Ava's newborn pictures

If anyone gets a chance here is the link to see Ava's newborn pictures I had a friend of mine take, Johanna Mount Cosby. She just did a fabulous job and I can not wait to have some framed for our house. The website is www.johannacosbyphotography.com. I would highly recommend using her if anyone needs any family pictures taken. Once you are there click on clientproofing/ordering and then type in the password Ava to see her pictures. Here's a sneak peak...Oh and by the way..Ava is a month old as of yesterday!!! Can you believe it??? Time has flown by!

Welcome World....Miss Ava Elaine Oakes!

Ava Elaine Oakes arrived on Monday, December 21, 2009 just in time for Christmas! We arrived at the hospital at 6:30am to get ready for my induction. Once checking in and getting settled into my labor and delivery room the induction began around 8:00am. After getting my epidural around 9:30 I progressed very quickly to 10 centimeters at 11:30. Started pushing and did not stop for THREE HOURS! Those were the most exhausting three hours of my life! The definitely do not call it labor for nothing! Dr. Tammuci came in and checked on me around 2:00pm and decided it was time to have Miss Ava with the help of forceps. She had not progressed far enougg and just did not want to pass under my pelvic bone. At 2:15pm I had the most precious angel wrapped in my arms. She weighed 6lbs 1oz and was 19 inches long. She is just perfect!!!

I hope most of you got the slide show I sent out to all my friends that I have email addresses. If I didn't send it to you and you would like to see it, send me your address and I'll forward it to you. Just in case here are some of the pictures from one of the most spectacular days of our lives! I've also attached a picture of Olivia when she was born so you can see how crazy Ava and Olivia resemble each other when they were both born. The very last picture is a picture of Olivia when she was only a couple days old....RIDIC how much they look alike!!! Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Finished Nursery Pictures

Oh and in the craziness of this past week we were able to finish her nursery. I love it!!!! Here are two pictures.

She's Coming!!!!

As most of my friends know, I was put in the hospital last Monday for high blood pressure and protein in my urine. After 24 hour urine collection and blood pressure watch, Dr. Tammuci let me go home on STRICT bed rest until I at least got to 36 or 37 weeks. When I went back to the doctor last Friday, my blood pressure was way down and the protein in my urine had not increased. But I had dilated another centimeter to 3 centimeters. She told me to go home and rest and come back today for another check up. Well, today I get my blood pressure checked, 118/80, no protein in my urine and I had dilated ANOTHER centimeter to 4!!! I told the doctor I would DIE if I progressed so fast that I wouldn't have a chance to have my epidural when the time came. So she told me to get an ultrasound and we'll go from there. Ava looked good. She had gained a few ounces to 5lbs and 6 ounces and my fluids were on the border line of being okay. Allen and I were kind of bummed because we really wanted Ava to get her soon being that we have been planning for her to come before Christmas because that's what Dr. Tammuci told us in the hospital. Well, we got our wish! Dr. Tammuci wants to go ahead and induce me on Monday, December 21!!!! We are so excited that we will actually have little Ava in our arms sitting around the Christmas tree on Christmas morning this year! A true BLESSING and Christmas MIRACLE!!!!

The latest and greatest news from the Oakes

Well.....other than the fact that I think I am about to pop and have started having Braxton Hicks contractions we are doing great! Over the Thanksgiving holidays Lindsey painted the most beautiful painting for Ava's nursery. Here it is..Allen hung it up the other day and it looks awesome. Lindsey has such a talent!

I will have to say that I am so excited that the crib bedding is here and is so pretty. I feel like Miss Ava wants to be in her crib here sooner than later. Good thing its ready and waiting for her.

But I have yet to organize her bedroom...so many things to do so little time. PLUS...a BIG PLUS is my Selma baby shower is on December 13th that my wonderful friends are throwing for me. Ava can't come early!!!! I go to the doctor this coming Monday so hopefully she will tell me to everything is okay and I'll have Ava in January as planned. I'll keep all of you updated!

Update on Ava's Nursery

Last week the bed skirt for the baby bed and the chair for her nursery came in on the exact same day...just let me tell you how excited I was! The things I get excited over these days are so crazy! We are still waiting on the bumper pad for the bed but I couldn't help myself to go ahead and set the bed up and her nursery. This past weekend mom and I also "made" the curtains for the nursery. When I say "made" I mean we went to Pottery Barn bought the curtain panels and then went to M's and bought the tassel fringe to hot glue down the sides of the panels. We are hot gluing pro's!!!! The curtain rods mom got at M's are absolutely beautiful too! They match the crystal drawer pulls on the hosier cabinet we had refinished. Its just all coming together and I could not be happier! The finishing touch will be the artwork Lindsey is going to paint that will go over her bed. We hope to have that finished over the Thanksgiving holidays. In the meantime, here are some pictures of how the nursery looks now.

Babies R Us weekend marathon

This past Saturday and Sunday I went Babies R Us crazy! Up until then I felt like I wasn't prepared at all if Ava arrived early but now I feel 100% better. A few favorite purchases on my shopping trip were:

Thanks everyone for hosting such a wonderful, fun filled shower! Allen, Ava and I sincerely appreciate all the effort that was put into it. We are so thankful for such awesome friends and family! Oh.....and the cherry on the top...MY BABY BED SKIRT IS IN AND MY CHAIR IS FINALLY HERE!!!! Once mom irons the skirt and I put it on the bed I'll post pictures. I am out of control excited how the nursery is turning out!