It's my first Birthday today ... yeah!!!!!!!

Avery looking around for her birthday present

I could just feel it was my birthday as soon as I woke up this morning and couldn't wait to see my birthday present!!! Mommy and Daddy tried to hide it outside under this big blue covering sheet, but I picked it out right away ... I'm very keen on finding anything new around the house ... it's like a 6th sense or something.

So I hurried and got dressed for the day ... when we finally went outside to see my gift, Grandma and Great Grandma were even outside to wish me a happy first birthday!!!

So, there I was ... in front of this big blue sheet on the ground just anxiously waiting to see what was under it!!! Then Daddy pulled it off and there it was ... this birthday gift of a ... of a ... of a big pile of dirt in a box!??!?!

Avery trying to understand why her birthday gift

was a bunch of her old toys on top of a big pile of dirt

So since I'm only 1 years old and still basically "new" to everything, I said my "thank yous" to be polite, but in the back of my mind I was still trying to figure out why they would think someone of my stature would want a big pile of dirt anyway???

And then you know what happened next?!!?? Mommy plopped me right down onto this big dirt pile ... oh, the horror!!!

But it was sort of funny ... as I kicked and crawled and wiggled around in the dirt trying to get out of it, I discovered that the dirt actually had this nice feeling to it ... kind of a smooth sandy feeling that you could swim around in. So, I then grabbed some of my old toys that were also lying around in the pile of dirt and started to move the dirt all around where it was actually a lot of fun!!!

Avery and Daddy playing in the sandy dirt

So in the end, I should have just known from the start that whatever Mommy and Daddy got me for my birthday was going to be something that I absolutely fell in love with. And I guess it helped that Daddy was also quite the digger when he was as little as me ...

Daddy playing in his childhood sandbox ...

hundreds and hundreds of years ago

Hanging out all day with my best friends ...

I just love love love spending time with my fellow floor friends ... my dogs are just so great and so much fun to hang out with, I just can't get enough of them!!!

And we just like do everything together, such as ...

... playing around on the floor ...

Avery playing with Scout-No

... cleaning each other ...

Scout-No cleaning Avery's toes

... napping ...

Nap time

Even Scrappy has warmed up to me a lot more than she used to be ... at least I think anyway since she still pretends that I'm not there sometimes.

Scrappy pretending not to notice Avery

Anyway, the video below shows just how good of friends we have all become ...

Chores at Grandma and Grandpa's house?!!?!

This is what Avery thinks about chores

I'm not sure what to make out of this, but there seems to be a lot more expected out of me now that I'm mobile ...

Case in point, it use to be that every whim I had was catered to at Grandma and Grandpa's house ... absolutely anything I wanted was immediately fetched for me within seconds. But now there are all these stupid chores I have to do which really don't make a whole lot of sense ...

First off, there are these steps that I'm forced to climb a zillion times each visit. Up and then down and then up and then down ... what kind of weird crazy chore is that exactly?!!??

Avery at step 1 (first iteration) ...

... going to step 2 ...

... at step 2 ...


... going to step 3 ...

... at step 3 ...

... going back down the steps ...

... Avery thinking, "Doesn't this seem stupid???" ...

... back to where I started ...

now for the next iteration

Can you imagine the insanity??? This forced labor just continues on and on and on where I don't even remember how many iterations I do since I usually lose count. Plus, what usually happens is that I fall right asleep on the stairs due to physical exhaustion!!!

And here's another weird crazy chore ... I have to load this box full of junk and then push it all around the kitchen?!!?? Don't ask why ... I truly have no idea.

Avery loading up the box ...

... and starting to push it around the kitchen ...

... where here we go around this corner ...

... and then finally around the bend

This silly madness also goes on and on and on until I fall over into the box asleep and ... hey, wait just a minute!!! I think I'm starting to see a pattern here that always ends with me falling a sleep!!! Why would they want to allow that???

Lazy summer days ...

Avery relaxing in her underpants on Scout-No's bed

With summer now upon us and the days getting longer and hotter, sometimes I enjoy just lounging around all day in my underpants to cool off ... you know, just like Daddy does all the time.


And it seems like the long hot days often brings boredom as a companion, so sometimes I have to really just sit for awhile to think about what might be fun to do that passes the time without leaving me fully exhausted.

Avery wondering what to do next ...

... I know, let's go into my playroom ...

... and get into all sort of fun stuff/trouble!!!

I have a little secret ...

... you won't tell anyone, right??? I didn't think so ...


Well, not only do I have my horse Beauty (remember her from this post http://averyclaire.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-first-horse.html ), but I also have another horse (well, more like a pony) called Prancer that stays at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Now here's the top-secret part ... ready ... Prancer is a magical pony!!!

Avery riding on Prancer

Now I know what you're thinking ... "yeah, right kid ... you have a magical pony just like I have wings and can fly", but believe me, it's true! Prancer is this magical pony that has been alive for practically ever since she's not just my pony, but was Mommy's childhood pony as well ... that was like hundreds and hundreds of years ago!!!

Mommy on Prancer hundreds and hundreds of years ago

Avery taking a break from riding

Plus, when I sit on Prancer she takes me away to all these magical places ... it's just amazing! Below is a video of me riding Prancer where we went off to a land far far away where turtles and zebras and monkeys and lions were all roaming free around us!!! We even raced one of the zebras and won!!!

So, come with us ... on your marks ... get ready ... get set ... here we go ...

Pool Day!!!!

Avery and Mommy at the pool

Since summer seems to be already here with the weather turning a tad hot lately, Mommy filled up the pool and we went for a dip to cool off. I wanted to get a nice tan like Mommy, but she wouldn't allow it ... she lathered me up with 100-SPF sunscreen and even put up the umbrella too. I guess I'll just have to continue looking sort of pasty white like Daddy for awhile still.

Avery with her water toys

Splashing is really fun ...

... and really big splashes are even more fun!!!



What a great cool pool day

Happy Birthday, Mommy ...

Avery ready to give Mommy her birthday kiss

On the hunt ...

... for "Easter Eggs"??!?!

I still don't really understand why, but for some reason today a gigantic bunny called the "Easter Bunny" brought toys, candies, and colored eggs to all the little boys and girls around the world. I know, I know ... eggs don't come from bunnies, they come from chickens (that's what I said too). Like I said, I don't really get it, but hey, I got a bunch of cool stuff and had lots of fun ... check it out ...

Avery playing with her favorite present, called "Easter Grass",

along with a pink bear (no, it's not a bunny or a chicken) and sandbox toys

After I played with my "Easter Bunny" gifts at home, we went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to see what was waiting for me over there. That was where these "Easter Eggs" things came into play ... they were all hidden everywhere outside in the grass yard and I had to find them to get the gift candies inside.

Avery finds her first Easter Egg ...

... and then another one ...

... this is so much fun!!!

In fact, it was so much fun that Hanna (one of Grandma and Grandpa's dogs) wanted to join in the fun. Note that she is a hound dog and a perfect companion for the hunt.

Hanna checking out one the the Easter Eggs ...

... and there she goes with it and my delicious candy treats!!!

So in the end, it was a great day (even if the "Easter Bunny" thing is sort of weird)! Even Mommy and Daddy had fun in the grass with me during the hunt for the eggs ...

Mommy and Daddy with Avery

Go Greased Lightning, Go ...

Hey, check this out ... it's my new pimped out ride that I like to call "Greased Lightning"!!!

Avery and Greased Lightning

It takes me all around the house and anywhere I want to go ... except when I get stuck in sharp corners and then someone has to help me back her out.


Check out this video of me cruising all around with Greased Lightning ...

Of course it first took some practice ... here I am practicing on "Toby the Truck".

Avery practicing with Toby the Truck

And even before Toby I first needed to get into the swing of just walking around a bit. Here's another video of me practicing using Daddy's fingers for handlebars ....

My next goal will be to ride Greased Lightning while sitting down, like a motorcycle ... unfortunately, that will take some time since my legs still need to grow a little bit longer.

Playing games ...

I love to play games ... it's such a good time ... especially with Mommy, Daddy, and the dogs.

Here's a video of Daddy, Scout, and me playing 'Hide and Seek' ...

And here's a video of me playing 'Peek a' Boo' with Mommy ...

Isn't life just so much fun!!!