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;)
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| 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.
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| The first time I could catch her sitting up on camera! |
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| Staredown with her bear... |
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| Happy girl when it's time to eat! |
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| 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!
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| Having fun on the swings! |
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| Yep, I'm gonna be THAT mom. Sorry Ava... |
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| Playing with her feet all the time now! |
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| Alfalfa hair after her bath! |
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| In her Christmas dress under the tree. This was the first outfit I bought when we found out we were having a girl. |
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| Yay Christmas P.J.'s! |
