Ava is 1 Month Old

I can't believe our precious baby girl is already 1 month old!  Here are some pictures to show how much Ava has grown and changed.



Ava's birth day
 

1 Week Old

2 Weeks Old

3 Weeks Old

 

4 Weeks Old (on the 4th of July)

 Milestones

• First bath:  Ava liked having her hair washed.  She didn't cry at all.  Mommy did most of the washing and daddy made sure she didn't slide out of the mesh bath sling (it got pretty slippery).  Mommy put Johnson's baby bedtime lotion on her afterward.
• First smile:  Saturday, June 29.  Ava smiled at mommy after mommy and daddy got back from their dinner & a movie date night.  Grandma Julie babysat and was holding her when we got home.  I walked up to Ava, looked at her, smiled, and talked to her about how happy I was to be home to see her.  She smiled back at me very briefly, but Grandma Julie and Great-Grandma Judy saw it, too.

Visitors

•  Ava had a lot of people (both family and friends) come to see her in the hospital and at home. In one week alone, she had 13 visitors!
• These are the people who came to see Ava in the hospital:  Great Grandma Evelyn, Grandma Julie, Grandpa Jim, Great Grandma Judy, Great Grandpa Carl, Sara, Tiffany, Nate, Kayleen, Uncle Daniel, Maddie, Brian, Jen, Maddison, Chloe, Spencer, Nora, Aunt Leslie, Uncle Nicolas, Beckham, Sam, and Grandma Teri.
• These are the people who came to visit once we got home:  Great Grandma Evelyn, Grandma Julie, Grandpa Jim, Great Grandma Shirley, Uncle John, Aunt Lynne, Justin, Great Grandma Judy, Great Grandpa Carl, Anita, Tina, Staci, Lauren, Abby, Danielle, Luci, Lisa, Mallory, Hayden, Linda, Sara, and Stacey.

Special Outings

• First trip to the pediatrician:  Monday, June 10.  Weighed 8 lbs. 9 oz.  Doctor examined her and said she looks great and is very healthy.  We go back on Monday, July 8 for her 1 month appointment.
• First walk around the neighborhood:  We used her "travel system," which is just a fancy way of saying she sat in her carseat which was placed in the stroller.  We walked about three blocks.  We had half a block to go and Ava started crying.  I think it was because it was hot and sticky out.  It was also a pretty bumpy ride.  So, mommy took her out of her carseat and held her the rest of the walk home. *We have since gone on several more walks, and Ava has done great!  We only go around the block if she's awake.  If she's asleep, then we extend the walk.
• First trip to the grocery store - Sunday, June 30.  Mommy fed Ava and Daddy changed her diaper and burped her right before we left at 1:45.  Ava was so good!  She slept the entire time.  As we were leaving a man asked, "What aisle did you find that cutie on?"  Mommy was hoping someone would make a comment about how cute/good Ava was. 

Fun Facts

• Can sleep up to 3.5 hours in a row.
• Likes to stretch after sleeping.
• Likes to cuddle.
• Burps a lot.
• Sometimes likes to sit up on your lap, facing out so she can see everything going on around her.
• Knows mommy's and daddy's voices.
• Likes baths - coos during the whole thing.
• Likes car rides - falls asleep during the ride.
• Good eater - takes bottles with no confusion.
• Likes pacifier - started taking on Day 11.
• Looks at mommy's eyebrows and hair.
• Loves being held.
• Sleeps best when swaddled.
• Can do up to 10 minutes of tummy time.
• Can hold head/neck up on her own for a little amount of time.

1 Month Doctor's Appointment Update

• Ava weighs 11.5 lbs.  When she was born she weighed 9 lbs. 6 oz. and when we were discharged from the hospital she weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. 
• She is 23.5 inches long.  When she was born she was 21.5 inches long.
• The doctor said that the bumps on her neck are just baby acne that will go away eventually on their own and we don't need to medicate them.
• We asked when her eyes will change to their permanent color and the doctor had to look it up.  He said it could happen any time within the next year.
• Her next appointment is exactly 1 month from now.  This is when she will get her first set of vaccinations.