95 and 5

Tonight, family gathered at The Harbor Inn, in Burlington to celebrate Nannie's 95th birthday! Nannie is Matt's great-grandmother (Ava's great-GREAT-grandmother). It's unbelievable that 1) Nannie is 95, and 2) She is doing unbelievably well for her age. Happy Birthday Nannie!

This next picture is one of my favorites! This photo captures 5 generations of family. Right in the center is Ava, then her Dad (Matt), her Mimi (Kim), her Mema (Judy) and her Nannie (Lucille).

This is a picture of Nannie with her grandchildren (left to right): Robyn, Kim, Penny, Chris, Lisa, Laura, Britt and Brian.

Next is a picture of Nannie with her great-grandchildren (left to right): Josh, Ashley, Anna, Matt, Owen & Adam (we missed you Erin)!

Finally, here is Nannie with her great-great-grandchildren (we missed you Jack and Finn)! Ava is the youngest addition to the great-greats.

It was a packed house. I believe there were about 35 people in attendance to celebrate Nannie's birthday. All of these people and families... All because of one wonderful woman!

Ava was cooing and babbling up a storm with Tim and Lisa. Of course the picture I took doesn't show the talkative side of Ava. What a great picture of Tim and Lisa though!

I am so thankful that Anna not only loves Ava, she loves holding Ava too! Thank you Anna for taking such great care of Ava tonight... and for giving me a chance to eat! :)

On to some new toys Ava has been fascinated with recently...

We bought her a mobile for her crib this past week. It's pretty fancy... The animals spin in circles, the leaves open and close and there are 4 different music/sound options. Ava loves looking at it and listening to it's music before falling asleep for her naps.

Ava also loves this musical toy. Ideally, this toy is used to help little ones sit up. Ava is definitely not ready to sit on her own yet, but she enjoys kicking the instruments with her feet. She also likes being held in front of the toy, or sitting in her Bumbo in front of it. Maybe along with those long fingers, she also inherited my musical abilities. Who knows, we may have a piano prodigy in our midst!

Earlier this week, Matt asked me if I thought Ava would be ready for her Exersaucer. My immediate thought was, "No." I quickly remembered though how well she did in her Bumbo seat well before I thought she was ready for it. So, in the Exersaucer she went! You can tell by her first reaction that she wasn't quite sure what to think about all of the toys...

Once she realized that the toys weren't going to jump out and hurt her, she really became quite interested in everything. By far, her favorite parts of the Exersaucer are the sun....

The animal sound/musical toy. Don't you think it looks a bit like the old school 'Simon Says' game?...

And the spinning thing. Real technical name, I know. Give me a break here. It is 11:30, I am tired, and I think I'm getting my daughter's cold. 'Spinning thing' is the best I can come up with at this point. :)

Say Cheese!

While down in Bluffton this past weekend, Matt's sister surprised us by setting up a photo shoot for our family. One of Erin's friends met us at this BEAUTIFUL church on the May River near Downtown Bluffton. I honestly can't say how much this photo shoot means to me. I love pictures. I love family pictures. I love that I will forever be able to look back on this day, and this time in our lives through these pictures.

We had a beautiful setting, beautiful weather and a beautiful baby for the pictures. Take a look!

Photo Shoot

Erin, we thank you from the bottom of our heats for setting this up for us!

A Lot of Ground to Cover...

...I mean that both figuratively and literally. It has been a while since our last post, so I have plenty of pictures and stories to tell. We also just returned from our biggest road trip with Ava. A 300+ mile drive to visit Matt's sister, Erin, and her family in Bluffton, SC! So, let's get started...

A few weeks ago, Ava got to spend some time with her Oma and Opa. With only a 2 hour drive separating my parents from their grand-daughter, they don't stay away long! :) I am very thankful that Ava has both sets of her grandparents relatively close to her. I spent a pretty decent amount of my childhood on the opposite side of the country from my grandparents. It was hard on me, and even harder for my grandparents, I'm sure.

While my parents get to see Ava pretty frequently, I'm sure it isn't as often as they'd like. Every time Oma and Opa visit, they can't get over how much Ava has grown and how much more she is able to do.

I finally got a picture of Ava in her Baby B'Jorn. She no longer looks like a limp sack of potatoes like I had mentioned in a previous post. She does a great job holding her head up while facing the front. For the past few weeks she has been facing forward and let me tell you, it's a whole new world for her. Her eyes dart back and forth looking at everything the grocery store has to offer. The Baby B'Jorn is the reason that I am able to go grocery shopping. It's a wonderful thing.

Matt and I can't seem to get enough of Ava, period. This is especially true when she is smiling and laughing. I guess you could say it makes us feel good to see our little girl happy. It also doesn't hurt that it makes us feel like we're at least doing something right as parents. Hopefully.

Could this next picture be any cuter? I think not. Chubby cheeks. Pudgy fingers. Toothless grin. Button nose. Squinty eyes. She sure does make us happy!

You know that pudgy finger I just mentioned? Yup, Matt is getting wrapped around it tighter and tighter everyday. I am so thankful that the Lord gave me such an amazing and Godly man as a husband and father to Ava. He's the best!

This past weekend, we took Ava to see her Aunt Erin, Uncle John and cousins, Jack and Finn. A normal drive (without a baby) from Greensboro to Bluffton takes anywhere from 4.5 - 5 hours. The drive with a baby takes a bit longer. We had to make 2 stops on the way down so Ava could eat and be changed (yet another blowout). 

Fortunately for us, the minute you put Ava in her car seat, she falls asleep. This made for a very peaceful drive down to Bluffton and a not so peaceful evening once we arrived. I think that being asleep for roughly 5 hours really messed up her routine. Go figure. If I got to sleep for 5 hours on the drive down to SC, I'd be a happy camper. Baby sleeping in the car for 5 hours on the way to SC = baby crying for the rest of the evening. Our apologies Ussery family! Hopefully our next visit won't be so tearful!

In between crying spells, Ava did manage to put on a happy face. Here she is with Aunt Erin. Ava and Erin certainly have one thing in common... they are both surrounded by BOYS! Erin's household consists of her husband, 2 sons and her MALE dog, Scout. Ava has almost all boy cousins and most of our friends with children have... boys! Erin and Ava appreciate the bond they share with each other... estrogen!

Ava also enjoyed spending time with her cousins, Jack and Finn. Here she is lounging around with Finny-Finnster. Somehow Matt and I did not get a picture of Ava with Jack. That will be a must on our next trip. 

Not only did Ava enjoy spending time with Jack and Finn, Matt and I did too. Those little nephews of ours are stinkin' adorable! They both have the biggest hearts and they say the funniest things! Being around them this past weekend really makes me look forward to when Ava can talk. Below is a quick list of some of the funny statements made by our nephews this past weekend. With or without the context of the situation, their words are hilarious!

Jack & Finn-isms

- "Fergie, stop licking me! You're going to lick the citrus off of me!"

- "What in the tarnation?"

- "Uncle Matt, you and I had such fun times in the bathroom!"

- "I don't want to talk to Ava. She's just shy."

- "Why can't you hush that baby up in there?"

Last, and well.... least, is a picture of Fergie and Scout. They're kindred spirits. Compatible companions. Best buds. Why? They both know how it feels to be neglected after children enter the picture. Oh Scouty! Fergie misses you and can't wait to see you again soon!

In Loving Memory

This blog post is dedicated to my wonderful grandfather, Jack Shaw. At age 93, he passed away early this morning. Opa (the name my brother and I called him), was one of the people I loved most in this world. 

I have always had a very special relationship with my grandparents. After I was born, my grandparents kept me during the day when my mom went back to work, until I was 2 years old. So many of my first memories take place at my grandparent's house, while under my grandparent's care. My Oma and Opa were great at being grandparents. What does that mean? They spoiled me ROTTEN! Anything I wanted, I got. Anywhere I wanted to go, we went. Did my parents appreciate how much Oma and Opa spoiled me? Absolutely not. (Although, with the arrival of Ava, I think my parents understand how easy it is to spoil a grandchild.) Here is a picture of my Oma and Opa with me as an infant.

The following picture is probably one of my all-time favorites. I vividly remember wanting nothing more than to sit on my Opa's lap. No matter what time of day, what kind of mood he was in, or what he was doing, my grandfather was more than willing to offer his knee for me to sit on.

I could write a novel filled with all of the wonderful memories I have of my grandfather. Whether or not a novel gets written, the least I could do was publish this post, sharing a few pictures and a few memories to give you a glimpse of my loving grandfather. 

The last time that I was able to spend time with my Opa was Christmas, 2008. The following picture was taken at my grandparent's house during our trip. 

My mom, Ava and I were supposed to fly out to Utah this morning so that Oma and Opa could meet their first great-grandchild. Without getting into all of the details, we were advised by my grandmother not to fly out because my grandpa wasn't feeling well. It was a tough decision, but my mom and I opted to cancel our trip and reschedule for sometime next month. Sadly, when we do make our trip to Utah in the coming weeks, Ava will miss the opportunity to get to know her wonderful, loving Opa. My mom and I are thrilled however, that Ava will surely lift the spirits of my grandmother!

Here is yet another picture of our family taken during our December 2008 trip to Utah. Left to Right, Top/Bottom: My Dad, Oma, Opa, My Mom, My Brother (Ryan), Me and My Hubby!

Jack Maurice Shaw

June 1, 1916 - February 11, 2010

Love you, Opa!

(Your "Little Girl")

Who Does She Look Like?

So, when babies are born, one of the first questions people ask is, "Who do they look like?" Initially, most everyone thought Ava looked like me. The first picture below is a picture of me while I was still in the hospital. The second picture below is Ava right after she was born. We both have full lips, puffy/closed eyes and similar skin coloring. I had some meat on my face, but clearly she did not get those cheeks from me. Actually, she didn't get them from Matt either. We're not quite sure where those bad boys came from.

The next two pictures are my hunky husband, when he was a baby. I'm usually not the best at determining which parent babies look like. I think it's pretty safe to say in this case, that Ava looks like her Daddy! Take a look at the third picture (Ava). She has Matt's eyes, lips,.... ears! 

The other night, Matt and I were looking at old home movies from his childhood. While Ava definitely favors Matt, she really looks like her aunt Erin (Matt's sister). I found the following picture on Matt's computer and couldn't help but post it. So stinkin' cute! I'll be thrilled if Ava turns out to look like autie Erin. Erin was beautiful as a baby and is even more beautiful now! 

I can't believe it, but Ava turned 2 months old this past Wednesday. She's growing up so fast! Her 2 month check-up isn't until Monday, so I'm not exactly sure of her current measurements yet. I do know that she is only 2 months old and already fits in her 3-6 month old clothes. Poor kid... I can already tell she will have some of the fashion dilemmas I had as a child. Her legs are so long, she'll never find a pair of jeans that fit just right. Her feet are so big, I will have to buy women's high heels for her to play "dress-up" in. True story. My mom had to do that for me when I was little. My feet were always too big to fit into the pretty pink plastic shoes that came with dress-up costumes. Haunts me to this day.

Anyway, below are 2 pictures taken next to the same teddy bear from one month ago. How time flies!

On a side note, I have heard from a few people that the video link from the last post doesn't work unless you have Facebook. I will try to get the video posted to the blog in the near future for you non-Facebookers out there. Happy Friday everyone!

Snow Bear

Ava, Matt and I finally got to enjoy a decent snow... TOGETHER! When it snowed back in December, Ava and I got snowed in at my parent's house in Fuquay. Matt was excited to have his 2 ladies, 3 including Fergie, with him this time around.

We bundled Ava up in her adorable Bear outfit and took her outside to see the 8 inches of snow that covered the ground. No surprise, she was more interested in everything other than the white fluff!

Here is proud Papa with his little girl. I think Ava looks more and more like Matt everyday. In this picture, I think their eyes look almost identical. Fine by me! Everyone in his family has these piercing blue eyes... and if Ava inherits that gene, I'll be one happy Mama!

Don't worry, we weren't outside long. It was cold, windy, and our faces were being pelted with tiny pieces of sleet. We couldn't pass up the photo-op though. Matt and I are very much looking forward to the day when we can actually play with Ava in the snow!

Ever since Fergie was a tiny puppy, she has loved playing in the snow! This year has been no exception. This morning when we got up, I took Fergie to the back door to let her use the bathroom. As I opened the door, Fergie took one step out on the back deck, sniffed the snow on the ground, then ran (with impressive speed, I might add) in circles around the perimeter of our backyard for several minutes. I guess she figured if we wouldn't play with her, maybe the snow would!

Having lived in Utah and Michigan, my family always finds the weather reports amusing when snow is in the forecast. To any of my family in Baltimore, Chicago or Utah that may be reading this... let me give you an example of what I mean. Yes, Greensboro got 8 inches of snow. Yes, 8 inches is a significant amount for this region of the country. If you had spent any time in Greensboro yesterday, you would have thought the world was coming to an end though. Food was flying off the grocery store shelves at an alarming rate, lines were out the door and schools were even released 2 hours early. Now, a 2 hour early release means that schools dismissed around 12:30pm. The snow didn't start falling until 6 hours later. Yup, that's North Carolina for ya!

Even though I laugh at the reaction people have to snow here, I have truly come to appreciate it. As a Utah and Michigan native, I can remember times when it would be pouring snow outside and I wouldn't even take one second to appreciate it. Now, when the chance of snow is in the forecast, I find myself, along with most others in the community, about to burst with excitement! Snow is such a rare thing around here, that no one takes it for granted. When snow is predicted, that is all people talk about in the grocery store, at church, etc. Snow brings an electric energy to Greensboro that cannot be found any other time of year. Then, the morning after the snow falls, you step outside to a world of white and feel the biggest sense of peace as you look around at the beauty blanketing the ground. Isn't God awesome?

Funny story... I meant to include this with the previous "Cheeks" post, but it slipped my mind. Here is a hilarious conversation Matt and I shared the other week. 

Melissa: My dad thinks that Ava is starting to look more and more like you.

Matt: You know, now that Ava's cheeks look smaller, I think she looks more like me too.

Melissa: So... you're saying that when she was fat, she looked like me? Thanks.

Matt: No, no no!!! That's not what I meant!

Fortunately, I did know what he meant. I just saw an opportunity to put Matt's foot in his mouth for him, and I took it. And don't worry, Ava's cute cheeks are actually getting bigger again. I guess that means she's looking more like her chubby mama!

I couldn't help but share the following 2 pictures. This girl LOVES laying on her back. Changing table, chair, bed, play mat... It doesn't matter the location, she is HAPPY!

Cheeks

One of the first things we noticed about Ava when she was born were her cheeks. Her cheeks have become her trademark, the thing people notice about her first, and what people seem to remember most about her. They're pretty darn adorable if I do say so myself. 

Well folks, let me introduce you to Ava's other set of cheeks. Come on. Every baby has to have at least one "butt" shot at some point during their life time. What am I talking about... at least one? I'm sure we'll have a boat load of "butt" shots throughout the years. Poor Ava, all I have to say is we'll have plenty of ammunition for your future rehearsal dinner! Sadly, I think the cheeks on her face are larger than the cute dimpled ones on her backside.

Ava has been smiling and laughing up a storm lately. It seems that her changing table is the happiest place of all for her. I'm not exactly sure why... Probably because she knows one of us is getting ready to clean up her latest blowout. :) At one time, blogger allowed video uploads. I either can't find that option anymore, or they have done away with it. So instead, I have posted a cute picture of Ava smiling, and have included a link to a video of her smiling and laughing. Click here to see it.

While Matt was at work today, Ava and I were enjoying some tummy time in her room. Not to be left out, Fergie came in wanting to play as well. Matt is not a fan of Fergie laying on Ava's blanket, and truth be told, neither am I. This particular day though, I didn't have enough hands to get Ava out of the way AND force Fergie off of the blanket. So what happened? Fergie made herself quite comfortable in Ava's play zone. And what did I do? Took a picture, of course! I have a feeling Fergie better get used to Ava invading her personal space. :)

I have started giving Ava a bottle for feeding right before bed time. Still my milk, she just eats it a lot quicker. As it turns out, Ava is one messy bottle eater. We have started using bibs on this little girl. I did not think we'd be breaking these bad boys out until she was eating baby food. Guess I was wrong. 

Matt and I enjoyed an evening out this past weekend. We went bowling with our Life Journey Group from church. Our friends, Greg & Laura, each have a pair of bowling shoes. Matt has always found that fact hilarious, and he never passes up the opportunity to make a joke about their shoes. Well, joke no more babe! Greg & Laura bought Matt his very own pair of bowling shoes! Gotta love it.

We were looking forward to a visit from Oma this weekend. She planned on coming to Greensboro for the day, spending time with us and spoiling Ava rotten. Unfortunately, the upcoming snow storm has changed her plans. Darn you snow! Don't get me wrong... I love the white stuff, and I am excited to wake up to a winter wonderland Saturday morning. So far this year though, snow has spoiled our Angus Barn dinner and a visit from Oma! Although we'll miss Oma this weekend, Ava and I have a major trip planned with her in 2 weeks. Ava, my mom and I will be flying out to Utah to visit my grandparents and introduce them to their first great-grandchild! Come back soon to see photos from our trip to the Wild Wild West!

Big Stinky Blowout

If you have read any of my previous posts, you may remember one where I mentioned lovingly calling my daughter, Little Stinky. You may also remember a separate post where I mentioned a well known natural disaster called the 'blowout.' Well, let's just say that Sunday night we experienced such a blowout, and Ava's name has been upgraded to BIG STINKY!

Let me paint the picture for you... Sunday evening, Matt and I were excited to attend the evening service at church where 2 of our friends were being ordained as Deacons. We were going to be in a church sanctuary for an hour, tops. "What could possibly happen?" I asked myself while packing up the diaper bag. Apparently... more than I realized. It was a bit drafty in the sanctuary this particular Sunday evening, so I had Ava wrapped in a blanket, sitting quietly in my arms. Her silence was interrupted by a certain sound in her diaper. "No biggie," I thought. The service was almost over and I could change her diaper then. All of a sudden, I noticed that my hand (conveniently placed under her bottom) was slightly wet. I'm sure you can figure out what the mystery liquid was. :) Not only had her 'blowout' gone through her outfit, through the blanket and onto my hand... It had also gone through my shirt. Awesome. I know this will not be the last blowout I experience with Big Stinky... I'm just wondering if I need a bigger diaper bag, for MY extra set of clothes!

Ava still enjoys bath time. Look at that cute little grin. She really enjoys kicking her legs and splashing the water around. While we're mentioning blowouts in this blog post, I may as well mention she had another blowout in the tub the other night... AFTER I had cleaned her off. If nothing else, the girl sure is regular! ;)

Gettin' dried off after her bath (yet another blowout location).

I had to buy some tights for Ava the other day. The smallest size they had was 0-9 months. Are you kidding me? That is quite an age range for a baby. The tights fit her fine in the legs, but good grief... The waist comes up to her arm pits!

By far, this is one of my favorite things to do with Ava. It warms my heart to have her fall asleep on my stomach at the end of the day, hearing her breath, smelling her hair and looking over at the other side of the couch and see my wonderful husband sitting with me. Doesn't get much better than that!

Fergie continues to be the best dog in the world. She is very protective of Ava and she loves her very much. That doesn't mean that Fergie isn't depressed though. Here she is, trying to steal some attention away from her dad while he's playing with Ava.

Ava had her One Month Check-up this past Friday (although she was 6 weeks old at the appointment). She sure is growing fast! She weighed 11 lbs., 2oz (she was 8 lbs., 2oz. at birth) and she measured 22.5 inches long (20.5 at birth). Just in the past week, Ava has started smiling like crazy, laughing, cooing and blowing bubbles. She is very aware of everything around her. It has been amazing to see all of the neat and wonderful things she is starting to do and learn!