Yoga Baby

Ava has always been a stretcher - even when she was in my belly. At times...it kind of creeped me out because I could see my belly stretching awkwardly and I could not figure out what my baby was doing in there. Still...Ava loves to stretch. People have told me that when babies go through growth spurts they stretch, but I have always loved stretching...and since she even stretched in my belly...she may just continue to always like it. I have to say...I adore watching her stretch. She scrunches her face and goes for it. I could not believe the stretch she is displaying here. I could barely hold her. She stayed in this position for some time so I finally called Chris in from the other room and asked him to catch her on film.

My daddy dressed me...or at least that's what my t-shirt says!

And, she thinks it is FUNNY! Yep, our little miss Ava can laugh and it is adorable. I love, absolutely love to hear her tiny giggle. Sometimes she gets her mouth and tummy moving like she is laughing, but nothing comes out. Chris and I will encourage her...come on baby...let it all out...laugh, laugh, laugh baby, laugh! But when she does...she goes for it!

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y...what does that spell? VICTORY!

Ava has two favorite College Football teams...one of them is University of Texas Longhorns (because it is her home town team) and the other is Vanderbilt Commodores (her dada's alma mater)! Both of her teams went to bowl games this year and she brought both of them great luck.

First, Vandy played #24 Boston College and won the game, 16-14. The win gave Vandy a winning record for the first time in a REALLY LONG time. It was the first bowl game since 1982, AND the first bowl win since 1955 - 53 years AGO!!! Then, UT Played Ohio State and won the game with a last minute touchdown pass from Colt McCoy to Quan Cosby. The Longhorns won 24-21. YEAH! All thanks to Ava's good luck cap which she sported only during the second half of the game! Now...we're looking for her to bring just as much luck next season to her favorite professional football teams - the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers!

Cousins, cousins and more cousins!

Ava spent the holiday meeting more cousins...on both the Hoge and Hajdu sides of the family. First, Aunt Shelley and cousin Catherine made a special detour to Austin to meet Ava and deliver Christmas gifts including pink booties they brought with them all the way from Istanbul, Turkey where they traveled this summer. Then, Ava met her Aunt Jenny and Uncle Bryan and cousins Lauren and Heather when we traveled to Southlake while we were in Dallas for the holidays. Last, but not least, Ava met all of her cousins on the Hajdu side of the family...including Kate, Jack and little Austen. We had such a great time together and Ava has finally met her entire family!

Santa Baby

Ava left out cookies and milk for Santa as well as carrots for the reindeer on Christmas Eve. When we woke up Christmas morning the cookies were gone...not even a trace...or a crumb of evidence. And, the carrots were almost completely eaten. We looked under the Christmas tree and sure enough Santa had been to the house to see Ava. There was a beautiful package under the tree with a tag that read "To Ava, From Santa".

Ava loved her Santa toy - a bright wood toy (made in the good ole USA and safe to chew on ;-) called the squish we learned about from some friends of ours. She took to it immediately! What a joy to share Christmas with our little girl!