Avery 13 Months

So I decided I wasn't going to do "monthly" posts after she turned a year. I wouldn't have monthly pictures to show anymore, and I thought I'd just write when something cool happens. Well then I got the urge to blog on Oct. 7 - right when she turned 13 months. I guess I had conditioned myself? But then I haven't had a chance to actually write until now...

So here's her 13 month update - 

She still weighs right under 20 lbs. She now has two teeth on the bottom and two more that are trying to come through on top. 

She's not walking yet, but loves pulling up. That's almost all she does all day. 

I think I have a picky eater on my hands. I feel bad because I always feed her the same stuff, but it's all she'll eat! I even got some recipes for baby finger food and spent all this time making them and she wouldn't eat a bite. The only things I can count on her to eat are avocado, peaches, and yogurt melts. Then of course she loves the Gerber puffs and crunchies, which I'm sure she'd be fine with me feeding her all the time but I am trying to limit it.

She has also picked up some bad habits while eating. She likes to get her hands super messy and rub them all over her hair. Luckily she doesn't have much hair so it is sort of easy to wipe out.

She also thinks it is super funny to drop things, and the more sternly I tell her "no," the more she laughs. I have started ignoring her and that seems to be working better.

While we were in Wichita Falls, she went to her first wedding. My cousin, Keyton, got married. She actually did great during the ceremony, and it helped that it was super short. Here is a picture of her and my parents before the wedding -

She also had the time of her life hanging out with her BFF, Willie. 

Also during the trip we went to my cousin, Lindsay's, baby shower. Avery was napping when I left to go so she didn't join in that event. 

Here are a few more pictures of her lately. This is us before we went shopping one afternoon-

This is her eating at Gloria's with my mom and me - 

Wichita Falls Trip

Last week Avery and I made a trip to Wichita Falls - my hometown and "God's country" according to my dad.

We go back there about every 6 weeks. Why 6 weeks? Because, yes, I still get my hair done there. I go to the same lady who has done it since early college. Every time I've gotten it done in Dallas, I've paid double and ended up with super short orange hair. But that's not the whole reason. I can't stay away from my family very long, so it also gives me a good excuse to visit. And they like seeing me... or Avery. 

The drive was a little more treacherous than normal. As I left Allen, I noticed my gas tank was about half full. I should have stopped but I thought a half a tank could get me there. More on that later.

I don't go the way most people go from Dallas to WF. Since we are so far north, it is about the same distance for me to go up to Sherman and take 82. There is less traffic and more places for me to pull over with Avery if I need to. Overall I just feel like it's a safer route. I also love feeling like I'm in the country. And I love driving through Nocona. My best friend in high school, Sandy, lived there for a while and I think I spent every weekend of my sophomore year there.

Anyway my gas tank started to dip quicker than expected but it started POURING rain. Who wants to pump gas in the rain?? Plus Avery was asleep and if there's one rule we live by at my house it is NEVER wake the baby!

The rain stopped around Saint Jo (if you recognize any of the towns I have named so far, you are a true Texan), but I guess I zoned out on memories in Nocona because getting gas was the last thing on my mind. Then my gas light came on. If you're familiar with this route, you know there is NOTHING for miles. Yes, there's Ringgold, but there's no gas stations there. 

I've always judged people who ran out of gas. I always wondered how dumb you had to be. I mean do you not see your tank gauge or gas light? I also knew that if I did run out of gas, the person I would be forced to call would be my dad. He thinks his tank is low if it is below 3/4 of a tank. I knew that phone call would not be pretty.

Avery was sound asleep in the backseat as I felt my car start to sputter (is that the right word??). I felt like it was my "Jesus Take the Wheel" moment. I've never had a panic attack but I am certain I did right then. I was sure we were running out of gas. I started breathing really fast and my heart was beating out of my chest. I kept praying for God to get me to Henrietta.

We made it to Henrietta.

I feel like I just wrote a lot of build up for nothing. Anyway lesson learned. I will fill up before leaving town from now on. I didn't even tell my dad when I got to town. I didn't want the lecture, but I'm pretty sure my phone will be ringing any second now...

So while in WF Avery got to see Uncle Colby's new apartment. It's really nice and looks out over Lake Wellington.

She also made her first trip to one of my all-time favorite restaurants - Samurai of Tokyo. We figured the guy making the food would keep her entertained. Well instead he scared her and she started crying at the top of her lungs. Here are a few pictures. My mom's going to kill me for the first one.

We also ate at Jason's Deli. They just got one there and they think it's super awesome. I had my fill of Jason's Deli when I worked at IBM. Angie and I went there every day for lunch. So much so our coworkers asked us if we owned stock. But anyway I think my parents wanted to get the all you can eat ice cream. My PE teacher from elementary school was working the door.

Avery is still obsessed with Willie, and now that she can crawl, he's in trouble.

We had a great time and can't wait to go back... in a few weeks...

Avery 9 Months

Avery turned 9 months on June 7. She had her check up with the doctor on the 11th and she weighed 17 pounds, 13.5oz and was 27.25 inches long.

Here are pictures from her 9 month photo shoot. It's getting harder and harder to take these because she is now aware of her bow and sticker and tries to pull them both off. I know it will only get more difficult once she becomes mobile!

She has started making this face that seems like she's thinking "what are you doing??" -

Here is what has been going on...

Bottles: She drinks four 6oz bottles a day, but she drinks them in little bits. This used to stress me out because I read books that warned against "snacking" but that is just how she eats. Even when she wakes up from sleeping 11 hours at night she only eats 3oz. The doctor told me that was good for her though because of her reflux. Both Rustin and I like to eat little bits throughout the day rather than large meals, so she may just take after us!

Solids: She has a love/hate relationship with solids. Sometimes she gets super happy while eating and eats a ton, other days (most days) I can barely get her to eat anything and she fusses the whole time. But she does love her puffs! And to her Daddy's dismay, I gave her a taste of the pineapple sherbet I was eating and she loved it! She kept opening her mouth and fussing for me to give her more.

Milestones: Nope - still no teeth and she's not crawling either. I would worry, but I've finally realized that babies are so different and do everything at a different pace. I feel like she's a few months behind when they say she "should" do things, so I'm sure crawling is no different. She gets up on her hands and knees and wiggles back and forth so it's just a matter of time. But she has learned how to sit up by herself in her crib.

Nicknames: A-Shae and LP. Her dad made both of them up. LP stands for Little Princess. I thought that was cute :)

Sleep: Her naps are still short. She just loves the 45 minute nap. Every now and then she sleeps longer. Most babies her age are down to two naps, but she still takes three naps - I guess because they're so short. Sometimes she doesn't want to take her third one even though she's really tired. I used to take her walking during that time, but now it's too hot so we run errands or just go driving and she always passes out in the car.
She's been sleeping through the night for several months now. She usually goes to bed at 7pm and wakes up at 6:30am. I love our time before I put her down to sleep. I call it our "cuddle time." I hold her facing me and she talks to me and plays with my hair, nose, shirt or anything else she can grab.

Her favorite toy by far is her paci. We have the wubbanub kind with an animal attached to it. Sometimes when I look at her at night, she's not sucking on the paci but just holding and rubbing the animal part.

She loves animals, especially my parents' cat Willie. Whenever she sees him she squeals really loud. If he walks by, she tries to grab him. She likes our dog, Baloo, too but only sometimes. She will see him all day and not pay attention, but then she'll randomly get really excited about him. Here are some pics of her and her furry friends -

When she gets a toy in her hands, she gets excited and moves her arms up and down. She also has been making a funny noise like she's trying to whistle. She really likes it if you try to make the noise too.

I'll close with a few more pictures of her -