The Doctor Visit

Well.  I like to think that I am decent at being organized and efficient.  Indeed, I planned ahead and made a doctor's appointment for both girls (Ava's 4 month and Lex's 2 year well checks) at the same time so that Bry could take the day off and we could kill two birds with one stone.  All went right according to plan!

And then...our almost-2-year-old daughter managed to make it an appointment to remember!:)  She was not happy from the moment we undressed her to get weighed and measured.  She is not a big fan of people she doesn't know and throw in the fact that they were making her do things that she didn't want to do...we had a BIG fight on our hands!  Our doctor commented that she is quite strong and that might have been the understatement of the day.  It took Dr. Landrigan, Bryan, and me to hold her down so that she could be examined.  I felt so bad for her because she was just scared, but my heavens!  You would have thought we were torturing her!  Her very imprecise exam showed that she is a healthy, growing, STRONG girl!:)  She weighed 27.5 lbs., which was between the 50th and75th percentile.  She was (extremely unofficially, due to her uncooperative nature:) 34 1/4 inches tall, which would put her in the 75th percentile.  I would like to measure her again here soon because I don't think that is very accurate!  We are so happy that she is developing as she should and that she is perfectly capable of throwing an all out fit!;)  She had to have a finger stick done to check her hemoglobin at this appointment.  Due to the drama that was her entire appointment, that wasn't even that big of a deal!  Ha!

Ava had her 4 month well check and was also given a healthy report!  She has had a barky cough lately, but the doctor said that her lungs and chest sounded perfect.  We just need spring to hurry up and arrive for good!  She weighed 15 lbs. 8 oz. and was 25 1/2 inches long.  That put her in the 90th percentile for both height and weight.  She had to get two shots and an oral vaccine.  After Lex's debacle, her crying seemed like no big deal at all.:) 

We also took our first family selfie at this appointment!  This was before the major meltdown so we were all happy, smiling, and not sweating.:)  Thank goodness Lex doesn't have to have another well check until she is 3!:)

Crib Time!

Well, we finally did it!  We put Ava in her crib in her room for the first time on Tuesday night.  She was 4 months and 1 day old!

Daddy took her to her room just like he does with Alexis.  He is so sweet to pray over them before he lays them down every night!

She fell asleep easily, as always, and slept all night!  She is SUCH a good sleeper and proved to continue that trend even in her own room.  I was less anxious about putting her up there than I was with Lex, but probably sadder this time around.  I just know that this is just one step further away from us as she grows...next thing you know, she'll be moving out!  Ha!  Really though, our girls have already proven that kids grow up so fast.  I am trying my best to enjoy every day!:) 

Ava: 4 Months Old!

Ava is 4 months old!

Big sister just had to get in on the photo shoot!  Ava was not sure about sharing the limelight!:)

Ava, here's what you are up to this month:

• At your doctor's appointment this week, you weighed 15 lbs. 8 oz. (90%) and were 25 1/2 inches long (90%).  Your head circumference was 42.5 cm.  You are growing very well and have gone down on the growth chart slightly! (Just for fun...at four months old, Alexis weighed 16 lbs. 1 oz. and was 26 inches long.)
• You are mostly wearing 3-6 month or 6 month clothes now.  You still wear some of your 3 month onesies, but you are too long for most of the other 3 month things!
• You are wearing size 2 diapers.
• You nurse every 3 hours during the day.  You are usually fine with going 3.5-4 hours if we are out and about.  You still drink a 4 ounce bottle of breastmilk at bedtime every day.
• You are such a good sleeper.  You made the transition to your own room this week and you have done so well.  We lay you down around 8 or 8:30pm and usually do not see you at all until 7:30 or 8am!  (Side note: You have made the transition so well, but mama hasn't been so lucky!  I've been talking in my sleep and been generally restless since you left our room.  I guess that I really miss you being close!) You wiggle around in your bed sometimes, but you still sleep on your back.
• You have been napping pretty well, too!  You usually lay down in your pack-n-play for your morning and afternoon nap.  You catnap in your bouncy seat, car seat, or swing when you are tired at other times of the day.
• You like your activity mat and the bumbo seat.  You like to lay on your back or tummy and just watch your sister play!  You are getting better at holding toys and you are starting to bring stuff to your mouth.
• You can roll over from your tummy to your back, but you don't do it super often.  You are SO close to rolling from your back to your belly, but you just haven't made the roll yet.
• You love to laugh!  You are ticklish on your belly and chest and you giggle so much!
• You still like your binky.  You use it for soothing any time you are not in your bed.  When you nap or sleep at night, you suck your thumb.
• I think that your hair is starting to lighten up a little bit, but it is still reddish/light brown. I am beginning to think it is going to end up blonde like your sissy's!
• You are a happy, happy girl most of the time!  You are such a delight to us.
• You really aren't too sure about bath time.  You don't love it and most baths end in lots of tears.  Hopefully when you can sit up better it will get more fun for you!:)
• We still call you Ave, Avey-Wavey, Sissy, and Kitty-Cat.  Daddy has started calling you his little sweet tart.:) 

Ava Lynn, you are growing and changing daily.  What a blessing you are in our family!  We love you, sweet girl!:)

Our Weekend

We had an awesome weekend!  It was full of time spent with friends and that always makes us happy!:)

We started our Friday off with Connections at church.  Alexis is starting to enjoy church so much more lately!  Thank the Lord!:)

Ava and Tucker got to hang out some more...they just love to chit-chat while the rest of the ladies are gabbing!:)

On Friday night, Ella and Maggi came over to play while Rick and Tabby were at life group.  Alexis was in heaven!!!  She loves to play with them and they are so sweet to include her in what they are doing.  They played peek-a-boo with her while she was waiting on her supper!

Four Hall girls...cousins and sweet friends!:) 

Little sister got to hang out with Mama while big sister was running around with Ella and Maggi!

We decided to have movie night and we got to watch Frozen for the first time!  Alexis LOVED it and sat through quite a bit of it even though she was pretty tired.  We've watched it 2 or 3 more times since then...I have a feeling that our DVD copy is going to be very, very well-used!:)

On Saturday morning, Alexis woke up crying at 5:30am.  That is very unusual for her so we took turns rocking her while she slept.  Daddy was in heaven holding that little girl.  This picture quality is terrible, but I loved how she had her arms behind her head like she was so relaxed on her daddy's lap.:)

On Saturday night, Bryan, Chad, Shane, and Jon went out to celebrate Jon's new job at Steel Dynamics.  The girls and kids decided to meet up at the church for some play time and it was a BLAST!  The kids were so sweet to each other and just had the best time running from activity to activity at the church.  They got a little change of scenery and the mamas got a chance to talk and catch up a bit.  A win-win situation!:)

On Sunday, we went to Shane and Michele's for lunch.  The girls are in a phase where they really love to trade shoes with each other.  Somehow they both ended up in diapers and church shoes only!  Cutie pies!:)

Peyton is such a sweet cousin!  Ava was so happy to be sitting up with him!:)  We had such a great weekend and we have a fun week ahead, too!  Life is good!:)

Lately!

It seems like we're not doing many super exciting things lately so I end up just writing these catch-all posts!  Enjoy the randomness that is life around the Hall house.:)

My little Avey-wavey and her sweet bald spot!  The hair at the base of her neck is about as long as Lex's already!:)

This picture cracks me up!!!  They were watching Mickey after their baths and they totally have their daddy's tv watching look!:)

If you get playdoh out for Alexis to play with, she will stand here at the counter forever!  Don't worry, she's eating a snack, not the playdoh.:)

Rocking out in Daddy's shades!

I took Ava on a quick shopping trip with me and we had to try on these cute bunny ears!

This is an example of why I love my husband.  I stepped on a skinny drill bit when I was doing laundry one morning and sent him a silly text.  I love when he makes me laugh!:)

I went to get my hair colored last week and took Ava along with me.  She was having a rough afternoon and we ended up leaving while my color was processing because she really needed a nap.  I'm sure I got some funny looks on the way home!:)

My babies and my babe snuggling on the floor!

We hung out with the cousins for a while last week. Peyton tied a string to a little pompom and drug it around the house.  Alexis followed him for a loooooooong time like a kitty-cat!  It was so funny!:)

Lill is such a sweet girl to "Aba!"

Ave decided she needed to practice for vacation so she took a nap in her swimsuit!  Ha!

Daddy is congratulating Ava on her big accomplishment...

...she rolled over!  She is getting pretty consistent going from her belly to her back.  She's still working on going the other way!

Another Campbell family techie in the making:)

My little miracle girl!  She looks so much like Zaya in this pic!!

Speaking of Zaya, Alexis was using the tv remote and saying "He-wo? Zaya? He-wo?":)

You just never know what will make this girl happy...I gave her some Styrofoam cups and some bowtie pasta and she played in the kitchen for over 40 minutes!:)

Our Weekend

We had a really fun weekend!  It started out on Friday with Connections at church.

Ava and Tucker like to hang out together while the ladies are gabbing!:)

When we came home, something possessed me to stick Ave in Lex's doll stroller.  Alexis loved trying to push her sissy around in that!  Ha!:)

Avey needed a nap after such a busy day!  I love when she sleeps with her hands behind her head like this.:)

On Friday night, we got to have a date with the best nephews in the world! 

We took them to Wendy's. (I know, I know...big spenders!  Ha!)

Then we went to the Pulse Opera House to see Annie, Jr.!  Ella and Maggi were orphans in the play and it was SO good! 

The boys got to have some dessert while they watched the show.:)

Michele and Shane stayed at our house with all of the girls!  Lill loved feeding Ava her bedtime bottle!

Alexis got to snuggle with Uncle Shane before bedtime!  She loves all of the "Zaya" family!:)

On Saturday, we decided to make a quick trip to FW to try to get Bry some new shoes for work.  Of course, we ended up at the carousel at the mall again!  It is really cheap entertainment and Alexis loves it!:)

On Sunday, Peyton had to sit through church with the adults.  He wrote this note and made all of us DIE laughing!!!  Apparently, he prefers kids' church.:)

On Sunday afternoon, we got the joy of watching Rachel sing with her choir in Iowa!  Yay for modern technology!:)

I didn't expect Alexis to really be in to it all that much, but she was enthralled!

She stood and watched it for almost the entire time that they performed.  The only time she fussed was when they would leave the stage for some reason!  Ha!  She loved clapping for them and pretending to conduct the choir.  Sweet girl!:)

Catching Up

Here's a little peek at what's been going on around the Hall household lately!

Our little thumb-sucker...it really is so cute to watch her!

Grammy and Papaw got Lex some princess pajamas for Valentine's Day and she loved twirling around!  So many of her photos are blurry for good reason.:)

Alexis is often shirtless at lunch, but on this day Ava managed to be as well!  Ha!

This is Lex's very first selfie that she took!  She loved pressing the button on my phone.:)

I left Ava in her pack-n-play for a little while and came back to find that she had managed to put her own arm in her sleep sack!  A little Houdini!:)

A sweet friend from church made this darling hat and gave to Ava!

Alexis tripped over her own feet and fell headlong into our entertainment center.  This photo was taken just minutes after it happened...can you say insta-bruise/goose egg?!

We went to the mall and I got to ride the carousel with Lex for the first time!  She usually rides with her daddy.  It was so sweet...she was kind of nervous and clingy when we were choosing her animal to ride.  She ended up spotting Bry from a distance and instantly was fine!  She gets so much security from her sweet daddy. 

My family just hanging out at the end of another day!

Daddy and his girls!

Bryan had Ava just rolling with giggles one morning!  Her laugh is the best.

One morning, Alexis kept saying "Zaya!  Zaya!" We have come to realize that "Zaya" refers to anyone in the Blair family.  She ended up going to the door and crying while trying to get out.  Then she tried to put her boots on by herself.  I think she wanted to go to Aunt Michele's house!!:)

The girls and I like to go walk at the Y sometimes.  Lex loves to try to shoot baskets!;)

Alexis was wearing my shoes and just had to check herself out in the reflection of the stove!

This happy, smiley baby just makes my days so much better.  She is so, so sweet!