6 months ago today.....

......I was handed a trembling and sobbing tiny baby. It is still hard to believe that that little wisp of a girl is the same fiesty wild child that we know and love today. She has come so far in such a little time. But has it really only been 6 months? I can hardly remember what life was like without her here and she now acts like she has been a part of us forever. She is turning into a little chatterbox and is absorbing her new language like a sponge. She is now able to count to 10, is saying complete sentences and is learning her colors. She is able to change the settings on any cell phone or camera faster than anything I've ever seen. Whenever she does something that she feels derserves praise, (such as throwing away important papers, or changing the television channel in the middle of my favorite show) she emphatically yells "you're welcome!" until I say, "Thank you". Ava is finally letting us say a few Chinese phrases to her without throwing a fit. I still don't quite understand why she was so resistant to it initially, but I would love for her to retain some of her Chinese language, even if it's a tiny bit.
I will update soon with Christmas pics and her medical report from testing that was done in St. Louis a couple of weeks ago and again this morning.

birthday video

Cakes, Castles, and Crowns!!

Whew! A lot has happened since my last post! Firstly, we finally were able to make our annual Disney trip, albeit a little late. We had some priority, ahem, business to tend to this past summer. We were thrilled that we were finally able to bring along our little princess, though! Ava was a little overwhelmed initially with all of the new sights, sounds, and usual controlled chaos of Disney, but by the end of the week, she was right into the swing of things. We had to peel her off all of the characters after her initial reluctance. It was an amazing week with our family, my sister and her family, and my mom and step dad. We look forward to our next trip in June.

On our drive home, we stopped in Nashville, TN for a visit with some families from our China travel group. It was a mini-reunion, of sorts, and had a fabulous time catching up with them all. It is amazing how strong of a bond you form with people you've known for just a few months!!! I had always heard about it, but don't think I truly believed it until I experienced it for myself.

We also had to find a Quick Care clinic in Nashville for little Ava, another UTI, and she was very uncomfortable. After getting a prescription for a $300 antibiotic, YIKES, we were finally able to return to our home sweet home.

Our Thanksgiving this year was especially sweet with our new addition. We discovered that Ava loves turkey and dressing, HA. It has also been fun introducing her to our traditions of Christmas. It took her awhile to figure out why we suddenly had a huge tree sitting inside of the house. She would just look at it inquisitively and try to pluck any and every ornament off of it.

Another milestone occurred the first week of this month. Ava turned 2 on the 5th!!!! She had a ball at her party we hosted at our church and for once LOVED being the center of attention. The presents were a new concept for her, but once she got a taste, there was no stopping her. Her birthday also brought about some bittersweet thoughts of a woman half a world away who was no doubt wondering about the precious angel she was forced to give up. I wish there was some way for me to thank her for the miracle she created in this tiny girl. I want her to know just how loved her baby is today and how truly happy she is. I just pray she will somehow know all of this.

Okay, now for an update on Ava's latest health issues. We went to Cardinal Glennon last Thursday for bladder function tests. We were SO pleased with the level of service we received at this wonderful children's hospital! We were told what we had suspected all along...Ava has a neurogenic bladder. The nurse specialist with the urology department and SB(Spina Bifida) clinic sat and talked quite awhile with us and discussed our plan of action. We return on the 28th for further testing to see at what level her bladder is functioning. We did find out that her kidneys looked perfect, praise God! Her Dr. said she is most likely a candidate for a new surgery performed for this condition but will be done when she's closer to school age. Considering the severity of neurological damage her congenital diagnosis often brings, this little bladder issue seems so minuscule. The nurse said her SB issues were so minor compared to so many others and she was a very lucky little girl. We are so thankful God has protected her and brought her so far in such a little time .

The more I've gotten to know our Ava, the more I'm convinced that she was created to be a Stubblefield. From the second that her little heart began beating, the moment she took her first breath, she was meant to be a part of our family and nothing but the hand of God could have brought us together! We love you now and forever, baby girl!

These are four amazing and beautiful

miracles from China!

Four families from our travel group

Finally made it!

Osborn Family Lights at Hollywood Studios or as we

still call it, MGM.

Um, I think we took on a stowaway!

The gorgeous Christmas lit castle!!





Family portraits at Grand Floridian

Have you figured out this crazy family, yet?

My "Incredible" kiddos

Ava and Hudson with the characters from "Up"

She just couldn't get enough of the characters

We've successfully created another Disney freak.

Ava is now officially a Stubblefield!!

She didn't wanna let go

The view from our room!

A cake fit for a princess!

She loved blowing out the candles!

These people are SO funny!! Why is everyone

looking at me?

Try this cake...it's yummy!!!

Think she likes princesses?

Birthday morning breakfast at Larry's Restaurant

Renal ultrasound-went very well!

X-ray not fun, but done!!!!

Random pics

Waiting to see the doc
Oops, guess he wasn't faking!!

First broken bone, not bad for 4 kids

Our litte punkin'!

Way to go 32!!!

First trim

The awesome Target costume, sigh.

Can you guess which one is Jackson?

" Gimme candy!"

Ava and cuz Em

Mommies and girls

Yahoo, that yucky thing is comin' off!!!

A recap of the last couple of months

Well, as usual, time has gotten away from me and I have neglected my blog duties. Let's see, where to begin? Ava is thriving and growing more and more beautiful everyday.... which I never thought she could be any more beautiful than she was! I still look at her and am amazed that she is really here even though it feels as though we've had her for all of her life. Her adjustment has been astounding and she is speaking and comprehending English so fast, it makes my head spin. She is now putting her words into sentences and can count to 10. She still, for some reason, does not want to hear anyone speak Chinese to her...can't figure that one out.
Her post-op visit went beautifully and her neurosurgeon said he would see her in a year. I asked about a referral to a urologist and he said it wouldn't be necessary until after potty training age. In the meantime, she was suffering recurrent bladder infections (and we discovered she is allergic to latex). After a family in our travel group had their son evaluated (he has a similar diagnosis) and they were told that the bladder issues need to be addressed right away, I decided to be proactive and we called the Spina Bifida Clinic at St. Louis Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. They informed us that we should definitely not wait but have her seen right away, so we go December 10th for a full day of testing. Hopefully, then we'll be done for awhile.
In October, Jackson fell on his wrist ended up in the ER with a broken bone. This past Monday we took him to have the cast removed, thank goodness. Of course, it was SO cool having a cast for about a day, then it got old real fast and he was ready for it to come off!
Basketball season has started so our evenings from now until the end of January are usually booked solid. Never a dull moment!
Halloween was a blur this year....Ava was a fairy ghost thingy, Hudson was Snake Eyes (whoever that is) and Jackson was Albert Einstein. I pride myself in making the kid's unique and custom costumes... well, I use to, at least. I have all of these handmade costumes that I have sewn over the years in my attic, and Hudson wants the $10, paper thin, skin tight, monstrosity from Target. Oh well, pick your battles. Once Ava got the trick-or-treating thing down, she LOVED it! When she got to the door, she would yell, "Ava! Candy!" and point to her bucket. It was SO funny!
Ava's latest infatuations are the Disney Princesses. Anything princess, she is all over it! We are leaving for our first vacation as a family of 6 this week-end to where else....Disney! She tells us she wants to hug Mickey, but we'll see especially when a life-sized living Mickey is standing next to her. Should be interesting! I know she will have a blast and we all can't wait to introduce her to the "happiest place on earth." We are also so excited to be reuniting with some travel mates from our China trip. I cannot wait to see everyone again!!!
I can't believe it, but a couple of weeks after we get back on Dec 5th, Ava will celebrate her 2nd birthday and her first birthday home. She has brought so much joy to our family and every morning I look forward to hearing, "Goo Mooring, I ub you, mommy" and seeing that beautiful huge grin. God has blessed us beyond measure and I have been given so much more than I deserve. As I type this, Ava is singing the SpongeBob song, hilarious!
Well I really need to start packing...so much to do! I'm gonna post pictures right after I post this. I will try to update while we are in Disney.

10 years ago on this day......

My first labor with NO drugs....Yowzers!!!

......I looked into the eyes of my darling second born son. Again, I endured a pregnancy plagued with preterm labor from around 20 weeks and was again placed on home monitoring and a continuous terbutline pump. Just a few hours after stopping the medicine, Jackson was about to make his arrival. I called my co-workers on my unit to tell them I was heading in, and they informed me that every birthing room was full and I would have to labor in the hallway!! Um.. I don't think so. Luckily my doctor delivered at a nearby smaller hospital also, so with his permission we headed to the other hospital. Thank God we did, because we were able to have an absolutely awesome birthing experience. My friend and doula, Margie happened to be on duty that night and helped coach me through a rapid labor and delivery. After pushing around 5 minutes, my puffy, red cheeked Jackson took his first breath as I pulled him into my arms.

I cannot begin to explain the depths of my love for my kids or how my first two boys could be so different. Jackson is my little charmer who never meets a stranger. He seems to be an expert on just about every subject he's ever come across. He has always been super sensitive and wears his emotions on his sleeve.

Jackson, from the moment I first discovered you were coming, I have loved you with a love that still amazes me to this day. God has blessed me with the most amazing kids ever created and I know that I will never deserve the blessing of having you as my son!! I love you, chubby cheeks!!

At last!!

10 fingers...check

10 toes....check

chubby cheeks.....check check

Love those first snuggles!

Even when he was scrawny, he had

the chubb-o cheeks!

That's my sweet fella!

14 years ago today.....

Teamwork...with no epidural!

Time to take back the dresses, it's a boy!!

The lungs work fine!!!

Helping mommy with laundry

Pretty boy

Nearly 14 years later

I began a new phase of my life that has brought me to where I am today. I became a mom. On this day 14 years ago, after a long and difficult pregnancy, 5lb 13.5oz Morgan Jesse Stubblefield was placed into my arms. Morgan has always been impatient, even before he was born. Around 17 weeks of gestation, he decided he was done cooking and tried to come early. I was placed on bedrest and medication and was in and out of the hospital several times before I finally hit the 36 week mark. About 4 hours after stopping my medication, I was in labor and admitted to the hospital. We were so excited about seeing our baby girl, Madeline,(confirmed by 3 different ultrasounds) and thrilled beyond belief when Dr. Cruz announced at 6:18am, "It's a boy!!!!"

I still can't believe that beautiful baby boy is 14!! How did this happen?? No matter what he says, he still is and will always be my sweet baby. I love you sweet, sweet boy and your mom is SO proud of the the man you are becoming.

Playing Catch Up!!!

Wow, I've been bad!!! Time for some extreme catch up.

Well, at my last post, we had just left the hospital to surprise the big brothers! Boy were they glad to see us! We packed up their stuff and finally headed home. Our first night was a little scary. Ava spiked another temp of 103 but it finally broke early the next morning. The Friday after we came home, her incision had started opening in one small area, so we had to make another not so quick trip back to Children's. The doc said her incision was a little infected in that small area, but otherwise was healing much quicker than they anticipated, so out came the stitches a week early!

Later that weekend, we took Ava to her first fair, the DuQuoin State Fair. She LOVED it, especially the fair food!

The start of fall also means high school football, so that's where you'll find us nearly every Friday night til the end of October. We have a really good team this year and Ava loves watching cousin Peyton cheer!

This past Saturday, we all went to an AWESOME concert!!! We were lucky enough to get tickets to see "Point of Grace" and Mark Schultz. The boys love hearing his music and he really does put on one fabulous show!

I also included some pics of the kids out at Rend Lake (less than a mile from our house). Chris took them out for a walk yesterday (Sunday) while I stayed home for a much needed nap. Thanks, Hon!

This past week we celebrated 2 months with Ava home. It has flown by and yet seems like she's been here forever, kinda weird to explain. Her vocabulary is unbelievable and she cracks us up everyday with some new word or phrase. Right now, she's in the "Why?" phase. She asks "Why?' to everything!! "Ava, stop unrolling the toilet paper."..... "Why?"....."Ava, time for lunch."...... "Why?" You get the idea!

Oh, almost forgot to add that we had our post-op visit last Thursday with the neurosurgeon and he said, " See ya' next summer!" Hallelujah!!! No more docs for a while!!!

Thanks for listening to me ramble, will update soon! Just got the news that we've been sprung!

Ready to get outta here!

One of my fave nurses

Another fave!

See ya'!!!

Surprise!!! Look who's going home!!!

It's good to be with brothers again

Our view from the top of the hotel

DuQuoin State fair-

first corn dog-gotta love that

fair food!!!

Dippin' Dots....YUM!!!!

Silliness with PaPa and Tanna

at the fair

Football Fridays!!!

Cheering on the S-V Devils!

Watching some great concerts!

"Point of Grace"

Mark Schultz

What an awesome entertainer!

Lazy Sunday afternoon at the lake