Ava's birthday

In honor of ava's recent birthday, I thought it would be cool to dig up some cute photos of her. I couldn't get over how tiny Ava was when she was first born. Brandon and I were talking with a person at Panera last sunday who had a five week old and just looked at Ava sitting happily eating a grilled cheese and said, "Why can't my baby be that old!"

I totally understood what she meant! Being a mommy to a five week old when you are sore all over, looking your worst, at your lowest point with two hours of consecutive sleep and feeling worse than you look, which is a miracle in itself, is a rude introduction to motherhood.

You pretty much don't comprehend people's complaints of only getting 6 hours or sleep, and you don't see your husband except to mutter, "don't forget she needs to have her diaper changed."

But, then she starts sleeping through the night (well, 5 hours is something to jump about --technically, that's sleeping through the night!), you get to actually have a date night (still wearing your maternity pants, but hey, they were the Gap maternity pants, the "sexy ones").

Slowly, all of those horrible nights pacing the floor at 1 a.m. and the long days changing endless diapers and being spit up on 20 times becomes a faint memory. And those memories become sweet like a bowl of summer peaches.

It's just about dinner time. She reaches up and wants me to pick her up so she can get a closer look at what I am making for dinner. She leans over, and I kiss her cheek and melt. This is it. It was all worth it. This is paradise.