She Flips :)

As of Friday, November 8, 2013, Aviva Rivka Monasch Fuhrman can flip herself from her front to her back and can do it without the terrified/startled face! We don't have a picture/video of it yet, but will share when we do.

Yay, colorful toys! 

 

The one from Tante Talya even moves when you pull a string, how fun is that!

And the noise doesn't make me jump, 

which is much better when I could hit my nose if I jerk my head up and down!

In case you cannot tell, my nose is way too cute to bang into the yoga mat!

 

Tummy time while looking at a face is fun

and a parental figure is better configured for a supportive base.

 

Strengthening my core is a serious matter...watch me think!

SO Cozy!!!

It's getting cold here in Pittsburgh and walking to the car in the morning and home from school in the afternoon makes us happy for cozy clothing, blankets and coats. Napping at school (more pictures from our first week of school to come) isn't happening so well yet, but by the time we're home most afternoons, eyelids are drooping and we're ready for a nap (short or long) to sustain us until bedtime.

 

Our big girl coat is still a bit big, but one of the best things about sleeves that are too long is that hands stay covered and therefore somewhat less cold.

Don't you wish that you had a Bundle Me?  (My parents do!)

Contemplative Aviva...

As you might have noticed, big, wide open, beautiful eyes run in both the Fuhrman and Gates-Monasch families and Aviva's big eyes are just the next generation of big beautiful eyes...

Grandpa might be looking ahead with a big smile, but Aviva's got other things on her mind than smiling for the camera...we're thinking that she might be plotting the next attempt at world domination, or at least the next step to total parental domination...

After all that plotting, we needed a break under a cozy blanket before being an engaging conversationalist at Costco. There were very strong opinions expressed about the things that we examined before putting them into the cart. Hot cocoa mix was a particularly intriguing item, as was the high calcium almond milk and the persimmons. 

I'm kick, kick, kicking... Wait, why aren't I going anywhere?!? I am kicking and cycling my feet and there is no forward movement! Maybe it will work if I just concentrate harder.

Getting acclimated is tiring!

Yesterday we had our first day of getting acclimated at school. We met Abby who is going to be the primary person taking care of Aviva at school and figured out where we would be able to nurse during the day, etc. All in all, it will take some getting used to, particularly as there is WAY more stimulation that she is used to, but we're hoping that it works well. That's why we're working on getting acclimated before she has to be there for a full day.

Then went to visit Bubbee and Grandpa and woke up in a great mood! 

 

 

 

We had a hard time getting settled for the night - there was a lot of excitement during the day with all of the things to take in at school - but once asleep, Aviva was really sacked out! This was the first time that she didn't wake up before 7:15am. She generally gives us a good long stretch but as it starts earlier, it usually ends between 4 and 5:30 because she's hungry and then she naps again. This time she slept until after Yakov's alarm went off (that wasn't what woke her, she didn't hear that from the other room!). It was probably a fluke, but we were quite happy with it. :)

She's a fighter (with an impressive left hook)

As I've already said, Aviva has a great (and very dynamic) personality and she is highly active when awake (or asleep). She has very expressive hands that are always doing something fun, but she particularly likes using them in fists to protect her food source (be it her mama or a bottle) and she likes to shadow box from inside her bouncer. The second picture was taken in the Pack 'n' Play after she moved out of the bassinet this weekend. She liked the bassinet, but bumping your head and feet every time you stretch isn't fun...

Enjoy.

The Flying Nun defending her food source

My first night in my "big girl bed" and it's important to guard my territory

Stay outta my way! I'm big and strong!

Catching Up

Rather than spend the time trying to make up for not having gotten the written content done since the original e-mail/post, here are a bunch of additional pictures and we'll just start adding written content now. They cover all of her life thus far and show just how much she has grown. She's SUPER cute (although we are definitely partial) and has a huge personality. These pictures are in no particular order and cover everything fro the hospital through this past week. They show our special family visitors, naptime, playtime, field trips around town, and our first family road trip.