Friday, May 29, 2009
18 weeks old
Okay, so I have not been on here in a little while. Ava went to the Dr. last Friday for her 4 month old checkup. Here are her stats: 15 lbs and 26 inches long. That means she is in the 82nd percentile for weight and the 99th percentile for length. At least our little giant made it back on the charts for the length :) She continues to develop her own little personality. She has now mastered the art of flipping from her back to her stomach! No longer are the days I can leave her on her back. She is mobile!!! Watch out.. She has also found her voice..... in a very loud shrieking manner! She loves the sound of her own voice and there is no mistaking her for a little boy.v She always has a fist or a foot in her mouth and always a smile on her face! We are having so much fun with her. Stay tuned. Jim and I are taking her to the pool for the first time this coming Monday. Many pictures to follow!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Mothers Day
She girds herself with strength, and strengthens herself daily. She perceives that her provision for her family is good: she does not retire early but works diligently to see to the needs of her family, she is not an idle woman. Proverbs 31:17, 18, 27
I just celebrated Mother's Day yesterday with my mother and Ava since I was working this past weekend. I have always appreciated my mother for everything she has done for me but this year I am lucky to have a whole new perspective on what Mothers Day means. I was thinking to myself that it was only about a week or so after Mother's Day last year that I learned that I would be a new mother. I must admit that this time last year that having a child was not at the top of the to do list for Jim and I. Part of the reason for this is because I had recently been told that I would not be able to get pregnant at this time. One day I was sitting in the break room at work when a fellow co-worker came in. His name is Carl and is known for his "psychic abilities." I am not a true believer in this but that is besides the point. He walked in and I jokingly asked him to read me. He looked me square in the eye and told me I was pregnant. I laughed and assured him that this was not the case. As the week went on I started to feel overly tired and even called my pharmacist to see if he could swap me back to the generic form of synthroid I had been taking for my thyroid. I noticed over the next couple of weeks that I was dreaming of having a baby. I wondered if there was any way I could be pregnant but decided to push the thought aside. Finally, I decided to take a pregnancy test. I decided to do this in secret, since I thought it was impossible at the time. There was no way! After several home pregnancy tests and blood work, I was finally convinced. I would be a new mom. My mind started racing with thoughts of how I would care for this little one. I did not know anything about being a mother or have the slightest idea how to care for one. After the fear passed I began to think of how wonderful it would be to have a baby. What would he or she look like? This truly was the biggest surprise of my life. Even though she might not have been in my plans at the time, she was meant to be. I am so thankful that God chose Ava for me. She is the greatest gift I have ever received. I never knew how much love I was capable of until I met her. Every day I learn something new. I may not be mother of the year but I do know that every morning I wake up wanting to be a better person for her. As a child, I always knew that I was loved by my mother and there was nothing she would not do for me. I can only hope that Ava will know this to. I am so grateful for my mother, my best friend, and the opportunity to build the same type of relationship with my daughter. Ava's smile was the greatest mothers day gift I could ever ask for!
I just celebrated Mother's Day yesterday with my mother and Ava since I was working this past weekend. I have always appreciated my mother for everything she has done for me but this year I am lucky to have a whole new perspective on what Mothers Day means. I was thinking to myself that it was only about a week or so after Mother's Day last year that I learned that I would be a new mother. I must admit that this time last year that having a child was not at the top of the to do list for Jim and I. Part of the reason for this is because I had recently been told that I would not be able to get pregnant at this time. One day I was sitting in the break room at work when a fellow co-worker came in. His name is Carl and is known for his "psychic abilities." I am not a true believer in this but that is besides the point. He walked in and I jokingly asked him to read me. He looked me square in the eye and told me I was pregnant. I laughed and assured him that this was not the case. As the week went on I started to feel overly tired and even called my pharmacist to see if he could swap me back to the generic form of synthroid I had been taking for my thyroid. I noticed over the next couple of weeks that I was dreaming of having a baby. I wondered if there was any way I could be pregnant but decided to push the thought aside. Finally, I decided to take a pregnancy test. I decided to do this in secret, since I thought it was impossible at the time. There was no way! After several home pregnancy tests and blood work, I was finally convinced. I would be a new mom. My mind started racing with thoughts of how I would care for this little one. I did not know anything about being a mother or have the slightest idea how to care for one. After the fear passed I began to think of how wonderful it would be to have a baby. What would he or she look like? This truly was the biggest surprise of my life. Even though she might not have been in my plans at the time, she was meant to be. I am so thankful that God chose Ava for me. She is the greatest gift I have ever received. I never knew how much love I was capable of until I met her. Every day I learn something new. I may not be mother of the year but I do know that every morning I wake up wanting to be a better person for her. As a child, I always knew that I was loved by my mother and there was nothing she would not do for me. I can only hope that Ava will know this to. I am so grateful for my mother, my best friend, and the opportunity to build the same type of relationship with my daughter. Ava's smile was the greatest mothers day gift I could ever ask for!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them." Psalm 127:3-5
I am beginning this site as Ava is turning 16 weeks old. She is truly the love of our lives. This week Ava is 16 weeks old. Time seems to fly with a little one! She is smiling all the time with her beautiful toothless grin. However, we don't think she will be toothless for long. For about a week now, Ava has started the agonizing process of teething. She is a little early to start the process but she seems to be advanced in all areas! LOL. On Friday, when we were at the doctor discussing her stomach problems they gave us the percentiles for a 3 month old baby. Ava fell in the 90th percentile of weight and once again off the charts for length. I know what you are thinking....... How in the world could Jim and Lauren produce such a tall baby! I agree. The thought crosses my mind often :). However, I was a rather large baby so I guess she gets that from me. So her hopes of becoming a basketball player or supermodel may not actually happen if she slows down like I did. Among many of her special talents, she is now able to roll over, push up and babble endlessly. I think she might be a talker ( little Jim). She is about 80% smiles and 20% DRAMA QUEEN! I don't think my child handles pain well and is not ashamed to let the world know it. We will continue to let you know how she is progressing. Everyday is a new day and continually something new and exciting.
I am beginning this site as Ava is turning 16 weeks old. She is truly the love of our lives. This week Ava is 16 weeks old. Time seems to fly with a little one! She is smiling all the time with her beautiful toothless grin. However, we don't think she will be toothless for long. For about a week now, Ava has started the agonizing process of teething. She is a little early to start the process but she seems to be advanced in all areas! LOL. On Friday, when we were at the doctor discussing her stomach problems they gave us the percentiles for a 3 month old baby. Ava fell in the 90th percentile of weight and once again off the charts for length. I know what you are thinking....... How in the world could Jim and Lauren produce such a tall baby! I agree. The thought crosses my mind often :). However, I was a rather large baby so I guess she gets that from me. So her hopes of becoming a basketball player or supermodel may not actually happen if she slows down like I did. Among many of her special talents, she is now able to roll over, push up and babble endlessly. I think she might be a talker ( little Jim). She is about 80% smiles and 20% DRAMA QUEEN! I don't think my child handles pain well and is not ashamed to let the world know it. We will continue to let you know how she is progressing. Everyday is a new day and continually something new and exciting.
January 22, 2009
On January 21, 2009, a Wednesday night, I entered Vanderbilt hospital. This time I was not coming to care for others as I have done for 3 years now, instead I was coming to check in as a patient. I felt like I had been waiting for this moment for an eternity. All of the swelling, cramping and nausea were about to pay off. I was overwhelmed with joy at the thought of meeting Ava. I had been anticipating this moment for months and it was finally "go time." I was a ball of nerves as I changed into my gown and began the process of being induced. They started a large bore iv and began the pitocin. I labored all night with no significant change. Sometime the next morning I got up the nerve to go ahead and ask for my epidural. Sweet relief! I thought. I knew from the get go that I had no intentions of feeling any of the hard labor pains. I have worked with epidurals for years and had no reservations about using one. However, I noticed when it was placed that I only had pain relief on the left side of my body. Okay..... It was still helping considerably so I went with it and appreciated it for what it was worth. Hours passed, and I continued to have very little change. Later on that Thursday afternoon, I began to hurt and develop the chills. I had developed an infection and to make things worse my epidural was not working. Anesthesia was in and out of my room trying their hardest to fix the epidural. I am sad to say that it was done. I came to the realization that the epidural had completely worn off and would not be able to be fixed. At that moment, I rapidly advanced from a 6 to a 10! It was time to go. Scared and in a considerable amount of pain I asked my nurse how long I should expect to push. She reassured me that it should take no longer than 45 minutes. Okay. I could deal with that. However, I would end up pushing for 3 1/2 hours. Ava was stuck under my pelvic bone. My tiny little Doctor gave everything she had trying get Ava out. At one point I remember taking my washcloth off of my head and noticing that my room full of 6 had turned into what seemed like 50 people. Several nurses were pushing on my belly, my doctor was using the Vaccum for the last possible time and Jim looked as white as a ghost. After several hours and lots of help, Ava finally made her arrival! She was born on 1/22/2009, a little after 7 p.m. She weighed 8lbs 15 ounces and was 21 inches long. Wow! She had a headful of black hair and the most beautiful little face I could have ever imagined. I was wheeled back to postpartum and within an hour they brought me a new clean little angel. She looked at me and became quiet as if she just knew I was her mother. I knew from that moment on that life would never be the same.
May 27, 2007
On May 27, 2007 Jim and I tied the knot. This was the beginning of a new life together. Jim and I met while I was attending MTSU in Murfreesboro, Tn. We met through our mutual friends Cas and Kristen. After a few dates we became inseperable. We dated for 2 1/2 years before getting engaged. A week before Valentines day during my Senior year, we went to Gatlingburg on a vacation with several of our closest friends. Jim popped the question one morning when most of my girlfriends and I were busy trying to take pictures of us in the beautiful snow we had from the night before. We were married at Riverwood Mansion in east Nashville. http://www.riverwoodmansion.com/. We had a blast!
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