Ava is 7 Months Old!

It's hard to believe, but our little munchkin is 7 months old already. It seems the months just go by faster and faster. Ava continues to be such a happy baby, especially when someone is paying exclusive attention to her! She is doing quite well with the solid foods. She eats most of the ones we have tried, usually about one third to one half of a jar at a time. We've decided that applesauce is her favorite so far, just like her father! We feed her once a day which is enough mess for us for now.

We took Ava to a drive-in movie last night which did not start until 9:15 pm. She did not fall asleep on the way there like we had hoped, so we were unsure how it would go. It took her about 20 minutes to fall asleep in her seat, and then we never heard another peep out of her. It seems this may be a good way for us to get to see a movie without having to get a sitter. I wish I could stay awake, though. Waiting until dark for them to start is not good for me.

Sam & Addison Come & Visit

Shelly, Samuel, and Addison came to stay with us for a few days while Jason was out town. Aunt Shelly watched Ava on Thursday while I worked which was great. It was so nice to not have to get Ava up and ready to go for daycare. The weather was less than favorable for most of their stay, but Friday turned out to be pretty nice. Sam & Addison played out on the driveway and managed to find a mud puddle from the previous night's rain. I don't think I need to say anymore about where that led to. We did manage an outing with all three kids to the local coffee house. It was brief, but we survived. Ava enjoyed watching Sam & Addie run around playing with their toys. It seemed that she couldn't keep her head going fast enough to keep up with where they were going. Brad & I got a good preview of what is to come for us in about a year or so! It was great to spend time them and so nice having them somewhat close.

Memorial Day weekend was spent sticking around home for us. Brad's sister Lisa and her son Layne came to visit from Burnsville. Lisa also brought her new friend Roy for us to meet for the first time. We stayed busy and hit the mall in Sioux Falls and out for Italian on Saturday. On Sunday, Gary, Joyce, and Joe came over for lunch and also to meet Roy. In the afternoon we went for a stroller ride with Layne. That evening we headed over to Aunt Carol's in Adrian to see a bunch more family that was home. For many, it was the first time they had seen Ava which was fun. We also got to meet three other babies born in the last year including the new twins from Texas that are only 12 weeks old. It's hard to believe Ava was ever that small, but I guess she was. Ava was a trooper for all the activity throughout the weekend. She does not nap when we are away unless in the car, but she maintains fairly good spirits which is nice.

We had fun visiting with all the family. Roy seems to fit right in and did well with meeting all the new people. It was beautiful weather, so it was nice to be able to be outside.

A Visit from the Grandma's

Grandma Chris and Great Grandma Floretta came to visit after Grandma Flo got out of the hospital the other day. She had gotten the veins stripped in one of her legs, but seemed to be recovering very well. It was a short visit, but Ava certainly enjoyed the attention.

Ava is now 6 1/2 months and is so much fun. She lights up and smiles nearly every time you talk to her. She is on the move and can scoot around the floor more and more each day. We have tried a few baby foods recently and they seem to be going over pretty well. She likes peaches and applesauce. We tried peas today and they weren't such a big hit, but she could have been a little full. Ava takes two good naps during the day, usually about 2 hours, and sometimes a brief evening nap. She usually sleeps from about 8:30 to 9:00 pm to 7:00 am. She usually greets us in the morning with some talking. She typically does not cry, but is happy entertaining herself in her crib.

Mother's Day 2008

For Mother's Day, we headed to meet Mom & Dad at the Country Club near Shelly and Jason's house. We enjoyed a nice brunch and then headed to Shelly & Jason's afterward for some nice lounging time at the house so the kids could take naps. It was a beautiful day & it was great getting the family together. Ava wasn't too crazy about napping on Shelly & Jason's bed, but she did eventually fall asleep for a short time. She did well and, as usual, was a good traveler for the hour and a half trip.

It has been nearly a year since my last post, but I am going to attempt to keep up with the blogging now. A lot has happened since July 2007. On November 1, 2007, we had our first baby, Ava Claire, weighing in at 9 lbs 6 oz and 21 inches long. She has been such a blessing to our family. We also moved into our new house just outside of Luverne on December 7, 2007. We are finallly starting to feel a bit more settled and enjoying life. Ava is now six months and really developing a personality. Her current weight is 19 lbs 5 oz and she is 26 3/4 inches long. She can roll easily from her back to her stomach, and also back to her back but that takes a little more effort. She can sit by herself and is starting to eat food.