Today Ava Left Dad Home Alone

My status as "dad" was on hiatus tonight. And to be honest, it wasn't very much fun. 

When I walked into the house this evening no one was at the top of the steps to greet me with flying arms and a squeal. No one was there to eat dinner with me (or eat my dinner). No one was there to play with and eventually rock to sleep.

Cheesin before dad goes to work.

Just quiet. Too quiet. 

It was a little strange having an evening to myself. It's the first night since you've been born that I've been home alone for a period of time. This is the first but certainly will not be the last as you grow up. You'll go on trips, have sleepovers etc.

You and Mom met me at the HOF and we had lunch with a friend of ours who moved to Texas last year and was back in town for a bit. We walked around and caught up on what's new in each others lives. When we all departed you and mom went straight to Shelby. 

Mom made plans to go see the "Lion King" at Playhouse Square in Cleveland with Grandma and Aunt Casey while you hung out with Grandpa. 

He sent me a few pics through the evening, you went swinging at the playscape, and read some books to him. 

Hopefully you were well behaved for the remainder of the night! I'll find out today, we'll have a talk if the reports are not favorable. 

I'll see you tomorrow!

Today Ava Was A Social Butterfly

Your little personality is really coming out now that you've got your feet under you. In the three weeks or so that you've been walking you've come out of your shell. 

Get your shine on.

Whenever we're near other children your age, you want to be around them, play with them, or in many cases, just stare at them. 

Tonight there were two such instances. One, you even scared a little boy so much that he ran away from you.

We started out at Target to pick up some more food for you - it's on sale. $1.29 for small Gerber meals that you've taken a liking to. 

I need some new work shoes so it was off to Kohl's. They didn't have what I was looking for in the shoe department so mom went to the baby section to scope out some deals. I let you down to walk a bit and eventually you caught sight of two little girls shopping with their mom and grandma. You;re hand slipped from my grip and walked over to them to say hello. 

Mom and I chatted with the grandmother for a few minutes while you made new friends then it was next door to DSW. 

As we walked in and were making our way to the back of the store to the clearance racks, I picked you up and put you on my shoulders. All was well until you spotted a little boy walking with his dad in the opposite direction. 

As soon as your eye caught him you pointed and became excited. We said hi to him and his father and as I was bringing you down or a closer look the dad said "He will probably run away. He either runs from new people or runs to them and give them hugs." 

It was the former in this instance. The moment your feet touched the ground the little boy picked up steam and further down the aisle he went. Mom jokingly told the dad "It's okay, he's too young to be chasing girls anyway." 

It was one of those scenes that makes me laugh as I look back on it. We hear a lot about how cute you are but this was the first time someone ran from you. Was it the black eye, or the fat lip?  

A fat lip to compliment your shiner? Yeah ...

Today Ava Got Up Close With A Dog

All's well that ends well, right? We'll see. 

This thing's almost as big as McGee!

Things got off to a good start at my cousin Alexis' annual Fourth of July Weekend cookout. You were having fun seeing family, eating pork straight from the hog, walking around and just generally being outside. 

A few times we had to take you in to change your diaper where you were excited to see Alexis' three dogs - Jester (which belonged to your Great Grandfather before his passing, Duke (her 7 or 8 year-old shepherd mix, and Willy (a dog she recently acquired from her neighbor). 

It was Willy you got to know really well later in the evening. More on that to come. 

Alexis lives on 7.5 acres and along with her three hounds she has two horses. Alexis rescued Shadow, so named for her dark coat, and little did she know, Shadow was pregnant. 

Soon, Kalumi was on the scene. Now full-grown she relishes attention whereas her mother is more of a loner. 

We set you on her back. Leery at first you soon opened up to her and enjoyed being on top of the world. 

You went back to see Kalumi two more times before we went home and each time you couldn't get enough of her. 

Now, back to Willy and my upcoming Father of the Year Award. We took you in the house for a diaper change and when we came out, Willy was out back wanting to fetch a tennis ball. I began to throw it and he would excitedly chase it and bring it back. Nothing was getting in his way. 

Giddy up!

That is, until the final toss. You were standing off to the side happily watching him go back You had taken a seat in the grass for a better view when I threw the ball. It accidentally went slightly over you and Willy came to the right, around my back and straight towards you. My heart sank. 

It played out like a movie in slow motion. I saw the impact coming and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It wasn't Willy's fault, he was dong what he knew to do, get the ball by any means necessary. 

He tried to leap you, but his hind legs caught your face. Smack! Instantly back to reality and game speed to the ground you went. 

It took a second for the water works to proceed, but when they did, the crying was harder than we've ever experienced. We know it hurt and it's indescribable how we as parents felt for you. 

Mom was on the scene immediately with baby Tylenol to help ease the pain.Your left eye was red and puffy within seconds.

You eventually came around and all was well. You even saw another pup and wanted to go pet it. So all is in fact well that ends well. 

I fear a nice little shiner over your left eye tomorrow. Only time will tell.

Today Ava Wouldn't Eat

You're good at a lot of things, but teething isn't one of them. Your lack of eating is part of the process for you; it makes your usual appetite non-existent. 

Mom tried to feed you breakfast and lunch while I was at work, a few bites, nothing more. When I made it home from work we tried dinner and were again unsuccessful. 

Pretty much all you'll take are bottles.

We hopeful this will pass quickly. 

On a side note - mom had to run out to the office at Keller-Williams and when she was done, stopped by the Hall of Fame for lunch. 

After eating, we went and took a look at the newly-renovated rotunda, mom had yet to see it. 

On the top floor there are many interactive exhibits where you can try on a helmet and listen to coach/player communications, check your hand size and leg size against NFL stars, and more. 

Of course we sized you up to see if you're league ready. We agreed, you have some growing to do first.

Today Ava Had Her First Kiss

Ninja baby.

Your mom still keeps in touch with her best friend from high school, Kristi, and as such I've become good friends with her husband Ben. Since they live nearly an hour and a half away from us we don't get together much but meet up periodically. 

Tonight, we met them for dinner at Tumbleweed in Wooster which is exactly half way between our two homes. 

They have a two-year-old son, Brycen, that we've often joked the marriage is already arranged. Hopefully you two hit it off. 

After dinner as we were chatting and saying our goodbyes mom pulled out her phone to take a few pictures. we held you and Brycen side-by-side when Kristi told him to give you a kiss. In a moment that surprised us all, you closed your eyes and leaned in, like you knew what you were doing.

You are ten months old, you should not know how to kiss boys young lady! 

But to be honest, it was adorable so we'll let it slide this time. Let's not make this a habit; I'm already losing my hair, we don't need to speed up the process.