home sweet home

dance baby
night brother.... (first night home bed time)
i want to hold him
when we first got home... ava was exhausted but so curious and loving to her "baby brother"

lets blow this joint

take me home

hospital stay

delivery room

Birthday

Maddox Victor Peter Ripp joined our special family this Tuesday August 24th at 2:07 am. Weighing 6lbs 14 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. He is lovely and we are all so so in love.
Monday night Keegan had to work late (Mondays are always late nights) and Ava and I had a busyish day. We got up and went to the gym then she had to go get her two year old check up and shots (yes i had put that off but needed it so better late then never and so glad we took care of that just in the nik of time) then we lunch and played with Sarah and Caleb, who was adjusting to both his sisters starting back at school and being the only kid in the house. I had a few contractions but nothing that had not been going on the past week. Ava and I then went home and she took a bath as I did some things and then Elise, Stephanie and baby Beck came over to play for the afternoon. I was feeling quite pregnant and a bit extra uncomfortable but I had been for several days now. When they went home, Ava and I had a picnic on our bed and she danced and watched the wiggles. We played a bit more and then it was close to her bed time. Threw her in stroller like normal, got Rufus and went for a walk. I started having some contractions but still thought there was no way this was it. I walked an extra lap cause Ava would not go to sleep and I was ready to call it a day and wanted to avoid the bed time struggles we sometimes have. She still did not fall asleep and I had extra mommy mushy feelings toward her all of a sudden and wanted to hold her... despite pushing stroller and walking the dog and 100 degrees. Once home I lied down with her until she fell asleep, contracting but instead thinking of all the things I needed to do before baby arrived and Ali and Bryan came Wednesday.
Ava finally fell asleep and I got up and cleaned the whole house... this time I starting having regular contractions and thinking hummm this could be it. I still did not want to call Keegan until it was sure and I had stuff I wanted to do. Finally I called Keegan and said just keep your phone with you. I don't think he thought much of it but did as he was told. I was putting clean sheets on the bed for ali and bryan and they were coming and hurting I would kind of fold over when each one came but kept on my mission to get house ready. Finally I decided to do what they had told me at the hospital the week before, take a bath and see if they still come despite relaxing. I never ever take baths but hopped in tub and tried to relax but I was so distracted. I had contractions but I had no idea how frequently they were coming as my watch broke and I lost concept of time sitting in tub doing nothing.... it seemed like ages in between each contraction. I hoped out and got in shower to wash my hair just in case this was labor, still in total denial. I was hurting... the contractions were getting really intense and when i popped my head out of the shower to time them they were coming 3 mins apart. Strange I thought... yea i was very much in disbelief. I called Keegans brother, Zack who is an OB to ask could this be it if they are coming so close together and there was no real build up starting from 10 mins and was this not too fast, he did not answer. so I called Keegan, "I think its time" as another contraction hit. By the time Keegan got home I was lying in my underwear on the ottoman in the living room crying. Keegan started timing them and then started rushing me to get out the door, as soon as his parents arrived he was ready to go. I wanted to lie and snuggle Ava a bit and Rufus but he cut that short and pulled me out of the bed. By the time we got to the hospital which is very close I was really hurting..... It was 1130. I was 5 cm dialated. by 11:50 I was dialated to an 8. They had called the anethesiologist to come in for the epidural but were concerned things were moving to quickly. It hurt. The anesthesiologist made it just in time... and had trouble giving me the epidural because the contractions were so close together and he could not get the needles in. Maddox was high up but ready to come out so they had me push for a while before the dr came to get him down lower. Except when it started to work I had this overwelming desire to push... they tell you about this but with Ava it was not the case. The dr came in and a few more chunks of pushing and he was right there... and in one final push Maddox came out all at once. It felt amazing. It happened so fast 4 hours of labor and he was here. Keegan and I were in shock that it happened so fast and trying to take it all in.
He was beautiful and it was magic. He had swallowed a lot of fluid on his way out and so they had a lot of suctioning to do, Keegan stood right there as they finished with me, trying to hold him but they still had to clear his lungs. Then the nurse past him Maddox and we both sat there crying. I nursed right away and he latched on immediatly. It was magic.

sprinkle for baby and soon to be big sister celebration

Today we had a small sprinkle at my sister in laws, Alicia's house. Ava thought she had died and gone to heaven with some of her very most favorite friends to play with and get excited about Maddox's immanent arrival (although the whole brother thing went straight over her head). It was airplane themed right down to the paper airplanes on the ribbons of the flowers. Here is the adorable cake.

happy birthday to doodad

So happy birthday dad, doodad, Peter.
We so wish we were there to celebrate it with you... this is a big one... like you need reminding. We love you so very much and well Ava has been singing you happy birthday all day and blowing out candles (there are a lot to blow out) . true story. xoxox

play date with E

a showing e the ropes
e liking the idea

painting each other
how it all ended.

so one of Ava's very best friends.. and one of my very best mommy friends is Stephanie and Elise. There is also baby Beck, Elise brother who is like 61/2 months old and elis Ava loves "leesie" and we often play together during the week. This past week they came over to our house... The girls wanted to paint... and well Ava showed her the way we paint in this house... Elise who is very clean and sweet and gentle quickly fell in love with ava style painting and I am afraid we have started something.

puddle jumper

been a very dry summer here... but for the little rain we got the other day ava was pumped to hit the puddles

Gannie

Well this post is certainly over due but our Internet went out for a week and yes I do have an iphone but it could not get a wireless signal in our house... now I totally don't understand technology as it can get one driving down the interstate (when k is driving of course;)) but not really sure how life worked before Internet. Anyway. My mom ... aka "Gannie" came last weekend and it was so fabulous. She arrived late on Thursday night so Ava woke up to Gannie being here.... in her bed, as our house is small, Ava's room doubles as guest room and Ava was sleeping in our room. Ava was beyond excited and really could not stand to let her out of her sight the entire weekend. Keegan was off Friday so we swam and relaxed all day together, Ava showing off her swimming skills. Saturday my mom and I went and got pedicures before K went to work and we all played and watched movies. Sunday Keegan had to work so Ava and Gannie played hard core.... I came home from gym and they were both worn out from a playing chase/ hide and seek the entire time I was gone. Then we went to Ikea and Ava had a ball playing in all the set up rooms and she scored a Stuart little mouse. We have been on a quest for a little white mouse to play with and well good ole IKEA had one and Ava was tickled to bring Stuart home. She was nervous how Rufus would respond to the new family member and kept talking about Stuvarrt as she calls it and Rufus. Rufus actually does like to press Ava's buttons and steels him and walks around with him hanging out of his mouth but its more to tick Ava off I think but its funny. After IKEA I got a fabulous massage (thanks Mum) that felt amazing... I mean they would always feel good I think but being so pregnant it was awesome. MOnday when we took Gannie to airport Ava had a freak out. I mean she was seriously bummed, as was I. But when we got in the car to go I think she thought we were all going cause she threw a fit at the airport about getting out of the car too when Gannie did. Once home she kept looking for her and anytime the door opened she ran to it screaming "Gannie home" it was pretty adorable. She will be back soon tho so Ava will be please to see her back just not sure how she will feel about sharing her with Maddox.

37 weeks

huge and almost ready... sometimes.... uncomfortable to say the least and tired. 1 CM dilated according to dr today. Other than that things look good. cast your vote when you think Maddox will join us.

airplane arrives

flight maps of rockwall, saint louis, and boston.... special places to k and me
(it is missing one peice that was not included so there is a tail wheel coming)

So when we decided to do airplanes (after I had painted the city already... oops, but the airplane is not flying into the city but out to the rest of the world) the plan was to have my dad send one of the airplanes he built and was hanging in my house as a child. They were huge and fantastic and absolutely beautiful and one of my most vivid house memories. Well after much work from my dad in NC it was just too much of a challenge to mail the already put together plane. So we had to go with plan b.... he ordered a piper warrior cub from the hobby shop and Keegan would put it together but it would be "ARF" almost ready to fly so should not be tons to put together... it is amazing and really fun in the room. However, my dad is a pilot and loves planes, Keegan knows little about them except he has traveled a lot and he has never put a model together in his life. He saw this as a challange and so on Thursday when the doorbell rang with the delivery he was pumped. He headed to the hobby store right away buying all sorts of different glues and clips and strings. You see these planes could really fly if an engine was put in - everything works and moves. This began at 11am. Keegan wanted to make it so it all worked despite not putting the motor in it when we hung it up in the room. Well by 3 oclock i hear......okay this is just going to be put together.... it will not be flyable and by 315 he is flicking the thing off... at about 330 he is saying "this is for professionals what the hell is an aileron?" (it is a wing flap but having little aviation knowledge he was confused where parts were going). 340 he had exploded hobby glue (stronger than super glue) all over his hand... comes running in because he had been outside because of the smell to wash it off... dripping all over the floor. I am laughing but a little concerned at this point. I go over to the sink and decide I need to help since I have done jack and this was all my plan and proceed to try and wipe up glue with paper towel and wipe off Keegan... this is where I become covered in glue and paper towel mixture...... Keegan and I are dying laughing... ava wants to know what is going on and comes over to see, stepping in the piles of glue on the ground on her way over to us. And as far as I can tell at this point all thats done is the propeller is on the plane and a million pieces spread out on table and he has turned the clean house into an airplane hanger workshop.
My mom was coming in that night so I went to airport to get her leaving Keegan to put Ava to sleep and finish his project, he had about 4 hours. My moms flight was delayed by 2 hours and at 950 I get a text with a picture of the finished product and a message that I cant understand cause he cant text with all the glue still on his fingers. But it was completed and he was very proud of himself and the plane looked amazing.
Its in the room, Ava is very jealous, and my husband will not build and airplane for a while. Thanks so much doodad, you made the room. If only you had been here to see how it got together.

muwahhhhhh

Ava got into the dress up drawer today and this is what I came in to find. I think she is trying to become part of the Circus.

greatest show on earth

Gigi and Pop Pops took us all to the circus (including Keegan.... he was off of work). It was such a fun afternoon and Ava loved it. She was really into the elephants and especially liked when they walked around holding each others tails with their trunks. She came home immediately and ran around after Rufus pulling his tail. She sat the entire time mesmerized and laughed when the clowns were"silly" ... she came home with a treat from Pop pops... a little clown and keeps telling me how "silly" he is... she loves that word. What a special Sunday.