Warning: Rambling Ahead!

Well it's been a while since my last update and I definitely have some things I'm excited to share! I apologize for the lack of common ground a lot of the information in this post will hold. Oh well!



First off, Curt and I are buying some tickets today to go back to PA to visit my family and friends. We are super excited about heading back to the U.S. with Ava because so many of our close family and friends have yet to meet her. We are also going to do a baptism in my hometown church where Curt and I were married! The best part is we are doing it with my sister and her hubby and their little boy A.J. They are waiting for us to get home so we can share this super special day.

Second, I think I have managed to get a grip on this whole napping business with Ava. It's a huge breakthrough for us and I am overly excited about the whole deal. Basically, Ava had been taking her naps all over the place like in my arms, on Curt's belly, in the boppy, on the couch...I mean EVERYWHERE. Well, now that she sleeps about 8 hours each night and the fact that she's starting to become more mobile I needed to get her little butt used to sleeping in her crib all the time. Not that I'm bragging, because trust me...I'M NOT, but this little bug of ours soothes herself to sleep in her crib for most of the naps she takes now. We have a quick routine to let her know it's nap time and I put her in there awake and she just chills until she can't fight it anymore, and goes off to dream land. Awesome. We're on Day Three of Operation Nap Time and she's crushing it. Now, the one major flaw (and I'm not really sure it is major one) is she tends to wake up prematurely and then has some issues getting back to sleep.It can take her 30 minutes of whining and moaning her way back to bed. However, her first morning nap is crazy long, like 2 hours, so a part of me thinks maybe her 45 minute to an hour naps for the rest of the day is all she needs? I dunno... It's so hard to walk away from her too because she's so cute and smiley so you think she's "done" but after 40 minutes of shut-eye I'm pretty sure she's got more in her---or does she??? Oh well, it's a work in progress.

Curt is flying tons with Red these days. Busy Busy Busy. Someones gotta be the bread winner so whatcha gonna do? I still have my fellow Bolar ladies and their families in my heart as they begin a couple months of separation and hope that it goes fast for all! (I'm sure it will...)

OH-we went to the doc the other day for Ava because I wanted to make sure her dang thrush was a thing of the past (and it is-yahoo!) and she is now weighing in at 14 pounds 14 ounces at 14 weeks. My Goodness. We are now transitioning into 6 month clothes! My sister Mariel responded to that with, "What are you raising, a linebacker?". Nice...

OOO-kay, here comes the pictures. I will try and update you with each one as they go along. Of course, some are just for fun! Enjoy...

This Einstein Gym has been awesome all along but now that Ava is using her hands to grab things (like my hair-ouch!) it's taken on a whole new level of excitement. Ava discover her hands about a week ago and sometimes that's really all she needs to entertain herself. She holds it in front of her face and it's just fascinating to her. It's so cool to see her use her hands now no matter what she's grabbing.


Here she is chilling with Curt before he heads off to work. She loves that sleep sack, it keeps her nice and warm at night and her arms are free to do what they please. She really only likes to be swaddled during the naps. Weird, but whatever. I'm here to please! We still put the socks on her hands at night for two reasons. The first is because just like her Mommy, she has cold and clammy hands at night so we keep them warm with the socks. Second, she scratched the crap out of her cheek one night at 2am and it was pretty bad--blood and all! So, the socks are staying...for now at least.


Ava has also found that the spit in her mouth can be used for FUN!!! She blows spit bubbles with the best of 'em! The doc also told me the other day when she was looking in her mouth that her bottom gum was a little swollen and in addition to the increasing amount of drool she is putting out that we can expect her to start "teething" shortly. Fun!


Curt has one job. Okay, he has a lot more than one but I have tasked him with "tummy time". For those of you that know Curt is doesn't "half-ass" much of anything and I can really give him most, if not all, of the credit for the fact that Ava has some serious head control going on these days. They used to do "tummy time" in the bed room or on the floor but one day I came in and she was LOCKED on the T.V. in this position. Curt proudly exclaimed, "Look at our new Tummy Time! It's awesome!". Granted it is pretty clever and it's really helped, but I'm not a big fan of Ava watching T.V. yet. I NEVER let her watch television so this is clearly why she is so fixated on the boob tube. Her head control is pretty freakin' impressive though, I must say, Daddy done good!


I have about a million of these, but you get the idea...


Ava loves going for walks in the Bjorn. We just bought the Bjorn Cover the other day from 'babies r us' to help keep her warm outside when we go for strolls on the weekend. She loves to take it all in and I sometimes forget that the world is still so new to her so you can imagine how exhausted she gets. She pretty much looks around her as long as she can but the warmth of Curt's body and the rhythmic motion of his steps are an instant recipe for her to zonk out, which is what she usually does about half way into the walk. SO CUTE! (I also have LOTS of these...)


Thanks to her ability to hold her head upright we have been taking lots of advantage of the bumbo. I LOVE IT. She and I eat together every morning and at then again at lunch and it's perfect. She just chills with her arms on the side, so funny! I can do dishes, make a snack, clean the bedroom...I mean anything really. Who comes up with this stuff? The bumbo=awesome. She looks less than thrilled in this picture, but believe it or not she's happy! (I think it's the camera she's sick of...oh well-get used to it girl, it's here to stay!)


Hangin' with Mom on the couch. What a BIG GIRL!


Ava is like her Grandpop Quigley. This means, she likes a routine. The swing is the place she goes when I'm in the shower or cleaning her toyroom. She can sit in it for about an hour while I get stuff done and now that she's older, it's been more entertaining. There is a toucan bird and a spotted frog that hang from a leaf above her head and they are best friends. She tells them stories or just stares them down. Love it...


Yes, Ava...we took a picture of you NAKED! Her expression is clearly saying, "OH MY--I'm naked! No pictures, please!!!" Ava's Grandma Quigley gave me some pretty sweet advice about the bath towel. Put it in the dryer for about a minute or two and then wrap the baby up inside of it as soon as you take her out of the water. MIRACLE. Ava absolutely loves bath time...and the warm towel she gets wrapped right afterwards. (SPOILED! Where is MY warm towel once I get out of the shower...Curt?!?!) :)


Curt and Ava looking happy and cutie patootie!


Um, no real explanation needed. I just thought she looked pretty... ;)


We LOVE gas drops...yum yum. I have tried to modify my diet many times in order to avoid a gaseous baby, but to no avail. Oh well, we love those yummy gas drops!!! (oh, and there's me looking me finest!)


As I mentioned before Curt's squardron is doing what they do best and to show is support to them he shaved is head the day before they left. I call this look, "High School Curty". Sorry about the "Curty" callout, but that's his nickname that started with his family and like "Moe", it sticks. Anyway, when I started dating Curt he had a buzzed head so I always think of our high school days when he looks like this. He was happy to show off their matching hair styles and it's now or never. I'm kinda hoping she never does opt for a shaved head later in life. Britney, anyone?


Another look:


I have loads of pictures and videos to get up on my blog but they will have to wait until the "big nap" tomorrow. Just a preview: We have Ava's first Christmas, including her walking into the tree from "her" perspective. Curt thought that one through. We also have video of the "Kissy MONSTER". She talks the most when she's being attacked by her Daddy, the kissy monster. So cute. Okay, I'm off to my FIRST playdate ever. So fun!