Making me smile

This weekend was the weekend of Splendour in the Grass (a three day music festival in Byron Bay).  The line up was amazing and had some bands that I would of loved to have seen but then I see the little face below and realize that while the festival would of been so (so SO) much fun I would of missed out on three days with this little one and it puts it all back into perspective.  Besides I have my iPhone I can listen to which is just the same (right?! please tell me it's just the same)!

Friends and food

This weekend consisted mainly of catching up with friends and eating - A LOT!  Also Ava got to meet one of her new best friends that was born last week (and he is ADORABLE).  You really do forget how little they are when they are first born!

We caught up with some friends (that are due in 2 weeks with a little boy)! for Thai followed by San Churro (it's another chocolate restaurant and I have to admit it did feel like I was cheating on my old friend Max Brenner)!

And today we had lunch with Damos cousin and fiancee - Ava loves seeing them and was having lots of fun blowing raspberries for them.  Also today I got to go shopping for the first time in what seems like ages and was ecstatic to find I was buying my pre-pregnancy size clothing (a massive high for me considering what I'd been eating - you read above right)?!  Damo and I also got our wedding rings (the wedding hasn't even been sorted and we didn't go in looking for rings) but I guess we needed them eventually and mine was on special so it seemed like a good idea.  I won't get the band for around 6 weeks but hey we're in no rush but here's what my engagement ring looks like . . .

Pretty right?!  It's sinking in that I should probably start organising some wedding things like maybe a date, venue - you know the little things.

My favourite meal

Today we went to one of my favourite places to eat - Max Brenner House of Chocolate.  It was my second time in two weeks (I'm wondering if they have meetings for this kind of addiction)? and once again the meal was amazing! I mean . . .



I was also made aware of how fast I can hoover down a meal!!  But seriously who has time to talk when you have a warm chocolate souffle begging to be eaten! It was such a nice start to the weekend and as usual Ava chilled out while waiting for cuddles from her favourite man.





We have a tooth!

After hearing A LOT of horror stories with teething I was seriously dreading when poor Ava was going to start cutting teeth! I had no idea what to expect  - but now I do!  After a day of Ava being happy (although extra dribbly) we had a meltdown! Unfortunately it was while I was driving home and at the time I had no idea what was wrong with her - she wasn't due a feed for another hour or so and had just woken from her nap.  When we got home the crying stopped and Ava happily played with some of her favourite toys.  At 5:30 we ran her bath and as I was telling Damo about her cry in the car I felt her gums and felt a sharp edge through her gum! I couldn't believe my poor little girl cut her first tooth while I was driving and couldn't stop and give her big cuddles.  But it has just reinforced how much of a beautiful, brave, easy going girl we have.  We are so lucky to that she is an easy baby and are definitely grateful and I don't take it for granted at all!  Next time Ava starts crying for no reason I'll be checking her teeth and give her big cuddles regardless just incase.

A day in the country

On Friday Ava and I spent the day with her Gran.  We went to a little cafe on a country river called Rivermill.  Ava had an amazing day getting to play on the swings and see some beautiful farm animals.  It's been raining for a lot of this week so we couldn't go into the animal farm but we were so lucky the animals came right up to the fence so we could give them some pats.  I was so proud of Ava not being scared at all and reaching out her hand to try pat them, although we have to work on her being gentle (and not sticking her fingers up the poor goats nose)!

Cupcakes for a cause

Yesterday I spent the afternoon in the kitchen baking up a storm for the RSPCA cupcake day.  The day isn't until August 20 but hey can't hurt to get in and start fundraising sooner!  Thankyou to everyone that has already donated!

This kid

During this week Ava has still been a little sick but we have truly been blessed with such an easy going beautiful girl.  Even with a snotty nose and dry cough she still manages to give us big cheeky smiles and it hasn't stopped her from her new favourite passtime - blowing raspberries.

 




















On the weekend we had a lunch for Damos brothers birthday at Hogs Breath where Ava got to sit on a motorbike - I'm not a fan of them but this one was stationary and to be honest probably wouldn't of been able to start anyway.  Poor little Ava was still a bit sick and was long overdue a sleep from the morning but with so much going on she just didn't want to miss out on anything. 

On Sunday we went as a family into Southbank for breakfast and a walk down the river now, I know Ava is cute but the amount of people we had comment about her cheeks was unbelievable! She loves to people watch so any tourist area is a bonus for her, she also loves showing off her new skill of sitting up which she mastered only a couple of weeks ago and she's already trying to master getting on all fours to start crawling.  It seems like for the first 5 months not much happens but from 6 months on they are constantly learning something new.   

Our other babies

So long before we had Ava, Damo and I got our first pet - a beautiful budgie named Gidda she's a brilliant yellow but unfortunelty most of our photos of her got stolen when our house was broken into (a totally different story that still makes me mad).  Gidda would go everywhere with us and used to sleep up our jumper sleeves.  Now she prefers to chill out in her cage rather than compete with Jock and Ava!  It's funny when I open her cage in the morning and she gives me the look of 'don't you dare make me play on the floor with those two!' 

Then 6 years ago we got another family member - our silky terrier x Jock.  It's pretty fair to say that we did treat him like our little baby!  He prefers to sleep on our bed rather than the $100 one we bought him, he loves wearing cute pjs and jumpers and like his sister Gidda he gets Christmas pressies and gets his name written on birthday/Christmas cards for family.  Just be warned there are  A LOT of cute photos coming up!

A lot of people were worried about how Jock would adapt to not being centre of attention.  Damo and I both looked into this before Ava was born and read that it's a good idea to let your dog smell something of the babies before introducing the baby so they can get the scent from the article of clothing first.  We did this one of Avas' beanies then carefully lowered her to Jocks level to our surprise Jock didn't seem too interested . . .  at first!  Now  . . . .

He is like Avas little shadow and is constantly "on gaurd" - I'm surprised he hasn't managed to lick a layer of her skin off with the amount of kisses he insists on giving her and while he can get a little jealous if people come over and don't say hello to him he has adjusted really well and we couldn't be happier with our little family of three, I mean four wait no I mean five!