Steven, Brooke & Ava

GOODBYE :(

2011-06-08T13:52:00.006-04:00

So this is the blog post that I wrote in june and forgot about....

Wow this is hard! Those that know me well know that I am not the least bit sentimental, but this is by far the hardest time I have ever had saying goodbye ( and we have done this 5 times now). In the 8 years that steven and I have been married; we have celebrated our first, second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth anniversaries in Charleston, had our first child, watched her turn one then two, became a part of an amazing church family, been blessed with some truly awesome friends, graduated PA school and marveled at this beautiful place God created that we can call "home". So why the heck are we moving? Simple, FAMILY :) Above all that Charleston has to offer and the friends and memories that we have here, we want Ava to know her FAMILY.
We want all of our Charleston friends to know that you truly are amazing people and although we may loose touch with some of you, you will always be a part of what makes this place so special and dear to our hearts.
Love you all!

Mother's Day Fun

2011-05-09T22:00:00.005-04:00

Ava handed me a hand made mother's day card with a picture of us on it and her drawing and she said "happy mother's day", LOVED IT! I love being her mommy :)

Happy 2nd Birthday Ava

2011-04-30T16:53:00.015-04:00

Ava turned 2 on the 29th..... words actually escape me when I try and explain how I feel. We are so blessed to have such a healthy, beautiful, outgoing, loving child. Now that she is 2 she can pretty much do or say anything she wants. Her favorite foods are "berries" (strawberries, blueberries), grapes, peas, toast (a new breakfast request), bananas, cheese, ice cream and milk. She is still a wonderful eater and she will literally eat anything you put in front of her, although she now has some requests. She has recently learned how to drink from a regular cup and uses her utensils 75% of the time. She loves books, her wagon, Curious George and Barney movies, but her favorites are her babies. Her 2 yr check up was great (no shots!). She weighs in at 36lb (still off the chart) she is 35 1/4 in tall (90%) and still has a big noggin. She wears size 7-8 shoe, 2T-3T clothes, and a few 4T! She takes a 90 minute nap in the afternoon and then sleeps 11-12 hours at night, usually going to bed around 8. Her bestest friends are Hadley and Lula Grace and she prays for them every night :) Here are some pictures from her party at the park and a few randoms.

who couldn't love this adorable face?

Fun at the zoo

Birthday hug from Hadley

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail

2011-04-28T22:05:00.009-04:00

We had a beautiful Easter this year. Church, then a great picnic at the county park with our friends, nice nap, egg hunting and another party.

Trip to arkansas

2011-04-07T13:34:00.017-04:00

I'm a little behind here so these are the pictures from our march trip to Arkansas, including an early 2nd birthday party for Ava :) We had a wonderful visit, like always and it was sad to leave. Ava and I couldn't wait to get home and see Steven and we got an added bonus of 83 degrees and sunny when we stepped off the plane.... gotta love charleston!

"Grandpa James" and his boat. I can't wait to take her fishing!

One of her great grandpas aka "grandpa great"

LOVED the cake

she's actually old enough to play the games :(

She loved Chuck e Cheese

Helping Lele bake brownies

This is where she wanted to play everyday

Me and my great grandmother

Sweet cousins

The other great grandpa working on her "car"

Hello 2011!

2011-02-20T12:41:00.014-05:00

We have had a very eventful start to 2011. Steven spent 5 weeks in a town about 1 1/2 hours from home for his clinical rotation, so we saw him on some tuesdays and weekends, which left me pretty tired from running after Ava. Ava got an ear infection and then two weeks later she got RSV (very contagious, nasty cold) and we had to do breathing treatments 5-6 times a day and night for a whole week, she had symptoms for 2 weeks. The virus spread slowly through every child in our playgroup. Then poor Steven got it and felt crummy for a week and I'm pretty sure I got it and am still battling a sinus infection. Thankfully the weather is warming up and we were able to take a walk on the beach yesterday. Bring on Spring!

Yummy Valentines cupcakes

Valentines Crafts at the Childrens Museum

Thanks for the outfit Aunt "Bit"

Did someone call the doctor?

She was a trooper for her breathing treatments.

Check out my hair!

Awww :)

Poor sick baby :( Taking her own temperature.

Thanks LeLe for the ginormous christmas present, she had lots of fun with her friends.

Uganda Medical Mission Trip

2011-02-02T12:35:00.002-05:00

Dear Family & Friends,
I’m writing to tell you about a wonderful opportunity I have to go on a medical mission trip in the spring of 2011. Palmetto Medical Initiative (PMI) (www.palmettomedical.org) in Mt Pleasant, SC is sending a medical mission team to Uganda from March 11-21 to serve people in the heart of Africa. This is a really neat trip because it is a sustainable project to deliver healthcare in the community of Masindi, Uganda. PMI has built a clinic in the community and our short-term trips host clinic days there and in 4 other surrounding communities, including a local sugarcane plantation.

The majority of our time in Uganda will be spent in the diocese of Masindi-Kitara. During our time there we will be staffing the clinic to treat a wide variety of medical conditions common to the people of that region. In addition, we will be hosting community health events focused on preventative health education and the distribution of mosquito nets in response to the overwhelming malaria problem.

With less than one doctor per 12,500 people on average (1 per >25,000 in some areas) you can imagine the impact that willing volunteers can have. As Ugandan children die at a rate 10x that of ours in the US and families struggle to break the cycle of physical suffering and economic crisis that malaria creates, the need could not be greater.

I am extremely excited about the opportunity to have an impact in the lives of people in Uganda. I am anxious to put my medical training and education to work in a place that greatly needs it. For me, this trip is the perfect opportunity to combine my passion for healthcare with my desire to help those in need.

In order for me to attend the trip I am responsible for raising support. The total cost is $2700 per person, which covers travel, lodging, meals etc. If you would like to be a part of my financial support for the mission trip, any help would be greatly appreciated and is tax deductible. You can donate online on a secure website by clicking the link below. Please send the donation by March 1st. We also appreciate your prayers for the people of Masindi, and pray that God would touch their hearts and allow them to understand the truth of Jesus' love for them and their need for Jesus as their Savior.

Many heartfelt thanks,

Steven

Our end to 2010

2011-01-07T14:54:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas in Arkansas. It included snow flurries on Christmas day and overall warmer temperatures than past years. I enjoyed watching Ava play with everyone and be the center of attention everywhere we went, she ate it up! She also turned 20 months while we were there and got Croup for the first time. It always goes by so fast and usually I'm ready to be home, but this time was a little different and it caught me off guard. I was actually sad to be leaving and wished we could stay atleast another week. Honestly, I enjoyed having other people to help out with Ava so that I could take long showers, go to the grocery store by myself, shop without pushing a stroller, enjoy some starbucks without hearing "drink pees" coming from the back seat like a broken record and have evenings out with our best friends and not have to be home by 9 to relieve the sitter. I love being a mommy and wouldn't change it for anything, but it sure is easier when family is around :) See you'll in 6 months, woohooo!

Well Hello Fall and 19 Months

2010-12-02T15:17:00.011-05:00

Her triplets

Thanks Grammy for the wagon, she always want to "wide, wide" (ride)

And Yes we are still BIG

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving in Texas. We look forward to it every year. We get to pile in the Powell house, eat good food, watch movies, play games, shop and laugh a lot.
I'm pretty sure I know what she will want for her 13th birthday.

Our annual black friday lunch at Fudruckers

Just a few of us chowin down

Reading a book with Nonnie

Sweet cousin Jaden

Fall family photos

2010-11-20T23:23:00.017-05:00

We had a friend of ours take some family pictures a few weeks ago at Charles Towne Landing. Ava wasn't really into it, but we managed to get some good ones. Here are a few of my favorites.

A little more Ava

2010-11-09T16:07:00.005-05:00

Just some cuteness to enjoy.
Her adorable hip outfit from Lele.

Her new tricycle that I bought for a dollar at a garage sale, she loves to "ride".

She gets so excited to dance to this song on her Animal Adventure DVD, here she is "running, hopping, swimming, slithering like the animals"

Lil ladybug

2010-11-01T20:30:00.005-04:00

Daddy picked this costume out. He wanted her to look "cute", how sweet :)

Jump castle was a big hit!

Giggles Galore

2010-10-05T21:22:00.013-04:00

I think Ava's new nickname is Giggles. She's been full of lots of laughs lately and they absolutely melt my heart. She's become quite the little ham, showin off her new tricks or repeating the cute words that make us smile. Some of her new words are "cool", "cold", "frog", "slide" and "juice". She likes to imitate me exercising and stretching, snort like a pig, roar like a bear and hoot like an owl. She's still a little sassy and easily frustrated, but we are working on that. She has started Gymboree classes two times a week and she has so much fun. We are working on her colors and numbers at home and she knows some of them already.
Here is our 17 month old!

More summer fun

2010-09-04T11:09:00.019-04:00

We always look forward to summer because there are so many fun things to do around here and we enjoy sharing it with our visitors. Lele ( my mom) came to visit in august and got to spend a whole week with just us girls since Steven was in Nicaragua. We went to the beach, water park, shopping, downtown, Children's museum and ate some good food :)

Feeding the ducks with Lele

Battery park

Childrens Museum. Perfect place for her to dump water, it's a hobby.

Downtown

Sharing chips with Lele

Sportin her red and white for football kick off day at church

Showin Lele all the cool stuff in the kiddie pool

Ahhh 16 months! In the past month she has said and done so many new things that I can't recall them all. She says "thank you", "please", "walk", "bug" and everything is "this". She tries to repeat most things and we are being really careful to think before speaking.

My newest pillowcase dresses for next summer

She shares her snacks

Corn on the cob is a new favorite

Summer Fun and 15 Months

2010-08-09T16:13:00.021-04:00

This summer is going by so fast! We have had so much going on this past month that I hadn't even realized how long it had been since my last post (sorry grannies), so Im going to get you all caught up. Ava is now 15 months old and here are all of her new talents and tricks: She can say "kick", "fish", "shoes", "night night", "Quack" ( like a duck), feed herself with a spoon or fork (sometimes), pretend to snap her fingers and blow her nose (guess who she learned that from?), she says "trash" and points to it (dog hair most of the time) then gets mad if you don't pick it up, says "tickle tickle" and likes to tell crying babies to "Shhhh". She likes to twist, shake her head, dance, stomp, point out your eyes, nose, ears, mouth, chin, hands, belly button, knee, feet and toes. She likes to use crayons and so far has not marked on the walls. She loves her babies and we take them EVERYWHERE. She feeds, burps, consoles, tickles and bathes them. She weighs 29lb 5 oz, so obviously she is still a terrific eater. Her favorite snack is "fish" goldfish and she loves her fruit. We are starting real cereal for breakfast now that she has more teeth. She is still wearing 12-24 month clothes and size 4-5 shoes. She is so much fun now, we are laughing all the time and she is always saying or doing something new.
Steven completed his first year of PA school and received his White Coat. He now has a month to chill before clinicals start. Brittni came to visit two weeks ago and we had a great time at the beach, water park and downtown shopping. Unfortunately Ava got sick a few days after Britt arrived so Ava missed out on the fun stuff (so did daddy). Ava got her first batch of hives, her first ER visit, first taste of benadryl, zyrtec, prednisone and some nice cool oatmeal baths. After 6 days the hives were gone and she returned to our silly little girl. Not sure what caused them, but we all hope they never return. We now have 1 week to hang out until LeLe comes and Steven leaves for his Nicaragua mission trip. Your prayers would be appreciated.
On a very sad note, the accord has kicked the bucket after 17 years. Im not normally a sentimental person, but I might shed a little tear. It was a wonderful and reliable car and will be greatly missed. On a happier note, we are now the proud owners of a toyota camry.

Lovin on Aunt Brittni

Our first ER trip at 4 am.

They started here

Then moved here

Then to her precious little face

Date Night!

My first pillowcase dress.

Always fun at the beach

Eating watermelon on the 4th of july

Enjoying the lake

14 months

2010-07-02T20:24:00.026-04:00

So what can I say about living with a 14 month old....... exhausting! She's on the go, never a dull moment, into everything she's not supposed to touch. She's recently started testing the boundries. Slowly putting her hand in the dog water while looking at me ever so innocently or dropping food on the floor for the dogs to eat and then throwing it on the floor with a scream after I say "no". Some days I feel like a broken record... "NO' "NO' "mama said NO" "NO touch" "Ava NO" and on on on. I know that it's work to raise children but I do believe that Steven and I are gonna have to work extra hard to pay for my raising ( or so my mom would say). Aside from all of the frustrations I feel throughout the day, I'm completely blown away by the amount of love I have for her.

Cheesin with her new baby doll stroller.

Beautiful sunset out our back door.

Fun day to raise money for Nicaragua mission trip.

This girl loves spaghetti!

Here are some pictures from our trip to Dallas.

Steven dancing with his mama.

Precious Jack giving Ava a kiss.

Steven and Grammy

Ava and daddy up way too late in the hotel, Ava had the giggles .

Lots of fun lately!

2010-06-16T21:51:00.007-04:00

We have had a blast going to the water park and beach the past few weeks. Lovin Charleston!

13 months

2010-06-07T09:41:00.005-04:00

Ava is now almost 13 1/2 months. She weighs 28 lb and is 30 inches. She is walking with ease, eating table food and only gets one bottle at night. She loves her milk and feeding herself. She can blow kisses, snap her fingers (try to anyway), take off her shoes and try to put them back on and she loves to kick balls. She still takes two naps and sleeps 11-12 hours at night. She has 7 teeth with more already on the way and she is not a good teether. She is a girl with an attitude! She's a little sassy already. She likes to throw things at you when she's mad and she's started trying to scratch me.. yep me not daddy. Where does she get this stuff from? I am seeing a "naughty chair" in her future.

Atlanta

2010-05-31T21:12:00.020-04:00

We spent the weekend in Atlanta for the AAPA conference. We were able to spend friday together at the Aquarium then we had a delicious dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.... amazing!

Ava can finally walk on her own. Here is some of her first attempts. She's much better now.

Family photos

2010-05-22T20:28:00.017-04:00

We had our family photos and Ava's 1 year photos taken shortly after her birthday at Morris Island. Amy Prikazsky does a fantastic job, she also took our last family pictures. These are just a few, I'll post the link when she gets them on her website.

What are you up to Ava?

2010-05-04T12:01:00.009-04:00

We went for her 12 mo check up today and she is almost 30 inches and weighs 27lb 5oz. She had to get her finger pricked for lead and didn't even make a noise, just watched as they filled up the two circles with blood, then was determined to rip the blue band aid off her finger. She is still average or above on her development. She now says dada, mama, uh oh, ouch, baba (bottle), hi and I've heard doggie a few times and then a whole bunch of other jibber jabber that I love to hear. She can show you her tongue, nose and belly button. She points at everything, waves bye bye, plays peek a boo, claps, makes some silly faces and continues to be a giggly little girl. Her favorite toys are her push walker, ball popper and her new purple rocking chair. She walks all day long, seriously, all day pushing her toy trying to run over the dogs or me. We actually have to let the dogs outside so they can get a break from her every now and then. She's too much of a busy body to read books right now, but she still likes to open and close them. She loves to open and close the cabinets or doors and is obsessed with trying to climb into the dishwasher. She can follow simple commands like sit down, stand up, move back, etc. She is a great eater! She eats mainly table food ( minus pineapple because of her reflux) and we are always trying something new. We just started introducing whole milk yesterday and she seemed to enjoy it. The doctor wants us to go really slow with the milk because of all of her belly troubles in the past. She drinks water from her straw cup throughout the day and sometimes I find her crawling around with it hanging out her mouth and the straw smashed between her teeth... pretty similar to how the dogs carry their toys :) She has 5 teeth right now and two more coming in on the top. Poor thing, as soon as one comes through another one starts. She is still taking two naps and going to bed at 8pm and waking around 8am. Steven and I are really enjoying her right now and wishing she wasn't growing up so fast. I have to say that my favorite moments are when I pick her up from her crib and she hugs my neck then pats my shoulder with a big smile on her face.... overwhelming love!

Do the Ava Boogie!

Checking out the bears at Charlestowne Landing

Massive Oak tree

Her new rocking chair that mommy painted purple.

Cherished moment

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVA!

2010-04-29T16:06:00.010-04:00

Today, April 29th, is Ava's 1st birthday! We had a nice little party at our favorite park with some of her friends (minus Wesley because he is sick :( ).

Holding tight to her new softball bat.

Ava and Hadley taking a ride.

The group.

She loves popsicles!

Daddy will do anything for his princess :)

Birthday girl... I think she looks older.

Friends.

Just had to share this.

2010-04-11T12:39:00.006-04:00

Ava has finally decided that she is brave enough to stand on her own, but most of the time she starts laughing so hard she can't keep her balance... it's so cute!

Daddy and Ava at the Relay for Life

Another day at the beach!

2010-04-07T15:19:00.010-04:00

Ava and I ventured out to folly beach again today. She gets so excited as soon as the ocean is visible, she starts squealing and laughing, its so darn cute! The water is still a little cool, but it doesn't bother her any. And yep she did eat some more sand, although not as much as last time.

You might want to turn the volume down, it was a bit windy.

Easter and the beach

2010-04-05T11:39:00.013-04:00

The weather has been amazing for the past week! We spent a few days at the beach and Ava loves it, including the many handfuls of sand that ended up in her mouth. Once again I am reminded of why I love Charleston so much. Easter was great this year as a tiny little family of 3. We ate at California Dreaming saturday night to avoid the crowds and I cooked sunday after church. I made peachy chicken (Yum), corn on the cob, deviled eggs and mashed potatoes. It was definitely not my grandparents potato salad, macaroni salad, ham or cakes, but it worked. Ava said "uh oh" for the first time at the beach and now says it all the time and she is also starting to stand by herself more. Here are some pictures from the past week.

Ava and the girls (Hadley, Lula Grace)

11 months today!

2010-03-29T20:21:00.011-04:00

Ava is 11 months today! She weighs 25 lbs and is 29 inches tall. She has been a little ham lately. She's been getting the giggles at random times and it's absolutely adorable. She's crawling so fast and is pretty steady on her feet now, she loves for you to chase her when she's walking. She can brush her hair and mine, drinks from a straw, and now likes blueberries and cheese.

I haven't posted in a while so here is a slideshow from our visit to arkansas in march and some pictures recently.

Sportin the bikini!

Our life lately

2010-02-22T13:44:00.011-05:00

Ava loves to walk, I mean LOVES to walk! She's such a brave little go getter. Crawls everywhere, walks as fast as her little legs will go, lets go and tries to stand on her own and she's not afraid to fall. Steven and I are amazed at her progress these past 2 weeks, it seems like everyday is something new and we love it.

She is standing by herself for the first time!

Having fun at the park on sunday. It was gorgeous.

Headed for the curtains.

After church this past sunday.

We had a surprise 30th birthday party for steven at one of our favorite restaurants. He had no idea and we had a great time.

Ava hanging out with daddy's class. She loves the attention.

Our baby can crawl!

2010-02-18T10:12:00.003-05:00

She finally did it! After weeks of scooting on her belly backwards, she crawled last night without steven or I coaching her. So now begins the task of baby proofing the house. This is her second time.

This is the cake I made for Steven's 30th birthday on tuesday. I've been inspired by watching Cake Boss, I even pulled out the knife to trim off the edges and top of the first layer to make it perfectly round.

Little Ladybug

2010-02-15T20:04:00.004-05:00

Ava Lately

2010-02-10T14:54:00.009-05:00

We have had so much fun the past week. She's been a happy little giggly girl for the most part, taken great naps and slept well through the night. We have tried several new foods and peaches have become a favorite. She's starting to walk really well when you hold her hands and she prefers walking to crawling (well her version of crawling). I continue to say that it just gets more fun as she gets older, but we have now hit the sassy temper tantrum phase :( Steven and I are trying to figure out the best way to handle these episodes. Some I just ignore and others have become opportunities to use "No" and it works pretty well. My first attempt at discipline was in the grocery store, which is not the best place for a first attempt, and Ava pretty much laughed at me and thought we were playing a game. I had to cover my face so she wouldn't see me chuckle. Thankfully we don't have to discipline much :) Here are some recent photos.

Im a big girl now!

She Loves the ducks.

Another date with Wesley.

Say Cheese!

Follow the South Africa Medical Mission Blog

2010-02-04T17:23:00.004-05:00

We'd really love if you "followed" the blog for Steven's South Africa medical mission trip. South Africa blog They will be updating before the trip as they plan/prepare and then while they're in S. Africa they'll update most days with pictures and stories. Click the "follow" button on the side of the blog's page. Thanks!

Our Big Little Girl

2010-02-01T12:22:00.004-05:00

We had Ava's 9 month check up today and she was 21 lb 10 oz in the 90th % ! I couldn't believe it, I was thinking maybe 19-20. She is 26 1/2 inches in the 10-15th % and her head is 18 in. in the 90th%. Good thing is her head and weight are proportionate but she's a shorty. She no longer needs the iron, she's off the reflux medication and she was average and above on the development. She was a little angel for her exam and the doctor commented on what a well behaved baby she is, makes me proud :)
So at 9 months her favorite toys are books,her computer and she likes to roll her big pink ball back to mommy. She loves loves loves to jump. She loves to be tickled, especially by daddy. She loves bath time, but hates to have lotion put on. She still likes to watch me cook and usually plays with spatulas while sitting in her bumbo. She still sleeps 12 -13 hours at night and takes 2 naps 30 -90 minutes. She has 4 bottles and 3 meals a day. She eats pears, prunes, bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, applesauce and cheerios. We just tried chunked chicken and she gagged as she chewed it, so we will try again later. She wears 9-12 month clothes, size 3 diapers in the day and 4 at night. She is in a size 2 shoe, but it's hard to find ones that fit her plump feet. She just said her first word "Hi" the other day and says "ma" when she's crying. She loves the dogs, cat and watching the ducks in the pond. She loves to go swing at the park and take walks. She loves to laugh and even has a fake laugh. I love her more than I could have imagined and Im so thankful that we get to spend our days together.

9 months

2010-01-29T22:07:00.003-05:00

Sweet baby Ava is now 9 months old! She is really starting to grow up. Yesterday she fed herself cheerios and a banana for the first time, we had worked on both for several days. Today She said her first word "HI" to her daddy ( of course) and it also happens to be Steven's first word. I am starting to get a little sad...she looks like him, laughs like him, talks like him and eats like him....but she's supposed to have 50% my DNA, right? She's also been walking a little, so wobbly and cute :) Today we bought her a big girl bath tub, she totally out grew her pink one. Here are some videos from the past few days.

Friends

2010-01-29T08:22:00.006-05:00

Ava had a great play date with Wesley at the park this week. Their last play date was when they were 6 months and Ava was a little scared of a rambunctious little boy. It's so fun to watch their personalities develop and I love to see her interact with other children.

Look I can crawl! (in my own way)

2010-01-21T20:05:00.002-05:00

Beautiful Day

2010-01-18T16:12:00.014-05:00

The weather has been great the past few days... reminds us why we chose to live here. Here are some video and pictures of today and last week.

South Africa Medical Mission Trip

2010-01-12T17:06:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to tell you about a wonderful opportunity I have to go on a medical mission trip in May 2010. Seacoast church is sending a medical mission team to South Africa from May 7th to 17th to serve the people of Africa. We will be partnering with a local ministry called Emoyeni, whose mission is to care for orphans whose parents have died of AIDS.

We will be providing medical care in the region of Badplaas and Mbabane, where over 55,000 children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. We will take with us a huge mobile clinic, with over $200,000 in medications, surgical equipment, and supplies. We give everyone free medical exams, treatments, dental care, glasses, any needed medication for up to a year's supply, and minor surgeries – whatever they need. Many of the children have parasitic infections that can be cured with one pill, but without help they would never be able to afford it. We also teach them about sanitation, women's health, diet and wellness, how to avoid transmission of HIV, and much more. We build homes and make "families" to care for the orphans, and train the "parents" how to properly care for their children with HIV.

While meeting the physical needs of South Africans is a major goal of this trip, the primary purpose is to share the love of Jesus. Our desire is to bring hope to the hopeless, to minister the peace of Christ to those who live in daily turmoil, to bring joy to the people who know much sorrow. As we seek to bring physical healing to the villages of Badplaas, we are praying that God would use us to bring spiritual healing as well.

I am extremely excited about the opportunity to have an impact in the lives of people in South Africa. I am eager to put my medical training and education to work in a place that greatly needs it. For me, this trip is the perfect opportunity to combine my passion for healthcare with my desire to help those in need.

In order for me to attend the trip I am responsible for raising support. The total cost is $3,000 per person, which covers travel, lodging, meals etc. If you would like to be a part of my financial support for the mission trip, any help would be greatly appreciated and is tax deductible. Please follow the link below. At the bottom of the webpage click “Donate.” It will then ask for your email address, enter it and then click “Create New Profile.” Once you have created the profile and are logged in then select “Steven Johnson” from the dropdown box and submit your donation. Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Steven Johnson

Seacoast Missions Online Donation

Christmas 09

2010-01-08T21:40:00.001-05:00

Some pictures from our great trip to Arkansas for the holidays.

Crafty Me

2009-12-16T10:44:00.006-05:00

Those who know me well know that I am not at all artistic or crafty. But lately I've had this little itch to make cute things for Ava. So here are some pictures of my attempts at craftiness. Im just hoping they don't start falling apart.

BEAUTIFUL!

Prettiest model ever:)

A few of my bows, I've made many more since then.

Car seat pad, helps cushion your arm.

Such a CUTIE!

2009-12-07T11:52:00.008-05:00

This past weekend was such a busy one! Shopping on friday, Stevens PA Christmas party saturday night, baby dedication sunday at church then the Christmas parade sunday afternoon. Saturday night we kept Ava out until almost 11 pm, but she did great! Lots of music and dancing and smiles:) Then sunday she had her dedication at church, along with the rest of the little ones in our small group (Hadley, Eli and Lula Grace). The Christmas parade was in downtown Charleston and we walked in it with Steven's class. They did a "Grandma Got Run Over by The Reindeer" theme, so cute. Im pretty sure Im outa shape, so sore from the speed walking. Here are some pictures.

Thanksgiving Fun

2009-12-01T16:00:00.007-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving this year, like every year. We spent 4 days in Texas with Steven's family, All of us in one house. Ava was great! Her second time to fly and she is now a pro. Here are some pictures from our visit. Enjoy! Oh and Ava is now 16 lb and 3 oz, gained over 2 lb this month, go girl!

The most beautiful thing I've ever seen is only 25 1/2 inches long, weighs 16 lb, is missing all but 2 teeth, doesn't have much hair but what she does have is blonde and fuzzy, can't carry on a conversation or even say a word, cries when she needs attention and has to be picked up and carried everywhere, but has a smile and a laugh that light up my world:) Love you Ava, Mom.

Time...Oh where have you gone?

2009-11-22T12:59:00.009-05:00

So hard for me to believe that Ava is almost 7 months old. She's got 2 teeth, sitting, attempting to crawl, holding her bottle, drinking from a sippy cup, giving kisses, standing and sitting on demand, jumping in her jumper, sleeping through the night (almost 12 hours) and getting bigger every week. Some days I wish I could just hit Pause. Every year growing up I thought that the year went by faster and faster, but wow, nothing compared to the past 7 months. I haven't even started her baby book, I know bad mama, but I do have some of the pictures together. Here are some recent picts.

6 mo old

2009-11-06T13:48:00.021-05:00

Ava is now 6mo and one week. She had her appointment today and was perfect. Not even a whimper when she got her two shots, I just saved some of her bottle to eat during it and all she did was raise her little eyebrows. She weighed in at almost 14 lbs still in the 10-15th percentile but growing steady, she was 25 1/4 inches in the 20th percentile and as we knew already she has a big noggin in the 50th percentile:) Developmentally the doctor says she is doing great. Ava showed her how she sits like a big girl and transfers objects from one hand to the other and can support her weight when she stands. We are keeping her on her reflux medications, starting a multivitamin to help with her low iron:( and she has an appointment with a pediatric eye doctor to check her left eye. She just cut her second tooth, thank goodness it is in she was extremely fussy with this one. Here are some recent pictures....

My friend Wesley at our playdate

Check out my three bandaids

Long day

Dad and I chillin on the beach

Dad and I surfin the web

The newest pacifier clips I made

Super cute, look close you can see my teeth

Even cuter

Sportin the glasses

Halloween

2009-11-02T15:54:00.006-05:00

Big Girl!

2009-10-25T21:04:00.013-04:00

Wow, what a week! Ava started sitting by herself, cut her first tooth, QUIT sleeping in till 9 (poor mom) and had a great and busy visit with Lele. Im so amazed at how much she changes from week to week. This past wednesday morning she started sitting on her own with occasional tumbles, usually when she's reaching for a toy. Then that night after she about bit off ducky's head (her bath duck) I realized she had cut a tooth and it really almost made me cry:( As much as I love those moments it just reminds me of how big she's getting. She has also decided not to sleep in until 9am anymore:( AHHHHH, I need that sleep. She has been sleeping through the night thankfully and usually awakens at 7am. She also has decreased the number of naps during the day. She loves to sit up and play with her toys on the floor so that occupies most of the day. We have started trying food again, bananas this time and so far so good. I have peas, winter squash and sweet potatoes waiting. She has just moved into size 2 diapers and can wear some of her 6 mo clothes. Lele (my mom) came to visit on thursday and spent 4 full days with her "sweet pea" that would be Ava not me. We had a fun time shopping for cute little clothes and now Ava owns more pair of shoes than I do! Here are some recent pictures, enjoy:)

Weekend Fun

2009-10-12T08:12:00.012-04:00

This weekend was really nice. Friday after Steven got home from school we went to MUSC for Oktoberfest where they had a live band playing and lots of good food. Ava was having a good time as always since she likes to be outside and in the mix. Saturday morning we went downtown to the farmer's market and met Steven's classmates for the final day of PA week. We all walked downtown through Market St. and back with big signs and handing out gum with "PA facts" attached to them. Then we had our favorite crepe' before going home to watch the Razorback game and it was awesome, they won big time against Auburn. In the evening we went for a walk at Folly Beach and the weather was perfect. There was a cool breeze but it was still warm enough for shorts and tshirts and we saw 3 different wedding parties getting ready for their big day. And the last thing we did on Sat was go out to eat on James Island with one of the really cheap $25 gift certificates we got for $2 from restaurant.com

On Sunday we went to church and then hung out that afternoon at home before going to the Tanger outlet to get Ava some cold weather clothes. She has some already but she is so little that none of them will fit so we got some really good deals at Gap and Old Navy.

5 Months Old

2009-10-04T15:20:00.009-04:00

Ava turned 5 months on the 29th. She is now 13 lbs and her thighs get bigger every day, gotta love them (we thank daddy for those:) She is getting more strawberry blonde hair (again, we thank daddy for that:) although you cant see it in the pictures. She is still extremely happy. She wakes up smiling and for the most part is in a good mood all day. Evenings are still the hardest, but we are working on putting her to bed earlier. She has started eating sweet potatoes (homemade) and she loves loves loves them. She can also drink from her sippy cup, after a little practice. When she first realized it wasn't milk she cried, but now she chugs her water. Here are some videos and pictures.

Trip to Savannah

2009-09-28T08:27:00.014-04:00

We went to Savannah Saturday and Sunday to visit with Alicia and Liv who were in town for a friend's wedding. We had a nice time and enjoyed seeing the pretty squares and walking down on River Street (next to the Savannah River) and eating some good food. Ava was great walking around and she enjoys being out and about.

Oh Hogs :(

2009-09-19T23:43:00.009-04:00

Oh how sad, we had such high hopes for this game. This was Ava's first Razorback game and we watched it at Wild Wings in Mt. Pleasant with Meredith, one of my co workers. We had a good time and Ava did great considering we didnt get home until and hour and half past her bed time. She was sporting her new onesie I made today. It said "Pig Sooie" on the front and "Lil Oinker" on the back. I also made a new headband ( love it!) We got so many comments on how cute she looked, always makes a mommy proud.

I made onesies for Ava and Liv (Baby Brown) and pacifier clips. Im starting to really enjoy this crafty stuff.

Bath Time

2009-09-17T20:35:00.003-04:00

Ava loves bath time:) She now kicks and splashes water all over me. We usually get lots of giggles until she gets the hiccups then its not so funny anymore.

More picts of the cutie pie

2009-09-12T22:16:00.011-04:00

Here are some more pictures and videos. I take way to many:) Is that possible?

Little Stinker

2009-09-09T20:28:00.010-04:00

Ava has been alot more work lately! She wont sit still. I used to be able to put her on her playmat and walk away to do chores, now it last about 5 minutes at most, until she gets stuck somewhere and cant figure out how to get back. She rolls, rolls, rolls. Her bouncer, that used to occupy her for about 30 minutes, is now boring after about 10. She still watches t.v. and likes her Seasons Baby Einstein dvd and her bumbo. Her personality is really starting to show and as cute as it is it can also be frustrating. When she gets upset she throws her arms and head back, closes her eyes and squeals then eventually screams. Ive learned to laugh at it, it really is pretty funny:) Thankfully she is a happy baby and I dont see that side of her much. She's very ticklish and she loves to laugh, she thinks that if Im laughing then she should too, so cute!

More Ava Pictures

2009-08-31T20:55:00.011-04:00

Ava is now 4 months old, unbelievable! She weighed 11 lb 14 oz and was 24 1/4 inches. She is actually fitting her 3 month clothes now, yay! We started rice cereal and she loves it, as soon as she sees the bowl she starts kicking and opening her mouth, I cant get it there fast enough. The first two days she just made a huge mess, but did better today, I'd say at least 75% actually got swallowed. Ive decided to make her baby food, so we will start sweet potatoes next week. I know Im not the best cook, but I dont figure I can mess that up. Here are some recent pictures and videos.

Go Hogs! Football kick off weekend at church.

Daddy and Ava at the farmer's market

Ava cheesin' in her bouncer

The new baby alligator that has made itself at home in our pond

Ava in her exersaucer

The tutu aunt Brittni made Ava

Trip to Arkansas

2009-08-22T22:54:00.007-04:00

We just got back from a great trip to Arkansas to visit with family and show off little Ava. We left monday after I got off work (bad idea) and flew to Little Rock. Ava did great on the flights, steven kept her busy watching Baby Einstein and reading Harry Potter. I did not do so well after 24 hours of no sleep, that ended up being 37! Wont do that again. We had to rent a car to drive all over the place ( literally ), Ava was not gonna have it, she screamed, turned red, spit and held her breath when she wanted out. Lord help us! We made it to the farm monday evening and had a great visit with Aunt JoAnn and Uncle Ben then headed to Paragould tuesday, yes another 2 hour drive and more temper tantrums. We had a great time with Grammy (Stevens Grandma) and the rest of his family for a few days. While we were there Ava played (made her toy rattle repetitively) with a toy for the first time and held her bottle for a few seconds. I was amazed at both and a little sad that she's not a little baby anymore. We headed to Pine Bluff on thursday ( another 3 hour trip) and stayed with Stevens family. Ava got plenty of lovin, but was a bit fussy. I think all the traveling and being passed around was getting to her. Then saturday we headed to fayetteville (another 4 hour trip and more screaming) to visit my family. We spent 5 days there and every day we were able to spend time with friends and relatives. Ava was really fussy for a few days and took longer than normal naps. We thought she might be cutting a tooth due to all the drooling (had to change her clothes several times a day) and low grade temps, but I still dont see anything and she's better now. I dreaded the drive back to Little Rock, but she actually made the 4 hour trip without a single screaming episode:) She took a few naps and watched the entire Baby Einstein Dvd. I also kept a bottle around, so when she started getting upset I gave her a little and it was magic! And again she was great on the flights back home, I think she actually likes the plane noise. All in all it was a wonderful trip and Im so glad Ava was able to see everyone including her great great granny Stewart, yep 5 generations. Ive learned a few things about traveling with an infant 1. always have a bottle handy 2. always have a baby einstein dvd available 3. do not take your good car seat and stroller through the airport, to bulky and it gets dirty:( Here are some pictures.

BBQ

2009-08-22T13:27:00.013-04:00

These pictures are from the BBQ we hosted on saturday before we left for vacation. It was after Stevens last day of class this summer. There are also some randoms.

BEAUTIFUL:)

2009-08-02T14:17:00.004-04:00

We went to church for the first time since Ava was born and she was perfect:) Of course we were late, but I managed to paint my toenails and color my hair before we left. She sat in my lap most of the time and I only had to stand up twice, she was being squirmy. When the music started she fell right to sleep.

3 mo old!

2009-07-29T16:45:00.015-04:00

Cannot believe she is 3 months today! Growing so fast. I am enjoying her more each day. To tell you the truth the first 2 months were rough:( Now that she has a routine, our days flow better and we have more time to play:) She is now going "night night" around 9:30 and usually doesnt eat again until 4 or 5am. She takes about 45 minute ( on the dot) naps between feedings, and just last week started napping upstairs. Her tummy troubles are better, but we still have bad days. She gets formula at night and when I work. We started with Gentlease, then Soy and now we are on Nutramigen (EXPENSIVE!). She is still fussy in the evenings but has gotten better. And she likes her car seat a little more ( thank the lord), nothing worse than driving with a screaming baby in the back seat. She enjoys her playmat and the tv, yes she loves to watch tv. Here are some recent pictures and a video of her laughing:)

Talking to mommy

2009-07-20T20:00:00.002-04:00

Little Beach Bum

2009-07-18T11:41:00.013-04:00

Ava is now 11 weeks and cuter than ever:) She is so active now. She loves to sing, lay on her play mat, walk outside, sit in her bouncer and watch mommy do chores and of course to be held. She still smiles all the time, even when she doesnt feel good, you'll see a smile followed by a little whimper and frown then another smile, its so darn cute! Her reflux seems to be better at the moment, she has less gas now and her GI bug has resolved. She is sleeping really well at night usually from about 10:30pm to 5 or 6, then back down until about 10am. Im finding it harder to get her to nap now, It's like she wants to sleep but doesnt want to stop looking at everything. She used to nap downstairs in the living room, but now Im having to taker her upstairs, and after a little fussing she is sound to sleep. Her naps usually last about 30 minutes in the morning to an hour or more in the afternoon. We recently took her to the beach for a few hours and to a Riverdogs baseball game, she did great at both. Here are some picts from the last week including her new little giraffe pool.

10 weeks

2009-07-10T20:35:00.008-04:00

Ava was 10 weeks on wednesday, amazing! We've been very busy lately, sorry we haven't updated in a while (mom). Ive started back to work :( I miss her terribly while Im gone, but I only have 3 more weeks of full time then Im going down to one shift a week in august. Aunt Brittni is still living with us, a BIG help! Ava loves her Brit Brit :) We are still dealing with her reflux and constantly changing meds and doses, hopefully we can find something that works soon. She went to the doctor today for diarrhea, yep, doody doody doody. She seems to be a little bit better today, but were keeping a close eye on her. Not sure if she had a little bug or if she just didn't like something I had eaten. She is still a little tike at 10 lbs, but continues to gain. She smiles all the time and jibber jabbers constantly. Here are some pictures of Stevens family visiting, her first band aid from her shots and some others.

Morris Island Lighthouse pictures

2009-06-26T08:11:00.007-04:00

We went to see the Morris Island Lighthouse yesterday at Folly Beach. It is only about 15 minutes from the house but we hadn't been there before. It was so pretty and a new favorite spot to take our visitors. Ava got to wear her bathing suit for the first time and she looked really cute. We put her feet in the ocean for the first time and I think she's going to be a beach bum. Here are some pictures.

More pictures

2009-06-22T09:25:00.005-04:00

Ava and Daddy Singing

2009-06-11T17:50:00.003-04:00

This has to be the cutest video ever! She loves for Steven to sing to her.

Happy Baby

2009-06-07T18:43:00.004-04:00

Every morning she wakes with a smile and I love it!

5 1/2 weeks

2009-06-06T12:51:00.009-04:00

Ava was 5 weeks on wednesday and growin like a weed. Its amazing how much she changes every day. Its sad that I only have 3 weeks left at home with her, but aunt Brittni will be here in a month (cant wait!) to spoil her when Im at work. She's been on Zantac for a week now for reflux and it seems to be helping, she still has some trouble mainly with feedings. We've had a couple of bad nights this week, screaming for 2-3 hours until she falls asleep, but last night she slept from 11 pm to 7 am!!!!! We were shocked! Here are some pictures from last weekend at IOP beach when steven ran a race for ALS, today at the farmers market, her napping in her favorite spot (our bed) and her 1 month photo.

4 weeks

2009-05-27T17:58:00.011-04:00

Ava turned 4 weeks today. We have had a good visit with grandpa James and great granny and grandpa this week. Here is a picture of Ava in the dress the great grandparents got for her and her swing grandpa James got, we were hoping she would sleep in it but so far 30 minutes is all we got, but she likes to swing and look around.

3 1/2 weeks old

2009-05-23T16:03:00.006-04:00

Wow, how fast time passes! She is almost a month old but it feels like we just brought her home last week. We had a check up on wednesday for her weight and she finally passed her birth weight, she was 7lb 5 oz. She is getting rolls on her thighs and her face is filling out, cuter every day. This past week we have had a lot of trouble with gas:( We're trying Gripe Water and gas drops, sometimes they help other times nothing helps not even bouncing and cuddling, Im told they grow out of it. Last night she screamed from 10 pm to 2 am and after a lot of prayers she fell asleep and slept until 6:30! Steven fed her a bottle this morning so I could get a 3 hour nap and now I feel like a million bucks.
Here is a picture of us and the Browns, they visited this week, we always love having them around. Alicias mom and dad drove in and stayed with them at the beach house on wednesday and thursday and they kept all 4 kids (their 3 and ava) on thursday night so we could go out to eat, THANK YOU! Much needed break.

Newborn Pictures

2009-05-15T16:07:00.006-04:00

Here are some pictures we had taken today.

Sweet Baby

2009-05-14T21:06:00.007-04:00

We haven't been out of the house much in the past two weeks, but Im starting to get more comfortable with it and she has taken well to her feeding schedule so we know we have about 2 hours from the time we leave till she needs to eat again, doesn't leave much time. Today we went to sonic for lunch then to the College of Charleston campus to walk with aunt Brittni then back home and took some pictures. So here is our sweetie at 2 weeks old with her popeye smile:)

Daddy fell... with Ava

2009-05-14T04:55:00.002-04:00

Today was interesting. It started fine, we took Ava to her 2 week checkup and she is getting her weight back. Everything looked great and she was really good for the Dr. When we got home I told Brooke that I would bring Ava inside. While I was taking her out of the car seat she spit up, which she hardly ever does, and choked a little. So I started patting her back while holding her on her side and walking toward the door. We have this big flower bed in front of the house and my right foot hit it while I was walking by. It's only by God's grace that Ava didn't launch into the air because I stumbled really hard forward and I couldn't catch myself because I had both hands on her. It happened to fast I'm not real sure what I did but when I face planted on the concrete Ava was against my chest and all the force of the impact went to my left shoulder, elbow and wrist. Ava didn't even touch the ground, at least I prayed she hadn't. That's where the more scary part comes in. Her little head was just even with a step up onto our porch. Of course it is concrete and it seemed like slow motion as I watched her and I was sure her head hit that step. As I regained my wits and looked at her I fully expected a toe curling scream but she just whimpered a bit, probably from fright. Poor Brooke didn't witness the fall but looked out the window and saw Ava and I on the ground and came running out. We looked Ava over really good and there were no marks on her head or anywhere else. She seemed fine. Daddy wasn't. After a good weeping (that was for you Alicia) on the front porch with Brooke and Ava, I went inside and doctored my bloody arm. Later that day I got the flashlight out to check Ava one more time and thought while I was at it I'd check her pupils too. She was fine. I believe in guardian angels and Ava's was holding her head today. If we had instant replay it must have been millimeters close. I'm so thankful, thank you Jesus for protecting my baby girl. From now on I'll try to only do one thing at a time.

Pretty Ava

2009-05-08T17:39:00.009-04:00

Bath Time

2009-05-07T21:12:00.001-04:00

She actually doesn't mind her baths to much and loves to have her hair washed.

More Pictures of Ava

2009-05-05T08:53:00.009-04:00

Here are some more pictures. We are loving being parents.

Ava is Home

2009-05-01T05:04:00.001-04:00

Ava's first day at home went really well as she is sleeping great and feeding with Brooke with no problem. She likes to lay on her daddy's chest and sleep. The doggies were intrigued when we first brought her in the house and they both gave her a good sniffing and will jump up and check her out when she makes noises. It's funny to watch them, oh and the cat just runs away. Brooke's mom has been a big help and she cooked us dinner last night.

Here's the pictures I promised.

Baby Daddy

2009-04-29T12:25:00.005-04:00

It feels good to be a baby daddy. I love this little girl.

On another note, for those 4 of you who picked 7lbs - 7lbs 8oz, you win! Well, you don't really win anything except bragging rights but hey, that's important too. And 14 of you picked the right week.

More pictures to come soon.

Baby Ava is Here

2009-04-29T04:09:00.006-04:00

Baby Ava was born on April 29th, 2009 at 12:32 am and weighed 7lbs 3oz. Brooke did great and was a trooper after a very long 28 hours of labor. We are so excited to have her with us and she is being spoiled rotten already. I (Steven) gave her a bath for the first time and she fell asleep while I was washing her hair. She is very sweet and we are excited to show her off. Thanks for all your support and prayers. We love you all. Steven & Brooke

38 weeks

2009-04-27T16:14:00.004-04:00

We are about 38 1/2 weeks today, had another OB visit and Im finally making some change, wooohooo! I know it doesn't necessarily mean anything, but hey its something and it gives me hope that within the next week and a half I will go into labor on my own:) We pretty much have everything around the house ready for the little one. The weather has been great, so we spent the day outside working on the flower beds and patio, I love summer time! Steven worked his last night on saturday so now he has to study hard for his final next wednesday, have to say Im gonna miss our midnight lunches together:( Here is a picture from today.

Ready for Ava

2009-04-15T12:07:00.003-04:00

Hi, it's Steven. I haven't posted in a while since I've been slowly dying from taking Organic Chemistry. Brooke and I are both so ready for Ava to be here. We reached 37 weeks yesterday by our count, which has her due May 5th though the OB has the 9th. So really any day now would be great and waiting has never been my strength so I'm feeling really anxious and excited and just ready to see her. Of course, Brooke will probably go all the way until the last day and make me wait even more though I know she is just as ready as me to get this show on the road. Our friends from small group are 2 weeks ahead of us and we had some laughs with them last night about the different "methods" (old wives tales) of bringing on labor. Ava's room is pretty much done and that girl is spoiled rotten already. The only things we have left to do are clean the house and car b/c they are filthy and I have my last test and then final in organic. Oh how I hate that class. Instead of waterboarding terrorists they should just make them sit through hours of organic lectures. That would break their will for sure.

I'm starting to get worried about the Razorback baseball team. After starting so hot and moving up to top 10 in the country we've dropped 3 in a row. Brooke and I got to watch them play a couple weeks ago against SC in Columbia and that was a lot of fun. We sat with the Tschepikows (Ben's parents) and got to catch up with them. Brooke and their middle son Kyle went to school together and Brittni and their youngest Ben (who plays 2nd base for the Razorbacks) were the same age. I think every team has a period like this during a long season and I'm confident they'll perk back up and finish strong in the SEC. The goal is to host a super regional so well have home field advantage all the way until the CWS.

Guess that's all I know for now. I'm fixing to study (torture) myself... only 3 more weeks.

36 weeks!

2009-04-10T03:11:00.003-04:00

Wow! We are now 36 weeks, only a month to go ( if she holds out that long), Its hard to believe that were here already. Just last month I made the comment that it felt like time was dragging and now Im shocked that were this far. I can definitely tell that she is getting bigger, besides the 8 lb weight gain in two weeks, Im finding it much more difficult to get comfortable when I sleep and to breathe. I feel her little bum under my left ribs and her feet under the right. We had an OB visit on wednesday and everything still looks good. Unfortunately my cervix is still closed, but she was able to feel her head , thankfully she is positioned correctly:) We are going weekly now, so our next visit is monday. Yesterday I had to go buy a few more maternity clothes, I've outgrown the ones I got last month, what????? We also got her stroller, car seat, changing table pad, beach tent, sun shade, bumbo, playmat and several other items and boy did we spend a fortune! She is an expensive little girl already. I finished organizing her closet with some cute pink bins and its already full of stuff. Monday night we had our first birthing class, fun, fun. Steven just had to bring up the fact that "some women poop on themselves during delivery", everyone chuckled and it led to a long discussion about using enemas during labor, it was lovely:) We will be updating the blog weekly now and we will put up a pole for her birthweight next week, so make sure you vote. By the way, I say she will come the first week in may and weigh about 8lbs.

Ava's Shower

2009-04-05T21:12:00.016-04:00

I just got back from Ava's last shower tonight. Thanks to Tara for hosting the shower and all the other gals from work for all the great food and gifts! I had a great time. Here are the picts and an updated picture of the nursery.

Brooke's New Haircut

2009-04-01T15:29:00.004-04:00

I haven't had a haircut since october, so I was way over due. I know they say not to do anything drastic while your pregnant, but I just couldn't take it anymore, long and straight and I wore it up every day, no lie. So this is what I decided to do today and it feels much better! I plan on getting it colored again after Ava comes, haven't had that done since last summer.

Week 34 Belly

2009-03-26T00:07:00.000-04:00

Crafty Me

2009-03-19T23:25:00.005-04:00

Im not usually the crafty type, but for some reason I have this urge to make cute things for Ava's room. This was my first project, its a holder for her bows and headbands and its hanging right inside the door of her closet. Im pretty proud of myself and I already have ideas for my next project.

Our first visitors of the year.

2009-03-18T16:41:00.007-04:00

Steven's aunt and uncle Anita and Randy visited charleston today. We had a great time showing them the downtown area and eating at our favorite restaurant Fleet Landing. It was such a beautiful day. Here are some pictures including my newest purchase for the nursery.

Nursery Progress

2009-03-11T19:57:00.008-04:00

We have spent the last week painting the nursery and finally finished putting things back in their place. We still have a few things to buy like a rug, lamp and wall decor, but Im loving how it looks! So girly! We had our 32 week apt. today and everything looks good. We will continue to go every two weeks until 36 weeks then we will go weekly. Time is flying by. Here are the picts.

Final Beard Pic

2009-03-02T08:34:00.003-05:00

Week 30

2009-02-25T23:09:00.004-05:00

Here is Stevens beard week 3.

We had our 30 week apt. today and everything looked good. Here is my belly, 5lbs heavier than last month:)

It's Baseball Time

2009-02-24T05:42:00.006-05:00

Baseball season is here and I'm really excited about the Hog's chances this year. They just swept their first series against a good Washington St. team and host Kansas this week. When I was growing up I was always a St. Louis Cardinals fan and in the 90's jumped on the Atlanta Braves bandwagon as they went on to win 15 or so division titles in a row and a world series. I've decided that I need to pick a team and stick with them so I'll be pulling for the Cardinals from now on. Plus, when we get back to NW Arkansas it's not too far of a drive to spend a weekend in St. Louis and watch a few games.

Speaking of baseball, Brooke and I hope that Ava will like sports. I'm going to get her a softball bat and glove from day 1 and a basketball too, those are my two favorite female sports. Brooke and I were both athletic and played sports in school so hopefully those genes will pass on to Ava. I guess it will be okay if she's into dance or something but we're really hoping she avoids the whole cheerleader gig, way too much drama for me. Guess I should return that lil' Razorback cheerleader outfit someone got her :)

Donate for the Babies.

2009-02-18T00:41:00.009-05:00

I know money is tight for everyone right now, that's why fundraising is so important because good programs need support. Please consider making a donation for the MUSC Children's Hospital fundraiser "Beards for Babies." The pictures I've posted are from the last 2 weeks of me not shaving and the fundraiser (and beard growth) continues until the end of the month. I'm going for the Chuck Norris look.

CLICK HERE to DONATE
Steven Johnson is the beard grower

While I'm at it, I'll post some good Chuck Norris jokes:
- When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
- Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that's why there are no signs of life there.
- Chuck Norris doesnt sleep. He waits.
- Chuck Norris' calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd. No one fools Chuck Norris.
- Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

Ava's Crib

2009-02-16T23:51:00.003-05:00

We picked up Ava's crib today and put it together. Here's a photo.

Week 2 Beard

2009-02-16T14:47:00.004-05:00

Here's a picture after 2 weeks.

Beautiful Weather

2009-02-13T07:44:00.008-05:00

This has been a wonderful week for us. The weather has been beautiful and we have had 4 days off together to enjoy it. We've been walking everyday either at the county park or the beach. The pictures are from yesterdays beach walk. We hit the jackpot of sand dollars and found 4 of them.

Chuck Norris Beard, week 1

2009-02-09T00:52:00.003-05:00

I favor Chuck Norris, don't you think? This is week 1 of growth. Brooke digs it!

Beards for Babies

2009-02-05T08:06:00.003-05:00

Hi guys, I'm participating in MUSC's Children's Hospital "Beards for Babies" and I need your help. All of the money donated goes to help these kids and it's a great cause. You can donate by clicking HERE (please put Steven Johnson as the name of the beard grower)

All of the men that are participating don't shave for the month of Feb... I'll post a picture each week of the progress I'm making. You'll like the blonde hair and red beard, must have some Irish in me somewhere.

Click here to view the Beards for Babies website.

Moving Belly

2009-02-04T08:37:00.003-05:00

Ava was really active last night, so we decided to video a little.

What's on my mind

2009-01-30T09:01:00.002-05:00

This is Steven, I don't have anything particular to write about today but just lots of thoughts. It's been a challenging week, I have an organic chemistry and abnormal psychology test today. Then I get to work all weekend (nights) and do it all over again next week. I feel like I'm running a rat race and it's getting old. But I also have many things to be thankful for this week - my stepdad had knee replacement surgery and the surgery went very well and he is doing fine; Brooke and Ava are healthy and we're having a lot of fun with the pregnancy and planning for her to get here; I'll be in PA school in just over 3 months; we have a great small group and church here in Charleston.

Life is such an adventure and really needs to be cherished every day. I get so caught up in planning my life that sometimes I forget to live it. I haven't mentioned my cousin Jason on the blog since he passed away this summer but I think about him every day. He was such a fun person who really did live his life to the fullest. He had a really neat way about him where he could encourage you and make you feel so special. When he and Christi (his wife) welcomed their little boy Jack into the world last February he asked me whether Brooke and I had talked about having children anytime soon. We had actually just decided to "see what happens" and he was the first person I told. He was more excited than I was and every few weeks he would ask me if we were still trying. He died just a few weeks before we found out and I know he would have been ecstatic.

Jason was a pilot and he loved his job second only to family, friends, and God. And he was great at flying. Ever since we were kids he could tell you exactly what plane was flying overhead and everything about it. He would sit in the upstairs room at his house with a radio scanner and listen to the pilots talk to the tower. I always envied him for knowing exactly what he wanted to do with his life and giving it all he had. Not many people have careers they planned as toddlers but Jason did and he started flying in high school and never stopped.

Well, I'm about to walk out the door and go take my test. I'm feeling pretty stressed about it, but I'll keep telling myself it only matters for a little while. Life is too short to fret about a grade, just give it your best shot and move on. When it's all said and done, the most important things are family, friends, and faith. The constant they share is love and relationship. God is good, all the time.

25 weeks update

2009-01-21T15:00:00.009-05:00

We had our apt. on monday and it was all good news. I only gained 3 lbs this month, my blood pressure is great and Ava's heartbeat sounded wonderful. I found out today that I passed my glucose test (thank goodness, don't think I could drink that syrup again). We have another apt. in late february then we start going every 2 weeks and Im sure time will start to fly by at that point. Steven is keeping busy with school and has his first test in organic chem. on friday, he could use some prayers. Hope all of you back home are managing to keep warm. We love you all!

We are now 25 weeks:) We have our next Ob appt. on monday. Ava's been moving alot and is estimated to be 13.5 inches and 1.5 lbs! Im still feeling great (except for the occasional back ache). We only have a few things left to buy like furniture, stroller and bedding, all of which Im having a hard time making up my mind. We've finally finished a couple of our projects and took a few pictures. We still have to do the flooring on the stairs and in Ava's room, thankfully we have a few months left to complete them. OH, and we got snow flurries yesterday:)

Confirmed Girl.

2009-01-11T19:00:00.002-05:00

I got another ultrasound at work lastnight for fun and we confirmed that it is a girl. I am now ready to start painting the nursery (and by I, I mean Steven). Ive unpacked all of the gifts and sorted clothes by size and she is pretty much set on 0-6mo stuff. I had fun putting outfits together with headbands and socks, I cant wait to dress her. Steven and I just finished putting down new flooring in our bedroom and bathroom and we have ordered some for the stairs, so we will upload some pictures soon. Were trying to get all of the house projects done before april. Steven starts school tomorrow, so we wont have as much free time, slowly but surely they will get completed. Ive been feeling really good lately and I hope it continues. Ava is moving like crazy now and you can actually see my belly move, I love it! We have our next apt. on january 26th and will have diabetes testing at that time, so please pray that I pass.

A Christmas Belly

2008-12-30T01:03:00.008-05:00

We had our 22 week apt. today and thanks to Christmas I managed to gain a whopping 9 lbs! Is that even possible to do in 4 weeks? Im not going to complain though, I fed our little girl some great food that we probably wont taste again for another year. We had a wonderful visit back home and a great surprise shower. Thank you to Britt, Alicia and Stef for hosting the shower. We received so many gifts and now Im in the process of cleaning out the nursery closet to make room for everything. So here are a few pictures and if you have any please send them to us. I need them for the scrapbook.