AR = 1 YEAR!!

When I found out the due date for AR, my only wish was that she not be born on my birthday. Her due date was October 5th and I didn't care what day she came, as long as it was not October 1st. I wanted her to have her own birthday. I didn't want it to be Ashley and Ava Reese's birthday. I wanted it to be Ava Reese's birthday.. Silly, I know, but that was my thinking when I was pregnant. Sure enough, I started having contractions the night before my birthday and our precious gift from God was given to me on my birthday.

It was by far the most emotional yet amazing day of my life.

Now I look at today as a day no one can take away from us. It's a day that we will share forever. It's a day that will be equally special to both of us. So today, AR and I are celebrating our birthday, together! I decided to make it a tradition that AR and I would spend the whole day together on our birthday every year. So today, I took off work. AR and I are going to go visit a few friends/family, have our birthday pictures taken, eat lunch together, go to the doctor for our one year check up, and then we are spending the evening with Daddy. Today is OUR birthday!

Happy Birthday Ava Reese!!

As I am writing this I have began to get so emotional. I'm just amazed by how fast time has flown. The best advice I was given when I was pregnant was "cherish every moment because they grow up fast." Looking back, I don't feel like I have cherished every moment. Heath and I were talking lastnnight and something hit us both. AR's a big girl. She's a toddler. When did this happen? Our life has flown by this past year and I don't feel like we have cherished the most important things. In fact, I feel like we rushed AR to grow up. I was so anxious for her to turn over, to crawl, to sit up, to hold her bottle, and now to walk. What I should have been doing is cherishing the time I had with her when she needed me to help her do all of those things. My advice to any new mom {ALLISON} is to cherish every moment. Don't rush things because you don't get those moments back. Before you know it, you will be lighting their first birthday candle like I will be doing tonight!

So as I'm drying my tears, let me update you on what AR is doing these days....

AR...

• is still getting around on all fours. We haven't figured out the walking thing nor do we care to. She is not interested at this point in her life ;)
• loves books. She and her daddy read books every night. She's actually quit smart. Heath will say "Go get us a book" and she will crawl down out of his lap and go find them a book.
• has cut all of her two year old molars and is in the process of cutting all of her eye teeth. 8 teeth at one time is no fun at all. We've been miserable.
• has figured out how to crawl off and on the couch without help. She actually gets mad at you if you help her.
• is wearing 12 month clothes and size 4 shoe. We go to the doctor today to get our height and weight. I am very curious to see how much she has grown in 3 months.
• finally loves food. She eats mostly what we eat. She's not very picky.
• loves drinking out of juice boxes and she does it well.
• loves to play patty cake. She will clap her hands when you sing it but she would rather hold your hands and clap your hands to the song. She tends to be somewhat controlling ;)
• hates wearing bows. She has had a bow in her hair every day of her life since she was 4 months old and now she refuses to wear them. I have to put it in her hair and then quickly distract her with something so she forgets its in there.
• is finally sleeping through the night. She goes to bed at 9:30 {in her own bed} and gets up at 7:30!!!
• loves cartoons. It might be an issue that we need to take control of soon because she already tune us out.
• is jealous, loving, playful, and absolutely adorable!

Ava Reese is 1 year old!

**Come back for exciting birthday updates**