Saturday, October 29, 2011

10 months

Ava, you are 10 months old!  As I say probably every month, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?  Weren't you just a little baby?  Now you are like a toddler and, even though I enjoy you're little personality and the new things you do each day, I wish I could hit the pause button and keep you my little smoosh forever!

Here's what life is like at 10 months...
  • you started daycare on October 11th.  it was an adjustment for all of us and many a tear were shed among me, you and Lolo.  BUT you are doing better each day and learning (and eating) so many new things!
  • you wear mostly 12-18 month clothes with some 24 months thrown in there and size 4 diapers.
  • at the doctor the other day, you were 25 lbs and 29 3/4 inches.
  • sleeping has been touch and go.  you've been sick so i've been sitting up holding you some nights due to your cough but hopefully that gets better real soon.
  • Baby Signing Time is still your jam but you also like all the cartoons on Nick Jr. (which are a great distraction when it's nebulizer time)  you also still love commercials on any channel which we'll never figure out.  who wants to watch that crazy Blinds to Go guy with those ugly red metal blinds?
  • you eat breakfast and lunch at school and you've had so many new things!  you mostly eat what we are eating for dinner now.  mandarin oranges are a new favorite snack and you drink a juice box like you've been doing it your whole life!
  • that little bottom tooth is finally coming through more.  that's the only one in your mouth but it doesn't seem to stop you from enjoying your meals!
  • you move all.over.the.place!  you can stand on your own and cruise all the furniture like a pro.  it's only a matter of time before you're running around.
  • you can clap, wave bye bye and do rolllll it while doing patty cake.  
  • you love mommy's iphone (all cell phones actually) and play tap tap baby and pat the bunny apps.

This is my serious face!
Happy 10 months Baby Girl!  You amaze Mommy and Daddy with the things you do each day and we can't get over just how much we love you!

***Please disregard the picture quality.  It was a rainy day and the lighting is terrible in our house! (and a moving 10 month old is hard to photograph!)***

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Nebulize the Mucus

Eww, how gross does that sound!  Not quite as funny as when Ace Ventura said exercise the demons.  Anyway, we are the proud new owner of this baby...
Ava's been a little congested for a week or so.  I thought it was just teething since her little speck of a tooth is finally popping up a little bit more.  This girl better get a full grill all at once or she's going to have to gum stuff for a long time!  However, for the past couple days, she's been waking up around 3 or 4 coughing really bad...like choking coughing.  I've sat up and held her while she restlessly slept and coughed and choked and cried and moaned and oh yeah, she vomited on me a few times too.  It was oh so pleasant.  I took her to the doctor today and she performed for Tatyana, our beautiful Russian pediatrician, who then told us yup, she needs a nebulizer!  And we did the first treatment right there in the office.  I sang my repertoire of songs to her as I struggled to hold that mask over her face.  I'm sure I entertained the entire office (since the walls are paper thin) especially with the Diaper Dance song!  We did it again tonight and she was a little bit better since she had the tv to distract her.  Hopefully she kicks this upper respiratory funk real fast so we can stop the nebulizer (and the vomit my whole bottle on mommy thing, too).  

And because this wouldn't be complete without a picture of the little miss, here she is in all her cupcake glory!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Garden State Walk4Hearing


On Saturday, we participated in the Garden State Walk4Hearing to support our nephew Maxx and the school that has been providing him services.  Maxx was born with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, which is a permanent type of hearing loss.  He started with hearing aids (awesome blue ones!) when he was 6 months and he is doing so well.  All the money our team raised was donated to the Summit Speech School, which provides hearing and developmental therapy services to Maxx.

Maxx Man with Mommy and Daddy
Team Maxx Man raised over $4,000 dollars!  I think it was a great accomplishment for our first year doing the walk.  


the kiddies of Team Maxx Man
There were people of all ages participating in the walk...many children and adults with hearing aids as well as their families and friends there to support them.  I overheard one man and woman commenting on how Maxx didn't seem bothered by his hearing aids and they said it was probably because they found out about his hearing loss at such an early age.  This is true and I really think, although devastating to hear, it was the best to find out when he was so young so he could get the proper therapy and services.  He says so many things and so clearly!  He speaks more than most kids his age I think!  (and has the cutest voice!)


Nice face Nicholas!
Cutie Cousins aka TROUBLE!


Thank you for all who donated to our team!  It was definitely a success and I look forward to walking with Team Maxx Man again next year!


For more information on the Walk4Hearing, check out Walk4Hearing and Team Maxx Man!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

First Day of School

Well, daycare but it's just a matter of semantics.  As I've said before, my mom, Lolo, graciously offered to watch Ava for awhile when I had to return to work.  It started out as just for the summer so she would start daycare right after Labor Day...which then got pushed back to mid September and here we are today, October 11th, and she just started.  I think it was harder on the rest of us then it was on her.  She is used to being with family everyday and now she's in a place full of unfamiliar faces, besides her boyfriend Gavin (14-month old son of my friend Colleen).  As a Federal employee, we are able to take advantage of the daycare on the nearby naval base so many of the people I work with also have their kids there.  It is nice that they will grow up together!  Ava has Gavin and Jake in her class.  And you should see this place...I mean it's nothing too glamorous (it's a government building after all) but they provide formula and meals! There's a full kitchen where they make actual homemade food everyday (for all those who can eat it.  all others get gerber).  There's like a menu and everything!

Not only did Ava start daycare today, but I went back to work full time.  It was a good week to start since yesterday was a holiday so I only have a 4 day week like my part-time schedule, but I have to add an extra hour to each day.  Our new schedule will be an adjustment for all of us but I think we'll manage!

Nick and I both went and dropped her off.  We put her signed her in, put her stuff in her cubby and met her other teacher.  She was shy at first but eventually let her teacher take her from my arms and bring her over to the rug with the other kids.  As soon as her teacher sat down with Ava on her lap, the other kids all circled around her.  (Nick said "oooh Fresh Meat!)  It was cute.  We said bye and I love you and she gave us a smile through her binkie!  We knew she was going to be ok.


I couldn't wait to go pick her up, but I also wanted her to experience a whole day in her new place.  She was a little hesitant when she saw me but quickly dove into my arms!  Her teacher said she did great for her first day...only a cried a few times when she realized she was in unfamiliar territory but they comforted her and she was on her way! (at least that's what they told me)  She napped for an hour and 45 minutes which is a big accomplishment for miss nosey pants in a room full of kids!  And she ate breakfast, lunch and a snack (not surprised there).  I really think she is going to do great and I'm probably going to melt when her first art project gets sent home.  Am I really this old?

First Day of Daycare
 I think she's going to be a ballerina :)

Sunday, October 2, 2011

9 Months!

I'm a week late but who cares.  My Ava Jo is 9 months old!



Ava, here are some 9 month old updates:
  • you have not been the best sleeper this month but we really think it's those mean teeth that interrupt your beauty sleep.  some nights you sleep from 7-6, other nights you are up at 11 and 3.
  • you have started eating so many new things.  you still love yogurt and cheese but we can add chicken, pancakes, meatballs, carrots, mashed potatoes (preferably garlic), cream cheese and jelly sandwiches and grilled cheese to the list!  you have a perfect pincer grasp and you are a very dainty eater.  i think you just don't want to miss a piece!
  • you've mastered crawling and can get anywhere in 2.5 seconds flat!  you are now cruising the furniture, standing at your music table, going in every cabinet that we have yet to lock, taking a couple steps with your walking stroller and have even stood without holding on to anything.  you go girl!
  • you love watching Baby Signing Time.  in fact, you watch in about 4 times in a row and literally watch every second.  you dance and tap tap your way through each time.  and, although you haven't done any signs yet, mommy and daddy are experts at all of them and can sing all the songs!
  • you had you're first sleep over without mommy and daddy!  LoLo and PopPop watched you while mommy and daddy went to the Giants game.  you did great!


  • you had your first juice box to start practicing with a straw.  umm, you didn't need any practice.  one squeeze to show you juice came out of the straw and you sucked away finishing the entire juice box while eating breakfast.  can you be a genius at 9 months because i think you are.
  • dada is still the prominent babble at the moment but you've started mmmmama mmmmama when you are tired or whiny.  it melts my heart and makes me roll my eyes all at the same time.  say mama when you are excited please!
  • you are generally a happy little girl.  very serious at times but i think you're just taking it all in.  mommy's the same way :)
  • you are officially 24.6 lbs and 29 1/4 inches.  you haven't gained any weight in a month but  you've grown 2 inches!  
  • you are wearing size 12-18 month cloths and size 4 diapers.*

Happy 9 Months beautiful girl!  Mommy and Daddy love you!

*sometimes I think it's strange to put her stats (height, weight, clothing and diaper sizes, but it seems to be the thing to do!  I guess it's good to write it down somewhere as a point of reference but I mean, we don't post our weight or underwear sizes anywhere...oh well, sorry Ava!