Ava Updates: 2-4 months

It's been awhile since I've done an update on Ava so here's a fast forwarded version...

6 weeks old

At 6 weeks old she was giving us lots of smiles and was still a very happy content baby. She has this laugh (and cry) that doesn't seem to go through her vocal chords or something, it's so soft and muted. That's the most comments I get from people- that she has the most gentle and soft cute cry, but I think her laugh sounds like an old lady ;)

12 weeks- just under 3 months

I'm sad to realize I have very few pictures of Ava at 3 months since we were so busy with moving! This one above was taken in the hotel while we were house hunting in NY for a weekend. It's funny to me now that I have a picture of her smiling because I can only remember her crying that weekend. Luke and I were convinced Ava hated New York because she was miserable the whole trip. Maybe travelling threw her off a bit, but at least she slept on the flights- her first time flying!

14 weeks (3 months old)

These two pictures were taken on moving day, as we were leaving Colorado. For all that was going on she was a happy baby again, back to normal, and so patient! Thank goodness, or I don't know how I would've survived that time. I love looking back and seeing these gummy smiles and big eyes! She started squealing and cooing more at us around this time too.

Sometime between the week that we moved out of Colorado mid-August to the time we moved into our house in the beginning of September, Ava seemed to grow a ton. I remember noticing a little each day how she seemed to be changing and growing and I would feel sad like I was too busy and already missing it. I still see her as my little baby but it's interesting noticing those slight changes as they grow before your eyes.

 Me and Ava spending time together on the boys first day of school, trying out her exersaucer.

 Once we finally got settled in our house I could start to get Ava on a normal sleep schedule in the day and at night in her crib. I was happy to see she was like my boys and could be put down in her crib and put herself to sleep without crying! So now she sleeps through the night in her crib, I feed her early in the morning and then she sleeps again until late morning, sometimes noon. This is the only way she can get a day nap in, since the afternoons are spent driving around running errands and she has a hard time staying asleep in her car seat. 

As much as I would like Ava to be on a normal nap schedule, it's been hard with Blake needing to get to preschool mid-day. So once we finally get home by 3:30 there were times Ava was so wiped out she'd fall asleep where she was placed. [The phase didn't last long, as now she usually needs to go down in her crib to sleep for a nap in the late afternoon.] I love finding her asleep though because she looks so sweet, and reminds me more of Luke with her eyes closed too.

  

 I also realized after we moved in that I hadn't put Ava down for tummy time in awhile, so I was pleased to see that out of nowhere she could suddenly hold her head well and accidentally started rolling over onto her back too (9/19)! The boys found this very entertaining and love playing with her on the floor and providing her toys.

9/21- First rice cereal

We also finally got Ava on track with eating rice cereal. I feel like this is a hard transition for me, since I find nursing so easy, it's hard for me to remember to take time to sit her down to feed her too! But she loves to be fed and always gets upset when she's done because she wants more! So I'm trying to be better about making sure she gets enough food!

4 months old

Ava is growing so fast but even as I look back and remember what a busy time this has been, I have always felt Ava was such a blessing and I'm so glad that she was already a part of our family while we have made this big transition. She really has been the center of delight and joy in our home! I'm glad she has still stayed my little baby but I'm excited to see her grow up more!