With Alex at the Monastery

We met up with Alex for the D.C. Franciscan Monastery's plant sale and enjoyed the beautiful garden.

Yay for warm weather

Increased outside adventures.  The battle over wearing the sun hat has begun.

Wiping is a major current activity.

Playgroup with neighbor Kimberly and Tina involved popcorn.

Fresh bamboo shoot!

Tunnel

Undaunted

Blueberries!  ("booboos")

Frog and Toad are friends of Ava

Ava walked at Patuxent Refuge today with Grace, Grace's dog Hero, Mommy and Daddy. Frogs and toads abounded, affording Ava opportunities to liberally use her word "hop."  Also, Ava has expanded her use of the "more" baby sign language sign (repeatedly touching ends of clumped fingers together) to mean "make that animal that just disappeared from view return," applied here to a fleeing toad.

Ava's frequent contemplative pose, with hands clasped behind back:

Hiking!

 Tick check (found 2):

We didn't realize that beavers ate young pine trees.  Ava wields evidence.

Ants.  I think.

Back at home, diapering Owl:

Chilly and windy today after the big thunderstorm last night.  Building a fire with Daddy:

Very sweet self portrait from Tina:

Music hour, photos from Tina

Sharing a dandelion with Toto

She woke up at 5 a.m. (early) today.  Tina sent me this photo at 11:30 (her usual naptime starts between 12:30 and 1:30).

Ava loves our new cookbook (Deborah Madison's fabulous Vegetable Literacy):

 Smoothie mustache:

Flowers at our local farmer's market:

Drinking her soup broth:

Finding and donning Mommy's hat is super fun:

Playground with Daddy

zoo + Grace visit

Full day.

More flowers

spring flowers

Tranquil Turtle from Grandma and Grandpa is an important part of the new bedtime routine.

Spring flowers and play group at the National Arboretum.  We're still working on appropriate flower interaction.

 Sharing chocolate yogurt-covered raisins:

Helping add a citrus note to the salad:

We're not terrible parents, I swear, hope.

First skinned knee of the season.