18 weeks! Can time slow down?..Just a little..PLEASE

The title of this blog sums it up! I cannot believe Christmas has come and gone. What a fantastic holiday. Having a baby to share the excitement of Christmas with makes life so wonderful. I am a Christmas fanatic but now that Ava is here it is more than that...it is nuts!

Week 18:

Rolled over, Tummy to back. First time she did it she was startled and started crying hysterically. (We also were cheering and probably scared her)

Loves to play with her toys, no more just staring at them, she grabs them and hits them.

Celebrated her first Christmas

Went to her first Christmas Mass and did wonderful(slept the whole time)

Loves to smile and "giggle"

This week was a busy week. Getting readjusted to Washington time, trying to clean our house, making some crazy life decisions (post on that soon), and trying not to get sick. We have been trying to get the house organized and put back to normal but we are all three just so tired from the holidays and from travel that we just cannot seem to get motivated...one day!

Exciting news this week is I got an NEW MAC BOOK PRO! It is so nice to have photo stream linked to my computer so that all my random CUTE pictures of Ava are now just a click away so I can share them on the blog. The hopes of this computer too is that it will jump start my LOVE and passion for photography and get me going with starting that business.

Ava this week is more chatty than ever, she just loves the sound of her voice ( I love it too). She also smiles a ton. People absolutely melt when she smiles at them.


Here are some of the CUTEST pictures from the holidays:

17 weeks! Its ALMOST CHRISTMAS!

This little girl is the seriously the best thing to have ever happened to Justin and I. Look at her smile. It just melts my heart and lights up a room. Little baby Ava has to have grown so much just since her last doctors appointment. I thought she had gone through a growth spurt a few weeks ago but now i definitely know she has had some major growth. Her face is now nice and full and her thighs now have at least 4 rolls per leg. SO CUTE!

This week:

First time on an airplane

Grabs at her toys and people

Teething/slobbering 

Hates her car seat...blood curdling screams every time

Blows spit bubbles

Trying to giggle

4 Months Old. Having a blast in Ohio!

4 months old! The time between 3months- 4 months have gone the FASTEST, Ava has changed so much time month.

What has happened this month:
* Ava's first airplane ride
* Rolled over for the first time
*Sleeping like a champion
*Smiling all the time, not just in her sleep or when she poops :)
*Blows spit bubbles
* Chatty Chatty
*Finally enjoys tummy time



What a fun trip we are having! It is non stop activity but Ava is handling it like a pro. She is meeting TONS of new people and enjoying every second. We arrived to Ohio on the 15th and are staying until Christmas morning.

We arrived in Ohio around 11:00 am and started the trip by meeting Uncle Nate at Five Guys. Nate did a wonderful job with Ava. Ava loves her uncle. It took him a while to warm up to having a baby around but by the end of the trip he was changing diapers, playing video games with her, giving her kisses, playing during tummy time, and cuddling her.


It is hard to write about EVERYTHING we did in Ohio because we did so much. I am going to do a photo blog of our trip and by the pictures you will be able to tell just how busy we were.

16 weeks. Flying on a jet plane

  Ava Paige is 16 weeks old. All this last week we were busy packing, cleaning, packing, cleaning, and re packing. It is so hard to pack for a baby because everything you need to pack you use on a daily basis and that makes it VERY difficult to pack. We ended up packing 2 checked bags and 2 carry ones, plus the diaper bag, pump, car seat, base, and stroller...WOW traveling will never be how it use to.
  This trip is going to be a great trial run for the MANY more trips we will be taking...I think Mommy just needs to learn to pack lighter...doubt that will happen.


  Ava did a wonderful job after her shots, the days following her injections she didn't hardly fuss at all. I am amazed by her every day.

  I swear everyday she gets cuter and cuter. I could take pictures of her all day everyday



Ava did FANTASTIC on her airplane ride. I am going to create a whole post just about our travels.

15 weeks. Flight Preparation and FOUR month shots

Another week has come and gone.. I seriously cannot fathom that I have a nearly four month old baby. Where did my cuddly newborn go? I now have a curious, energetic, talkative infant. She is the most precious thing on this planet. I cannot get enough of her.


This week was a FAST week. We have been BUSY BUSY Christmas shopping, having a girls night, visiting Santa, and  trying to prepare for Ohio,..more mentally than physically doing anything. I have an "idea" of what to pack but really I have NO clue on what to do.

Sad news (more for me, Ava could care less) We had to start Ava on formula. Our freezer stash is now NON-EXISTENT. I am proud that I was able to go 4 months without supplementing but I am thankful to have formula to be able to give her the nutrition she needs. She is only getting about one bottle of formula a day, other than that I can keep up. I am sure we will have to supplement more when we are out of town. I just have to be strict about pumping. I blame being to lax with pumping at work..but working and pumping is INSANELY difficult. Ava did not care for formula the first night, but today she did great drinking the whole bottle. We are also giving her size 2 flow nipples (Tommee Tippee)

Ava had her Four month visit and did FANTASTIC. She was smiling the whole time, up until the shots. Poor baby had to have 4 pokes and one oral vaccine. She did not mind the oral vaccine and I think she actually enjoyed it and its flavor. Typically she would have only had to have had two shots but the one that contained 3 in 1 was all "sold out'', so poor baby had to have them individually. Ava did wonderful afterwards. She got a bit worked up but snuggled mommy in the Drs room and a few minutes later she was happy and drifting off to sleep. We are the LUCKIEST parents in the world. The shots haven't shown any affect on Ava and she did just fine the next day, no fever or fussiness.

  Avas numbers were perfect and the Dr was very satisfied at our little girl. She is one long, lean little girl. The  doctors even projected her height as 5'8" though it is a total "guess". Justin would like a little taller :)

 

Our Second Annual Girls weekend (+Cooper) in Seattle was a HUGE success. The babies did great this year. It is crazy to think that one year ago we were both preggo. It was so much fun with the Grandmas and Babies. We stayed in a hotel downtown, shopped, visited Santa, went to dinner and drinks, stayed up late chatting, and painted pottery for their first Christmas.

Here is the week in pictures

14 weeks and growing strong

 
 

 

Our little Ava is growing like a weed. She is no longer a fragile new born. Ava is constantly moving (still hasn't learned to roll) but she is always moving her arm and kicking her legs. Ava is now grasping objects and bringing things to her mouth.

 This week I believe we have officially beaten her Thrush. It took some nasty medicine and TONS and TONS of sterilizing. We now have a great sterilizing system and it is working well. Fingers Crossed

The holidays season is in full swing at the Kautz's house. We have everything decorated, tree is up, presents are wrapped (...there are a bunch for Ava), and stockings are hung. We will post pictures of the house one of these days. 

Ava wears something holiday/Christmas related every day. She is the cutest thing ever!

We started a family tradition. Elf on a shelf. Rodney the Elf has been popping up all over the house this week.  Ava loves Rodney.

Next week we start getting ready for our trip to Ohio. I cannot believe its almost time for Ava's first airplane ride...how do we even begin to pack????

Next week will be a fun week. Ava is going to Stanwood with her cousin Cooper, Uncle Alex, Auntie Melissa, Nana and Grandpa, and The Bradleys. We are also going to see Santa :)

13 weeks. Growth Spurt Time?

 

!What a fun and busy week!










Ava had her first thanksgiving, she had a great time surrounded by her whole family. She was able to meet some of the family that hadn't had the chance to meet her. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at Nana and Grandpas and were even able to skype Grandma and Grandpa Kautz in Ohio.

This weekend we hosted the first annual Friendsgiving. It was so nice to have all our friends and babies all together in one place. Hopefully we will be doing this every year.

Ava has been amazing. Still sleeping like a CHAMP. It makes such a difference when your baby sleeps. She is such a good sleeper, only wakes up in the middle of night grunting/whining when she wants her paci. Luckily with her in the Co-sleeper I am able to stick my hand and grab it and give it to her all basically while I am still asleep.

3 month Growth spurts? This week has been a hard week on Ava. She is eating a ton and sleeping a ton. We have had a very busy week but she has been a bit fussier than normal and hasn't had the best sleep routine. I think this is mainly because we have been so busy that she doesn't really have a routine. Overall Ava is an amazing baby, just going through a bit of a rough patch that is why I think it may also be a growth spurt,, but I know that its nothing compared to some. We also have been in very stimulating situations and I AM REALLY hoping that it hasn't been over stimulating to her, it makes me nervous with the holidays coming up.

Other than our busy week we have been soaking up all the family time and starting little traditions here and there. Our house is fully decorated for Christmas and we are ready to celebrate the season with little Ava.

* I also have started thinking about Christmas cards and have had a few "photo Shoots" with Ava and they are SOO CUTE I cannot wait to post pictures.


These next weeks are filled with more wonderful fun activities.
Christmas Festivals
Christmas shopping weekend and hotel stay
Visit Santa Clause
Painting Christmas Cookie plates with Cooper
PACKING FOR OHIO


Pictures from the week

3 Months Old: Officially an Infant

Can you believe it, No more Newborn? All newborn clothes are away and in storage (Future use maybe?), little Ms. Ava is AN INFANT. We are loving life more and more each day, and learning every step of the way. 

 

What have we been up to this month?

We have been busy, busy. Justin and I are now working 40 hours/week each. I have been hitting the gym almost every single night and we are trying to get ready for the holidays. With all that craziness our baby girl is growing up SOO FAST!

Cough

Speaking of coughing, she does that on purpose. She likes how it sounds or feels, so she’ll stick her tongue out and cough and smile. Since Ava hasn’t laughed just quite yet I am sure that coughing is her form of laughter it is SO CUTE

Talking

Ava loves to Chat (make random noises). She loves to be heard and carry on conversations.

Grabbing

She is yet to be interested enough in toys to reach for them, but she does have a VERY STRONG grip. If something is placed in her hand she will hold onto it.

Bath Time

 She has so much fun taking a bath now. This last week we had her go in a nice warm bath with me. SHE LOVED IT, she was so close to her first belly laugh. She loved kicking and floating in the water. *I wore a tank top and shorts which really helped because she is really slippery, this way I was still able to lay her on my chest or have her stand on my legs and not slide all over the place.

Teething/Drooling

Her hand sucking and drooling is out of control. It’s gotta be her favorite thing – suck on her fingers. She hasn’t shown any preference to her thumb, she just puts her whole hand in her mouth and sometimes both. SO MUCH SLOBER, kinda nasty. We have a good stash of bibs now, otherwise we would have to switch her onsies every 15 min.

Outings

She is such a great baby out in public (** Few minor(actually major) explosions, which make things tricky). Ava is seriously the best baby. She sleeps so well in her carseat and loves it now because of her snuggly blanket that completely surrounds her in her carseat.

***Will be uploading Pictures tomorrow :)

 

12 weeks!

My baby girl is 3 months old next week.....can you believe it! She is such an amazing part of our little family. Justin and I are amazed everyday with her. She is growing up so fast and getting more of a personality every day. She smiles a lot now. Has the cutest laugh ever(still a cough, not a real laugh quite yet), she farts, she sleeps 8-10 hrs straight( no more middle of night feedings), she sleeps in her crib for naps or rest time, she LOVES her bath and I cannot wait to get her in a swimming pool.

Now that it is winter we are finding out that she got ALL summer/spring outfits, though they are SUPER cute they just aren't practical. We have had a few 38 degree days already and that is too cold for little Ava. We have got her a few more winter appropriate clothes, which has made me addicted to baby consignment stores...I have found some GREAT DEALS!

Justin and I are really trying to get our act together too. We now tag team clean the house and it always looks really nice (though sometimes the laundry piles up, but Ava makes sure we get it done by having a blowout and forcing us to do laundry), we are also trying to watch what we eat and be more active. I have joined the gym and this week I wore my first pair of NON maternity jeans, though they are still my first choice as far as comfort. My friend and I do zumba 4+ times a week and we LOVE IT.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to get Christmas decorations out and take holiday themed pictures!!




Here are some photos from this week

 

11 WEEKS HAPPY HALLOWEEN

What a fun filled week...HALLOWEEN WEEK.
Ava got to dress festive and get lots of pictures taken. Halloween made me so excited for Christmas season, I cannot wait for all those pictures.

This weeks blog I will sum up with pictures.

 

This was a super fun week! Can you believe that next week I will have a 3 month old!!!

*Loved Halloween (She cannot wait to trick or treat next year)

*Giggles often, Though she doesn't know how just yet...so it is a cough

*Wears bibs more often than not now because she is a DROOLER

*Loves bath time..I am signing up for the gym just so she can swim

*Loves eating her hands

* Loves Nakey time after her baths

*Sleeps through the night...Justin and I hope this trend continues 

*Cooper and Ava had there first LONG play date with Nana and Grandpa

*Ava loves to skype her family and friends 

***BLOWOUT CENTRAL today....so much LAUNDRY***

We are pretty sure we have the happiest baby on earth.

I am proud of myself for getting this blog done tonight because this MOM is TIRED!

Today has consisted of cleaning, shopping, THREE massive POOPSPLOSIONS....4 ruined outfits...100 diapers..a MILLION wipes..2 poopey changing pads...1 tired mommy and daddy! 

10 weeks

Sleeps through the night *All week this week*

Sleeps in bassinet...not with Mommy and Daddy (Mommy doesn't like that)

Lots and lots of drool, started wearing bibs

Very observant, loves sports with daddy

Loves to smile

Eating 4-5 ounces every feeding

Loves to take a bath and when she gets out to lay FREELY (No diaper) on her play mat

Best Surprise this week- Grandpa Kautz Came to visit on her 10 week bday :)