Avery's First Birthday

A year ago today I was in active labor and getting ready to push Avery into this world. My labor was as quick and peaceful as it could be. It was a cool misty fall morning. The wood stove heated the house. We had candles lit all around. I was in active labor for about two hours before climbing into our tub to have her. The midwives showed up just as I was beginning to feel the urge to push. I had Avery at about eleven in the morning. I remember smiling and feeling exhilarated in the midst of labor, as I could tell that it wasn't going to take long. I remember looking at the clock and thinking I'd be in bed with my baby by noon, and I was. When Avery first came out she was very blue and covered in a thick white greasy coating of vernix. After we got into bed Dustin made us all breakfast. The bed was set up on the floor in the living room. It was a Sunday and Dustin had the t.v. on to see some of the footbal games. After the midwives left, the baby slept. I rested, but was too excited to sleep. I laid in bed and just stared at my beautiful new baby.

This picture is of Avery just a couple hours old. Before I'd put her first clothes on her. We keep our house pretty toasty, so neither of my children wore many clothes when they were new babies. We mostly just laid around in bed with them, lots of skin to skin contact and soft blankets. My parents brought Noah over for a visit to meet his new baby sister Sunday evening. He spent the night at their house so the three of us could have a peaceful night together.
Here are some pictures of Avery during her first few days of life. She was born one week early, although she was late according to her due date. She weighed seven pounds. I was blessed to have enjoyable easy pregnancies. Never got sick or too uncomfortably heavy. My labors were a lot of work but I had natural deliveries as I had planned. Most importantly I gave birth to two healthy children who were delightful and easy going babies.





This final picture if of Avery at about six months old. She was just a jolly little thing. Chubby, drooly and happy. Noah and Avery and I are having a nice day around the homestead. We are about to get out for farm chores. We might make some applesauce and chicken soup. I think we'll pull out the photo album of this last year and look at it together. Tonight we are having friends over who also have a daughter who just turned one year old. We are having roast chicken and a baked cauliflower head. Maybe some apple pie made with apples I bought at the market. Should be a special day of memories and a celebration of Avery's first year of life.