The Takeover of 3 KIDS

An update is long overdue!  Our beautiful girl is three months old (on the 17th)!

Can't hardly believe it!  Ava is doing fabulous- she is screaming for bottles and she proceeds to suck them down in minutes.  Last week had a follow appointment with PT (physical therapy) and they felt she was right on track- in-fact Ava was showing off a bit rolling over for the first time in front of them!  The physical therapist doesn't feel she needs any additional PT services- which is a very different story when she was leaving the hospital!

Her three month visit with Dr. Batish went fabulous - weighed in at 12 lbs 7 oz and 24 3/4" long.  She is a tall girl!  We are a little off on the shot schedules so timelines are different for Ava but she doesn't need to be going in anymore than any other healthy baby.  The last follow up appointment will be in May to get a second MRI.  At this point in time she shows no signs of concern but they want to be precocious.

The last hurdle we will have is transitioning her from breast milk to formula.  Dr. Batish has encouraged us to have her on as much breast milk through the winter as possible.  We are still using what was donated to us but that supply will run out quick at the rate she is going.  So we will start her on a small portion of formula each day/bottle so that she has a mix.  We have also determined that she does not need the Prevacid - big bonus- thinking that the spitting up and issues with her belly were either related to the narcotics or ulser healing.  Whatever it was, just thankful she doesn't have to take those meds!

As far as normal baby stuff- Ava is honestly a dream baby!  She is falling into an easy three nap a day pattern and on average getting about 10-12 hours a night!  ... If only her brothers would get with that plan (I write this as I battle getting them to bed - again)!  

She is very animated, smilies all the time and loves chatting- sounds like a bird squawking!  Trying her best to catch her thumb but for now her two pointers will have to do... Likes the paci but don't think that will stick!  Honestly the only time she cries is when the hunger pains hit- which is still music to our ears.  One would never know she had such a rough start! 

Brothers Mason and Ryan continue to have very different views of her - regardless of what they think she is making it clear that she rules the roost!

I often find Mason in her crib gazing at her and laying every blanket and lovie friend next to her.  He reads to her and loves to help with anything Ava.  My favorite is when I find Ava with "Blue," Mason's lovie perfectly draped across her.  For those of you who have not had the pleasure of meeting Blue- he is the brown creature in the second pic below.

Ry Guy or as I have been calling him, "Captain Crazy," usually proceeds to take those same stuffed animals and bury her.  "We play Mommy!"  

Yeah, he isn't allowed in the crib anymore.  The latest item I found on her head was the Spider-Man bucket.... Ava's legs and arms flailing.  But of course she was as happy as could be when taking it off.

We have seen Mason and Ryan become thick as thieves in the last couple of months.  Good and bad- love to see this but they do plot against their Mom and Dad. We have come to find that Mason is the planner and Ryan executes.  We are still questioning who turned the heat up to 88 degress before we left the house for 2 days last week.... Can you say sauna at 690!

I also decided to add fuel to the fire and try to potty train Ryan, comical.  One overflown toilet (that poor bathroom has seen a lot of water), a lodged diaper, many unsalvagable Mickey Mouse underwares later- we are maybe 63% there.  Thanking the heavens for marshmallows, his addiction to gum and "I Go Potty" books!  Still can't control my laughter during our long chats about "foop" and all of his concerns about "dat ting dat eeeeeee's!"  He is a wild child but we can't stop laughing!

Enjoying every second of being home with the kids.  Herscher approved an extension to my maternity leave through the end of the school year - so I don't have to go back until August.  Have had a lot of time to decompress and just enjoy having all of us together.  Also been taking quite a few pics of this beauty...

Thanks to everyone who has been reading the updates on Ava and our family!  

As things have calmed down with Ava we have decided that we would write a blog post about every month to keep everyone in the loop.  

We are excited to see what the future brings for Ava and our family, but for right now - things are pretty darn good…

XOXO