It's Been a While....

So I'm a bad blogger and have been on hiatus, so sorry. We've been quite busy with a few unexepected events lately and hopefully in the coming weeks things will start to even out. I've also been dealing with a bout of post-partum depression which I decided to see the doctor about. PPD is not something to take lightly. I was in serious denial for a long time until one day last week it clicked. I'm very happy to report that I'm doing MUCH better and each day gets even better and better.

I have also started doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It is perfect for my lifestyle routine - when Ava goes down for her morning nap, I pop in the dvd and "shred" for the required 20 mins. Today I completed day 4. My goal is to lose these last 10 stubborn pounds that I blame Cracker Barrell, Five Guys Burgers, & Moe's on.

On to Miss Ava, she is doing SPECTACULAR! Rolling over, sleeping on her tummy during the day, and two bottom teeth are trying their hardest to poke through. We go on daily walks in our neighborhood and in the pond across the street lives about a 12 foot alligator that we go say hi to. Ava loves riding in her stroller (facing forward now, big-girl style). She also now eats one meal a day in her high chair, from a spoon! I am giving her the apple rice cereal so it has some flavor, and she's still learning but eats all that I give her. I think she's quite proud of herself.

Here's a couple photos of her in her stroller while mommy was sunning herself nearby:



Ava is 5 months old.

Off the Chart Girl

Almost forgot! Ava had her 4 month check-up last Friday morning. I had been dreading it since I had to take her by myself and knew she was due for a series of shots. So we get there, get put into a room and I get her clothes off and head out to the scale. I told the nurse I predicted she weighs 14.7 - I place her on the scale and boy was I shocked to see it read 16 pounds even! My big girl is an eater! The nurse laughed at me and felt the need to call another nurse over and tell her what I predicted and showed her what the scale said. I was a bit off wouldn't ya say? She is also measuring 26 inches long which puts her "off the chart" as far as height percentile, and in the 92nd percentile for her weight.

Her daddy now calls her "off the chart girl" and makes up a rap song to sing to her about it. It's the funniest thing and she loves it. So long story short, our girl is very, very healthy and growing at an alarming rate. The shots I was dreading were not bad at all. She wailed for about 10 seconds and I was able to calm her and she was fine after that. I didn't even cry this time, and surprisingly she was not fussy at all or did she spike a fever afterward. Life is good!

Easter

Ok so I'm a bad mom - this is the only picture I got of Ava on her 1st Easter.



Yes I understand that her dress is over her head. She likes it when I'm undressing her and her outfits get "stuck" like that. She just smiles and laughs at me like it's the funniest thing in the whole world. Daddy was making her giggle for this picture by making a popping sound with his mouth. That sounds is a fail-proof way to get her to smile and/or laugh. That and our big red clock that she can see from the couch. Something about that clock just tickles her to death and she feels the need to flirt with it which Daddy isn't too happy about, haha!

Yes, I also understand that she looks exactly like her father in this picture. There is no need to remind me of this as I get it from at least one person every single day. At least there is no denying that she is his kid!

We hope everyone had a fantastic Easter/Passover whatever it is you celebrate. Ours was fun and filled with family, laughter and of course lots of love all around.

Ava is 4 and a half months old.

One Year Ago Today

I was staring at this with my jaw on the floor:


One year later, and I am now happily starting at this with uncontrollable perma-grin:


What a difference one year can make!