8.5 months!!

Well, hello there! I hope everyone is doing well! Things have been so wonderful here lately! I've been on my anesthesia rotation for the month of April, and it's a much slower pace than my usual morning-to-evening, day-to-day routine. I don't see any of my own patients, but instead I hang out with anesthesiologists and learn whatever they'll teach me! It's pretty cool, I've done quite few different kinds of intubations. I still haven't started an IV, but it's not over yet! So, anyway, it's allowed me to take a few extra breaths and feel like I actually have a little down time! No worrying about my patients, what procedure I'm doing the next day, what lab work I have to finish....it goes on and on. So, I'm just thankful for the small dental break, and I'll be refreshed and ready to get back to the grind next week. So, a lot is happening right now in Ava's world! She has become VERY mobile! Crawls everywhere....FAST! She dumped half of the dogs water bowl on herself the other day. She was crawling around my feet in the kitchen, and then I heard it. I looked over, and there she was...laying all soak and wet in that yucky dog slobber water with a look that said, "Mom, I'm not sure what happened, but I'm all wet." She's also started to pull herself up on the furniture. She likes to do this fun trick where she tries to only hold on with one hand...then she starts wobbling, and kurplunk! Down she goes. Sometimes she lands on her hiney, but sometimes she bonks her head and isn't very happy. I'm torn between always trying to break her fall and letting her learn how to fall to her butt so she doesn't hurt herself! She's had a few times where she's cried after falling, and there's also been times when I thought for sure she was going to wale but she just kept on truckin'! She's such a tough girl! Her teeth are still coming in strong...just those two, though. No other signs of any more teeth! Here they are!
We've started practicing waving "bye-bye" and playing "patty cake." She really liked patty cake for a while and would smile real big when I sang and clapped, but she hasn't been as impressed with it in the last 2 days. She hasn't waved yet, but I feel like she's on the verge! She LOVES, LOVES to play the ride-the-horsey game on my knee. We start slow (like the Ladies ride), then get faster (the the Gentlemen ride), and then go crazy and bump all over (the the Cowboys ride) and she waves her arms around and smiles and laughs! It's SO cute, I just totally love it. Here's a random pic of her sweet eyelashes and porcelain skin! :)
She's finally starting to be ticklish! Her best tickle spots are the bottom of her feet and under her arms. She giggles and laughs when I zerbert her armpit! I love it. She also thinks it's really funny when I say "mama mama mama" in a low, grumbly, Cookie Monster type voice over and over and bite her belly. I usually get home early on this anesthesia rotation, and I have loved having a little more time with her...I feel like I'm not missing anything...and I just love it! Here she is about to pull up to standing! PS. In my opinion, this pic looks like me when I was her age!
I forgot to put her weight and length on the 8 months post...so, she weighed 16lbs 3.5 oz at 8 months. She hasn't gained anything this last month. Since we've been increasing her solid food, she takes less milk, and if we reverse it, she takes the normal amount of milk and isn't interested in the food!! Stinker! Her pediatrician just said to try to break the meals up into smaller ones and make sure she still is having at least 3-4 wet diapers a day. I think she's getting 3 or 4, although not much more. Poop on the other hand...got plenty of that!

I took her outside one afternoon and took a million pictures...this is one of them....I just love it. She just sat there in the grass forever getting used to the texture before she finally started crawling around!
Here's another...I took tons like this of her crawling toward the camera with the sun setting in the back!
She does this everyday! ....crawls to the window sill and pushes up to standing (as high as she can get on the window)! She must be standing like this for at least an hour total everyday!
Here she is watching more Backyardigans.....she's particularly excited about whatever it going on! She usually watches one or two shows a day. Bad, I know!!!
I her big girl chair!!
Standing in her cute as can be outfit that Bobbi got her....with that classic Ava grin!
The up close grin! :)
Right before she got to the camera! Doesn't she look a little alien like!??! Funny! So, here's a link to some more pics of Ava. I really like this group of pics in particular...some of my favorites in the past while! Enjoy!!!

Ava loves her Doggies!

As requested by Michee, here are a few videos. I've got lots of little videos of late, but these are super cute cause she's just so entertained by Catcher and Salsa! Here's Ava watching the doggies with Patrick!

This was was taken the day we got back from our Kiawah trip. She was hanging out with Bobbi, and she just started laughing out of no where and went on and on and on.....VERY cute!! For some reason, this video messes up twice with a loud scratchy noise...so watch out)!

The verdict is in....

So, Patrick and I will now have a nephew and a niece ....complements of Ian and Booj!! Yep, they found out today that they're having a GIRL!!!! :) :) :) They were convinced that it was going to be a boy, I mean, really convinced! So, it was a big shock when they got the news! Her name will be Emery Lydon and she's (it's so fun to say "she") due in September. She and Keegan will be will be 13 months apart! Booj is a rock star and a professional pregnant woman! (Although, I hear she'll be taking a leave of absence for a little while after Emery is born)! So, anyway, CONGRATULATIONS Ian and Elizabeth (and Keegan too)! We are so excited to have another girl on the MacMaster side of the family!

Happy 8 Months!

WOW! EIGHT months old! Crazy! Ava is getting more and more fun by the day!!! :) She's so interactive now! It's so easy to get her to smile or laugh! And she just lights up with a huge smile when Patrick or I walk in the room! How rewarding! She's now officially a turbo crawler! She is a bad girl and gets into things she's not supposed to! (Just kidding, she's perfect)! Her favorite things to go after are cords(!) and the door stopper thing that sticks out of the wall and makes a loud noise when she touches it! Right now, we just watch her and re-direct when she gets close to bad stuff. We're not really baby-proofed yet, but I guess it's about that time now! She is such a busy body and needs to be watched like a hawk! :) Her little knee pads work great! She crawls very well in them, and they prevent her little perfect knees from getting all red and sad!She's doing such a good job eating! No problems with any food yet. So far, she's had apples, green beans, yellow squash, prunes, bananas, sweet potatoes, carrots, rice cereal, oatmeal cereal, cantaloupe, a grape popsicle, diet coke (just a sip), cranberry juice (just a sip), and most recently these little banana puff things...which she didn't really like...but we're still working on it! She wasn't too sure about the texture! Oh! And she HATES her face being wiped! Just hates it!! Now, bedtime bath is a MUST since she usually has sweet potatoes and such in her hair, stuck to her forehead, and up her nostrils!! Here she is with some prunes!
Still doesn't really show much interest in drinking from a sippy cup...although, she really wants to drink out of our cups and water bottles!

I was finishing up a case presentation for school/work right before bedtime, and Ava sat so nicely while I finished! What a sweet girl!
We took another trip to the swings! She just hangs out and relaxes! I am a little nervous, though, about having that porcelain skin in the sun for more than a few minutes at a time!
My view of Ava from the side...I just couldn't resist! Her head barely makes it over the top of the swing! I mean, COME ON!!

Her teeth are growing more and more! When she laughs or smiles, you can see them clear as day...and those sweet little mammalons!! (It's a dental thing). SO cute! Bobbi bought Ava a baby toothbrush since it's about that time to start brushing! I've tried it a few times. The first time, Ava made a horrible face from the feel of the bristles! Patrick called her a "Drama Queen" for all these faces she makes all the time (toothbrush, green beans, banana puffs, etc.)! :) Cute. Here's an up close shot of those pearly whites!Ava crawls all over the doggies...they are very tolerant! Here she is with Catcher!
Just more of her beach pose for you! Even though she sits up on her own now, she still does this a lot when she just needs a few seconds of a rest before she's off again!This past week was such a treat! Bobbi was here the entire week for her Spring Break from school (she works in an elementary school)! Also, Ava's Godparents, Kristin and Matthew, came for a visit for a few days as well. I love having company! Then people can see how much cuter she is in person!! :) (Can you even believe that she can be cuter than her pictures)?!?! ;) Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother Ian who turned 25 on the 12th!!! (PS. Ian and Elizabeth will be finding out the sex of their next baby this Thursday! We can't wait! I'll keep you posted)!

Lately we've discovered that Ava thinks it's just hilarious when we make noises at the dogs (mostly Salsa!) if they're doing something they're not supposed to. So, sometimes I do it just to hear her laugh! Here's a little video! You'll have to ignore the really annoying sound that I'm making...just focus on her!

Here are some other (actually, just a few this time!) pics of Ava at 8 months! Enjoy!

My sweet little thing!

Here's a video of Ava's first experience at the beach! SO cute!


And this one is of Ava watching The Backyardigans. She sits and watches intensely and is sometimes very entertained! :)

Fun at the Beach!

Back from the beach! And how GREAT was it?!?!? We headed to Kiawah Island, SC to hang out for the weekend for the wedding in Charleston. We had such a wonderful time, and Ava just LOVED the beach! She also loved meeting all her cousins and family members that she hadn't seen yet! Everyone was so wonderful, and I had such a relaxing few days...it couldn't have been more PERFECT!! Ava did so well in the car on the way there and back! What a good girl! Here are a few (several!) beach pictures that I wanted to share!

Ava's first experience at the beach! She LOVED it! She couldn't stop staring at the waves!
She sat like this all the way back from the beach! SO cute!
She discovered sand...and she likes to EAT it!! I tried to stop her at first, but then I gave up. By the end, she had is all over her face, and we had to rinse off in the bathtub when we got home!
Walking with Daddy! :)
Sweetness!
Mommy and Ava LOVING the beach!
The happy family! We want to move to the beach! ....Or at least go back to visit often!!
This was Ava's first experience with her feet in the watery sand!

I'll post again in a few days for Ava's 8 month birthday!!! Here are LOTS more pictures of Ava (and fam) at the beach!

7 1/2 months!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to give you a quick update! Can't type much...we're being crazy people and packing for us to leave to head to Charleston tomorrow! Patrick's cousin is getting married, and we're trying to make a long weekend out of it. I've got Friday and Monday off...so, I'm REALLY excited!! So, anyway...just wanted to update you on what's going on!

Ava is still loving her pool. The second time, she played for almost an hour! She loves to hang out in the bathing suit!
Her new most favorite thing to do is eat bananas. She LOVES them! Patrick mushes half of a banana in this mesh thing (so she can't take big chunks of if all and choke), and she just goes to town on it! She even makes chewing noises while eating it! She will work on eating this of 30 minutes to get all the bananas out! Afterwards, it's pretty freaking gross....mushy, slobbery, left over bananas stuck in a little mesh thing! But it's so entertaining to watch! And I love that she loves bananas!
She's been crawling all over the place! Now, she does this little pose (Grandpa Mike calls it her beach pose!) when she wants to take a break. She can't quite push herself up to sit upright, so this is her happy medium. She does this ALL the time!
I walked around the corner to see this! Ugh! What a cute cowgirl baby! A Georgia girl at heart!
This was too sweet to pass up. Ava likes to look out the window and Salsa went right up to her and layed down. I got the video camera out after this, and Ava was playing with Salsa's face, and Salsa was licking Ava all over...the mouth, the face, the arms, the feet. She probably had left over bananas mushed into her skin!

Awe! Best friends forever! :)Okay, so Ava still doesn't quite get the sippy cup. She'd much rather drink from a regular cup. But when we let her do that, it usually gets everywhere since it's too big. The next thing I know, Patrick is giving my daughter a drink out of a SHOT GLASS!!! He says it's the perfect size!
So, Ava's knees have been so red :( since she started crawling. Patrick saw an advertisement somewhere for knee pads for babies...and here they are!! Ridiculous, huh?! I mean, they're so freaking cute, yet, so over the top. BUT, it does help her knees from getting so red! This carpet is particularly rough (it's berber), and I just feel so bad! So, she wears these quite a bit...I get a kick out of it every time! :) It's alright if you want to make fun of us a little!
So, Patrick was eating a popsicle the other day, and Ava was VERY interested. So, we gave her a few tastes. Again...probably something we're not supposed to do yet...but, MAN, did she love it! Here she is with purple lips. It was a grape one!
I've been trying to get a picture of her little tooth...this one still isn't that great. But, you can click on the picture (which will make it bigger) and try to see if better. You can mostly see her lower left one the most...but the right one isn't far behind!
She's definitely on the move now. Every time we look down, she's into (or under) something new!

Ava had green beans for the first time this past week. She's not that much of a fan quite yet! Pretty much every time I get a spoon full into her mouth, she makes this kind of face on and off for about 15 seconds....then we do it all over again. It's really funny in person. I have a little video of it, but it's too large to upload to the blog. So, this picture will have to do...but it's pretty entertaining! She's adjusting to it a little more now....so, we'll see!So, that's the update! We'll be heading out tomorrow and heading back on Monday from Charleston. Bobbi is coming back the week after since it is her spring break. A special thanks to my co-resident, Maggie, for taking care of Catcher and Salsa while we're gone. What a HUGE help!! Thanks Mags. :)

Here's a little updated crawling video. I've got other videos, but it takes so long to get them on the internet! So, this is all I've got right now! I'll post again probably at the end of next week to let you know how the weekend went!



Here are a few more pics of Ava at 7 1/2 months!

Growing so Fast!

Hey y'all! :) Things have been busy for us this past week, and there have been lots of new changes! Ava is about 7 1/2 months now and is doing some new and fun stuff! She's graduated to a big girl bath tub (well, more like an in-between tub) since she can sit up on her own now! The sides are filled with air in case she does lose her balance. She loves being able to play with her toys! Her old tub wasn't big enough for all that fun! Here she is loving her new tub!

This was Easter day, and I just had to include this picture cause she is just so darn cute! :)
And this one too..... :)
So, on Easter Day, Ava got to have her first pool experience! She didn't really know what to think of it...and she doesn't yet know that she can slash...although, we did show her! She did seem to like being free of a diaper! And her bathing suit was just so cute....ugh!
Check out the ruffles on her butt! Salsa was jealous! We had to tell her a few times NOT to get in the pool!
More cuteness!
Aunt Sarah (and Nate) came for a visit last week since they were on spring break. It's always such a treat when she comes, and Ava loves all that wonderful attention she gets! Thanks for all your help Sarah!
We tried on some shoes for Ava and she wasn't really sure what to think about them. She kept trying to pick her feet up...not wanting to keep either of them on the ground. It was pretty cute. (The left shoe was a little bit of a struggle to get on, too)! :)
Hello!
Getting so big....No, she didn't pull herself up on her own, but she will support herself if we put her there!
Next big news! Ava's got a TOOTH coming in!!! This was an attempt at getting a picture, but it didn't really work very well. It's pretty hard to see still...just barely visible, but definitely palpable. She's such a good sport...I'm always trying to get a better look! The first to show was her lower left front tooth, and now the right side is starting to come in as well!
Now for the biggest news of all!!!! I am now the mother of a CRAWLER!!! She had her official first crawl on Easter Eve...about 3 or 4 official hand-foot crawls...but today I was able to catch her really crusing, and she's getting pretty good already!!! Here's a little video!!


And just for fun...here's me pretending Ava is my little toy! :)



So, I'm just to in love with this little girl. Lately, I have just wanted to hug her and kiss her and hold her close. I find myself holding her for extra long at night before I put her down...I can't get enough, and I really look forward to my weekends with her! There's one more thing that's new for Ava. You know when you reach for to pick up a baby and they lift their arms toward you? Well, I've been practicing that with her for MONTHS!!! (Of course, she didn't have a clue what I was doing)! But, the other day I went to pick her up, and I did the same thing I always do, and she LIFTED HER LITTLE ARMS UP toward me!!!! I was so excited! Now, I put her on the ground just so I can reach back down to get her and see it again and again!! So, anyway....that's all the new and exciting stuff that's been going on with Ava! Isn't she just growing so fast?!?!

Here are some more pictures of her turbo growing!