Yeah for a Crib again!

Ava is excited that she is back in a normal bed again!

She is sleeping soundly!

Ava has been moved to a regular bed now. She is feeling much better and is pretty much back to where she was last week before her tummy ache. I went and saw her this morning and she was very active and wide eyed. I also saw Noah's mom (Melissa) and she was getting ready to get to hold Noah for the first time. So he is making improvements which is great! Thank you for all of your prayers.

Good News! Ava is feeling better!

Ava is sleeping in order to feel better.


I just love the this sweet face! The tube in her mouth is just a feeding tube, even though it looks bad, it is helping her grow big and strong.

Ava is feeling much better. She was doing so well that I was able to hold her on Sunday. This is the first time I was able to hold her since Thursday. The IV in her head is for a blood transfusion. Preemies do not have the ability to regenerate their own blood because their blood marrow until they are about 36-38 weeks gestationally. Most preemies have to have a blood transfusion, so it is not unusual that Ava had to recieve a transfusion. Ava recieved her blood transfusion on Friday. What is extra special about the blood she recieved was that it was from Doc (Ava's grandaddy and Abbey's dad). So now and forever Ava and Doc will be "blood buddies". The IV in her head was taken out on Monday night, so now the only thing she has on her is a feeding tube and moniters. I am so glad that she is feeling better and today I was able to see her bright eyes and her active personality again.

Ava's new crib

Ava's great granddad, Bob-Bob made her a crib. The crib is placed in Adam and I's bedroom where she will sleep for the first few months when she comes home. Bob-Bob has made cribs for all of his grandchildren's children. It is such an amazing family heirloom and treasure.

Little Bit of a Tummy Ache

The nurses measure her stomach every hour

The tube in her mouth looks scary but it is helping her feel better

Ava got a little tummy ache last night. The nurse called us about 9:00 pm and told us that her stomach was a little bloated. The doctor made rounds about 10:00 pm last night and said that Ava probably just had a stomach ache due to excess air and gas in her stomach but that they were going to but her on anibiotics just in case to make sure she did not have an infection. I went up to see Ava today and she did not look like she felt well. The doctors had to put a tube down into her stomach to pull out the excess air and gas. Ava is also on an all fluid diet and antibiotics for 48 hours. Of course I was worried and my mommy mind went crazy but the doctor came in and assured me that Ava was doing fine. The doctor said that Ava is probably having this gas because they added a supplement to her feedings. Think of it as giving an adult a protein shake. Some babies handle the supplement well and some of them do not. So once Ava starts to feel better they will start her out on her feedings slowly and build her back up. All is well but it is a little scary.

Ava is in her new bed!

Ava is now in her new bed. No more isolet!!

"No more pictures, Mom!!"

"I need a hug!"

Here is the cake from my shower at

Cherokee Christian

I have some great news today! Ava is out of her isolet (is that how it is spelled?) and she is now in a real bed. She also gets to wear clothes now and not just a diaper. I am glad she can wear clothes now because she is now having to share a room with a boy! Ava was moved to her new bed this morning at 9:00 am and as of 2:00 pm she was still doing great. The nurse even said that she might get to come home in three weeks! YEAH!!! My prayer is for her to be home by my birthday...February 26th, so heres hoping! On Tuesday I had a shower at Cherokee Christian. It was wonderful and I recieved some fabulous gifts and it was wonderful to see my students and my amazing teacher friends!

Ava is growing!

Just a little Ava update! She is now 3 lbs and 3 oz. She is still eating well and continues to do better learning how to nurse. Today, I am going to Cherokee Christian for a baby shower given to me by the staff. A little weird, because I am not pregnant anymore but I also do not have my baby girl with me. It is still hard for me to leave her everyday. If I am by myself, I usually cry and jam to praise music as I drive down Hwy 41. By the time I get home I am okay. Ava is today 3 weeks old from her birth and is also considered 33 weeks gestationally. She is still very active and is of course the cutest one there!

Adam, Abbey and Ava! Our new family!

Moving on up!

Well Miss Ava has now been moved from the intestive care section of the NICU to the intermediate section of the NICU. This means that she has now become a "growing/feeder". This means that all she has to do now is grow and gain weight and also to learn to eat on her own. She is no longer considered "high risk". This is a great relief to Adam and I. Ava should still be in the NICU for about 4 to 5 more weeks, but all she really has to do now is get bigger. She is out of the "danger" zone, which helps me sleep a little better at night. She is amazing and it is incredible to see how God is truely working in her little life each and every day. Thank you for your continued love, support and prayers. I can truely feel them.

I also need to compliment my sweet husband on my beautiful blue topaz necklace he gave me for my "push present". Adam gave me blue topaz because that is Ava's birthstone (December). The necklace is absolutely gorgeous and I could not ask for a more perfect present!

Guess how much Ava weighs?

Drum roll please.......Ava is now 3 pounds! We are very excited about this because that means she is gaining and maintaining her body weight! Everyday Ava does something amazing and is making the strides she needs to make so that she can come home soon. Just to refresh your memory, in order for her to come home, she has to (1) be at least 4 pounds, (2) maintain body weight (3) maintain body temperature (4) eat, swallow and breath all at the same time! We are thankful to God that Ava is doing great! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers!

Ava is relaxing in her heated bed!

Ava is doing great and growing everyday

Ava sleeping underneath her lovey

Ava sleeping with her lovey and bear

Ava and Mommy. Ava with her own hat on!

Ava just chilling and saying what's up!

Ava and Daddy bonding. Adam is a great daddy!

Ava is doing wonderful! She has grown and is 2 lbs and 15 oz. One more ounce and she will be 3 pounds. She is doing so well that all she has is her feeding tube...no more IV's!

Today I was able to hold her skin to skin and started teaching her how to nurse. The nurses all say that she is the cutest in the NICU and is making great strides.

Please pray for baby Noah. He is in the NICU with Ava. He was born at just 24 weeks and was just about 1 lb and 9 oz. He is being a fighter and has held on for about a week, which is great for his size. His mom is named Melissa. Please pray for Melissa and her husband as they go through this journey.

She is growing!

Today we went and saw Ava. She has not only gotten back up to her birth weight but she has surpaced it. She is now up to 2 lbs and 15 oz. We are hoping that by tomorrow she will be up to 3 lbs! She has to be at least 4 lbs to even start talking about her coming home. Also, today we came in and she did not have any more IV's on her. All she has now is a feeding tube. She is eating more and more each day. We are so thankful for how she continues to grow and continues to be healthy. We are praying she will be home by Valentines day! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers.

How am I feeling??

So many people have asked me (Abbey) how I am feeling right now. I am so excited to be a mom, of one of the cutest little girls ever. I am also so blessed and thankful that Ava is doing so well and is making strides each and everyday. She gains weight, gets rid of IV's and is able to do a "new trick" each day. She can pick up her head, turn it from side to side and she is now sucking on a pacifier. Everytime I hold her and see her at the NICU I am so thankful to God that she doing great and is bringing glory to HIM each and everyday.

But it does not mean that my heart does not ache everytime I leave her. I was telling a friend of mine tonight, that I am the mom and I am suppose to be taking care of Ava. It is so hard to hold her so close to my chest and then have to give her over to a nurse and walk out and leave. I know that she will be home soon enough but "soon" is not coming fast enough for me. I know that Ava is in the best place she can be but it does not take the ache away from my heart. I try to keep busy by preparing the house, her room and bathroom and working on getting healthy and healed myself.

Soon Ava will be home and in a few years when I watch her at dance or gymnastics or playing in the backyard, I know that I will look back at this time we are apart and she is in the NICU as just a bittersweet memory. But for right now I long to rock and tuck in at night. I long to show her off to my friends and family and I long to just do the everyday "normal" stuff that others may take for granted.

God is giving me the strength I need everyday to go through this journey that I am on right now. This time has helped me trust God to watch over Ava, even when I am not there. One of the verses that I love is in Psalms and it says that "I sleep in peace because the Lord is always there" (that is a paraphrase). I know that even though I am not watching over Ava right now, I know that the greatest PARENT, is watching over my precious Ava.

New Pictures

We'll today we are back up to 2lbs 14oz. The nurses are adding 1cc every feeding and she is eating 12cc's every 3 hours. The little extra hanging off of her belly button fell off today as well. We'll just have to wait to see if she's an innie or outie. Today was a great day and she is getting stronger and stronger. Thank you for all of your prayers for Ava!

Our Little Active Child

Just a quick clip of the active child that we have.

Ava is one week old!

Ava is one week old. She is doing great! She is breathing on her own, she just has a small tube in her nose that blows air in her lungs. She is still using a feeding tube but is taking some mik now. She has gained weight and is now 2 lbs and 10 oz. We are so thankful for how well she is doing. God is great and is taking care of my baby girl! I can not believe how much I love her and can not wait until she gets to come home.

The time line of events

Thank you for all of those who have visted the blog and I love reading all of the comments. Thank you so much for all of the love, support and prayers. Many people have asked me, Adam and my parents about the "time line" of the events. So here is a little bit of an overview of what has happened in Adam and I's life in the last three weeks.

December 17th:
I woke up about 1:00 am and was bleeding and cramping a little bit. Adam and I got to the labor and delivery department at Kennestone Hospital. I was having contractions about 3 to 5 minutes apart. I was 90% effaced and 1 to 1 1/2 centimeters dilated. The doctor and nurses came in and gave me a variety of medicines and steriods and finally got my contractions and labor stopped. I was told I had a slight abruption with my placenta and was put on bedrest at the hospital.

December 17th-25th:
I was on bedrest at Kennestone Hospital. Amazing experience, the doctors and nurses there were fabulous!

December 25th-December 30th:
I was on bedrest at home.

December 30th:
I woke up about 3:30 am bleeding alot and contractions. We went to the hospital again, I went into full on labor (with out any medicine). The doctor came in and looked at me and said it was time for an emergency C-Section. I had a c-section and Ava was born at 4:45 am. Both Ava and I did great, after the c-section.

Ava is now in the NICU and is doing very well. She is breathing on her own and is now even sucking on a pacifier. She is very advance!!

Thank you for all of your prayers, love and suport. We are so blessed and God is showing up!

Some Quality Time

Abbey gets a little one on one time with Ava.

One Happy Mama

Ava's got her sun shades on!

Ava is already tanning and has some really cool shades on.

Abbey and Ava

Abbey is getting to change Ava for the first time.