Hospital Visit

Most of you at this point know that Avila is in the hospital being treated for a bladder/kidney infection. We are half way through our 10 day required hospital visit waiting for Avila to finish her new round of IV antibiotics. In just the few short weeks since this little girl was been born I have fallen in love with spending time each day with her, smiling at each other "talking" about our day. Not having those moments those first days in the hospital were extrememly hard for me. I am thankful to say that her and I are back to our old ways, chatting is up with each other every waking moment (her waking moments that is!)

Our first night in the hospital. She was hooked up to a heart monitor, oxygen monitor, respiratory rate monitor and an IV for fluids and medicine. I was heart breaking to see her with tubes and wires coming off of her. (Thursday - 2nd day in hospital)

Friday her color was getting better, but she still wasn't herself. She was still sleeping most of the day and night. not her typical day since she loves her awake time.

Friday night Grandma Nancy sent me a little bear in a bunny outfit. It really cheered her up - this was the biggest smile she could come up with. She's started waking up for little segments by Friday night. Just enough time to hug and bear and go back to bed.

Saturday was the day I noticed a turn in behavior for her. She was almost her normal self. She was awake much more. This was the first day since being in the hospital that she smiled. Her smile gave me such joy and gave me confidence that she was going to be just fine.

Watching her turn blue, having an ambulance come to the house and seeing her being poked and prodded not know what was wrong with her has caused me to trust the Lord in a way I have never experienced.

Thank you for all your prayers. She is feeling much better every day. She actually laughed for the first time today (Sunday). How funny, right......sick in the hospital and this is where the Lord planned for her to laugh for the first time in her life. Praise the Lord for His many reminders that HE is the One in control of this trial. And HE is the one that gives Joy in the midst of hard times.

Thank you again for all the love and prayers

Movie Time!!!

Here are a few movies of little Avila the only a mother and a few grandma's could love. WARNING: they may be a little boring to some. Not much but a moving blog and my voice in the back ground narrating.

Enjoy.

This first video is Avila and Maverick meeting for the first time. Maverick still isn't all that interested in her. The only time he takes notice of her is when she is crying. This is when his papa Maverick instincts take over. No matter where I am, when she start crying he will run to me and back to the baby until I pick her up. It's so cute. She's his new puppy.



This is one of my favorite videos because I think she is SO cute when she is just waking up. She makes the most precious little noises and faces.


More videos to come.

That's all for now.

Mommyhood

So I have to admit one of my biggest fears of becoming a mom was not the labor and delivery, it was what to do with a newborn when we got home. I honestly thought I would be bored out of my mind. And although there are MANY slow points to my day; nothing like life in an autism classroom, I find so much joy in just talking to little Avila. Learning all her little facial expressions and finding amazement in the way she has grown in just one week. I am loving being a mom.

Here are some photos for everyone to enjoy. Nothing too exciting. Let's all remember she if only a week and a half old, so she is still a blob in cute clothes.

Here she is at one day old. Actually to be honest I think she is only a few hours old in this picture.

This is her in her going home outfit. I was tired of being in the hospital so we left a day early. I think all of us were ready to be home and sleep in our own bed!

Even the baby was ready for her own bed too. This was right after we got home. She didn't stay in the bed too long. She was too cute to leave just laying there.

The happy family a couple days after being home. This picture was before Avila learned it was a good thing to sleep during the night. We were a little tired at this point. But we are happy...overjoyed even, to tell everyone that we are going on 6 nights in a row that she has only woken up one time to eat. This is a reason to give thanks! Sleep!

Bath time is not one of her favorite activities. She sure smells good after!

"I'm ready for my close up"
Already trying to be a baby Gap model thanks to the many adorable outfits everyone bought.

She loves her time with daddy! Blair is already teaching her to stand. She'll be playing soccer in no time! No rush, Blair just wants her to be ready.

A little rest after a hard workout with daddy.

A much needed date, just the 3 of us watching the sunset. Who would have thought we would have summer in January! It was a gorgeous day!

Mommy's little beach bum. I just love her!

Another favorite photo

I just love it when she's awake and alert like this. You can't tell, but her shirt says I love daddy and she does. Her favorite is when he sings to her. It puts her to sleep at night; mommy too!

I just love her cute little face

SHE'S HERE... meet Avila Joy Edwards

Delivery Play -by- play:

2:00 pm - went to the hospital

2:53 am - delivered little (8.4 lbs - 21.5 inches) Avila Joy

3:00 am - Avila visited the NICU for breathing complications

5:30 am - Avila was delivered to her mommy (finally!!!)

6:30 am - Mommy and Daddy tried to get some sleep

7:00 am - Nurses needed to check mommy and baby's vitals

8:00 am - Everybody and their mother started showing up to visit.  

This explains the glassed over look in my eyes.  I don't do so well on 30 minutes of sleep, not to mention a day/night of giving birth.

More pictures to come.  Blair and I are so thankful for all the calls and visits we have had.  we are at home and doing very well.  We still can't believe she is ours and how in less than a week she has completely stolen our hearts.  She is amazing and perfect.  Never have the words in Psalm 119 meant so much to me - she was fearfully and wonderfully made.  We praise the Lord for this new little JOY in our life.

Advice

Since being pregnant I have received advice from all kinds of people. Advice from people you would expect; like family and close friends and advice from random strangers. I'm still caught off guard when the lady at the grocery store wants to "prep" me on things to expect or the woman walking her dog who wants to "enlighten me" with parenting tips. It's like people look at me and think, oh this poor girl she has no idea what she's doing, i must rescue her! Please don't get me wrong, all the advice has either been good or good for a laugh. Here is today's advice from a lady at the mall. I think it wins the most absurd advice award. I definitely goes in the good for a laugh category. I loved it! Enjoy........

As I'm at the mall the lady behind the counter asked if anyone had given me post-pardom advice. And I honestly (first mistake) replied, "ummm, not really." I'm thinking she going to tell me about Lanolin or something like that. No....better. She told me that I need to make sure to stay off my feet for 4-5 days after I deliver the baby. She said the more I walk around the more air bubbles get inside me making look fat. She said that is why after you have the baby the nurses push on your stomach, they are trying to get all the extra air out. She also recommended wearing a girdle to compress the belly and keep air out as well. She also said the girdle would help get all the organs back into place as an added bennefit. She very honestly told me how much she regretted not following this advice after her mother told her becuase now she can't get rid of all the extra "baby weight". She said is was due to air bubbles and misplaced organs.

Welcome to my world. The world of crazy advice.