Updates on Avery

Hello world...we are still here! Since Avery's birthday update, things have been super busy. But here's what's been going on since she turned the big O-N-E!

She had her one year check up a week after her birthday and Grandma Debbie was able to go with us. Avery chilled on her lap in the waiting room, but then got bored and had to run around a little bit.

Once we got in the exam room, little did we know we would be waiting nearly 45 minutes before we saw the doctor. She got bored waiting on the table, so to pass the time, she ripped up the super comfortable ;) paper roll she gets to sit on. We ended up throwing it all away and replacing it with a new strip to avoid judgment from the doctor.

We kept waiting and waiting, so Avery decides to entertain herself by running circles in this teeny-tiny room, putting her snacks on the footstools, and eating them again, ugh!

She even tried peeking out the door to look for the doctor, but it didn't get him there any faster.

Once he finally arrived, we were able to learn that her weight at one year was 21 lbs and 13.5 oz. That put her in the 62%. Her height was 30 inches, the 76%...but wait....her head circumference was in the 97%!!! Ol' big head :)

She was very healthy and he was impressed at her ability to throw the tennis ball and kick it around the room like a soccer ball.

She has 8 teeth now, four on top and four on bottom. Her hair is getting longer, but one side has this piece that just wants to stick out all the time!

Her diapers are still a size four, and will be for a long time. She wears 18-24 months clothing and a size 4 shoe.

She's walking, running, climbing, and pulling up like a pro now. A new thing she has done is being able to sit up from lying on the ground. This eventually leads to her pulling up on the nearest piece of furniture and walking.

We have put up two baby gates because of her new found skills, and also installed toilet seat locks (after she dumped her baby in the toilet). Michael nearly wet himself the first day I put them on because he didn't know how to open the seat.

She eats all table food and loves, loves, loves watermelon. She's really good at eating her green vegetables like green beans, broccoli, and okra. She's not too fond of carrots or squash, but will chow down a baked sweet potato.

She's great at drinking from a straw and wants to drink from my cup every time I have something. Even if she has her own cup with the same thing in it, she wants mine, regardless!

She's taking one nap a day around 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. Her naps last anywhere from 1-2 hours, but on most days, it's just one hour total.

Her bed time is 8:00 p.m. and she goes down in her crib really well 98% of the time. However, her 'wake up' time is unpredictable. Some nights she'll sleep until 3:00 a.m., or the next night she might wake back up at 10:30. We've got off schedule because of different travel events and family being over, so she ends up back in the bed with us before the sun comes up. We officially get out of bed around 9:00 a.m.

We've discovered Avery is a giver, lover, and nurturer. She LOVES her baby dolls and has one in her arms most of the day, and night! She hugs them, kisses them, hands them to us to love on, and then takes them back.

She's also really good at sharing her toys, babies, and food. However, she's not good at giving things up she's not supposed to have. She will throw a fit if I take something out of her hands she's not willing to release and also hates being told "No!" She's rotten ;)

Her understanding of things is very sharp, but we're still trying to get her to talk more than just point at things she wants. I've heard her make sounds that are close to 'ball', 'baby', 'dog', and 'Cotton'. A bird doesn't fly by that she doesn't see or point at, and she never misses the chance to scream and point at ducks, dogs, and cats. (This doesn't exclude other babies at Publix either).

She can point out where my eyes are, and then gets distracted when I ask where my nose and mouth are. She now knows where my belly button is, and will pull up my shirt and stick her finger in my belly button. She got a good laugh yesterday at grabbing a hand full of my stomach and then pressing her mouth on it. I'm not really sure what that was all about, but it made me very aware of excess fat around my belly button!

Avery is awful at keeping her hands out of Cotton's mouth. During her eating time, she will hold her hand over the high chair and feed Cotton, then proceed to feed herself with that same hand! I will look at her and say, "Aaaaa-very...." She will keep her hand in Cotton's mouth, and stare at me with a blank expression, like I can't see what she is doing.

Michael and I get a good kick out of her "poop face". It's so mean, I know...to laugh at your child when they are trying to take care of business....but her expression is so funny. I will try and take some pictures (of her face that is) and share them with you next time.

Avery pretty much thinks she's entitled to everything we have, eat, drink, and do. She doesn't understand , or like, the meaning of "no". But she will learn....through some hard work and discipline on our part. The baby stage is officially over and now we are raising a toddler, who needs loving instruction. Now the "fun" really begins!