Pumpkin Patch

While Kaitlyn was here, we took Ava to a pumpkin patch and let her pick out a pumpkin. 

Of course, Ava had no idea what was going on, but she LOVED running around and picking up the little "Ava-sized" pumpkins. She sorted through the many pumpkins and found her favorite and carried it around constantly for the rest of the time we were there. Auntie got her this cute little festive outfit and she looked so cute running around in her little black and orange. Her favorite part was the little play area (which was free for kids 12 months and under - thank you Ava for being 12 months still for a few days). She ran through the hay mazes, climbed through the tunnels, played bean bags and played in the big pools of beans. Yes, that's right - beans. There were 3 kiddie size swimming pools full of dried lima beans where kids can jump and play in. Ava thought it was hilarious and loved wading through all the beans. By the time we were done and took Ava to the car, she was asleep within minutes - she was worn out! Kaitlyn bought Ava her little pumpkin and once we got home, we put it on top of our entertainment center. She has seriously created her own word for "pumpkin," and is constantly pointing up to her pumpkin saying "shoo-wee" until we get it down for her to play with. 

What a fun day with two of my favorite girlies! :)

Happy Halloween! 

13 months

I told myself that once Ava turned one, I would stop doing the monthly posts about her. BUT, she is just changing and learning so much constantly that I feel like I need to document these things. Instead of a long, drawn-out post, I will just bullet point some of the new things she has learned this month. 

• When I say "Go give this to daddy" and she runs right to Bryson and gives it to him.
• I will ask, "Where's Daddy?" and she starts signing "dad" and walking around the apartment looking for him.
• If I ask "Where's your puppy/cat/baby?" she instantly goes on a hunt to find it and bring it back to me.
• She LOVES to give hugs and kisses and says, "Ahhh" (like "awww) whenever she gives them.
• She has definitely mastered the art of the "Uh oh." Whenever anything drops, she says "Uh oh." And more often than not, she will throw something on the ground just so she can say "uh oh."
• Says bye like "baa" and waves.
• She barks like a puppy when she sees a puppy/her puppy or when we say puppy. 
• Has 2 bottom teeth, 3 molars and 2 top front teeth
• Knows these signs in baby sign language: milk, all done, more, daddy, grandpa, eat, cat
• We are working on these signs: fish, puppy, shoes, bath
• She knows how to say these words: wow, cheese, dada, mama, uh oh, dook (book), hi, ba(bye)
• Almost says: shoes
• Understands and acts when she hears these words (along with many others): dance, jump, kiss, hug
• When Ava sees a baby (which to her is anyone smaller than her), she instantly signs "baby" - she is very curious about babies.
• Blows kisses
• Loves these songs: Itsy Bitsy Spider (motions the spider climbing up the spout), Wheels on the Bus (rolls her arms for the wheels going round and round), No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (touches her head and shakes her finger during the appropriate parts)
• Snuggles and rocks her baby doll and stuffed animals and kisses them with big, wet, open-mouthed kisses. :)
• Jibber Jabbers more and more each day
• No longer drinks formula, drinks whole milk instead (about 16-18oz a day)
• Takes 2 naps a day (about 1.5-2 hours each), goes to bed at 9 and wakes up between 8:45 and 9am. 

Here is a little video of her signing "More Eat" because she wanted some of Kaitlyn's cookie. 

I am seriously in LOVE with my little baby girl - she is nothing but an absolute JOY, so sweet and so fun. I was telling Bryson the other day that if someone had asked me to "design" the perfect baby for me, it would have been exactly Ava. She is my sweet girl and I just adore her. 

Elephant

If this isn't the cutest elephant ever, I don't know what is. 

Family Pictures

I knew that when Kaitlyn was here, I would have to take advantage of her time here and get her to snap a few family pictures of us before I start looking more pregnant. A few last pictures of just the "three of us" - even though it's more like the "three and a half of us" now. :) So, Kaitlyn snapped away and then I edited to my heart's content. :) Ava was NOT cooperating at all during this photo shoot and basically wanted to do everything except smile or sit still for a picture. But at least we got a few of her looking in the general direction of the camera haha. Because Ava is such a wiggly little girl I went into this thinking, "If I even get just ONE picture, I will be happy!" They turned out just as I envisioned and I couldn't be happier! Thanks Kait! :)

20 weeks (almost)

We had our 20 week ultrasound yesterday where they check for everything and really pay attention to areas like the heart, brain, liver, stomach, etc. Everything looks great, and we have a healthy baby boy with all the necessary bits and pieces. :) He is measuring exactly 19 weeks, 3 days (which is exactly what I am). 

He is extremely wiggly and I feel him moving CONSTANTLY much more than I felt Ava moving this early! I have even felt him kicking several times from the outside. 

Anyway, I have gained zero pounds overall, which means I am down a pound from my last appointment 5 weeks ago. This is a complete and total shock to me considering last time my doctor told me to eat more and I have been following her orders strictly and eating any and everything I want. I was convinced I would step on the scale and have gained at least 5 or 6 pounds. Well, I guess that means I can keep eating all the ice cream I want, right. ;)

That's all for now. :)

My Baby MUST-haves

As I start realizing I am HALF WAY through this pregnancy and the next half is only going to go by faster with all the holidays coming up...I have started thinking of all the things I need to get for this baby. Thankfully, I just did this with Ava a mere year ago, so I have most things. I just started thinking of all my favorite things from when Ava was a newborn and thought I'd share my "wisdom" with all 3 of you that read my blog. :)

Of course my must-haves include pacifiers, boppy pillow, zippered pajamas (to avoid frustration of snapping buttons in the middle of the night), breast pump, nursing pads, comfortable nursing bras and nursing TANKS (amazing), blankets, and etc, etc, etc.

But these are the baby things that we loved, and quite frankly SAVED OUR LIVES on many occasions. :)

Pampers Swaddlers:

I had heard good things about these diapers, so I bought them initially when Ava was a newborn. We never had any problems and I thought, "Oh, a diaper is a diaper." So, we tried a less expensive brand and holy blow-out! That's what happens in ALL other diapers except these! Huggies, other Pampers diapers, Kirkland brand. I don't know why...but it happened. Constantly. Once we switched back, the little mustard stains disappeared. Also, they have the nice "indicator strip" down the front and back to show if your baby has a wet diaper (something that is nice when they are brand new, but once they get older, it's pretty obvious when their diapers are wet haha). 

SwaddleMe blankets/wraps:

This was one of those "life savors" for us. Ava fought being swaddled at first. She always tried to wiggle her hands free and because we really weren't good at swaddling, she usually succeeded. I thought, "Oh well, I guess she just doesn't like being swaddled." Then, I put her in one of these and she slept SO much more soundly and peacefully. It was easier to get her to sleep initially AND she slept longer. We have a cotton one and a fleece one. Of course, all the ones I have a PINK and purple and flowery, so I will be purchasing several of these in blues and greens. 

Fisher-Price Newborn Rock n'Play Sleeper:

I SWEAR by this thing. I love it and absolutely believe it (along with swaddling and white noise) helped Ava sleep so well at such a young age. She slept in this every night for the first 3 months of her life. It is slightly elevated, which is great for babies with reflux. Ava didn't have bad reflux, but she still slept much better slightly elevated than flat on her back. I just rolled my eyes when people would say, "Well, she needs to learn to sleep on her back..." Blah blah blah - let me tell you, she learned how to do that just fine. And while all the other babies were "learning to sleep on their backs" during the first 3 months, I was sleeping peacefully while Ava slept in this awesome little thing. If she woke up at night, I would lean over and rock it and she would fall back asleep many times. I can't say enough good things about this sleeper. 

iBaby Feed ap for your iPhone:
So for the first weeks and even months of your baby's life, you are supposed to keep track of how long it has been between feedings. And if you are nursing, you need to keep of track of which side you nursed from last and for how long.  Before Ava was born I honestly thought it would just be "obvious."  Maybe for you it will be...but for me, no. It was not obvious and I would forget every single time if I didn't record it. Using a piece of paper was just annoying and frustrating and tedious. Then I found this beautiful, incredibly user-friendly ap on my iPhone (I didn't get an iPhone until Ava was a few weeks old). It. is. wonderful! I used it until she was 8 months old - because I LOVE keeping track of things! Designed by and for breastfeeding/nursing mothers who want to track when and for how long their baby feeds, whether from breast, bottle or expressed milk. It even includes a useful reminder for which breast to start on each time.

White Noise by TMSOFT ap for your iPhone:
I am also a 100% believer in white noise for babies. Ava was calmed instantly when we used white noise and she slept like a CHAMP when she would sleep with a white noise machine. White noise machines are bulky and expensive and I didn't want to buy one...so I found this ap on my iPhone and tested it out. First, I bought the one that was free and it worked wonders. Then, I realized how much I used it and I upgraded to the $1.99 version which allows you to multitask so the white noise wouldn't turn off anytime you needed to send a text or check your email. And it traveled with us everywhere, soothing her in the car, airplane and grandparent's houses. We loved it! We used Heavy Rain Pouring.

Butt Paste:
Anytime Ava has had a diaper rash, we smother this all over her behind and it's gone by the morning. No joke, this stuff is the best. Ava's pediatrician asked once, "What diaper rash cream do you use, if any?" and I pulled out my travel-size Butt Paste and she said, "Yep, that's what all the mom's say is the best." So, me-approved, mom-approved.

Nose Frida:
This is a modern take on those blue bulb nasal aspirators you take home from the hospital...those things do not work very well and babies HATE them. Well, enter NoseFrida...scariest but most brilliant creation I've ever owned. To this day, I have never actually used it on Ava myself, I always have Bryson do it because...well, I am scared haha. But don't be scared haha. Basically, you stick it in their runny, snotty nose, and stick the other end of the long tube into your mouth and you SUCK out the snot. There is a filter that magically stops any and all "debris" from getting anywhere close to your mouth. And...it WORKS! You might be weary, BUT believe me, in the middle of the night when your baby can't sleep because she can't breathe with all that junk in her nose, you will be sooo happy to suck the snot out and go back to sleep without losing your mind. It's only about $15 and totally worth it!

Other Things I Loved:

• Aiden and Anais swaddle blankets (even though I have no idea how to pronounce it without saying something I probably shouldn't...) haha. These are awesome and just get softer and softer every time you wash them.
• Diaper Genie Elite II. I know, I know... most of you will disagree, but when we moved when Ava was about 6 months old, our Diaper Genie was stollen. It wasn't until I didn't have it that I realized how much I really loved it. It's great for apartment living, never smells bad and is very easy and convenient. When it was stollen, I initially replaced it with a cheaper Baby Trend Diaper Champ because you can use your own trash bags. No, no, no, no, no. It smelled horrible and, just yuck. Diaper Genie Elite II all the way. 

Things I WISHED I had:

• Video baby monitor
• Ergo Baby carrier. The Baby Bjorn just hurt my back after Ava was 6 or 7 months old. 
• Moby Wrap (or similar wrap for newborns). Probably going to be a must-have to handle baby number 2 and an 18 month old without going insane. :)

Alight, I'm tired and can't think of anything else. 

Good night. :)

Videos

These are some random videos from the last little while that I found on my phone. Enjoy.

Ava is always SO sleepy on the 5 minute drive home from church (we get out an hour after her naptime). We always try to keep her awake so she will go right to sleep once we get home, but it's always a struggle. Sweet, sleepy girl haha. 

Ava loves climbing all over the couch, which gives me heart attacks constantly. Her pediatrician said "let her fall sometimes so she learns balance and boundaries." I still always watch her very closely and never let her play on the couch alone, but I caught this on camera and thought it was too funny not to share. 

Ava saying "Dad." Or at least trying to. 

Ava has "good" ball handling skills haha. It does look kind of impressive, like she might actually be coordinated unlike her mom. Thank you Bryson for those athletic genes. 

Happy birthday Ava!

Playing with Daddy. 

Touchdown! (Annnnd her shirt is too small haha)

This video makes me laugh. This is how Ava gives kisses - very wet and very sloppy. :)

This is the most random one of them all, I just think she looks cute. She is very snuggly and loves to be on my lap or sitting right next to me 95% of the time when we are home. 

Wow, that's a lot. Sorry for the major overload! :)

My sweet girl

I feel like I say this every month, but I am LOVING this age that Ava is right now!

She is so curious, so sweet and snuggly, so happy and she has this cute little sense of humor. 

She is incredibly social and loves people. 

She is learning things so quickly - and sometimes seems like she learns something new every day. 

She is constantly reaching for anything I am holding so she can hold it herself. 

And she has mastered the art of the point and reach while grunting "Uh, uh, uh" - 

trying so hard to get what she wants as soon as possible. 

To me, she is just beautiful...with her little perfect porcelain skin, dark eyes and blondie hair. 

She has the juiciest lips and beautiful long, dark eyelashes. 

Mostly I love that she is my little buddy - my constant shadow. 

She loves following me around, climbing onto the couch anytime I sit down, or hugging onto my legs while I wash the dishes or make dinner. 

She is truly a sweet, sweet baby girl. 

And speaking of my baby girl, she just woke up from her nap, so I'm off to get her. :)

Prego update: 18 weeks

Great news! 

My uterus is now the size of a cantaloupe! (A fact I KNOW you've been dying to know!)

And it's housing a growing baby boy the size of a mango!

In case you haven't held a mango in your hands in a while...

that's about 6 inches crown to rump (or the length of your open palm).

Craziness!

And because I know you're wondering what a uterus the size of a cantaloupe has done to my body...

This was 8 weeks (left) and now 18 weeks (right).

This is me 17 weeks pregnant with Ava (left) and 18 weeks pregnant with baby boy (right). 

I am definitely still in the "fat" stage, but looking more pregnant every day. 

New and exciting things:

• I feel my baby boy moving ALL the time. I must have ABsolutely ;) no abdominal muscles after having Ava or he is destined to be a soccer player...because I have even felt him kicking from the outside already! Always moving. Best feeling in the world.
• I am feeling GREAT - in fact SO great that I would forget completely that I was pregnant if I didn't have this ever-expanding waistline or if I wasn't being sucker-punched in the bladder 24/7. :)
• No food aversions, no cravings, little to no nausea. I do have heartburn, but that's about it. My boy is already being so good to his momma. :)
• I am so completely in love, love, love with the fact that I am having a boy! I have ALWAYS wanted a baby boy and can't imagine a more perfect scenario than having a baby boy join our family! 
• I am also completely terrified of being a mom of two kids under the age of two. There, I said it. 

But mostly, we can't wait to meet this sweet little baby brother!

Take your time little guy, you still have a lot of growing to do! 

But know that I already love you oh so much! :)

I already have his coming home from the hospital outfit, courtesy of Grandma Schooff. 

Perfection.