Happy New Year Everyone!

This month Team Johnson focused on selecting a quality school for Ava to attend once she turns two. We decided that she really needed more interaction with children (despite the risk of exposure to illness and the great job her nanny was doing) and began interviewing local schools.

We literally investigated dozens before deciding on one and we're quite happy with our selection. She will only attend three days per week but we think it will help with some social skills.

We also put the finishing touches on Ava's second birthday party. Ava is having a Minnie Mouse party with three of her closest girlfriends. Tam, of course, has had most of it planned for weeks now but she has entered the execution phase of the project. It seems that nearly every day something or other is arriving for the event.

A few January events:
* We gave Ava her first bubble bath. Let me re-phrase that: We tried to give Ava her first bubble bath. We thought she would be excited but when Tam tried to put her in the tub she screamed "No! No! No!" and refused to put her feet down. Tam had to drain the tub and fill it up with plain, suds-free water. (She did eventually take a bubble bath and enjoy it. But not on this first attempt).

* Ava has a pair of red and white striped pajama pants and a white tee that whenever she wears them she runs around singing the "Olivia" song and reminds us she looks like Olivia. For those of you without children or who just have no idea what we are talking about, Olivia is a pretty little pig in a book series we read to Ava. It's pretty cute, check it out.

* Ava has also started asserting her independence but not always in a nice way I'm afraid.  She has begun telling people to "back off!" and "Don't touch me!" We truly have no idea where she gets this from as neither of us speak to her (or anyone else for that matter) like this. We discussed with her that her behavior was mean so she began saying "Back Off!" and then adding the sweetest little "please" at the end. Well played Ava. Well played.