first birthday as a mommy

I always remember my parents acting like their birthday was not a big deal. As a little girl I could never understand this, birthdays are ALWAYS a big deal or at least they made me feel like mine was. 2 years ago it finally hit me that "it's just another birthday." Sometimes I forget how old I am because the years smush together and I know they are going to do much more smushing because there is someone else that I am constantly thinking about. But, my husband and daughter still gave me a fabulous day/weekend.

 my birthday flowers from josh and ava

 my card

 my beautiful coat from josh

 and 2 new necklaces :)

it won't be like this for long......

This is the current theme song in our house and I'm sure it will be for years to come. It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5zCaRaJ-kE

He didn't have to wake up
He'd been up all night
Layin’ there in bed listenin’
To his new born baby cry
He makes a pot of coffee
He splashes water on his face
His wife gives him a kiss and says
It gonna be OK

It won’t be like this for long
One day we'll look back laughin’
At the week we brought her home
This phase is gonna fly by
So baby just hold on
‘Cause it won't be like this for long

Four years later ‘bout 4:30
She's crawling in their bed
And when he drops her off at preschool
She's clinging to his leg
The teacher peels her off of him
He says what can I do
She says now don't you worry
This’ll only last a week or two

It won’t be like this for long
One day soon you'll drop her off
And she won’t even know you're gone
This phase is gonna fly by
If you can just hold on
It won’t be like this for long

Some day soon she'll be a teenager
And at times he'll think she hates him
Then he'll walk her down the aisle
And he'll raise her veil
But right now she's up and cryin’
And the truth is that he don't mind
As he kisses her good night
And she says her prayers

He lays down there beside her
‘Til her eyes are finally closed
And just watchin’ her it breaks his heart
Cause he already knows

It won’t be like this for long
One day soon that little girl is gonna be
All grown up and gone
Yeah, this phase is gonna fly by
So, he's tryin’ to hold on

‘Cause it won’t be like this for long

It won’t be like this for long

It won’t be like this for long

Ava Marie, has arrived

Well, it has been almost a full 2 weeks since my baby girl was brought into the world. It has been such an amazing experience thus far. Josh expressed this perfectly when he said it is like a void that I never knew I had has been filled.

2 weeks ago in the early morning hours I began having contractions. Josh and I were not very convinced if they were the real deal or not and I was afraid that if we went to the hospital again they would send me home. Josh went ahead and fell asleep. I attempted to take a show to dull the pain, lay down on the couch, drink lots of water... all of the things they told me to do when I was discharged from the hospital for just having signs of early labor. After dealing with contractions coming 2-5 minutes apart for 2 hours my mom advised me to go ahead and call the Dr. I woke up Josh and explained that this time was the real deal. We headed over to the hospital and I was admitted around 4:00am I was sent over to labor and delivery at 4:30am, I was 3cm and 70%.

40 weeks and 4 days

Ice chips became the only food/drink I was able to have. I had informed the nurses that I wanted to hold off on the epidural as long as I could afraid that it may slow the progress of dilating. Around 7:00 am the doctor decided to go ahead and start Pitocin because although I was having regular contractions they were not causing anything to happen, and if they were going to give me Pitocin then I was ready for my epidural. It was not painful at all and right as everything became numb and I was ready to take a little nap, my water broke. I began pushing at 12:30pm and as Ava traveled further down the birth canal she became stuck which caused her heart rate to increase and for me to quit pushing until the doctor could come in and explain what we needed to do next. Ava was facing sideways instead of facing my back and her head couldn't work its way around my pelvic bone. She was delivered by vacuum assistance. It was hard to stop crying long enough to get a good look at her once they pulled her out and placed her on my tummy. So many emotions filled the room at 2:13pm on December 28, 2011.

She is already growing and changing so fast.... we have never been so in love <3

Ava's eviction notice

At my doctor's appointment today, we discussed induction. We came out successful! My induction is scheduled for this Thursday morning at 6am. I can't wait to see my daughter!!!

Santa's workshop...

This morning I woke up to Ava's bedroom door all wrapped up. I had been instructed to keep out of her room for about a week now. It has been very difficult but I managed. I was told that I was not allowed into Santa's workshop. What was going on in this room that I did not know about. Her nursery was complete wasn't it? What was so important that I couldn't see?

Do you see what is new? A glider for the mama and her baby! I had told Josh that I didn't want one first off because I didn't want to spend the money on one and secondly I had no idea where we would put it. Well my amazing husband figured all of that out so I wouldn't have to. I am so excited and cannot wait for our endless nights of reading, rocking and middle of the night feedings :)

Ava's Stocking

I have been working on Ava's stocking since July and set the goal to have it finished by Christmas. I didn't think I would be able to do it but I did!

I sent to off to my mom to use her sewing skills to turn this into a stocking.

I could not be more thrilled with how it turned out. Josh loved it so much he wanted a stocking for himself. So I am setting yet another stocking goal to have Josh's finished be next Christmas, we shall see. I still don't have all of the threads sorted out yet.

39 weeks with a trip to the hospital

Ava is holding strong to staying with mommy. Last week I went to the Dr., Ava was measuring the same size and it was the first time that I stepped onto the scale without seeing an increase in weight. I am holding steady at a weight gain of 24 lbs. I had dilated to 2 cm and was beginning to thin out. He said he would put his money on Ava arriving on Thursday, December 22nd. On Friday evening I began to loose my mucous plug, which was exciting and scary at the same time. Early Monday morning around 2:30 I started to have mild contractions and they got strong enough to where I was unable to sleep. I came into the living room and sat on the couch to see if sitting helped them go away. I started timing the contractions at 3:07 the were coming every 3-5 minutes and lasting 40-60 seconds each. I called the Dr. that was on call or rather woke him up and he had instructed me to go ahead and come in. We arrived at the hospital a little after 6:00 am. I was hooked up to monitors and was able to listen to Ava's heartbeat (that sound never gets old). After an hour of laying there they came to check on me and I had not dilated or thinned out anymore. I was at 2cm 50% effaced. They then instructed me to walk around the hospital for an hour. After this they checked me yet again... no progress. They assured me that I was having contractions and they were at least 5 minutes apart but they weren't strong enough to make a difference. They informed me that I was in what they call the early stage of labor, which could last a couple hours or a week. I was discharged, we came home and crashed. The contractions slowed and I had a few sporadic ones last night. I go back to the Dr. tomorrow in hopes of hearing that I have made some progress. The Lord will present her when he knows the time is right. Josh and I are learning the value of patience. I am only going to have to be uncomfortable for a little while longer.