birthdays and baby shower

First of all let me say Adam passed his final TVA oral board last Thursday. His training is over. We are SOOO proud of him!!

We had a busy weekend!! Friday we went to Atlanta. Friday night the whole family went out to eat at the Italian Oven for my birthday. My birthday is today and Jeremy's is Thursday, but the weekend was the time we celebrated. It was good, you can't go wrong with Italian in my opinion. Saturday was Rachel and Andy's baby shower. Me and Ava went to that and enjoyed seeing all the cute stuff for baby Gabriel. I did some quick shopping on the way back to the house. Saturday night we enjoyed a nice dinner at a place in Atlanta called Wisteria. It was very good gourmet home cooking. I had pasta in a arugula pesto sauce. Jeremy had skate (a type of fish). We also had some sinful dessert. It was awesome. We enjoyed our dinner and time together. After dinner Jeremy took us to a place I love to shop in Buckhead. Nana and Pawpaw Estes kept Ava for us while we enjoyed dinner. They of course enjoyed the time with her and we enjoyed a quiet dinner. Sunday we went to church and then made our way home. Ava made the trip good.

Oh and Saturday Ava turned 10 months old. I took some quick pictures....gotta keep up the tradition. :)

SNOW!

Ava experienced her first snow this week! It started snowing Thursday and is still on the ground today. We only got maybe an inch or so but it was pretty. I couldn't resist, I had to take her out in it. She just stared at it all. Adam made a snow ball and let her lick it. I just stood back cringing, but let him do it. I was like Nicole don't think about what might be in that snow, she will be ok :)

I was so proud we got to use her snowsuit. My aunt bought it for her in California and I LOVE it!!

I worked Thursday and Friday so I didn't get out and play in it.....although the inner child in me really wanted too!!!!

Happy New Year

Wow, 2009 was so full of ups and downs. The most memorable was the birth of our baby girl, Ava. This year has been the hardest but most life altering year of my life. I can honestly say that! We are so proud that Ava is a healthy and happy baby. I am so thankful for that. So when I look back on the year that stands out the most.

So like always with time comes changes. So many things have changed this year. Some for the better and some heartbreaking.

I hope 2010 holds many great things for our family. We are looking forward to Ava's first birthday, Adam moving into his permanent job at TVA, the birth of another Estes baby, and a plethora of other things unknown.

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!

Wrap up Christmas

Adam, Ava, and poppa dub

Riding her new toy

All those boxes are Ava's gifts!!

The girls playing with the train

Daddy playing

Uncle Andy playing with Ava

Opening her gift

Andy and Rachel

Playing with Pawpaws camera

We are on our way home from our last Christmas. I feel guilty saying this but I am kind of glad. I am so ready to get home and just have everything back to normal. This last week or so has been so hectic. So anyways, we had a great Christmas with PawPaw and Nanadette. Ava got SO many gifts. She got so much I was overwhelmed so I know she was. The hard part is taking it all home and figuring out what to do with it all. We really enjoyed our time even though it was short. We would have stayed longer but Adam has training in the morning so we had to go home.

I included pictures from the Christmas yesterday and today.

Christmas 2009

The elves hard at work :)

My grandma with Ava

Christmas morning

Playing Christmas morning

Presents!!!

Chillin with pawpaw

Mom and her kitchenaid mixer

Adam with his rifle mom and dad got him

Jeremy cheesin

Me with my baby

Opening all her gifts

Playing with Nanas little tree

Playing with more stuff

Ava's first Christmas was so awesome!! Thursday we went to mom and dads. We ate and did presents. She got so much!!!!!!!! She just played and played for a long time. Dad went overboard with his toy buying for her. It was funny because he didn't realize some of the toys had to be assembled. I have a pic of Adam, Dad, and Jeremy all working like little elves putting together toys. I thought it was funny. We hurried home Christmas Eve night to get Ava in her Christmas pajamas and into bed. We all woke up early Christmas morning. Adam had this breakfast recipe he wanted to try so he cooked that while I got Ava fed and changed. Me and Adam exchanged gifts while she took a nap. He got me a gift card to Anthropologie(a store I love to shop in) and gift cards to the Westin Spa at Bridgestreet. I am SOOO excited to use those gift cards. He said he would keep Ava while I enjoyed a day to myself. I will so hold him to his words. LOL I got him cologne, a gift card and some other stuff. So to the main event, Ava woke up and played with her toys. She loved them all but really loved the box they came in :) We went to my grandmothers for Christmas. It was such a good day.

I will apologize in advance for the all the pictures.....I get carried away. And these are just some from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I will have to upload all the rest later.

Today we went to Aunt Brenda's house for the Estes Christmas.

We are on our way to ATL for a quick overnight trip. We are doing Christmas with Adams parents and family tomorrow.

Pics

I almost forgot to share the link to Ava's pictures. I was just so rushed to get these pics back and ordered for Christmas Cards. To all that are reading this if you didn't get a Christmas Card I am sorry. We only had 25 cards and it was VERY hard narrowing the list.

Check out the pics. Go to ajpbaby.com. then click on Proofs, find photos, Nicole then the password is Estes.

We had a really hard time picking from these pictures. We loved them!!!

We have an exciting and busy week ahead. I can't wait for Christmas this year!!! We finished our shopping up yesterday so I am ready to get all the fun started.

Ava is 9 Months

Today my little baby is 9 Months old!! Wow how did we get here so fast?

I remember being pg and thinking about her first Christmas. Now its only days away, and I hope and pray me and her are both well by then. We are both still suffering with runny noses and coughing. She finds it funny when I cough and blow my nose. She freaks out when she even sees me get the tissue to wipe hers :)

I have a feeling we aren't far from her first steps. She is pulling up on EVERYTHING. She is so independent too.

Honestly I am ready for the Christmas tree and presents to be GONE. Those are her new found curiosities. She is in them every time I turn around. Yesterday I turned my head for a moment and she had a present in her hand almost ripping in half.