Christmas Tree

Here are some pics of Ava and our Christmas tree, and a few we tried to take together.  Didn't work out too well.

4 Month Check Up

We went to Ava's 4 month check up today.  We arrived at the doctor's office at 4:45 for our 5:00 appointment.  We left the doctor's office about 7:00.  He was running behind.  He gave us a $20 gift card to Chili's since we had to wait so long, though, so we were okay.  Ava weighed 15 lbs. 14 oz and was 24 and 3/4 inches long.  She is in the 90% for her height and weight, but she is the perfect height for her weight and the perfect weight for her height.  He approved of our new formula, and I've found I can buy it on diapers.com cheaper than the store and it's free shipping!  He also said that we can start feeding Ava solid foods.  She got three shots and one oral vaccine.  She didn't cry at all after the first shot, but her face sure did get red after the next two.  It didn't last long, though.  Micah also got a shot.  He got his flu shot, and he wasn't looking forward to it, but he was brave.  He actually said it didn't hurt at all...I had already tried to tell him that.  It really is one of the most painless shots I have ever had and I recommend it!!

Dr. Pepper and Me

Okay, so here is my health rant.  I wake up every morning and one of the first thoughts on my mind is "When can I have a Dr. Pepper?"  I try to drink only one a day, so I try to plan the perfect time to enjoy it.  I usually don't make it to lunch before I have to drink a Dr. Pepper.  Since I drink it so early, usually by the evening I'm ready for another, so lately I've been having one then, also.  And I wonder why my baby weight has stopped coming off!  So today, after I had my morning DP, I decided I needed a reality check.  I think I have an addiction, and I'm not okay with that.  So I looked up the health effects of drinking soda, because I knew that if I could read the info on it, that would help me not drink Dr. Pepper.  I'm sure we all know that there are no health benefits to drinking soda, though my mind makes me think it makes me relax and feel good.  We are also all aware of the outrageous amount of sugar in these drinks and how that leads to weight gain, diabetes, lack of energy, etc.  What you may not know is how much calcium soda robs from your body...very bad for children (affects their bone growth and makes them more susceptible to bone fractures) and people with a family history of osteoporosis or other bone problems (that would be me!).  So why would anyone drink something that is so bad for you?  Well, it tastes good and I like it!  But no more.  I want Ava to grow up thinking that water is what you drink, and other things, like sodas and caffeinated sweet teas (they're worse than soda!) are unhealthy.  I'm sure I've offended some, because just about everyone I know drinks soda and tea, including my husband.  But this is my blog and this is what I think!  Also, don't think that drinking diet drinks or using saccharin in your tea is a way to get by.  Artificial sweeteners are not good for you at all.  I have never heard or read anything good about using artificial sweeteners.  Even splenda, which many people think is okay, is not.  It is a derivative of sugar with chlorine added to it (do you think it's healthy to drink pool water?) and it was discovered when some chemists were trying to create a new pesticide.  Doesn't sound like a healthy alternative to me.  Anyway, below are a few sites that list some of the health effects of soda and artificial sweeteners.  Check them out if you want, there are plenty more out there.  I had to finally make myself look at this stuff, because I have known how bad Dr. Pepper is for me, I just haven't wanted to admit it.  Now that I know, I have no excuse for continuing to drink it.  I'll still decorate with it, though, and I will always remember my love for Dr. Pepper.

http://www.naturalnews.com/004416.html

http://www.healthbolt.net/2006/12/08/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/

http://www.ghchealth.com/artificial-sweeteners.html

4 Months Old

Ava was 4 months old yesterday.  Everyone is commenting on how big she is getting, and she really is.  It took months for her to outgrow her newborn clothes, and now she is outgrowing things in days it seems.  She is also doing lots of new things.  She talks and laughs all the time and loves it when people pay attention to her.  She also really likes loud noises and music.  We were at Home Depot buying paint and she thought the guy hammering on the lid was the funniest thing.   She is rolling over both ways now, but she does much better going from her back to her front.  She will grab anything within her reach and put it right in her mouth, making it necessary for me to be more vigilant.  She goes to bed at nine and will sleep till nine in the morning...I think that's great!  Overall, she's a pretty good baby.

 

I Did Run In The Turkey Trot...

...and here is the proof.

Carpet and Allergies

We are getting new carpet in our new house today!  Yeah!  Once we have carpet it is pretty much ready for us to move in...not done yet, but done enough so we can move in and continue to put the finishing touches on.  And we are only a week off schedule!  I am planning on making a video of the entire process, so you'll have to check back in later to see our house from start to finish.  

Now for the allergies.  I think Ava is allergic to something.  What, I don't know.  Awhile ago she had some eczema spots on her arm, the dr gave us some medicine and they cleared up.  Now, her legs are totally broken out with the same spots!  I don't know if she is allergic to something in our detergent, a fabric, or animals.  We have also switched her formula to an organic one because the FDA found that the formula she was on contained cyanauric acid, a byproduct of melamine (that's the stuff that caused all the problems in babies in China).  The organic formula we switched to has been tested and found to not contain melamine or any byproducts, but I am wondering now if she might be allergic to something in it.  We go to the doctor Friday for her 4 month check up, so hopefully I can find something out then.

Turkey Turkey Turkey...or Chicken?

Our Thanksgiving started off with Page, Amber, and I getting up to run the Dallas Turkey Trot.  We ran 3 miles in downtown Dallas that morning, along with 34,000 other people (I walked some).  It was incredibly crowded, but lots of fun.  We decided that next time we are just going to do our own Turkey Trot and avoid the crowd!

After our run, we went to Grandmama and Papa's for Thanksgiving dinner.  It was really good! At Grandmama's house we have chicken instead of Turkey.  This is becuase when she was growing up she says she was poor and turkeys brought more money, so they sold their turkeys and ate the chickens.  I think Bobby and Micah both thought we were eating turkey.  We also had pork loin, and I think I heard that we are having boiled shrimp and dove or quail for Christmas.  

We were able to spend some time with Lane and Page and their kids.  This is a picture of Ava and Maddie watching TV at Uncle Jake's and Auntie Am's house. 

I was a bad parent and didn't take any pictures of Ava's first Thanksgiving!  This is a picture of her the day we got home.  She was tired out!

Rockin' and Rollin'

Ava has really started to talk!  She will lay on the floor or sit in her swing and just carry on a conversation with herself.  She also "sings".  At least I think that is what she is doing.  Her favorite song right now is the ABC's.  Whenever I start to sing it, she just smiles and starts laughing and talking and singing.  The only problem is that when I get the camera out she stops because she is focused on the camera!  I've got a video though that shows her singing along a little.  Ava also rolled over from her tummy to her back for the first time today!  Very exciting.  She's been busy all day just "rocking, and rolling, and what-not."  Anyone know what movie that line is from??

More Pictures

Buster and April took some pictures of Ava a couple of weeks ago, also.  Here are a few of my favorites!

Pictures

We had some pictures taken of Ava at three months in the same outfit my dad had his 3 month pictures taken in.  There are also some of her in her tutu.  Go to www.lmphotogallery.com, click on "View Your Gallery" then under galleries click on Ava. 

Ava's TuTu

At the Aggie game this weekend, we saw a little girl with a rhinestone shirt and a maroon tutu.  I decided to make one for Ava.  I thought it turned out pretty cute, but she's a little young for it still.  She loved wearing it because she could put the tulle in her mouth.

3 Months Old

Yesterday Ava was 3 months old.  It is hard to believe it's only been three months!  We went to the doctor today and found out that she has eczema.  Hopefully that is the extent of her allergy gene inheritance.  We went just so the doctor could look at her skin, so he didn't weigh or measure her, so I have no idea how much she weighs!  Here are her 3 month pictures that I took.  It was bedtime when I took these and you can tell she's pretty sleepy.

 

Trunk or Treat

Last night at church we had Trunk or Treat.  This is where everyone opens up the trunks of their cars and hands out candy to trick or treaters.  Ava is a little young for trick or treating still, but she helped us decorate our trunk and hand out candy.  She also dressed up in her first Halloween costume...a lobster.  Micah and I dressed up as the cooks and handed our candy out from a big pot.  Ava laid on a bed of lettuce that served as a garnish to her lobster outfit.  It's all a little morbid, but we thought it was funny!

One More Post Today

I've posted a lot today...been kinda bored!  This is my last post for the day, though.  I just wanted to update all those interested on my running progress.  I am now up to about 1 3/4 miles.  That's over half way to my goal of 3 miles for all you math majors out there.  I also signed up for the Dallas Turkey Trot today to help keep me motivated.  If you too would like to register, it's at www.thetrot.com.  I'm excited because it actually does get a little easier every time.  My knees and ankles no longer hurt when I run, and I breathe a lot easier.  I'm still huffing and puffing at the end, but my breathing returns to normal much sooner.  Also, I've got this app on my iPhone (which I love) called RunKeeper.  It tracks my speed, time, and distance and sends me a map of my run.  It is really awesome.  I am proud of myself and my progress, considering about 2 months ago I could barely walk to the end of the driveway!

Ava In Her Sling

Ava likes to be held a lot sometimes, so I put her in her sling and I am able to get some stuff done around the house while holding her.  She usually goes to sleep, so I guess it's pretty comfy!  All of these pictures were taken on my phone...it does a pretty good job!

I Love Apple

I got a MacBook for Christmas last year, and I absolutely love it!  It is by far the easiest computer I have ever used to download pictures, create projects, and create videos.  There are so many things I can do with it...and I'm not a computer person.  Then last week Micah and I got iPhones.  We have both been mesmerized with them!  There are so many things we can do with them, including take pictures and download them to our computer...something we couldn't do with our old phones.  You can also download all sorts of apps onto them.  I wish I had this when I was teaching, because there are tons of educational games for kids you can download onto the phone, and I could've definitely used playtime on my phone as a reward for my kids.  Many of the games work with iPods, also, but most need an iPod touch.  You can find all these apps in the iTunes store...something for all you teachers to check into.  So I've become a big fan of Apple.  I do miss some PC things, like right-clicking, but all in all, I don't think I will ever buy a PC again!

Skin Problems

Ava is having some skin issues.  I think she has either ringworm or eczema.  She got a round spot on her elbow last week and it went away then came back.  Then her cheeks got all red and dry and eczema looking.  I've slathered her up with grease and anti-fungal stuff, so hopefully one of those will work!

Red Cheeks

Round spot on elbow

Read Any Good Books Lately?

I like to read.  Pretty much anything-except non-fiction and leadership books-I've had enough of those!  This summer I read a few books.  I read Water for Elephants, The Secret Life of Bees, and lots of baby books.  I didn't really like Water for Elephants, but I did like The Secret Life Of Bees.  Right now I'm trying to read Emma.  I read Pride and Prejudice last summer and really liked it, but Emma is a lot more boring...Jane Austen needed a little less conversation and a lot more action in that book for my taste!  Anyways, I now have a library card, because I realized it is much cheaper to borrow the books and see if I like them before I buy them.  So I am taking suggestions for books to read.  If you have any ideas of good books, tell me!  As I said before, I like just about anything, especially historical fiction, and I'm into classic novels.  It makes me feel smart to read those.  I'm reading back over this blog entry, and it seems like I NEED to read more because my writing is horrible!  If you have any suggestions, let me know...Denise-I'm anxiously awaiting your suggestions!  Oh, and I often read what I'm reading out loud to Ava, (Emma has proved to be a good bedtime read for her) so no trashy romances.  I think they're pretty stupid anyways!

What Color?

Micah and I should be buying a house Wednesday if everything goes as planned.  We have some painting to do before we move in, though, and I can't decide what color to paint Ava's room.  Here's some pics of her current room with her decor, so tell me what colors you think might look good on the walls!!

This is not Ava's room, but it is her bedding.

These are Ava's current room.  Her new room will be the same, just bigger!

Cold Front

I usually don't like cold weather, but yesterday Ava and I waited anxiously for the cold front to come in.  We've been living in a house about half the size of our house in Blossom and have been paying electric bills that are about twice the price, so I've been ready for the temperature to lower a little so our AC will run less.  We began the day at 6am when Ava woke up to eat.  She not only wanted to eat, she also wanted to play.  I have never been very lively at 6 in the morning, so we laid on the couch together and watched the news.  We both fell asleep and woke up much later that morning, about 10:00.  After that, we got up, got dressed, played for a while, then put a movie in and sat in the chair and watched the movie.  I watched, Ava slept.  About the time the movie was over, the cold front blew in and things really cooled off.  We got ready for church, Ava wore her pumpkin shirt and black pants, because that is one of the few cool weather outfits she has that fit her right now.  When we got home, Ava took a bath and she wore her footed PJs for the first time.  They are really cute.  Pictures below.  As you can see, my life is rather uneventful, but very enjoyable!!

Ava's Video

The Green, Green Grass of Home

Not our home, Jorge and Amy's home.  We went by and saw their grass, and it is nice.

Zoey

I tried to put this video on my last post, but it didn't work.  I finally got it figured out, though.  So, here is a video of Zoey stretching.  We thought it was pretty funny.

Visiting

We visited with Lane and Page and their girls at their house this past week.  Here are some pics and videos from that.

Ava is 2 Months Old

I know this is late, but Ava here is Ava's two month old picture.  It seems like she's been around alot longer than two months, and it is amazing how much things have changed these past two months!!

Ava Laughing

Okay, I'm going to try and post this video of Ava laughing, or at least we think she is laughing!

Getting In Shape

So, I've been running.  At first it sucked, but I'm actually starting to enjoy it now.  I've never been a runner but always wanted to be.  In Jr. High I was the kid (well, one of them) who had a hard time running the mile in 10 minutes for that stupid president's challenge.  When I was in College Station I worked out with a friend of mine who was a personal trainer and she finally got me running a mile easily, though not quickly, and I enjoyed it.  I remember at that time that I could actually walk with Page and she would start breathing hard before me.  Granted, she was about 5 months pregnant with Zoey, but it was still exciting for me.  My goal now is to run 3 miles, and I'm on the couch potato training program which is working pretty well for me.  I can tell it is getting easier for me each time and I am able to run a little more each time.  Micah is doing a great job of coming home and watching Ava and making me go run-not in a male chauvinist, I can't have a fat wife way, but a I know you can do this and you want to do this so go do it way.  Hopefully I will be able to run the 3 miles by Thanksgiving.  Oh, and Amy Buchanan, every time I run I think of you...Thanks!

2 Month Doctor Visit

Today we went for Ava's 2 month doctor visit.  She weighed 11 pounds 11 ounces and was 23 1/4 inches long.  Her weight is in the 75% and her height is in the 90%.  The doctor said that basically (basicwy) means she is a tall skinny baby.  Again, I'm not real sure where that comes from!  Maybe grandmama and Aunt Jo.  She got her shots this morning, too.  She got two in one leg and one in the other, and she got the rotovirus vaccine which is just a liquid they squirt in her mouth. She screamed and cried until we got her dressed and put her pacifier in.  After that, she was fine.  While we were there, the doctor recommended that I go ahead and get my flu shot, so I did.  I've never gotten one before that I know of, but he said that anyone in the household with a baby should get one, so I did, and Micah will get his too.  So if you want to hold Ava, get a flu shot!

Oh No!

Oh no!  Andrea, Karl, and Kaden are coming to my house!

They're here!

They left...but they brought me a cool toy that I like to look at and smile.

As you can see, Andrea, Karl, and Kaden came to our house for a short visit.  We enjoyed it very much.  Karl went to school with Micah and talked to his classes about his job at John Deere, so Micah had a good day Friday.  We were glad they came to stay with us and we are looking forward to returning the favor!  It may be a while, though, because its getting colder in Iowa, and we don't like the cold.  Maybe we can sacrifice.

Happenings

Lots of things have been going on lately, we've been very busy!  Friday we went to Garland and got to see Grandmama and Papa, as well as Aunt Jo, Page, and her three girls.  Saturday we went to the A&M game.  Although it wasn't a great game, we got to sit down pretty much the whole time and eat Freebird's burritos while watching, so it wasn't all that bad.  Ava stayed at home with my mom.  We are very appreciative of how willing she is to come and watch Ava!  Monday I started "running".  I put running in quotes, because I'm not sure if you can actually call what I'm doing running.  I jog, pretty slowly, for 60 seconds then walk for 90 seconds.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to do even that, but I was and so I was glad.  I already want to quit, though, but I'm not going to.  I'll keep it up and hope it gets a little easier each time!

Maddie in her owl hat

Ava and Emma Claire

Maddie trying to calm Ava down

Ava in her Mexican dress Jake and Amber bought her.  She just woke up and was not very happy.

Sitting in Micah's lap.  Those are not my hairy legs, even I shave more than that.