Who does she look like?

When Anna and Maddie were born, the question of who does she look like always pointed to Erik or I, but since the day Ava was born the question now is whether she looks more like Anna or Maddie. From day 1 I have thought Ava looks more like Maddie but it is always fun to go back and look at the pictures. Here are my beautiful girls...

1 week old:



2 1/2 to 4 weeks old:





Who's Who...
1 weeks old - Anna, Ava, Maddie
2 1/2 weeks old - Ava, Maddie, Anna

Soccer

This fall we started doing soccer through Kickin' for the Cross at Bayleaf Baptist. The girls have done soccer at the Factory which is mainly a skills session rather than scrimmage and so we thought we would try "outdoor soccer". Coming the week of Ava's birth, I was not able to make the first session but loved hearing the stories and seeing the pictures from their first time.

Anna was a blueberry:


Maddie was a strawberry and apparently very aggressive out on the field. She scored 3 goals including one where 2 girls were standing in the net :).




Water break with friends:

Ava's first week

We have been so blessed by friends this past week with visits, meals and help with the girls which have all made our first week with Ava go fairly smoothly. At her doctor visit she was back up to her birth weight of 6 lbs 5 ounces which was an impressive gain of 7 ounces in 5 days. She is a good baby that eats well and sleeps great... as long as you are holding her :). I am loving my nighttime cuddles so it's hard to complain.

Anna and Maddie are adjusting well. I love how they come home from school and immediately want to know where Ava is so they can give her a kiss. Anna enjoys holding her, until she cries.


It has been a wonderful first week home with Ava.

Maddie's First Day of Preschool

Tuesday, September 4th was Maddie's first day of preschool at Open Door. We were excited that she had the same teachers as Anna did last year, Mrs. Stacie and Mrs. Cherie. She also had 2 good friends in the class with her, Connor and Sidney.

With Ava arriving 2 weeks early, Maddie had a big first week with a new baby sister, playtime at friends' houses, a sleepover and an ear infection. Other memories of the first week include learning the chicken dance, swinging on the playground swings and keeping her worm on green.

Big Sisters

Anna and Maddie are super excited that their little sister is finally here. It's so fun to have them walk in the door from school or somewhere and immediately come look for Ava.

Ava Kathryn Burckart

Ava is here! She was born on Tuesday, September 4th at 10:03 p.m., 2 weeks and 2 days early. She weighed 6 lbs 5 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches long. She is absolutely adorable with her dark hair and petite features.


On Tuesday I dropped Maddie off for her first day of preschool (blog post to come)and headed to the doctor for my weekly appointment. I had had contractions the previous night to which the doc on call told me that if they weren't painful to "take a benadryl and go to bed". That night I slept very little but made it through. At my appointment, I had not progressed very far (2-3 centimeters) but my strep b test had come back positive which meant I needed at least 4 hours of penicillan via IV and since the contractions had been going on for awhile they sent me straight to the hospital. We then spent hours "just hanging out" and waiting for the penicillan to be done and the consistent contractions to begin. Here's my last picture with a baby belly:


Around 6:30 p.m. they considered me in labor. A few hours after that the pain began and so did the epidural. Unfortunately, the epidural didn't full take until it was time to push (which isn't the most convenient time). I pushed for 4 contractions and there she was! The proud parents: