The biggest news yet! Ava is here!!!

She made her grand entrance on September 30th at 2:34pm. She was four weeks early and weighed 5lbs and was 17 1/2 inches long. What an amazing day! So here is the story...

My water broke at 3:30am and I called my midwife who told us to come into the hospital to verify that it was actually my water (I thought that was funny). We got there and they said yes it was and we were going to have a baby. We were so blessed that labor progressed with no trouble. They did not need to help it along with any drugs and the pain was hard but not too hard for the first part. When it really got intense and I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore without the drugs it was time to push and then I knew I was at the end and could keep going. That was at 1:30 and she was born at 2:30. Thank goodness for my husband. He was the most amazing coach through it all. He played such an important role in the birth of our baby. He knew what to say to me to help me relax. I have no idea how women did it when husbands were kicked out of the room. I never could have done it without him. And thank goodness for our Bradley birthing classes, too. They prepared us more than we thought for what was to come and helped me reach that goal of a drug free birth.

We left the hospital two days later, they wanted to keep a close eye on Ava because of her size. We have just been getting to know our sweet daughter ever since. She is nursing and growing so well. She got down to 4lbs 10 oz but has started to gain as of our last Dr's appointment. She was a little yellow but even that is going away now.

She is amazing and we are so happy to finally meet her!!!

Thank you everyone for all your prayers and kind words!!

We went for an ultrasound last friday and everything looks good with baby!! She is in the perfect position for birth, which is nice to know, and her weight about a week ahead. Our original due date was October 19th, which I truly believe was to correct date, so she could actually be just the right weight for that date.

I read that Ava is having a huge growth spurt right now and boy do I believe it. I am looking bigger and am hungry more frequently throughout the day. I have also been much more tired than usual. I'm lucky that I am home during the day and can rest when I need to. My first trimester was made even harder because I was working long hours. Its nice to be able to sleep. Growing a human is hard work!!!

Baby shower is the 22nd of this month, about a week away and I am very excited. It will be nice to have a day to celebrate Ava. Things have been such a whirlwind that I feel like we haven't really been able to enjoy things like I wish we could. I look forward to a day with good friends and family where we can all celebrate this new life that will be here soon. I hope to see everyone!!! 

And to Jenni~ Jay actually took some pictures the other night. I'll try to post them. I am HUGE!!!!

I know, I know I am bad at blogging. Sorry!!! Life has been pretty crazy. Moving, trying not to go crazy from moving, trying to get something prepared for this baby, planning a 60th birthday party for Daddy....Add to that, that I don't have internet, its like everything is working against me!!

Ava is great! She is growing, which means I am growing and I can see her rolling around in there. Its a shocking thing to look down at your tummy and see something pushing out from inside of you. Jay was amazed the first time he felt one of her dancing episodes. It has quickly gone from kicks to stretching and rolling and just being cramped in a small space.

I am 33 weeks and go for an ultrasound tomorrow. They want to see how she is growing and what position she is in. The midwife said yeasterday that she feels head down and like she is a normal size, but of course the ultrasound will tell us more. Physically I am great. I feel really good and have yet to grow tired of pregnancy. I have been blessed with a very nice pregnancy. People always ask, " Are you ready to not be pregnant"? No, I am fine being pregnant. I don't feel much different than normal, I just can't fit through small spaces! I do look forward to seeing her face and just meeting this little person. I think she's going to be pretty cool and I can't wait to get to know her better!!!

Jay on the other hand wants her out. He says it feels like I have been pregnant for 5years and he wants to see the baby. He is going to be a really great daddy and I can't wait to see him in action!!

I'll write more tomorrow after the ultrasound!!! 

So I am almost 25 weeks and Ava is doing great. We went to the doctor on Friday, our last visit here in Austin, and she said everything is fine. Ava is growing like a champ and her heart sounded good. The doctor commented on how she was all curled up on the right side, which she is. She wants nothing to do with the left side of my body. She is perfectly content on the right side. My mom said that her babies favored that side as well, which I found funny. 

Jay and I are in the middle of trying to move and we are ready to be done!!! My wonderful mom and dad drove down Saturday and loaded down a truck and car with our stuff to help lighten the load this weekend. They were unloading late into the night and it has meant so much to us. We have moved three time in about a year and every time we do they are here doing the heavy lifting. I hope I am as good a parent to Ava as my parents have been to me.  Moving day is Saturday and then it is so long to Austin. It is all very bitter sweet for us. We both really love Austin and are sad to say goodbye, but we are really happy to be going home. It will be strange I think to have to split our time between different things. As things are now we work and spend time together. I wonder what it will be like to have family and friends and things besides each other to tend to.

Well, on this day next week we will be home!!! We look forward to life back home an to getting ready for Ava!!! 

Hi Everyone!!

I thought this was sort of a neat idea, having a baby web page to keep family updated on "Current Ava News". And some current Jay and Sarah news, too.

So we are 22 weeks along and Ava is kicking like a crazy person. She loves to play at night. I go to bed and listen to her heart with the stethoscope and she loves to kick the stethoscope. We have been doing this for a little over a month and I think she thinks it is a game now. She kicks hard enough for Jay to feel her and we can both see the belly move and have been for a few weeks now. I've been told it is early for those kinds of kicks so I assume she is strong and healthy for her "age", which of course is what we want.

At our ultrasound last Monday the Ultrasound Tech said she is 1lb1oz, which we thought was big, but she said was perfect. Every thing is going well!!! I look forward to seeing her, but I love that I get to have her all to myself right now. I know I will be sort of a greedy mommy with her, so I love that she is all mine right now. It would be great if Jay could experience some of the really amazing things, like her movement, but ultimately I realize what an amazing gift God gives us as women that we can carry a baby.

Okay, I'll keep everyone posted on any new Info!!!

Sarah

We registered today!!!

We finally got it done, so baby girl will have some stuff.

We registered at:

Target: www.target.com

Babies-R-Us: www.babiesrus.com 

It is tiring!!! I forgot how much work it is when you are faced with all the stuff people say you need. So much of it is weeding through the junk to find what we will actualy need to have to grow a good baby. I think we made some good choices and if any of you do not agree you can keep that opinion to yourself :~)  Just kidding, actually if any of you more experienced parents have suggestions feel free to post them.

Thanks!!!!

Sarah