Cross-Eyed Cricket

There is a place to eat here in town called the cross-eyed cricket...and that's what I called Ava when she was first born, but her eyes are better at focusing now. They still wander every now and then, though.

SOOO big!

Ava is growing so fast!! She's growing in to her 0-3 month clothes and has grown out of most of her preemie and newborn clothes. She's even in size 1 diapers already. She's such a sweet girl and Ellie is still doing great as a big sister!

view more

to see more pictures, go to

www.elliekate.shutterfly.com

hospital picture

To view Ava's hospital picture, go to www.thewomenshospital.org, click on web nursery, type in bhughes, and the password is sweetpea.

We're all doing great, I just haven't wanted to take the time to leave the kids and spend time on the computer. I'll get some new pictures up soon.

Meet Ava Claire

Here is our precious addition, Ava Claire. She was born on Sept. 28 at 6:38pm and weighed 7lbs. 3 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long. We are home and doing well, but wanting to spend time together, so we'll post more soon.

better late than never

So, Monday the 24th was my official due date, but my last sonogram showed that I was measuring Oct. 4. The doctor said that was normal and that most babies come in between the 2 dates when that happens. Today just may be the day! I've been having stronger contractions since 5am and they started at 13 minutes apart for about an hour and a half, moved to 11 minutes apart, and are now about 7 minutes apart. I'm headed to take a shower and just wait until they are 5 minutes apart. We live like 2 miles from the hospital, so I'm not in a big hurry to get there, but my parents are on their way here with Ellie so that they can be here when I do go to the hospital. I'm super excited! I can't wait to hold my second baby girl!!!

not yet

but maybe soon.

still no baby, but lots more contractions - they just aren't close enough together yet.

Progress

Well, I've made some progress this week. I am now 3cm dialated and 50% effaced, so the doctor said it should be any time. He told me not to take any road trips and stay close, so that was encouraging. We'll keep you posted...

FYI

No baby yet. We're still waiting and getting more and more anxious every day. I'm not nervous...just ready to have this baby. I can't wait to hold her and see her face. Even Ellie said, "I want she to come out!"

Good News???

I've always heard that no news is good news, but I think I'll have to disagree this time. I went back to the doctor this morning and I'm still really thick and have only dialated 1 1/2 cm, which is the same as last week. I go back again Monday.

Big Day

Ellie had a big day today! She has wanted to build a kitty at Build a Bear for months now, so we told her that she could right before Ava was born. She had her first official dentist appointment and went back by herself, so we headed to the mall where she got to make her kitty (Ella), slide, play, shop, eat, and ride the carousel with her Dad. When we got in the car, she said, "Mom, we've had a good day, huh?" :-)

Dr. Appt.

We had a dr. appt. today and things are progressing, but slowly. Last week, I was dialated about 1/2 cm and still very thick. This week, I'm at 1 1/2 and have thinned out just a little, so my body is doing what it is supposed to do...just not as quickly as I would like. It's all God's timing, though. He knows when Ava is supposed to come and it's obviously not right now. 2 weeks until my due date, so pray that I will have patience and that Ava continues to grow like she's supposed to. I think she weighs about 6 1/2 lbs. now, so she'll be a good size, regardless of when she comes. We go back to the dr. next Monday - I'll post more when I know more.

It's almost time...

Ava is almost ready to come in to the world! We had a sonogram today, just because when they did the one at 18 weeks, she was moving around so much that they couldn't see all of her heart. They didn't think anything was wrong, it was just a good excuse to have another ultrasound! She weighs 5 lbs. 15 oz. so far and loves to suck on her left arm. We can't wait to meet her!!!!!

names

We go back Sept. 4th for a sonogram to check Ava's weight and he'll also check to see if I've progressed any. Between now and then, I need to decide on a new name for our blog. A friend suggested that I be supermom and give them each a blog, but I don't even keep up with the one that I have like I want to, much less two. SO, I need your help. Send me your suggestions for a new blog name for the Hughes family and we'll see what happens.

Random Post

So, this post is full of random, unconnected things.

Pictures of Ellie that were too cute not to include.

Pictures of Ava's room and how we're decorating - the walls were already blue, so we tried to find some things that would make it girly by adding a hot pink rug, then my mom made a curtain, and the rings were an idea from our neighbor that she saw in a magazine - painted cross-stitching hoops?!?

And a painting that Ellie made to match her room - it's on her bookshelf now.

I take too many pictures. I'll probably put some on facebook and just include the link so you can see more. I also have some funny stories that I'll share, since I haven't been good about posting them as they happen.

This is totally embarrassing, but also totally worth sharing. I don't ever tell on myself like this and this is not a common thing in our house - at least not coming from me (Jeff and Ellie are a different story). When I do happen to "pass gass" and it is loud, poor Ava jumps!! I think it scares her?!?!?

Ellie has been telling everyone she has 2 babies in her belly. She even lets us feel them kick sometimes and she can tell you which baby it is. She has named them Ava and Talley, although Talley is somedays Sally instead. So cute!

We have been spending time with our neighbors like crazy lately and we just love it! They are great neighbors and even better friends. They have 2 little girls and are fairly close to our age, so we have lots in common. Anyway, the mom home-schools the older girl and she invited us over for one of their activities the other day. Another family was there and they were all making cookies, so they took turns pouring in the ingredients and Ellie got to take several turns. It was so cute! I have a picture, but need to ask before I just put the kids' pictures online.

My aunt is doing fairly well. The usual side effects are bothering her, but her body is responding well. I'll keep you posted as she goes through the next couple of months of treatments.

New news

Just posting some new news. Nothing real big or exciting, just life.

First of all, and probably the most exciting is that I am about 5 weeks from my due date!! We are going to the dr. for a regular check-up tomorrow and are going to talk to him about being induced. We have tons of reasons, but the top three are because of my job (just gives me time to warn the parents I'll be out for a couple of weeks), because we can make plans for who is going to keep Ellie ahead of time and not have to rush around at 2 in the morning or something, and because I really want my mom to be here when Ava is born - she is with my aunt who is in the hospital getting her chemo and starting the transplant process. If she knows ahead of time, my cousin can stay with my aunt and my mom can come see Ava.

Second, Ellie started her Kindermusik class today! She loved it, although she was actually pretty shy. That's not like her, so I figure the newness will wear off soon and she'll open up and really enjoy the class. (Thanks to my friend Sandy for telling me about the class.)

Other random stuff:
Students are coming back soon and we're excited about seeing them after they've been gone for the summer and meeting new students.

Our neighbors continue to amaze us at what great friends they are - to us and to Ellie.

Ellie's Mommy and Me dance class starts Sept. 18th! (tap, ballet, and tumbling)

My job is amazing! I am always tired at the end of the day (only Wednesday and 1/2 day Thursday), but also always proud of myself for really focusing on what I need to do and getting it done (both from a working perspective and taking care of my family financially). (Thanks again to my friend Sandy who told me about the job and helped me get started - I owe her!!)

My 30th birthday was a blast and Jeff did a great job of making it special for me!

I've been really bad about keeping in touch and sending things like thank you notes and birthday cards, so here's a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY wish to Levi, Micah, Erin, Carla, and all of our special friends, many of whom do not even check Ellie's blog so they'll never know...maybe I should quit typing and just send them cards?!? :-)

Tag

I've been tagged...

Four jobs I have had:
1. Key Entry Operator for Lockheed
2. Student Worker in college
3. Special Education Teacher
4. Developmental Therapist


Four places I have lived:
1. Dixon, KY
2. Owensboro, KY
3. Fort Worth, TX
4. Newburgh, IN


Favorite TV shows:
1. almost anything on HGTV
2. Survivor
3. I Love Lucy
4. Reba


Food:
1. Cheesecake
2. Fried Chicken Salad
3. Cream Cheese Enchiladas
4. Seafood Alfredo at Olive Garden


Places I would rather be:
1. In my swimming pool (on a float)
2. Visiting friends in Texas
3. On vacation (anywhere warm, as long as Jeff and Ellie are with me)
4. At the lake with my parents


Favorite movies:
(I would actually rather watch a 30 minute show in tv, but I'll watch a movie now and then)
1. Coyote Ugly
2. Dance With Me
3. Save the Last Dance
4. Holiday


Tag Time:
1. Miriam
2. Sandy
3. Sheri
4. Lindsey B

Family Pictures

We had family pictures taken at our house last week. Thanks to our friend, Heather, who took them and put them on her website. You can see them at www.steadfastmedia.photoreflect.com.

Again?

So, Jeff is out of town again...but hopefully this is the last time before Ava is born that he has to go anywhere, then we'll get to with him on his trips. I just didn't want to be in NC and go in to labor or something, plus they drove so I would have been miserable in the car. Anyway, here are some cute pictures of us hanging out with my parents and my brother's kids.

New Bracelet

I love making beaded jewelry and key chains. I haven't done much with my beads since we moved, though. I decided to break them out tonight (with a little help from Ellie) and make a bracelet for my neighbor. She's been so sweet to us and is just turning out to be a great friend. Her girls' names are Hope and Faith, so that's what I put on the bracelet, although it's hard to read in the pictures. Just thought I'd share.

Pedicure

Being the pregnant one, you would think I would be the one getting pedicures. Not in our house. Ellie got some new polish from Nannie today and decided her Dad needed his toenails done. We also got our new recliner today!!

So Grown Up

I just think Ellie is looking and acting so grown up lately. She's so funny! She got a new bikini that she's showing off (one-pieces don't seem to fit her as well because she's pretty tall and thin) and Jeff brought her a new shirt after he came back from camp. She's really in to dressing herself right now, but she usually does a pretty good job of matching everything. She picked out her shoes, pants, and hairbow to match her shirt.

My aunt has hit some bumps in the road, so keep praying that she can have her transplant. The big issues right now are that her kidneys are only functioning at about 24% and they are considering doing her transplant in Arkansas, rather than Nashville. I'll keep you posted.

Please Pray

My aunt, Tishie, is in Nashville today starting her transplant process. She's having tests run, getting chemo, and meeting with the transplant team of doctors to find out more about what is in store for her. They are now saying that there is a 40% chance that she will be cured for life, if all goes well...which is a huge change because before they said life span was about 3-5 years. Please pray that things go well, that she is able to handle the chemo well, and that she remains mentally strong. I'll keep you posted.

New Pictures of Our House

We still have nothing on the walls, lots of unpacking to do, and we need to finish Ellie and Ava's bathroom, Ava's room, and the office, but here are some pictures of our house with our own furniture. We love it!! Our couch just came today and Jeff has been gone all week, so he's not even seen it yet. The next 2 are Ellie's bedroom (thanks to Landy for letting us use her bed and bedding that she used in college - it works perfect for a ladybug room) (I still need to work on decorating Ellie's shelf, too), then our bedroom, out back (thanks to my parents and my in-laws for an early birthday present - money for the patio furniture), 2 of the kitchen, and the dining room (we found our table at a yard sale).

Fun Times!

We have had some great times lately! We've had company several times, gone on a mini-vacation with my parents (where Ellie caught her first fish), and have just enjoyed the summer. That's my niece Elizabeth on the trampoline, and Isabelle reading with Ellie, my best friend Carla, and Ellie is pinching Cade's cheeks (Lista's baby).

Jesus Loves Me

Ellie has created her own lyrics to this song. It goes like this...

Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones...
want me to sing all day!