Ava is almost a birthday girl!

Can you believe that Ava will be 1 in August. We started messing around with ideas for her birthday invitation and we thought we would share!

Love,

Ann

Princess Madeleine

Madeleine got a couple of dress up outfits from Aunt Chelle. We just couldn't resist.

Enjoy,

Ann

Millie and Ava giggling!

Turn up the volume and you can hear the giggles!

Madeleine is getting some hair!!

Ava loves her Exersaucer!!

All of us....Ava stayed home with Millie!

Mardigras with Daddy!

Spanish Town Mardigras with Mommy!

Happy in the tub, just like my sister!

I love to eat like my Mommy!!

Just before bedtime!

Daddy goes hunting!

Playing in the mud!!

Her Indian name is "Smiles after poop goes up back"

Watch out!! Woman Driver!!

This our friend Carey with Ava!

I love my rubber boots!!

madeleine has a thing about shoes. her aunt chelle got her some crocks that she can't wear enough and tonight she put her rubber boots on with her pj's!!

hope you are all doing well, ann

Ava's Christening

Ava got Christened last Sunday and all the grandparents and great-grandparents were there. It was a lot of fun.

Hope you are all doing well!

Ann

Trick or Treat?

Madeleine had a really good time trick or treating in the neighborhood! Here are some pictures of her!!

Things are settling now....

Well, the house is finally coming together, Ava is doing better but we have still not started sleeping consistently and Madeleine is in love with her LSU Tigers! Here are some pictures for everyone to enjoy!

Hope all is well!

Chip, Ann, Madeleine and Ava

We made it through the storm.....

Well we made it!! I can't believe it. Things are settling down a little bit. We actually spent some time in the house today trying to get organized and hung a few pictures. We are not settled by any means but we are making progress towards it. Ava is doing well. We had our first Dr.'s appt and she has gained a pound since she was born....we weigh 5 pounds 11 ounces. Madeleine is doing great. She walks around the house saying "baby" all day long. She wants to hold Ava and pat her. We have to watch her but so far she likes her little sister. I think it helps that Ava was already on a schedule and not really used to being held all the time. If I had to hold her all the time I think Madeleine might have a harder time. We have it pretty good with Ava. She is an easy baby---so far. I hope this finds everyone doing well. We love and miss you all.

Chip, Ann, Madeleine and Ava

Hurricane Gustav......Yuck!

Well, we got home just in time for Hurricane Gustav. We have nicknamed Ava, Stormy, because she has already been through 2 hurricanes and she is a little over 2 weeks old. We are doing well but have 2 children under 2 in a house full of boxes and no a/c because we have no power....well, let's just say it's challenging. The storm was pretty bad here. The locals say it was way worse than Catrina because of the side of the storm we were on. We lost a shutter and our wood fence was blown down. One of our pine trees fell on the neighbors property and there is a lot of debris everywhere. Some of the houses in our neighborhood flooded and we are so thankful we dodged that bullet. All in all we are surviving but it is tough. I am so looking forward to the day that I can wake up and my house looks lived in and my children are settled in their rooms. I am so thankful for everything that we have, even through all of the obstacle we have seen over the last few weeks. It is times like these that make you appreciate all that you have. This too shall pass.....Hope everyone is doing well.

Everyone pray that Ike and Josephine stay away from Southern Louisiana. I hate to wish bad things on anyone else but I surely don't want it to come this way. Let's pray that it poops out in the gulf and doesn't hurt anybody!

Lots of love,

Ann

We graduated!!!

Ava graduated from the incubator to the crib!! Yeah!! We are so happy. She is probably going to be released from the hospital tomorrow. Here is a video of her in her crib. Enjoy......

New video of Ava. She was more alert today than usual and we couldn't resist.

Enjoy.....

Ann

My cousin Sydney comes to visit.....

My cousin came to visit me in the hospital. She had fun playing with my sister's new toy, Dancing Elmo. Enjoy....

More Feeding Time!!

Ava eats well and we are still putting some extra calories in the bottles. She has gained 1.5 ounces so we now weigh 4 lbs. 13.5 oz. Her body temperature reached the 98 degree mark for the first time yesterday which is a great sign. Aunt Claire is bringing Sydney's car seat for us to test today. The preemie babies have to sit in the car seat for an hour a day to be sure they tolerate the position the chair has them in. They check their breathing and their oxygen saturation levels while they are in the seat. Who knew? We are doing well and on our way down to the 11 am feeding. We will keep updating the blog. Keep praying for us because I know this is the only reason we have gotten all the wonderful news we have. We certainly believe in the power of prayer! Thanks to all.

Ann

My Batman Glasses

GiGi wanted everyone to see my Batman glasses. I have to be under the Bilirubin light because of my jaundice. This should be the last day. They are testing me again this morning and we hope my levels are down. Lots of Love, Ava

Ava Bishop Mills

GiGi got here today and got to meet her new grandbaby. Ava is doing well and is eating well. She is gaining all the weight she can so she can come home and meet her sister, Madeleine. We miss Madeleine and can't wait for our family to get back home and back together. Here is another video for you.......

Ava Bishop Mills

Well, we are still in the NICU but we are making good progress and we are gaining weight!! We are adding a protein shot to her breast milk bottles and they seem to be agreeing with her. Here is a video of her.....

Baby Girl Mills #2 has arrived...with a bang!

Hello All,

Well, if you haven’t heard the chain of events…..Chip and I traveled to Tampa this weekend for a wedding. On Saturday morning I woke up with some kind of fluid leaking. We called our Dr. in Baton Rouge and he sent us directly to the Women’s Hospital in Tampa to get checked out. They confirmed that my amniotic fluid was leaking and quickly checked me into the hospital. We were told that if I went into labor on my own they would deliver the baby but if I didn’t they would not induce for approx. 4 weeks. The baby was not due until October 4th. Not knowing what would happen, Chip’s parents gladly took Madeleine back to Zachary and we began the waiting game. This morning around 3:45 I started having contractions and we delivered our 2nd precious Baby Girl at 8:59 a.m. She is small, weighing only 4 pounds, 11 ounces and almost 17 inches long. She will remain in the NICU for a little while but she is full of fire, just like her Mama! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I am attaching some photos for you to see. Enjoy!

Hangin' out with Dad!

Madeleine turns 1!!

Madeleine turns 1 this week and we had her birthday party on Sunday. It was pretty fun. Her GiGi, Aunt Chelle and cousins Holt and Davis were here. We had the party at her Millie and Grumps' House (Chip's parents) and her Great Grandmother was there to celebrate with us. We had lots of great food and Millie made Madeleine her own jumbo birthday cupcake. It was precious. I will be posting more pictures if I can and we have a video but I may not be smart enough for that, we will see!!

Lots of Love to you,

Ann, Chip and Madeleine