Open/shut them

Avery, we play open/shut them at least 5 times a day. You and your brother play it all the time together. Lately, I've been catching you play by yourself. If I say "open" you open your legs and if I say "close" you grab your feet and bring them together. Once you get bored, you just chew on them. After a bath and adorned in your new Easter bunny jammies thanks to grandma, you were being silly on the ottoman. We just think you're too cute!

Favorite photo

This is one of my favorites photos of you lately. You're smiling huge while destroying the train table and wearing a bubble and bow. So very "you!"

Cuteness

Avery,

You have been so fun lately! You're almost 11 months old and are just into everything! You climb the stairs all the way to the top! You climb the picnic table to get into the trash. You can stand. You take 4-5 steps unassisted. You're just too cute for words and I feel so blessed to be your mom! Here are some pictures of your cute self!

10 months old!

Avery Madison, you are 10 months old!!! I can't help but laugh at the planning it has taken to sit down and write this post. You are EVERYWHERE and get into everything! Cabinets, tupperware, toilets... you name it... the world is your oyster! In order to write this post, 1st we put brother down for a nap. Next, I dragged the highchair into daddy's office, put you in it and have been tossing puffs onto the tray periodically. You've learned to wiggle your way backwards and your're skinny so you shimmy out of the waist straps and stand up! I always wondered why a 5 point harness was neccessary in a highchair but I understand now.

You're sleeping much better now and in your crib! You wake up 2 times a night usually. You typically nap twice a day for an hour - hour 1/2.

Baby food still isn't your thing but you'll eat any solid we put on your tray. You prefer to feed yourself.

You're SO close to walking! You've accidentally taken a few steps but then face plant. You pull yourself to standing and let go for a few seconds at a time. I'm not ready for this!

I think you have my personality! You talk constantly! You babble all day and properly use "mama," "dada" and "mom" which has more of a British flare and is actually "mum." If I have been quiet in the car, you check to see if I'm still there by calling "mum" over and over until I talk to you.

You enjoy toys. Your favorite is your doll stroller. You also like to crawl through tunnels, walk with anything that moves and destroy the train table.

You wear size 9-12 months clothes (some 12 months) and a size 4 diaper. It's a bit big but 3's are too small.

Parker adores you and gives you many hugs and kisses a day as long as you aren't near the iPad. We got him a mini cooper 2 seater power wheel for his birthday and I can't wait to get pictures of him driving you around!

I can't believe you're almost 1! We've gotta plan a party soon! You are still the happiest baby and such a joy to be around! We love you, sweet girl!

*Professional Pictures by Alicia Sutton Photography

9 months old!!!

Avery Madison, you're 9 months old! We've had a BIG month!

We moved to a new house! Your room is bigger and has 2 beautiful windows but is decorated fairly the same. You are enjoying the playroom and know where your things are but choose to play with your brother's cars and trains instead. 

Speaking of your room.... we've started putting you to sleep in your crib. You aren't a fan but we're working on it! I've sang "You are my Sunshine" Over and Over and Over because that song, paired with your pink blanket and patting you on the back is the only thing that calms you down in your crib right now. We're working on you getting yourself to sleep but we're making good strides to being a big girl that sleeps alone!

You went to the doctor yesterday for your 9 month well check and just as I suspected, you haven't grown much. You weigh 17 lbs 7oz which is the 25% for weight. You're SO mobile that you're just not putting on much weight. You are in the 65% for height and your head is still tiny at 25%. The doctor is pleased with your growth and you were even given a shot without a single whimper!

You crawl EVERYWHERE and QUICKLY! You also pull yourself to standing and walk furniture. Just in the past few days you push your doll stroller and walk behind it which is just precious. Changing your diaper is becoming difficult because you flip and crawl! Speaking of diapers, you wear a size 4 now! You also wear mostly size 9 months which is hard to find so most of your clothes are 6-12 months or 12 months if they run small. I still LOVE dressing you!

Parker adores you and asks to hold you a lot! You snuggle with him momentarily and then crawl away. He pats your head and says "awww...." and stares at me because he's looking for praise. :) You babble "babababa" mostly but sometimes "mabamaba." We're working on waiving bye bye and you're so close!

You eat just about anything I put on your plate and then lean over to grab whats left on your brother's plate. Sometimes I think you eat more than he does. You're not a huge fan of baby food and prefer to feed yourself so we've basically moved to solids, softened and cubed. 

We absolutely adore you! You're the happiest baby I've literally EVER seen! I'm so blessed to call you my baby!

8 months old!

Somehow it's the 5th of the next month already and you're 8 months old!

You are majorly on the move this month! Still army crawling but occassionally crawling normally. The biggest thing you've done this month is pull yourself to standing... on EVERYTHING!!!! You really enjoy pulling up on brother's train table and stealing trains. Parker is less than thrilled with this new trick of yours. He usually finds a train he doesn't care too much about and says "Here Avie. You play with (insert train name."

You finally started eating baby food! It's MESSY but you enjoy it and the subsequent bath. You and your brother are both fish! You still love frozen waffles, puffs and graham crackers. 

Lately you've been pulling out your bow. It breaks my heart. I still dress you super girly though so no denying you're a GIRL!

You have 2 teeth now, both on the bottom. You've bit me a few times but I kinda scared you when you did it and you haven't done it in about 2 weeks. 

Your favorite thing to do is make a mad dash for the dog bowls when I'm not looking and splash water everywhere!

This month you got a new "big girl" backwards facing Britax Advocate. You still don't like riding in the car by any means but you hate it a little less now.

Sleep...maybe one day. You're an excellent sleeper in my arms. You'd sleep from 8-8 if I sat in a rocking chair and held you all night but since I can't, you're still a bit of a diva and require lots of night time cuddles.

You weigh 18lbs according to the "weigh myself and then weigh myself holding you" method.

You LOVE to babble, particularly when you're not screaming in the car. "bababababa" is your go to babble but today you adding the "ma" sound into the mix. You're also an expert raspberry blower.

Everyone thinks you are the happiest baby they've ever seen and if you remove car riding from the scenario, I'd have to agree. You are a joy to all who know you and "we love you all the way to God's house and back!""

Clearly, I haven't been too great with pictures this month and most of these are from today (hence the same outfit over and over) but thankfully you were in a FANTASTIC mood today and constantly camera ready! :)