Getting into the Christmas Spirit!

Tonight Bradley and I drug out the Christmas decorations and started decorating. We have not put up our trees yet, but we have most of the sit around stuff out. We are both very excited about Ava's first Christmas even though we know she will have no clue what is going on. It is still going to be fun for us. She is also enthralled with lights so she will love the trees and Christmas lights.

This week was pretty uneventful. My mom did come down and take care of Ava this week. Anne had the week off, but she still came to visit Ava a lot.

Ava is just growing so much and changing everyday. It is amazing how quick time flies! Christmas will be here before you know it and I am looking forward to those 2 weeks off with Ava. Right now I have 1 week and 2 days until Thanksgiving break and I can't wait!

12 weeks old today

Boy does she hate the snot sucker!


Ava has been very busy this week. Changing I mean and discovering things. She is starting to teeth and has been pretty fussy this week. She is drooling constantly and wants to stick her hands in her mouth all the time. I don't want her sucking her thumb so I try to keep the pacifier in her mouth as much as possible. She has starting holding things in her hands (mostly if we put them there, but occasionally she grabs things on her own). And this morning when I went to her crib, she had moved herself around in the bed. She is also trying to sit up when she is in her bouncer. She gets her back off of the chair just a little bit. Man is she ever changing! I am also posting a couple of pics from trick-or-treating at Nana and Pop's the other night. She got a can of formula and even tolerated the lion costume for more than just 2 minutes. I think she liked how the head piece helped hold her pacifier in!

Ava at 11 weeks old

These pictures were taken of Ava on Sunday. She was supposed to be dedicated at church on Sunday, but Bradley was sick. I got up early to get ready and cook breakfast for everyone. It was so yummy (thanks to my mom and dad for helping) and I told everyone don't expect another breakfast when the next dedication day rolls around. It was a lot of work!

Needless to say, we were all dressed up for nothing. She does look awfully cute in these pictures though! The first picture is of Ava and Aunt Bethany.

Happy Halloween!

Hall-o-weenie Roast

On Saturday we hosted a Hall-o-weenie roast here at our house. We wanted to start a tradition so that everyone could get together and those that live far away could see Ava in her Halloween costume. My mom, dad, and brother came and Bradley's mom, dad, and sister came. We started out around 2 with some snacks and then headed outside for some badminton and pumpkin carving.


At dusk, we started a fire and roasted weenies and had s'mores. Throughout the day Ava also changed clothes and showed off several costumes. After eating, we headed inside for some karoake fun. One word to describe it: HILARIOUS! I was rolling with laughter and so was everyone else. Joe stole the show with his version of Hound Dog and won the prize for the Singing Star. Even Nick did a little singing!

As for the pumpkins, my dad won the prize for best pumpkin. It looks fantastic.

Happy Birthday Nanny!

I want to start by wishing my Nanny a happy 69th birthday! Happy Birthday Nanny! We love you! This picture was taken last year at my Nanny and Poppy's 50th wedding anniversary party.

On Saturday, Bradley, Ava, and I made a surprise trip up to Princeton, KY for my Nanny's 69th birthday party. When we got there, everyone was carving pumpkins and having a great time. They were sure surprised when we showed up. We had a great time visiting with family and just hanging out. Ava slept the whole way there and the whole way home. She even stayed asleep after we got home and took her out of her car seat and put her into bed. I think she must have known how exhausted we were because she slept until 7:00 the next morning. Here are some pics from this weekend.

Ava before we left on Saturday

My Dad, Ava, and I

My Aunt Bo and Ava

Aunt Bo, Uncle Mike, and Ava

And this is hands down my favorite picture from this weekend. Ava and her Gramps.

One week down...

I have successfully completed my first week back at school. It went very well and I am lucky to have some great kids this year. Ava is growing so fast, and I already feel like I am missing out on a lot of things. She is growing and changing every day and I am just amazed by what a great baby she is (at least most of the time!). Bradley says that this is Ava's business suit outfit and she needs to be carrying a briefcase when she wears this!
This is my favorite new outfit that she has. I took this picture on Friday and then I washed it that night so she could wear it again on Saturday when we went to Kentucky. I will post some of those pics later.

Ava's 2 month pics/Back to School

Ava wearing her "My Aunt Loves Me" shirt (purchased by Aunt Bethany :) )
Ava and her giant Mickey (she also has Minnie, but I liked this picture)
I think she looks like a little doll in this one.
So glad she finally likes her crib now. (She loves her Pooh mobile.)

Well, I am officially a working mother now. I started back to work yesterday and only cried a lot! I cried some on Sunday and then I cried yesterday morning when I left and when I got to school and people were asking about Ava. I have been with her for 9 full weeks and 9 full months and it is like she is a part of me. I just didn't want to let go even for 7 hours! The great thing is that her Nana brings her to me at school on my lunch and I nurse her. She is so fantastic to do this for me and I really appreciate it. Anne is also really enjoying being with Ava.

This past weekend Aunt Bethany came to stay with us and we had a great time. We took lots of pictures of Ava and I am posting some of them, but the rest ya'll can't see until closer to Halloween! They are a surprise and a cute surprise at that.

Our Sweet Ava is 2 months old...

I can't believe that Ava is 2 months old already. Time has flown by and on Monday, I have to start back to work. I am going to miss her so much! The one consolation is that she will be being kept by her Nana (Brad's mom) so I know she will be well taken care of. She is growing so much and so quick, I just don't want to miss anything! Here are some pictures of her from this week. I will post more this weekend and post some of her 2 month photo shoot pictures.

Ava with Daddy

Ava with Nana

Paisley and Zoe have been acting foolish in this new house for Squiggles. Of course Squiggles hates it and hates sleeping in it, but the cats love it. They drag it all over the place!

More recent pics

Ava after her bath

Ava at Tummy Time

Damage to the Jeep from the accident

Such a busy week...

We've have been so busy this week that I have had zero time to post. So let me catch up with what has been happening.

On Tuesday my mom came down to spend a couple of days with us. So, on Wednesday we decided to go shopping. As we got ready to leave the driveway and head to Jackson, some idiot that lives across the street decided to back into my driveway and hit us. I was so freaked out, but everyone was okay. The police came and filed their reports and hopefully the guy told them what he told us. Here's the quote, "I can't see out of my rearview mirror and I always back into your driveway." Anyway after the cops left as we were waiting for Bradley to come see the damage, he started to back out of his driveway once again and he almost hit another car. This woman was laying on her horn and he finally realized it was towards him. Crazy huh?

So, Anne drove us all to Jackson. First stop, Hobby Lobby. The site of which will know be known as the place of the "Hobby Lobby Hysterics!" Ava threw the biggest fit in there. She was absolutely hysterical and I could not get her calmed down. Finally, I just left the cart and took off out the door. As soon as we hit fresh air, she stopped. I think Bradley and her must have planned the whole thing. For the rest of the trip, there were very few problems and she did great. We had a great lunch at the Olive Garden and got tons of shopping done (including Ava's Halloween costume). We also bought Ava this playmat by Baby Einstein. She really likes the flashing star and music.

On Thursday we went to a couple of stores in Dyersburg and my mom helped decorate for Halloween. I will post some of those pics later.

This morning we went to church where Ava was very good. She got fussy at the end of the service, but not too bad. She is 8 weeks old today. Here is what she looks like today:

Picture Order

After much decision making. These are the pictures that we are ordering:

Anne and Joe - 8 x 10 - #28 and #47

April and Kenneth - 8 x 10 - #28

Bradley and Tiffany - 5 x 10 Storyboard
- 16 x 20 - #19
- a small album that contains pictures #2, #14, #21, #28, #31, #33, #37, #43, #57, #63
- 8 x 10 - # 47 and #52

I think that covers. Now Bethany, you have to choose. :) We'll also be gettingh wallets, but not sure which ones.
Tiff