Blessings and Thanksgivings

Well, it's been a hot one since last I posted! October was a crazy, difficult month, and November shaped up much the same. Thus the blogging fell to the wayside a bit. But I am hoping to get at it again!! So here's the highlights if what has been going on with the Patens...

Unfortunately October saw the passing of my beloved Papaw. He was certainly one of greatest men in my life, and one of the best people I know. He was faithful in the Lord, never knew a stranger, always saw the best in people, was giving and compassionate, and a hard worker. The list could go on and on. I am so blessed to have had him in my life for 29 years and that he got to know Ava. And as much as I and all my family will miss him, his legacy will continue through all of us and he will always be remembered.

As you can imagine the rest of October was a blur. Ava and I spent a lot of time in Livia with my mom and my Mamaw. James was traveling for work five weeks in a row in October and was usually gone a couple days at a time. We were all glad when that was over!

Ava's first Halloween was pretty uneventful. I had grand plans of dressing her up in a tutu and going to see all her grandparents in her costume and parading her up and down our street in her stroller looking oh so adorable. Not so much. Ava got sick on October 30 when we were at my mom's, so we had to come on home to isolation. We didn't get out if the house, so Ava didn't wear the costume I made her, but did wear a cute little bumble bee sleeper my mom gave her. And to top it off James was out of town and didn't get in until right before she went to bed. Halloween fail. But there's always next year;)





Someone got in the candy bowl..

Ava is getting so big!! I look back on some pictures and wonder where my baby went already! She is sitting up on her own. She is doing the pre-crawling inch worm. Everything goes in the mouth of course. And she grabs at everything too. So my necklace has now become a toy and I'm sure its not long before she breaks that! She now eats baby food 2-3 times a day and LOVES it!! I could go on and on about my brilliant beautiful daughter but will spare you.

The first time I could catch her sitting up on camera!

Staredown with her bear...

Happy girl when it's time to eat!

Aunt Jenny feeding Ava.





We just celebrated our first thanksgiving with the biggest blessing in our lives-Ava. I thank God every day that He chose me to be her mother. The holidays,though, were bittersweet for us as we also remember the family who are no longer with us. Our families have seen much loss these past couple years, but we also remember and give thanks for the time we had and the love and memories that will be passed down.

Thank you for reading and for catching up with us! And of course here's some more pics if my sweet girl!

Having fun on the swings!

Yep, I'm gonna be THAT mom.  Sorry Ava...

Playing with her feet all the time now!

Alfalfa hair after her bath!

In her Christmas dress under the tree.  This was the first outfit I bought when we found out we were having a girl.

Yay Christmas P.J.'s!

Like a rolling stone...

Bundled up for a walk in this beautiful cool fall weather.

So much has been going on the last couple weeks!! Let's have a quick recap and update:)

October 1st was James's 30th birthday! Although he didn't feel any different about turning 30 than any other birthday it nonetheless is a milestone birthday! We celebrated that night with his mom, sister, brother-in-law and kiddos with sushi and birthday cake. And the following Sunday we had his friends over for a cookout and football. So thankful for the most amazing man, husband, friend, and baby daddy I could ever ask for:). I hope to celebrate many, many more birthdays with you James.

October 5 marked Ava's 5 month birthday!! So hard to believe she's been with us 5 months. It feels like she's been part of our lives forever, but it also feels like she shouldn't be 5 months old yet! She is growing like a weed and seems to be doing new things every day. We have such fun with Ava and feel so blessed to be called to be her parents!

Saturday my Mom and Bill came in to town to pick up my brother and sister-in-law up from the airport coming home from their honeymoon. They came up that morning to see us (read: to see Ava!). We decided to try Ava on some rice cereal that day too. She loved it!! Gulped down about a tablespoon amount of very thinned out rice cereal. Her primary nutrition will continue to be mommy's milk, but we will slowly thicken the consistency of the cereal and gradually introduce puréed veggies and fruits.

My independent little girl already trying to feed herself!

I think in my last post I wrote that Ava had rolled over a couple times. Well she is officially a roller now- just like the title of this post- she is like a rolling stone! Just the past week or so she has mastered it! She has rolled the length of our rug in our living room a couple times. And boy does she just look so proud of herself;). It's really funny to watch her try to roll over with one of her toys in her hand! She thinks she's bug stuff! With this milestone we definitely will be looking at baby proofing the ol' homestead quite soon! And sweeping and vacuuming multiple times a day... There's nothing like seeing your daughter roll into a clump of dog hair and have her clothes covered in dog hair to affirm your terrible housekeeping skills...

Rolling over with her Oball

So much going on, but so much fun watching Ava grow up before our eyes. Sorry for the long post, but thanks for hanging in there! Have a very blessed day!

Riding her Toby horse.  He's not so amused...

Someone found their thumb...

The shirt says it all!

Yay for Halloweeny sleepers!

Happy girl after bath time!

Loving Life



My newest favorite picture of my sweet girl!

When I first started this blog I was posting about once a week! Now it's more like twice a month if I'm lucky! But such is life. Everyone in the Paten household are doing well! We have, course, been staying busy but it has been better than the beginning of September! As the holiday season is fast approaching I know we will continue to have our schedules full!

Ava is doing well and growing (too) fast! She rolled over 3 times in one day from her belly to her back a week or so ago and has only done it a time or two since for me! But get her in her crib and she is all over the place! It's always fun to wake up in the morning and see where she is in her crib! Her newest trick is blowing raspberries! And I know I am pretty partial and everything as her mother, but I'm pretty sure it is the cutest thing EVER! Ava has also mastered grabbing at toys and is now moving in to grabbing at ANYTHING in our hands or in our person. Nothing is safe- books, phones, remotes, necklaces, glasses are all game now!

I caught her mid-raspberry...it's so hilariously cute!

Her fingers and hand are her favorite toy...they are always with her and so easy to put in her mouth!

But I so enjoy seeing Ava growing and learning every day. She just gets a light in her eye when she is mastering something new that is such a joy to see. She continues to amaze me every day and I thank God every day for giving me such an amazing daughter! I am so undeserving of such a blessing, but feel so privileged to be her mother!!

My serious little lady!

And that's about it for now! We have lots going on the next week or so, so I will (hopefully) catch everyone up again soon! Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Mommy's adorable walking buddy!

4 months (a little late...)



Well it has just been crazy around here of late, so the ol' blog has definitely been on the back burner!  So let's catch up on what has been going on with the Paten's. 

Football time!  I am definitely one of those girls...  I love watching my UK Wildcats and I love watching NFL games.  James has a couple fantasy football teams so it's fun to keep up with the games and be in the know so I can talk to him about what's going on in the football world.  The first weekend in September was Ava's first UK/UofL game!  And of course I had to outfit her with an adorable "house divided" tutu.  She did look quite cute, although was not a good luck charm for my Wildcats...



Later that week James and I celebrated out 2 year anniversary, Ava's 4 month birthday, the birth of our first niece, and found out we were having a nephew in February!  It was a wild week!  My Mom and Bill came in for a visit that week and stayed with Ava while James and I had our first night away from her.  We stayed at the Galt House in downtown Louisville, and went out to eat and for a couple drinks.  It was so nice just the two of us without having to worry about when the next feeding was, and when the baby was going to wake up, and having to go to bed early so we could get up early with her.  While it was nice to experience the "pre-parenthood" again, it was also wonderful to get home to our sweet girl!

Who would not be ready to come home to this face?!?!



Ava is growing so fast, sometimes it is hard to remember those days when she weighed only as much as a sack of sugar!  At her doctor's appointment Ava weighed in at 15 pounds 2 ounces, and was 24.5 inches long!  She has much more than double her birth weight!  Grow baby grow!

These days Ava is becoming even more of a mover and a shaker!  She has been rolling over from her back to belly for a couple weeks now, mostly in her crib.  So we have now transitioned the swaddler off and she done so well!  And she loves sleeping on her belly, just like her Mommy and Daddy!  This past Tuesday she rolled over from her belly to her back though!  And she looked so proud of herself!  With all this moving around in her crib she also has gotten her legs and arms through her crib slats a couple times.  You can definitely tell a dirfference in that cry coming from her!!  So we have put her bumper back on her crib.  Any other ideas from mommas or daddy's on what to do?  I know it is recommended not to have the bumper on the crib but I don't know how else to keep her from doing that?  

I have also been working on getting her wardrobe ready for the coming fall and winter.  We have been hitting up the consignment sales around town - LOVE!  It has been kind of difficult for me, having a summer baby, to imagine what I will put her in in the winter!  Ava has lived in rompers and sun dresses this summer, so I am having to change my clothing mindset for her for the winter!  Lots of leggings in our future, for sure!  Any other baby girl mommas have insight on what to put your girlie in for the winter?

Bundled up on her first walk of the fall time weather!  Love it!



Baby food is certainly in the none-too-distant-future for us here in the Paten household!  It is both very exciting and kinda sad.  Love the new milestone to hit, but it's just another step toward independence and that our baby girl is growing up!  No teeth yet, but lots of drool and hand eating.  So who knows, maybe soon??  I have started to make my baby food for Ava for when she is ready to start eating.  I have made some pureed apples and potatos so far, and am going to do pears, sweet potatos, carrots, and pumpkin.  And once she is eating I will make bananas and avocado.  I don't think I can freeze those.  Anyone else make their own baby food and have tips or ideas for me?  I'm really excited about it!

She sits up in her high chair at the table with us while we eat!  Very soon and she will be eating with us!





That's about all for now!  Thanks for checking in on our little family!  Hope you have a very blessed day! 

Mommy, would you stop putting me in the laundry basket!

Loves bath time with Daddy!

Now, I know I can fit both of these in here...