the drakes

38 Weeks

2012-02-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

Again I say, we made it. Shockingly. I'm beginning to think this kid just likes drama and is, after all this, going to come right on time. At least in the meantime we've gotten his room a little more ready and I've tired myself out considerably with preparatory organizing and cleaning.

I will have my check-up on Tuesday; we'll see if there's been any more progress (that is if we haven't had a baby by then).

Nursery #2

2012-02-17T14:59:00.000-05:00

I've been surprisingly more relaxed about decorating our second nursery and wanted to create something fairly neutral since it is also our guest room. When I went on bed rest I let go of my desire to have the room completed before baby boy arrived, but have been blessed with so much help getting it painted and well-stocked. Though we have yet to hang art or add any of the decorative elements, I wanted to share a sneak peek of the progress so far.

Stripes on the walls courtesy of my stepdad, Rick. He painted these the day we went to the hospital in false labor! Though we didn't come home with a baby, it was a wonderful sight to come home to a room much closer to resembling a nursery.

The closet color is Tidewater by Martha Stewart at Home Depot.

The fixed roman shade I made in my favorite taupe Suzani fabric. I followed this tutorial from one of my favorite bloggers, Centsational Girl.

I by no means would call myself a successful shopper, especially when it comes to bargain finds. But, this elephant was a great find at TJ Maxx this winter (pre-bed rest) and a perfect compliment to the eventual theme of the room. During the same trip I also found a sweet mini-globe in robins egg blue!

Seeing this all come together has gotten me excited for the days when I can shop the aisles again and fulfill my plans for this room. Soon to come: a faux sheepskin accent rug, a large map print for above the guest bed, baby's monogram above the crib (once he has a name of course), and some coordinating pillows for the guest bed. I'm thinking a little aqua chevron, gray zebra print... for now I dream.

37 Weeks

2012-02-12T20:34:00.000-05:00

Four weeks ago I really didn't think we'd see this day! Thanks be to God and to all of our family and friends who sacrificed so much to help our family over the last month.

The last week has been our most eventful and honestly I am shocked to still be pregnant! After spending 4 hours on the labor and delivery floor, contemplating names for a baby we were certain we'd meet that night, being sent home and then spending two other nights since wide awake with regular contractions only to have them eventually fade... I am hovering between feeling like I will go into labor at any moment and like it might never happen.

And so we wait.

False Labor #2

2012-02-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

I didn't realize that one can have strong timeable contractions for much of a day and not be in labor, but alas, we experienced this just yesterday. After my appointment in the morning I tried to lay down for a nap and again was unable to sleep, felt very uncomfortable and just 'off'. Within a couple of hours I was having very strong contractions that were about 1 1/2 minutes apart so we called the doctor and rushed to the hospital.

Though I was at 3cm when we arrived (up from 2cm that morning) and convinced this was the real thing, over the next 5 hours they concluded that my contractions were spacing farther apart and I hadn't progressed past 3cm. When the doctor informed me that she didn't think I was in labor, I was truly in shock and surprisingly disappointed. Even though it's still very early, I had mentally and emotionally prepared to meet my baby boy last night and to have that taken away left me very depressed and confused.

We came home not sure if we'd be heading back within hours, days or weeks, but last night the contractions continued to weaken and spread apart. At least I got a good nights sleep. I will say I still don't feel like it will be long... I know women can stay at 3 or 4cm for weeks but I just don't believe that's my body's way of doing things, especially with its incredible propensity for contracting. We shall see though, all we can do now is wait and pray for a healthy boy. Oh and for my water to break! No more of this false contracting nonsense please, my heart can't handle the roller coaster.

36 Weeks

2012-02-07T12:22:00.000-05:00

We have finally made it to the crucial week we were most praying for. Now I will be able to deliver in our hospital if I go into labor! We have had lots of help around here, I've been able to take it easy, and the amount of cramping that I was experiencing has greatly decreased.

Today at my appointment we did get some great news of progress. Baby's head has dropped, I am 2cm dilated already and 70% effaced. When I was pregnant with Ava I was 2cm dilated at 39 weeks and had her two days later! Though I could still go full-term, we are kicking our baby readiness into high gear. I am very uncomfortable, not sleeping well and definitely ready to get this boy out so this was music to my ears now that we've reached a "safe" point for delivery.

I've also been given the O.K. to be up and moving about which is a huge relief. Though I still don't feel up to doing my usual duties, it is so good to know I won't exercise or exhaust myself into an early labor.

Ava has continued to be quite a champ with all the change, the visitors coming and going, the new foods being kindly delivered and the mommy who has taken yet another step further away from the daily rough and tumble. She is SO excited for her brother's arrival, loves to feel him kick, talk to him and "snuggle" him (as seen in the above photo). She picked out a gift to bring to the hospital for him when he's born and she keeps talking about that day to come with the anticipation of a child preparing for their first visit to Disney World!

This week I finalized my top choice for baby boy's name and I think Blair has too. Though we will probably have to meet the little one before deciding, it is wonderful to finally feel like he will not remain nameless indefinitely.

In short, I am very ready, Blair is nearly ready, no one has told the little boy with the quick heartbeat that it's time to settle down in there but we're bracing ourselves for whatever is to come!

Pig Tails

2012-02-06T17:32:00.000-05:00

Oh no! My jump rope got caught in my pig tails!

Yes people. We've arrived. Her hair is long enough to *sort of* wear pig tails:)

Modified Bed Rest

2012-01-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday I had my 34 week appointment and follow-up from our trip to the hospital. We waltzed in, me on my wheelchair with Blair and Ava in toe. The doctor looked at me, stunned, and said, "What are you doing?! Did something happen since I saw you in the hospital?" I was already trying to hold back tears and replied, "No, you put me on strict bed rest, remember?" His response, "Uh, some lines got crossed somewhere, you can walk around!" I felt like a bit of a doofus and was simultaneously furious after the stressful week we'd had trying to scramble together 24/7 help for me to make this bed rest possible. I was also struck with half relief and half terror at the thought of being allowed to go back to 'taking it easy', something that without help left me contracting the night away and making trips to the hospital.

When we got into the exam room, the doctor came in and explained that in short, the wrong box had been checked on our outpatient form. He had meant me to be on Modified Bed Rest and instead I was put on Strict Bed Rest, complete with anxiety and a serious directive from the nurses about the risks involved if I were to deliver before 36 weeks. An honest mistake but one that cost us a considerable amount of worry and inconvenience.

That said, we are relieved to know the alert level on my uterus has been lowered and there is no serious risk of me delivering dangerously early as long as I take it very easy. We have still been calling on family and friends to come and help--without it it is nearly impossible to rest when my body tells me to while under the rule of one busy little Ava. But, it is nice to know I can get up to make myself a snack, get Ava to the potty on time or do even more if we have a gap in our schedule of helpers. What a relief to know I won't single-handedly usher this baby into the world before he's ready simply by doing a few dishes.

Thank you for all of your prayers and to those who have offered help and meals. At my appointment I was not showing any internal signs of preterm labor and though I've continued to have cramping and contracting, none have been regular since our trip to the hospital. Though this is not how we imagined it playing out, those prayers were answered! I am just 6 days shy of the 36 week mark that we were praying for and it feels wonderful to have it in reach.

Bed Rest.

2012-01-18T12:58:00.000-05:00

Early yesterday morning I awoke with more contractions and this time I called my doctor's office and we were instructed to go to the hospital. Though I was not in real labor (and of course the contractions had slowed by the time I was being monitored), the doctor diagnosed my uterus as an "irritable" one. Lovely.

In short, I was put on strict bed rest. My heart sunk at this news. I knew my body wasn't doing well but all out bed rest? Like, no-laundry-no-cooking-only-get-up-to-pee kind of bed rest? At another time, this directive might sound like winning the jackpot but I had already begun to morn the loss of my plans, my to-do list getting done, my clean floors, and most of all, the picture of what my last few weeks alone with Ava would look like. Granted, I had already self-imposed a great decline in my activity around the house (and almost totally withdrawn from any out of the house activity), but without help there is a certain measure of meal-cooking, laundry carrying and 2-year old bathing, wiping and cleaning up after that is unavoidable. And apparently still too much for my irritable uterus.

24 hours into said bed rest, I must say it is both hard and a relief. This is what my body has been craving and needing but it is so difficult to lie on the couch, see a million things that need to be done, and order an already busy husband to go run after Ava for a trip to the bathroom, remind him that the steaming broccoli is overdone and oh yeah, could you get me a snack while you're at it? That said, I did underestimate how delightful it would be to have nothing better to do than pay attention to my daughter. Though I can't play on the floor, give her a bath, refill her milk cup or go places with her for a few weeks, I didn't foresee how sweet it would be to be so available to just talk with her and snuggle at a moments notice.

Now, while I lay here, I will set my energy toward prayer. Praying that this little guy makes it at least 3 more weeks in there (if he decides to come earlier we will have to take an ambulance ride to a hospital much farther away that can accommodate pre-term babies). Praying for no more regular contractions, for the abundance of help we will need around here to be provided, for all of us to stay healthy in the meantime and that I might be able to let go of my desire to DO and just rest.

To Labor or Not

2012-01-15T22:01:00.000-05:00

For a few weeks now I've been pretty ready to get this baby out. Though, last night when that dream became a real possibility, I suddenly found myself keenly aware of what it might mean to have a baby 7 weeks early, and heard myself thinking, "Oh, God, please not yet!"

Around 12am I was lying in bed and started having some pretty strong cramping--strong enough to keep me awake. It wasn't coming and going in regular intervals but was pretty steady with some very painful peaks every few minutes. I decided to get out of bed and join Blair who was still awake upstairs. While sitting down, I started to have Braxton Hicks contractions every 2 1/2 - 3 minutes which continued to be accompanied by some painful cramping. We timed these for about an hour before I started to walk around and stretch. This helped to lengthen the time between the contractions and at times lessen the cramping, solidifying that this was in fact a false labor. The cramping and contracting kept me up for a total of four exhausting hours, reminding me of the excitement and hard work that is labor. Maybe I can wait a little while longer!

All this to say, Blair and I are officially motivated now to actually go buy a package of newborn diapers, dust off the bassinet and get going on all of our other pre-baby to-do's.

32 Weeks

2012-01-09T13:32:00.000-05:00

I was surprised to find out today that I lost two pounds in the last two weeks. The doctor said it's not too concerning unless it's a continuing trend, but it is still a little worrisome to me. I have also been having intermittent cramping, which again isn't a concern in itself but still isn't a great sign.

My take on it is that I've been doing too much around the house and not eating enough, both of which are "easy" fixes but difficult for this stubborn, wanna be busy-bee. I have a hard time staring a to-do list in the face and lying down instead, but given that I've been feeling so lousy I really do owe it to myself and this little one to slow it down a bit. Not a simple task with an almost three-year-old, a recent total home makeover and a personality that is always desiring uber-productivity. Lord, help me!

Catch Up

2012-01-07T15:11:00.000-05:00

Pregnancy has not been kind to my body and therefore I have not had the energy or time to keep up with our blog! For that I apologize and I hope that it's not a continuing trend post-baby. Instead of trying to crank out ten posts today, I am going to attempt an abridged version of our household goings-on these last few weeks.

Holidays
I fear I'm even less likely to write post-holidays since it takes me about two weeks to recover and about two months to upload photos. That said, we had a fantastic and family-filled Thanksgiving and Christmas and Ava loved getting some time away from home. She has become quite the flexible traveler and now does very well in new situations, with new foods, people or sleeping arrangements.

Christmas was especially delightful as this was the first year Ava really understood the full excitement of the Christmas morning tradition. She waited quasi-patiently at the top of the stairs for mom and dad to get dressed and ready and then tore into all that the day had to offer. Besides the expected new lesson that not all gifts are for her and the lessons of patience and gift-giving, what a joy it was to watch her open her presents with awe and wonder and trembling hands. She kept saying things like, "What is it?! What could it be?!" and "Woah, cool! I'm so excited!" Experiencing Christmas through her eyes really was a thrill.

Ava waiting patiently on the steps on Christmas morning

Moving Day
Blair has had some time off between semesters and his schedule has been substantially lighter. I have of course capitalized on this and given him a lengthy honey-do list to complete before mid-January! As my belly has become increasingly more inhibitive, I've enjoyed having him around to not only to carry loads of laundry downstairs and pick up things off the floor, but to also do many of the preparations for our "moving day" which took place last week.

Our upstairs bedroom is to become the nursery and guest room, and we moved our master bedroom to the finished basement. I spent the weeks prior to moving day painting a design on one of the walls down there (a task much more difficult than I originally imagined) which though exhausting, has really helped to transform that room into a much more luxurious space.

The "hand-painted wallpaper" that I finished for our new master bedroom

Moving day also involved setting up Ava's new bed, dresser and nightstand which she couldn't have been more excited about. She has loved having a bigger bed, has done very well with no bed rails, and is slowly adjusting to having mommy and daddy a little farther away. I've also overhauled the orientation of the rest of our furniture, storage and layout to better suit our incoming arrival. Ava has been a good sport though she'll be glad when mommy's all done moving things and throwing things out while she's asleep (especially her things). While we still have a lot of work to do around here of the big and the small variety, it feels very good to finally have a space that is capable of welcoming a baby!

Ava's new big-girl room

The Ava Girl
Ava has really been a trooper with all of the changes going on around here. She's lately been a bit more clingy and "mopey" as I like to say, but she's fairing pretty well. She is growing so much and is still as sharp as a tack, always thinking, always asking questions and astounding us with the connections her little brain makes. Today I made chili for the first time in awhile and she said, "Mom, there are two chili's. That up there (pointing to the stove) and then how it's chilly outside!" Genius. All day long she asks what everything means, why things are the way they are, and is into classifying her vast amounts of knowledge. For instance, a regular conversation at the table for us goes something like, "I like oranges. Are oranges healthy?" "Yes, very healthy." "Are they healthy for your baby?" "Yep." "Broccoli is really healthy. Is mac & cheese healthy?" "No, but it's ok to eat every so often." "It's not healthy? But it tastes so good? Is candy healthy?" And so on! This girl loves to learn and I know will give us a run for our money in the coming years.

Though she doesn't understand the full extent of what's to come in March, Ava is very excited for her baby brother's arrival. I think she is mostly excited because it will mean mommy can actually chase her and be tackled by her again, but she's also looking forward to giving the baby his pacifier, singing to him and rocking him when he cries (so she says). Today she felt him really move for the first time and it was such a precious moment. Every time I've asked her to touch my belly in the past she either misses a kick or refuses all together. But, today baby boy had the hiccups and I ushered her over to feel. Her eyes lit up and she said, "Is he knocking?!" She was fascinated when I told her he had the hiccups and showed her the movement that she was feeling.

Pregnancy
Just shy of 32 weeks, I'm definitely feeling the end is near... but not near enough. I've thankfully remained healthy and without any major issues, but my body would beg to differ. It likes to remind me daily that it doesn't approve of my choice to get pregnant and therefore refuses often to do what I want it to do. Since entering the third trimester I've become much more nauseous again and have had to deal with a lot of anxiety which was a surprise. With Ava I had the expected amount of over-emotional to deal with but with this little guy I've been a bit of a wreck! Thankfully, I have a loving and caring husband and a healthy dose of perspective that I didn't have the first time around. I am doing my best to just take it one day at a time and get through the next two months with as much enjoyment as possible!

Hopefully it won't be another month until I post again. In the upcoming weeks, check back for photos of Baby Two's nursery!

28 weeks

2011-12-11T22:04:00.000-05:00

At 28 weeks I am

So thankful for the many kicks and punches from this baby boy

Still experiencing a lot of pain and pressure

Fitting more comfortably in Blair's clothes than my own

Nesting like crazy

Taking it easy

Loving imagining Ava as a big sister

Over the moon about entering the third trimester!

Still very undecided about baby boy's name

Beginning to get his nursery together

Enjoying time as a mother of one and

dreaming of life as a mother of two

Sooo ready.

The Star

2011-12-08T14:12:00.000-05:00

Too sweet a moment to keep to ourselves!

Betty the Faceless Snowman

2011-12-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

Given that Ava has had very little excitement in her life lately (due to my constant need to take it easy), I decided to celebrate last nights two-inch snowfall here with Ava's very first snowman. I squeezed into two pairs of maternity pants, barely zipped my coat and got down on my hands and knees in the name of making my girl happy.

Despite aching hips and a mid-frosty topple, we eventually completed Ava's first snowy friend. Unfortunately, Ava didn't realize how long it took to actually construct a snowman. When we finished, he got two hugs, the name "Betty" and then Ava was ready to come in for some hot cocoa. By the time I made my way back out there to affix a face to our frosty, it had turned completely to ice! Though his button-nose is m.i.a., he was at least donned with a hat and scarf for his photo shoot. Though not the epic first-frosty moment I'd hoped to share with my daughter, it was still memorable and Ava has continued to love him from her warm perch at the kitchen window!

Now, thanks to you Betty, I will be laying down for the rest of the week.

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-08T12:57:00.000-05:00

Each year we have been married, Blair and I have gone out to cut down a fresh frazer fir for our living room in December. We've been through illnesses, pregnancies and baby-toting years, so each visit to the tree farm has looked a little bit different. Even though this year I was huffing and puffing up hills in search of our perfect tree, it was by far my favorite as we got to watch Ava run gleefully through the lines of trees and savor every moment of this tradition. This was the first year that she was really old enough to not only enjoy and understand what was taking place but to also do the whole trek on her own two feet--hurrah!

Ava squealed, "Mommy! This one is Ava-sized!"

Our pick (and check out that central PA view!)

Merry almost Christmas from our family of 3 1/2!

A Miracle Baby

2011-12-01T08:12:00.000-05:00

I believe God performs miracles every day. In the last few weeks as I've gone from 22 to 24 to 26 weeks pregnant, I have been remembering and marveling at one of God's miracle creations. Two years ago, my friend Melissa gave birth to her son Kyren at just 24 weeks gestation. The story is remarkable and unfathomable but in the end God chose to bless this family with a precious and healthy baby boy. I have been pouring over these pictures of baby Kyren and cannot believe that a boy just this size has been kicking around in me and making himself known. I am praising God for saving and growing Kyren and for our healthy son as he grows in my womb during this 27th week.

Kyren, born at 24 weeks gestation.

Getting to hold Kyren for the first time at a week old.

A perspective shot, Kyren with his Daddy

at one month old (28 weeks gestationally).

4 weeks old

Kyren at two years old!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

24 Weeks

2011-11-15T12:42:00.000-05:00

I had my 24 week appointment today and it couldn't have come soon enough. Over the last 4 weeks I've been having increasing pain and intense pressure in my lower half and over the last few days haven't been able to stand or walk for more than a few minutes at a time. Yesterday, against all my natural leanings, Ava and I had a "PJ day" (mostly because I couldn't bear to sit on the floor and attempt to change her) and watched a lot more TV than I would normally prescribe. I laid on the couch or in bed as much as possible and by the evening I was feeling a little relief.

Thankfully my blood pressure is normal and the doctor said that though this is unfortunate for me, there are no pressing health concerns for me or the baby. Hurray (I guess). What I described he said was not unusual for second pregnancies as the body doesn't hold up quite as well as it did the first time around. Being that this will probably only worsen over the next 3 1/2 months, he advised me to rest and get help with Ava when I can, but I'm grateful to know that no real harm is being done. Though I wanted to say, "Are you sure, because I'm pretty sure this baby's head is already halfway out and my legs might burst open at any moment."

The other good news is that my weight and girth (Brian Regan anyone?) are almost exactly in toe with what I measured with Ava, despite my feeling twice as big and cumbersome. It's the small victories! And once again, somewhere in between taking the above picture and uploading it from Photo Booth, the magical circuitry has made me look much less huge than I actually am. You will not hear me complaining about this. Since I don't know how to work the timer on Blair's camera for a more accurate photo, I'm happy to display this and then shock you all with the real thing later.

We got to hear the heartbeat and when the doctor asked Ava, "Are you going to have a baby brother?" she lifted her shirt and pointed to her belly, "Yeah, and I have a baby Jesus right down here in my heart!" It appears that teaching her about pregnancy and the Holy Spirit at the same time might have caused a little confusion.

All in all, though some days are better than others, I am feeling very weary and ready for this pregnancy to be over. I am praying for mercy in the weeks to come (and an early delivery date would be magical). I am however SO thankful for my loving husband and best friend who have rallied to help me as much as they can. Today after my appointment, Blair dropped Ava off at Erin's house and will be picking her up this afternoon and taking her on a daddy-daughter dinner date while I rest. Now, let me just say that I haven't had 8 hours (or 2 hours) to myself in almost 3 years and I'm not even sure what to do with that amount of quiet time! I'm sure I'll think of something (probably involving jammies and hot cocoa) and I feel so blessed to have people in my life who care about me and my baby boy.

Asthma

2011-11-14T19:32:00.000-05:00

We headed to the doctor on Friday, sure after a night of screaming that Ava was suffering from her third ear infection in six weeks. The good news? No ear infection (shockingly). The bad news? Ava almost certainly has asthma.

With every cold and ear infection this season so far she's continued to have wheezing and a dry asthmatic cough, though thankfully her oxygen levels have stayed within a safe range. We have an inhaler that we have to give her every four hours whenever she begins to show signs of illness, and she's just started on Singulair, a medication she'll take daily through the winter as a preventative measure.

With two parents who have had asthma since childhood, she was most definitely doomed. I was hoping it would hold off for a few more years but at least at this stage it's not holding her back in the slightest! And, as sorry a 'pro' as it may be, I am thankful that we had four weeks of health between Ava's last ear infection and this latest cold. Compared to last year that is a significant improvement and happened to coincide with starting her on a multivitamin and vitamin-D supplement. Maybe they are doing the trick!

Outdoor Bliss

2011-11-05T17:24:00.000-04:00

Just like her mother, Ava LOVES fall and the cooler temperatures that come with it. She has been asking to go outside every morning (yes, when it's still 30 degrees) and thankfully we've had lots of sunshine lately for her to enjoy. A few days ago she went on a long walk with daddy and the childhood bliss that ensued is palpable in these photos! Love her.

Window Crayons

2011-11-05T14:23:00.000-04:00

One of the best winter indoor activity inventions ever.

Happy Ballerina

2011-11-05T13:56:00.000-04:00

"I'm a ballerina! Look at me in my toe shoes!"

Now, I'm not a huge fan of Halloween if we're being honest, as shown by my waiting until the 31st to actually go out and buy Ava some 'toe shoes' and a matching tutu per her request. But, I can say it was a delight to watch this sweet thing practice her twirls and plies, balance on her toes and talk endlessly about her ballerina tights and sparkles. She loved watching herself in the mirror and being a real ballerina for the night (as evidenced by her patience in smiling for at least 30 photos of her standing in the living room).

After visiting five or six of our closest neighbors (where she tried to hand them back her candy), Ava loved sitting and admiring her loot and then jumping up at every knock to go hand out treats. Despite my reluctance to celebrate, the night was a success and Ava loved her first real memorable taste of the traditions!

Caitlin Wilson Textiles

2011-10-24T14:14:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite designers, Caitlin Wilson, has just launched her own line of textiles and they are gorgeous! I've been anxiously awaiting their debut and hope I can come up with some places to use her beautiful fabrics and pillows in my home.

Gender Reveal Party

2011-10-23T14:46:00.000-04:00

I've started this post four times now, unsure of how to capture how truly special last night was for our family. The anticipation made finding out the gender of our baby that much more exciting and nerve-wrecking and we relished the opportunity to share such an intimate moment with our close family and friends.

My friend Erin not only hosted this event but she attended to every detail: favors, decorations, a table of foods I've been craving, and a custom cake baked blue or pink inside for the big reveal. She made sure to capture every moment on camera, including when she opened the envelope (in private) revealing the gender, and sent us home with a mountain of goodies. This happening would not have been what it was without her! There are few things more special than having a dear friend make a big fuss over something that is important to you and man, I felt fussed over and blessed. Thank you Erin for making this reveal such an exceptional time!

We arrived, excited of course, and were so thankful to see so many loved ones there to celebrate with us. Then it was time to cut the cake as a family of three...

It's a...

BOY!

Ava said, "It's blue! I'm going to have a baby brother!"

Overwhelmed.

I have ~~thought~~ known this baby was a boy since very early on, and thought I was completely prepared for the confirmation. However, I was not! If we're being honest here on this blog of mine, I was a little in shock and overwhelmed with thoughts of, 'Wait, an actual boy? What does it feel like to love and bond with a baby boy? Will I know how to care for a potentially rambunctious boy like I do my sweet girl?' But, I am also flooded with a warmth and undeniable love for this little kicker of ours. I can't let go of the picture of his precious face that I got to see on the ultrasound screen and am growing more and more excited as the realizations mount of what this will mean for our little family. What an epic adventure parenthood is turning out to be and we are so thrilled to watch God's design for our family unfold before us!

Dirt, mud, trucks and blue, we are ready for you!

Ultrasound

2011-10-20T15:50:00.001-04:00

This little blurry bundle is our baby-to-be. We had an a great ultrasound and in some ways I enjoyed not finding out the gender right then and there (let me add a side note: we've decided not to find out until the reveal party on Saturday with our friends and family). It allowed me to concentrate on each, 'it has two arms and two legs' and 'the kidneys and stomach are functioning properly' instead of lying there thinking, 'it's a girl!!' which is what I primarily remember from Ava's 20 week ultrasound.

The only part that was pretty uncomfortable for me was the measuring of the cervix which they have to do first, while your already squeezed bladder is full. The tech got her magic wand down there and said, 'Woah, this baby's head is right up against the cervix'... I could have told her that. He or she was so stubbornly pressed as low as a baby can go that the tech had to push and dig to get a worthy measurement, both of my cervix and of the baby's poor head. Even with all the prodding it wouldn't budge and I can assure you hasn't lifted since.

Other than that, the ultrasound was amazing and I loved every moment. We got to see the baby swallow twice and got to see it move its arms and hands in real-time. By far the most special moment for me was when the tech scanned the front of the baby's face (it was facing up as opposed to curled on it's side like Ava was) and I got an almost 3D looking view of it's hand over it's eyes, it's cute button nose and big pouty lips. What a treasure! I will cherish that moment from now until I get to kiss those lips in person!

Unfortunately, a fun morning didn't mean a fun afternoon for me. I've been feeling more and more tired the last couple of days and after lunch I took a long nap. When I woke up I had a LOT of pressure in my legs and felt as if someone had tied a tourniquet around both my thighs and my legs might burst at any moment. I called the doctor and she didn't seem too alarmed which was good, but I have continued to feel pretty lousy, exhausted and have a lot of pain and pressure from the hips down. It is most likely due to the baby's placement as well as my body not holding everything in place as tightly as it did the first time around. But, I am still feeling even more uncomfortable than I did with Ava in the last weeks of pregnancy and it's a little overwhelming to imagine 20 more weeks of this.

Please pray with us that this pain and pressure will not continue until March! Also pray for endurance and a spirit of hope and strength for me. The last couple of weeks I've felt a physical decline and in general feel like my body is not handling this pregnancy very well. I am praying hard against discouragement and also that Ava would react well if this is the lot we get for next couple of months.

Thank you! Stay tuned on Saturday for the big reveal!

20 weeks

2011-10-16T14:57:00.003-04:00

We've finally reached 20 weeks! I have my appointment on Wednesday but I wanted to post a couple pictures from our family photo shoot today. Thankfully this has been a fairly uneventful pregnancy though I'm still feeling exhausted, light headed and much more uncomfortable than I remember being with Ava. I thought I carried Ava low but this baby is low. I feel a lot of pressure and it is already difficult to get up from the couch, lean over and do other such daily maneuvering since I feel like I'm squishing a too-full water balloon between my hips. My body has also been feeling very overworked but I have yet to figure out where resting and putting my feet up fit into my day.

I am also happy to report that in the last two weeks Ava has made a turn for the better. After not sleeping well since I got pregnant and upping the defy-o-meter, she has all of a sudden started sleeping better at night and taking longer naps again (and consequently has in general reverted back to a normal measure of defiant two-year-old). I am praying that this is the 180 we've been waiting for and that she will continue in this trend! It is so much more fun to enjoy this pregnancy with her rather than to trade it for the constant need to discipline.

I mean really, have you seen a cuter big sister? Last night I was feeling quite awful and laying on the couch and Ava came over to me, stroked my back and said, "Mommy, it gonna be okay. I will always take care of you." Melt this mama's heart.

On the 19th we will also (hopefully) be finding out the gender of our baby! I can't even tell you how excited I am. We will be keeping it a secret until Saturday when my friend Erin is graciously throwing us a shower and gender reveal party. I am so looking forward to this in so many ways, to celebrate with friends and family and to have a moment to make a big deal out of this baby!

Pumpkins and Bunnies

2011-10-14T11:53:00.000-04:00

Last weekend Ava and I went to Way Fruit Farm with the Stubes in search of pumpkins and a little fall spirit. Ava was wary of the tractor ride that was required in order to reach the actual patch of pumpkins, but alas she clung to mommy and did great. Once there, Ava dove fearlessly into the muddy search but every time I found a pumpkin small enough that I could carry it, she said, "No, I don't want that one". After I trucked around one that I'd picked for her, she let me know that she didn't want to take one home at all! She was just there for the adventure apparently so we continued getting our shoes muddy and came home pumpkin-less but enjoyed every minute.

Here's our token photo with the pumpkin we left behind!

The unforeseen highlight of the morning was the "petting zoo" which I had pictured as your usual dirty, sheep-and-goat-petting type zoo. What we found was a little pen full of baby bunnies! Before I could get out the words, "Ava, are you okay to go in by yourse---" she was in the gate and stalking bunnies like you've never seen. I was shocked and somehow so proud, my daughter who is usually the last one to let go of mom's hand in public didn't hesitate for a moment. When we got home she came right in and told Daddy all about it and kept saying to me, "I looooove bunnies mommy, I really do. Can I have a bunny at my house?"

Trying so hard to pick up this wiggly older bunny

So gentle!

Settled for a snuggle with the wiggly one.

Finally got to hold a quieter baby bunny. So proud of herself!

All in all it was a perfect fall morning and the weather could not have cooperated more. I'm so thankful for these fun times with my daughter while it's just mommy+1!

Meanwhile, maybe it was the sunshine we had last week but Ava has started sleeping much better recently and I'm so thankful. She occasionally will sleep in a little in the morning if she has a rough night or takes longer to fall asleep, and her naps have been consistently 2 hours or more when she's been healthy. What a difference it makes in her demeanor! She is currently suffering through her second ear infection in two weeks but has been quite the trooper. We've started a multi-vitamin and vitamin D supplement to hopefully bolster her immune system for the rest of the season... we shall see.

Ava's New Coat

2011-10-12T15:22:00.000-04:00

She Says

2011-10-12T15:19:00.000-04:00

Ava: (telling us a story) "One day, Curious George got out of bed. And all of a sudden! There was a terrible alligator. The end."

While I was putting on her socks and shoes:
Ava: "Mommy, I'm ready for shuntin'!"
Me: "You're ready for what?"
Ava: "Shuntin'! You know, like shunting trucks and hauling freight!" (the theme song from Thomas)

I went and met Ava at her door after her nap...
Ava: "Mom, what were you doing out there?"
Me: "I was on the computer."
Ava: "Well... that's not polite. I called for you."
Me: "Yes, but you called from the door, you're supposed to call for me from your bed. You got out of your bed."
Ava: (with a smirk) "What?! You can't be serious!"

"Mommy, do you ever EVER mow the lawn?"

I asked Ava who her best friend was. She said Ducky. I clarified, "Who is your best person friend?" and she thought for a whole minute before saying, "Brayden! He's snuggly!"

At my OB doctor's appointment, just before hearing the heartbeat, the doctor said to Ava, "Does your mommy have a baby in her belly?" to which she replied, "Yeah, and I have Jesus right here in my heart!"

I was that mom.

2011-10-12T14:28:00.000-04:00

You know, that one with the kicking, screaming, shoe-throwing toddler you pass judgement on in the store? That was me.

For all those who know my daughter and don't believe me that she has her "moments", believe this! We were in our local kids consignment shop the other day and something about it made Ava think it was a free-for-all, take-what-you-want, try-on-all-the-shoes-you-can-find kind of store, and one where screaming and throwing a tantrum was an acceptable response to mommy's "no's". I left utterly embarrassed, literally carried her out kicking and we then proceeded to sit in the car for fifteen minutes until she calmed down enough to get in her car seat.

I consider myself on the strict side of the parenting spectrum and think words like consistency and follow-through are the cornerstones to discipline. But, if parenting perfection was my ultimate goal, I would never survive a day and would be riddled with defeat. No amount of sound parenting can make you totally immune to a child's outburst of defiance! But, though not apparently immune and not shielded from the glaring eyes of other shoppers, I do think God uses those displays as a great reminder for me. I can never be 100% in control of what Ava does or what choices she makes, but I can do my best with what God has given me--to teach in the quiet moments, to discipline and correct in the louder ones, and to, in the messiest of moments, show by example what it looks like to live by grace, obedience and love. If those are my ultimate goals, then I should welcome the tantrums as much as I welcome the sweet times, acknowledging them all as chances to grow in Christlikeness both within myself and to cultivate it in my daughter.

Now, do I act according to this perspective all the time? Definitely not. I am still the mom who threw her kid in the backseat and thought, who exactly is in control here? What does it even look like to show Christ to this? But, I'm so thankful for a God who challenges me, bears those burdens with me and teaches by example, dealing with my intense stubbornness with unmatchable gentleness, grace and patience.

Kicks

2011-10-12T13:40:00.000-04:00

At 17 weeks and 2 days, there's no hiding this belly and no ignoring its resident. Though I've been feeling small kicks and squirms since around 15 weeks, just in the last 24 hours our baby grew some muscles and those kicks can now be felt by an outside hand.

This morning I woke Blair up to feel some of the strongest kicks yet (he's been waiting patiently), and then Ava had her magical moment after breakfast. We were reading a book when she got a strong kick in her back and I said, "Ava! Do you know what that was?" She jumped quickly off my lap and sat next to me on the couch with her eyes wide and smiling. I told her to put her little hand right where I'd felt the kick and she did. I was literally praying that God would have that baby kick in the same spot again since Ava's hand is so small and can only cover so much ground at one time. Not only did he answer that prayer but Ava waited patiently for two or three minutes for that kick to come, whispering, "Come on little guy" as she gently touched my belly. When the time came she looked at me and her mouth opened wide in excitement. What a special moment!

I will long cherish that first sibling interaction and know that Ava is going to make an amazing big sister.

Free Blogger Backgrounds

2011-09-23T20:20:00.000-04:00

Being the design-loving blogger that I am, I was so excited to discover a new range of free backgrounds for blogger offered by The Cutest Blog on the Block. I visit their site probably once or twice a year but have rarely found backgrounds that suit my taste. This time around I hit the jackpot! Here are a couple of my favorites from the selection.

2 1/2

2011-09-23T20:13:00.000-04:00

Ava had her 2 1/2 year appointment with the doctor on Wednesday and is doing well. Thankfully her lungs are sounding much better and her cold has subsided. Ava's height and weight came in at 36 in (60something%) and 35 lbs (99%), confirming the rolly polly stage we thought she was in! At her last visit the percentiles were switched and even though she's growing 'thick' as the doctor put it, thankfully he didn't seem concerned. He is happy with her healthy diet and said it could be due to her quiet nature and the amount of exercise she is getting compared to her 2 1/2 year old counterparts.

That was all I needed to hear to spur me on towards plans for an active winter. I already have been researching all the indoor toddler activities in our area, both for exercise sake, my own sanity and to thoroughly enjoy this time as a mother of one. This week already we've gone swimming and to a toddler play time offered by the YMCA and it's been wonderful! I have to encourage this little snuggling wall flower to dance when the music plays and run when there's a place to do so, but she loves using up energy once she gets going.

Despite her tendency to be the least rambunctious kid in the room, Ava is extremely social, loves to talk and makes friends everywhere she goes. This summer we made the switch to a new church and with that decided to do whatever it took to get Ava to stay in Sunday School for the whole service. After she and I both left bawling the first Sunday we tried (she was terrified and I'm hormonal), I thought this effort might take months. But, the next Sunday she stayed for about twenty minutes, crying the whole time but at least staying in there alone, and last week she successfully stayed in her class for the whole service! This was a HUGE victory for us as 1) Blair and I have never sat through a whole church service alone since we had Ava and 2) Ava has been incredibly clingy and adamantly opposed to being left apart from us since I got pregnant. This gives me a lot of hope for the months to come. The best part was watching her wave goodbye to all her new friends when we left and walk the halls like a 5th grader who owned the place. Confidence is priceless!

Lastly, these recent months have been unfortunately marked by Ava's disobedience and unforeseen entrance into the terrible part of the twos. It is a huge challenge for me but I keep the perspective that the learning during this time is crucial for both of us and in many ways developmentally exciting. Though the process is exhausting, I relish the opportunity to shape and grow her little stubborn will and guide her in the way she should go. Now that I am feeling a little bit better into the second trimester, I feel more capable of handling the immense amount of energy that she requires every day! Ava's sleeping habits have continued to falter since the onset of my pregnancy and she is often sleeping from about 8:30 or 9pm until only 6 or 6:30am and then taking a short nap in the afternoon, sometimes for only 45 minutes or less. This is leaving her (and me) exhausted and truly unable to control herself at times. I'm praying that all of these issues will begin to work themselves out soon!

Despite all the challenges, 2 1/2 is also proving to be a really fun age and I love watching this little girl grow and learn. She is so smart and thoughtful and quirky, I can only sit on the edge of my chair, waiting to see what she'll do next and what each new month will bring!

Little Monkey

2011-09-23T13:48:00.000-04:00

I can't help but share this adorable moment. A couple of nights ago Ava brought this ladle in the bathtub and after a few minutes I hear her giggle and then burst into roaring laughter. I look over and she's just losing it, looking at her own reflection in the ladle and spurts out between laughs, "Look mom! I'm a monkey!"

Joy.

Ava's Journal

2011-09-23T13:40:00.000-04:00

The last few days Ava has taken to a new delight--writing letters and words and stories on lined paper. With a ball point pen. Like a six year old.

In the mornings she has picked up on my quiet time, where I sit at the table with my coffee and my Bible and journal. She has adopted the Bible I had when I was a child, and a few days ago asked if she could have a journal too. Since then she writes everything she can think of and then runs to show me what she's done. The markings she makes are really quite adorable, a stark contrast to the long lines and circles that used to frequent her pages. She notates these little tiny "letters" and whenever she is remotely close to the triangle of an "A" or the lines of an "F" she squeals in excitement and pride at what she's done.

I love watching my baby girl lie on her belly with her brow furrowed and her lips pursed off to the side in concentration. As I sit here eating chocolate cake in the middle of the day (the baby needs it) and prepare for life with an infant again, I can't believe how much my just-barely-toddler is now becoming a little girl.

Breath

2011-09-16T13:33:00.001-04:00

Ava is currently in the middle of her third cold since this "season" has begun (a depressing fact since it's hardly fall yet). Last winter she was sick almost constantly from September to May and though I had high hopes that this year might turn out better for us, it's not looking that way.

Yesterday, Ava's cold took a turn for the worst and we had to make an evening trip to the doctor's office. We've had our fair share of fevers, coughs and sniffles but yesterday's nap time brought on a whole new enemy. Ava woke from her nap twice, kicking, screaming, speech slurred, and not quite awake--very night terror style which we've dealt with a couple times before. The second time however she was wheezing very badly and I decided to try and wake her and assess how she was really doing. Once she calmed down and sat with me for some cartoons, it was clear she was having trouble breathing. She would try and talk to me and could barely get words out through her strained breath, and her normally silent breathing was replaced by a loud, raspy sound that was not music to this mommy's ears. I decided to call the doctor and they had me bring her in. Over the course of an hour her breathing did quiet slightly as her chest cleared a little bit, but she was still wheezing noticeably with every breath and the doctor heard some unwanted movement in her lungs.

Thankfully, Ava's oxygen level was normal and a chest x-ray ruled out pneumonia. She screamed through a nebulizer treatment in the doctor's office (the fishy mask she got to take home as a souvenir, pictured above) and was prescribed a steroid and an Albuterol inhaler. The doctor said to keep an eye on her--this could be a one time occurrence or could be the start of some asthma brewing. As a long-time asthma sufferer I really hope that is not the case for her!

Let me add a side-note. The x-ray adventure really was a sight to behold and Ava did such a great job. She talked to and entertained everyone we met, was so excited to get her "picture" taken, and really hammed it up for the camera. She stood still, smiled big, couldn't hold in a deep breath but kept her arms up and feet in place and loved the special skirt she got to wear that matched Daddy's x-ray blocking dress. Afterwards she was a little disappointed when she saw the pictures that had been taken and didn't quite understand what she as looking at, but when she received a sticker with a dinosaur skeleton on it (to go along with the 5 Dora stickers she got from the sweet nebulizer-giving nurse), she was content.

Ava really was a champ, left the office with her very first lollipop and though she has yet to complete a whole 6-breath inhaler treatment, she's on the mend.

Two and a half

2011-09-10T18:04:00.000-04:00

We've had a shortage of pictures this summer since I've been feeling so lousy (and we've done very few things worth capturing on film) so I took a few today to document the growing girl. In a couple days she will be 2 1/2 and boy is she as cute as ever!

I Got Jesus in my Heart

2011-09-02T21:54:00.000-04:00

The sweet girl with her favorite boy-- baby Brayden

As previously mentioned, Ava has had a hard time with my pregnancy so far and has developed an unwavering need for her mommy. One way that this manifests itself is during sleep times. Ava has not only continued to get out of her bed at night but has begun waking mid-nap and crying out for me, "I need my mommy!" and crying for snuggles, milk, a blanket, anything that might get me to come into the room.

Without wanting to delve deep into my parenting style, I will say this. Since Ava was a baby I have erred on the side of crying-it-out, for many reasons, and have stuck to that ideology because even for a toddler I believe that action and consistency speak volumes. Now, in this case, with two-year-old emotions flaring and flexing, some compromises have had to be made. But overall I've tried to keep with my instincts and not start Ava on a habit of crying for mommy many times a night or nap.

With that in mind, after a few conversations that went nowhere, trying to explain to Ava why it is better for her to sleep by herself or why she needs to go back to sleep without me, the Holy Spirit nudged me with a great realization. This is a perfect opportunity to talk about her relationship with Jesus--not just the story of baby Jesus but the role that he plays in our lives.

The first night I decided to go into her room and I sang her a new song:

...I've got the love of Jesus love of Jesus
Down in my heart
Down in my heart to stay
...And I'm so happy, so very happy
I've got the love of Jesus in my heart!

I explained that Jesus lived in her heart, and in my heart, and that whenever she felt lonely or sad or afraid, she could tell Jesus and he would hear her. I told her that sometimes she might miss mommy and daddy when we're not there but that Jesus will always be with her. Watching her eyes light up, she responded, "Yeah! That's a good idea mommy! Baby Jesus lives right here in my heart!" I melted. She was smitten.

Since then we've had some more rocky sleep and awake times, but they have been great opportunities for me to introduce her more and more to Jesus. What a sweet job that is. With the onset of some pretty ugly, defiant behavior we've been able to talk about how God tells us to obey our parents and how it makes God feel when she disobeys.

A few nights ago, Blair and I were both awake as Ava cried and cried for me from about 1-4:30am. I went in a number of times but short of sticking her back in the womb there was no giving her enough comfort to calm her. At one point I reminded her that though mommy had to go back to her room, Jesus would be with her and she could pray to him if she was sad. I left and within minutes she was crying for me to return. Blair and I listened for awhile, Ava finally calmed down a little and then we heard her yell loudly and happily, "Mommy! I told Jesus I'm sad!" We giggled in bed. I can't tell you what work and yet what a joy this time is!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

2011-09-02T21:16:00.000-04:00

"Be joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

5 Years

2011-08-21T15:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that much time has gone by (and yet how much has happened in such a short time). I'm beginning to think we look young in our wedding photos and think back with nostalgia to how 'simple' life seemed on that day. Ha! God had less than simple plans for us but I've been so blessed to go through the hard and the remarkable with my best friend by my side.

Puberty, 7 1/2 years of dating, illness, health, numerous moves and job changes, and almost two kids later... I love you Blair!

The first 12 weeks

2011-08-21T14:56:00.001-04:00

It is time to announce a most exciting addition to our family--one of the 12 weeks along, itty bitty baby variety! On March 4th, just in time for Ava's third birthday, we are expecting our second child--still a mind-blowing concept that is hard for us to believe. Despite my initial feeling in July, that the days were dragging by and I would never reach the end of the first trimester, we have arrived and it really did go very quickly.

Here is a recap of all that I would have updated over the last 12 weeks, had we wanted to fully disclose and had I felt remotely up to it.

How I've Felt Overall I've been feeling pretty lousy but the severity has been up and down. From weeks 6-8 I was very nauseous and extremely fatigued but thankfully my body became a little more predictable after that. I've still been very nauseous but it's usually in the late afternoon and evening and most days have been doable with a solid afternoon nap. One of the unexpected hardships this time around has been the emotional toll--not of the pregnancy itself but of how it has affected Ava, her behavior and our relationship. More on that in a minute!

At 7 weeks we had a major scare, I woke up with some bleeding and the doctor wanted us to come in that day for an emergency ultrasound. I was of course a wreck; nothing can prepare you for the reality that something might be seriously wrong with your baby. After hearing the heartbeat (...relief) and getting our first glimpse of the 'tadpole', we were so grateful that everything was ok.

The Belly Though not much of one yet, here it is at 12 weeks. This picture makes me look a lot taller and slimmer than I actually am, don't be fooled! I'm down to one pair of shorts that I can actually close, but for now just look and feel a bit thicker around the middle. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of an actual bump, the feeling of kicking feet and hopefully a little more energy in the weeks to come.

Ava's Reaction When we first told Ava, she was very excited that mommy had a baby in her belly. She said, "A baby from God! Like in my Jesus book!" remembering the story of Mary having baby Jesus. Little does she know this was not an immaculate conception, but we told her yes, the baby was still a gift from God! Our good friends had had a baby a few months prior (a baby whom Ava is madly in love with) so she had that big-belly-to-little-baby transformation fresh in her mind and I do think has an idea of what's to come. She however has no patience for the long wait. She asked often that first week to feel the baby kicking, to talk and sing to the baby, to hold it and to even take pictures of my belly. But that excitement wore off and a good bit of anger and sadness took over when mommy became all but incapacitated at times and definitely not as much fun.

This is an interview I did with Ava on July 17th:
mommy: Ava, do you like the baby in mommy's belly or not like it?
ava: Not like it.
mommy: How come?
ava: Because she's sad (meaning mommy).
mommy: Why am I sad?
ava: Because she's sick. I like when she's happy.

From there Ava's sadness turned into a mixture of clinginess and anger at me, defiance of a whole different breed as well as having a lot more potty accidents and getting out of her toddler bed (something she's been great about since we initially switched over). It's been quite an energy zapper, both physically and emotionally. I've had many moments of feeling like I'm not doing what's best for my baby by having another baby as well as feeling a little defeated in my lack of energy and patience to deal with the issues at hand. But, I know that we'll get through this together and I'm already learning quite a lot about my changing role as a parent of two.

Boy or Girl? Ava is adamant that this baby is a boy, though with her aforementioned love for the most recent baby in her life (who is a boy) and her persistent reference to baby Jesus growing in my belly, this makes sense! I too however have had a strong feeling that this baby is a boy from very early on and had a dream that I had a boy, born healthy at 8 weeks (ha, wouldn't that be a treat?)! With Ava I only ever had dreams that she was a girl, so we'll see! We'll find out (hopefully) in mid-October.

And so it begins... the countdown to baby's arrival and the impending craziness that will undoubtedly overtake our household! We really couldn't be more excited and ready. I am definitely already feeling the time crunch--though we have about 6 months to go, I'm realizing how quickly time flies when you have a two-and-a-half-year-old in the mix and a brain already incapable of keeping order and getting things done like it used to. Nonetheless, we are preparing as best we can and trying to enjoy it!

The Little Lady

2011-07-20T17:55:00.000-04:00

We've been uber busy these last weeks and will have much to update you on when things slow down a bit. Until then, here's a picture worth sharing. Ava loves taking pictures with me using the camera on our mac and this is one of my favorites from today. She's the best little buddy to have around! Or as she likes us to call her, "Little Lady". I love her!

Little Helper

2011-06-27T14:58:00.000-04:00

Another tale to demonstrate the dear, sweet, helpful and thoughtful little girl we have.

Last night we returned home from a weekend trip and hurriedly unloaded the contents of the car into the living room and hallway. I unpacked only the necessities and quickly started rummaging the cabinets and bare fridge for a suitable dinner for Ava. She was getting into things and whining (as was I after our long day) and at one point I caught her taking all of the stuff out of my weekend bag. I snapped at her to put everything back and said that I needed to take all the bags to their correct rooms and then unload them later and put everything away. She cleaned up the mess she made and I went back to making her dinner.

After she'd finished eating, Blair came home with some takeout for him and I to share, and we did so ravenously. A few minutes went by and I realized we hadn't heard a peep from Ava in awhile. I yelled out, "Ava, what are you doing sweetheart?" We heard the quick pitter-patter of feet, she whirled around the corner into view, muttered something and then booked it back to her room in a "follow me" type manner. I thought, 'uh oh' and followed quickly behind. Sure that she had made a huge mess somewhere, I went into her room and found her standing next to her diaper pail quietly with a face like that of a puppy leading it's owner to an accident on the floor. "I did that," she said, and pointed. I looked and found her dresser drawer open (where I keep her large trash bags), bags strewn, and one all scrunched and gnarled into position in her empty diaper pail. She had been trying to put a new bag in since we left it to air-out while we were away. Then I saw that she'd dragged her travel bag into her room and had tried to unpack a few things into her drawers. I looked at her with a smile and said, "Great job Ava, were you trying to help mommy?" and her puppy-dog eyes turned to a big, proud grin as she replied, "Yeah, I did!"

Love her.

Vocabulary of our two year old

2011-06-27T14:39:00.000-04:00

Once Ava really started talking around 18 months, her vocabulary grew quickly, gradually migrating toward full sentences a few months ago. Now however, she's begun spitting out much more long and complicated words amidst clear sentences, leaving us literally speechless sometimes! Though my attempt to compile a list of the words I've heard her say over the past month or so would no doubt be incomplete, many of the words are ones that leave us wondering when she even picked them up.

One example I do remember was when she came up to me holding a vibrating massager that we have (which she hadn't played with in maybe 6 months) and said, "Mommy, I do the vibrating?" To which I of course replied, "You do the what??"

And, on our trip to Mimi and Pappy's, one of their favorite conversations with her was after she came down from a fitful nap (during which she woke and cried a lot for me to come get her). They asked her how she slept and what happened during her nap and she said, "I was frustrated!"

She's a sponge I tell you!

This past weekend we went down to Virginia for my cousins wedding and had a wonderful time. We saw many cousins and aunts and uncles but the highlight of Ava's trip was no doubt the plentiful presence of boys her age wearing dress pants and ties. Little did we know, our shy little girl is quite the little romantic. She was following around every boy she could find trying to hold their hands and get them to dance with her, turning to us to say, "I dance with boys?"

Another of my favorite stories from this past month is when Ava asked me to sing a particular song from one of her books at nap time. I couldn't remember which song went with a particular page in her book (it came with a companion CD) when finally I said, Oh, I think it's ---- . She smiled at me with the most genuine smile you've ever seen and took a deep breath and said, "Oh, you're so smart mommy!" Ha! I about lost it and thought, my two year old just encouraged me!

With the increase in language skills that Ava is possessing, she's starting to be able to recall and tell us about her dreams at night. I've always wondered what infants dream about and though that's still a mystery, it's been so fun to hear about some of the things she's dreaming of now. Though she's talked about butterflies and squirrels, my favorite (after the fact) is this. Blair and I were watching her on our new video monitor one night, she'd awoken and was sitting crying in her crib. After a minute she went quiet and started sucking her thumb. I was relieved until we realized she had fallen asleep sitting up and then did a dead fall, her little head knocking right into her bed rail. She of course starting screaming hysterically and we ran in to comfort her and make sure she was ok. She fell asleep again surprisingly quickly and I laid her in her crib.

Not ten minutes later, she awoke screaming again and this time wasn't settling so I went in. She was wide awake and when I asked her what was wrong and if she wanted to lay down, she said, "The car! The car went fast on my neck!" "What?" I said, a little perplexed and wondering if she'd suffered any real consequences from her earlier fall. She replied with vigorous hand motions, "Daddy's purple car went fast on my head." I started to realize what had happened, "Did you hit your head really hard?" I said. "Yeah, the car went really fast on my head, right here" she pointed.

What a sweet little heart, she'd slept through the whole ordeal and was now awaking from a nightmare in which her dad's car ran into her head! We did our best to stifle our laughter and comfort our baby girl and convince her that it was a bad dream. Though it was awful for her I'm sure, it was a great moment for us as parents to watch that whole thing play out and to see her use her words to communicate so well with us!

Summer (free) Time and a Trip to Mimi and Pappy's

2011-06-23T17:49:00.000-04:00

I am a little shocked at the length of time between posts here on our blog, especially since it is one of my favorite things to do! I thought that once my husbands schedule eased up a bit in the summer I'd actually get some (gasp) "alone" time and maybe more time for things like this. However, the opposite has been true! Since Blair's had more time off this summer we've gotten swallowed up by house projects (this is in general a good thing) and I've been spending every moment that Ava is sleeping doing some manner of painting or gardening. This has left you, our faithful readers, longing I'm sure for some recent photos of our sweet toddler and her activities.

To quench your thirst for cuteness, here are some photos of our trip up to my mom's a couple of weeks ago. Mimi and Pappy's house is, for a two-year-old, the perfect no-cost vacation. A huge, old house brimming with nooks and crannies just begging to be explored, gardens full of new flowers and bird feeders, a waterfall and pond with fish to feed and croaking frogs, and of course the big dog and elusive kitty that lie in wait for the toddler pounce.

Eating a picnic after our hike

Feeding the fishies their breakfast

Picking strawberries for our breakfast

(and eating most of them)

Sitting by her baby pool

Playing Mimi's Piano

Taking a breather during her first hike!

Throwing rocks and wading in the creek

Looking for fish/frogs/bugs with Daddy

With no 'before' pictures, our house projects are less than exciting to write about. But, we have finished repainting our basement and carving out a spot for our new garden out front. I can't wait to show off the 'after' pictures and complete our other to-do's like painting furniture and planting flowers. I love being productive which makes me LOVE summer!

Mothers Day

2011-05-22T15:10:00.000-04:00

I had a wonderful 3rd Mothers Day, in no small part due to my sweet husband and daughter. Even though Blair goes to bed a lot later than I do, he woke up with Ava on that morning while I got to lay in bed for a few extra minutes. Though I've lost the ability to sleep in, the luxury of getting out of bed on my own terms is priceless to me and would have been gift enough!

I heard clattering and squealing from the kitchen and then Ava pitter-pattering into my room to say, "Happy Modders Day Mommy!" and snuggle with me for a few minutes in bed. Again, that too would have been gift enough!

We had breakfast as a family (a rare occurrence for us) which my husband prepared with the "help" of Ava (I hear she washed the strawberries) and got ready for church. After a great service visiting at our friend's church, we made it home just in time to avoid a total baby meltdown, whip up a quick lunch for all and get Ava down for a nap.

To top it all off, in the evening I settled down with my favorite Entenmann's Chocolate Cake. Mmmm. I love being a mom more than anything and feel so blessed to have the family that I have!

Here are a few token family photos taken after church that day.

My Good-dirl Bed

2011-05-17T22:29:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, when Blair's schedule had him out of the house for almost all of Ava's and my waking hours, I decided to take the two of us on an impromptu visit to my mom's house. Upon arrival, I set up Ava's pack 'n play and she slept in it that night--the only sleep it would see during our 4 day stay. There was a single bed in her room that she decided on day 2 she was old enough to sleep in and she proved herself right! She did so well, stayed in it for the most part, calling for me when she needed something or woke up, and slept in until a decent morning hour.

Once we arrived back home, Ava was much less enchanted by her baby crib. After refusing her nap that afternoon, I decided to take the plunge and transform her crib into it's toddler counterpart and see how she did. Needless to say, Ava was elated and smitten with her new big girl bed (which she calls her "good-dirl bed") and newfound freedom!

Ava did so well in her bed for a couple of days, coming into our bedroom in the morning but otherwise sleeping well and showing us what a big girl she really was. However, after the honeymoon period it was as if a switch went off and Ava no longer wanted to impress us and instead couldn't have cared less if it meant she could leave her bed in the middle of the night. Not only did she start waking frequently and getting out of bed, but she would do so often without a sound and I would wake up and realize she was standing outside my door just sucking her thumb in the dark! In the morning as well, she was waking as early as 5:30 or 6 (instead of her usual 8:30ish wake time) and definitely not understanding the concept of staying in her room until mommy said it was okay to come out.

It took a few weeks and a few tricks (the turning point for us was keeping Ava's door open at night when we put her down. Who knew?) but we are doing much better with her bed now and Ava is a champion when it comes to staying in her room and calling for me. I was determined not to use a gate, lock her in or use another method of restraint before giving good old fashioned training a solid effort and it paid off! She is still waking up a lot earlier than she was, somewhere in the 7-7:30 timeframe, but it is a huge step up from where we were and it's a wake up time that mommy approves. Most mornings I wake up to her standing at her door asking to go potty which is a much less slow and peaceful way for me to wake up but I am so proud of my little girl--potty trained and keeping within the boundaries that I have set for her! What a victory as a parent.

So proud of herself in her good-dirl bed

Two side notes with this post:

Video Monitor
I have been wanting a video monitor for some time now, knowing it would have helped me through so many of Ava's phases over the last year. Being able to see whether she was calling for me while lying down or standing up, whether she'd dropped her beloved ducky or otherwise had a need that required my presence or if I could let her put herself back to sleep--all of these things would have been made easier. However, I never took the financial plunge and kept reminding myself that I didn't need it. With the introduction of the toddler bed though, I decided it was time and put a good portion of my birthday money towards a really nice video monitor and it's been awesome! I got one that allows me to press a button on the receiver and for Ava to hear my voice through the camera. More than once in the last few days I've been able to catch her getting out of her bed, tell her to get back into bed and watch her fall back to sleep without having to go into the room. Love it! Not necessary but well worth the money in this house.

Potty-Training
When we got back from my mom's and made the bedroom switch, Ava began having trouble keeping her panties dry. I don't know if it was too much too soon or she was distracted but she just couldn't keep herself from having accidents. I did notice however that when we left the house in a pull-up she could keep herself dry for hours, even at times when she said she had to go and I told her she had to hold it until we got home. So, I've started putting her in pull-ups all the time and she is keeping them dry, even at home. It's a little backwards for me, I would think she'd be more likely to pee in a pull-up but whatever it is about them, it has gotten her back on track. I will slowly start to do more panty time as she shows me that she's ready but for now I'm happy to reuse pull-ups as long as she's keeping them dry!

Swim Lessons

2011-05-13T22:51:00.000-04:00

This spring Ava has been enrolled in her first ever swim lessons at the YMCA (Ava calls it the YNC). We've been to four of the six classes so far and she is having a blast! At first she was very nervous, especially when the teacher came close enough to give us personal instruction, but with the introduction of multiple pool toys, song time and repeated exposure to the water, she's doing amazingly well.

On the first day Ava would not let me let go of her hands as I climbed into the water and would not jump into my arms without holding on. While in the water she was clinging to me like a monkey and was not happy with the instructed baby-hold which involved only mommy's hands in her armpits. But, by the fourth class she was sitting pool-side with little hesitation, jumping freely and dunking her head under water quasi-willingly. We are so proud of her!

It is also worth mentioning that pool-swimming has greatly increased Ava's bathtub confidence and acrobatics. Not only does she now stick her face in the water to blow bubbles and "go under" as she says, but tonight she got on her knees facing one direction and then whirled around and around saying, "I face dis way! Now I face dis way! Now... dis way!"

Ava's best friend Ruthie is in the same class and it's been so much fun to experience this new adventure together. Kicking, blowing bubbles, and learning to wait patiently at the side of the pool until mommy says it's time to get in--such a joy to see our girls growing up together!

nail polish

2011-05-11T14:01:00.000-04:00

The last few weeks have ushered in a lot of firsts for us, not the least of which was Ava's introduction to nail polish. At the sight of my toenails for the first time in flip flops, Ava noted that my polish job left much to be desired. I asked her if she wanted to join me in a homespun mani-pedi and she gleefully said yes! Hot pink it is. And fyi, nail polish CAN be washed out of clothes with Oxy Clean.

Photos with Maryn Lee Photography

2011-05-09T20:07:00.001-04:00

I have about ten posts in the lineup that need to be finished but this one can't wait. A number of weeks ago we had the privilege of doing a family photo shoot with our friend Maryn from Maryn Lee Photography. She is so talented and I am in LOVE with the photos that came of our time together! What a treasure to have. Maryn, thank you so so much!

You can view all of the pictures from our shoot on Maryn's website HERE.

Haircut

2011-04-21T16:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, with no flair or hurrah, I cut Ava's hair. I've considered it before but it seemed wrong, given that her hair started growing only a few months ago and is still so short and thin. My initial instinct was to be patient, let it grow out and see if it evened itself out as it got longer. However, after seeing the pictures from her birthday party in which her baby mullet was glaringly obvious, I thought it was time to see if I could remedy the awkward hair-growing situation. That led to a secretive snip during her bath time, which led to an uneven trimming of the sides, which led to a whole-head cut and a shorter but cuter hairdo. I really do think she looks older without her long straggly ends and a little cleaner around the edges. Bye bye baby mullet!

BEFORE

Ava's baby mullet at her birthday party, with the added

bonus of bald sides

AFTER

This one is just too cute not to include.

Ava loves her pockets.

Potty Training Boot Camp Days 4-5

2011-04-20T23:20:00.000-04:00

After just 5 days I feel like I can actually say my daughter is potty trained.

On Day #5 Ava is:

initiating on her own each time she needs to go and having no accidents
staying dry when we are out of the house
asking to use the potty even when she has a diaper on (before bedtime and when waking from her nap)
going once an hour when we're at home but waiting much longer when we're out
still wearing diapers to sleep but kept dry during her nap today

I am so proud of my baby girl!

Here are some snapshots of our potty training experience:

Breakfast at her little table for easy potty access

Throwing 'Dunkin Duck' into a bowl (one of

many games designed to keep her in her seat)

And then the bowl goes on the head

When all else fails: dried cranberries and Curious George on DVD

SO proud of this girl.

2011-04-18T22:24:00.000-04:00

Potty Training Boot Camp Day #3

2011-04-18T20:21:00.000-04:00

Today was again an overall success, though we had a couple of setbacks. In the morning we went out of the house for a short while and Ava kept her panties dry for a total of an hour and a half which was very encouraging. She went on the potty when we got home and then proceeded to keep dry for another hour while we played outside. I was of course elated and thought I must have the best potty-trainee around.

Then I was reminded that I do in fact also have a stubborn two-year-old. Both yesterday and today Ava has refused to go on the potty before lunch and then had an accident in her high chair--today we had two accidents back to back after she assured me that the first pair of wet panties meant her bladder was empty. I was discouraged but I also know that at that time of day Ava is getting tired and therefore more lazy (and stubborn) with this new habit. She will sit on the potty before lunch but won't go so I may have to change my approach for tomorrow. She has the ability to hold it as we've seen but for some reason the confines of the high chair will her to wet her undies.

That said, the afternoon and evening were again a huge success, Ava initiating all of her times on the potty and having no accidents. Hurray! My overall impression of the Boot Camp style of potty training is a highly regarded one thus far. For us the cold-turkey method: removing the option of diapers and remaining consistent with expectations, has been extremely successful and rewarding!

Potty Training Boot Camp Day #2

2011-04-18T14:19:00.004-04:00

Today was a huge success and I'm still in awe of how well Ava has been doing through potty boot camp. First thing when she woke up we took off her diaper--she fussed for a new one but when I told her she could pick out a pair of pretty panties to wear she excitedly forgot about her diaper-wearing past.

Throughout the day Ava only had one accident while in her high chair for lunch. Otherwise she did exceptionally well, initiating almost all of her potty goings. She is going very frequently (sometimes ten minutes apart, sometimes up to an hour) as she is still used to being able to empty her bladder much more freely in her diaper at the slightest twinge of needing to go. Already in two days though I am seeing this time expand and expect it to continue to as she learns to hold it longer. We are so proud of her!

An update on the treat situation
As I stated yesterday I was skeptical about how Ava would do when I told her she wasn't going to get anymore treats for going on the potty. Surprisingly it went much better than I expected! After only a day she is already into the routine and starting to feel like going on the potty is the new 'normal', therefore not asking for treats each time. Occasionally she did but I was able to get her excited about writing down each time she went (a helpful tool for myself) and that seemed treat enough. The book also suggests doing a sticker chart type of reward for more stubborn goers. I did give her a small edible treat maybe twice during the day when she really needed the extra encouragement but I have high hopes that this reward system will soon be a thing of the past as well.

Potty Training Boot Camp Day #1

2011-04-16T21:27:00.002-04:00

Today is Day #1 of following a modified version of Dr. Riffel's The Potty Training Boot Camp. For a few weeks I have been doing the non-committed version as we battled a very bad diaper rash with Ava, aka: lots of naked time, occasional mommy-directed potty sittings and treats and kisses when she would go.

Ava did very well with this lax 'training' and so I thought today would be a relative breeze. I was wrong, for a few reasons. 1) On previous days Ava might have been diaper-less for up to five hours, but with the option to put a diaper back on if we went out or if she just felt like it. Today when it was stated that we would no longer be using diapers when she was awake and that she was expected to always use the potty, the taking away of the diaper option was a definite stressor for her at first. 2) Ava is teething, mildly, but the added fussiness and short nap did not helped our potty efforts. And 3) the Boot Camp style suggests giving your child a drink that is a "treat" to encourage them to drink frequently, increasing the opportunities for a successful pee on the potty. For us that was a healthy mango smoothie with water added to make a juice of sorts. I thought this would be great except that twice Ava gulped down a whole cup which meant holding her full bladder caused a lot of pain and therefore anxiety about going. After dropping the juice approach, she had much more successful sit-downs throughout the day when her bladder wasn't as full.

Despite Ava's very short nap, the afternoon was significantly better than the morning. She woke up happy, still ready to do without diapers, and she had no accidents. She went on the potty many times and by the end of the day was consistently initiating on her own (without my having to tell her it was time to try going). By any standards, Day #1 was an overwhelming success!

Hurray baby girl, you're a BIG girl!

My Day #1 thoughts and what I'll do differently next time
Boot Camp suggests giving a small treat each time your child successfully goes on the potty. This was of course a great incentive (especially to keep her on the potty, knowing if she goes she'll get a treat), but I'm skeptical about whether moral will stay high tomorrow and beyond when we're supposed to stop the rewards. Second time around I will try giving only encouragement and applause first and see if that's enough to keep the child going before moving on to sweet rewards.

Boot Camp also includes what they call "drills" after each accident. Not only do you make them clean the mess up themselves and "wash" their own messy clothes but you also are to take them by the hand and walk them back and forth from the potty to different rooms and back to sitting on the potty ten times. I thought this approach was a bit harsh for my sensitive girl but wanted to achieve the same goal--making an accident not worth her while so that it was in fact easier to learn to go on the potty. When we reached the point where she was deliberately having an accident because she didn't want to sit, I did an abridged version of the drills (only three or so repetitions) and called it 'practice' as opposed to discipline or consequence. Using that word had Ava doing the drills willingly since inherently she does want to learn but still she found the whole process not worth the fight and only had two accidents early in the day.

Ducky

2011-04-13T15:47:00.000-04:00

The beloved fourth member of our household, without whom no one would ever sleep again. After many cycles in the washer and dryer he has lost most of his stuffing but is more loved than ever. He deserves a post of his own for pulling his weight around here and loving my baby in a wholly self-sacrificing manner. Ducky, if you ever get lost (I can barely bring myself to write it), I too will cry myself to sleep at night.

Luxury

2011-04-02T08:22:00.000-04:00

Anyone who has been to my home knows I love everything to do with home decor. When Blair and I got married I splurged on a few throw pillows from Pier One that have shaped our living room over the years and their muted aqua floral pattern has withstood my ever-changing style. Sadly, after many naps on the couch, visitors and toddler play, they have seen better days. I have been on a search for nearly a year, for a fabric to replace my beloved pillows at a reasonable price. If you're willing to spend 70.00+ a yard, there are a few options out there, but alas, my budget is a wee bit smaller. After this long and patient search, I at last have found a mix of fabrics that meet my high standards and reflect my style perfectly. They also accomplish my desire of adding another color into the living room mix--light gray. Here are photos of two of the fabrics I chose.

Now on to the luxury part of this post. I stumbled across these amazing throws in a small shop called COCOCOZY. Her patterns are to die for and she has an eye for the same colors that I love! Tranquil, muted and monotoned aqua, gray and neutral. At 265.00 a blanket I won't be purchasing these ever, but if only I could. I love them!

Here are some more of my design inspirations at the moment, propelling me toward a someday quasi-completed living room.

Ava's New Piano

2011-03-30T10:22:00.000-04:00

Lots of new things

2011-03-30T08:29:00.001-04:00

Ava has been growing and changing like a weed since her birthday. Here are some new Ava facts:

She wears hair clips! Finally she has enough hair and with some persistence on my part she's now used to them daily. She won't yet let me use a rubber band to make a mini-ponytail but I'm content with a bow for now.

She's afraid. Ava has developed a lot of strange fears as of late, including public restrooms (she's afraid of the loud flush), wind and the YMCA (she thinks it's a doctor's office).

She has words. Ava has been talking talking talking for the last 6 months but some of my favorite words include "kuckle" (couple, as in "a kuckle days"), "coutend" (pretend), "pooh-dough" (pillow), and "coo-eye-in" (crying). I am sure I'll think of five more as soon as I post this!

Story #1

The other day I was eating some leftover pizza for lunch and Ava spotted it. She said, "I hold big one?" meaning, she'd like to hold and eat a whole piece of pizza all by herself. I said I didn't think that was a good idea, that it was too big. She looked at me with her wide, puppy dog eyes and said sweetly, "Mommy, I can try" with sweet inflection on the "try" indicating both question and an air of I-can-do-it. Of course I obliged the cuteness and she enjoyed her pizza slice like a big girl.

Story #2

Ava's bedtime routine usually includes reading a few books and then singing a few songs before she is laid in her crib and we say goodnight. Last week however, I picked her up to sing a song and she stopped me and said, "Down, pack 'n play?" I said, "You want to go down in your crib now?" She said, "No, coutend (pretend) pack 'n play?" I clarified and discovered that she did in fact want to go in her crib but pretend she was being put in her pack 'n play. We then pretended for a few minutes that we were at the beach on vacation, that she was sleeping in her pack 'n play and that in the morning we would wake up and go fly kites with Daddy. She happily pretended this nighttime routine and that was that! No song, no dance, just an adorable, big-kid imagination at work. Love her.

Summer Shoes

2011-03-21T23:03:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite purchases for Ava's summer wardrobe thus far!

Unfortunately Ava's affinity for mud puddles today

meant washing them after their first wear.

A Day in the Life of a Blogging Mommy

2011-03-18T22:10:00.000-04:00

Month 24

2011-03-17T20:07:00.000-04:00

I've decided this should be the last post named by how many months it has been since Ava was born. This, among other things, is the sad (and exciting) reality that we are getting used to with a two-year-old. Now she'll be marked by 6-month increments, she'll be two for about four months, then two-and-a-half for a few months, then "almost three" for the few after that. An exciting switch, yes, but a change nonetheless. Another reminder of her age, Ava decided this week that her beloved Ducky will now be called "Duck". A heart-wrenching, "I'm to old to say Duck-KEY" moment. I'm sure she'll switch back and forth or maybe forget her decision altogether eventually, but when the change was announced I must say, I had a mini-meltdown inside. My daughter is TWO... and she knows it!

At 24 months, Ava is:

Speaking in broken but very clear sentences
Much more outgoing than she was at 12 months
Loving trucks, planes, trains and any other mode of transportation, dresses, doing things by herself, playing all kinds of pretend, singing songs (and making up her own lyrics) and taking care of her baby dolls with all the vigor and detail of a real mommy
Jumping with two feet
Constantly reciting songs and books from memory, and repeating everything she hears
Wearing size 3 and 4T in most clothes and size 6 1/2 - 7 in shoes, wearing size 5 diapers and size 6 at night.
Finally thinning out a bit, weighing in at 28.8 lbs (68%) and 35 in (81%)
A very good listener
A great eater, favorite foods including blackberries (all berries really), grapes, broccoli, yogurt, cottage cheese, colby cheese, mac and cheese (yes, she loves cheese) and dried cranberries
Wanting three meals and two snacks (most days)
Sleeping 12 hours a night and taking one nap for 1.5 - 2.5 hours
Finishing mommy's sentences (truly)
Switching to 2% milk and getting used to cold milk (as opposed to warm). Yes, it took us this long (gasp). Who wants to give up the ten minute snuggle that comes with warm milk? Not I, so I let it linger awhile...
Counting to 8 and knows most of her letters, colors and shapes

Personality Traits at 2 Years: She still has a GREAT sense of humor, she is very in tune to and observant of others, and she is careful and deliberate but much more adventurous and gregarious than she was at 12 months. She is very sensitive, loves to be the center of attention, still loves to snuggle, and is soft natured but very talkative. In a group of kids she is definitely the most quiet, observant and least rambunctious, but when she's the star of the show she loves to show off, be loud and run around with the best of them. She wants to know and follow the rules, of course pushes her limits but responds very well to consistency, boundaries and calm.

In a nutshell, Ava is truly a sweet little heart and is a lot like her mommy. She is nurturing, personable, affectionate, witty, detail-oriented, purposeful, imaginative, others-centered (as much as a two-year-old can be) and LOVED!

Ava's 24 mo. Photo Shoot

A Special Day

2011-03-14T15:01:00.000-04:00

Ava on her birth day

Ava at her 1st birthday party

Ava at her 2nd birthday party

a thomas party

2011-03-13T20:50:00.000-04:00

Ava couldn't have been more excited for her Thomas birthday party this year and I couldn't have been more unsure of how to pull it off. But, after some research and creativity, this is what we came up with! A Thomas the Tank Engine birthday party fit for my girlie girl and a grilled cheese bar fit for kids and adults alike. We forgot to take pictures before the festivities began so here are a few post-party captures. Among our missed photo-opportunities was the grilled cheese bar I adapted from Martha Stewart's How to Throw a Grilled Cheese Party.

Ava's Thomas birthday banner

Some of the spread with coordinating labels

Above the grilled cheese bar hung signs with recipe combination ideas

and "How to Make the Perfect Grilled Cheese"

The cupcake toppers that inspired the decor!

Personalized with Ava's name, age and train logo

Train whistles for the kiddos

Ava was blessed to have 7 kids and 16 adults come to her party to celebrate with her! She had so much fun with friends and family and took a 2 1/2 hour nap afterwards to prove it. We so enjoyed watching the kids play together, spending time with cousins and family and seeing Ava's face light up all day. Thank you for all who celebrated with us!

Ava and Liam playing with Ava's new ironing board

Miles, Ruthie and Ava playing with Ava's new Thomas track

No birthday is complete without a special cupcake for a special girl.

Happy birthday my sweet sweet two-year-old.

a family-of-three vacation

2011-03-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we decided to take advantage of Blair's slow work week and take a mini-vacation to Philadelphia. Blair works long hours (which means so do I) and as a family we have been pretty burnt-out lately and in serious need of some together time.

On Friday we set out for Exton, Blair's hometown, and stayed the night at his parents house. Ava opened a few early birthday presents, we enjoyed a little time with Nana and Papa and a good nights sleep.

Saturday we met my sister and brother-in-law and Ava's cousin Miles at the mall and had a great time running around and shopping. Now you might think, what a silly thing to do on a "vacation", but believe me--when you live in a small town, shopping in such a big mall qualifies as vacation-worthy.

In the afternoon we had some great family time at home, took a walk, played outside, blew bubbles, picked up sticks, and Ava had a blast with her new lawn mower from Nana and Papa.

Saturday night we went out to dinner and Ava was enchanted with the balloons and serenaded by the waiters for her birthday. Now whenever we go out she starts singing Happy Birthdayand then looks around and says, "People do it??". Unfortunately I had to break it to her that not all strangers are prepared to sing to her at a moments notice.

Early Sunday morning we grabbed our Starbucks and breakfast sandwiches and headed to the city. Ava was much more taken by the "tall buildings" than I expected and it was a fun car ride as we neared our destination: the Camden Aquarium. We all enjoyed this stop and Ava had a blast running around and seeing all the little fish and big fish. Her favorite attractions were undoubtedly the porcupine and hippos, and she loved standing in the shark tunnel!

After lunch we headed to our hotel for Ava's nap. Unfortunately it didn't go so well, she was exhausted and thrown off by the immediate change of venue and refused to nap. Sometimes she can breeze through a missed nap without much harm done but this was not one of those days. So, we took our distraught baby down to the hotel lobby and proceeded to stroll her around in figure 8's for about an hour before she fell asleep.

Despite the less than stellar nap, Ava did very well sharing a room with us in the hotel that night. Even though sleeping next to a pack 'n play meant Blair and I had to also stay quiet after 8pm, Ava slept through the night without a peep and we soaked in the quiet, restful togetherness.

We thoroughly enjoyed and took advantage of our luxurious hotel room and accommodations. Monday ushered in one of the most delicious breakfasts we've had in a long time and then we decided to head to the Please Touch Museum, a recommended attraction for toddler-toting families. Ava absolutely LOVED it and I too was very impressed by the amount there was to enjoy with an almost-two-year-old.

Even though we only had three short days to "vacate", we enjoyed every minute of it!

Spring days

2011-02-18T14:07:00.000-05:00

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

2011-02-15T14:05:00.000-05:00

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

2011-02-13T13:33:00.000-05:00

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!

tummy bug #2, i despise you.

2011-01-29T08:51:00.000-05:00

From my previous post, you all know how much I despise, fear and dread the stomach flu. We made it through Ava's first with only a few minor anxiety attacks on my part, and a lot of gagging on all accounts.

This week has been a little different. On Monday Ava had a normal nap, woke up playing and then a few minutes later surprised me and herself with the first offering. Over the next four hours she continued to throw up every 15 or 20 minutes... a heart-wrenching sight. The good news is this time around I was much more prepared and Ava too was better at giving me signals when it was time to lean over.

We went through 9 towels in 4 hours and then I had to put Ava to bed hungry and thirsty--arguably one of the hardest moments since she was born. I said goodnight and left while she cried, "milk! milk!" knowing I had to just let her fall asleep since she couldn't keep down even a sip. Thankfully she was exhausted and it only took a minute because I was in the living room sobbing. Ever since she was a baby one of my worst fears has been that she will go hungry (for whatever reason this has been a frequent nightmare of mine) so deliberately leaving her cry unanswered was torturous to say the least.

She awoke at 11:00pm and cried, "drink! drink!" so I let her have some gatorade. Of course she gulped it and then threw it all up within a few minutes. Thankfully I was able to get her back to sleep and by the morning she was keeping down liquids. Ava has thrown up two other times since Monday night--this virus apparently just keeps going and going and we are very ready for it to stop.

I thought that mommy and daddy were in the clear, but friday night Blair awoke at 5am and joined the ranks of the sick. Two down, one to go. This initiated my second round of sobbing for the week and intense prayer that God would spare me from realizing my fear for just a little while longer.

I have managed to weather other illnesses and may have bypassed this one--I'm praying. The Lord knows I'm not ready to face that fear. But I can safely say, we're surviving this tough illness-stricken winter and are looking forward to the first snow that we're actually healthy enough to play in!

22 months

2011-01-11T09:56:00.000-05:00

Another day, another trip to the doctor

The new year brought another illness into Ava's body, this time a consistent fever and runny nose for about a week. Then, on the 8th, coincidentally the last day of her fever, we ended up in the ER with Ava after she tripped into a large glass candle holder and got a noteworthy gash on her forehead. Ava did remarkably well at the hospital, she didn't cry through the checking of her wound by the doctor and even through the lying down and disinfecting of it (an intense process). She looked at us with a cute little frown but didn't cry until the nurse had to hold her chin and forehead down while they glued her cut closed (a quicker alternative to stitches). She did so well and hasn't skipped a beat since we got home, thankfully!

Word of the month: self

Ava has learned the word "self" and it can be heard multiple times a day as either a question or a demand! She loves to do things by herself and now has the words to dictate when she needs help and when she most certainly does not.

A hair update: it's growing!

A sleep update

Ava has entered a new phase which includes waking multiple times during the night and much earlier in the morning than we're used to. Most of the time I don't have to go in to soothe her but regardless, she wakes at least once and usually more like 3-4 times throughout the night and cries out for snuggles. Sometimes she wakes for longer stretches, either to cry or just to talk and play in her crib. She has been waking up much earlier too, going to sleep at 7pm and waking around 6am. I'm hoping this phase retreats quickly as it's leaving mommy exhausted and Ava much more fussy during the day. As Ava has gotten older she is also having much more trouble with daddy's unpredictable schedule and minimal time at home some days. All of these things have made Ava a little more anxious and very clingy to mommy.

That said, now that Ava is healthy and not teething (for the moment), she has transitioned well into her one-nap routine and is sleeping for around 2 hours, sometimes more. I am thrilled and it's been really fun to do more things with her in the morning.

A narrative

A story from yesterday will illustrate well where Ava is and what she's doing these days. I was cleaning up after lunch and witnessed some very sweet and advanced pretend play from my little 22-monther. Over the span of a few quiet minutes, Ava went over to her kitchen area, scooped cookies from their tray into her oven, closed it and turned it on, and waited a few seconds before saying, "Beep! It's ready!" She then took the cookies out, put them on the cooling rack, set her little table with a plate, fork and cup, transfered the cookies to the plate and sat down. Before eating, she folded her hands and bowed her head and whispered, "Jesus sus sus sus sisuss sus. Amen." I literally had my hand over my mouth while watching her, trying to hold in the smile that was threatening to turn to loud laughter. We have a sweet girl, no doubt about it, and she LOVES to pretend and mimic mommy. Even at this young age, her attention to detail is really remarkable and it is becoming such a highlight to watch her play.

a drake holiday

2011-01-04T10:40:00.000-05:00

Finally we've resurfaced after a crazy but lovely holiday! Blair had off of work for a few days around Christmas so we went down to the Philly area to visit with family from the 23rd-28th. This was a great time, we saw almost everybody and celebrated fully, though Blair was unfortunately plagued with a horrible cold and we left on the heels of Ava's double ear infection. Blair had to miss out on a few of the festivities and rested a lot, but it was still a joyful thing to watch Ava explode with excitement for Christmas and especially presents.

I slept in the basement of the Drake's house with Ava and she woke up early on Christmas morning. She was happy and ready to be up so I brought her into bed with me and we snuggled and talked for a few minutes while I woke up a little. I then turned to her and said in an excited whisper, "Ava, do you remember what today is? It's Christmas!" She looked at me and her eyes got wide as she whispered back, "...Presents!!!" With what ensued that day, you'd think someone taught her how to "do" Christmas. She shook with anticipation as she opened each gift and squealed the name of the gift, "Puzzle!!!" at the sight of it. What a delight to watch her and feed off her childish wonderment.

With one parent sick and the other on Ava duty, we took a total of about ten pictures during the whole trip. But, here is one to mark that Christmas did in fact exist:

Here also are some pictures of Ava using her gifts in the days to follow:

Resting on her new armchair with her beloved baby

Baking cookies in her new oven this morning!

Having a tea party with Daddy at her new table

All in all, through illness and busyness, we had a truly wonderful Christmas. We are so aware of how blessed we are (though I know we still take it all for granted) to have such generous and caring family, and a daughter that is as sweet as they come. We have so much joy and so much to be thankful for this year, namely our God and the gift of his son Jesus. We praise him for the wonderful things he has done and all that is before us in the new year!

double trouble

2010-12-23T13:47:00.000-05:00

Here is a mid-month update. I know from our Thanksgiving experience that Ava's monthly post in January will be swallowed up by the regaling of Christmas festivities, so I will try to keep up with the day-to-day as well!

Ava got her third cold of the season last week and two days later got the fever and the ear-pulling and the diagnosis of a double ear infection. We started swiftly on amoxicillin, only to find out that she wasn't responding to it. She has been on this before, about two months ago, and it makes me wonder if her previous ear infection never really cleared up either! In between, if you recall, I posted about Ava's fussiness, teething, trouble sleeping, and a cough that never cleared up... the oomph with which all of those things manifested leaves the possibility that she was struggling with her ears that whole time too. Poor baby! So, we've switched to Augmentin and thankfully have already seen a great change in her mood, eating and sleeping habits of late.

One great thing that came from our second visit to the doctor was the discovery of molars! All the while we've been counting incisors, Ava's been popping out the big ones too. While the doctor had Ava upside down with the tongue depressor down her throat searching for strep (an awful and gag-inducing experience), her professional flashlight noted at least one of her two-year molars is half-way down! Many people said that our late bloomer would push them all out at once but I can't believe the mouthful that has ensued over the last two months. And man, I can't tell you how excited I am for all the sleep we will get (hopefully) when the growth spurt is finished.

To all who will read this before the holidays, Merry Christmas from the Drakes! We love sharing our lives with you and hope you have a wonderful, Christ-filled weekend.

1 year and 9 months

2010-12-15T13:28:00.000-05:00

What a full month! We've had a wonderful time traveling, celebrating and making some big changes around here.

In the last week Ava has popped out four more teeth and there are two more (that I can spy) on the way. She has been much more prone to tantrums this month and not sleeping well (more on that later)... now we know why! I suspected she could be teething but it just kept going on and on and on. Little did I know she was pushing out a whole mouth full. Poor girl! Thankfully she seems to be doing a little better and hopefully her teethers (as we call them) will give her a break soon.

Teething is almost always accompanied by troubled sleeping patterns but for about two and a half months now Ava has been fighting her daily naps. As I mentioned in a previous post, after much hesitation, I finally decided to drop Ava's morning nap. She has adjusted very well and now wakes up asking, "Gonna go? Gonna go?" since our newfound morning freedom allows for regular outings. She is still often tired in the mornings but she will continue to adjust, especially as she gets used to sleeping for longer stretches in the afternoon. For now she is sleeping for 1 1/2 -2 hours but hopefully this will lengthen in time.

Now for the third major change, Ava has started to potty-train herself! In a previous post I wrote about her growing interest in the potty and this interest has only continued. A few days ago we even spent a few hours diaper-less (after much pleading from the babe) and though we had two accidents, she also peed twice on the potty! After the holidays I am going to get serious and consistent with the potty-training, I was planning on waiting but she definitely seems ready and I want to jump on it while excitement is high. Here is a picture of the potty-training uniform and its happy donner.

And Ava reading Better Homes and Gardens on the potty:

This also marks the first month when I stopped keeping track of all of Ava's new words--simply because she says almost all of them! She repeats almost anything you say and is in a constant state of naming and conversing. It is not unusual these days for me to wake up to her role-calling from her crib, "Piggy. Light! Mommy. Daddy. Blankie. Ducky! PJs. Diaper. Zipper...". It puts a smile on my face! She is not speaking in any long sentences but has added things like, "Miss you", and "Thank you God" to her repertoire. She is just beginning to understand (or attempt) the use of words like mine and yours, me and you, and for the first time this month pointed to herself and said triumphantly, "Ay-bah!" (Ava).

In the morning Ava has enjoyed crib-time for many months now, time where she gets to play on her own while mommy takes a shower and gets ready for the day. This month marked the transition from crib-time to room-time, in which she is still barricaded in but is allowed full access to her room. It has been a learning process, the hardest part for her is having the door open and being able to see the rest of the house, the door where mommy is, etc. But, most days she plays happily with her toys and then anxiously awaits mommy's exit from the bathroom once the shower has been turned off! The idea is to move to non-barricaded room-time eventually but that is a little while off yet.

Ava loves "fire" (candles), drinking water from a cup and playing in her bin of rice with scoops and bowls. Her color of choice is purple, favorite person to pretend-talk to on the phone is Mimi, and has two new wintry breakfast favorites: meal meal (oatmeal) and toast. She has a surprising love for citrus fruits, pop songs and snow flakes (as long as she doesn't have to touch them) and a surprising hatred of the cold.

Our baby is big. Old. Independent! She spends much more of her time on her own now but still comes up to me mid-play, holding her ducky, and asks for snuggle breaks! I will never turn one down.

and now we're down to one.

2010-12-06T14:53:00.004-05:00

Today marks a big day in the life of Ava and mommy. Today is the first day I've made the intentional switch down to one nap for my baby! It was a hard decision, Ava has always slept well and more than the average child, but for the past few weeks naps have been a real struggle. I chalked it up to her being sick (which I'm sure was the instigator back in October), teething, traveling, you name it. But, after trying every other method to get her back on track with her two naps, I've decided it's time!

This transition has been a hard one for me to give in to, for reasons of a changing schedule and having to make more sacrifices with my time, but also because big girls take one nap. If my baby is taking one nap... that means she's a pretty big girl. It's a hard change for me to swallow for some reason but I'm adjusting. Granted, this is only day one (and she's done very well with it), but it's been a gradual mental transition for me as I've had to accept what was coming.

As we enter this new stage, I have to remember the overwhelming transitions of the past--starting solid food, weening, dropping other naps and shifting schedules to accommodate her expanding awake times--and how comfortable I am now with those changes. It's amazing how far we've come! Though this is, once again, another change, I am also excited about what this will open up for us. For the first time since birth Ava will be awake for a long enough stretch of time that we might actually be able to DO something! Swimming lessons, art classes, longer play dates... the opportunities are endless. Moms you are probably laughing but with a good sleeper and a mom who won't sacrifice naps comes a LOT of time at home! So I say, bring on the activity!

Tee!

2010-12-06T14:16:00.000-05:00

"Tee!" is what we hear these days, every time Ava walks into the living room. As if she's forgotten all about it, she runs up to the Christmas tree that takes up half our walking space and squeals with delight. Then we proceed to check and make sure all her favorite ornaments are there, the balls, snowmen, the bottle, the house, the clock, the choo choo and so on. This is a wonderful time of year but what a joy to share it with my baby girl!

Now we prepared her for the upcoming Christmas tree venture, the sawing and mounting, lighting and of course the presence of a big outside-tree, inside. However, on the chosen day Ava decided to skip and/or scream through both of her naps and then promptly fall asleep on the way to the tree farm. Not quite the memorable family outing we'd hoped for! So, being the wonderful dad he is, Blair set out and chopped down a tree for us while I stayed with Ava, snoozing in the car. Ava awoke during the tree-to-car attachment process and though she fussed all the way home, thankfully enjoys the finished product.

Last Christmas I bought Ava an ornament and had planned to pick one for her each year. However, I quickly realized it would be even more fun to have her pick it out herself. So today during a trip to Target, we perused the selection. Of course what ensued was the needing of every ornament that she laid eyes on, but with mom's help we narrowed it down to this special gem, a snuggly, mini-version of Ava's seasonal favorite friend, "Bosdy!"

Here are a few other pictures of our house, decorated with hand-spun crafts by mother and daughter. Ok mostly mother. But daughter cheered me on!

Pearly Smiles

2010-12-06T13:51:00.000-05:00

Ava received her first "too-tut" (toothbrush) from Granny and has put it to good use. She loves helping me brush my teeth and couldn't be more thrilled at the opportunity to brush her own! I decided to document her first real toothbrushing attempt and of course share the cuteness with all of you.

As seen in the above pictures and further documented in those below, Ava has figured out how to smile on cue. It is adorable and the progression is even cuter. Now we are able to get some not-so-natural but still oh-so-sweet smiles on camera.

Here is the progression of her trying to smile for the camera for the first time!

Thanks

2010-12-02T20:14:00.000-05:00

Our Thanksgiving could effectively be described as a whirlwind. But, it was a whirlwind saturated with loving family and delicious tradition that we are so thankful for.

We spent Thursday at our home with Mimi and Pappy. Mom and I donned aprons and flour for most of the day while the men watched TV and played with Ava. Though Ava ate dinner with us and enjoyed all the activity, by far her favorite Thanksgiving treat was this:

Ava spent much of the day in Mimi's cooler, emptied of feast ingredients and filled with all her favorite stuffed friends. Pappy gave cooler-rides, but she was also happy to snuggle in there and watch TV with the boys!

Friday we traveled down to the Philly area and over the next three days Ava got to see almost everyone she knows! We visited with Blair's immediate and extended family and much of my dad's side of the family as well. Ava was a trooper, sleeping in a different room every night but still adjusting pretty well to all the changing surroundings. Both sides of the family got to see what we lovingly call the "crazy lady" (the one who comes out in the evening after stimulation overload and insufficient napping have occurred) but she really did do surprisingly well during the trip.

Unfortunately Blair had to work on Saturday so he drove back to State College on Friday night, and then back again to Philly on Sunday, only to return home with family in toe on Monday. We wish we could have had him for the whole holiday weekend but we're grateful for all he does to support our little family!

All in all, this year we have no short list of things we are thankful for and a list of One who we're giving the credit to! We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives, so many who love us and our daughter well, to have all our needs (and more) provided for and a wonderful Savior who protects, nourishes, saves and spoils us.

Potty? Yes!

2010-11-23T10:19:00.001-05:00

Last night, for the very first time, Ava pee peed on the potty! All by herself!

I was changing her diaper and she asked to go sit on the potty. I was in the zone, wanting to get her ready for bed, diaper changed, PJs on, so of course I said, 'You just went in your diaper honey, you don't need to go on the potty'. She insisted, 'Potty? Potty?' so I gave in. She was already half-naked, why not let her go sit her cute little bottom on the seat for a minute.

She ran over to her potty and sat down while I retrieved her favorite Elmo potty book, and then I joined her and began reading. Not five words in, I realized she was sitting on the back of her onesie, I thought, 'Eh, may as well move this just in case'. I reached down to pull out the dangling cotton and snaps only to feel it soaking wet... I looked in the potty and there sat a puddle of beautiful pee! Now for all you non-parents out there, it is amazing and shocking how normal words like pee pee and poo poo become in your everyday language, and even more surprising the level of excitement and pride that bursts forth when your child goes to the potty for the first time by themselves. In my highest and most shrill, excited voice I said, "Ava?! Did you go pee pee on the potty?!" to which she of course answered, "Yeah!" I clapped and cheered and she got soooo excited for herself. If mommy is getting this excited, I must have done something really great! We cleaned up, de-clothed and triumphantly flushed the specimen down the toilet (to which Ava always screams, "Rolling!" as the water whooshes down).

Ava continued to sit on the potty for about twenty minutes, insisting that she would poo poo in it (though I knew she wouldn't), and drool on herself the sticky sugary goodness that was her first potty treat--a yellow skittle. My my, I remember the pride I felt the first time she smiled at me, rolled over, crawled forward, stepped forward, mastered using her little fingers... this is right up there!

Now I've heard the stories of moms whose kids pee on the potty around this age but later refuse to have anything to do with it, or whose journey toward diaper independence is a long one. But, nevertheless, I am still so proud of my little girl and can't wait to see how she continues in this process!

Shutterfly Promo

2010-11-16T13:31:00.001-05:00

This season Shutterfly is promoting their brand by offering 50 free Christmas cards to all bloggers! The budget-minded mom that I am, I jumped at this freebie. They have a huge selection of great, modern cards to choose from, perfect for our little family (and yours). Shutterfly also is a great destination for Christmas gifts including personalized wall calendars, photo ornaments, photo mugs and more.

Here is where you can find their Christmas card selection. Some of my favorite designs are the Merry Blossom, Family Wall Red and Noel Lace. I can't wait to design our family's card this Christmas! It's such a great way, especially now that we have Ava, to share our family with, well... family!

I hope you all enjoy picking out your cards this season and a few special gifts for friends and family. I don't know about you but even though it's barely Thanksgiving, I'm already feeling the holiday spirit brewing in our home!

20 Months

2010-11-14T16:38:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately this month has been marked by illness. Welcome winter and winter bugs! Ava has had an ear infection, two colds, a virus, a stomach bug and a horrible vomit-inducing cough that won't let up. However, amidst the tissues, motrin and carpet cleaner, Ava has managed still to grow and do new things.

One of the benchmarks of Ava's month will be her new interest in the potty! Just this last week she has asked to sit on the potty a number of times and loves to place all her stuffed animals and dolls on it as well. They go pee pee, we clap for them and make a big to-do. Just a few weeks ago I would have said she was not even close to being ready but then one day, the light when on and the first phase of potty-training had begun. This is not a process I am going to push until she is very ready but consider this stage of education, practice and pretend an important one!

This month once again Ava has made a giant leap in her independence and conversational and emotional skills. Blair and I regularly sit and marvel at the little human that does circles around us, amazed at her ability to interact and her desire to learn. Her new sweet bend is toward asking us often, "Ya OK?" if ever we seem slightly surprised, scared, hurt or if she labels a loud noise or action as potentially causing us harm. It is so precious and exciting to watch her become increasingly aware of our emotions and respond to them!

In past months Ava started labeling things around the house as "mommy's" and "daddy's" (this by the way is a very telling way to see how you spend your time). For instance, the car, iced tea, anything with a power cord and all tools are "daddy's", whereas mommy's things include coffee, dishes, laundry baskets, lotion and the like! Anyway, so this was a new trend in the recent months but in the last couple of weeks Ava has started wanting to know who gave her different articles of clothing, blankets and other baby items. Every time we put on her pink sweatpants from Nana she squeals, "Nanny's!" though you can all rest assured that your names are mentioned daily, whether you gave her something or not. The other day she saw an old pillow I'd stuffed under her mattress to raise it up a bit and she said, "Papa's!" I replied, "Papa's? Did Papa give you that pillow?" Her reply: an enthusiastic, "Yeah! Thank you Papa!"

Ava's vocabulary list continues to lengthen, faster than I can remember to write them all down. With that, here is non-exhaustive record of Ava's words this month: Coat, grass, broccoli, juggle, cracker, Morgan, OK, "apple" bar, nose, eyes, ears, teeth, purse, bag, house, bacon, kix, towel, snap, barney, wheel, applesauce, pasta sauce, rice, bow, zipper, church, dipe dipe (diaper), mess, star, bug, spot, bright, buckle, laundry, all gone, blankie, rolling, hole, ipod, ice, case, monster, oatmeal, football, coffee, frosty and painting!

This month also marked Ava's 1st Halloween... that she actually took part in! We dressed her as the cute teddy bear you see above, went to Emily and Brian's apartment (Blair's sister and her fiance) as well as some of our neighbors homes. Ava had a cold but enjoyed the outing, loved her "hat" and couldn't have been cuter. She didn't quite understand the giving of candy as evidenced by her prompt returning of the treat to the giver with a "Thank you!", but still she had fun. And of course she is benefiting from the holiday with the occasional, "Teet? Teet? (Treat)" shared with mommy from the bowl of leftovers.

A little history and how I survived the tummy bug

2010-10-28T14:47:00.000-04:00

I have a stomach virus phobia. Many people do but I really REALLY do. Most of you know, shortly after Blair and I got married in 2006, I started getting sick with one thing after another, and after suffering two stomach viruses within a couple weeks of each other, I was hospitalized and never got better. Fatigue, pain, nausea, migraines, blurred vision, muscle weakness, brain fog... I had every vague but insufferable symptom in the book. I saw maybe ten different specialists with as many diagnoses and no end in sight. Needless to say, there began my hatred of stomach viruses and how they, without warning or permission, catapulted me and my life in a frightening and grim direction.

When Blair and I began talking to my many doctor's about starting a family, they basically told us not to wait for me to get better--I might never recover. So we decided to step out in faith and get pregnant. Every doctor said that I would probably feel better while I was pregnant and get a lot worse after the birth. I was terrified of this scenario, having to care for a baby when I could barely care for myself some days, but we decided to go forward anyway and not let this keep us from having kids.

Turns out, I felt horrible pregnant. But, from the moment I went into labor, my body did what it was supposed to do, I was able to muster the energy to push Ava out (my obstetrician was afraid I wouldn't be able to do even that), and have been healthy every day since. No doctor could see it coming or explain it. We call it a miracle.

With this newfound health, I still haven't let go of my intense fear of getting a stomach virus and the anxiety of whether or not I could get really sick again. It has gotten easier to handle over time but I still have to fight off panic at the mere mention of a friend with an upset stomach. With that, the idea of Ava getting her first tummy bug terrified me quite a bit.

But, this week we did it. Right on the heels of an ear infection and that horrible fever, Ava had her first stomach virus. Blair wasn't home and so I bore it alone, the cleanup, the crying, the fever, the first few hours of sleeplessness until Blair got home from work. It was awful but at the same time, it feels so good to have it over with. To have faced my fear, kept my spirits up for my baby's sake, dealt with the anxiety and pushed through it.

Thankfully, I have yet to catch this awful bug and give all the glory to God for that. I still am afraid of the first time I have to go through that again, but to have this behind me and to know that I survived is a great victory for me. As for Ava, she unfortunately had a horrible cold at the same time so is dealing with the effects of that but the traumatic night of the tummy bug is no doubt far behind her. I am so grateful for the resilience of children! And thankful for my baby girl for not only curing me with her entrance into the world but continuing to be a source for my own growth and refinement, my dependence on the Lord, and the realization of my own strength.

Homebody, Home Maker

2010-10-25T11:54:00.000-04:00

A phenomena of the modern stay-at-home-mom, blogging is a prominent part of many of our days. Sharing our thoughts and families, as well as reading others stories, both of people we know and those we don't. It might seem strange to some, to "follow" the blog of a mom whom you've never met, but to me and many it is fun, comforting, and a great resource.

Lately as I've been thinking of the many moms I know or read about who seem to constantly be taking their children out on adventures and excursions, I've become aware of my tendency to feel inadequate. Not as a nurturing mother but as a provider of experience, education and excitement into my baby's life. Blair and I have only one car, and his job keeps him out of the house (and the car goes with him) during many of Ava's waking hours. Therefore, her times 'out', especially to do anything exceptionally interesting, are few. I read about other families going pumpkin picking (Ava and I did manage this one with friends but without Blair), to the zoo or the farmers market or to friends houses or wherever, and I find myself wondering if Ava is missing out. Or am I missing out?

In the last couple of days though, I have realized two things. One, though experience outside the home is very important, it is not everything. And two, I have much to be thankful for in the way God has made me suitable for this "line of work". I have had my share of bad days and bad weeks, when Ava nor I have gotten out of the house for four days straight and I haven't had a break in months. But, I've realized recently that God's also given me an incredible ability to be able to live in and enjoy these circumstances more than the average mom. I have always thought it a lesser quality that I am a homebody and don't mind being at home. I have many friends who really need and want to get out of the house every day and thankfully have the ability to do so. But, I am beginning to see that my contentment to be at home as much as I am has become a necessary quality for the sustainability of our family, and I am so thankful at this stage in our lives that God made me the way he did. If he had made me any different, I assure you there would have been many more breakdowns in our household than have actually taken place, and probably it would not allow Blair to do the work that he loves.

Someday I hope that I have the option to take Ava out of the house everyday, not just for a walk but to places exciting and stimulating and new. But for now, I have to acknowledge that she is still growing, learning, socializing and doing amazingly well finding new things to do around the house every day. I have to remember that I am a good mom, that it is ok and even an asset that I enjoy being at home, and that I am blessed to be able to stay home with my daughter at all. I have to believe that all those moms out in blog land that post pictures of their seemingly perfect, exciting and adventure-filled lives have no more perfect homes, children or marriages than I do. I have to remember that memories are memories, and especially at Ava's young age, she is building just as firm a foundation playing, cooking and exploring with me at home as she would anywhere else.

I can't say I'm not praying for change, but I'm learning to be grateful that I have the capacity to stay within these walls for such long stretches as I do and to allow my husband to work at what he loves. I am beyond blessed to get to spend my days with a sweet and content girl who also loves snuggling and staying in. Though our circumstances are not ideal, we were built for them as much as anybody could be, and I'm glad.

Fall

2010-10-21T15:11:00.001-04:00

This afternoon I found out two things I wouldn't have guessed to be so. One, Ava still fits pretty well in her winter coat from last year even though it's a size 12mos and she is in size 24mos (though, I suppose this isn't a total shock if you look at how big it was on her last year). This is a huge deal as I've been oscillating between whether to spend the money on a snow suit, or just a warm jacket, or a one-piece snow-playing contraption that would be very convenient but not double as a coat. So many decisions for a thrifty family. At least now I know I can put off that decision until the first snow and see if Ava even likes making Frosty-the-snowmans before I spend $30 on snow pants.

(Ava in her coat today)

(Ava in the same coat last winter)

The second thing I found out today is that my little toddler can play in the leaves! It never occurred to me that she'd be old enough to do such an old kid thing but she is. And she loved it. I raked a small pile and she swung her arms up in reckless abandon and flopped right on in.

Double successes today!

TEETH!

2010-10-21T12:29:00.000-04:00

Ava got her first two teeth at 16 1/2 months after a solid 8 months of teething (I'm not joking). Thankfully it didn't take another 8 months for the next ones to pop through, but it sure felt like it. Ava's top two teeth have finally made their debut, at 19 mos! I have yet to get a picture of them--knowing her it will be about 2 months until they are down far enough to be captured on film, but believe me, they are there! I am SO excited and can't wait to see my baby girl with a toothy grin!

The best part about new teeth? Yesterday Ava took two good naps for the first time in weeks and this morning slept in until 9:15! Praise the Lord for catching up on sleep!

Nostalgia

2010-10-18T14:39:00.000-04:00

Two years ago today I was almost 20 weeks pregnant and just a few days shy of finding out Ava's gender.

One year ago today, Ava at 7 months old.

Today.

A Visit From Grammy and Pappy

2010-10-18T13:28:00.000-04:00

We are ever so blessed that two of Ava's favorite people live just an hour and a half away. On Friday we had a fun-filled visit from Grammy (who Ava is now calling "Mimi") and Pappy. Here are the pictures to prove it!

Note to my Mom: If you click on any of these pictures, you can open them in a new window, right click and save to your computer.

My lovely mama

Ava loves to imitate Pappy!

Pappy making Ava laugh

Pappy is a great juggler, or as Ava would say, "Guggle Pappy? Guggle?"

First Fever

2010-10-18T13:20:00.000-04:00

Ava has had mild fevers before but this week we've had our first experience with a very high one. On Saturday afternoon Ava woke up from her nap with a temp of 102 and last night she achieved her all-time high, 104.4. Needless to say, this virus had us a little scared and very sad for our little, miserable munchkin. We've seen the doctor twice though and they've ruled out any other causes, we just need to wait it out. In the meantime, Ava is drinking lots of milk (the only fluid she will rarely refuse), snuggling with us and spending most of her days watching cartoons on the couch. Being sick isn't ALL bad. :)

19 Months

2010-10-14T11:47:00.000-04:00

As previously stated, this month has been overwhelmingly marked by Ava's growing vocabulary. She astounds me daily with the new words that will pop out of her mouth and the semi-sentences that come adorably trailing off her tongue. Here are the words of the month:

Hat, cheerios (chuice-ohs), apple, butterfly (buh-by), mop, (re)mote, wipe, wait, help, peas, book, puffs (bups), moon, milk, up, watch, cheese, jump, pumpkin, wall, ouch, home, peekaboo, music, stool, wet, towel, cup, bowl, house, paper, dirt, ew, rock, step, peeking, boots, stop, vacuum, juice, flower, pool and piggy. Also, "right back", "was is sat?" (what is that), "where'dt go?" and labeling items as "mommy's" or "daddy's". Just since starting this post this morning, Ava has said, purple, blue and heart. Add em' to the list!

Ava has become quite the little climber and adventurer this month and for the first time climbed the back of the couch on her own! No, not the usual front of the couch, mom looks over and finds baby sitting triumphantly. I'm talking about up onto the couch and then climbing up the back until precariously teetering on the tippy top, holding onto the window sill for support. It doesn't help her curiosity that she LOVES looking out the window pretty much more than any other activity. Our poor neighbors have a very committed stalker who knows every time they go to the mailbox, take their dogs for a walk, come, go, wash their car or mow their lawn! Ava's other victory of the month was learning to walk backwards and she loves to show this skill off for company.

In the last couple of weeks, Ava has started bringing me pieces of paper and wanting me to draw pictures for her. Her objects of choice are usually babies, but also include hair dryers, planes, clocks and moons. Speaking of... this month Ava has discovered the moon and every night we go out looking for it (and every morning. and afternoon.). Of course about two days after she fell in love with its celestial magnificence, the moon went into hiding and did not rise or set during her times awake. What a let down. But, a couple of days ago we were outside playing in the evening when I hear her running running running and then, "Moon! Mommy! Moon!". Excitement does not explain the emotion bursting from that little girl.

Ava's top teeth have been threatening to pop for a couple months now and just these last two weeks the teething has been hard. This morning Ava slept in (until 9:15!) for the first time in weeks which is usually a sign that the teeth will finally come through the gums in the next couple days. Thank you Lord! I am so excited to see my baby with top teeth and to relieve her of the pain that must be unbearable considering the length of time her little pearlies take to show themselves!

I caved and gave Ava juice for the first time this month! Doctor's don't recommend it anymore and we don't keep it in the house so it has never been an issue for us. I have tried to be very mindful of what I give Ava and though she gets treats every now and then, it is not something she expects or even knows the words for. A little while ago though, we got the ingredients for smoothies and therefore had apple juice in the fridge. After a boo boo Ava got one day, I decided to soothe her with a little juice treat and man was it a hit! We did half juice, half water and I will say, though I'm not a proponent of lots of juice drinking, it was still a great way to hydrate her a little bit and make her feel better!

Finally, another great story to illustrate Ava's developmental progress. For a long time Ava has mimicked adult behavior--stirring in her bowl, using a phone or cleaning with mommy. But this morning Ava actually set up her first make believe scenario and it was such a sweet moment! She was on her little car driving away saying "Bye mommy, bye bye" and blowing kisses, until she started repeating the word "work" over and over. I didn't quite get what she was trying to say but finally answered, "Ava, are you going to work like daddy?" and she says, "Yeah!" and gets on her car and drives away saying, "Bye bye mommy. Work!". I suggested she get her bag and put some things in it for work and she loved the idea. She gathered the essentials: a small bucket and a phone, slung her bag over her shoulder and off to work she went. Yesterday she visited daddy's office for the first time and it obviously made a big impression!

The Stats

2010-10-06T17:51:00.000-04:00

Ava just had her 18-month doctors visit, to poke and prod and make sure everything is as it should be. She does have an ear infection in her right ear (we went to the doc on monday and got antibiotics) but that is clearing up nicely. Otherwise, she's perfect!

They asked how many words she says and I said... "Oh gosh, I don't know, 50?" and they marveled! Apparently that is a lot. Even though she was a slow starter, her vocabulary has exploded in the last few weeks and she really is talking so much. I already have 22 new words written down to put in her 19 month post, one of which came out today at the doc's office. Ava stood up on the table and announced, "wall!", placing her hand up against the wall behind her. Why yes, you smart little cookie! She did amazingly well with the doctor too, of course she cried for her two shots but did a fantastic job letting the doctor inspect her and even answered some of his questions herself!

We got Ava's flu shot today (so thankful to get it out of the way instead of waiting for the rush like last year) as well as her final Hep A vaccine. That means we are DONE with her vaccines until she goes to Kindergarten! A great milestone to have reached, I know Ava would be excited if she only knew.

And finally, the stats: She weighs 26 lbs 10oz (76%) and they measured her at 33 inches (78%).

A Picture Post

2010-10-01T11:39:00.001-04:00

Just incase any of you are still on the fence about whether we have the most beautiful and adorable girl in the whole wide world, I will post a few new pictures to prove this. A few days ago we went to the playground that is right up the street, it had been a few weeks since our last visit and was Ava's first time REALLY loving it! She could do a lot more playing and climbing on her own and we got some great shots of her in action.

Even though this isn't the best picture I've ever taken,

I am in love with her face in this one! She looks so old in it... I don't know.

My beautiful girl and that sweet face just melt me!

There are many more new pictures in the album to the left, September 2010.

One and a half!

2010-09-18T10:45:00.000-04:00

It is jaw-droppingly shocking to me that I can now answer the question, "Oh, how old is she?" with "One-and-a-half"! My baby is truly, in age, stage and manner, a toddler.

I worked at a daycare in the one-year-old room for a number of months before Blair and I got married. There was a stark difference between the 12-18 month crowd and the 18-24 month kids. I am seeing firsthand that change taking place in my little Ava! This month she has started talking much much more, her ten word vocabulary exploding into short sentences and more confident attempts at new sounds. Without my prompting she has started saying please and thank you at all the right times (not just signing), is now speaking the word "more" and has added "baby" to most sentences: "Hi baby", "Bye baby", "Thank you baby".

Other new words and phrases include but are not limited to: water (wawa), bubble, turtle, yellow, Ruthie, Erin, Breanne (Bree), noodle (noonle), puppy, one more, excuse me (usually just "eck-use"), off, in and out. She also says "uh oh" all the time followed by whatever word makes the most sense, like "uh oh wawa" when she drops her water cup or "uh oh mommy" when I undoubtedly do something "wrong" like drop food or leave a cabinet door open. She can also say about half the letters in the alphabet and recognizes a few of them by sight. She is starting to say consecutively, "ABC" (though it is usually ABD) and "123"! It's been so fun to watch her interest in the alphabet boom all of the sudden. She loves to hear the alphabet song and will try to sing it with me but often stops with a shy smile due to performance anxiety.

As mentioned in a previous post, Ava is a big mommy-lover (I don't often complain) and likes to be wherever I am. She is also the epitome of a snuggle-bunny! Here is another picture to prove it:

One night while making dinner I looked down to find Ava lying with her head on ducky and pulling the dishtowel down for a blanket. Mommy was busy so why not snuggle as close as she could get?

Another great story of the month that shows a lot about Ava's patient, careful, obedient and tidy personality happened just yesterday. I gave her her milk cup in the afternoon and she took it into the living room. I was in the kitchen and heard, "Uuuh..." a few times as if to say, "Um, mom? Something isn't right". She makes this noise a lot so I didn't go in until she continued to do it without coming to usher me toward her problem (no doubt a lost toy, I thought). After a minute, I went looking for her only to find her holding onto the side of my desk with milk spilled all over the floor, her feet mid-puddle! I said, "Oh dear, ok, hang on", went to get some paper towels and then began wiping. I started near the kitchen and as I got closer to her feet realized I was out of paper towels. So again, I said, "Hang on sweetheart, mommy needs to get more towels". Ava replied, "yeah" and continued to hold on to the desk leg, unwavering from her milky spot. I came back and tackled the largest puddle surrounding her feet. She patiently lifted one foot, let me dry it and the floor beneath her, then the other foot and floor. Once she was in the clear she stepped back and quietly watched me clean the rest of the spatter from walls and chair legs. All of this took a solid three or four minutes and where another kid might be stomping in the milk, rainy-puddle style, or come running into the kitchen with milky feet, angry that their precious milk was no longer drinkable, my darling girl just waited patiently TWICE while I went to get towels and clean her up. It amazes me the awareness she has at such a young age, the care and again, the patience! What a sweet little heart she has!

In other news: Ava has graduated to size 5 diapers (I was so glad to use the last of those size 4's!) and is getting at least one more tooth soon. I can see it just behind the gums in the top, left-center spot. There also may be one on the bottom right but we'll have to wait and see. "Any day now" for Ava means at least two weeks from now so who knows! Her bottom two teeth which poked through two months ago are STILL not all the way up. She is a super slow tooth grower, that is for sure!

Mommy's Girl

2010-09-14T11:30:00.000-04:00

Ava has entered a stage where she won't nap well unless we play--hard. So yesterday we ran around outside for an hour, wrestled in the living room and then mommy needed a break. I laid down on the living room floor with a pillow under my head and took a breather while Ava continued to whirl with energy around me. A minute or two later, all was quiet and I couldn't see Ava in my periphery anymore so I sat up to find her. Low and behold, my little mommy's girl had pulled a pillow down from the couch, placed it on the floor behind my head and was lying down silently behind me, sucking her thumb. I nearly giggled with happiness at how adorable she was and what a sweet little heart she has!

Nurse Ava

2010-09-01T14:58:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Ava and I were playing hide and go seek. During a particularly precarious "hide", I managed to cut myself on the faucet in the shower. Ava watched me apply Neosporin to the wound--uncap, swipe the ointment with my finger and delicately tend to my scratch.

Fast forward about two hours. I was unpacking a few things and handed Ava a box of unopened toothpaste to hold while I went about my business. I put away the other boxes of toothpaste and made my way into the kitchen. A minute later, Ava comes in saying, "Ducky? Ducky?", finds her Ducky on the kitchen floor and then disappears again into the living room. I didn't think much of it until I heard an unusual noise coming from Ava. I followed her into the living room to find Ducky splayed on the couch, the toothpaste box opened, cap flipped, toothpaste all over Ava's index finger and a delicate glob on Ducky.

My initial, "Ooh, no no" (after I saw the look of horror and disappointment on my daughter's face) was quickly replaced with, "Ava, were you putting ointment on Ducky's boo boo?" To which she replied proudly, "Yeah!"

Unfortunately what followed was a re-capping of the toothpaste-ointment and a few minutes of sobbing from nurse Ava who's supplies had been seized. Thankfully, Ducky came out of the ordeal only slightly stickier and smelling fresh, and mommy got another reminder of how smart and caring her little girl is.

Winter Boots

2010-08-28T11:29:00.004-04:00

This just has to be shared. Ava LOVES her new winter boots and wouldn't take them off the day we got them (even though it was 85 degrees).

Mommy's Little Helper

2010-08-28T10:42:00.000-04:00

Ava is doing so much these days that I thought I'd write an extra post in here rather than trying to remember everything for next month!

I remember vividly when Ava was still an infant, wondering what her little voice would sound like. Would it be quiet? Loud? Low? High? Sweet? Now getting to hear her voice is such a thrill (most of the time) and a delightful part of my day.

Ava's vocabulary is growing rapidly, as is her interest in the alphabet! She has a box of alphabet books (one for each letter) that she is very into now. She loves trying to pronounce each letter and actually gets more right than we would have thought! She loves U and I and when mommy sings the ABC's. She doesn't yet recognize any of the letters by sight but I'm sure that will start happening in no time. I forgot in my last post that Ava has been saying "Where are you?" when searching for her ducky or another toy, has muttered "Where go?" when she's lost something and just yesterday she said to me, "Mommy do!", shoving her toy in my hands and clapping with anticipation.

Yesterday Blair was working in the afternoon and evening so Ava and I had a quick dinner and went outside to play. We went for a walk and saw lots of lawnmowers and leaf blowers (her favorite), and then came back to the house. I've been working on some "spring cleaning" these last couple of days so as Ava played in the driveway I continued my work in the garage for a few minutes. I decided it was time to fix up our old, sorry looking wreath that has been hanging on our door, removing the sun-bleached berries and replacing those strands with ones from another leafy wreath. I sat on the bottom stair to the front porch picking berries off the wreath and watching Ava stomp in a puddle and work her way over to me. I told her what I was working on and with barely a word she sat down beside me, watched what I was doing and then started picking off faded, styrofoam berries, one at a time. She sat with me for a solid twenty minutes, the only words exchanged were the occasional, "You're doing a great job honey" and "Thank you so much for helping mommy". She didn't need to talk or move on to something else, she just sat and helped me work. I kept glancing at her, working hard and concentrating, and marveling at how big my little girl has become! She is almost a year and a half old--the big turning point into solid toddlerhood, and it shows. And boggles my mind.

Here is the before and after of our wreath, now much less sad and a wonderful reminder for me of our first mother-daughter project. :)

17 Months

2010-08-16T21:33:00.000-04:00

This month was marked by our 12 day getaway to Cape May, NJ with Blair's family. Blair and I have spent time there together every summer since 1999, we got engaged there in 2005, married there in 2006 and then took our baby there for the first time last summer. It is a special, relaxing and rejuvenating place for us and it was such a treat to watch Ava fall in love with it too!

She had an amazing time, grew up immensely, loved the attention of 8 adults and all the new experiences that came with a beach vacation. Though she wasn't a fan of the roaring ocean, Ava loved playing in the sand and splashing around in her pool full of salt water. It took a day or two to ease into it but by the end of the week, Ava was covered in sand and loving it!

In the past couple of months Ava has started to enjoy having others attention but this month she has become much more outgoing, loud and eager to show off all of her toys and tricks. Her fantastic sense of humor that she's had since she was an infant is definitely turning into an adorable and well developed sense of self. She is still very observant, aware of others and their response to her, and has a quick wit even in the way she uses her eyes and body language. She is definitely the most interesting person I know and I love just watching her interact with her world!

These last couple weeks have been big on the language front. Ava does a lot of "noises" which only mom can decipher, but has just started speaking in short sentences and trying harder to make comprehensible words. She loves to sing "the happy song" ("Oh Happiness" by David Crowder Band) which sounds like this, "Happy, happy, happy" in the cutest, highest pitched little voice you can imagine. She also can say almost everyone's name in our extended family and can repeat many words and phrases. Things she has recently said on her own: get down, oh man, love you, thank you (without being prompted), and a much clearer version of mommy! For the first time in the last couple of weeks she is also actually referring to me as mama which melts my heart! Also, the other day, Blair reprimanded her for doing something and she ran full speed into the kitchen and said to me, "Daddy say no no"! I am so ready and excited to enter this time of her life, not only to watch her vocabulary develop but also to hear what sorts of things she's thinking about and wanting to share.

Oh, and have I yet to mention?! She got her first two teeth!! Alas, they do exist! I was beginning to wonder if they do toddler tooth extraction when the first ones popped through a few weeks ago, bottom center. It has been over a month now and they are still maybe a quarter of the way up (they really are just pushing through so slowly!) but now you can spot them when she flashes a big smile. I can't wait to see what teeth are next and what she looks like with a full mouth!

I will end this post with a few pictures to wet your appetite, the rest are in the August album to the left.

As for the other details... Ava is being stuffed into her 18-month summer clothes but can comfortably now fit into 24-months. I forgetting to include shoe size, she's in size 5's right now but will definitely be in size 6 in the fall. She's still wearing size 4 diapers though we are nearing the end of that era as well and soon I will try putting size 5's on her at night. She still takes two naps a day, for somewhere between 1 and 2 hours each, depending on the circumstances. Since she's been teething for so long, it's hard to know what she would do if not for that! On weeks where there are no signs of teething she usually takes two 2-hr naps, but those are few and far between. She is also still sleeping at night for 12 - 13.5 hours, sometimes not waking until close to 9am! I am a spoiled mommy, for sure.

A Peaceful Mess

2010-08-12T14:51:00.000-04:00

My floors are covered in toys, pillows, shoes and unbreakable dishes. There is a load of laundry in the living room waiting to be folded which has long since re-wrinkled in the basket. Ava just went to sleep and I was about to google, "How to catch/kill/rid-my-kitchen-of fruit flies" when I thought, what better time to take a moment for myself? There really is no better or worse time I'm realizing, just time that if not spent being quiet, opening my Bible and praying, will no doubt be spent on something else.

As one of the illusive fruit flies ventures into my homemade trap and then back out (drat!), I decided to read in Philippians 4. I have felt God nudging me lately toward the word, the concept and the reality of contentment--something of which I am seriously lacking. Almost everything about my life is exactly what I would have chosen for myself: staying at home with my beautiful and rather (dare I say) easy toddler, a wonderful and supportive husband, a lovely home and in a word, plenty. And yet, even on the best of days I find myself wanting. And the worst of it, feeling entitled to more! My eyes are being opened to the fact though that nothing will satisfy me short of Jesus. I want a second car and yet when I have the chance to use the one we already have, I complain that it takes too much energy to actually get Ava ready and out the door. I want Blair home more but really no amount of family time is "enough". So, naturally I turned to verses 11-13 which read something like this:

"...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances... I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether in plenty or in want...

Ah, yes! This is the answer I'm looking for!

...I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

At first I was disappointed not to have been delivered an action plan to blissful needlessness. But, as God nudged my heart further I realized what a blessing it is to have him as a necessary part of this process of growing in contentment, to have him as the ultimate supplier. It means I will keep going back to him when I'm feeling discontent and lacking in joy and fun and sleep. Instead of continually looking to change my circumstances (a never-ending quest), I can rest in knowing God will give me the strength to endure and even enjoy all those less than perfect days.

Snuggles and Bathtime

2010-07-24T21:53:00.000-04:00

Two things worth mentioning this month that didn't seem to make it into the '16 Months' post. Ava is going through a phase, two actually, one which I never want to end and one which I hope ends as soon as possible.

The last couple of weeks Ava has entered the long awaited stage where she again wants to cuddle into my shoulder before she goes to sleep or when she is scared or tired. When she was an infant I thought there was nothing better but really, she had no choice--she could barely hold her head up. Now, she wants to snuggle mommy! Ahh, it melts me. The only drawback is that she weighs 25 pounds so I can only hold her for so long before my back begins to give out. I wish I had a picture of one of these moments but they are almost always right before bed and I'm sure she would lift her head as soon as the camera was in sight. Maybe I can get someone to snap a few when she is no doubt exhausted during our beach vacation next week!

The second phase (that I am praying really is a phase) is Ava's hatred of baths. She has never really enjoyed them but they've now turned into me holding her in a sitting position while she screams and I do a barely passable job at cleaning her. It takes ten minutes to get the bath ready and approximately 8 seconds for her to be soaking wet, wrapped in a towel in my arms and screaming for her ducky. Some days I can calm her down enough to be distracted by a toy while I wet her down but most times I'm not that lucky. I thought all babies loved water but that's not the case with this one! I've resorted to pouring water right over her head--she's going to cry anyway, may as well get it over with fast! Poor girl. Did no one tell her that bathtime is supposed to be fun?

16 Months

2010-07-20T19:40:00.000-04:00

Our baby girl is growing up. Yet another month has gone by and has been filled with many new accomplishments.

New words: down, boom, no, oh no, "sh" (shoe), poo poo, up, yes, yeah, Bible, amen, puppy, brush, and her first real sentence-- "do that"!

New signs: Ava does all the signs in her book now but the newest one that she actually uses is for "help me". This was an exciting mastery for her because now she can run around the corner into the kitchen at full speed signing, "help! help!" and then lead me to the box on which she'd like to precariously balance, or point to the toy she's managed to lodge somewhere unreachable. My favorite use of the sign thus far was when we put Ava in her new big-girl carseat for our latest trip. She hasn't really seen the whole back seat since she's used to being cocooned in her infant seat. After about fifteen minutes of driving and checking out her new digs, she starts to fuss, then points to a big black smudge on the ceiling of the car... her eyes get wide and she looks at me through her little mirror and signs furiously, "help me!". Oh my sweet, OCDish little baby.

This month has marked a new stage in our communication with Ava as she's begun the inevitable "yes" and "no". Though I've yet to get used to hearing, "no no no!" from my compliant girl, it is so much fun to actually be able to converse with her and have her not only answer my questions but see her eyes get excited at the prospect of going outside or eating a treat and hearing, "yeah!". You can hear these yeah's in the video I posted of Ava eating yogurt just below this.

Some other new motor achievements have been getting up and down off of things by herself and being able to use the stairs with much more confidence. Today for the first time we caught her going down the stairs by herself... yikes! Now we know that gate can't be left open! She is also very good at holding on to me and lifting up one leg and then the other in order to step into pants or put shoes on.

Ava has visited the pool a few times this month and we have a new addition to our outdoor play: a little pink inflatable pool that is not much bigger than a large bowl but gets the job done. Ava is definitely not a water baby, she hates baths and is not one of those who loves spashing around. But, our little pool with one inch of water in it is just enough to cool her down on these hot days and still allow her to play outside. She's also started trying to drink out of a cup! This is a drenching operation but she LOVES it and I love watching her learn, cool off and be such a big girl!

A couple weeks ago we got Ava a little froggy potty and an Elmo potty book which she loves. We aren't beginning the potty-training process by any means, she is definitely not ready, but we are trying to get her interested in and familiar with the concept. For now she is learning the words, likes to stand in her potty and put her dolls on the potty!

The sweetest thing that has happened this month is Ava has started to pray. I have had a difficult time since Ava was born with my own spiritual life, finding time and energy and ways to grow in my relationship with God. Little did I know, God was providing the motivation I needed through my daughter! In the last few weeks, Ava has learned to pray and often four or five times throughout meals will cross her arms over her body and look up at me, "Peecum?". I say, "Do you want to pray?" and she says, "Yeah!". So we pray. Usually for our food, thanking God for mommy, daddy, Ava and whoever or whatever else we think of. And at the end we get a cute, "Amen" from the little squeaker. I thought it was adorable and didn't think much of it until I realized that I'm actually feeling closer and more connected to God simply by thanking him for a few small things throughout the day! It isn't a lot, but God's so blessing that time and drawing me closer to him. I am so grateful and I am even more in awe of how he's continuing to bless and surprise me through Ava. What a darling, sweet little heart, who doesn't know who Jesus is but still loves to read her Bible and pray to him all the time. It is magical to watch his name become a part of her vocabulary and to watch the whole revelation of Jesus from start to finish.

We give God all the thanks for our beautiful family, our precious girl and for blessing us so much!

Feeding herself Yogurt

2010-07-11T20:19:00.000-04:00

This is probably one of those videos that I think is a lot more adorable than it actually is, but, here you go anyway! I still am amazed at the amount of pride I feel when my baby girl does something that non-parents would consider mundane, but to me is absolutely magical! She speaks! She eats! She puts things away in the right place! And in that moment I have the best, smartest, most beautiful baby ever to walk the earth. Really.

In this video, listen for two of Ava's favorite words, "yeah" and "yum" and witness her skills (or lack thereof) using a spoon to feed herself yogurt.