We Have a Walking Baby!

Yes, we have a walker! Today Ava took her first real unassisted steps and many semi-assisted ones. Linda (who is living with us for a few months) had her friend over and they were cooking in the kitchen when Ava and I joined them. Ava loved Veronica's pajama pants and kept pointing to the frogs on them. Then, without warning, she got up and took one or two steps toward Veronica and then grabbed one of my hands and took about ten more fast steps across the room. I screamed to Linda, "Um, she's walking!!" and we couldn't believe it! I picked Ava up and gave her lots of kisses and then tried to sit her back down on the floor but she wouldn't sit and just started walking again, all over the room! She wanted to do it mostly while holding at least one of my hands but I am confident in a day or two she'll be running around on her own. She was very excited and proud of herself but unfortunately this was about five minutes before bedtime. After about the fifth time that I sat her down across the room and then called her to me she just started to cry and wanted to be picked up and put to bed! Ok... shows over mom. I'm hoping she wakes up with the same excitement and we can catch the little steps on video tomorrow!

Two, Two and Two

Two is the magic number for today to sum up Ava's life this week: Two feedings, Two naps and only Two weeks left until her first birthday!

My attempt to start weaning was thwarted after two weeks--Ava came down with what we think was a virus and was having some significant tummy trouble. The doctor suggested that we stop all dairy (just because it is harder to digest, he didn't think it was the main factor in her upset tummy) and go back to only breastmilk, plus a fat and fiber rich diet to bulk up her system. Within a few days Ava seemed to feel better and then we started her slowly back on cow's milk. So far so good! So... we're back to two breastfeedings a day and two cow's-milk-in-a-sippy-cup feedings. She does pretty well but definitely has a hard time concentrating with the sippy cup so we've started letting her watch cartoons while she eats. It's a luxury but pretty cute to watch her suck suck suck and then giggle at something on the TV and all the milk in her mouth runs down her chin onto her bib!

In the last two days we've also started moving Ava to just two naps a day instead of three. I have considered myself a lucky mom that we made it almost through the first year with Ava still taking three naps a day. However, in the last couple of weeks (partly due to not feeling well) Ava has not been sleeping well for any of those naps. After a few days of sleeping barely at all, I decided to try switching to two naps. Yesterday she slept for two hours in the morning (perfect) but then only 45 minutes in the afternoon! Not so perfect. But, she surprised me by staying happy and chipper for the next 5 hours until bedtime. This morning was a similar story, she slept for two hours and is now down for her second nap--we'll see how it goes! If we successfully switch to two naps her schedule will look something like this:

7am wake, breakfast

9-11am nap

11am wake, lunch

1-3pm nap

3pm wake, dinner

7pm milk feeding

7:30pm bedtime

And last but not least, we are just two weeks away from Ava's first birthday! It is coming fast and we are so excited. I've been singing "Happy Birthday" to get her used to the song and she now dances along with my singing which is pretty cute. I've been on a hunt for the perfect birthday party outfit with no luck--it's times like these that I wish I still lived near Exton where there are more places to buy baby clothes. :(

Ava's newest love? Babies! She loves them, on TV, on cereal boxes and yogurt cartons and in real life. Our neighbors just had a little girl on the 23rd and Ava has really enjoyed going to see her. She points, squeals and I'm sure would try to lick her (aka kiss her) if we let her get close enough! We can't wait to go visit Ava's newest cousin Brody who was just born on the 24th!

Dancing Queen

Ava LOVES to dance and here is a small glimpse of the little dancer at work! She especially likes to dance for company but gets shy for the camera so this was quite a catch!

Big Girl Bathtime (and other big girl things)

I am beginning to see that with all Ava is doing and saying, I may need to post something more than just once a month! Just three weeks after my last post I have much to say so we'll update you all a little early.

Now let's take a moment first to point out the biggest news of the month: Ava is growing hair! Well "hairs" I should say--only a few and they are about two inches long on the top and sides of her head but... they are there. Hurray! Proof that she won't be bald forever. In the lovely and someday embarrassing photos of her in the bath we've accentuated the tufts mohawk style for all to see.

Along with a few hairs, Ava's vocabulary is growing this month and there is a new and distinguishable difference between "guck" (duck) and "kack" (quack). I've also caught what I believe are "this" and "that" and she is now much better at making noises to get her point across even if she isn't using words yet. It's so fun! I love being able to have little conversations with her. Her babbling is now out of control and adorable--the kind where you know she knows what she's saying but it comes out sounding like fluent chinese. So cute.

For the first time Ava has been making two toys interact or making a toy interact with it's surroundings which is very exciting. She also makes kissing sounds (though beware, if you go in for a kiss you'll get a good lick on the nose), and loves to dance. Her favorite activity? She puts her arms behind her head (giving you about two seconds notice) and then falls backwards and begins wiggle-dancing on the floor. She will also arch backwards while sitting in your lap, eating, going down for a nap... and want you to tickle her under her neck. She loves to be upside down and especially look at herself upside down in the mirror.

Our bedtime book routine has changed this month from mommy or daddy picking out a few books and quietly reading them together in the chair, to Ava taking all of her books out of their basket and finally handing you one and trying to climb back up onto the chair. At first I thought she would never sit still for a book again until I was amazed when she found the one she wanted and then sat quietly through the whole thing, oohing, ahhing, pointing and smiling. It's so awesome to see her taking an active part in her life, showing preferences and communicating what she wants!

The eleventh month marked a milestone in becoming a big girl when Ava started bathing in the big bathtub! She was doing so well in her little tub and it's so easy for us that we were hesitant to switch it up, but after one or two baths Ava now LOVES it. She wasn't so sure at the beginning but now she loves standing at the edge, watching with anticipation as the tub fills with water and we unleash all her floating toys. It is so much fun to watch her explore and move around, the other day she actually wanted to lay down, so I put her on her back with her ears under the water and she sang to herself for a good 2 or 3 minutes! It was HILARIOUS to watch her experiment with the new-sounding world from under water.

In the last couple of weeks Ava has been less and less interested in nursing during the midday so on February 8th I tried giving her cow's milk in a sippy cup before her lunch. She did great and didn't miss the breastfeeding one bit! So... this means we are officially weaning. I'm hoping to do so fairly slowly over the next two months or so (for both our sakes) but I think we both are ready. I have mixed feelings--I have LOVED breastfeeding and will miss that bonding time but am also very ready and excited to have some more freedom to leave her with other people during mealtimes. My goal was to breastfeed until she was a year so this was definitely a successful run!

In the last month Ava has started dairy and is enjoying it immensely. She's getting better and better at drinking from a sippy cup and loves cheese and yogurt. She also tried blueberries for the first time and she LOVES them! We've given her small bites of more adult foods and she regularly asks for whatever we are eating. We are definitely entering that time in our lives where we can't eat anything in front of her that we won't let her have! Goodbye midday chocolate chip cookies, I will miss you.

Ava has been very clingy to mommy lately and so this month we instituted crib-playtime. This is where she gets some playtime alone and can grow in the skills needed to occupy and entertain herself without mommy's help. The first few times she threw every toy out of her crib within the first few minutes and then cried for me to come get her. But, in the last week she has had a string of successful play times and has stopped throwing all her toys! She seems to enjoy the time in there and doesn't cry anymore but instead... Well, let me preface this by saying that it is somewhat unheard of for an almost-one-year-old to still be taking three naps a day. Ava LOVES sleeping and so the last three or four times she's been playing in her crib, it gets quieter and quieter in there and I go in to find her lying down, sucking her thumb amidst all her toys! I've tried opening the blinds, putting on music and turning all her musical toys as loud as they will go but nothing will stop her. So... I now know I can't leave her too long or she will fall asleep but at least I get a little peace and quiet in the morning and Ave is actually doing much better in the clingy department.

As I write this Ava is playing happily among a sea of pillows I piled in the living room, emptying a bucket of shapes and trying to fit the bucket on her head. I marvel at how big she is getting, how independent and fun! I took a video of her today doing her famous "dance" (you've got to see it to believe it) among her many pillows. If I can figure it out I'll post a bit of it so you can all see the little ham doing her thing.

Shelled Peas

And now for a non-Ava sort of of post... or less-Ava I guess. I have been wanting to change up our blog for a while and to do so in an artsy yet relevant way. Today I actually was one step away from posting the usual black and white family photo when Ava woke up and soon I was sitting at the kitchen table shelling peas for my hungry girl. I looked down and thought... ah ha! Just the artsy yet relevant moment I'd wanted to capture. Shelled peas. This does sum up quite well my life right now--spending many hours shelling peas, cutting blueberries into unrecognizably small wedges and eating squares of cheese off my daughter's little fingers when she offers them (how generous of her). Some days I think, "this is the life", when she plays quietly in her highchair while I eat my breakfast and drink my coffee. Other days when shelled peas become mashed-on-the-floor peas, I think I might need a day off. But, thankfully, God gives me mercy and grace every day to enjoy even the not-so-great moments and to want to shell peas for my sweet girl (which is not an easy task, I must say).

So... a snapshot of the shelled peas will be our welcome to those visiting our blog, a welcome into our life of messy fingers and messy diapers and ministry of all kinds. Enjoy!

Ava is 10 Months Old!

Every month we say is our favorite... and this one was no different! The baby that we knew 30 days ago was just a glimpse of the emerging little lady we know now. It's amazing how much Ava is learning and changing every day.

Our cute little "doodle bug" is adding tricks and skills to her repertoire daily. She has a few words that emerge regularly,

including mama and dada, "uh oh", "kah" (book), "hello" and "hi" (accompanied by waving), "duh" (duck), and "all done". She also claps on cue, pants like a dog when you say "What does a dog say?", plays peekaboo

(usually by putting objects on top of her head) and has a great sense of humor. Just the other day she face planted into the fuzzy bear in her touch-and-feel book and started laughing hysterically... she knows when she's doing something funny and cracks herself up (and us)! She will pick up my phone or the TV remote and say, "Dada, hello!", goes crazy for dogs in person or on TV (she starts squealing and panting), and loves music.

Ava is still primarily breast fed but is also eating a variety of fruits and veggies and has started eating more finger foods. We've tried peas, corn, broccoli, cantelope and pineapple. She still struggles with them since she's toothless (and hairless--poor baby) but she's getting the hang of it. She loves to feed herself and enjoys the independence. We are about to try dairy products, tofu and egg whites which will give more variety to the finger-food-eating. We have introduced the

sippy cup a couple of times with water--she thinks it's great until she sucks real hard and gasps for air like she's drowning! She'll get the hang of it but for now it's just a great chew toy.

Ava is standing well now and frequently stands hands-free for longer and longer stretches. She's still wobbly and needs to know there is something close by to grab onto if she needs it but she continues to

experiment and take risks. She is very mobile but still isn't usually in any hurry to get anywhere which I'm thankful for. She will also take steps while using a laundry or toy basket as a walker, we're anxious to see how long it takes her to master those little legs!

As each day comes and goes we are truly shocked that her one-year birthday is just around the corner. We marvel at our hundreds of pictures, can't believe she was ever "that small" and wonder what she'll be like when she's four, five... twelve. What an adventure. We are quite positive God blessed us with the sweetest little girl on the planet!

*Updated albums "Ava in November", "Ava in December" and "Ava in January" are to the left!

Slightly more boring details for mom and company to keep track:

Ava is still in size 12 clothes though they are getting tighter, and has moved up to size 4 diapers. Her schedule is similar to what was posted previously but she's inched it earlier (starting around 6am) and isn't sleeping as long for her three naps. I'm trying hard to hold onto all three, I don't think she's ready for two naps yet, but we'll see how long that lasts. I'm trying to move her day to start a little later but this is usually what it looks like at the moment (on a good day):

6:15am wake, breastfeed, breakfast, play

8:15am-9:45am nap

10:15am wake, breastfeed, lunch, play

12:15pm-1:45pm nap

2:00pm wake, breastfeed, play

5:00pm-6:15pm nap

6:15pm wake, breastfeed, dinner

7:15pm books and to sleep for the night

9 Months: Crawling, Standing and Dancing!

Ava is just about 9 months old and it is hard to believe! Everyone warned us that time would fly but it is hard to believe that this mobile, giggly, be-boppin' little lady is the same tiny baby we rocked to sleep not too long ago.

Ava started crawling just before her 8 month birthday and is now cruising around happily. She is a very curious little girl and loves to explore. She is very sweet though and before she touches anything new she looks back at me to get the "ok". One of her favorite activities is emptying our TV cabinet and basking in her homemade pile of DVD's and videos. I have noticed that she is rarely in a hurry to get anywhere or move on from something--she will carefully take one thing at a time from a shelf, is a great observer, and has a very long attention span. She can do almost anything as long as music is playing, even if I hum a little tune (she LOVES upbeat Christmas songs) she will start bopping to the music and dance her little heart out. Sometimes even when no music is coming from a toy she'll dance and say "eh" until I make it play again. I've tried teaching her how to press the button herself but I think it's just more fun when mommy does it for her!

Ava's most recent and most favorite thing now is to pull herself up on anything that will hold her weight (and some things that will not). Just a couple of days ago we went in to get her from a nap and she was standing in her crib waiting for us! What a cute moment to see the little nose and eyes peeking over the side of her crib, so proud of herself. She is a daring (or trusting) little girl, she assumes we will always be there to help her stand so she frequently lunges for us, ready-or-not. Consequently, she regularly has little bumps and bruises on her head these days but she wears them proudly! It is so exciting to see her personality come out in her risk-taking, discovering a new world at standing height, and trying new things.

Last week we went to get a Christmas tree and had Ava all bundled up. Despite the fact that she was coming down with her first bad cold and ear infection (we'd find this out the following day), she was a good sport. Above is a photo of her on that day, her pudgy cheeks overflowing her pink hoodie. It's been so fun to celebrate Ava's first Christmas season, to see her eyes light up when she saw our Christmas tree and experienced her first big snow. We can't wait to watch her tear into (and eat) her Christmas presents in a few short weeks!

Since our last post Ava has also switched to a four hour schedule successfully and is taking three 1 1/2 to 2 hour naps each day. She sleeps about 11-12 hours at night, though she never really adjusted to daylight savings time and so our day sadly starts around 6:30am. She eats solid food three times a day and has now tried 10 different fruits and vegi's. Her favorites are sweet potatoes, bananas and mangos and she dramatically gags up anything green. She is very skilled using her pincer grasp to pick up small pieces of cereal and though she has no teeth yet, she would love to get her hands on more big-people food!

We just had Ava weighed at her doctor's appointment a few days ago (when we got antibiotics for her ear infection) and she's holding steady at 19 1/2 lbs. Though she hasn't gained much in the last month the doctor was happy with how much she'd gained since her 6 month appointment. Clearly she could live off her own cheeks for a few weeks if need-be so there's little to be concerned about there!

In the last couple of days Ava has grown immensely and keeps surprising us with new things. I hear that's to be expected at this age and it's so exciting! Yesterday she started playing Peek-a-boo all on her own and today I think she said her first word! Time will tell but while she was playing with a toy that plays music, I would say "more?" and she would press the button again and dance to the tune. After a few minutes she started saying "Ma" and then it turned into "Mo", a new sound for her and it really seemed as if she was trying to say "more". She is all of a sudden interested in words, pays attention when I tell her the names of things and often tries to mouth the first consonant (sometimes silently when she thinks I'm not looking--it's very cute).

Once again we are in awe of how much we love this little bundle of cuteness and that there's a whole little human in there--learning, growing and taking in so much information. We were not prepared for how much she would change our lives and our hearts and had no idea how awesome it would be to love our own little baby. A baby that we MADE! Ha! It's incredible. That joy continues to grow and there is nothing better than having your own little one see you, smile at you, crawl over to you and put her arms out so you'll pick her up and give her a squeeze. Needless to say, we love love love being Ava's parents and can't wait to see what the next month brings!

Month 7... The Best Month Yet

We have loved her from the start but as Ava's personality continues to blossom we can't help but love her more every day! This month has been a big one for Ava developmentally and it's been a blast to watch her grow and change daily. She is now sitting up unaided very well and is able to play in this position though she's usually happiest on her belly. She loves loves loves anything now that is NOT a toy--she is much more interested with the surrounding scenery and loves to get into things. Though she is still not crawling, she is very close and an excellent scoocher. The poor thing has rug burns on her elbows and knees to prove it! She loves reading books, her favorites are The Very Hungry Caterpillar (particularly the last page with the butterfly on it), Tickle Tickle, Giggle Baby & Goodnight Moon. She enjoys turning the pages and touching her favorite pictures.

Ava officially can't fall asleep without her stuffed animal duck now which is very sweet to watch. We found this out the first time I tried to put him in the wash and give her a different toy to cuddle with... big mistake. She only gets him when she's in her crib so when we hand it to her she immediately starts sucking her thumb and rubbing her eyes. We have the staff at Kohl's making calls to track down a second duck for back-up since she's now so attached!

Ava has started eating solids and is enjoying it immensely. She loves rice cereal and has also tried butternut squash and sweet potatoes so far. She likes sweet potatoes more but does well with both and is a good eater. She has figured out how to scream and bang her high chair when we aren't fast enough with the food preparations for her liking--how at 7 months they learn that I don't know! She is such a sweetheart though, giggles easily and smiles constantly.

Still no teeth though we have on a number of occasions been sure she'd pop out at least one by morning. She seems to be perpetually teething but no sign of a tooth yet. Even on her "worst days" though she is a joy and such a sweetheart. She is sooo laid back, is happy to sit in our laps for long periods of time seemingly un-entertained, just cuddling and watching what's happening around her. No complaints from us! She is great at keeping herself occupied but it's sort of fun now that she is able to reach for us or let us know when she wants to be held instead of put on the floor. It's neat to see her showing preference and wanting her mommy and daddy!

She has a full vocabulary now of consonants and vowels, the most frequent of which are "Ma" and "Ba". Though "Mama" is not exclusively used in my direction, it warms my heart to now wake up most mornings to "Mamamamamama" instead of screaming:).

For those keeping track, Ava's schedule right now looks similar to what I posted at 4 months but is in the process of changing. She is heading to bed a little earlier (by 7pm instead of 8pm) and I've inched her nighttime feeding down to 8:30pm with the hopes of dropping it altogether soon. When she wakes up at 7 or 7:30am now she has a little awake time in order to breastfeed and eat solids, and this time will lengthen once she drops the nighttime feeding and is more awake and hungry in the morning. Once that is successful, I'll be working towards feeding her every 4 hours during the day instead of 3, making 3 naps during the day instead of the current 4. She is definitely heading that way herself but shortening each of her 4 naps (except for the afternoon one) so I think it will be a somewhat easy transition for her!

Finally, Ava is still spitting up constantly and we're seeing a G.I. specialist in a couple of weeks. After starting solids and the spitting up not slowing down, our pediatrician thought it would be a good idea just to make sure there isn't an underlying issue. It isn't unusual for kids to spit up for the first year but because of the amount and frequency it can't hurt to get her checked out. We of course would not mind if there's something we can do to help slow it down or stop it all together!

Ava is SUCH a joy, we are marveling every day at the blessing it is to be her parents. She is such a sweet sweet girl and we can't wait every day to see what she will do and how she will grow!

*There are updated pictures in the albums Ava in September and Ava in October!

Ava is ALMOST Crawling!

Here is a quick video of our baby girl almost crawling at 7 months! I will post a more detailed update soon but wanted to share this now. Ava is a very determined little girl, it has been fun to watch her personality come out as she's quickly progressed this month from barely wanting to be on her tummy to doing 360's on her belly, then trying to get up on her knees and figuring out how to inch forward. We are sure she'll be crawling in no time and it's so amazing to watch the little cogs turning in her head as she tries to move her muscles the way she wants to. We are so proud of her!

6 Months

Ava is 17 lbs 10 oz and 26 1/4 inches long! She had her 6 month appointment today and is doing very well. She is still sleeping a lot (on the same schedule as posted at 4 months) and we think we're going to start solid foods this week. What a big milestone--it is exciting but it's hard for mommy to believe her little girl is growing up! Hopefully that will help extend her nighttime sleep too and drop her early morning nap. Though in part it is nice to have her sleeping so much, I look forward to more time awake with her and being able to leave the house without worrying about missing sleep.

We did find out at the doctor today that Ava's head, still lopsided due to her preferred treatment of the right side, will likely stay a little lopsided! We're hoping she gets the Drake's thick hair to cover it:) The poor thing sleeps so much that she doesn't have a lot of time off her little head for it to round itself out. We're going to try and get her to sleep on the other side more, we'll see how that goes!

A week and a half ago Ava got her first illness--a virus that showed itself in swollen hives all over her body. Thankfully she didn't seem too bothered by them but we felt awful for her and are glad they went away in a few days!

Along with the growing and changing that Ava has been doing these last couple of weeks, she has started moving around a lot more, rolling and scooting herself around in her crib and of course, getting herself stuck. After finding her once in her crib with her whole thigh (and that's a big thigh) stuck between the crib slats and another time with her arm out to the shoulder while on her tummy, I figured it was time for a crib bumper. Though they aren't recommended these days for safety reasons, I found a great one that is thin, made of breathable mesh, and can work on a crib like hers that has a solid back. Success! She has since been sleeping much more soundly but we still find her frequently jammed up in the corner or on her tummy wondering how to turn herself back over!

Ava is showing the beginning signs of being interested in crawling and though we can't wait to see how it progresses, we're also not quite ready for a mobile child. Lots of baby proofing will be happening over these next few months I'm sure. She is also starting to laugh more and engage with us in new ways. Twice now I (Kathryn) have laughed hard at something she was doing and she looked up at me and laughed with me, then would continue doing whatever was making me laugh and keep checking to see if I was watching! It was such a victory to see my precious girl really interact with me. Ava is also a champion page turner.. she loves reading books with her Daddy at night and consistently turns the pages of her books with surprising precision. We are amazed and sure that she's a baby genius.

New pictures are in the albums "Ava in August" and "Ava in September" . More to come!

Ava Grace is 5 1/2 Months

Ava is growing before our very eyes-- literally! About two weeks ago I saw her in the morning and when I got her up in the afternoon her clothes were too tight, her cheeks were chubbier... she's now delightfully known as our little meatball. She is doing wonderfully, sleeping most of the day still and teething away. No actual teeth yet but we expect to see one popping through every morning when we go get her up. She is also able to roll over now both back to front and front to back, though she doesn't like to! She is either content or lazy, or both, but she will occasionally roll over to remind us that she still knows how.

We spent a week in Cape May this August and Ava had such a fun time playing with the Drake family and seeing the ocean for the first time! We have a video of her little toes in the water that eventually we'll get on the computer and post. She wasn't thrilled about the beach but I attribute that to the fact that by the time we fed her, got her suit on, got her lotioned up and on the beach, she was ready to nap again! She did very well though with the perpetual missing of naps and new surroundings. She LOVED playing with her Nana & Grandpa, took a bottle from Nana and Aunt Emily and affectionately spit-up on everyone who held her. Never have I done so much laundry on vacation! Blair and I were blessed with numerous babysitters so we enjoyed time alone almost every day. It was a wonderful time for us to relax and celebrate our anniversary in the place where we got married.

Just a couple of days ago Ava started imitating us and is just beginning to do a little babbling. She loves studying our mouths as we make kissy faces or say "Ma ma ma ma" and will put her lips together or stick her tongue out to imitate. It is so sweet! It's such a thrill to see the little cogs in her brain turning and then see her get it! She's making all kinds of new noises like saying "ma ma ma" and "mmmm" with her bottom lip tucked in under her gums. I can't wait until those sounds turn into a real "mama!"!

Caught in a rainstorm on the beach... Ava loved it!

Sleeping soundly after a night out on the town in Cape May

Laughing with Grammy last week!

Look at Our Big Girl!

July 30th was a big day for Ava!  She sat up for the first time by herself AND rolled over!  She has been so close to rolling over for awhile and we went in to get her after one of her naps and she was on her belly!

She has also started teething.  We noticed she had a slight fever yesterday and has been a little more fussy than usual (which for her means a whimper every now and then).  She is lunging for everything possible that can fit in her mouth!  We are hoping it is a quick and painless process (for all of us) but we shall see.

Ava is 4 Months Old!

Every month it is hard to believe that Ava is another month older.  Where does the time go?  We are having more and more fun with her though as she is growing and getting more active.  She loves to play now, is getting better at grabbing toys (and putting them straight in her mouth), has found her feet and loves to hold onto them!  She hasn't rolled over yet but she is very close.  She's doing much better with tummy time and can hold her head up well but still doesn't like it and often will just lie there ready for a nap!

We had her 4 month doctors appointment a couple days ago and she is doing great.  She's 15 lbs 15 oz and 25 5/8 inches long.  Still in the 90-95 percentile for both weight and length!  We thought maybe she was "thinning out" but apparently not.  She's a chubby one and we love it!  She is still sleeping VERY well both at night and during the day--the doctor said there wasn't anything wrong, just to be thankful that we have such a good sleeper!  We are supposed to now have her on her tummy for the whole time she is awake in order strengthen those muscles since she spends so much time sleeping on her back.  We also found out she has "cradle cap" which is a harmless skin condition on her scalp but it requires some elbow grease during her baths now!  She's so easy going though, we have to scrub her scalp with a toothbrush and she just smiles and plays like it's nothing.  I even was able to clip her toenails while she was awake today and she just let me do it!

Ava's Schedule at 4 Months:

7am: feed and go right back to sleep

10am: feed and then play!

11am: back to sleep for my two hour morning nap

1pm: feed and then play for an hour

2pm: back to sleep for two more hours

4pm: feed and then...more play time!

5pm: back to sleep...

7pm: feed, play, bath, read books with daddy

8pm: back to sleep...

10pm: feed and go right back to sleep

7am: do it all over again!

Ava has responded really well to this schedule and now her days are very predictable.  She rarely cries to eat anymore, she wakes up and either sucks her thumb or coo's in her crib until I come get her to feed her.  Then we play for an hour, she goes back in her crib and immediately starts sucking her thumb again and falls asleep in a few minutes.  She's a wonder baby!

There are more pictures in the Album "Ava in July" of her swimming in her bathtub outside, grabbing her feet, going for walks and playing.  

3 Months Old

Ava is a little over 3 mos. old now and getting cuter every day!  Her smiles are starting to turn to giggles and she is just beginning to enjoy a little playing, especially with her daddy.  She loves being held again (she stopped for awhile) and snuggles into our shoulders.  Her favorite new activity is sitting on Blair's lap, facing him, while he rocks her back and forth so her head flops around!  She giggles and smiles and we love it!

As you can see in these pictures, she's getting even bigger, looking older, and we're getting stronger as we carry her around.  We're sure she's over 15lbs by now but we'll have to wait until next months check-up before we find out for sure.

New albums to the left: "Ava in June", and "Meeting her Great-Grandparents".  I'll also include a link to the album from my sister's baby shower, Ava took her first swim that day at Granddad and Granny's and we got some cute shots!  She was so exhausted by that point so we had to work to keep her awake and not crying but it was all worth it just to see her in her little suit!

10 weeks and Sucking Her Thumb!

I can't seem to figure out how to post pictures where I want them in the blog... anyone know how?

Our little one just keeps getting cuter and cuter by the day.  She is all smiles these days and happy as can be.  We finally got some of those smiles on camera, check out the latest album called "9 1/2 weeks".  Blair has enjoyed practicing his art of photography on such a worthy subject and we're so thankful for some great shots!

Latest big news: Ava has started sucking her thumb!  She never really took a pacifier so we stopped offering it and would let her suck on our pinky fingers occasionally when she needed help calming down.  About two weeks ago she "found" her tongue and started moving it around and smacking her lips.  Around the same time we'd catch her sucking on any part of her hand she could get in her mouth, most often a whole side of her fist, but never a consistent finger.  But just this week she has started consistently sucking her thumb and it is so adorable!  Of course this will cause a lot of heartache when we have to break her of it later but for now we love watching her find her thumb and also are loving that she can soothe herself so well now. This is helping her sleeping schedule during the day because she puts herself to sleep much more quickly and without much fussing, and if she wakes up early she used to cry and cry if she was still tired but now she can put herself back to sleep or entertain herself until nap time is over.  It's wonderful!  She has always been a pretty easy going baby but now she rarely fusses and is very content!  We're so blessed to have her!

Two Months Old!

Today was Ava's 2 month check-up.  Once again she passed with flying colors!  We are so thankful that she is healthy and yes, huge.  She gained another pound in the last two weeks so she's right at 13lbs and 23 inches long.

She also got her first round of shots today and did very well.  She continues to impress us and we're pretty sure we got an "easy" baby!  Last weekend we took our first trip with her and she did amazingly well, sleeping and eating just as she would have if we were home.  She is starting to smile a lot now which we love and keep trying to capture on camera!  We've gotten a couple half smiles but we're still waiting to get that first huge grin.  For now we'll just include this adorable picture that we took while she was sleeping the other day.  Thankfully she's a sound sleeper because every time I go in and see that face I just have to kiss those cheeks!

This second video was taken when we first started getting Ava on a strict feeding & sleeping schedule a couple of weeks ago.  After a few days she started sleeping through the 11pm feeding and this is us trying to wake the very unwakeable Ava Drake.

Finally we've gotten around to posting a couple videos of our adorable Ava!  First a short update... last Wednesday we saw the doctor and she's on zantac for acid reflux.  It hasn't really helped yet but we're still hoping.  We also got her weight on Wednesday... she is 12 lbs!  She's definitely not hurting for more calories, that's for sure.

This first video is of her first bath in the baby tub, taken at about three weeks.  She liked sponge baths but wasn't thrilled about actually sitting in the water.  It's very cute though, she didn't cry, she just whimpered and looked at us like, "I'm not so sure about this!"

Here are some new pictures, taken today.  Ava will be 6 weeks old on Sunday... unbelievable!  Click on the newest picture to the left for the full album.  She is starting to lift her head a lot more, especially when we have her up on a shoulder.  She wants to look at everything around her and is a lot more alert these days.  She is also starting to smile at us!  Still not consistently, but she just melts our hearts every time.

Great news for us-- last night Ava only woke up once to eat!  She did two 5 1/2 hour "shifts".  We are thrilled and hoping that she'll sleep through the night here soon!  I've (Kathryn) been working really hard to keep her on a schedule and it has really helped her sleep better at night.  For all those other new moms out there-- it really works!

Not so great news (for those who like details)-- she's spitting up quite a bit these days so we're heading to the doctor next Wednesday.  Hopefully she can get some medicine for acid reflux to help with the spitting.  It's now waking her up and keeping her awake (and ruining numerous outfits a day), so hopefully she'll outgrow this soon!

Ava has also started making some new noises and her voice is getting louder.  We LOVE listening to her talk to herself when she's trying to fall asleep.  What a cutie!  We've been able to go on lots of walks in this great weather and she loves getting fresh air.  Well really she just loves movement so as long as we keep her rolling, she's happy!  I am very much looking forward to garage sale season.. I'm in the market for a baby swing:)

We took a couple videos of Ava a little while ago that we'll post one of these days so stay tuned!

Has it been 3 weeks already??  Time is flying but we are doing well, sleeping occasionally and loving being parents!  Ava is an amazing little girl, she has a delightful demeanor and is an absolute joy.  This picture is of her first bath (taken about two weeks ago); she was shivering but still didn't cry and loved the attention.  She is focusing her eyes now and just melts us with her stare!  After the first two days of being up most of the night she has gotten into more of a routine.  She still wakes up every 3 hours or so to eat and her "night" is now going from about 6pm-5am but we're on the right track.  We hung a Hungry Caterpillar toy (from Aunt Heather and Uncle Nat) in her bassinet so when she is wide awake at 5am we can keep the light on and snooze a little while she entertains herself.  Even that is a blessing!

Ava can move her head pretty well now, though she still isn't holding it up yet.  She loves spending time under her toys on her play mat.  She just coo's and has started batting at toys with her hands.  She also loves spending time on her tummy, especially across our legs.  She gets totally relaxed and looks so cute all stretched out with her legs dangling.

She had her two week doctors check-up last Monday and she's doing perfectly!  She gained one pound and one oz. since we left the hospital, making her a whopping 9 lbs 6 oz.  Needless to say she's eating well and believe it or not has already outgrown her newborn clothes!  Her little arms and legs (and cheeks) are getting chubbier by the day and she just keeps getting cuter and cuter.  We love her!

After 10 days with my (Kathryn's) mom here and then a few days with Blair's mom helping out, we are now on our own and trying to manage as a family of three.  It is very exciting, fun, a little hectic and very exhausting, but we aren't missing our "old" lives one bit.  We are so thankful though for the help we've received, it's always nice to have an extra pair of hands when people come and visit, and we're grateful for the food and gifts that everyone has so generously sent our way!  The last three weeks have definitely been some of the toughest but most fun and rewarding of our lives and we can't wait for what's to come.

We have also had an unexpected and praiseworthy thing happen since Ava's birth.  As most of you know, my health has been a struggle for the last three years and all of my doctors suspected that I would crash after the birth and have a very rough time recovering and adjusting to such little sleep (and hard work during labor).  However, the opposite has happened!  I was feeling awful through my whole pregnancy but since the birth I have been feeling quite healthy for the first time in years!  I am of course exhausted but it is honestly a relief to feel tired without feeling the accompanied "sick" that was so debilitating before.  We are having a hard time accepting that this will stick around, we are waiting for me to wake up one day feeling awful again.  But, for now this is the reality and against all odds we are thankful I'm doing pretty well.  Please continue to pray that this keeps up and is the start of a much healthier future!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=236800&id=782715178&l=3fb589d017

We need to take some more recent pictures but here is a link to my facebook album of Ava (most were taken in the first week).  You can also click on the album to the left.