Family Photos

It was decided we need to update our Tran family photos this year and we didn't want to be cooped up in a studio again so we chose to take photos at Bethesda Home for Boys. Seal's co-worker was kind enough to come out and take them for us. We are turning these photos into a Christmas present for my parents. I think they turned out awesome despite it being super windy, cold, and Ava was not a happy camper that day.

Christmas is Coming

I can't believe Christmas is almost here. December is going by way too fast. I kind of feel panicked about it since I still have so many gifts to buy. But I am excited about family coming down and about celebrating Christmas with Ava. We went to take our picture with Santa today. It was funny. She didn't know what to think of him. She kept staring at his beard.

Fa-la-la

We left Virginia at 2pm and here it is almost 10pm and we are still on the road. Ava and Paxx are sleeping in the backseat, Noah is driving and listening to his metal/rap music and I'm getting in the season listening to my christmas song collection on my ipod. Why do Christmas carols never get old? I love adding to my collection each year to see how someone came out with a new rendition of my favorite songs.

These songs always make me feel in the mood for the season:
1. The Christmas Song
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
3. O Holy Night
4. I'll Be Home For Christmas
5. Happy Christmas (War is Over)
6. Silent Night
7. Last Christmas
8. The Little Drummer Boy
9. All I Want for Christmas

I just bought Lady A's Christmas cd and I want to get Glee's Christmas album.

This week I plan to decorate the house and put up our Christmas tree!

I can't wait to see Ava's reaction to the bright lights on the tree. I'll have her help me put her first Christmas ornament :)

That is if WE EVER MAKE IT HOME!!! We've been in the car entirely too long!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so thankful for so much this year. I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and good eating!

My Favorite Things

So in the spirit of Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things I decided to share with you a few of my favorite things...

In no particular order,

1. Pomegranate season-- this delicious fruit is only available a short while so when it's in season I indulge. Its juicy and messy and kind of complicated to eat, but oh so yummy and good for you!

2. These two cuties, my nephew Alex-- the sweetest little guy in the whole wide world and his sister, Camille. She is constantly making me laugh!
3. This Day. The day our lives changed. The day my precious daughter was born. Best.Day.Ever.


4. Felcity-- I was totally obsessed with this show for all four seasons of its existence. I got everyone around me hooked. It brings me back to my college days when my roomates and I would watch like 5 episodes in a row. And I had a huge crush on Ben (Scott Speedman) :)

5. Christmas season - I love everything about Christmas. It's definitely my favorite holiday.

6. My video baby monitor- For all those worry-wart moms (-->me<--) this is the perfect. No more worrying about how the baby is sleeping. Highly recommended.

7. Anything cupcakes. I kind of have a thing.

8. my iPad- Noah got this for me for our anniversary and I'm in love with it. Instant endless entertainment.

9. Leggings - This has been the trend for the last couple of years and one of my favorites.

10. Facebook- I love that it can keep me connected to my closest friends even when I can't talk to them or see them. I still feel like I know what's going on in their lives.

So I could go on and on.... So what made your list of favorite things???

Shutterfly

This season I am excited about sending Christmas cards. I did this a couple of years back after Noah and I got engaged and I loved them.

I've been telling my family we need to have an updated family photo since we don't have one with Noah in the picture. And what a better year to do this because Ava was also born this year. Kill two birds with one stone.

My sister and I decided we didn't want to be cooped up in a studio so we've made an appointment with her co-worker/photographer for an outdoor shoot. I'm so excited to see how they will turn out. We are taking the pictures at Wormsloe, it's so pretty out there. I plan on using photos from that shoot to put in our Christmas cards this year and I'm super excited to share them with our family and friends.

I've always had a great experience with Shutterfly. I love thier fun lay-outs because they are so unique and modern. I like that you can personalize your cards. It means so much more to me when I receive photocards because I feel its like catching up with close friends and family. I especially love love love the cards that tell a story (part of the 2010 collection from Shutterfly). I've heard of people sending family newsletters but this way I can do it in all one swoop. Alot of great things have happened to us this year and I can't think of a better way to share it with everyone.

And I'm not going to stop of photocards. Earlier this year I sent my mom-in-law a photobook for mother's day. She absolutely adored it and I'm planning to make photobooks for the grandparents and for Noah and me as a keepsake. It's so simple to put together online and I had a very pleasant experience with Shutterfly. I would recommend everyone use them this year for their christmas cards, personalized gifts, etc.

Go to their site for more details at Shutterfly.com!

Right now, Shutterfly is offering a great promotion-- 50 free cards for bloggers that write-up a post about thier holiday collection! Such a great offer!

New Tunes

I am ashamed to play my ipod these days. I can't remember when I bought a new song or album last. But that is about to change!

I'm always thinking of songs to add and I never actually do it. But this is what's been digging lately.

1. Katy Perry's new album- I loved her first single, Teenage Dream, and I'm digging her new single, Firework. Hopefully the rest of her album will no disappoint.

2. Glee-Christmas album - I love Christmas carols and I need a fresh mix to get me into the season!

3. Cee Lo Green's, Forget You- So catchy. but not sure I like the deluxe version or not. I'm not too fond of the F word.

4. Will.i. am and Nicki Minaj, Check it out- they sample an 80's tune and it gets me hooked every time it plays on the radio.

5. Sara Bareilles' album, Kaleidoscope Heart- I absolutely love her single, King of Anything. It makes me happy. And I really like her voice.

6. Plain White Ts, Rhythm of Love- This song makes me happy too. Kind of Jason Mrazish.

Any other suggestions??

And right now (until 12/4) Michael's is offering $25 iTunes gift cards for $20! I plan to pick up a few this weekend. It's the perfect gift!

Ava and Her Bunny Bloopers

I have been taking pictures of Ava and her bunny since she was 2 days old. I meant to take them every month to show how much she's grown but its been more like every week. Not sure how long that will last, but for right now I've been on a roll. I have been posting the best takes on my facebook album but I have saved the ones that didn't make the cut here. They are pretty funny. Enjoy!

Sick

This has been me all week. I've been battling a crucial cough and it's not been fun. Before babies, being sick wasn't too bad. But when you are sick and a mommy, life goes on, you are still expected to do all that mommies do. It's been tough. For example, coughing does not help to get baby to go to sleep. Every time her little eyes close a cough comes out and she's staring at me. :(

I hope I get over this quickly. ugh.

But check out what sick mommy found this morning!

Such a big girl!

Halloween 2010

She doesn't remember her first Halloween but she later she'll see how adorable she was. We had two days of Halloween festivities. We hung out with her cousins, Camille and Alex, before they went out trick-or-treating on Saturday.

She was scared of Alex's Shadow Trooper mask so this picture was failed from the start.

Sunday was Camille's party to celebrate her 6th birthday. We had a great time celebrating and we were completely pooped when we got home.

A successful first Halloween :)

Ava's First Pumpkin Patch

This past weekend we took Ava to her first pumpkin patch. It wasn't much of a pumpkin farm but we got some good shots of babygirl and some pumpkins.

7 Months Old

Avabug is 7 months old already! She is one amazing little girl and she brightens up my day always. Her smile makes me forget about everything and she has the funniest quirks.


Lately...

• She is pulling up on everything these days, the playpen, the couch, the crib, me... I think she's going to be an early walker. Her daddy started walking at 9 months.
• She has this thing with her tongue. It's like she's half-white/half-lizard. It's the funniest thing. She moves it in and out and curls it, you have to see it. hilarious.
• She has started repeating "dadda" over and over . She starts whispering it then she screams it. She says it when she sees her daddy. I think she knows that's her "dadda"
• She can hold her bottle when she's not being lazy. It definitely came in handy when mommy went shopping the other weekend.
• She is not sleeping through the night yet :( I just don't think I am blessed with a baby that sleeps through the night. oh well. extra snuggle time.

Here are some of our recent shots of monkey. Enjoy!

my litttle lizard baby

hoodrat

being silly during bathtime

the smile that melts my heart

Lauren and Micah's Wedding

This weekend another one of my best friends got married. It couldn't have been a more perfect day. The weather was awesome and everything turned out perfect. I could not be happier for them both. Here are a few of my favorites from the weekend.

Me and the bride-to-be

I loved her bouquet. Those pearls are her great grandmother's

Husband and Wife :)

the first dance

Noah and I at the reception

Update

The doctor finally came in with the results of the scope. They were not able to see what exactly was causing my mom to bleed. There were no active sites of blood that could have been the culprits. But my mom suffers from cirrhosis of the liver and they suspect the bleeding came from a rupture of the esophageal varices (enlarged veins at the lower part of the esophagus). She lost a lot of blood and her blood count was very low. They gave her more blood throughout the night to make up for the blood loss. The biggest and scariest part of the doctor's speech was when he told us if she would have lost one more pint of blood she wouldn't be here.

But tonight she finished the last of her transfusions and the nurses disconnected all the tubes from her arms. They are going to continue to monitor her levels tonight and she'll hopefully be able to be discharged tomorrow.

I am thankful to everyone that kept our family in their thoughts and prayers.

Waiting

It's been a rough couple of days.

Monday I had to take Ava to the doctor. She has a double ear infection and conjunctivitis. Since Monday, she's been fussy and miserable. I stayed up with her til 2 in the morning. Poor baby couldn't breathe. Oh the joys of a child in daycare. I wish I could be a stay-at-home mommy and shield her from all the nasty germs.

And today has been a doozie. It really scared me. I was at work and my sister called me. She was hysterical on the phone and said an ambulance was taking mom to the hospital; that she had thrown up a lot of blood. I was instantly panicked and I rushed to the house to meet them.

We have been at the ER since early this morning and we still don't even know the prognosis. I am just hoping and praying for some good news. I mean, throwing up blood can't be good but I am hoping it's not as bad as I am imagining. From watching all my ER's and Grey's Anatomy's when someone throws up blood it's usually not a good sign. And my sister said it looked like someone was murdered in the bathroom :(

It's such a strange feeling being worried about your parents. I guess I have taken for granted having them always worrying about us kids. I still depend on my parents emotionally and the dynamic is finally starting to change and it scares me to death. I guess I didn't have to think about things like these serious situations happening so soon.

I haven't even had the chance to see my mom yet. That is what I am waiting for now.

Please pray for my mom.

I Heart Fall

Fall is my favorite. It's the start of the holiday season which means I can bring out my pumpkin patch candle from Bath and Body Works... I can smell it already. Mmmm. And I mind as well go ahead and buy my Christmas tree scented candle during the 2 for $20 deal :)

Fall means I can wear my boots, bring out my scarves, jeans, peacoats, and cute fall sweaters. I guess the new trend this year is the over the knee boot.

I'm really digging these Jessica Simpson ones

But am I going to look super short since I don't have the legs?

Fall also means eating gooooood! Turkey, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoe casserole the all the marshmellow and brown sugar fixin's.. nom nom nom nom.

I am especially loving Fall this year because it kick starts Ava's first Halloween, first Thanksgiving, and first Christmas. It will be such a special holiday season.

My sister bought Ava such a cute Halloween costume. You'll have to wait and see how cute she is :)

After Halloween I want to take our first family portraits. I want to take them outside. It could turn out wonderful or it could be a disaster with tantrum baby and a non-smiling husband... But I still want to get them done and I'm hoping the former happens!

Then its pictures with Santa. And I don't even know where to begin to make this Christmas a super first one for Ava. So much pressure. Real tree or fake tree? Can it just snow for me this year in Savannah? That would really be awesome :) And what do I get a 9 month old that she'll absolutely love and beat everyone else's presents? Because mom and dad should have the #1 present right? I can't wait to buy her first Christmas eve pjs, pick out a special ornament, and gett her a stocking :) the list goes on and on...

Oh man, that was alot. Exciting :)

Sleep Diaries Cont'd

I had the big plan thought out for tonight. I imagined it would take a few tries and it would be a fight. I was pleasantly surprised.

Our typical evening and night goes a little like this:

6-6:30: Dinner
7: Walk Paxx
7:30: Bathe Ava
8: Feed Ava last bottle
8:30: put Ava down in her crib

We have been pretty good about sticking with this routine and I think it has helped Ava. She used to go to bed around 10 so I am happy she has been getting to bed earlier.

Tonight she went right to bed without one single wimper when I put her down in her crib. I know not all nights will go this well, but I am so proud tonight. I guess she knew I wanted to watch Grey's Anatomy. So smart.

TV Shows Overload!

So the time has come for my fall shows to premiere! I have already found it hard to watch all of them because Ava loves to scream while I am attempting to enjoy them. THANK GOODNESS for DVR! I am going to have to play catch-up this weekend on the rest of Boardwalk Empire (new show on HBO directed by Martin Scorsese so it has to be good, right? And the one of only like three shows Noah and I can watch together), Raising Hope (a new show, thought I would give it a try), and Running Wilde (you know I have to support Keri Russell, I was obsessed with Felicity when she was in it).

This week is also Modern Family, Grey's Anatomy, East Bound and Down, and my other obsession from this summer, Dexter. Noah and I caught up on all 4 seasons in a matter of weeks. For a while there that is all we watched.

I know, I watch way too much TV but I get sucked in so easily!

A Free Moment

I have tried to post all day long, but every time I get signed on baby girl gets up from her nap. I think she is down for the night this time. So here goes, take 5.

It's a big day for Ava tomorrow. She has graduated from the baby classroom to the infant class! What a big girl! She also has her six month check-up tomorrow. That means more shots :(. But i can't wait to see how much she has grown. On top of shots, she is getting her ears pierced! I'm glad Noah is taking her. I would probably not be able to handle seeing her crying. It breaks my heart to see genuine tears. But she'll look so cute with earrings. I figure we should do it now since she is not messing with her ears. We should be getting no more "he is so handsome" or "he's a cutie!"

Sleeping is back to normal. We are getting her to go to bed earlier and she usually only gets up once during the week. We have our nighttime routine down so I think that helps. I hope to celebrate sleeping through the night very soon!

6 months!

This week Ava turns 6 months old! Holy Moly that was fast! Every day she learns something new and I feel like I can't keep up anymore!

This week alone she began to sit up without any support and is crawling! I'll post a video when I can get a moment to wait for it to download.

What else is going on in Ava's World?

• eating baby food (about a jar a day)
• drinking 4 oz bottles every three hours
• moving, moving, moving (this baby does not stay still) She is always either lunging, pulling, crawling, pushing, or rolling
• up to 5 hours of straight sleep at night
• gnawing on everything
• grasping at things
• picking up small objects/toys and putting it her mouth
• recognizing mom and dad and reacting
• showing interest and concentrating
• likes to sleep on her tummy at night (worries the heck out of me sometimes that she can't breathe)
• maybe teething? she is super drooley but no sign of a tooth
• wearing 3-6 month clothes and in size 3 diapers
• laughing at funny noises and the ridiculous dances mommy will do for her

Somtimes I just want to freeze time so I can soak up all of her in this moment. I just know time is going to fly since it has already and she's never going to be like this again.

First Birthday Party

Ava attended her first birthday party yesterday. Baby Julian (Mike and Tanya's little one) turned one yesterday and we celebrated with him on the beach. It was a little windy but it was much nicer than having the heat bear down on us. The kids had a blast and Ava even got her own party favor!

sandy piggies

Julian's sandcastle cake!

Ava's first party favor!

the birthday boy

The Bad Guy

Lately I've been the bad guy since Ava's been sick. The weapon of choice? The nasal aspirator!


Oh she just hates it. She will cry and throw her whole body back. But its been just a tremendous help with getting all that gunk out of her nose so she can breathe or not have those nasty green booger bubbles (great mental picture right?).

Sleep Diaries

Ok, last night was a little rough. The good news? Ava has been sleeping in her crib for a good month now. The bad news? She is still not sleeping through the night. For the past few weeks when she wakes up she will flip over on her stomach and she buries her head in the corner of the crib. My OCD self can't handle seeing this on the baby monitor so I get up every time to turn her over and get her back to sleep. People I have talked to said I should let her flips and see if she'll go back to sleep. This makes me super nervous.

I'll try it tonight but i am already feeling anxious about it. But I'm going to have to relax at some point and let Ava put herself back to sleep on her own.

And if I can't do it I know this part won't last for too long because eventually she will sleep through the night and we can all sleep peacefully.

If you are one of the lucky moms that have kids that sleep through the night consider yourself VERY lucky and that I envy you like crazy and kind of hate you a little. Well hate is a strong word and I don't really mean it....

I Survived!

So sorry it's been so long since my last post. I was super busy last week being a single parent but Noah came home on Friday and life went back to normal. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Thinking about it was the worst part. It also helped out with my family living so close. My brother stayed over a couple nights and we hung out at my mom's house every night. She was a huge help because I didn't have to rush home after work. I came home to let Paxx out and take him on a walk, then ride over to mom's where she always had dinner for me. Ava would wear herself out and by the time we finally came home everyone was ready for bed.

This whole deal was okay for one week. On Noah's last day his boss asked him to stay another week. Noah told him he couldn't. Thank goodness he did because I would have had a meltdown.

We took it easy this weekend. We have a busy next couple of weeks. Next weekend is baby Julian's first birthday party. Then we have a wedding to attend in Virginia the following weekend. The weekend after that is Lauren's bachelorette bash and two weeks after that is her bridal shower in Augusta. Busy. Busy. Busy. But Noah's mom is watching Ava overnight the weekend of the wedding so Noah and I got a hotel room so we could have a good time at the reception and not worry about driving home from Alexandria. I just hope I can relax enough to enjoy myself and not worry about Mimi getting up in the middle of the night. Noah is watching Ava all weekend when I am down on Tybee for Lauren's bachelorette weekend. I am looking forward to hanging out with the girls and actually enjoying the beach (taking the baby to the beach doesn't allow much sun bathing to take place, I am the palest I have ever been).

Anyway, since my last post Ava has turned 5 months old! I can't believe how fast time has gone by. She isn't crawling yet but I give it about a month and she'll be moving all over the place. Did I mention how much I love being a mommy? It may be tiring at times but it all I ever dreamed it would be.

That seems like a good note to leave this post on. Goodnight Moon!

Single Parenting

Alright! I found out how to post a blog using my iPad!

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I am dreading next week. Noah's work is sending him to DC for a week meaning it will be just me, the dog, and the baby. I know I'll be okay but it does raise my anxiety level a bit. Noah was gone for a week last month but his mom was staying with us so it helped out a lot. This will be the first time I'll be by myself. Listen to me, I should have more confidence in myself but I do hate when Noah leaves in general.

I don't know how single parents or military wives do it. I'm definitely not looking forward to it.

My days will most likely go like this:

5:00 am- wake up, let Paxx out and feed him
5:10 am- brush teeth, put on make-up, do hair, get dressed.
5:30 am - let paxx out again
5:45 am- wake Ava up and change her
6:00 am- leave the house to drop Ava off
6:30 am- 5:00 pm - work
5:30 pm- pick Ava up
6:00 pm- get home and let paxx out
6:15 pm- fix and eat dinner. Feed Ava.
7:00 pm- put Ava in stroller and walk Paxx
7:30 pm - play with Ava
8:30 pm - bathe Ava
9:30 pm- put Ava down for the night
10:00 pm- clean bottles and re-pack diaper bag
10:30 pm - shower then let paxx out
11:00 pm- sleep
3ish am- feed Ava
5:00 am- do it all over again!

I am already exhausted just reading that over to myself. I am pretty sure I will get no me time in there at all. Oh well. Wish me luck.

Home Sick

I am home sick with pink eye. well pink eyes. Monday night my eyes were irritated and red and by Tuesday morning I looked like a blood thirsty vampire. My eyes were completely bloodshot and they were burning badly. I was thinking it was allegies since my throat was itchy too but when I got to work I could barely see. I went to urgent one and was diagnosed with pink eye and was sent home so I could not spread it around the office. ugh. I felt gross all day yesterday.

I did manage to clean my house and take a nice nap though so that's the one good part out of all of this. The bad part is I've wasted two more days of my already skimpy vacation time I have left since having the baby this year, I didn't get to cuddle and kiss all over Ava last night, and I felt like absolute crud all night long constantly wiping my goopy/teary eyes and washing my hands like a mad woman every other minute.

I felt better once I got Ava down to sleep and I got some shut eye too. I woke up this morning but my eyes were still red. They are better than yesterday so I hope to go back to work tommorrow. It's been so busy there so I feel extra guilty for leaving my co-worker hanging.

Again, I feel productive today. I unpacked some more boxes from the garage and I'm almost done with laundry. I'll work in a nap and rest a bit today too but I don't get many free moments to really do some heavy duty cleaning since Ava pre-occupies my time.

I hope I wake up looking normal and not like I just got stung by a million bees.

Designer's Block

I am on a roll with posting today. I don't get the chance very often anymore because I have mommy duties but my princess is taking a nap so it's the perfect time to catch up. I apologize for the blogging overload.

Anyway, we have lived in our house since November and my house still seems so blah. I mean, we have the basics but I think it could definitely use some vavavoom. However, everytime I want to decorate, I get designer's block or an overload of ideas that clash. I need help.

I think I need to work on one room at a time. Maybe a small room first, like my bedroom.

I'll let you know how it goes....

Daycare

I signed Ava up for daycare this week. Right now she is being watched by a family friend but twice now she's given us a day or two advanced notice she's taking vacation and we've been frantic about getting arrangements made for someone to watch Ava. Don't get me wrong, she's a great babysitter and I love the individual attention Ava receives, but I want something more stable.

So I have a friend who told me about the daycare her daughter goes to. It is close to Noah's work and the price was not much more than I pay now. Also, the best part-- she gets to watch her daughter anytime she wants via webcam! That is such a plus for so many reasons. It helps my anxiety about leaving Ava all day, I get to see that she is safe, and anytime I need to smile I can just log on and see her sweet face.

Noah and I took a tour of the place this past Thursday. It looks like a great place for Ava. It looks like a well-run facility and they are meticulous about germs (another plus!).

I'm going to still be nervous dropping her off that first day, but I think I'll be okay. It will be good for Ava to interact with other kids and to have structure. It will help her to be okay around other adults too. I don't want a clingy, shy child.

Anyway, she starts in September. Woo Hoo.

Giving In

Okay. I broke down. I gave in. The iPad is just too cool.

I have been beating myself up for the past month about spending so much money on something I want. But I have a personal payment plan in place to help with the guilt. Plus, Noah and I agreed this would count as my Anniversary (which we just celebrated our 2nd blissful year of marriage this past Monday, August 2nd) and Christmas present combined.

I'm so excited to play with it. Noah is on his way now to pick it up!

Top Baby Items Continued

After my last post I thought about some other top baby items...

6) The Bumbo Seat - It's a seat that helps the baby sit up and not tip over. This has been a livesaver for Noah and I when we need to get little things done around the house. We use it for her to sit in while we eat dinner at night, if I need to do the dishes, sweep/vacuum, or even so I can write this post :)

7) The Graco Flip-it Travel System - This stroller just came out this year. I was so excited when I was flipping through a baby magazine and saw this new stroller from Graco. It comes with a car seat, car seat base, and stroller. The reason I like it is because it is light-weight, it breaks down easily, and because it gives you two options for the baby to ride. You can flip the handle so the baby can face everyone else or they can face you. We liked the travel system in general because everything comes together and we didn't have to buy the car seat and base separately. It was also pretty affordable. Other strollers with a flip handle option are in the $300s and up and that is ridiculous to spend that much when they will outgrow this stroller eventually.

8) Body support by JJ Cole -I bought this for Ava's carseat. It is a reversible body support that adds some cushion and keeps her in place. It definitely was handy for when she was a newborn because she was so much smaller than the car seat. The cushion comes with a detachable head support and strap covers for the safety belts. When she sleeps her head isn't wobbling all over the place and the belts aren't cutting into her neck. I didn't like the wool ones I saw out there and this one is reversible fabrics so I can still use it this fall/winter.

9) Changing pad - the diaper bag I bought came with a changing pad. I like the idea of a changing pad because I use it every time I change her when I'm not at home. It cleans up easily with a cloth in case of any accidents and it's so nifty. I use it in the car, in public restrooms (when I absolutely have to change her in one), even on the couch or bed.

10) Diaper bookbag - I opted for a bookbag style diaper bag because Noah didn't want to carry around a girly diaper bag. It comes in handy because I can just throw it on my shoulders and I don't have to worry about the straps falling off my shoulder when I have to carry her car seat. The one I got also has many compartments and an insulated section for bottles and food. The brand I went with was Columbia. It was the most manly one I could find and live with.

More I won't go into detail: mylicon drops, bottle cleaning brush with suction base to keep away from germs (by munchkin), bottle drying rack Avent microwave sterilizer... man I can't even stop with this list...

And for a short list of money wasters:
1) wipe warmer- way too fancy. what are you going to do when you're in public? the baby will be fine with regular wipes. trust me.

2) bottle warmer- same thing here. just stick to room temperature.

3) infant positioner - I tried using this for Ava to sleep in her crib but she woke up every time. I didn't get one good use out of it and could have just lived without it.

Okay. I need to stop. I'm sorry for rambling. Hope this helps someone :)

Top Baby Items

So being a new mommy I didn't know what I would need when I had a baby. I registered for almost every gadget and thing-a-ma-jig I read about or heard moms use. I talked to other moms and listened to their suggestions.

I thought I'd share the top 5 baby items I swear by since I've had Ava.

1) onesies and burp diapers - I guess this counts as two items but I use these every day. Ava practically lives in her onesie unless we are going out on the weekends. They are comfy and easy. Also, you don't feel too bad if it gets pooped on or soaked because you can just throw on another one. I actually haven't used any on the ones that cover her feet. It's been too hot and also I don't want to bother with them at night when I have to change her diaper. And burp diapers. I use them with every bottle feeding and since she's been teething they come in handy. Alot.

2) playpen/napper/changing table combo - This sucker definitely was worth having. I needed something to put in our bedroom because the first months of her life she slept in our room. It was so convenient to have a place for her to sleep without having her in our bed. The changing table is definitely put to good use and I use the playpen to store her clothes, diapers, wash cloths, and all her other goodies I use daily.

3) formula dispenser - I love this thing. It makes fixing bottles so simple. It has sections to separate each feeding. I measure out the correct amount of nursery water in each bottle and keep the formula dispensers full so when she needs a bottle I just dump the formula in the bottles and voila! no brainer. It keeps from having spoiled milk when we are out and about on the weekends bc we just fix bottles as we need them.

4) video monitor - For those who know me I have anxiety issues. I don't think I would be able to sleep if it were not for my video monitor. I opted for this rather than the regular audio monitor because I like being able to see the baby. Sometimes Ava will make noises in her sleep but not really be awake so it's nice to see her on the screen and not have to get up to check on her every time I hear something on the monitor. Also, it helps put my mind at ease when I don't hear anything to be able to see she is sleeping peacefully and not suffocating under her blankets or anything.

5) receiving blankets - You can never have enough of these. I used them alot when Ava first came home from the hospital to swaddle her in. They are really light so I use them when she goes to sleep. I can also lay them down anywhere and have tummy time instead of pulling out playmats.

Ava's Trip to VA

we bought a jenny jump up

i love this one.

and this one.

I put Ava down for the night. She has been simply pooped from such a busy weekend. She was in high demand and met so many people. Thursday she met her Aunt Sarah, who has been anticipating her arrival since she was born. Sarah even asked for us to meet her Friday so she could show the baby off. All of her co-workers came out to see her and said Sarah sends them daily pictures of Ava, how cute.

I couldn't have asked for a better trip up here. I was so nervous, but Ava slept almost the entire trip. We did have a poopy explosion about 8 hours in, but we survived! I am not looking forward to the drive home. Nothing to look forward to on the drive home.

Today, we had portraits done of Ava and her cousins, Kiara and Monet. I didn't know if Ava was going to cooperate but she was perfect. She smiled and didn't have one meltdown. The pictures turned out so good and I can't wait to get the prints out.

I was expecting a total meltdown here because she hates tummy time, but she was an angel :)