Cousin Lily and Ava

Cousin Lily has never been able to resist Ava's chub. When Ava was at her fattest (bottom picture) Lily would lovingly call her "Lady Tendertons" and say things in a hillbilly voice like, "I love you as if I borned you from my own womb".

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose

Over the Thanksgiving weekend Ava sleptover and, as usual, had plenty to say. She started off the evening by holding up three chubby digits and telling me she was staying over for "free days" (meaning "three days"). Later on at bedtime, she asked me, "Is the donut shop closed?" It told her it was late and that, yes, the donut shop was probably closed. She then said, "It's closed. I know it is." Then she sang me a very nice, and poignant little song: "Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose! It's ok to lose!"

Days when they could share the same clothes

Important to note: Ava's thigh is double the size of one of Lily's Arms

Ava and The Bug (Worm, Spider, Centipede and Frog) Part Deux

Just last night I called my cousin's house. Her oldest daughter, Emilie answered and said that everyone at home was suffering from the stomach flu (mentioned in entry "Ava and The Bug" below). I could hear Ava yelling in the background and asked to speak with her. I asked her if she had a stomach bug...

Ava: Yeah, I had a bug...but it came out.
Me: Oh, it did? You feel better?
Ava: Yeah there was a bug. And a worm and a spider and a centipede...and a frog.

A Baby Doll With Red Eyes

As is typical of most photos of Ava, there is a story to go along with this one. It was around 8am the day before her 4th birthday while we were at a coffeeshop with my dad. One of Ava's favorite pastimes is telling scary stories. The main character in most all of her stories is a "baby doll." Here is the story she shared with us this particular morning:

"One a time, there was a man and he heard a noise in the woods: Beep BEEP BEEP BEEP. And he looked outside and he saw a baby doll with red glowing eyes."

Where Ava's terrifying concoction of a baby doll with red glowing eyes began is--to borrow another Ava-ism--"a mystery."

When Ava was nearing 3 years, she, Evan, my brother Henry and his girlfriend Sydney were walking home from the fire station where we had stopped so Evan and Ava could check out the firetrucks. On the walk home Ava needed a lift so i carried her across my arms so that she was on her back and looking up at the trees and sky. She was inspired to ask me at that moment: "When you was a baby did you have red eyes?"

Months before she posed that bizarre question, she and Evan and I bundled up and took a mid-winter stroll around the neighborhood. When we returned home I told the children to return their things to a basket in the coat closet. Ava went over to the basket but instead of putting her things away, she plucked a naked Barbie doll with ratted hair of the basket and began to chase Evan around the house with it. While she was running she let out a very raspy "AHHH" sound which scared Evan (and me). She chased Evan all the way back to his bedroom where he shut the door and begged her to stop. She flashed a mischevious look back down the hallway to me and before I could get to her to put and end to her shenanigans she pulled one of the Barbie's arms above its head and stuck it under the door repeatedly while letting out her scariest "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."


- Cousin Lily

Sunday Morning Vanity

Sunday morning 7am: I wake up to Ava staring me directly in the eyes leaning on the side of my bed: "Get me a drink" is all she says in a very demanding, angry tone meant to scare me into submission. I suggested she get back in bed and we take a little snooze which she would have none of. She repeated her demand and I obliged, got out of bed and got her an orange juice. After this we returned to bed to read stories. There we were, laughing at the main character in the children's classic, "Harry the Dirty Dog," who runs away from home to escape the bathtub but realizes his family loves him and evetually returns home, filthy and hops in the tub. Attempting to make the story time as engaging as possible, I turned to Ava and asked her, "What do you wanna be when you grow up?" Below is the ensuing conversation...

Ava: I don't wanna grow up.
Me: Well, Ava, honey, everyone has to grow up. It can be fun!
Ava: No. I don't wanna grow up. [Tears begin to well in her eyes and a brief pause] What am I gonna look like?
Me: You're going to be a beautiful girl and tall just like your mom!
Ava: I don't wanna be tall! I just wanna be AVA! [Then she picks up a lock of her hair, gets teary again] Am I still gonna have my blonde hair?

- Cousin Lily