Ava Irene at 4 Months



Our sweet baby girl, there has been something wonderful about every month of your life, well, there have been a lot of something wonderfuls - but this past month has been the most exciting, for us and for you. It has been a very busy month for you, and as an adult you just don't think about how many things there are to learn in this world, and how overwhelming it must be for a baby to be seeing, hearing, and experiencing so many new things every day. We try really hard to celebrate and practice all of these new things with you, but I think we didn't fully realize how overwhelming it must be for you until it started affected your sleep, and our sleep! This last week or so, you have been waking up on your back, when we put you down on your tummy. You are showing us that even though you are sleeping, your mind is never quite resting. You have so much to learn and to do, that we think you are practicing while you should be sleeping! I think you are a bit like your Mommy that way!

Ava, your Nana and Papa lived in Alberta, and have lived there for many years. We have been trying to convince them to move closer for many years, but it just never worked out. At Christmas time, we had a nice visit with them, and I think that it broke their hearts a little to have to say goodbye to you and to not know when they would see you next. It did not take very long for them to decide that they needed to move closer, and by the middle of February, they had moved to Hope! We went out to visit, and they could not believe how big and strong you had gotten. You are so lucky to have grandparents who love you so much.

                                         
Darling girl, we started this last month with a weekend away at Manning, for family day, and for your Daddy's birthday. You slept like an angel in a big bed by yourself, for 8.5 hours in a stretch! We went for a snowshoe and you snuggled in the ergo with your Daddy and went right to sleep. When you woke up, your Mommy snapped a picture of you, because she was actually sure that you looked like what an angel must look like. You are so perfect, we still pinch ourselves that we actually made you and that you are actually ours to keep.



Ava, you like bathtime so much, even in your shallow tub, that we thought we would take you for your first swim at the pool at Manning. It was not very warm, so we didn't keep you in for very long, but you just calmy checked out the water as your Daddy took you around the pool. We can't wait to take you out for your next swim. For now, we have bought you a deeper bathtub, and I now come to look forward to bath time every night. Your smile does not leave your face in the bath, and you kick so hard that we think you are going to just love swimming.



Baby girl, you have started to giggle at us when we do something that must be really amusing to you. They are just little giggles, but we will take what we can get! We had thought you were starting to work up to a laugh for a couple of weeks, but Mommy took you to the Doctor with her, and in the waiting room, your Mommy was shaking a little rattle ball infront of your face. A little boy, about 2 years old, came and grabbed the ball out of your Mom's hand, and shook it right in your face, you giggled like we had not, and still have not again, heard before. It was adorable that it took someone closer to your size to make you laugh.

On February 16th, your Mommy and Daddy went out to visit Grampa while Gramma was in Costa Rica. Grampa was out getting groceries and your Daddy had taken the dog for a walk, and your Mommy put you on your tummy for some tummy time. It did not take long before you rolled right over onto your back! I think you got a little bit scared at how loudly your Mom celebrated and cheered for you. You didn't know what you had done, but you did know that you were now in a different position, and that your Mommy was hyseterical. Since then, you have only done it a handful of times. Enough for your Auntie Carrie to see, and for your Mommy to notice after nap time that you are in a different position. Your Daddy has yet to see it, but we know you will start doing it regularly soon - you can't hide your tricks from him forever. You are getting so strong, and during tummy time, you straighten your arms and get your head up so high. Sometimes you raise your bum in the air and push your feet into the ground, to scooch yourself along the floor. You don't get very far yet, but we love your determination.



On February 23rd, we went out to Harrison to see your friends Tessa and Gracie, and also to celebrate their Daddy's birthday. On the way home, you decided that you were up for a chat, and chatted for about 10 minutes to your stuffy in your car seat. It was the most that we had ever heard you "say," but we should have known that you would chat when you were good and ready. When we got to Gramma and Grampa's house, Gramma had just gotten back from a 2 week Costa Rican vacation and she was so happy to see you - Ava you must have talked to your Gramma for ten minutes! We thought you might be starting to cry, but you were just figuring out your voice, and boy did you ever! You haven't stopped "talking" since. We are thinking you are more like your cousin Kai than we even thought!

Ava, your Daddy and I took you to our first KBL game, and we weren't sure how we were going to manage both of us playing, and cuddling you. You did not make a peep the whole entire game, and you were passed around from teammate to teammate, to whoever was sitting on the bench. At one sub-in, your Daddy went on the floor with you, to pass you off to Sean, who was coming off. You got into your first basketball game, at only 3 and a half months old! We knew you would be a superstar!

My darling, you learned so much this month. When you play with toys, you reach out to grab them and wrap your hands around them. You can hold onto a toy, even when we are walking around with you. You are starting to notice EVERYTHING, and have turned into a bit of a bobblehead again, because there is just so much for you to see. Your Mommy was nursing you the other day when your Dad came home from work and sat beside us. You lifted your head up and gave your Daddy the biggest smiles, for about 30 seconds, before you remembered what your job was!

                                            

 Another one of our favourite looks from you is the head down-eyes up look. It is a bit of a bashful look, but we know better, you aren't shy, you are just a little silly. Just like when we walk by a mirror and talk to you, you now see yourself, and you give yourself a little smile of recognition. You are also becoming a little independent now, and when we feed you a bottle, you like to try and hold it yourself. It is these small things that tweek at my heart.

                                       

Ava Irene, your Daddy and I love you so very much. We are so proud of you and of everything that you are learning and figuring out. We can not wait to see what you figure out next month.