Chicago Jacobs

Today was the coldest day in 20 years in Chicago and Ava and Momma were pretty much trapped at home. We all made the best of it with plenty of indoor fun.

It has been below zero here in Chicago and we are making the most of the time spent indoors. Grandpa in Salt Lake taught Ava to kick and we wanted to make sure she didn’t forget.

Ava has spent more time with this box than any other toy. She nestles herself perfectly in it and likes to be pushed and pulled all over the house.

Good thing Grandpa attached a string to the box. Our backs were killing us!

The family keeps growing! We were missing Amy and Bryce in the photo. Perhaps we can all be together next year!

The whiskey and drinks were flowing all evening!

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Ava is in love with the cat, dogs and the mountains. She hasn’t showed real interest in the snow, but that could change when we go sledding or cross country skiing. We are here for almost three weeks and this kid is having a ball!

After spending an afternoon at church, we came home and had a delicious holiday meal. My parents, Dave, Ava, Dan, Rhonda, Seanna, Elysa, Sherry and Nick ate a home cooked meal and then went sledding at Sugar House.

We spent our Christmas with my brother and his family and my cousin. Ava’s cousins, Seanna (7 years) and Elysa (5 years), we perfect little angels. They played, entertained and loved Ava. The girls called her baby Ava. All
of the cousins shared their new toys with each other. The biggest hit? A kids’ karaoke machine called Rock Star. They sang their hearts out all day and night.

Ava is in LOVE with Frito. As soon as she wakes up, she searches for the cat. All she wants is this cat. The two dogs, Sydney and Athena, have taken a back seat to this feline. I wonder if she dreams about this Siamese?

Ava has developed a strong relationship with Hoober. She plays with him every day, shares her food and just plain old loves him. He allows Ava to do anything to him and she takes advantage of it.

My angel has said the word I have been most wanting to hear. She says a few versions: mom, momma, and mommy. Her voice is so cute!

We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon at the Botanical Gardens. We visited the Wonderland Express, which was stunning! They had snow falling from the sky, trains and winter scenes from all around Chicago.
We ended the afternoon with a Hanukkah concert. Ava really enjoyed the live music.

We hosted Thanksgiving this year. Miranda, Dola, Amani, Jasmine, Papa, Nana, and Francine celebrated the holiday with us. It was a busy Thursday!

There isn’t a day that goes by where Ava shows here love for Hoober. He shares EVERYTHING with him. Hoober’s patience with her is beyond what we ever imagined. Ava pulls is tail, ears, rides, climbs and “pays attention” to him all day long. He just lays there and allows her to have fun.
She especially loves to share her food with him!

Every night we give Ava sometime to relax and wind down from the day; this happens in our bed. She copies me when I put lip balm on my lips and loves to use our sheet as a tent. She watches Elmo while she is in the “tent.”

These pajamas have been in the closest for a while waiting for Ava to get a little bigger. Check out big pimpin Ava in her new pajamas and momma’s sun glasses.

Bubbles always puts a smile on Ava’s face. She looks forward to them in the bath and is starting to try to blow them herself.

Ava and I went to the Shedd Aquarium with Auntie Francine today. We loved roaming around looking at all of the different sea creatures. Ava loved the freedom of going from exhibit to exhibit.

Ava and I went to a mini reunion with our Peterson friends. We went to Pickle’s Playroom and enjoyed the indoors. Ava had not seen Cole, Oskar, and Addison in a long time. We had to play indoors because of the weather.
Ava enjoyed her time with her friends, but wanted to go outside too!