HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY to my sweet little AVA!!
I can’t help but say that TIME FLIES. The other night I sat on the computer flipping through the past year of pictures of our little Ava. Marc joined me and we smiled at how cute she is and laughed at all the crazy faces she makes!
I never realized how much I could love her but it won’t stop growing!
Each day she surprises us… she is so smart, so caring, so strong, and so beautiful!
At the 1 year mark, Ava is weighing in at 21lbs. I don’t know her exact length but I know she is getting taller because she is able to open more cabinets in the kitchen and pull out more items from the fridge! She can get on her tippy tippy toes and grab the place mats off our kitchen table! Yikes.
New stuff for Ava:
- She pretty much runs from room to room pretty quickly (unless she falls) Walking is over-rated.
- She loves laying on Cooper and petting him
- She likes hide and seek and being chased.
- She loves going for rides in her toy bin.
- She does not like when you take something away from her that she shouldn’t have.
- She dances every time the Mickey Mouse song comes on.
- If you ask her to find a specific toy she will find it and pick it up.
- If she is done eating she will “windshield wiper” her food onto the floor
- If she doesn’t like a food she hands it to Cooper.
- She waves hi and bye, and gives high fives
- She is trying to say Grandma.. so far its Gragra
- She can say Cracker and Cooper but in her language
- She tends to say Dada more freely and mama when she wants something (like when she wants OUT of her crib)
- If you tell her to brush her hair, she takes the brush and tries to brush her hair! (She will also brush her teeth if you give her a toothbrush).
- When we take Cooper for a walk, before we leave, she grabs the leash and “walks” him around the house with a huge smile on her face.
- At the dinner table she makes loud noises and giggles when she’s full
- When we read books she likes to turn the pages herself.
- If you give her the phone and say “ava its for you” she will put it up to her ear.
- She is ticklish like her mom… her neck, underarms, belly, and thighs are the go to ticklish spots. Her giggle is priceless.
This list can clearly go on and on.. but I will stop.
An update about me:
Rather then start off with an update on my body or my fitness level I want to update you about being a “NEW MOM.” As much as I love Ava, being a Mom has been the hardest job I have ever had. Although its hard, it is so rewarding. We have had so many amazing days together
but we have also had some that have tested my patience, my sanity and my energy. Now I get the importance of Mother’s day.. Moms are amazing
Having a baby has changed my life for the better. She makes me want to work harder, train harder, eat healthy, and make myself better in every way possible.

Now an update on my body & fitness level. I am happy to say that my weight is exactly what it was before I got pregnant. The scale is just a NUMBER and although that number is the same… it is different for me. I am the the strongest I have ever been!! That is mind blowing to me. I am able to do more pushups, I am able to squat more weight, I don’t fatigue as quick during my workouts, and I can lift heavier weights!! Woohoo.
So that number now factors in more muscle… which to me is a huge accomplishment for me!!
I think we all have areas of our body we want to work on … my stomach is strong but it can always improve. It was so weak after I had Ava and has gained so much strength since but I would love to see it be rock solid
I would also like to work on my posture!

How about you??
In the past year I have learned to laugh more, smile more, and enjoy each and every day! So Thank you Ava for making me a better person!
XOXO,
Kelly
December 6, 2014 at 12:35 am
Happy Birthday to your sweet baby girl!
December 7, 2014 at 8:47 pm
Thank you so much Giselle
December 7, 2014 at 11:08 am
Happy Birthday to beautiful little Ava! It melted my heart hearing how close her & Cooper are. Dogs really are the best pets for children.
December 7, 2014 at 8:47 pm
He has truly surprised us. Dogs are amazing and I can’t imagine her having a better friend then Cooper!!