Meaganita and Avi-ita

Everyone wants a professional photo shoot with Avi, but these days, Avi has little patience for the camera. (Who could blame her? She's lived the life of a star with 2 in-house paparrazis her whole life!) So, when Cousin Meagan asked for a photo shoot, Avi obliged, but only for a few minutes. Here's what Maren captured...

All I wanna do is RUN!

Avi's getting more and more comfortable on her two feet. And all she wants to do is run - and it is so much fun (for her)! (Her parents chasing her around all day find themselves getting increasingly tired.)

Heaven

This picture deserves a post all of it's own because this is what heaven is, to me, as a mother. I've waited for the moment when I can carry my sleeping baby from the car into her bed at home without her even remembering a thing - just comfortably lost in her baby dreams and her mama's arms.

This is it... heaven on earth for mama Maren.

Things I say at least 34 times a day.

Having a mobile, independent, curious child makes for a sore throat. Here are common, very common, too common phrases I say at least 30 to 40 times a day.

Bring your food back into the kitchen. We eat in the kitchen. Put your bowl back on the table. Wait, don't pour your food on the floor - food stays inside the bowl. Come back into the kitchen.

Sit down in the tub. You might fall if you stand up. Sit down. Sit down.

Don't touch the toilet. It is dirty. Don't touch. Dirty. Don't touch.

And so on... I feel like a broken record. But I read somewhere you have to say things about 500 times for them to sink in to the toddler brain. Here's to many more repetitive days!

Portraits of an 18-month old

Christmas trees ablaze!

Some neighbors and friends got together in Oceano on the beach to burn our dry, dead Christmas trees. This was the first time we've done this and it was a lot of fun!

Avi had fun running around on the wide, open beach!

The needles went up in a furious blaze!

Polar Dip, 2011

Tierra Nuevan tradition: jump into the 50 degree water on the morning of January 1st and then go back home and share a brunch together. It was a GREAT way to start the year!

Michael on the far left catching up the rear.

Avi didn't do the dip this year - she was warm bundled up in her clothes!