Ava's Bikini;)

We went swimming at YaYa's! She had outgrown her smaller bathing suit so two piece it was! Precious! She loved the pool!

Ava 6 Months!

Happy 6 Month Birthday Angel Girl!!

(post is one day early)
Your Dad and I adore you so much!  You bring such JOY to our lives!  You are a little bit of Heaven to us!  Here are some of the things you are up to these days....

You love bath time:)

You love to laugh-- laughing spontaneously a lot!

You have a new found expression of pure excitement!- Your eyes get really big and you smile like you just saw the coolest thing ever!
You are still totally into blowing your bubbles, it has just intensified!  Several times this week, I have come back in the room after you have been on a blowing bubble fest and found huge drops/ puddles of saliva all over your forehead!:)  

You are sitting up!  Last week one day you sat up for 10 minutes straight and since then, you are sitting up all the time and finding your center when you start to wobble!  You are loving the new found perspective and independence!

You are still stubborn about rolling over, only tummy to back and still not very often.

You are eating rice cereal once a day, occasionally two and you so far love apples and pears mixed in with it!

You still love taking walks and just being outside!

You enjoyed watching my old team play this past week and would join in with high pitched squeals while they would celebrate!

Sophie, the giraffe, "teething toy", has quickly become a new favorite!

You can take small little sips out of my water bottle if I help you!

We have introduced a learner, sippy cup, but you mainly just want to chew on that funky shaped nipple:)!

You are enjoying your swing, bouncer, and exersaucer more and more everyday!

Currently, your  new favorite song is "The Ants Go Marching One By One!"

Your favorite books are Bouncy Baby and Daddy Loves Me!

You enjoy your baby DVD's but would still choose baseball or sports center over them!

You love to dance in Daddy's arms!

And....

You are finally becoming a little more cuddly-- I will continue to hope and pray that you will one day love to cuddle:)!

Height and Weight are currently unknown.  I will try to update those sometime next week and no later than August 3rd when we go in for your 6 month checkup.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart, We LOVE you!

Here are a few pics of lately.....

Loving her ability to sit up, she is proud!

Helping Dad with his telecast for work!

And finally... today's 6 month pic!  I was just gonna post one, but the photo shoot was to priceless, enjoy!

So happy...

being sweet...

blowing bubbles and smirking...

starting to wonder when this will end....

ATTITUDE, okay mom, I am getting sick of this! (lol)...

but, I will be an angel for this last one!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

The 4th, Family, Friends, and Random Thoughts....

It has been a while once again!

We have been busy visiting friends and family and it has been alot of FUN! 

We went for a short trip to Dallas a few weekends ago to visit the Ratliff and Farrell families!  They are both great friends of ours from college and the Abilene area and both recently moved to Dallas!  We spent time with just Haylee and Kendall and then a few hours with Amanda, Kaycin, and Madi!  It was so good to see them.  They are two of my very dear friends who are also stay at home moms.  It was hard when they left and much needed quality time.  Haylee and I both felt refreshed after our weekend together and had an extra boost of desire and energy for life!  Here are all the sweet kids that were in town of our three families.  The other two Ratliff kiddos, Raegan and Stone, were at the lake with grandparents. 

Best one I got- you know how that goes!

Kaycin Farrell (2), Madi Farrell (1), Kendall Ratliff (18 months), Ava Campbell (5.5 months)

We went to Gatesville and Temple for the 4th and 5th to celebrate Independence Day with Jason's side of the family!  It was so good to see them, we don't get to often enough!  We stayed at GJ's new house in Gatesville!  We visited the Richardson's and all their kiddos and saw a few other family members. 

Once again, best shot (lol)

Kennedy (almost 3), Alex (1), Ava, and Savannah (5)

Our Festive Girl!

Shout out to Shelley Gowens for the patriotic bow!

We didn't get any pics with GJ, but I think someone did, I will try to hunt one down.

Ava missed a couple naps on the fourth with the travel, etc..  She was so tired she went to bed at 5:30- slept until 4:30 then again until 7:20.  She then woke up and played until 9 where she slept two hours!  Craziness! 

Ava and I then headed to Houston!  We stayed with my Aunt Vicki and Uncle Doug because that's where my parents had been living while waiting on their new house renovations to be complete!  Ava and I both loved the unique situation of being surrounded by so much family!  We got to see Jay, Jamie and Josiah the first night we got there!  We are in love with the little man.  (All pics of Blackburn clan are too grainy to even attempt posting). Lance and Kayla stayed two nights and then Betho and Cody showed up on Saturday.  We don't get to spend nearly enough time together and it was such a treat!  Ava loved all the attention of the Freede and Martin Clan and she also had a few other visitors in Aunt Cheryl  and my bestie, Aunt Court!  She loved Courtney and just cuddled with her, so sweet! 

Ava and I spending time with my bestie, Aunt Courtney:)

Playtime with YaYa and Pappa

Aunt Betho loving on Ava

Aunt K loving on Ava

The three sisters (my mom and two Aunts) playing with Aves

Anyhow, it was a good and relaxing trip!  Thanks Freede's for opening your home to Ava, myself, and a whole lot of baby "stuff"! 

Next time we will get to stay at my parents new house for the first time and we are excited about that! 

Now my random thoughts...

It seems like all my friends with kiddos in town are always busy at different times than us and Ava and I are desperate for more social  and play time with others.  I am going to make more of an advanced effort on my part though and try to remedy the situation. 

God has been speaking to me alot about embracing where our life is currently.  For awhile I was kinda just floating thinking we would be moving soon, but for whatever reasons God has us here in Abilene for the time being. Who knows how long it will be?!  So, I am finally listening and going to embrace it and pour into my friends, old players, etc.. more than I have been.  I am sure God is looking down half-smirking, half-frustrated wondering why He is having to teach me this lesson again!  Why are we so stubborn and forgetful of the things of the Lord sometimes? Thank You God for your unconditional love and your patience!

Season for my old team is just around the corner.  It is going to start getting harder for me as it approaches and I am not apart of the volleyball aspect!  I loved it and miss it! For so long I have been wishing there was a way I could be involved.  However, God has opened the door for me to continue spiritually mentoring several of the girls!  Of course the volleyball would be fun, but I always loved the ministry aspect of the job just as much as the volleyball and they are still reaching out in that way! I mean what an AWESOME opportunity for God to speak through me and use me to touch the lives of these young women!  Please be praying for my lunches and time I have with the different players!  I want God to be able to use me as his vessel in mighty ways for His glory and I feel He intends to, I just don't know exactly how yet!  

Ava is almost 6 months old and I can't believe it!  She is growing so much, becoming a lot more social, sitting up without support here and there, eating rice cereal, and so much more!  I will give a lot more details when I post a 6 month update! 

Saw Eclipse last night!  It was great!  Can't wait for the next one! 

Also, if you can't tell by the grainy appearance of my photos, I need a new camera! 

Anyhow, I better go now!  This post has been long enough! 

Adios!