Kick Back and have some fun

Melissa dancing to celebrate her 25th birthday Dinner at the spinning bar overlooking DC with my best friends Daddy playing Chicken with Ava Ava having a conversation with her giraffe

Greg loves Justin & Jessica's dog Sammy

Happy New Year! Leaving the baby for the first time overnight Happy New Year Sister in Law Justin dancing in the New Year Cuddly Sammy

We wanted to reenact our wedding by shoving the cake in each other's face but that would have resulted in a Nose job. I sure hope our wedding cake didn't originally taste this way a year and a half ago! Oh man did it have an aftertaste.

Greg pulled the top of the cake out of the deep freezer Momma Dukes had to use a slaughter knife to cut through that cake!

playing Jess' new fun game Dance Dance Revolution Cranium is definitely a hit in this family (too bad Eric always loses!) Greg trying to hum a song in Cranium that I could not guess.

Our trip home was filled with lots of relaxing fun (as soon as we all got over the flu). Our favorite board game is Cranium and we played in several high intensity tournaments over the weeks. We spent our first overnight without Ava on New Years Eve (Thank you Grandma & Grandpa V). We went to Justin & Jessica's close friends house party. The night was full of great company and combat cranium. We were able to go out on a date (thanks Grandma Dukes) to see Charlie Wilson's War. We both agreed that it was our favorite movie of the year and highly recommend it. We broke out the top of the wedding cake since we were not in VA for our 1 year anniversary.l It was quite the experience and we sincerely apologize to all our guests if the cake tasted the way it did in December 2008 on the night of our wedding. It was like eating pure butter. Becca was able to celebrate her college roommate's 25th birthday in DC this year. It was a culture shock to go from Pensacola's dive bars to upscale DC wine bars. It was a much needed girls night out. Ava was almost over stimulated during her trip home because everyone played with her all the moments she was awake. The house was filled with her warm smiles and sweet coos.

A New Year a New Blog

Hi Friends and Family. A new year has come along with a new and improved blog. I have updated the colors, added lists, will be posting fun polls, have enlarged the pictures, have changed the settings to allow everyone the capability to comment on the blog, and finally will be updating the blog more often. We love your comments! I have lots of pictures to post from our 2 weeks home in Virginia so be patient with me :). We hope you all have a wonderful year in 2008!

Ava's Got Team Pride

Mini Hokie

Aunt Hokie giving her some loves

Beware Cavaliers- this is a Tech Family Meeting Baby Cameron- she is 2 weeks older than Ava. They were adorable talking to one another. GOoooooooooooooooo Tech! Tech Godparents

She thinks her Grandpa is more interesting than the game! Redskins are #1! Grandad telling her that she needs to know from the start to hate the Cowboys Watching the Game with Momma

As we all know, Ava is surrounded by a family that is full of sports junkies. The Warme family has been long time Skins Fans, you all know she is a Big time Navy Fan for loyalty to her Daddy, and finally Ava is now a big Tech fan because of her Hokie Uncle Justin and Aunt Candace. She was good luck for the skins when we watched them punish the Cowboys. However, she wasn't wearing her cheer leading uniform (provided by her wonderful Aunt Sami) when the Skins played the Seahawks. She has plenty of paraphernalia for next year so she can take those Skins to the play offs. Ava had a great time watching the Tech bowl game at her Godparents house who threw a wonderful party. She met baby Cameron who is only 2 weeks older than her. They cooed and made loud sounds towards each other. When one started to cry the other one began to cry as well. It was so precious it could have been a commercial. Her Grandad has already claimed that he is going to get her University of Georgia gear so that they have a good season next year. Watch to see what new endorsements Ava will have in 2008.

Christmas Craziness

Christmas Eve Dinner with the Matthews two sweet girls! Ava bonding with her cousins The Dancing Matthews Girls!

The Robe maker herself Pretty Aunt Candace Those two at the end should have been at the kid's table! The mature kids table on Christmas Eve

The Robes that the girls got this year Penny the King Prawn Shrimp! Grandpa didn't want to put her down

My nephew Logan's favorite toy- Hot Wheels! Action shot of the Braun Family on Christmas

Santa thought they were very good this year :)

Shake that moneymaker Ava! Christmas Day Action Shot!

The stockings that Grandma Lita made for the whole family Ava didn't understand why there was a tree inside Nixie opening her mask from Grandma Dukes Heidi's favorite part of Christmas this year was Frosty the Snowman

The beautiful Chest that her Aunt Jess made her All Ava wants for Christmas this year is Milk....how low maintenace of her My Barf bucket b/c I was the first to have the flu Santa was very generous to the Valdez family this year

Christmas was a very busy day for us this year! We went back and forth between the Valdez house and the Warme house both days and loved all the excitement. We cherished being able to watch the Braun Children run to see their Santa presents bright and early on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, Becca woke up to a horrible case of the stomach flu and spent the majority of Christmas morning on the bathroom floor at the Warme house. This flu was VERY nasty and VERY contagious and went from Becca, to Becca's neices Heidi and Nixie, Betsy, Grandma Dukes, Paige, Paige's family, and Justin. Thank goodness it avoided Baby Ava! Maybe she has super genes afterall. I have heard that there is nothing worse/messier than an infant getting the flu. The day was filled with wonderful family time, surprises, generousity, and love. Ava now owns more clothes than her mother and father put together. I can't wait to see what loud obnoxious toys she gets next year :).

Ava's Christening

Momma so proud of her little girl Grandma Lita showing off her newly Christened Grandbaby

All my girlfriends came in for the big day! Ava already learning how to be center of attention from her Aunt in the Red dress We joke that Christine is her future Mother-in-law for Ava because there is an arranged marriage between Ava and her son Julian. Ava was surprised by how many people came to the reception! The Hansons and my Dad came to meet Ava (we missed you Aunt Ellen!) With the wonderful God Parents The Valdez Clan (and this is only half of them- Big Big family!) Greg's GodMother Aunt Pat

Ava being Baptised by Reverend Rita She knew something was fishy....she was so good even when they poured the water on her! The Godparents Justin and Jessica Uncle Eric meets his neice!

Ava was Baptised at Saint Paul United Methodist Church on December 23, 2007. This was a very meaningful day for the entire family for many reasons. First, Ava was Baptised at the church that Becca grew up in. Becca was confirmed at this Church and has been attending since she was two-years-old. Pastor Craig from St. Paul also married Becca and Greg in October 2006. The second symbolic part of the event was the dress Ava was wearing. Ava is the third generation to wear this dress. The dress was originally made by my Great Aunt in the 1946. Since it was following WWII there were no fabrics available so the dress is made out of parachute material. The dress is hand stitched and hand embroidered. My mother Judy, my Aunt Jeannie, My sister Betsy, My brother Jon, and myself have all been baptised in this dress. (There is an adorable hat that goes with it but of course in Becca fashion I left it at home in our rush out of the house). Greg's brother and sister-in-law Justin and Jessica are the God Parents and presented her to the pastors at the ceremony. My mom held a wonderful reception at our house following the ceremony where 75 guests attended. Ava enjoyed being center of attention for the day and I have a feeling she will seek that status in the future. Thank you to all that came and sent their love.