Having fun with our toys

At one month we're already starting to interact with our Baby Einstein Floor Mat.

As you can see, she's going to be a genius.

Well maybe we spoke too soon.

We love to swing too!

Fast asleep. Peace and quiet. Music to Mommy's ears.



At two months we're almost sitting up on our own in our Bumbo Seat.

At three months we're sitting up independently and reaching for our toys.

Avery's First Bath

After our first quiet night in the hospital, Geoff and I naively convinced ourselves that Avery wouldn't be much of a crier. "What a peaceful angel," we'd whisper to ourselves as we watched her mewl like a kitten.

Little did we know such a tiny creature could make such a loud noise!!!

Needless to say, she was not initally a fan of bathtime.

Granners and Grandad Shaw Come to Visit

We were so excited to have Granners and Grandad (Queta and Ron) come all the way from North Carolina to visit just 5 days after Avery was born!!! We even got to celebrate Queta's 70th birthday with her while they were out. They stayed with us for a week and graciously entertained Avery in the mornings while Mommy and Daddy got a few more winks of sleep. Thank you both so much.

Here is Granner Queta with Avery.



Time to play...






















and now time to nap.
















What a precious, little angel.














We're pooped.

Nice and cozy on Grandad's chest.

Looking our Sunday best for church (notice the adorable blue, nursery rhyme blanket Avery's wrapped in...it was made especially by Granners). I love how Avery's looking up at Queta in this picture!!!

Here we are saying goodbye on their last day in CA before their flight home.

We were so sad to see them go. It's not easy being so far away from family, but it makes the time we do have together even more special. We all love you very much and hope it won't be long before we get to see you again.

Avery's First Week at Home

On our first day home, Grandpa Bruce, Grandma

Heather, Auntie Taylor, and Uncle Cole came over and brought us some dinner...Tacos!!! It was so nice to eat real food again, although I have to say Kaiser did treat us to a very tasty dinner with some sparkling cider that night in Post Partum.

Here is Avery with Grandma Heather.

Our friends, Sarah (pictured to the right) and Emily (pictured below), also came by to visit us on our first day home.

Breaking in her new swing

(Geoff and I couldn't believe how alert she was from day one. Look at how wide awake she is in this picture!)

Later that week, Breanne's friend, Andrea, came to

meet Avery.

Chillin' with daddy

Avery and Breanne's friend, Courtney

Avery curled up on Grandpa Bruce's shoulder during a movie while he uses my Boppy as a neck pillow

In the words of Audrey Zoschke, the world's most delicious burrito.

Avery Joelle Shaw

I was told by my friend Carrie that I REALLY needed to update our blog because our last entry dated back to October 2008, almost three months ago. She's absolutely right! A lot has happened to us since Halloween. Our family has since grown by one and we've been busy adapting to this big change in the midst of celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years with friends and family. Oh, my dear blogging friends, it's been too long. So let me briefly update you on what's been going on in the Shaw household these past few months...

Here she is, our new addition...Avery Joelle Shaw. Born Monday, November 10, 2008 @ 1008 am, 7 lbs 20.5 inches, at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Woodland Hills, CA. After a mere 36 hours of labor (only 5 of which were considered "active"), she finally decided to grace us with her presence.

Here she is getting her first physical assessment. When the Nurse Midwife broke my water at 6 cm they found meconium in the fluid (baby's first stool). Often times this is the baby's response to the stress of labor. When meconium is present the doctors are concered about the baby aspirating (inhaling) some of the contents. They had a pediatrician on hand to assess her immediately following delivery to make sure she was ok, and, as you can see, she was perfect. Apgar scores of 8/10 after 1 minute and 9/10 after 5 minutes.

Avery and Mommy

Avery and Daddy

Avery with Grandma Heather and Grandpa Bruce

Avery, Uncle Cole & Devon

Avery and Auntie Taylor

Some More Visitors While in the Hospital:

Great-Aunt Lynn

Erica, Avery's Second Cousin

We were blessed to have so many friends and family visit us on our ONE night in the hospital. We're sorry we didn't get pictures with everyone, but among those who came were Great-Uncle Jerry and Kurt (another second cousin), Cyndi Hayes and her lovely girls, Delaney and Camden, Ross and Audrey DeRoche, Larry and Sherryl Shaw and some of Mommy's coworkers from the Infusion Center.

Getting burped by Daddy

AAAHHHH...that feels much better!

Now it's time for a nap

All ready for our first car ride home

Even though it was a long, painful, emotional process, Geoff and I felt everything went as well as could be expected with regards to our first labor and delivery experience. Maybe even bettter than expected. Sure it hurt worse than I could have ever imagined, there was lots of noise and writhing and Geoff's hand was slightly crippled in the process, but then there was the EPIDURAL, the DILATION, and the beautiful words we'd been so eagerly waiting 9 months to hear...it's time to PUSH!!! After only 1 1/2 hours of pushing we both saw the light at the end of the tunnel...our beautiful, healthy baby girl, Avery, had finally entered the world. Ahhh, thank you, Lord. Relief, elation, tears of joy...everything was as it should be. What more could two people ask for? It was at that moment that Geoff and I looked at each other and realized our lives would never again be the same, that they would forever be changed, and in that same instant we discovered that it's true what they say...it really is all worth it in the end!

TO BE CONTINUED...

Halloween Party at the Reisers

This is what Geoff and I went as for Halloween. Can anyone guess who we're supposed to be? If you didn't see the movie chances are you'll probably just think we went as a pregnant girl with no sense of style who loves slurpees and a guy who likes to wear short shorts...

Nope...we went as Juno and Bleaker from the movie "Juno".

All the girls dressed up for Halloween (from left to right): Cyndi (The Biker Chic), Cami (princess), Michelle (Pirate Wench), Allison (Vampiress), Taylor (The Mad Hatter), Emily (Elphaba from Wicked), Breanne (Juno), Reagan (Cinderella), Kristin (Geisha Girl), Makenna (Snow White), Delaney (Belle), Sarah (Betty Rubble).

Halloween 2008

This is what our front porch consisted of in regards to Halloween decor. It's not much I know, but it's something.

Watch out for the spider web, there's black widows in it...just trust me...you can't see them from here, but they're there.

This is the pumpkin Breanne spent all day working on. Can you even tell what it is? It's supposed to be a PHANTOM.

OOOHHHH...SSSPPPOOOKKKYYY