Ava's New Baby

July 19th was a very anticipated day around our house! Ava was going to adopt a baby!



I had "ordered" the baby months ago and they finally called to say the shipment had arrived, so we took the first opportunity we had to go pick up her new baby. I didn't tell her until that day what we were doing. I had ordered a new outfit for the baby and brought along a few of Ava's baby clothes and a special baby blanket Ava had used when she was a newborn. When we first arrived we walked into the nursery at the store and Ava was a little apprehensive. She heard babies crying and cooing, it really did sound as though the baby dolls were real! haha! She wasn't sure what to think!



The nice 'Nurse' had the baby that looked a lot like her with the brown eyes, set out on the changing table. And after Ava held her for the first time, she helped the nurse take care of the baby. They started by putting some baby powder on the baby.



Ava rubbed it in really well- she thought it was so neat :)



Then the nurse weighed her and can you believe she weighed the same as Ava did when she was born? 5 lbs 12 ozs! ;)



She took her measurements- and again! Ava was in disbelief, she was the same length as Ava when she was born- 19 inches! (This one we didn't have to fudge on- the baby is really 19 inches!)



After filling out the paperwork on the baby, she asked her for her name, which Ava had already decided - Gracie, and asked Ava a few questions about the kind of mom she was going to be to her baby. She also wrote her name on her hospital bracelet and placed it on the baby.



After answering all of the questions correctly, Ava signed her name to the adoption papers and the baby officially became her baby!



The nurse gave her some last minute instructions on how to care for the baby. She was so good with her!



This whole experience was so neat for Ava (and her gigi and mama). It's more expensive than just buying a doll off the shelf- but for a special treat and to get the experience it was worth it! She finished her reading lesson goal we had set for her and we wanted to reward her for the hard work, so the time of this doll and her achieving her goal went hand in hand!



She wrapped Baby Gracie up in her special blanket and placed her hat on her head and Ava was beyond excited to hold her. She was/has been so proud to show everyone and that baby can't be left alone at any time. She has changed diapers, yes, I went out and bought a pack of newborn diapers! She has a pacifier, she sucks her thumb, she has multiple outfits, which are constantly rotated, and a car carrier that she sits in when we go places. She strolls her around in her strollers. She even takes her to the store in her stroller sometimes. The funniest thing, throughout this time, has been the comments we overhear from people who think its a real baby. We were eating lunch with Adam at T-Ray's in Fernandina and she set the baby on the table, just kind of flopped her up there and the elderly couple sitting next to us both audibly gasped! They thought she was a real baby. A completely separate time (I meant what I said about the baby goes everywhere with us!) Adam overheard a person tell another, 'Can you believe how they are letting her hold that baby?!' haha! He said the next time someone says something he is going to pick it up by it's leg and let it hang :) She has been the perfect little mommy! I must admit, I love having a little girl and watching her play with baby dolls- its so sweet!