Iowa

Thursday afternoon we were on our way to Iowa. I'm so glad that Nate was able to get off work early that day, as the storms in Iowa were pretty bad that night. It would not have been fun driving through them. Every trip that we go on our stops get shorter and shorter. I have now mastered the art of pumping in the car. To some people this may seem sick and wrong, but nobody knows what I'm doing with my little cover on. I just pray that Nate doesn't get in an accident while I'm doing it! It was nice to get down there in time for us to actually see my parents before Ava went to bed. Nate got to experience his first "town team" baseball game with Grandpa Becker Thursday night. I think the highlight was the fact that a beer cost only $2 there.

Friday morning Nate went off to play golf with a college friend of ours in Iowa City. Grandma, Ava, and I went to visit Grandma's work, and then went to see "Grandma Great" before heading to Cedar Rapids for some shopping and lunch. Ava was such a good girl (minus the massive blow-out that went up her back as we were ready to head into a store). That night we had lots of visitors. Ok, Ava had lots of visitors...Great Grandma Schutterle, Aunt Darlene, Auntie Lisa Peterson, Cousin Carl, and Aunt Marilyn came to say hello. Daddy grilled us some yummy kabobs, and Grandma made the most delicious sweet corn we've had in a very long time. Unfortunately we forgot to bring some home on Sunday!

Saturday Daddy and Ava went to the Benton County Fair with Grandma, Grandpa, and lots of other family members on Grandma's side. Ava got to see Aunt Angie, and cousins Jakob and Anna. From what I hear, Ava was an angel at the fair. I'm assuming it's because she was held and passed around, while receiving lots of hugs and kisses from everybody she saw. That evening we met up with my best friends from high school. We try to get together once a year. Last year was Kansas City, this year was Cedar Rapids. It was so much fun to see everybody, and get to meet all the new babies (three this year including Ava).

Sunday morning we went back to the county fair so that we could watch my cousins show their dogs. Sara won...Congrats!!! After that we hit the road! We stopped at Nana's on the way home and got to see Aunt Susan as well as Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Rick. We left there around 5:40, thinking that would give us just enough time to get home before Ava had to eat again. We got about 4 miles south of Owatonna, and came to an abrupt halt. It took us over an hour to go three miles. Ava was in tears, I was in tears, and Nate was just overly annoyed and frustrated. Not a good way to end such a good weekend! Ava received her first cold bottle in the car (from milk that I had previously pumped and was in the cooler). It's a good thing that she eats anything that we give her. We did finally make it home and we all crashed! A big thank you to Grandma & Grandpa for everything this weekend. We are so glad that we got to see you, and that you got to spend some time with Ava.

Ava eyeing the sheep. She seems a bit skeptical

Sara, Nate, Ava, & Melissa at the fair

Jakob, Anna, Grandpa, Grandma, & Ava

Ava & Grandma

Anna holding Ava My best friends from high school, "The Angels" Nikki, Lyndsey, Steph, me, Lisa, & Jenny.

Our "babies" Kylie, Ava, Bella, Harrison, & Vance

On the road again

I feel like that's our motto again this summer. We're always in the car heading out on some road trip. We'll be leaving for Iowa tomorrow afternoon. Nate was nice enough to take another 1/2 day of vacation tomorrow and took Friday off so that we can beat the traffic and get to Grandma & Grandpa Becker's before 11:00 at night. We going back to meet up with my high school girlfriends and their families. For the past couple of years we have picked a weekend in the summer to get together. Last year we were in Kansas City and had a great time. This year we decided on Cedar Rapids since 1/2 the girls still live there. I'm looking forward to seeing them, as well as the new additions to their families! It will be nice to see my family again. Ava has grown so much over the past month, I think they'll be amazed at how much she has changed. Friday morning Grandma, Ava, and I are planning on going to the county fair. I think we'll go in the morning before the weather gets to hot. Daddy will be golfing so he has to miss out on the excitement. I'm meeting up with the girls for lunch on Saturday and then that evening we'll get together for dinner with the significant others and kids.

Ava got to spend some quality time with Grandma and Daddy this week. I worked evenings on Monday and Tuesday, and tonight I got to have dinner with a couple of girlfriends. It was nice to get away (besides work) for a couple of hours.

Spencer came and watched Ava again for a couple of hours this morning while I had an eye appointment. My eye has continued to bother me (red and blurry vision) for the past month. I've been wearing my glasses, thinking that maybe it was my contacts again. This has not helped and I'm getting quite frustrated. They eye Dr. had no answers for me and has decided to refer me to a "corneal specialist". He gave me some drops and I'll see the specialist in a couple of weeks. I just want some answers, a fix, and I want to be able to wear my contacts again.

When I got home from my appt. Ava and I went over to the daycare that she'll be attending. Yes, Ava has to start daycare in August. We've been so lucky that she's been able to stay home for the first five months of her life. She's been so healthy. Hopefully going to daycare only part time she'll continue to stay healthy (fingers crossed). I had to drop off some paperwork as well my the days that she'll be attending. The people there seem very nice and attentive. I think that it's a nice place and I feel as good as I can about leaving my baby girl there. Of course nothing is as good as the one on one care that she gets at home. On the other hand, it will be good for her to interact with other children, and have other caretakers besides family members. Lucky for me, I'm not the one who has to drop her off on her first day (sorry Daddy). Instead, I get to pick her up. :) It will be an adjustment for all of us. I'm just hoping and praying that she does well with it and doesn't feel abandoned the first few days she's there!

Another weekend at the cabin

We hope that you had a wonderful weekend. We headed up to the cabin on Friday afternoon. Nate took a half day or work, which was wonderful because then we missed all of the traffic heading up north. Ava was a superstar traveler again. She napped until Brainard and then chatted with us from the backseat all the way to the cabin. The weather was beautiful on Friday so we went out for a late afternoon boat ride, where Ava was lulled to sleep by the waves and the sound of the motor.

Saturday morning Ava and I got up early (earlier than I wanted to, thanks Ava) and went for a walk. That's about as much as we made it outside. The rain started a little later and the storms rolled in and out throughout the day. We did go over to Dick & Renee's big "fireworks party" for a short while. Ava and I were only there for about an hour since Ava had to eat and go to bed. Dick & Renee live only two houses down so it's quite convenient. Every year there are fireworks on Lower Hay Lake, just down from our cabin. It's been very nice in the past because we are so close to them and can watch them from the yard. Well, they aren't as much fun when you're watching them and praying that they don't wake up your infant. You would have thought I was a crazy lady as I went running around the house closing all the windows at the first wound of the fireworks. Ava, taking after her father, slept right through them.

Sunday the weather was much nicer, but Ava was a bit cranky so we didn't get a chance to enjoy it. There were guys there working on the deck so Ava was not able to get her naps in like she should have. This made her quite cranky, which in turn made me a little cranky and exhausted. We were all exhausted on the way home and Nate and I talked about how I would just give Ava her bath this morning rather than deal with it last night. Well, that changed when we got home and Nate took her out of her carseat. I don't know if it's her way of telling us that she's tired of all these road trips or what, but she had another massive blow out. She went straight from the changing table to the bath tub while I cleaned her carseat and threw all the pads in the washing machine. She did a great job eating her cereal last night. I think she's starting to get the hang of it. Then she went to bed and slept great. I had to wake her this morning.

She's been taking about 4 little cat naps throughout the day. The times are pretty consistent, but I'm hoping that I can figure out a way to combine her naps into 2 longer naps so that she doesn't get so fussy. She just gets overtired, and when she's done she's done.

That's about all that's new with us. I'm working tonight and tomorrow so Grandma will be coming over in the afternoons until Daddy gets off work. He'll have to miss golf tonight, but I think he's over it. I hope that your week is off to a good start!

Ava loves her thumb when it's nappy time

Playing with Daddy & Uncle Wes on the floor

Getting ready to head off to the fireworks party

Where did it go?

I'm not sure where the past week went, or the week before that, or the week before that. I guess that's the way that summers always go. We've been busy spending weekends at the cabin or working. We're heading back up to the cabin this afternoon. Nate is taking a 1/2 of vacation so that we can leave early and beat some of the traffic. It wasn't such a big deal when it was just the two of us, but now everything revolves around Ava and her eating. We're hoping for no blow-outs this time, and hopefully a nice peaceful quick trip up there. The weather is supposed to be nice for the most part so hopefully we'll get a chance to be out on the water.

Ava has been out and about this week. On Monday we went to the U of M for a research study. When Ava was born they sent out postcards asking if we would volunteer to be in different research studies about children. We of course replied yes, and she had her first one on Monday. It was quick and painless and she did very well! I worked Tuesday evening so Grandma came and watched Ava for a few hours. Wednesday I FINALLY got to go and get my hair done. You don't think that getting your hair done is such a big deal until you have an infant and realize that you can't just go any time. We had our first non-family member/adult babysitter. I was gone for only a few hours. He (our babysitter was a 12 yr old boy, the son of a co-worker) said that she was a little fussy before her nap and she finally fell asleep in his arms. This makes me think that she was probably pretty crabby and he was just being nice. I'm hoping that she wasn't too naughty since it was his first time babysitting a non-family member. I wanted him to have a good experience. Ava was taking a nap when I got home, and he said it was "fun". We'll see if he come back if we call again! :) Wednesday evening we went over to Mike, Kristi, & Cora's for a BBQ. Ava and I try to get together with Kristi and Cora every once in a while, but we haven't seen Mike for quite some time. It was so nice for all of us to get together and catch up. They are such a great couple, and it's so much fun that we have kids just two weeks apart. Yesterday morning we went to Cottage Grove to drop some stuff off for a garage sale that was being put on my our 4th floor nurses (my old floor). I picked up a few things for Ava that we can leave at the cabin so we don't have to haul stuff back and forth (since Nate still refuses to even talk about a minivan).

Well Ava is stirring and it's almost lunch time. Have a wonderful weekend!!!


Nate, Ava, Cora, & Kristi at the BBQ (poor Mike was outside making us dinner on the grill while it was 100 degrees outside. Thanks again Mike!) Ava with the bow in her hair that Daddy hates

More Firsts

The past couple of days have been very exciting for Ava. Saturday Grandma came over to watch her since Daddy and I both had to work. Daddy and Ava hung out together that afternoon since I worked my 12 hr day shifts. Sunday I headed back to work and Ava & Daddy went to church and then over to Grandma and Grandpa's before heading to Uncle Wes's house for a BBQ that afternoon. Well I guess that Ava was taking a nap while Daddy and Grandpa were outside, and Grandma stepped into the other room for a minute. When she came back a minute later Ava had woke up and rolled from her back to her belly!!! That little turkey rolled over from back to belly while nobody was watching. I guess she performed her new trick many times throughout the rest of the day. She even saved one for me when I got home Sunday night. She has been rolling over all day. I guess she has it mastered. She even showed Cousin Reece on Skype. Now she just has to master rolling from tummy to back since she gets a bit annoyed after spending too much time on her tummy.

Daddy & Ava picked up Ava's new high chair yesterday as well. I started putting it together today and then realized that we were missing the pins that hold the seat part together. Graco will be sending them to us in 7-10 days. Well tonight we wanted Ava to start cereal at bedtime. So, Ava did not get to use her highchair for her first feeding (instead it's sitting in the corner in pieces). We fed her a bit late since Nate had golf tonight. She wasn't overly impressed with it, as she was very tired. At once point I went to give her a spoonful and she put her thumb in her mouth and her eyes got very heavy. I think that was a good indication that it was bedtime. Nate will try again tomorrow. He'll be on his own since I'm working evenings.

Ava trying cereal for the first time

Ava has really gotten the hang of her "entertainment center"

New Trick

Ava's new trick... she now spends her time sucking on her toes. You would think that we starve the poor child, as everything goes in her mouth. She laid on her changing table last night and was just amazed with those little toes and the fact that she could get them in her mouth. She is just so funny and cute.

We've been busy this week. Grandma came over to watch Ava on Tuesday and Wednesday while I went to work. Ava was a little fussy and off her schedule, especially on Tuesday. I think that she's just been over tired. Wednesday evening we went to a BBQ with some new friends who have two little girls. Nate had been over there before, but it was my first time meeting them. We had a good time and Ava was perfect! Yesterday Ava had a PT appointment. We did a little shopping before her appointment, and went looking for a high chair. She's getting to the age where we'll start cereal soon so she should probably have something to sit in while she eats. It's just that I feel like our house has been overtaken by baby gear. Anyway, Ava's PT appointment went well and she won't be going back for another month. They want to see her until she starts to sit just to make sure that she doesn't start to lean to one side with her head. I think she'll be fine, but I went along with it.

Daddy is taking a half day of work today so that he can go to Albert Lea with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Wes. There is some football banquet that Grandpa's high school team is being honored at. They should have a good time. Ava and I will be staying home since it will be a late night for them. I have to work this weekend, 12 hour shifts, so I need to be in bed at a descent time. There's not much on the agenda for today except for a walk and bath time. Daddy is meeting us at 1:00 to pick up Ava so that mommy can get her oil changed and Ava doesn't have to sit in that stinky waiting room.

That's all we've got for now. We hope that you had a good week and hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

She appears quite pleased with her flexibility.

One or two toes is not enough, she's going for the whole foot in the mouth

4th of July

We hope that you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. We made our way up north on Friday for a fabulous weekend of friends, family, food, and nice weather. Nate was able to get off work a little early on Friday so we were able to beat a little of the traffic. We made it just in time to meet Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Wes, and Sarah for dinner. Unfortunately, Ava had a massive blow-out on the way up there. We ate at a place in the middle of no where, where they don't have changing stations in the bathrooms. We ended up going out and changing Ava's diaper and entire wardrobe in the back of Grandma's Tahoe. Oh the joys of parenthood!

Saturday we went out for a long boat ride which Ava slept through. Aunt Lisa gave us this great little contraption that Ava hung out in the entire time we were on the pontoon. It was great because it blocked the wind, kept her in the shade, and allowed her to sleep without being held (which would have made both of us even hotter). Ava had a weekend of firsts, and she took her first dip in the lake on Sat. Daddy took her in. I think the water was still a bit chilly for her, but she was a trooper. She got her legs and bottom wet and then she was done. We'll try again next time we're up if the weather is nice enough. Saturday night we had Ed & Toby over for dinner. Daddy smoked ribs for dinner and they were Delicious!!! We'll be looking forward to those again!

Sunday morning we just hung out. We then went to Ava's first parade which was in Pequot Lakes. It was nice to get out and do something different. She wasn't really in to picking up the candy, but give her a couple of years. She mainly just hung out and looked cute. Grandma & Grandpa were nice enough to watch Ava while Uncle Wes, Sarah, Daddy, and I went mini golfing. It was nice to get away for a little while and be Steph & Nate rather than Mommy & Daddy. So thank you Grandma & Grandpa for the little break! That evening we went over to Dick & Renee's for a BBQ. It was great to see everybody. Ava was once again the star of the show...she loves all the attention that she gets!

We headed home a little after noon today. The traffic was slow, but that was to be expected. Ava was great the whole time, except for when she got hungry about 20 miles from home. She sucked on my finger for awhile and was back to sleep in no time. She's now fast asleep in her crib, and I'm heading to bed here shortly. I'm exhausted!!!

Oh, one more thing...I'm back to work tomorrow. This is very exciting news since we were scheduled to start our strike tomorrow. We vote to ratify a new contract tomorrow. I'm assuming that it will pass which is a relief. We didn't get the main thing that we were fighting for, which is a huge disappointment. On the other hand, we raised public awareness and will hopefully get something passed with the legislature. We will also have new committees looking at our staffing. I'm hoping that this will bring about some change and better patient care! Alright, I've got to get to sleep so I can get up early and go to work!

Mommy took some pictures with some of Dick & Renee's many flowers

Ava & Mommy in their swimsuits and shades

The life jacket looks like a form of child abuse, but she doesn't seem to mind it too much.

Dipping those feet in the water for the first time

Getting used to the chilly water (not too sure about it)

Ava's first parade

A family picture at the parade

Our neighbors at the cabin; Toby, Ed, & Ava

The mystery onesie

Above you will see Ava modeling the mystery onesie. It is called the mystery onesie because it is a mystery as to who gave it to us. This Iowa Hawkeye onesie arrived at our home prior to Ava being born. There was no return address label on it, and the postmark was so faint that we could not read the zip code from which the package was mailed. Our first thought was that it either came from Great Grandma Schutterle, or Aunt Lisa & Uncle Brent. Both have denied sending it from day one. Nobody will fess up to sending it. It's been hanging in the closet for months now (taunting Nate). So, Nate left for work I decided that she should wear it at least once. Much to Nate's dismay, she has not yet had a blowout today and she is still wearing it. She seems content in it. However, I'm not sure that she knows what it says...her three chins get in the way when she looks down to try to read it.

We were informed of wonderful news today...the union and the hospital has settled on a contract. This means no strike next Tuesday!!! I have been worried sick about this and finally this morning accepted that it was out of my hands and that in time it would pass. I was 90% sure that we would be taking part in an open ended strike, and had signed up for my picketing times last night. Then this afternoon I got the news. We will be voting on the contract to ratify it next Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm assuming that it will pass. This is such a weight lifted off of Nate and my shoulders, and just in time for the holiday weekend.

Tomorrow afternoon we'll be heading up to the cabin. I am not looking forward to the drive up there since I'm assuming that 95% of the twin cities will be heading in the same direction that we are. I'm hoping that Sophie the giraffe will entertain Ava for awhile and then she'll take a nice long nap. We'll be staying up there until Monday.

I wish you all a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend!

Ava trying out her new toy for the first time (new to her thanks to Aunt Lisa & Uncle Brent, we love hand me downs). She's still not 100% sure about it.One more picture of Ava in the good ol' black and gold (it may be the first and last time if Daddy and Grandpa V have anything to say about it)