Reflections of a year

The trend of New Year's Eve always seems to be looking back on the year that has passed and as cliche as it may be, I can't help but do the same with the first full year of Ava's life. She began 2007 still hooked up to her Apnea monitor for the first week of the year until we were able finally progress away from needing it. I can't believe that was only a year ago, it seems so much longer.

Ava learned to eat solids, grew her first teeth and even experienced her first snowfall this year. She had her first visit from the Easter Bunny and her first trip to the beach in LBI with Uncle Andy. We pushed her on the swings at the park and she grew to love those swings. She went for her first swim in the pool and by the end of the year we had to fight to get her out of it!

Ava started to really travel this year as well. She went to Washington, D.C. to see her Great Grandpop's name on The Wall, Virginia Beach where she met my Aunt Lynn and cousin Ben, Lancaster, PA to "Mooo" with the cows, and two trips to Atlantic City. Of course, the biggest trip of all was her first flight down to Disney World to meet Mickey Mouse! Ava is only 17 months and she has already been to 8 states!

She turned 1 this year which was one of her biggest moments yet. She learned to crawl, then walk, and now run. She can drink from a cup and her vocabulary is astounding. She fell in love with puppies and books this year and was horribly spoiled by Santa, whose name she also learned. She has finally grown enough hair for pigtails and I can't begin to tell you how large her shoe collection grew this year.

Ava started this year at 26.5 inches tall and weighing only 12 lbs. 7 oz. She is now 33 inches tall and weighs in at over 27 lbs. Looking back on this year I can't believe that it is only that... 1 year. Ava has grown, learned, and accomplished so much more than I ever expected. She started out this year as my little baby and she's ending it as my toddler who is growing way too fast.

I am eagerly awaiting 2008 and all of the changes it has in store for Ava. I'm sure by the end of next year I'll be saying the same thing: "Where did this year go?!"