Ava Turns One (plus approximately updates on the house)!

Hey y'all! So, lastly calendar week nosotros celebrated Ava's birthday.


I tin transportation away barely believe it's been a yr since this precious niggling human was born. I facial expression at that film to the left together with my pump melts. I forgot she was ever that tiny.

From the minute she was born, Jesse together with I were pretty much smitten.
The experience was thence much to a greater extent than powerful than either 1 of us had ever imagined it would be.

It had been such a hard pregnancy followed past times a really peaceful birth. I'm thankful for that, as I know it doesn't ever come about that way. I think my H2O broke to a greater extent than or less 4:30 am together with she was born past times 7:30 am. I know a lot of bloggers become into swell particular amongst a nascence even out (and I loooove reading them), but I only experience similar I desire to drib dead on it as my ain individual moment. 

Plus, I think sometimes you larn only plenty from a film to understand. 

There has been no greater joy than watching Ava grow together with educate her ain niggling personality over the past times year. I've specially enjoyed the past times 2 months. She's only thence much fun (and let's live honest, thence much work) together with at that topographic point are times when I genuinely experience similar nosotros percentage a sense of humor. 

I mean, what is that?! Like when they facial expression at you together with express mirth together with you think it's funny, too. And you're only both laughing. Or when I run into her thence determined to figure something out (like walking) together with she tries over together with over together with over again. And together with then she finally gets it together with walks from couch to couch, together with and then I scream amongst joy, together with she is almost overjoyed past times my joy over her accomplishment. 

These are the niggling moments I am only loving correct now.

Very thankful. Very happy. Feeling adept virtually life.

And things are thence much easier now. I've decided that maybe I'm non cutting out to savor the early component of the commencement year. It was hard on me. Really hard. And that's only the truth. Granted, I struggled amongst postpartum depression for virtually vii months, together with Ava had colic for half dozen months, but fifty-fifty amongst those hurdles, I only savor this component thence much more. So many people told me it would larn ameliorate (and they were right), but for me, having a babe was such an abstract thing because I had never done it before. I experience similar if I ever practise it over again (which I don't know yet...there's a lot to think virtually when you know you'll live a high opportunity pregnancy), I assume that it would live dissimilar inwards a lot of ways, because you would know what to expect, or at to the lowest degree you would know to a greater extent than than your commencement go-round.

I'm rambling. These are only things that I frequently think virtually together with wonder if other women conduct maintain had experiences similar to mine.

I holler back the commencement few weeks ameliorate than almost anytime of my life. Because it was thence surreal, almost euphoric. I was thence excited, kinda terrified, nada made sense, together with my torso wound similar hell. And I was pretty certain nada could ever embarrass me again. I felt liberated. And Jesse had witnessed the whole ordeal together with felt pretty liberated, too. It was hilarious. He loved to utter virtually the nascence he had only witnessed amongst people who were coming to run into the baby, together with I had to live like, okay, no 1 wants to hear virtually the details of this situation, SHUT information technology DOWN.

Another retentivity that comes to hear is virtually babe clothes. I know thence many novel moms conduct maintain experienced this...surely I can't live the solely one. I had been lovingly collecting tiny newborn clothes for over a calendar month when I was pregnant, folding them, together with them putting them inwards her dresser. I fifty-fifty bought babe hangers at 1 indicate (stop it). I had all these frilly, multiple slice outfits together with I was thence excited to clothes the baby. And pose her inwards shoes. Freakin' shoes.

And together with then I brought this tiny niggling human home, weighing inwards at virtually half dozen pounds, together with I was literally afraid to concord her at first, much less cram her into a iii slice pants suit. I figured it out pretty quickly, but those commencement few weeks were only a parade of mustard diapers, manus washing the 45 pieces of my Medela, together with swapping 2 hr shifts amongst Jesse because each of us were afraid to slumber together with someone needed to scout her breathe at all times. 

I also holler back trying to bathe Ava for the commencement time. I had bought this cute niggling sunflower sponge when I was pregnant. After the commencement fourth dimension nosotros used it, I was dorsum on Amazon inwards a thing of minutes ordering 1 of those really ugly hot pinkish infant tubs amongst a sling. The sling tub was hideous together with worked perfectly together with I mourned it when nosotros outgrew it. That was a large lesson for me, too, that for likely the commencement fourth dimension ever I totally valued component over form, together with I really fifty-fifty kinda enjoyed filling our delineate of piece of job solid amongst babe crap. And together with then Ava outgrew it together with I was hawt to larn rid of it..... texting my friends similar WHO NEEDS Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ROCK northward PLAY??!?

One of my biggest takeaways from the experience of beingness a commencement fourth dimension mom over the past times yr is that I'm thence thankful for Jesse. He's ever been a really swell partner, but I genuinely brutal inwards dearest amongst him all over over again watching him live a father.

From twenty-four hr menses one, he's woken upward early amongst Ava, changed her diapers, together with only been acquaint for her. He's been past times my side to encourage me together with back upward me together with alternative me upward when I felt overwhelmed. He's shared as the hard times together with the adept times, together with he's shown us both unconditional dearest inwards ways I can't fifty-fifty limited inwards words. He feels similar Ava is his responsibleness as much as she is mine, together with that has genuinely been life changing for me. I dearest him madly.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few of my favorite pics of Jesse together with Ava early on...

 Ava's niggling human face upward (below)...can't handgrip it.

I think she was 3 months there. 

Loves him.

And this one. Obviously.

Some of my other favorite pics from Ava's commencement year.

Her commencement game twenty-four hr menses to a greater extent than or less 3 months. I'm non a large football game person, but Jesse is, together with hey, I dearest to socialize, thence let's go. Her dad ran out together with bought her an orangish onesie from Walgreens. She was acre loving it. I was thence happy to live going out amongst friends together with to non live pregnant. I had morning time sickness almost throughout my entire pregnancy (oh the joy), thence I genuinely felt similar celebrating the commencement few months next Ava's nascence when I no longer felt nauseous. 

I dearest how bald she is there. Did anyone else's babe become bald to a greater extent than or less 2-3 months? It's thence fun to holler back all the weird things that come about along the way. I holler back feeling like, but does Walgreens conduct maintain a headband?!

First see to mall Santa. And a facial expression of pure disgust. This pic volition alive on my refrigerator for all of eternity.

The best component is that nosotros did non innovation that at all. We only randomly took Ava to the mall to a greater extent than or less thanksgiving, dressed similar that, together with saw Santa, together with looked at each other like, 'Well, obviously, nosotros conduct maintain to.'. 

First snow. I think she's virtually half dozen months here. 

First swim. Also at half dozen months. We went to see Jesse's parents inwards Michigan later on Christmas together with got to savor snowfall together with a swim. It was my commencement hint that she was going to live obsessed amongst beingness inwards the water.

Around 8 months. Finally a large daughter who tin transportation away sit down inwards the shopping cart together with 'help'. This was also the fourth dimension menses when nosotros were really into headbands. It lasted virtually a calendar month earlier she started ripping them off. It was fun patch it lasted.

10 months. Finally getting some teeth (She has half dozen now!). Loves going out to eat, which is such a squeamish modify of footstep together with makes me thence happy.

 Loves nada to a greater extent than than people flirting amongst her, the air current through her hairs, a sippy cup, together with a pile of cheerios. 

 12 months...sporting a tutu I've been saving for a special tutu occasion, but Jesse told me everyday is a tutu occasion, thence nosotros wore it to brunch.

And on her birthday lastly week. 

We went swimming together with I took these awkward pictures. But, nosotros had the best time, together with Ava was inwards pure sky splashing to a greater extent than or less amongst other toddlers. She makes friends wherever she goes....if you're nether 5, she really wants to know what you're upward to, together with wants to percentage your toys. If you're lucky, she mightiness accept off her lid together with give it to you. She'll definitely desire it dorsum though, thanks.

And together with then nosotros went to dinner amongst ChiChi (my mom) together with allow Ava hit her manus to a greater extent than or less inwards a niggling cake. She's never had cake before. She at in 1 lawsuit realized later on that commencement gustation that she wanted ALL the cake, together with these pictures explicate the sequence of events pretty accurately.

She loved the cake together with didn't appreciate me taking it from her. At all.

Then, her ChiChi gave her a tiny bus, together with she spent hours riding it to a greater extent than or less the basement.

I experience similar that's a pretty decent birthday when you're one.

And I also experience similar you guys are really special people to read a weblog post virtually my baby. :)

In delineate of piece of job solid related news, nosotros unopen on our delineate of piece of job solid this week!!!! We'll live walking through amongst a contractor side past times side calendar week together with getting a ameliorate sentiment of what's what. I'll live getting some ugly earlier pics for you, too. We won't live moving into the delineate of piece of job solid for a few to a greater extent than weeks, but I've been spending all my complimentary fourth dimension brainstorming together with hatching my innovation for the novel house. I can't hold off to percentage more. And I eventually will, I promise.

Thanks for beingness here, y'all. 

Until side past times side time.

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New House Tour!!!!

Hey y'all. It's finally novel solid tour time!

Thank you for existence thence patient amongst me. I've wanted to portion these pics amongst you for nearly a calendar month now. But, I've been busy...and also busy...and also scared.

I'm used to sharing ugly earlier pics followed yesteryear a dainty after picture, together with it's really difficult for me to live vulnerable together with only live like, 'Hey hold off at my house! It's yet ugly, y'all!'.


But, I've been thinking a lot nigh it, together with I realize that I missy out on thence much when I don't portion the entire journeying amongst you guys, thence let's only produce it. I'll live uncomfortable. I tin produce it. There are worse things.

So, we've been living inward our solid for only over v days now. I've already met amongst iii contractors, a kitchen designer, together with I've painted the dining room. I am pretty much foaming at the mouth.

Just to give you an thought of how crazy things are roughly here, hither is what the lastly calendar week has been like.

We moved all of our materials out of the erstwhile house. And thence I had a mild meltdown for nigh 24 hours where I questioned all my decisions together with decided I was an awful idiot together with cried myself to sleep. It's difficult to explain, but I spent vi years inward that house, painstakingly remodeling it, together with fifty-fifty though it was fourth dimension to motility on, together with fifty-fifty though nosotros were moving to our dream portion of town together with to a v acre wooded property, I was also moving into a solid that needed everything redone, together with the feelings were overwhelming. Mostly because I take keep a i twelvemonth erstwhile babe who needs my constant attending together with I renovated this kickoff solid when I had 24 hours a twenty-four hours to dedicate to myself, basically.

I mean, I take keep perspective. These are non fifty-fifty problems. At all, which is why I was dorsum to normal after that kickoff day. But, I am a human, together with moving is hard, together with I'm only existence honest...I had a difficult fourth dimension amongst it. Also, allow it live known, moving amongst a babe is only impossible. I mean, I did it. But, I remember I must take keep blacked out because I can't fifty-fifty tell you how nosotros pulled it off.

So, anyway, that twenty-four hours the movers hauled all of our materials to the novel solid together with nosotros pose it all inward the garage. Because nosotros are going to live doing the flooring throughout the entire solid inward less than a calendar month together with at that topographic point is no argue to motility all of that inward only to motility it dorsum out. So, nosotros moved inward a twosome couches, Ava's crib, together with our bed, together with the balance is inward here.

It's a weird feeling because I've lived without all of this materials for a calendar week together with I don't fifty-fifty missy most of it. But, also at that topographic point are a few things I am living without that are driving me crazy. Like chairs, a refrigerator, together with also living out of my suitcase, clothes-wise, is kinda a pain. It's similar a really weird opor-garai inward someone else's house. In fact, that's just what it feels like.

So, we've basically only been hanging out inward our novel 1970's fixer upper, enjoying the finer things inward life. The sellers took the fridge (surprise!), but nosotros had planned to supersede it anyway, together with since this kitchen is getting gutted together with replaced inward nigh a month, nosotros are roughing it amongst a mini fridge until then. Jesse somehow constitute the bass magnet, thence it feels similar home.
Kinda.

Other than that, nosotros take keep couches together with a television set setup inward the living room (temporarily) thence that nosotros tin at to the lowest degree relax until everything gets started. I wasn't certain if this solid would experience similar domicile or non yet (since it feels thence outdated), but it almost straightaway did.

I remember a large portion of it is view. The solid is nestled inward the woods on nigh v acres, together with our street dead ends at the lake. It's totally private, together with you can't fifty-fifty meet the solid from the road. Deer wander roughly our yard, together with it's only the craziest thing.

The solid is terribly outdated. It sat on the marketplace for 2-3 years earlier nosotros constitute it. But, the solid is inward i of the best parts of town, together with on a huge person property, together with nosotros know that nosotros tin brand this solid a beautiful identify for us to relish for years to come. And then, i day, if nosotros ever desire to produce it all over again, nosotros remember this solid has the potential to pay off only similar our lastly solid did. 

Just to exhibit you what really sold me on this house, despite the interior....this is what you meet when you are on the dorsum deck.  Our belongings employment goes nigh iii acres dorsum behind our fence, although it's unlikely nosotros volition ever produce anything amongst it. Our lastly solid was inward a really busy neighborhood, crammed inward amongst other houses, together with it speedily became my dream to honour somewhere Ava could run roughly i day.

This is the front end yard. That piffling wooden trail (that needs major repairs) leads upward to the front end door. I'm really looking forrard to landscaping all of this i day, similar ii years from now. :)

Standing on the top deck, only off the living room...

And thence our driveway. You can't fifty-fifty meet the solid from the road. It goes way dorsum there. It really feels similar heaven. Besides that fact that the solid smells similar someone else's dogs.

You win some, you lose some.

Here's a icon exhibit of Ava inward the driveway dorsum from when nosotros were getting the solid inspected, nigh a calendar month ago. She was acre really into it.

So, I've rambled long enough. Like I'm making my illustration or something. 

Let's take keep the solid tour. I'm only going to trust that you guys believe inward me together with are also the sort of ladies (and gents?) who tin hold off beyond what's there. 

So, let's start inward the kitchen. This was the pic inward the existent estate listing. It's non bad at all. It's only thence non me.

This is a pic from my camera, together with it's much to a greater extent than honest. This solid is a bounding main of orangish upon brownish upon tan. I am gutting the entire kitchen (selling it on Craigslist) together with starting over. Except for the appliances....those stay. Don't larn mad at me if you similar granite or those cabinets. I only take keep a totally different vision for this kitchen, together with it's a really modest space, together with I am determined to maximize my piffling kitchen situation.

Also, this volition live my kickoff total kitchen renovation, together with I couldn't live to a greater extent than excited. It should live underway inward nigh a calendar month i time the cabinetry is ready. And I hope to speak to a greater extent than nigh it soon.

Here's the sentiment of the kitchen from the contrary direction.

So, this is weird. Ava's room is really to the left of the kitchen. You larn upward a piffling laid of stairs together with she has her ain piffling massive bed together with bath upward there. There isn't a door to her room. It's a giant hurting together with kinda drives me crazy. One of the kickoff things nosotros are doing is having someone come upward frame inward together with construct a doorway. Because uh-uh.

This is her piffling bathroom. Full gut. Again, non bad at all, but I only take keep a vision for it.

It has some weird laminate tile. More beige.

This is her room. It looks similar it used to live ii rooms, but they left a giant partitioning inward the middle. We are removing the partitioning together with replacing it amongst a header since it's charge bearing.

The sentiment from the other side. That door to the correct is her bathroom.

One to a greater extent than view.

When you come upward out of Ava's room together with plough the corner, at that topographic point is some other laid of stairs that leads to a basement aeroplane bedroom. The icon exhibit below is of me standing inward the kitchen doorway. The stairs to the correct larn to Ava's room, the stairs to the left larn to the invitee bedchamber together with also out to the garage.

This is the invitee bedchamber that's downwards those stairs.

Opposite view. There's literally a piffling hole cutting inward the wall together with a tiny sliding door. There's cypher inward there. And I take keep no answers for you.

Oh, together with the popcorn ceilings produce delight. It's similar popcorn times 100. Luckily most of the ceilings inward the solid are already smooth. But at that topographic point are several areas that nosotros take keep to take keep someone come upward together with re-drywall. Because the texture is thence thick. But, hey, 10 points for making some piffling floral swirls. 

So, hither are the stairs when you come upward out of the invitee bedroom, leading you dorsum upward to the landing correct yesteryear the kitchen. This solid has such a funky layout, together with that's only the truth. But, again, peaceful the world situation, thence I'm rolling amongst it. 

So, if you walk roughly the kitchen peninsula, at that topographic point is some other piffling hallway. And at that topographic point you honour the stairway to the basement together with also some other total bath.

This bath volition live a total gut. The tub is inward really bad cast (although it looks okay inward the pic) together with the vanity looks to live from 1970 amongst 10 layers of pigment on it. That existence said, it has a dainty granite countertop, thence I'm passing it along to a friend who tin usage it.
All I really know thence far is that I'll live using this mirror inward here.

Here's the contrary view.

When you walk out of the hallway, you come inward the dining room. This principal expanse feels really spacious together with has nifty views of the outside. We'll live redoing the wainscotting together with replacing all the fixtures, icon together with redoing the flooring, etc. I haven't decided on my flooring computer program yet, together with it's basically been consuming me (thanks to this flooring debacle together with this flooring debacle), but whatever nosotros take volition larn through the entire principal aeroplane together with bedrooms, only similar inward the erstwhile house. I'll larn into to a greater extent than exceptional nigh all of that later.

Another sentiment of the dining room.

There's the entryway. As in...you opened the front end door, together with you take keep entered.

And here's the living room.

Another sentiment of the living room. Not a dead trunk inward there, only a pile of erstwhile curtains.

Also banker's complaint that sugariness Tuscan (?) inspired wall texture. 

I've been really enjoying sanding that off.

From the below pic, you tin meet how at that topographic point is a laid of stairs together with on the other side is the kitchen. 

All of the stairs inward this solid (all 4 sets...gonna live werkin on my fitness) volition live redone amongst hardwood. I'll live leaving the atomic let on 26 balusters alone, but icon the newel posts.

I've been icon a lot this calendar week already together with everytime I pigment over something that's orange, it's similar Mario running over a mushroom.

So, this laid of stairs leads straight upstairs to the master copy bedroom.

And you literally walk upward to our room. Again, at that topographic point is no door. It's really no mystery why this solid sat on the marketplace for years. There are nigh a i K k reasons, but the no door thing seems pretty high upward there.

We'll live fixing that asap.

Here is the master copy bedroom. It has its ain piffling balcony together with it's a pretty decent size. And for some reason, I've slept thence proficient upward here. It only feels thence peaceful, fifty-fifty amongst erstwhile domestic dog carpet.

You guys know how much I loved our erstwhile master copy bedroom, but the truth of the affair is that it was inward a busy neighborhood together with I could take heed cars constantly zooming roughly our house. It's thence dainty to only take heed crickets. I've ever been a flake of an insomniac, thence for me to only live falling asleep the infinitesimal I larn into bed feels similar some sort of life changing event.

Here's the sentiment from the contrary side. You tin meet the staircase leading downwards to the principal level, that's the walk inward cupboard straight ahead, together with the door to the master copy bath on the left.

Master closet. Not huge, non small. I tin bargain amongst it. I'll rework it.

And hither is the master copy bath. These are the professional person pics from the existent estate listing.

I've met amongst a twosome different contractors to speak over options. We've discussed making a bigger shower, replacing the large tub amongst a gratis standing tub, etc. Or fifty-fifty only retiling the entire thing together with icon it. It volition really come upward downwards to the budget, thence nosotros volition see. 

These are pics from my ain camera, together with again, a much to a greater extent than honest hold off of what's really there. 

I mean, inward all honesty, it feels similar a large upgrade from our lastly master copy bathroom, thence fifty-fifty though I know it's non really stylin', Ava together with I take keep used that tub almost every unmarried day.

And also, there's this.

And thence lastly but non least, hither is the basement.

Scary steps leading downwards (will live redone)...

 Here's the principal room. Keeping that sugariness lite fixture (no).

The beam volition live removed together with replaced amongst a header, since it is also charge bearing. But, that way it volition live i large room, rather than a large room amongst a beam inward the middle. And acre some other things volition live done, similar flooring, paint, etc. We dearest a proficient basement hangout, thence I know we'll larn a lot of usage out of this space.

Also downwards inward the basement is a really awful laundry room together with an purpose space. I take keep some plans for this infinite that include adding a bath together with drywalling inward the laundry room area, but those are depression on the renovation totem pole. 

This is the sentiment from the walkout basement. There's a huge deck downwards hither that nosotros computer program to plough into a screened inward porch. Eventually. The lake is inward walking distance, only downwards the street, thence you take heed a lot of H2O noises. It's heaven.

 And at nowadays you tin larn dorsum upward my shaggy carpeted basement stairs together with the tour is over.

That's the guild I took the pictures on my camera, together with my fourth dimension is express these days amongst a feisty thirteen calendar month old, thence only saving the best for last.

Thank you guys SO MUCH for believing inward me together with for next along on this journey. Your comments together with dearest via Instagram over the yesteryear calendar week or thence take keep seriously kept me going. I only can't fifty-fifty tell you how much that agency to me.

I'm thence excited to live getting started on this projection together with I'm thence glad you guys are coming along amongst me.

Until side yesteryear side time.

(Also, if you're behind on what's been going on, you tin grab upward here.)