Random...very random

Well, Ava is 5 weeks old today!!! I have been enjoying every minute with her and when I'm sleep deprived I remind myself that soon I'll be at school wishing I was with her. I know I'll enjoy going back to work because I do love my job, but it's going to be hard at first! I can even say I haven't minded doing the housework, keeping the laundry done (giving Trav a break from his 'job' of laundry), and doing housewifey type of things. haha! And really, I can't complain too much in the sleep dept. Since I don't really plan much before 11:00, I can go back to sleep til about 9:00 or so, which I usually do! Last night she slept from midnight to 4:30am and then from 5-8. This was what I was greeted with when I started talking to her in her crib when I went in there. What a sweetie!!!











Yesterday, my Aunt Deb, cousin Abi and her daughter Dasani, and cousin Megan and her son, Reddington came up for lunch. I'll post pics soon! We went to Olive Garden and then did some shopping. Megan had this necklace on from Lisa Leonard online (www.lisaleonardonline.com) and I LOVED it so I just ordered one for me. :) Thanks for the coupon code Meg!!! Mine will say "Our Family Travis Stephanie Ava" I can't wait to get it!

Tonight we are having a date night! My friend Nanci is coming over to babysit. Yay! We're going to see Transformers. Travis has been dying to see it! I liked the first one so I'm sure it'll be good. Then tomorrow I have to finish laundry, pack and prepare for our Chicago trip. We leave Thursday and then have the rooftop Cubs game on Friday!!!!!! It's been planned for MONTHS and I can't wait! Being away from Ava is hard--I have a hard time having fun because I miss her but she'll be with Grandma Holtman in the hotel or out and about in Chi-town. :) Then it's to Kim's pool for the 4th.

Lemonade Stand Pie

This is the YUMMIEST recipe - especially for this hot weather we've been having - (and this is coming from a chocolate lover). I got it from my BFF, Anne.

Lemonade Stand Pie

1/3 c. Country Time Lemonade drink mix
1/2 c. cold water
2 c. vanilla ice cream - softened
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip - thawed
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Place drink mix in bowl. Add water. Stir until dissolved. Add ice cream. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Stir in whipped topping. Pour into pie crust. Freeze 4 hours.

Enjoy!!

4 weeks old!

Ava is 4 weeks old already!!! I got the Pottery Barn chair--yay! I love it. Now I can take her pic each month to see how much she's grown. I was cracking up when I took these--she was just hanging out.

"No--I will NOT look at the camera!"

"Oh--ok!"

Bathtime

Ava had her first real bath! She loves it--despite the evil eyes she's giving the camera! hehe! Usually she just lays there enjoying the warm water. :)

Father's Day Pics

Happy 1st Father's Day!

I just wanted to say just how lucky I am to have such a wonderful husband. He is my best friend and I have loved beginning this new journey of being parents with him. Ava is one lucky little girl to have such a great daddy! I think I see a 'Daddy's Girl' in our future.

We celebrated by going to Ming's last night (one of Trav's faves is Chinese and I never want to go there). They do have crab legs so I allowed it. :-) Ava and I got him a Cubs grill cover which he loved AND we had Taco Bell (another Trav favorite) for lunch today (fancy I know!).

We love you!

Trip to Gma's!

Travis, Ava and I went home this weekend so he could go to a buddy's wedding. I hung out at my mom's with the girls. They had a blast. Anne and Ethan also stopped by. :)

Visitors :)

Ava is definitely a blessed little girl! Here are pictures of all of the visitors we've had in the hospital and at home. I think Cristie and Stacy (SORRY!) are the only ones I missed getting their picture. My Aunt Debbie also came over but I need to find the picture--wondering if maybe it's on my mom's camera.

Thank you to everyone for all of the well-wishes, cards, gifts, and love! She has changed our lives already and we love her to death!



From top left (clockwise): Steph, Katie, Annie (teacher friends), Wendy (friend); Pauly (friend); Great-Gma Cunningham; Great Aunt Sheri, Aunt Bridgett, Great Gma Bettis, Grandma Holtman; Isabelle and Olivia (cousins); Grandma and Grandpa Cunningham; Kim (friend); Denni and Brian (my sub for the end of the year and her son--one of my students!)



From top left (clockwise): Jamie (Trav's buddy); Sara (teacher friend); Jaime (BFF from college); Great Aunt Sheri; Great Gma Bettis; Grandma Holtman; Nanci (friend from Macomb now lives in Blm); Dana (teacher friend)



From top left (clockwise): Karen (friend); Brooke (friend); Aunt Genna; Great Gma Cunningham; Brooke (friend); Kim and Lauren (and Craig); Anne (BFF from high school and college); Grandma Cunningham

Sheri's

Abi

Anna

Grandma

Family Fun

Last week I made the trek over to Forsyth to my aunt Sheri's with Little Miss Ava. The trip went fine! She's still getting used to the carseat I think though, so I am always afraid she is going to start crying while I'm driving alone with her. :) We spent the day visiting with my Mom, Aunt Sheri, Grandma, and cousins Anna - home from Arizona, Abi, and Megan. Ava met Megan and Nate's little guy Reddington for the first time! He's such a doll!

We had fun and I actually got a little bit of sun time chilling on Sheri and Bret's new deck! Ava and I even matched (not on purpose!). I got her a few new outfits in newborn because she wasn't quite in the 0-3 month stuff yet but this particular outfit must run small. She won't be able to wear it again because I realized when I went to change her diaper that it was a little tight on her little leggies! Of course I had backup outfits but I'm so mad because it is sooo cute!

Newborn Pictures

My Uncle Dennis and his wife Lori came up last weekend to take Ava's newborn pictures. Lori also took the maternity photos we had done. Thanks again Lori for everything!!!!

These are just a sample!! and we love them all! I have no idea how I am going to choose so I'm sure I'll end up with one of each. :)

Newborn Pictures

Time Flies When You're Havin' Fun

Tomorrow Ava will already be 2 weeks old!!! Not sure how that is possible. Things are continuing to go extremely well. Please pray it stays that way. :) Ava is as sweet as ever. I just can't believe the miracle of having a baby and I already seem to forget that she was actually in my belly. Thank you to everyone for coming to meet her in the last 2 weeks and for the well-wishes!

I am feeling really great for it only being 2 weeks after my c-section. I was all freaked out about having it (before...) but really it's not all that bad. Anne was here yesterday and today so we took Ava to the mall today. She did great! I had to have a feeding session in the dressing room at Kohls and she only cried one other time and was fine once I took her out of the carseat for a bit. It was fun to actually shop in normal departments for me and of course I found a few cute outfits for Ava. I guess everyone had the same idea when buying her clothes because I'll have plenty of the bigger sizes but only really had a few newborn things. I know she'll outgrow those super fast anyway!

Ava is also doing really well. Breastfeeding is going well and she is sleeping about 4 hours at night so I can't complain. We go for her next appointment this Wednesday. I can't wait to see how much she weighs because I SWEAR she is already growing like crazy!!!

She had her first trip to Trav's office, her first sponge bath (and I've washed just her hair several times of course!), and I've since clipped her nails TWICE and I think a few need it again--so no more mittens. hehe! We also had newborn pictures, which I'll post soon. They are absolutely adorable!! My Uncle Dennis and his wife Lori came up to take them (same as maternity photos).

Since I'm feeling human again, I am venturing out to Decatur (Forsyth) tomorrow to see my mom, aunt, cousins, and gma. I'm a little nervous but as long as I feed Ava soon before I leave, she should be fine. She seems to like the car rides and stroller rides so hopefully no crying while I'm trying to drive there! :)

One Week!

Ava is one week old today! It's hard to believe how much we can love her after only knowing her for just one week! I could stare at her all day and just watch her cute little facial expressions and listen to her little noises she makes. Just thinking about her brings tears to my eyes! We feel so lucky to have such a perfect, healthy, baby. Travis has amazed me at how great of a dad he is! Not that I had any doubts but it is so true that when it is your own baby, it is totally different. He said the cutest thing while we were still in the hospital--'a baby crying went from being kind of annoying (I think was the word) to him thinking 'what can I do to help her??' I can already tell I am going to be a wreck when I have to go back to work in August! and I'm lucky to get more than the 6 weeks that some people get. I'll actually get all summer!!!

Things have been going really well. She started breastfeeding immediately, has been pooping regularly and usually sleeps for about 3 hours at a time, so we can't complain! She had her first doctor's appointment today. Dr. Emm says he has no concerns. She is back up to her birth weight though he'll check her again at our next appointment in another week. He asked if that was just from breastfeeding alone so I guess that's good! She grew in length too! Whohoo Ava!

I also had an appointment today to get my staples out and other than a small area that she said was a little too red for her liking, all is well. I have to cleanse it with peroxide and keep an eye on it--no need for antibiotics yet. I just need to take it easy and not overdo it. I am feeling pretty good so it's easy for me to start doing too much. Trust me, though, I am still leaving the laundry up to Trav!

Here are a few pictures from her first week of life!

Proud Daddy!

Cousins :)

Little sweetie!

Going home!

Going to the Dr.!

Grandma Holtman stayed the weekend with us spoiling all 3 of us! She cooked several meals, cleaned and helped take care of Ava. We couldn't have done it without her! It definitely made the transition home go smoothly.