Our Little ABC Project

Avery and I started working on a little "ABC Book" project this week. Since I am staying home with her, it is my attempt at being intentional in the time I spend with her. So, this week we started with the letter A. It was super easy and fun for her because she got to paint.

I just put a little yellow washable paint on a paper plate. I cut a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper in half. Then, I drew an uppercase A with a pencil.

Avery helped me paint the letter A.

I taped a picture of her on the first page of our "ABC Book." I am thinking that for the letter B we will cut out a picture of a ball from a magazine or maybe even put a picture of her Bibi (grandmother). For now, it is hanging on our refrigerator. When she sees it, she says "A." It served its purpose, and it was fun too.

Avery even got to paint on a piece of construction paper I had laying around. She was so careful and didn't make a mess at all. Just look at the girl's concentration!

Avery - 18 Months

Yesterday Avery turned 18 months old. It was her half birthday yesterday.

Avery has been learning a lot and seems to be getting bigger every day.

This was Avery's favorite toy at daycare.

She really looks like a toddler now and no longer a baby.

Eating a Snack

I love spending my days with her. She LOVES bubbles. It truly is her new favorite thing.

Playing with Bubbles

She also loves wipes and has to get a new one every time I change her diaper. She walks around "cleaning" things with it. I think she is going to be a GREAT helper one day.

She got her hair cut for the first time just yesterday. It wasn't really a memorable experience. I think I could have done a much better job myself. She wasn't even squirming.

Avery's 1st Haircut

She loves to play outside. However, she dislikes grass. Funny huh?! Matt says that we need to do something to change that for sure.

Matt and Avery

Avery has been "babbling" sentences a lot lately. I have NO idea what she is saying, but she is absolutely confident in her "babbling." She also uses/repeats a lot of words that we say. Her other favorites are "eat" and "bubbles."

Pretty Girl

She loves and uses the word no a lot lately. Someone I know suggested that we catch her on video and pull it out one day when she is a teenager. "Avery, do you want a car?" "No."  "Avery, do you want to date boys until you are 25?" "No." Ha! I really should do that now.

Avery loves to be on the go. She really doesn't love staying at home. I have to think of errands to run every day just to keep her happy. When we arrive at our destination, she usually yells "YAY!"

We have a little touch and feel book with Bible stories that Matt and I love to read to her. She always points to Noah and calls him "daddy." Do you see the resemblance?

Matt and Avery

Since I have been home with Avery over the last month, we have had some really fun times with friends. I can't wait to make more memories! I just love our sweet little girl.

Avery and Molly Cate 

Avery: The 16th and 17th Months

Today, Avery is 17 months old! We love her more and more everyday. She is in the phase where she repeats a lot of what we say. She has learned the word pretty, box, water, baby, please and thank you, and more.

She loves to laugh and be silly with mom and dad. She has recently begun to say hi and bye to everyone she sees.

Avery loves to take things out of boxes (like band-aids) and put them back in. At daycare, she usually helps clean up toys before she leaves and helps find missing shoes. She is very alert and always seems to know what is going on around her.

Here is Avery on Easter Sunday. She looks so tall in this picture! 

Avery and her dad went to paint a piece of pottery for me as a mother's day gift. What a sweet idea! Matt was so brave to do this with a toddler. 

I look forward to the next months of her growth and development as I will be staying home with Avery full time. I will share more about that in my next post!

Avery's New Words

What a week! I had lots of plans for my spring break week that didn't happen. I attribute it all to the awful little stomach bug that Avery picked up somewhere and then passed on to me. Matt went crazy cleaning yesterday and doing all he could to avoid getting it too. I don't blame him one bit!

On to better news. Since she got tubes in her ears and can hear, Avery has been saying a lot of words. Here a just a few that we have heard in the last few weeks: up, hi, bye da-da, poop, water (wa-wa). She has also been singing "Row Row Row Your Boat" (Wo, Wo, Wo). She tries to repeat a lot of what we say.

I think I even heard her try to repeat her name today. She really is full of personality! She likes to laugh and make us laugh. Sweet girl!

A Fun-Filled Weekend

We had a great weekend with family and friends. Avery loved that her Mimi and Pappy came to visit. We all went to the zoo on Saturday morning.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. She loves falling asleep in her stroller.

Matt and I went to my friend Stacy's wedding that afternoon. It was a late afternoon wedding and absolutely beautiful. When we left the wedding, Matt and I decided that we would take advantage of free babysitting and go to a movie and out for dinner. We stayed out until 10:00! Sounds funny right, but I honestly can't remember the last time we went to a movie together OR stayed out late. We definitely need to do it more often.

Today we met up with some friends and their kiddos for an Easter egg hunt in Cool Springs. It was Avery's first! It was a good weekend.

15 Months

In the last month, I haven't taken many pictures. I can basically say that most all I remember about this month is that Avery was sick almost ALL of it. She went to see her pediatrician at least once a week since I posted about her 14th month of life. Here is a picture of her this past Friday. She was a good little patient as she got tubes put in her little ears. She wanted to put the hair net on herself.

If I would have known that tubes would have made such a difference a month ago, we would have done it right away! She is a different child. I can't even imagine how much pain she has been in since right after Christmas.

Besides being sick, taking medicine, and getting tubes, Avery discovered the toilet paper roll! She LOVES to discover and get into things. What kids doesn't, right?!

She still has only five teeth. She is getting one more though. It certainly doesn't stop her from eating. The girl LOVES to eat! I think she weighs about 19 pounds. She hasn't quite hit 20 yet. If we hadn't been to the doctor so much, I think I would have already taken her to her 15 month well visit. I always get excited to see how she has grown according to the measurements they take.

Here is a picture of Avery leaving daycare one day. She loves carrying her "progress report" for the day!

14 Months

Avery keeps growing and growing ... maybe not so much in weight but certainly cognitively and in personality. Maybe it's because I am not around her all the time, but I am constantly surprised by things she does and knows.

This past month, on Super Bowl Sunday, Avery began to walk. The Super Bowl Sunday part will be important to me later when I actually have the time to sit down and fill out her baby book. Before that she had taken a few steps, but that day she just took off. I was SO glad that it happened on the weekend.

Avery went through a period of really disliking her bath. But now if we say, "Avery it's time for a bath," she will toddle to the bathroom and whine until we come in there and start filling up the tub.

She knows a few body parts (head, nose, hands). Every time I ask her where her nose is she points to it and then sticks her little finger right inside. I am NOT sure who taught her this. I know it wasn't me. Ha! I guess kids just pick up on these things and it makes her want to do it even more when I say, "Avery, don't pick your nose." She just laughs and continues to do it.

Just so you know, Avery is NOT a perfect angel. I think she is going to be one of those kids that is perfect other places. At daycare they say she NEVER fusses and is such a joy to be around. I agree, she is so fun to be around. However, at home she throws her food on the floor, makes dents in our table with her sippy cup, and sometimes throws little fits.

From the time she wakes up until the time she goes to bed at night, the girl just does not stop. I think she is like me in that way. She is constantly on the move and will not sit still for anything (except when she is strapped in to her highchair or car seat).

Her favorite toy is definitely her walker/stroller toy. She is FAST! She puts her doll inside and takes it back and forth, back and forth, back and forth down the hall. Her favorite bedtime snacks are prunes and milk. Yes, you heard that right! It is now part of our bedtime routine.

Here is a little video of our little walker.