6 months!

Our baby girl is 6 months old!  It is unbelievable how quickly the time has flown by!  Ava turned six months last Thursday.  We celebrated with 6 month pictures (we go to Sears in Crystal Lake and they do an awesome job!) and a birthday bath.  We didn't have our six month check up until today.  I actually have official results for you this month.  Ava has shot up to 27 inches - still in the 90th percentile!  Our chunky monkey weighs 17 pounds on the nose - she is up to the 75th percentile.  At least I know she is getting enough to eat.  :) We also got the go ahead to begin baby food.  So tonight we started with sweet potatoes.  Scott joked that I have to try all the food before Ava does - I think he secretly hopes that I'll start to like more veggies that way.  :)  I did try a taste of the sweet potatoes and they weren't that bad.  After a few funny faces, Ava seemed to like them too.

Yes, we are messy eaters

Not so bad

On Friday, Ava got to go to her first White Sox game (her first MLB game too).  I have to say, I am super impressed with the way they do things there.  First off, it was Elvis night, so that was really fun.  They even had Elvisi (the plural of Elvis???) parachute into the stadium.  Our tickets were up in the 500 level, so we didn't have access to the main concourse where we could get Ava an official first game certificate.  Predictably, she got fussy around the second inning and that was the last I saw of my seat.  A team leader from the organization (dressed in Elvis gear) came up to talk to us and ask if it was Ava's first game.  He wanted to know if I had gotten her a certificate and I explained why we couldn't - he then took down Ava's name and went and got the certificate for us.  All-in-all it turned out to be a nice evening.

Ava and Daddy before the game

Family photo after a Sox win

We have been enjoying our time at home and getting out here and there.  Ava even came to school to help me begin to set up.

Silly Girl

Peek-a-boo!

Birthday Girl in her Birthday Suit

Happy 6 month birthday!

Self Portrait

So Smiley

We have found our toes.

We now eat our toes.

This one cracks me up!

Ava goes to school.

This is my last week at home with my baby.  I have such a heavy heart.  I have had an amazing summer with my girl though - and I will be counting down the days until next summer.  I will end this post with some pictures from her 6 month shoot.

Of course we had to have our favorite book :)

Squeezing in More Summer

Summer is, sadly, drawing to a close.  We have been trying to squeeze in as much fun as we can with what we have left!  We were finally able to visit our friends, the Hardys, before they move to Atlanta.  We are so sad to see them go but happy for this great opportunity for them!  Our girls were able to meet and have a little fun!

Ava, Maddy, Bailey and Avery

I learned a little bit about traveling as a mommy, too.  Ava travels better in the morning (read: she will scream for an hour while traveling in the afternoon), keep as much of a normal routine as possible and it is advisable to have some type of monitor if you will be out of the room that your baby is in.  Ava slept in a pack n' play - which she is not accustomed to, so I knew she would be up often - I didn't, however, think about how I would actually know that she was up while I was still downstairs.  I'm pretty proud of myself for coming up with this gem of an idea.

Face Time baby monitor

I set up mine and Scott's phones using Face Time and set one near Ava and kept one near me.  It worked perfectly...until it ate through both of our batteries.  Nonstop Face Time for over an hour uses lots of battery.  :)

Super Baby!

    

We have kept up with swimming lessons and play dates.  Our weeks are flying by.  Little Ava will be 6 months old on Thursday!  This month I will have official weigh in and length results after our appointment next week.  :)

Lounging with Daddy

Best Seat in the House

Someone is sitting better!

Yes, I'm sitting...what's the big deal? :)

Later this week Ava will be getting her 6 month pictures taken.  I'm really excited!  She will also go to her first baseball game!  We will heading to a White Sox game.  Yes, I know, it's not a Cubs game, but we don't mind.  We like watching both teams.  Besides, it's Elvis night AND there will be fireworks.  Pictures to follow!

Hey there!

Sweet lil' watermelon

New Shades

Love this face!

Hangin' with Daddy

Looking at herself in the mirror :)  She puts her face right up against it! Haha!

We learned this evening that my Great Aunt Ang passed away tonight.  She was sweet to the core.  An absolutely lovely lady.  May she rest in peace with her Chester - reunited at last.