Happy Mommy Day!

Ava had a very fun Mother's Day this year, spending the morning with Grammy and then spending the afternoon at Auntie Lizzie's house with Mommy, Grammy, and Great-Grandma (and lots of other mommies too).

After coming back home, Ava got soaking wet and changed into some casual clothes so that she and mommy could play in the back yard.

Yo Gabba Gabba!

One of our favorite things to do every spring is to go to the Festival of Books, which is held at UCLA.  The Festival of Books is the largest book festival in the country, attracting scores of authors and readers, and more than 130,000 book lovers each year.

This year, the Target Children's Stage presented some of the stars of the children's TV show Yo Gabba Gabba!   Yo Gabba Gabba! is a semi-educational show that teaches kids about colors, sharing, being a good friend, and music.  The name of the show is derived from the Ramones' chant Gabba Gabba Hey, and musical guest have included Jack Black, the Shins, and Sugarland.  

DJ Lance Rock and Brobee were on hand to teach the kids some new songs and dances.

This was Ava's first visit to UCLA, and after the show (actually during the middle of it) we went to the Murphy Sculpture Garden where was a quiet oasis compared to the hectic pace of the festival.  Ava climbed all over the sculptures, up and down the steps, and through the bike racks.

Springtime Fun

As the weather gets warmer, we spend more and more time outside.

Ava has her own car now - a Cozy Coupe with a personalized plate from Hawaii.  While Ava's legs aren't really long enough to propel herself yet, we do make a morning run to the driveway and push her around the neighborhood. 

Ava has also been playing in her water table, and when she visits her grandparents then she gets wet just by playing with the hose.

Team K Comes Back to Orange County

When we started our blog last year we were inspired by our friends at Team K (Steph, Greg, Hania, and Amelia).  After a long time away from Orange County, Team K recently came to visit, and we met up at our favorite beach - Crystal Cove - and at breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants - The Beachcomber.

The Beachcomber is right on the beach, and all the girls enjoyed eating on the deck outside.

While breakfast may have been the main event for the adults, playing in the sand was the main event for the girls.

The last time we saw Amelia she was just a little baby, but now she's able to run around just like Ava, and the two of them were able to share sand toys without too much trouble.

Hoppy Easter

A few days before Easter, Abby and Ava's playgroup decorated Easter Eggs in anticipation of the big day.

On Easter morning, Ava got dressed up in a bright, flowery dress, and we went to church.

After church, Ava had her own private Easter Egg hunt in our back yard.  We weren't sure if she would really be interested in the eggs, but she had a blast.

Grandma and Grandpa got Ava a watering can shaped like a duck (or a "quack quack" as it's known in our house), and Ava went to town watering our potted plants.

After nap time, it was off to Uncle Eddie and Auntie Genet's house for even more Easter fun, including another Easter Egg hunt (this time with the big kids too), and play time with cousins Emily and Kaiana.