Thursday, August 12, 2010

Ava is 2 Months!


My sweet baby is already 2 months old! I can't believe how fast time flies by.
She went in for her 2 month check-up yesterday. She is: 12lbs 12oz and 23.5 in long! Her head measured at 40.8 (cm?). I forgot to ask about how she compares to other babies this time.

She's been extra cute lately. I'm going to miss the newborn stage but I am loving all her new sounds and smiles. Every time I rescue her from her crib, she welcomes me with a huge smile and "coo" for her mama. She's getting really good at holding her head up but can't quite do it all the time. She is definitely an on-the-go baby. She loves to be moving and walking around. I'm so glad she's finally getting used to the Baby Bjorn. It has come in very handy when I have things I need to get done!

I'm so glad to finally have a cousin picture that Ava got to be in! Ramsey did such a great job holding her.


I'm glad Abigail liked Ava's bow so much! haha!


Wednesday, July 28, 2010

All Clear!

I went for my 6 week check up today and got the thumbs up! Everything is back to "normal" haha. I was so scared and nervous all through my pregnancy that recovery would be so hard for me. Given the genes I have, I was almost certain something unusual would pop up, so I prayed very hard that God would bless me through the whole experience. That's just what He did. Once I realized that the pain prescriptions were not necessarily a "just in case," I returned back to comfortable living quickly. Not only has everything shrunk to its appropriate size, but I have also already lost more than just my baby weight :) Total, including Ava, I have lost 40 pounds since June 11th! Although some of my pants are still fitting just a little off, I feel so much better. God has really blessed me with everything. I couldn't have asked for a better pregnancy or recovery and I thank Him every day for the sweet gift He has given me. I know I have a long road ahead of me, but I have never been more at peace with the way my life is headed.

Please keep praying that I find a church I can dig into. Ava and I finally made it out to church this week to a place down the street called Highpoint Fellowship. I pass it a lot to and from the house and wanted to visit. I was not pleased with the experience, but I think I'm going to give a different service another try. The pastor made a note while talking that the service we attended was the "rowdy" group. There was a lot of verbal shout outs in the middle of the service (a small service) and it was just a little on the distracting side. I will say, however, that the people of the church were very friendly and welcoming. :) I'm planning on returning to Hill Country this fall for another bible study on Corinthians and I'm looking forward to it for several reasons. It's at 6:30 in the morning, so I'm hoping it will encourage me to get up early and stay up so I can get focused on homework and also so I can come out the other side more knowledgeable of God's Word. I know general knowledge of the more known stories, but I would like to be able to know where to turn when I need some guidance.

Ava had her first taste of Starbucks today...
...not really, but Grammy and I had a good laugh!

She got this way all by herself :)

Ava and I at my birthday dinner. Thanks to Dustin and the fam for meeting up with us that night!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Swim Time!

Ava put on her cute lil swimsuit and made her first dip in the pool! She wasn't the biggest fan of the water but she sure looked sweet! She was the center of attention from several pool-goers!


Grammy holding Ava in the pool

After a nice long walk, Grammy, Ava and I went for a dip. It made for a refreshing walk home :)

Ava has picked up putting her thumb in her mouth, so we made a compromise. She puts her finger in her paci, and then in her mouth! Haha clever mama!

Grammy reading Ava her mama's favorite book as a kid!

She was so interested in the book! She's gonna be a reader just like mama!

Lucy playing protector...hiding under Ava's bed!

Monday, July 12, 2010

It's Been A Month!

I can't believe it's already been a month! Little Ava is growing so fast! She has just about outgrown all her newborn outfits and it makes me sad! She had some really cute ones that I'm going to miss seeing on her!

I have really enjoyed this first month of motherhood. Ava is such a wonderful baby. She sleeps very well at night and has gotten a lot better at going right back to sleep when she wakes up to nurse. We've been pretty lazy these days, mostly sleeping, eating and hanging out. Watching her sleep is better than any tv show or movie i've ever seen!

Ava is becoming quite the traveler. She made her first trip to Arlington just a couple weeks old and did very well with the whole experience. We visited with Logan and the family and stayed with Mrs. Crane and Elise. Last week we decided to go visit Granny so she could meet Ava. It turned into a trip to Granny's, a trip to Emil's, and then a trip to San Antonio to visit with Yvonne Giles and her daughter Kristen. After staying in San Antonio, we went and visited Grandma and the George family at the hospital. It was fun getting to catch up with everyone but I was sure happy to be home in my own bed.

Granny burping Ava

Ava taking a nap in PawPaw's chair

Aunt Jan holding Ava

Becca holding Ava

Grandma visiting with Ava

This weekend Ava is once again on the road! We will be going to Houston to help Jason and Steph out with the new house and then going to Ruggle's for dessert for my birthday! With my little chunky monkey taking up all my time, I hardly realized until this week that my birthday is coming up! Can't wait to taste that sweet goodness at Ruggle's.

It's been a month since we've been home, and we have yet to make it out for church on Sunday. Please pray that I find a church that meets both mine and Ava's needs. I would really like to find a place that I enjoy and feel comfortable at. I'm really in need of some good Christian friends who I can turn to. Thank you for everyone who has been here for Ava and I. Every word of advice and kind gifts have been extremely helpful! I would be lost in this world of motherhood with it!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

All About Ava

Proud Mama Before the Hospital



I thought that moment would never come. After June 5th came and went, every day seemed to drag on. I spent all day watching the clock and counting down the hours until I got to leave for the hospital. As much as I dreamed about my little girl, I never knew I could feel this way about anyone.

Sweet Baby Ava Renee
Born 8:56 PM, June 11, 2010
8 lbs 3 oz
20.5 in












Ava and I would like to thank everyone who came to the hospital to visit. It meant a lot to have family and friends there. I know it was a bit out of the way for some of you, but it was very much appreciated.

Since we've been home, Ava has adapted very well to living outside my tummy. I still can't believe she fit inside me. Some nights are better than others, but for the most part she's letting me get at least 5 or 6 hours of sleep. I'm so grateful for that and hope it lasts. Apparently, at some point I missed the part where I became an all-you-can-eat buffet. She eats like crazy! I have a feeling she'll be packing on the lbs in no time at all. Other than sleeping, eating, and of course pooping, she has really shown a cute personality. She's got the cutest smiles (I don't care if they're from gas or not) and I love just holding her and spending time together. I can't wait to see what the years ahead look like, but on the other hand, I wish she would stay this little forever.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Talk About the Water Works...

For some reason, I had this desire to hole up in my recliner and surf through people's blogs this evening. I have had a lot on my mind recently with just a couple weeks to go and wanted some kind of escape. What I got was something completely different. I came across a popular blog, that some of you know, Bring the Rain.

I don't think this story could have come at a better time. With so much left to do, I have strayed from the one place I have needed to be the most, my Bible. I can feel it in my soul, slipping away as I go through the days of the week. It's like a constant reminder in the back of my mind telling me the longer I stay away, the farther I'm going to stray. I keep having these little conversations in my head with God admitting to my absence and asking more or less rhetorically, when are you gonna get my attention again? It's like I'm trying to see how far I can push him before he says, Yup that's too far Sarah.

I was feeling, for the most part, that things were going as best as they possibly could, based on the circumstances. Today, however, I felt a shift. I felt like things may not work out as planned. I felt the doubt in the decisions I had, until today, thought pretty certain of. I know everyone has my best interests at heart and want only the best and to help in any way they can. That's what friends and family are for in times like this, and I certainly have an amazing group of people surrounding me. But what happens when you disagree with the people's opinions that mean the most to you? How are you supposed to handle that? I mean, I feel like I'll be letting someone down if I don't agree with how they think I should do things. I feel guilty for not wanting to do it their way. What does that mean? I'm completely and utterly terrified by the choices I am being forced to make. I'm not ready for this. Not in the least. I know it's all apart of the consequences that go along with my actions, but that doesn't mean it makes it any easier.

This brings me back to the blog I came across. For those of you that don't know, it's about the story of a baby destined for heaven from her mother's sweet womb. From several complications, her parents were told she would not live. I started from the beginning post, and read for hours, all the way through to her passing in the hospital. I read about the pain this family endured through only to know that she would never come home. I cried after almost every entry her mother posted. I sat here bewildered by her feircesome and unmoving faith in her Savior. To sit here and feel Ava twirl and kick like crazy and read about another woman's trial of losing her angel was incredibly hard to bear. I couldn't help but imagine being in her shoes and wondering how differently I would have handled that situation. Would I have had the strength to not only carry her as long as possible, but rejoice in knowing God has a plan for her that doesn't involve remaining in this world with me? I envy that faith and love for God. I want to be able to stand firm no matter what happens, knowing it's in God's hands and it is being done for His will. I want to be that person who can say, "I think that my Jesus is the same as He was before I walked into this room," even when it means losing something incredibly precious like a baby. I want to be able to make that statement that no matter what happens, He is always there and unchanging. I know this in my heart, but it's completely different when things aren't going my way.

The discovery of this blog I think has acted as more or less like a shockwave into my heart. I have felt things in my heart tonight that I haven't felt in weeks. I couldn't help but think about her story even after I was done reading. It added that weight on my soul that I needed. A reminder to not let the true desires of my heart slip away just because I feel too busy to take 30 minutes out of my day to spend it with God. I encourage anyone that hasn't already, to check out her blog here.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The Worst Pain Ever!

I have to say, when people tell me, "Don't worry, this is so much worse than childbirth," i feel relieved. It. Is. Excruciating. Kidney stones are horrible. I was so worried about what to do when the time to deliver came. I didn't know if I could handle the pain, should i get an epideral, should i just stick it out? I have never been so appreciative of high powered drugs. They saved my sanity and I am so very thankful! I'm feeling much better now, although the pain in my left side is starting to come back and I'm worried that I might have another one on its way :(

There is definitely one positive, if I could get through this, I could get through childbirth. They ran several tests trying to figure out what was going on and what needed to be done if i didn't pass a stone. I got to have another ultrasound and see my sweet baby Ava! She is huge already! I still have another 4 weeks or so to go and she is estimated at already 6 lbs 14 oz! All the nurses kept commenting on how big she was. She has such precious lips. It's amazing what you can see in an ultrasound. She was yawning and posing for us, it was so cute! I can't wait to meet her! She seems to fancy my ribs and loves letting me know she's in there! I can't believe how close I am to holding my sweet baby!