a few favorites...

Here's a few of my favorite shots from Ava's newborn photo shoot with Courtney, a friend from church who happens to also be a talented photographer! Ava was just one week old during this photo shoot. This is Courtney's website if you want to see some of her other work: http://www.courteywaugh.com/.

Also, The little knit items in the photos were made by another friend from church, Shannon who happens to be talented in many creative arts including knitting.

Just love how all these pictures turned out!

One Month!

Can't believe my sweet little baby is one month old today! I really am enjoying getting to be home with her. My only "job" is taking care of her right now for these first few months which is so nice. I know this is such a special time that I will always cherish and I am glad I get to take the time I do to be with her during these first months.

(I wish I had some great one month pictures, but been having computer issues this week so more to come later.)

This made me laugh at myself today. I heard from many of my mommy friends about the forgetfulness that comes with lack of sleep and the care taking of a newborn. Today I had us all ready to leave the house, I pause at the door with baby carrier and diaper bag in hand and I am thinking I know I'm forgetting something but what can it be? Then it hit me....I am not wearing any shoes.

For my mom...

I've been a bit behind on my blogging lately so thats why there are multipls posts today. So for those of you, including my mom who check my blog relgularly for Ava updates here's a few sleeping pics for your viewing pleasure.

She loves to sleep in her bouncer during the day heres a shot of her sleeping a couple weeks ago in it.

She also can be seen sleeping frequently with her moth open, Ryan reminds me he knows someone else that sleeps with their mouth open...

I love her sweet rosey checks in this picture. This shot is from this week:

While she does sleep a lot, she is starting to be more awake and alert. It almost makes my heart skip a beat when her little eyes are just studying my face and she is so content.

Ava made the paper!

The houghes county times that is, published in Wetumka, Ok. Ava's great grandpa lives in Wetumka and she was big news. She had a little feature in the paper along with the May birthday's for the county, church attendance for the area churches and other big news on her page of the paper was someone was planning their 80th birthday party!

6 years....

well yesterday we celebrated 6 years of marriage. We went on our first date since Ava's birth to BJ's for lunch and enjoyed getting a pizookie for desert, this is an amazing giant chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven with ice cream on top! Aunt Amy babysat Ava. We only called once the two hours we were out and about, not bad I think for first time out.

This is the man I fell in love when I was about 17 years old. I knew then he would always take care of me and I what I know now is that I love him even more than ever. Just in the last month the ways he takes care of me have reminded me I have a wonderful partner that gives me security and strength to help see us through whatever challenges we face and I couldn't have picked a better partner for myself then him. While I love many aspects of him, perhaps one of the most is how he makes me laugh (as evidenced below, I just came outside today to see what he was up to and found him in this get up, its all practical of course, he says the best time to check your rain gutters and drainage system is when its actually raining.) I love these 6 years in getting to be his wife I continue to look forward all that is ahead!

some more...

ahhhhh, just love these! Thanks Daicia!

Ava's photos...

I know I say this alot on here but its so great to have talented friends! One of my roomies from college got to come for visit the weekend after Ava was born. This is one of two photo shoots Ava had in her very first week. I love the pics so far here's a few of my favorites. Daicia is so talented in many area's including of course photography.

Of course I'm her mom but I think she's pretty photogenic. I just love these pictures. The blanket she's laying on was hand made by one of Ryan co-workers.

First Church...

Ava attended her first church service last Sunday. Here's our first 'whole' family photo after we got home from church. She did great, slept the whole time during morning church and was awake the whole time during evening church.

Ava's video...

Ryan's video with music of our sweet girl on her birth day and her homecoming...

http://vimeo.com/11390899

Initiation...

Ava keeps helping iniate me to the various aspects of being a mom. I've already been iniated with the experience of mommyhood with getting her shots, her blood drawn, diaper mishaps, etc...but Last night was my first initation to projectile vomitting. It was about 1:00am she hadn't been to sleep yet from her last feeding so I was rocking her gently on my side of the bed thinking she was about to sleep and I could put her in the basinet. It was very peaceful, Ryan and Rory were sound asleep and then it happened. It was such a loud noise followed by what seemed a crazy amount of vomit from such a little person. It startled me so much I gasped loudly which startled Ryan and Rory awake. Ryan jumps up and is is yelling "what, what, what, what?" in some sort of stance that is ready to do something about whatever lead to me gasping so loudly. I could not stop laughing. It's like when someone falls down and its not funny but you keep picturing it in your head and it keeps making me laugh! So that may be one of the few times he was releived when I told him it was just vomit!