been on Radio  (I used to call into the imagination station regularly)
              (X) Stolen any traffic signs
              (X) Been in a car accident
              (X) Been in the hospital in the past 24 months
              (   ) Donated blood  (I seriously would, mine is no good)
              (   ) Gotten a speeding or any other type of ticket in the past 24 months
              (X) Got a piercing
              (   ) Got a tattoo  (I want one, but alas, my religion frowns upon it)
              (X) Drive a four-door car
              (X) Ever owned your dream car  (is it sad that my dream car was sincerely a charcoal colored Corolla?)
              (X) Been married
              (X) Fell in love
              ( ?) Fell out of love  (This one is debatable)
              (   ) Flew in Goodyear blimp 
              (   ) Flew in hot air balloon
              (   ) Flew in helicopter  (I think I maybe have, but I can't remember)
              (X) Rode on a snowmobile
              (   ) Gone Para-sailing
              (   ) Jumped out of a plane
              (   ) Rode a Segway


I should make Adam do this.  He has, apparently, lived more than I have.