ONE.

I can't even believe I'm writing this right now, but my kid is ONE. I have a one year old. I've been a mom for 12 months. WHAT.

Funny how all the stereotypical parental sayings are turning out to be one-hundred percent accurate.
"They just grow up so fast."
"Parenting is the toughest job there is."
"It'll be the best thing that's ever happened to you."
ALL TRUE. I guess that's why people say them. Because they're true.

This first birthday has created a strange mixture of feelings inside me. Disbelief/happiness/sentimental to the max/pride/joy/compulsive need to remember everything and take note of all the ways she's still little. But mostly, happiness. 

There are times when I think, how can it be a year already? Weren't we just taking our last drive as a twosome to the hospital to meet this baby? Then on other days it feels like she's always, always been a part of our lives, and how can it possibly be only one year? It's definitely bittersweet. I'm purposely making a point to not describe it as "sad." Being present in the life of my growing, happy, healthy child is nothing to be sad about. (Thank you Kelle Hampton at Enjoying the Small Things blog for this post that opened my eyes to seeing my baby's growth in a whole new, contended kind of light.)

I still wake up surprised that this is my gloriously messy life. Constant exhaustion from the job that never ends. The job that I never, ever want to end because there's a perpetual ray of bright joy pushing through the dark clouds that can easily creep into motherhood.

11 months! {update}

So, on Tuesday I was at work and wrote "1/6/2015" at the top of my first patient worksheet for the day. It hit me. She's 11 months old. ELEVEN. You guys, that's only four weeks from being one year old. 

Someone hold me.

These pictures were made possible by Puffs. I literally had to bribe her to get any decent ones. 

She's decided it's more fun to take the headbands off now. She's becoming a bit more mischievous and really keeping us on our toes.

As of now, I'm not planning to do these monthly updates after she turns one, but I may change my mind. I love being able to revisit when she did what, and to relive all the milestone moments from her first year. I may just do an update every few months or so. We'll see how it goes.

10 months old! {update}

Our girl is edging her way to her first birthday....she's T E N months old. Double digits! 

Lots of fun is coming with the holidays and I'm even more excited to experience it this year with her. We've already seen a couple of decorated Christmas trees and she is completely enamored. I can't wait to put ours up and see what kind of craziness ensues with her trying to pull the ornaments off and eat all the little leaf bits that will litter the floor. (Yes, it's December 9th and we still have no tree. I had great intentions this year but it just hasn't gone according to plan!) 

Best outtake from this month's photo session....

She is such a mild mannered child. HA.

This is real life, you guys. The "10" on the chalkboard is rubbed off because she rolled around on it. The lint roller in the bottom right is there because that's what I was using to make her smile....she was holding it but then decided she would throw it. She has spunk, spirit, and a mind of her own for sure. I've heard people say that means she'll do great things one day. :)

9 month update

She's 9 months old! (What!?)

(As per usual, this update is a few days late.)

She's a quick learner, very observant, talkative, emotional, a busy body, girly, funny, and growing so fast!

{Bow: Alexandra Rose Handmade}

The gorgeous quilt in the background of those first photos was made by a sweet friend of mine who is SO talented. I could not be happier with how it turned out. I'm so thrilled to see this quilt be used and loved and treasured by Aven over the years. Thank you, Adrienne!

8 month update

It's been 8 months since she joined our family. 
We are at that point now where I'm actually having a hard time remembering what life was like before her. She is our new normal, and any time spent away from her doesn't feel quite right.

This past month has been one of lots of growth for our girl. And her personality is blossoming. She is chatty, a little dramatic, funny, emotional, and extremely observant.

7 Month Update!

Good grief, I feel like I just shared her 6 month update! Does it keep getting quicker? If so I'm not sure that I can handle that.

Big moments this past month included:

Trying solid foods for the first time! 

Yes, we waited until she was 6 months old because girlfriend has been super satisfied with breastmilk only till this point. We began with oatmeal cereal because I wasn't loving what I read about rice cereal. Then we also started some baby foods like apple, pear, sweet potato, and squash. I have a feeling she isn't going to like change much because every time we start a new food we swear that she hates it. But then sure enough, the second day she at least tolerates it and sometimes even face-dives for the spoon. So funny. So far she likes sweet potatoes the most!

Aven Harper is 6 months old! {Monthly Update}

This blue-eyed ray of sunshine is SIX months old. I can't believe we're already halfway through her first year! I'm trying to savor each day, each phase, each milestone. This past month was filled with lots of firsts, some fun and some really tough. Some coming within just days of each other. Might have broken my mama heart just a little with all her growing, but I'm loving this stage so much.

Now we play with the props. :)

I joke about her being my BFF but let's be real; we do everything together. Heck, if I could strap her in her new Ergo and take her with me to work, I totally would. She might even soften up the cranky patients a bit.

5 month update

My baby girl is 5 months old.  As in almost half a year old. Sadface. 

But also happyface because it just gets more and more fun. She's so interactive 
and observant now, and just makes me laugh all day long.

Stats

Nicknames: Baby girl, Avenator (thanks, Mimi), Boo Boo, Avie

Eye Color: still a blueish gray color

Hair: the top is getting longer, and so is the rat tail...I refuse to cut it despite pressures 
from certain grandparents who shall remain nameless.
Who does she look like? Mostly Brandon I think, but when she smiles she looks like my baby pictures.

Weight: my guess is 16 lbs but we won't have an exact weight until her check up next month.

Height: no idea. But girlfriend has some loooong legs

Clothing: some 3 months, but mostly 6 month sizes

Favorite toys: Sofie the Giraffe teethers, Taggies blanket, mostly anything 
she can chew on...including her hands and feet.

Love or Hate Baths: Love

Crib or Parents' Room: Crib

Pacifier?: She chews on her WubbaNub paci, but still doesn't suck on it.
Routine: eating every 3 hours during the day. down to 2 long naps and 1 short 
nap a day for the most part. 

Food: still only breastmilk 

Nighttime sleep: 10pm-ish to 7am

Teething?: I actually just caught a glimpse of a tooth still under her gums!

Rolling over?: Only onto her side.

Sleeps: on her side with her hands up by her face.

New discoveries/ Milestones: starting to grasp onto bottle, playful shrieking, still sticking her tongue out all the time, copying sounds, sucking on toes :)

4 month update {better late than never}

Technically Aven turned 4 months old on June 6th....so let's just pretend this update was
written and published two weeks ago. :)
This may be the #1 cliche parents say, but I can't believe how fast she's growing! Seriously...did I not just birth you last week, child? Slow your grow. 

Check out that sweet smile. And her hilarious goat toy. (I have a thing for goats).

The tongue. Out all the time these days. 

Nicknames: Avie baby, Bug, A, Booger (so feminine, I know), Babygirl

Eye Color: Blueish gray

Hair: Short and spikey on the top and light colored. Long in the back and dark. Bald in between. :)

Weight: 15.9 lbs  (90th %)

Height: 26"  (>95%)

Clothing size: some 3 months, some 6 months

Favorite toys: Sofie the Giraffe teethers, colorful rings, or just a blanket to chew on

Love or Hate Baths: Love

Crib or Parents' Room: Crib (high five!!)

Pacifier?: No. She doesn't like them. (I'm sure I'll be happy about this one day. At least that's what I keep telling myself.)
Routine: Eats every 3 hours during the day. Naptimes are getting shorter, one or two going away completely, depending on the day.

Nighttime sleep: 10pm-ish to 7am. (Praise the Lord!!)

Teething?: In the early stages I would think....lots of slobber and gnawing on toys/hands.

Rolling over?: Only onto her side for now

New discoveries/ Milestones: sticking out her tongue, grasping toys, giggling, lots of smiles, lots of baby talk

being a new mom {& what I didn't see coming}

There is a vast difference between preparing for childbirth and preparing for a child. So much focus is placed on the pregnancy and how your baby will arrive, but we can't just brace ourselves for labor when there's a whole new life as a mother waiting at the end of the delivery. Moms-to-be, you deserve to have realistic expectations so you aren't completely overwhelmed on Day One of Motherhood.

In a nutshell, it's one-hundred times harder than you ever imagined it would be. It's also one-hundred times more spectacular than ever imagined it would be. Here's my take on it. 

{P.S., I have updated portions of this post with my thoughts on things one year after originally writing this!}

Overall, I enjoyed being pregnant. Sure, the heartburn was horrendous and towards the end I was just super uncomfortable. But there was something so special about it. I regularly had complete strangers congratulate me, make gender guesses, speak a blessing over me and my baby, and even physically lend a hand. And yes, there were a few awkward belly rubs here and there, but even those didn't bother me as much as I anticipated.

 I actually thought I was going to miss being pregnant. That is until my kid decided to stay put nine days past her due date and come out weighing almost as much as a bag of potatoes. Anyway, I'm not bitter.

Aven was born on February 6, 2014 and I can honestly say I've never felt more elation than that first moment she was placed on my chest. It was the hardest and most beautiful day of my life.