for the love of an alpaca

I feel like I haven't blogged in awhile. Let me tell you, it's NOT because Ava has ceased to do anything spectacular. I've just been super busy.

On Monday this week, my parents were in town and we took Ava to the Bronx Zoo. She had an amazing time. The only thing she would talk about the whole bus ride there was seeing the polar bear. I think she only wants to see the polar bear because that's the animal that she associates with the zoo. Go figure. Turns out, she found a new love...the alpaca. I'm not 100% sure why she would pick this strange looking farm animal to obsess over the entire visit, but she LOVED it. I got her a little alpaca food from the vending machine and she practically jumped over the fence and shoved it in the alpaca's face. At this point she is repeatedly saying: "eat it paca, eat it." Her bossy little spirit was taking over. Of course I tried to get her to nap in her stroller...no such luck. She was so delirious by the end of the day that I was at a loss for what to do. She started going absolutely crazy on the bus, singing the Wonder Pets theme song at the top of her lungs. To add to that show, she had extremely bad gas and I seriously felt bad for the people around us.

Yesterday was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL fall day. I guess we deserve the four straight days of rain that we have coming. err. Ava was in awesome spirits. We walked down to the farmer's market to buy Amanda a little pumpkin and get one for Ava as well. Ava found one that was literally the size of her toddler size fist and she LOVED it. She kept saying: "little tiny baby punkin." We also bought two Honey Crisp apples to eat on the way to the park. Ava was in absolute apple heaven. I didn't hear a peep out of her for almost 20 minutes. Then...the inevitable. Of course, Lala has to get a photo of her looking so cute and fallish with her big homegrown apple. As I stand back up after I take the photo, I watch in what felt like slow motion as the apple plummets to the ground. I stood there for awhile, seriously considering picking it up and finding a place to rinse it off, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Ava was looking at me as if I just killed her puppy as I tossed the apple into the trash. I felt so bad and gave her a quick hug. I could see it coming. That instant that the kid can't hold it in any longer, mouth open in a horrified wail...then the ear piercing screams. I almost cried because I knew how good that apple was. I carried her all the way to the park promising that we would go back and get hundreds more on Friday. Aw. Then, she peed her pants at the park and I told her that we had to go home since she peed her pants...again, horrified wail.

She was having a rough day for a day that started out so perfect!

Today it's pouring down rain and freezing. When I picked Ava up from school, she was super happy to see me. I decided that her and I would make turkey chili for dinner, just because it's that kind of day. When we are in the grocery store, I am pushing the stroller with one hand and pulling a basket with another. I realize that although Morton Williams is close to her school, i can never go there again with her. The aisles are so narrow that her stroller bearly fits down them. She was in her stroller and I swear, she asked me at least 30 times what I was doing. "Lala, whatchu doin?" I couldn't get out of there fast enough, but NOT before Ava knocked down an entire display of Kit Kat packages. I scowl at her as I pick them up and she says: "Lala, whatchu doin? You happy? I happy." Oh little darling, I still love you!