Shawn and Melanie are Home!

One of the things I love so much about the summer is when people come home for vacation. It's only the middle of July and already we've had so many visitors....it's GREAT!!! Our wonderful friends Shawn and Melanie travelled east with their adorable dog Daisy. They packed in quite a bit in the 9 days they were here and we were lucky to hang out with them on 3 different occasions (they love us I guess!!). We went out for dinner one night with them along with Mel's sister Natalie and her husband Aaron. Ava stayed home with Nanny so we could actually have a decent conversation without constantly being preoccupied with entertaining her at the restaurant! Before we left I tried to get a few pictures...it's getting increasingly harder to get Ava to stay still for more than 4 seconds at a time, so this is the best that I could do!

Can't wait until October when they'll be home again....miss you guys already!!!

Point Pleasant Park with Aunt Nicole

The weather was actually nice out today so Ava and I decided to take a walk through Point Pleasant Park with Aunt Nicole. It had been a while since Ava was there (last October I think) so she was thrilled to check it out! She would got absolutely crazy any time we'd see someone walking with a dog..... exclaiming,"Ohhhhhhhh!" and pointing like a maniac!!! We headed toward the pond area where dogs can swim in hopes that she might be able to watch them. I kept forgetting that we were there on a weekday so it was not nearly as busy as I'm used to and we only saw one. Once Ava was out of her stroller she wanted to walk all by herself and was not too impressed that I made her hold my hand while walking on the rocks by the pond. We were very lucky to get a few pictures where she wasn't throwing a fit!!! After our walk we stopped for some ice cream (again, Ava was not too happy that she wasn't allowed any!). We had a nice "chat" with some random stranger who kept joining into our conversation then I took some pics of Ava and Nicole by the Harbour. Lots of fun and I'm looking forward to returning soon!

Playdate with Alexa

We were finally able to get together with our terrific friends, Kari and Alexa. It had been a few weeks since the girls had last seen each other and Ava was definitely missing her bff!! It was so great to see the two of them playing together. It's hard to imagine that it was just one year ago that they were meeting each other for the first time!!! Ava was quick to show off her new teapot set that my Aunt Sharon got her while we were in Antigonish. After a fun tea party we went for a nice walk around the neighborhood. Ava was a bit cranky towards the end and did NOT want to be stuck in her stroller and longer....little Miss. Independent now that she's walking! Hopefully next time we have them over it'll actually be sunny enough to go swimming in the pool.

Alexa and Ava holding hands! July 2008

Andrea's Home!

My friend Andrea moved to Yellowknife last summer when Ava was still a tiny baby. She was the first friend to come to the hospital to meet Ava when she was born. We were so excited that she was able to make a trip home this summer!! Ava loved hanging out with her and even let her hold her for a couple of pictures.

Later on in the afternoon we took Ava outside to play on her new swing that JP hung in our backyard. She also had to have some time on her slide that we've set up on our new deck. It was a great day!














Ava meets Andrea when she was first born!














Ava and Andrea one year later!!!

Happy Canada Day!

It's been a tradition of ours since JP and I first started dating to spend the afternoon in Halifax on Canada Day. We always go to Public Gardens and then head down Spring Garden Road for some "Bud the Spud" and ice cream. This year I wasn't really sure if the weather would cooperate, but luckily we got to squeeze in a couple hours before the rain started up again. Ava LOVED being in the city and I didn't realize how sheltered she is by living "in the woods" as I like to put it. While we were walking towards the Gardens she just kept looking all around at all of the people, totally mesmerized. A bus drove by and I think she nearly jumped right out of her stroller!!! :) Anyways, we had a great visit with the ducks, listened to some music, enjoyed some fries, then headed back to Beaver Bank.


We went to a BBQ later on in the day hosted by our friends Ryan and Krysta. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of that since Ava was into EVERYTHING...JP and I had to take turns sitting down after chasing her around the house and backyard. Our friends Maggie and Stuart were there with their 3 month old baby and Ava was insistent upon climbing into her car seat with her and kept exclaiming, "Baby! Baby!" Luckily Nanny came by to pick her up to take her home and JP and I were able to enjoy some good times with our awesome friends. Happy Birthday Canada!!!!

Ava's New Adirondack Chair

My mom got Ava a new adirondack chair for lounging beside the pool this summer. She decided to test it out this afternoon with her Baby in the living room. Now if we could just get rid of this stupid rain!!! She's just so darn cute, I had to take a few pictures. She gave a nice big toothy grin too! She's now up to 6 teeth in total (four on the bottom...including a molar, and 2 on the top).

Sarah's Bridal Shower

Ava and I took a trip to Antigonish with my mom for my cousin's fiancee's bridal shower. Ava was quite the little entertainer in her polka-dot party dress that my cousin sent up from the States when she was born. I'd been waiting forever...or so it seemed for her to fit into it and Sarah's shower was the perfect occasion! Ava was a bit timid at first when all of the guests arrived, but she soon realized that she actually LOVES being the center of attention...I think she gets this from her mom! The only photos I was able to get were before everyone arrived, since she would not sit still for any more pictures after that, but at least you can check out the awesome outfit!!! Oh, and check out Ava's "concerned" face with the wrinkled brow...she does this all the time now, especially after she hears the word "no"...which is quite often!!!