June Re-Cap

*photo slideshow at end of post*

Well, first I should apologize for my lack of posting over the summer. I don't have any good excuses...just didn't make the time to do it. I'm ready to get back in the swing of things...so here it goes!!!

Our summer started off with lots of excitement. Ava had her 2 year pictures taken at the Governor's Garden in JC. Picture day is always nerve racking for me because I want to make sure all goes smoothly and Ava cooperates well. On this particular day, she did not disappoint...she brought her "A" game and gave out LOTS of smiles for the camera:) Amanda did a fantastic job and I couldn't have been happier with the finished product!

We all got to enjoy a day of sunshine and memories at Grandpa Hoss' 6th Annual Memorial Golf Tournament. Rick golfed with Aunt Sara and Uncle Travis while Grandma Belinda, Ava and myself cheered them on and visited with family and friends!

Rick and I enjoyed a night out to help celebrate our friend Tami's birthday while Ava hung out with our friend, Patti. This was the FIRST time EVER that Ava had spent the evening with someone that wasn't a family member, although Patti is a lot like family:) We had too much fun and I know Ava did too...I'm pretty sure that Patti and Dean enjoyed Ava's company as well:)

We had lots of birthday parties in June! First on the list were cousin Megan and boyfriend Parker:) Unfortunately, they were on the same day so we had to split our time, but had a blast at both and Miss Ava was exhausted by the end of the night:)

The 19th was a BIG day for several reasons. First, one of our Gymboree friends invited all of the mommies and girls over to make Father's Day gifts for the dads...so much fun and Ava LOVES art projects. Second, we had another birthday party to go to. Ava's friend, Maddie turned 2. Ava's favorite activity at the party was the sand box...of course it was!!! Somehow I always end up cleaning sand out of hair and/or ears for days after any sand box event! Third, it was the anniversary of Ava's homecoming!!! I remember the excitement and anticipation just like it was yesterday, in fact, my heart is starting to race just typing this! It was such a huge day...FINALLY, bringing our baby home...and nervous as HELL!!! She was still so tiny (actually an ounce too little for our car seat regulations, oops) weighing in at 4lbs 15oz at discharge:) Nurse Linda had to roll up blankets to stuff on either side of her because she just didn't seem "snug" enough. Having this vision in our minds, we dug out Ava's infant car seat and sat her in it....she's GROWN!! It's crazy to see how far she's come!! I know that for every parent day's like this, anniversary dates, are exciting and fun to replay memories. For us, at least for me anyway, they never come without some crazy emotion...usually ending with a tissue full of tears, grateful tears!!! Here are some of the things that I remember from June 19, 2007. An overwhelming feeling of anxiety, much like the previous 25 days spent at the hospital (I'm still trying to kick that;)), Rick going home to wash and iron an outfit for Ava and to install the car seat base, our moms cooking us yummy dinners for the week and generously cleaning up bird poop from a bird that somehow found it's way in to our house??, final meetings with nurses, doctor, OT and lactation consultant, crash course in infant CPR, Ava's hospital pics, finally choosing a pediatrician, leaving Ava in the NICU one last time so that I could shower, PAPERWORK, saying goodbye to all of the wonderful staff that we came to know and love so well, watching Rick struggle to put the car seat in the base, watching Ava with her eyes clinched shut the entire way home, pulling up to our house decorated with pink and welcome home signs, a yummy roast beef dinner cooked by our moms, our moms leaving, us wondering WHAT NOW?, attempting to nurse Ava in between all of this, being happy and thankful to finally be home together as a family and praying that we'd make it!!! AND WE HAVE!

We enjoyed some fun days at Deanna Rose Farmstead with friends. First, a hot and steamy day with Aubrey, Brody and Baby Gage. I think it might have been about 100 degrees that day. At one point Ava just stopped playing and went to sit in the shade to rest:) Ava got to feed the baby goats a bottle for the first time...hilarious. They're fierce little things. Then, a couple of days later, we celebrated Amelia's birthday there. Ava enjoyed her first ice cream sandwich, yummy!

That pretty much wraps up June's highlights!! Enjoy the slideshow!