New Years Eve

Today Ava and I went to Amanda's house to visit her and the kids! It was so much fun! Ava loves playing with her boys and someday she'll love playing with Lucy too. It was funny to see Ava try to "play" with Lucy. Since she Lucy is 3 1/2 months and Ava is 9 1/2 months it didn't work too well but someday that age difference will seem like nothing. Ava and Noah have a little thing going on though, so hopefully Lucy doesn't mind if Ava dates her brother. We are planning their wedding already :)

After the play date Dan and I went and got dinner at Texas Roadhouse (our favorite) and celebrated what a wonderful year we have had. It certainly had its ups and downs. I have found as the good in my life gets even more precious and sweet the down points get even worse and lonesome but that's life. We take the good with the bad. Someone told me recently that life is rather fragile. That is how our creator made it and intended it to be. The idea of life being fragile just got me mad but after thinking about it, because of the uncertainty we can cherish each moment. Thats one thing I tried to live by this year, live each moment to the fullest because each moment is a blessing.

Playdates

These little girlfriends are just 35 hours apart age difference (huge size difference though). We love getting together with Chloe when we are in town!I love my friend and their cute little boys :) (or as I call them, all of Ava's boyfriends) These are all of Ava and Shawn (Ava is 2 weeks older than Shawn)

More pictures from our trip

Ava's 1st Christmas

I can't believe Ava's first Christmas is already over! It was so much fun! We couldn't have asked for a better day and a happier Christmas. Ava is so loved and for sure a first and only grandchild in this family! She quadrupled her toy count and was so happy to see everyone and play today! She even needed 4 naps today! We love Ava so much and what a wonderful day we had. I am also so thankful we were able to spend this Christmas in Arizona with my family.

Christmas Eve at Grandpas

In a motel in Saint George

I'm sitting awake in a motel in Saint George right now. I can't sleep (well I did from 7:30-9:30pm) but woke up wide awake after that. Ava and Dan are both asleep right now. We started our Christmas trip today with the intent of getting to Vegas. I knew in my mind if we encountered weather at all we would be stopping in St George because I wouldn't be able to handle the rest of the drive. The first 2 hours of the trip we drove through fog. Not fun. The last hour we drove through a complete scary down pour. As other cars passed us we could not see anything in front of us as our wipers could not go fast enough.

If you know me, you know I hate driving during any kind of weather. Snow, rain, wind. I hate it. I'd say I have a major driving phobia. I'm a huge chicken and its gotten worse since having Ava. I used to just be scared for myself but now I'm scared for my baby too. I don't want Ava to be afraid of the same things I am so I am trying to get help now so that she can grow up and not think its normal for mom to freak out while driving.

Anyway so we stopped here in St George and got a motel room. This is the first time we have ever done this and can I say, its not a bad idea. I love staying with family members but this does have the added bonus of not feeling like I'm imposing on anyone or worrying that Ava is going to mess something up at someones house. We all sat around this afternoon watching game shows on the king bed and it was so much fun.

Can't wait for Ava's first Christmas on Saturday. Dan and I got her 2 gifts... I had the intent on buying her more but with an overly generous family, there wasn't much else to get. So instead I finished her birthday and Christmas shopping at the same time. I can't wait for her big birthday present. Its adorable and a zebra print!

Sorry for my ramblings, this is what happens when I can't sleep in a strange place :)

Superwoman

Oh my crazy baby

AH

Less than 2 hours after my last post, Ava crawled on her knees instead of her stomach, crawled on over to her toy play table and pulled herself up!!! I was so shocked! Man things just happen so fast!

9 Month Appointment

Its official, Ava is triple her weight from when she was born!! So strange. And she is 11 inches taller. I cannot even remember what it is like to have a little 7 pound baby anymore!

Took Ava to her 9 month appointment today! Dr said her ears are looking better. She also said if she gets 2 more ear infections by her birthday then we need to do tubes. I don't want to do tubes so I pray she doesn't get anymore ear infections, which means we really need to work on her not getting colds.

She is 22 pounds 14 ounces and 30 1/2 inches tall. They said she is still off the charts in height of course. She got a shot and I was shocked she didn't even flinch. It was very unusual for Ava. She just played with the cup the Dr gave her.

She is doing well, happy as can be. The doctor mentioned that we shouldn't turn her forward facing in her car seat yet even though she is heavy enough according to the law. I told her not to worry, I'm not turning her forward facing until I absolutely have to. I'm glad they bring it up at the 9 month appointment and not wait till the 1 year appointment.

I can't believe in just 3 months Ava will be 1. Its all gone by too fast. We made her 1 year appointment for the day after her birthday. Its crazy to think that in just 3 months she could go from just crawling to pulling up on furniture, cruising, standing, walking and getting teeth!! So weird.

Anyway Ava is now tall enough to be in 18 month clothes but her 12 month clothes still fit so we will just go with whatever. She has so many clothes we are never short on outfits for Ava. Maybe me and Dan but never Ava. I just bought a bunch of 2T clothes... I couldn't resist this Gymboree Poppy line and Ava already has a ton of 18 and 24 month clothes. It seems like I'll always just be buying 2-3 sizes ahead. That has to stop at some point! I need to stop hoarding baby clothes! We really don't have room to store it all!!

A year in photos

January

Set up Ava's crib and got the nursery doneFebruary
Ava's Baby Shower on Valentines Day
March
This little girl was born :)

April
Blessed Ava
May
Celebrated my first Mothers Day
June
I turned 24 and started my etsy shop
July
Took a trip to Utah and Dan got 2 job offers and we moved
August
Ava's first trip to the zoo and first time getting sick
September
Went to Las Vegas, Dan turned 24 and we bought our Minivan

October
Ava was a lady bug for her first Halloween
November
Ava's first Thanksgiving and real snow
December
Ava's first Christmas

9 Months

Its amazing how LONG 9 months feels when you are pregnant and how short it feels when you have a 9 month old!

On Wednesday Ava will be 9 months old and that will also be the same day that I will have officially had Ava out of my body longer than in it. She was born 39 weeks and 1 day and Wednesday she will be 39 weeks and 2 days old :)

I always wonder if a 2nd pregnancy goes by faster than the first because waiting for the first was the longest 9 months of my life!

OH and today is my wonderful Mother's birthday!!! AND one year ago today was also the very first time Dan felt Ava kick. Yes I was almost to my 3rd trimester but he was never patient enough to feel her move till then or he wasn't awake for it. She was most active in the middle of the night. Funny thing (or not) she still is. That girl kicks and wiggles and moves more in her sleep than any other person I've ever met. You cannot cuddle with her while she is sleeping or she will hurt you!