What's Been Going On??

I seem to be getting lots of requests for pictures, pictures, and more pictures!!  So, I'm happy to cooperate and share some cute ones from the last few days :) It seems my girl can't stop doing things that demand a picture, so I'm very quickly taking over my hard drive with hundreds of pictures!  At some point I either have to stop taking them or I've got to get an external hard drive to store them all in.  It's seriously crazy to see all the pictures we've got of her and she's not even a week old yet!!  If she wasn't so incredibly cute...

Tuesday-

Travis and Ava have developed a little nighttime routine that is working for all of us.  He happily spends a good hour or two, just like this, playing with Ava until she falls asleep in his lap.  Even as I'm typing this, they are on the couch together while she sleeps and he strokes her hair.  It's one of my favorite things to watch :) 

It's a great time for them to spend together and it gives me a nice chunk of time to get some stuff done before we all go to bed.  Plus, I love to hear him singing to her or talking to her.  She just stares at him with big eyes and melts his heart every time :) 

Wednesday

We went for our first visit to Ava's pediatrician on Wednesday.  It was also our first outing together as a little threesome :) And it was one to remember.  I was very proud of myself about it in fact.  I got up before Trav and Ava and got our stuff together.  I fed her, changed her, put her in the cutest outfit and then Travis and I even managed to make ourselves look presentable.  Just as we were ready to put her in the car seat and head for the garage, I went to get her out of the swing, only to notice that she had just spit-up.  When I say spit-up, I don't mean she dripped a little milk on her bib, no she practically vomited the grossest, bright yellow stuff I've ever seen :)  Classic.  Her outfit was covered in it and it was all over her neck and caked in her hair.  And somehow we never heard it.  In fact she was grinning when I picked her up :) Oh and it happened at the very minute we needed to walk out the door.  Isn't that just typical??  Of course that threw me into a tailspin and I was trying to wash her off and re-dress her in 2 minutes flat...You can't see the doctor for the first time and smell like spit-up, let alone have it caked in your hair :) 

But we made it and she was a hit with the staff, not to mention her Daddy :) 

She got her first shot, which killed us, but she was just fine in a matter of minutes.  We've got so many kids in our life and germy junior highers at that :) Not only do we need and want her to be vaccinated, but somehow I ended up having to get a shot too!  I was actually enjoying a visit that wasn't going to involve me being checked, looked at, prodded, etc :) But I should have known that was too good to be true.  I got a tetnus shot with whooping cough because as it turns out, junior high kids are carrying whooping cough more than any other population.  Not only do we want her to be safe, but we don't want to bring anything home.  It was a good thing to get and Trav has his turn next time.  

But more importantly, Ava got a great bill of health.  She is 6lbs, 12oz and not jaundiced :) So, we all left happy.  

Later in the afternoon, Travis was itching to get out and he took Ava on her first walk.  I was going to go with but I was sooo tired that I decided I needed a nap more.  And Travis told me it was his turn for a daddy/daughter time, so I took that cue to lay down :) Unfortunately for him (and for me), it was a short walk.  Ava decided she was hungry shortly after they left and she let him know by crying.  But, it was darling to watch them leave together.  I spied and took this picture from the balcony. 

But the best moment of the day was last night, when Travis made a surprise appearance with Ava and showed her off to all the kids.  This isn't a great picture, the lights were too low in the room, but it was such a sweet moment for him, I didn't want forget it.  Right before he went in, they played the theme song from the Lion King, where the dad holds simba up before the pride.  Well, in this case, Travis was the dad and Ava was simba :)  The kids loved it and so did we.  I have never seen Travis look so proud in my life, he was beaming for the rest of the night.  

Thursday

It's purple Thursday :) She looked so cute in her little purple onesie, pants and pacifier.  I took that opportunity to stage a photo shoot.  And she did not disappoint.  

Look at that sweetie!!  This might be my new favorite picture of her.  

Wait, no, this might be my favorite :) 

Um, whoops, no THIS is my favorite!  

And then she smiled and that's always my favorite :) 

Because she's my favorite and no matter what look or what pose she's got going on, I LOVE them all!  

On a totally unrelated note, it occured to me today, while looking at these pictures, that my hair is incredibly dark!  At first glance, I chalked it up to being greasy, but then I remembered that I did, in fact, shower today.  I really think I have the "darker hair from hormones" thing going on!  We've been wondering where her auburn comes from, but according to these pictures, she's not the only auburn girl in the family :) 

Love that little snuggle bug

In her post-milk coma :)

I love being a Mommy!

Ava's Big Debut

Tonight is Ava's big debut in Junior High!  We were going to wait until Sunday, but her Daddy just can't wait to introduce her to the kids, so tonight is the night :) She will be making her appearance from the stage however, not available for lots of hands or touching...Her Mommy isn't ready for that yet!  Here is a little slideshow we're going to show the kids before we bring her up, live and in the flesh :) Should be fun!  Enjoy!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Mommyhood, Part One :)

****Before I forget, here is the link to her official hospital photos.  Check them out, they are pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself!!*****

Can you take it??

This little sweetheart slays me in these pictures :) 

 

I think I've got just a few minutes of quiet before Ava wakes up again and wants to eat.  It's hard for me to believe that we're already on day 4, where has time gone??  I swear I just sat in this very chair, blogging about STILL being pregnant and wondering when she was going to make an appearance, and now here we are.  So much has changed in the last 4 days, nothing feels the same, just much, much better! 

 

Ava is doing great!  She is a good little eater, in fact I think it's her favorite activity :) We had a sad day yesterday, saying goodbye to Grandpa, Aunt Jennie, Aunt Stacie, and Uncle Jesse.  It was such a sweet weekend to have them all here, for her birth and for some time with her at home.  I am so grateful to the Lord for answering our prayers about that and allowing "the plan" to go off so smoothly.  I plan to sit and re-visit her birth story soon, mainly so I can have a record of it to print out later for her scrapbook.  In short, it was a very smooth day, and actually even easier than I expected.  I know, can you believe I said that?  I would do it all over again in a heartbeat :) 

She's so little that her softie is as big as she is!  Someday this will look like a washcloth in her big girl bed...but not for awhile :) 
Someone is looking for a meal and settling for her fingers in the meantime :) 

The home nurse visited us today and thought Ava was doing very well.  She is such a content little honey for the most part, we have our moments, but overall I think she is going to be mellow like her Daddy...thank you Lord!  She's got some of me in her too though, the girl knows how to speak her mind when she's not happy...I'm not sure how thankful I am about giving her that trait already:)  Our first night at home was very pleasant and even a little restful.  Last night however, not so much.  We had a fussy little girl who would not calm down, but my milk came in late yesterday and I think that threw her (and me for that matter).  Today has been heavenly again.  She's slept so well in between feedings and a few minutes ago, I was even able to sneak off and make a run to Target!!!  What a blessing to get some fresh air and pick up some things we needed.  It was the fastest trip I've ever made to Target though, I could not stand the thought of her screaming at home.  But, turns out, she was a sweetie for her Daddy and she slept peacefully the whole time.  It was great for all of us :) 

My Mom is leaving this afternoon and Travis is headed out to soccer practice with his team.  I'm kind of looking forward to some alone time with just Ava and I, although it's been WONDERFUL to have my Mom here to help.  She has been working her tail off to keep me caught up with laundry, to cook for us, to clean and to get lots of snuggles in with Ava.  Many times it's taken all three of us to tend to this little girl and to figure the latest problem out.  Who knew a little 6 lb, 10 oz person could demand so much attention??  Tomorrow we go to the doctor for her first appointment, so I'm looking forward to that.  It will be crazy to get in the car and head out as a little family somewhere, wonder how long it will take us to get ready?  Being home has been totally relaxing.  It's been nice and quiet and so good for us to have some down time, adjusting to life as parents.  Ryley is hanging in there, totally intrigued by Ava, especially when she makes noises.  He wants to sniff her when we're holding her or when she's in the swing, but other than that he's just ignoring her.  We can tell he's a little sad though and needs some attention too.  We're trying to remind him that we love him too :) 

I have LOVED reading all your comments and emails.  Thank you for all your "Ava love."  She is such a little gift to us, but she has no idea, yet, how blessed and dearly wanted she is by her parents and so many others who have loved her before they ever knew her. We have appreciated how so many of you have followed our wait for her and prayed along with us.  We are eternally grateful for you and we can't wait to tell Ava someday about all the precious people who prayed her into this world :)  Travis and I just marvel at her story already.  When I think back to this time last year, we were in such a different place.  At peace with our decision to proceed with infertility testing and trying to trust the Lord as we walked very unfamiliar ground.  To think that we never had to go further than an initial consultation and that all along the Lord was planning Ava's debut into our lives, what a living, breathing reminder of God's faithfulness she is to us now.  His plan is always best, no matter how uncertain it is.  There were so many days over the course of these last 3, almost 4 years, that I thought my heart would break into a million pieces.  I have experienced every emotion under the sun as we tried for a baby and I've had many good days and some bad ones too.  Travis and I have grown much, much closer through this journey into parenthood, but largely because it's been a bumpy road to get here.  And although it seems like it would have been easier to have walked around that road, I look at the face of my daughter now and I know we would not have her without the twists and turns we took to get here.  Who I am, who we are, and who she is can only be explained by the grace of God and the plans He had for us all along.  And because I already can't imagine life without Ava, I have great reason to keep trusting Him with every detail of what's to come.  

Mommyhood is amazing, something I have loved and longed to be a part of for years.  I never knew my heart could love so deeply, so quickly.  It's also the most challenging thing ever. I've already had several moments of extreme guilt, like when we sent her to the nursery in the hospital at night :) My head said "yes, get some sleep while you can" but my heart said, "no, how could you leave her with strangers??"  It begins already....

Look at that little peanut in her big crib!  We've got plenty of room to grow in there.
Our favorite past time, besides eating, is sucking on a pacifier :) 
Look at how auburn and red her hair looks in that green outfit! 
One of her favorite spots to nap...And the reason I can sit and blog :) 
And this is the face that Travis and I cannot get over.  What a little angel :)  

Hope these pictures meet the Grandparent needs out there!!  We are eating her up and loving every minute.  Tonight is our first night alone, just our little family. 

 These days are so precious, the memories already so sweet.  I'm totally behind in my thank you notes, my email inbox is out of control and I haven't looked at the mail for days...But does it really matter??  I've got someone who needs me and she's  got two parents who need her just as much.  If you've called, emailed, or sent us something-THANK YOU!!  It might take me awhile to get back to you, but know that we appreciated it and you have not gone unnoticed.  

We're just a little pre-occupied these days and we can't help it!! 

Home Sweet Home

Savoring our last morning in the hospital yesterday...Life doesn't get any better than this :) 

Love that little face

Getting a visit from the hospital photographer, she's so long and lean isn't she?

One of the poses we loved :) Let's be honest though, was there one we didn't love?

Both of us, dressed and ready to head home.  Me and my girl :) 

Sucking on those long fingers in her first outfit.

Daddy and Ava, in the darling little outfit he picked out for her.

She LOVES her daddy and I think she loved her outfit :) That's just a guess though!

The big moment, all strapped in and ready to go!

Travis' new accessories, the car seat and diaper bag.

Of course I made him pose after he snapped her seat in place!

What a totally surreal thing to be bringing her home!

Look at that little angel face :) 

We had a welcoming committee waiting for us!

And some beautiful flowers from my family too.

Welcome Home Ava Page!

My new favorite photo of the Armstrongs, all three of us :) 

But of course not to be forgotten, the 4th member of the family happily joined us!

He was so good with her, totally interested in what I was holding!

We sent a blanket home with her scent on it the night before and he must have recognized it because he sniffed her for a minute and then laid down.  It was a much calmer reaction than I anticipated.

The boys and Ava.

Grandpa with his girl.

Is she cute or what??  I'm obviously totally and unashamedly biased!

Grandma and Ava.

Love this one with the little baby gap emblem on her tiny little rump :) 

Aunt Jennie and Ava

Uncle Jesse and Ava

Aunt Stacie and Ava

And the little sweetie herself :)

It's Monday morning and we had a great first night at home.  She is spending lots of time in lots of arms and loving it.  I have a million things running through my head and hopefully I'll be able to steal some time to sit down and process it soon.  This has been the biggest whirlwind of my life and yet the best blessing ever.  I'm enjoying every feeding, every diaper change, every snuggle session, even those little infant cries.  I'm also begging the Lord to slow time down and let her stay this little and sweet as long as possible.  Travis and I just fell in love with her all over again last night, pouring over every little detail, praising and thanking the Lord for her.  We're in Heaven over here and we're so grateful.  Thank you for all the comments, emails, phone calls, visits, gifts, etc.  You have made this time in our family so dear.  

Have a blessed Monday!  I've got a little baby to tend to :)