A day in the life...

I wanted to blog about our daily life right now so I can look back in a couple of years and remember what our day to day life looks like...

Ava usually wakes up anytime between 6:30-7:00am.

She nurses and sometimes she will want to go right back to sleep. Usually she lays in bed with us and she talks and babbles for awhile.

She goes back down for a nap at around 8am. This is when I make breakfast (or Bryce makes breakfast). we just hang out and watch tv or get on our computers.

Ava usually takes about an hour and a half nap. When she wakes, she nurses and then usually plays in her exersaucer or play mat.

She goes back down for a nap again at around 11am and I usually clean up a little around the house...dishes, laundry, etc. Bryce and I also work out at this time. We have been doing a P90X knockoff video. We have both lost about 5 pounds in the past 2 weeks!

Ava wakes up at around 12:30pm and she nurses and then we say bye to Daddy as he goes off to work. If we have any errands to run, we will go after Bryce leaves for work.

We usually get back home before its time for Ava to eat again. Once she eats, she plays for a little while and then will go down for a good 2-3 hour nap. Sometimes I will nap or do some more cleaning around the house or get on my computer.

She wakes up at around 5:30pm and nurses and plays again for a little while. I give her a bath at around 7:00pm and get her ready for bed. She goes to bed at around 7:45pm for the night. She usually wakes again at around 11pm to nurse again. This is when Bryce gets home from work and he plays with Ava for about 15 minutes then she goes back to bed.

Ava wakes up at around 4:30am for some reason. I usually have to go in her room and rock her back to sleep. I think we are done with night feedings though. Finally! Being in the states really through her off schedule. Its nice to be back into a routine now.

I'm sure I will look back at this in a few years and think how easy my life was. I'm sure my afternoon naps are going to be short lived.

Visit to Texas: Part 2

After our 2 weeks of being in Amarillo, we headed to Sherman to visit my family for 2 weeks. We had a blast in Sherman. Our families met halfway in a small town near Wichita Falls. We ate at the Pump City Diner. Not to be mistaken for Pimp City Diner! It was one of the two restaurants in the town and the other restaurant was closed... it was our only choice. 

Once we were done eating we hit the road to Sher-town! We spent two weeks just hanging out, eating out, visiting with friends and we also took a mini trip to Tyler for a wedding shower. 

Some friends of ours are getting married in March and they were having a shower in Tyler one of the weekends we were in town. My mom, Bryce, Ava and I went down for the weekend and stayed at my grandparents house. Ava got to see her great grandparents and uncle for the first time! 

Here is Ava with her uncle Charles. She LOVED uncle Charles and he LOVED her too!! So sweet! 

Ava with her great granny

 Ava with her great granddaddy. He has a "special" rock and Ava went right to sleep on him. That never happens!! 

Here is the happy couple..soon to be married! It was great seeing some of our college friends again and catching up. 

 Once we got back to Sherman, we got to hang out with some more of our college friends. Krista is one of my best friends from college. When we were pregnant, we were due 6 days apart! She was due before me but I came early and she came late so Ava is about 2 weeks older than baby Luke.

Krista and her family came up to Sherman and we went to lunch and then they came over to visit. It was so fun hanging out with them and meeting Luke. He is precious and such a good baby. 

We also got to meet my sisters fiance for the first time! We are so happy for them and can't wait for their wedding in May!!  

Ava LOVED all the attention she got when we were in the states. I'm so glad our families got to see Ava while she is still little. 

Now, we are back in Germany, still trying to get adjusted to the time difference. Its good to be back home in our home. It seems like its been forever since we have been home. A month was a long time for being in the states but we really enjoyed it and it was the perfect amount of time. Ava and I will be going back to Texas in May for my sisters wedding. Hopefully Bryce will be able to come too but we will have to wait and see if he can get off work. I can't wait to get me some Chick fil A again!!

Visit to Texas: Part 1

In January, we took a month long trip to Texas! First, we headed to Amarillo for 2 weeks to spend with Bryce's family and then we headed over to Sherman for another 2 weeks.

From Germany to Amarillo, it took about 24 hours. We caught a hop to Baltimore which took about 9 hours. For non-military readers- a hop means we caught a Space Available (Space-A) flight for almost free. If there is extra space on the airplane, military families can fly for free. All you have to pay for is your meals which was about $80 for Bryce, Ava, and I. When we arrived in Baltimore, we had a 2 hour layover before we took a Southwest flight to Amarillo. We went from Baltimore, to Little Rock, to Dallas. We had a plane change in Dallas and then we went from their to Amarillo. Whew! It was a LONG day!!

Ava slept pretty much the whole way from Little Rock to Dallas. She did very well with the time change. Our first night in Amarillo, she woke up twice to eat and went right back to sleep.

The two weeks in Amarillo went so fast! We were busy the entire time! We shopped...a lot, visited with family, and ate out a TON (I'm paying for it now).

This is Ava Drew with her Nana at the Amarillo High pep rally. She slept through almost the entire thing! Crazy girl! My MIL works at the high school so we went up there several times to visit.

This is Bryce's brother, Hayden. My MIL put Ava on his back and about two seconds after this picture was taken, she spit up all in his hair. HA!

Bryce's best friend, Jay, and his girlfriend came into town so we went out to eat at a BBQ place. It was great to see them!

I didn't get a picture of the Sandie Revue but it was so cool. Its like a big talent show at the High School and Hayden performed. Ava did really well and slept for most of the show.

We had a blast in Amarillo. The weather was BEAUTIFUL!! It was a nice break from the 30 degree weather we had in Germany.

Stay tuned for part 2...

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day!! 

Even though we stayed at home today, I still had to dress my baby girl up. Her outfit looks orange but it is actually red. 

Beloved, let us love one another,

for love is from God, 

and whoever loves 

has been born of God 

and knows God. 

1 John 4:7

Ava Drew is 4 months old!

I am a little late on this post because we were in the states on the day Ava turned 4 months old.

Ava Drew, you are 4 months old! Where did the time go? You have been such a joy and we are so thankful for you!! 

I can not believe how BIG you are getting! You act like such a big girl now. You are so independent and you do NOT like to be cuddled or held close. 

You are wearing some 3 month clothes but mostly 3-6 and a couple of 6 month clothes. You are still in a size 1 diaper but you will be transitioning to a size 2 very soon.

Stats:
Height: 24 1/4 in. {42%}
Weight: 11 Ib 14 oz{4%} tiny girl!
Head Circumference: 40 cm  {14%}

You are a GREAT sleeper. You usually go down at around 7 or 8pm but you get up again at around 11pm for a late night feeding. You will then sleep until 7am and after you eat, you go right back down until 10am. 

You still sleep in your pack and play in our room since you are a little off schedule due to traveling. Once you are back on schedule, we will probably move you to your own room. 

You are teething right now so you are always chewing on your hands. You just recently found your feet and you are in awe of them! 

You have definitely found your voice and you LOVE to talk to us. You are such a happy baby. You only cry when you are tired or hungry. 

We haven't started you on rice cereal yet. I'm contemplating on waiting until you are 6 months old. 

You love to pull your headbands down over your face. I have a feeling it will be hard to keep bows on you, girl! 

You grab everything that is in reach. You especially love my hair. 

We love you so much Ava! We thank God daily for you. You are such a blessing to our lives!