The Garrison Family: Another Milestone

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Another Milestone

On May 2nd, Ava Holt had a very big girl moment. She got to sit in a grocery store shopping cart all by herself for the first time. After spending 15 minutes in the Commissary parking lot trying to figure out how to put the shopping cart cover on the buggy (not to mention being honked at by a retiree--I didn't realize at the time that I was standing in the middle of a front row parking spot while trying to put the cover on the buggy), we finally made it into the store. I've seen people shop with the protective covers on their carts before and I thought they were a good idea, but once I put Ava into the cart, I completely understood why parents use them. They are a fantastic invention and make me feel much better about Ava not getting covered in other peoples' icky germs and random dirt. Thanks to Diane and Jerry, who gave this to us when Ava was born, Ava was able to shop with me not only in safety but also in style--the cover is so incredibly cute!

Here is Ava's reaction to being placed in the grocery cart for the 1st time with her cover (it's so soft and cuddly)...

Although this isn't the best picture, it shows Ava hanging off the side of the cart trying to observe everything...

We finally made it inside and Ava was just flirting up a storm with any and every person who walked by her. Not only was this the first time she got to sit in the buggy, it was also her first time to really see the inside of the grocery store (she's usually in her carseat facing me). So, as you can see, she's enthralled with everything she sees.

Ava spent a lot of the shopping trip in this position...

I brought her pacifier and a toy to play with for the ride...

I had to remind her that she wasn't driving a chariot, a stagecoach, or a sleigh...

The papayas were overwhelming...

Here she is taking a break from the sensory overload...

She's obviously holding the fort down and making sure that everyone knows it's her cart...

And finally, a smile...

The grocery cart was great, but I think Ava's still a bit too small to ride in it. Size wise, she's fine...but stamina wise, she's still too young. About half-way through the shopping trip she was wanting to go to sleep but sitting up in the cart wasn't conducive to letting that to happen. So, she whinged a bit and our shopping trip was cut a little short. As soon as I put her in her car seat in the car, she was conked out (it was also her nap time--oops!). In addition to her stamina being low, it was also harder to shop with Ava in the cart. EVERY single person who we walked by, Ava smiled at and or flirted with...which turned into people wanting to talk to her and touch her (YUCK!), which in turned really slowed down our shopping abilities.

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About Us...

Matt and I met on April 14, 2001 in Glendale, Arizona. I was in college at Pepperdine University and he was in F-16 pilot training at Luke AFB. We met through my brother, Matt (Goat), who was also going through pilot training at Luke. The two Matts met their freshman year at the Air Force Academy where they were assigned to the same squadron and lived next door to one another. Despite Matt being friends with my brother since 1995, we had never met one another before 2001. I fell in love with Matt at first sight and he fell in love with me shortly thereafter. We were married on October 4, 2003 in the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy-it seemed only fitting. God has blessed us with almost 5 busy, exciting, and wonderful years of marriage. In that time, we have lived in 3 states, 2 countries, run in over 20 races (combined) in 6 different countries and 5 different states, traveled to almost 30 different countries, and have have been blessed with the most precious and beautiful little girls.

Ava Holt was born at 3:05 AM on November 1, 2007. At 2 weeks early, she weighed in at 7 pounds, 11.4 ounces and was 20 inches long. Ava Holt is a dramatic yet easy going little soul. She loves attention and is always happy. She is incredibly observant, freakishly strong, very independent, and a very fast learner. Her curiosity fuels her day, as she fills her hours getting into anything and everything under 5 feet in height. As much as she loves me, she loves her Daddy even more. She is the epitome of a 'Daddy's Girl' and the highlight of her day is when Matt gets home and she gets to perform, laugh, and squeal for him. Then, when her Daddy gets in her way, her favorite person in the world is her baby sister, Myla Grace. From the moment she met Myla Grace at the hospital on the day we came home from the hospital, she was smitten. There wasn't a jealous bone in her body, only pure love. We are beyond blessed to have the miracle of Ava Holt in our lives. Oh, and did I mention that 'You Are My Sunshine' is her FAVORITE song? The apple didn't fall far from the tree, as it's mine too.

Sweet Myla Grace was born at 5:04 PM on December 2, 2009. At 3 weeks early, she weighed in at 7 lbs, 0.4 ounces and was 19 inches long. Myla Grace is so disgustingly sweet. She is our cuddly little one who prefers to be carried and or held when at all possible. While sweet and cuddly, she also loves to destroy, dismantle, and disassemble most things within her reach...all while flashing the most precious of smiles. And through all of her sweetness, she has the uncanny ability to make you laugh all day long. Maybe it's the mullet she's had since birth, the gummy grin (which is starting to blossom with teeth), or her serious smirks, but whatever it is, we can't get enough. Although Myla Grace was a complete surprise, we can't imagine life without her. She is absolutely Ava's little buddy (whom Ava affectionately calls, 'the little one,' 'Mywa Grace,' and 'Mah-la.'), Amy's cuddle bug, Matt's giggling partner, and the most beautiful little blessing.

Harper Lee was born at 3:28 PM on May 31, 2013. Also arriving 3 weeks early, Harper weighed in at a hefty 6 lbs, 15 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. From the moment she entered this world, Harper has been the happiest, calmest, smiley-est {if that's even a word}, sweetest, and easiest baby we've ever had. She NEVER cries and is so incredibly easy going...to the point that I thought something was wrong with her. And unlike her big sisters, Harper has always been on the tiny side of small. After several rounds of tests when she was 6-months old to make sure she didn't have any development or growth problems, the Doctors came to the conclusion that she is just going to be "petite." So despite being in the 5th percentile for her age, our precious Harper girl is absolutely perfect as the tiny little package that she is. Oh, and did I mention that she is the BEST eater in our family? This sweet girl can mow through food like a 10yr old! I am a believer in miracles and Harper further confirms my faith. Her existence is a pure miracle (not to mention an ultimate surprise) and we thank God all the time for giving her to us. We thought our hearts were complete but we had no idea how big of holes we had until she joined our lives. Her laughter, giggles, rambling babbles, smiles, and 2-finger sucking are constant reminders that we are recipients of so much undeserved grace. At 21-months old, Harper's favorite things are cats (she calls them "nows"--her way of saying meow), dogs ("uf-ufs"), Ava ("aw-buh"), and balloons ("boons").