Spring days

Spring has come early this year, at least for a few days. Ava could not have been more excited to get outside and enjoy the warmth yesterday!

23 months

This month Ava has once again experienced an explosion of growth and is showing all signs of turning two. Illustrated in part by her wardrobe--with only about 3 shirts and 2 pairs of mismatched pants that fit her now--Ava's growing inner-dictionary and monologue have also reached new heights. Though a translator is often needed, she is speaking in longer sentences now, beginning to add smaller words like "the", "to" and "and", and her vocabulary continues to expand daily. Frequently heard semi-sentences around the house are things like, "Show mommy?", "Mommy come in!", "Ava do it, self", and "Baby's crying". Just a few days ago Ava was fussing and I asked her what she wanted. She paused, thinking hard, and then pointed to the remote in my hand and said clearly, "To push the buttons!" as if I should have known all along. She didn't get to push the buttons but she got a big kiss for being so darn cute and putting such a great sentence together.

With her growing vocabulary we've welcomed an onslaught of song lyrics, nursery rhymes and other books that she's memorized to her daily play. It is beyond adorable to watch her sing songs to her baby, "Jesus suv me, dis I know, Bible... so" and use lines from her books as dialogue while she's playing. She has also started to "read" books to herself from memory and fill in many words while we are reading to her before bedtimes.

A couple of months ago you might remember the introduction of the toothbrush into Ava's language and routine. She enjoyed sucking on it and splashing in water with it. However, this month I excitedly presented her with her very first Thomas the Tank Engine toothpaste and she will have none of it. We've tried multiple flavors and she is adamantly opposed. I've continued to make brushing with water a part of our routine (though she also will not let me brush for her so the actual brushing that takes place is minimal) and have set up a goal. I keep telling her that after her birthday party, when she's a big two-year-old, we will start brushing every day with toothpaste. We'll see if a months-worth of mental preparation spares us from having to hold her down for teeth-cleaning time! As for the number of teeth in her mouth, I'd estimate about 13. She has definitely made up for lost time and has three of her frontmost molars and almost everything in between.

Ava has struggled for many months with separation-from-mommy-anxiety but this month we made a breakthrough. She previously has not done well with saying goodbye to me if I am leaving her with a babysitter or even Blair, but in the last couple of weeks she's done much better. I think it is partly due to her age, but I've also made an effort to explain to her that I'll be leaving, say a clear goodbye, and then leave. This helped immensely, as opposed to our previous sneak-out-of-the-room tactic, to limit anxiety. The first few times were hard but just a couple of weeks ago I dropped her off at a friends house and left to a, "Bye mommy. Toys!" and the pitter patter of scampering feet off to enjoy her play date. Success!

January and February have marked a new love for Ava--the love of dresses. We went to try on dresses of the bridesmaid and flower girl variety with Blair's sister Emily a couple of weeks ago and ever since, at the sight of a dress, Ava will shiver her fists and whisper, "Dresses! Exciiiited!" Ava has also begun to have an interest in dressing herself, so here is a picture to illustrate both.

I put off potty-training, mostly because I wasn't ready and Ava's interest died down a little, but we still regularly sit on the potty when she asks to or makes mention of the need before it happens. A week ago she asked to take off her diaper, to which I obliged with the direction to tell me if she needed to go potty. When the time came, she sat quickly and peed on the potty with excitement! She has yet to show any fear of the process which is a huge relief and I pray that continues.

Ava has gone through two major growth spurts this month and has outgrown almost all of her winter clothes. I thought we could last until spring but after multiple episodes of her pulling at her pants and saying, "tight, tight!" and my making her cry while trying to fit her head through a tshirt, I figured it was time to make a few purchases. She is now wearing 2T in most things and 3T in anything that is remotely fitted. Her belly has yet to slim down from her infant pudge so she can't really wear any pants that aren't elastic at the waist and I have to be very selective with her tops, searching for things that fit loosely and are extra long. I am very interested to see where her weight is on the charts at her 2-year appointment next month!

Despite having this month bookended with stomach bugs and the flu, it's been a great one for our little munchkin--growing like a weed and talking up a storm! What fun it is (and what energy it takes) to be the parents of an *almost* two-year-old.

a new love

On the tenth of February I had the privilege, honor and blessing of witnessing a baby being born. There have been only a few times in my life where my emotions have overcome me like they did that evening, and where God's presence in a room was so palpable. My dear, best friend Erin gave birth to a beautiful little boy, Brayden Timothy, and I am so proud of her.

After 22 hours of labor, I was set with the task of capturing the miracle on film--should it happen to come about. Erin had a c-section with her daughter and was attempting, against all odds, to pull off a vaginal birth. Each hour went by and the doctors came to check her, told her they would do everything they could but this just might not happen for her.

So we prayed. I don't remember the last time I prayed so hard. Literally until that final push we didn't know if he would be able to fit, hang onto his heartbeat as long as it might take, or if she would have the strength to finish. Knowing the intense, awe-inspiring moment I'd experienced with my own daughter's birth just two years before, I wanted that so badly for Erin and knew how honestly she yearned to push out her very own baby and hold him on her chest immediately, know his face, be the first to comfort his cry. When he came out, it was almost a shock to the whole room, you could hear the doctor, loved ones and nurses gasp and cry out with excitement that this had happened for the Stube family. Everyone stood and I lost my camera close-up moment, so I quickly ran back behind Erin's head in time to capture this long-awaited sight.

I thought I knew what to expect that day, but I was unprepared on all accounts. For the exhaustion of sitting and doing nothing but expending immeasurable amounts of emotional energy for my dear friend each time she moaned in pain. For the moment the baby emerged and the emotion that would pour out of my eyes in tears without warning. And I was unprepared for how proud of Erin I felt, how in awe at her perseverance after 22 long hours without food, without water and not without pain. How much closer I felt to her after witnessing such a miracle with her and seeing her true character. And for my unadulterated and humble gratitude to the Lord for saying 'yes' and granting such a gift to my friends--my family.

Erin, I love you and will cherish the memories of that day forever. You are such a strong and dedicated mother, your endurance unmatched, and I am so proud to know you. I knew and loved you before that day but am now overflowing with admiration and love and pride. I am having trouble putting into words my emotions surrounding those moments with you--I am so grateful to you for inviting me into that intimate room and sharing your life (and Brayden's) with me. I love you Stube's!