On Your First Year

Dear Ava,

You’re turning one year old in five days. I’ve been reflecting on your first year a lot lately, going through photos and videos of you, preparing a slide show, listening to our songs, planning your birthday party, and generally just marveling at all we’ve experienced and been through in one short, long year.

I found out on September 7^th, 2010 that I was going to be a mom. I was shocked. I just kept saying I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant.

The pregnancy was uneventful, in a good way. I was ecstatic to find out you were a girl. Even though I was already 100% sure you were; it was nice to have it confirmed. I had a lot of heart burn and Braxton hick’s contractions, gained 44 pounds (that’s the first time I’ve admitted that “out loud”) and walked a lot of miles, especially towards the end. 

You were a joy to carry for those nine (ten) months. I talked to you every day on my 45 minute commute to work each way; listed for you the people who loved you and couldn’t wait to meet you. It was a long list. I still do this at night sometimes when I’m nursing you before putting you to bed. I sang Golden Slumbers by the Beatles to you, switching Sleep little darling, do not cry and I will sing a lullaby… to Sleep little Ava Shay, do not cry and I will sing you a lullaby… because that’s what my dad sang to me, filling in my name. I still do this when I’m singing you to sleep at night. I dreamt about you and for you. Who you would be, what you would like and dislike, what you would think was funny, what you'd be when you grew up. I still do this when I’m holding you in my arms in the dark and you’re impossibly peaceful. Maybe this is why I don’t mind that you still wake up once every night; it’s my listing, singing, dreaming time with you. 

The moment you were born was marked by shock. It was not love at first sight as many mothers describe their first gaze upon their newborn. It was shock at first sight. Which is peculiar, considering you were nine days late. I mean; you had to come sometime. Maybe it was because the labor was so quick? I don't know. This photo really couldn't be any less flattering of me, but every time I see it I can feel the shock all over again.

P.S. I haven't seen your suck your thumb since...

The love grew. And grew. And still grows. In fact, I’ve noticed that every time you get sick; which is a lot, much, much too often, by the end of the whole, horrendous ordeal, I’m a little bit more in love with you. And I think you trust me a little bit more each time as well. It’s as if we got through another battle together and we’re stronger for it. And we did. And we are.

There have been so many fun and funny times too. You bring so much joy and pride to our lives. Your giggle is totally contagious. Your scrunchy face is to die for. Your little button nose couldn’t be more perfect. You’re a sweet girl, but you’re also a tough girl; which is exactly what I wanted. You’re probably the most social person I know, honestly. You wave at inanimate objects. When you do wave at actual people, and they wave back, you get high off the attention. You look at dad and I all excited to see if we saw what transpired, as if to say, It worked! It worked! My waved worked! A lot of times your dad and I just look at each other, over your little head in the middle of us, and we don’t have to say it, but I know we’re both thinking it, Where did she come from? And isn’t she just perfect? Sometimes you’re so cute or sweet or intensely beautiful that I have to look away, it’s too much.

There’s been many times during this first year, mostly in the early days and weeks of it, but it still happens at times, when it hits me, She’s mine. I get to keep her. And know her for the rest of my life. This is SO cool!

Thank you Ava, for making me a mom. Happy 1^st birthday.

And Many More,

Mom

"Duck"

Big news! Ava said her first word! Duck. Only Grandpa Power heard it and she hasn't said it since, but we trust him, so we'll count it. After we thought about it, it made sense for a couple of reasons why duck would be her first word:

1. She has a rubber ducky that she plays with every day in the bathtub.
2. She's obsessed with this video, "Elmo's Ducks," and wants to watch it anytime she sees a laptop, iPad or iPhone. She comes up to us whenever we're on one these devices and peeks over our shoulders to watch it with us. Because surely we're just sitting there enjoying a quick viewing of this awesome music video. She can't figure out why she can't catch the ducks whenever she touches the screen and seems to think they live behind it. [Warning: this song will get in your head. And stay there. For weeks.]

3. My parents live on the water in Ventura and we all fed a visiting duck and made a fuss about it the the day before she said it.

Shortly after Ava woke up on Sunday morning, my dad took her down to the dock, saying, "Let's go see if the duck's there again." And she repeated, "Duck."

So of course a couple of days later we had to take our little duck-obsessed babe to the pond at El Dorado Park here in Long Beach so she could get her fix.

11 Month Photo Shoot

11 Month Update

Ava is 11 months old! We keep marveling at the fact that her first year of life is closing in on us. Late last night I was going through and deleting some photos and videos on my phone since it keeps crashing every time I open it (tends to happen when you have over 2,000 pics stored). Of course I got sucked into looking through and watching many of them. After seeing how incredibly different she looks and acts; and how big and coordinated she is now in comparison to those early days, weeks and months, it does seem like a year. A quick and very full year.

Ava at 11 months you...

• Are the belle of the... grocery store, play date, park, library, restaurant, pharmacy... pretty much everywhere you go. You're a total ham and make it your personal mission to brighten people's day. You stare people down and stalk them by waving and excitedly flapping your arms until you get their attention. And then you bask in it. Wherever we go people comment on what a happy baby you are.
• Have a couple of new funny faces in your repertoire. You do this super cute "fishy face." You suck your cheeks in and bug your eyes. It's hilarious. Your swimming instructor especially likes and requests it. You love to deliver. I wish I had photos of it but I haven't been able to capture it just yet. Your other one is "surprised face."

• Are starting to imitate us. You do this delayed laugh after you hear us laughing. It has about a four second delay. The other day I was looking online at real estate in the Ventura area, my new past time, and getting frustrated. You were eating your breakfast and I heard this exasperated sigh come out of you. Surprised, I looked over to see what is wrong and realize you were just imitating me. I hadn't even realized I'd let out a sigh. It's interesting having a little mirror put up to you like that. And I have a feeling this is just the beginning...
• And I did our first 5K together. You were my little coach, crying when I wasn't going fast enough. You're my little running partner. I think we're ready for a 10K next time.

• Put your hands on your head for the song, "Head, shoulder, knees and toes," and look at me with anticipation like, Okay mom, sing that song you sing. It took me forever to figure our what you were doing.
• Do the cutest things! Like the other day your dad was sleeping off an overnight and you went over to him and opened his eyes with your fingers. That's one way to wake him up!
• Walk with your push toy

• Blow kisses! Kinda. It's so cute. You slap your hand over your mouth and then throw your arm out towards us. It's all very graceful...
• Got a new (hot) bathing suit. Pink zebra tankini. What? So cute. 

You're a little excited about it.

•  Speaking of new bathing suits, you're becoming quite the little beach babe. Just in time for summer!

• Say Mama, Dada, Ni-ni (night, night; when you are asking to be put to bed), bye bye. You even put a few words together bye dada and my mama. Melted me.
• Love dropping things off your high chair and changing table and out of your stroller. Food, sippy cups, toys, books... anything. It's Annoying. 
• Pooped in the tub! And then clapped. Gross.
• Are getting really into daddy aka A da as you call him. When I go into your room to get you in the morning or after a nap you get all excited to see me and then look past me like, Might there be a da coming behind you? This is the face I wake up to every morning. Love.

Mommy's little alarm clock

You also request dad to go up the stairs behind you (another new favorite hobby you could do all day long), even if I'm right there. You love, love, love it when daddy goes to swimming lessons with us. You look for me every time your head comes back up out of the water, but when you see him sitting there too you look like you could explode with excitement right then and there.

You & the pops

• Have been healthy and eczema free for about a month now! Oh Hallejuhah! What a blessing health is and how we appreciate it now. Parenting and being a baby is hard enough without all that sickness to muddle through. We still aren't sure what causes your eczema to flare up but we've seemed to found the trifecta that works for you: 
• 1. Diet: you only get fruits, veggies, meat (nothing out of a box or package, no wheat, no dairy)
• 2. Skin regimen: Olive oil baths for ten minutes every other day in lukewarm water with no soap. We pat you dry and lube you up with copious amount of CeraVe cream.
• 3. Prescription medicine: Protopic ointment for flare ups (which we haven't had to use in about two weeks. Yee-haw, because it's a pretty strong medication with a black box warning on it).

Blurry pic, but your skin is heavenly these days.

We're really looking forward to celebrating your first birthday at the end of the month, Baby Girl! It's been an incredible (almost) year with you and we're looking forward to many, many more!

Mama loves you.