Smith Angels - AVA

Today was my first day in church! I got such a warm and enthusiastic welcome! Mama and daddy did not see me much until I got a little fussy about 1/2 way through the service, but I really wasn't even fussy - I was just preemie "grunting"! My parents have to laugh - although they sat at the back of the church, my grunting makes so much (cute) noise it reverberates through the whole church, ha ha :) You should have seen my mama when I came forward with mommy and daddy for communion (I get a special "kids" blessing), she just could not wipe the smile off her face. It was so special for them to be in church with me!

I think I weigh around 7 1/2 pounds now, my mommy's arms start to get tired when holding me now. I still eat around 2 oz. at a time, every 2-3 hours during the day, and like clockwork I wake mommy up at night every 2.5 - 3 hours to eat. I had two "less good" nights when I tortured mommy a little more than that, but otherwise my sleeping pattern has been great. Thanks to an abundant supply of breast milk (about 1/3 - 1/2 of my total input now) I am no longer badly constipated, although of course I still grunt and groan all the time like I am :)

My mommy and daddy love me more every day... when they think they already love me as much as they possibly can, well the next day they love me even more. I can look into their faces directly for a few seconds at a time now (my focus is better) and I definitely respond to their voices and smells. I still nap a lot with mommy and with daddy too. The two kitties are bored by me (good thing!) and Jessie is very motherly toward me, she becomes concerned when I cry and always lays near me when she can. I only like one of my swings and I do not like my bouncy seat. I want to be in my parents' arms all the time, or in mommy's pouch, or in someone else's arms, and *sometimes* I'm okay in my big swing, but I don't like any of the other gear that mommy bought for me... I'm a "people" person, she says :)

My mommy and daddy feel very blessed to have me! They are so thankful for Jenelle and birth family for giving me to them :)

love, Ava

posted by Barbie (& Tad) @ 5:27 PM