Avery would like to say something.

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New Years Resolutions?

I had a long post typed up with pics and updates and it was BEAUTIFUL. Somehow I hit a wrong button and ALL MY PICS were deleted from the post. ::headdesk:: Then I just got pissed and deleted the rest of the post. A lot of time was spent on that dang thing. Maybe if I stop being mad at blogger I'll attempt a redo. It went a little like this:

1.) Life's been crazy with a 1 year old AND working night shift. Every waking moment is spent chasing her and every moment she sleeps I'm sleeping or running around cleaning up after her and keeping the house in a semi state of orderly.

2.) Her birthday was great. She got to hang out with lots of friends and family and tore into presents and cake.

::insert cute pics from birthday party::

3.) Job is going good. Night shift is challenging but we're making it work. Avery seems to be doing better with it.

4.) Christmas was...busy. We were running around everywhere! Tiffani came home for a visit and they lost her bags which resulted in two more trips to the airport, one on Christmas Eve. Thankfully they were found and she got to wear clean clothes! Avery got an absurd pile of gifts. So much for teaching her the real meaning of Christmas. Next year I WILL be putting my foot down. (You hear that grandparents! I WILL BE PUTTING MY FOOT DOWN! We will donate to toys for tots if we have to!)

::insert Christmas pics::

Avery's 1 year check up is on Saturday. Apparently we screwed things up when we didn't have insurance during her 9 month visit and went 3 weeks late. Insurance will only pay for visits every so many months. Not a big deal. We'll get it situated later. I'm sure everything will be fine because she's 1.) a hoss and 2.) a genius. Duh.

The not so tiny babe and I are packing our bags and headed to sunny, dry, WARM Arizona on the 7th. I'm itching with excitement. We'll be gone a week and are so excited to see everyone! Trying to prepare to take a 1 year old on a 4 hour flight is giving me palpiations and acid reflux. With lots of snacks and toys, patience and a stiff drink for mom we can make it there in one piece. We leave at 6pm so we'll be in the air at bedtime. Hopefully she sleeps for at least part of the flight. ::coughbabybenadrylcough:: I keed, I keed.

Now on to the point of this post. It's NYE! What are your resolutions for the new year? How are you going to make sure you keep them? Can we have a check in oh say about Jan 20th and see how you're doing? :) 2009 was a great year for me/us I'm hoping 201o can be just as good if not better. I had a lot of struggles and worried far too much but things always have a way of working out. There were good times and bad times but we always ended up with our heads above water.

So. This year:

1.) Laugh more. One thing I've learned in the last year is that being angry is useless and worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.

I'll give you a minute to write that down...

2.) Be better with money. I'm doing good and making great progress but I still have a long way to go. I think I'm going to start doing Dave Ramsey with my tax money. Any suggestions?

3.) This blog is getting an overhaul. I don't write in it much mostly due to the fact that I'm busy and I just don't have that many Avery updates. I'm going to start focusing on day to day life and writing like I normally write. You don't like it? Ok. ::unsubscribe:: I think I'm going to register the blog once it's been overhauled on a mommy blog site. Woot!

4.) Take more pictures. This wouldn't be a problem if I had a new camera. ::coughmomcough:: The babe is growing so fast and I LOVE looking back at old pics of her and get a little sappy.

5.) LEARN SPANISH. I've been majorly slacking in this department. I want so badly to be able to speak the language instead of just fumble my way through. I want to be able to speak to Avery in spanish. I know this will help her learn as well. She actually got quite a few toys that speak spanish (well, they have a switch I keep it on spanish) and I'm excited about them. I do speak to her in what I know but it's very limited. ::channeling my little engine that could thoughts::

That's it. 5 resolutions. 5 things to master in 2010. I can do it. Not a huge deal right? RIGHT?!?! I'm holding all of you personally responsible for helping me with this. 1-4 really aren't even that hard!

And now Avery is asleep and I have to work tonight.

::runs and dives into bed::

Update

It's been a long time since any real update on us. Sorry. Things get a little crazy with a mobile baby in the house. I spend my days chasing after Avery. I feel like I'm constantly saying "Careful Avery" or "that's a no no". Of course I usually get a scream or the ugly face in return. What's the ugly face you ask? This dear friends is the ugly face:

Add breathing in and out really fast and snorting noises and this is the ugly face.

I thought she would never crawl let alone walk and somehow she went from crawling to pulling up and walking along the furniture to standing on her own and finally walking in such a short time. I didn't have time to appreciate each milestone because she was on to the next one so quickly. Now she's walking/running everywhere and getting into everything.

She's going to be 11 months old tomorrow. ELEVEN MONTHS! I get a bit weepy just thinking about it. Surely it was just yesterday that she was the warm ball of sleeping newborn. Ok ok not yesterday, the day before.

She was an adorable little monkey for Halloween. She was such a good girl the entire evening. I was fairly impressed but she did great. My monkey's first Halloween:

Things have been going great with my new job. I really like it so far. I've learned a lot already. I will be out of orientation in 3 weeks and out on my own. Speaking of work I'm going to have to wrap this up. I have to work on some computer training before a class on Monday. Bleh.

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

I got a great surprise when I picked Aves up after work tonight. Avery walked ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM AT MY PARENTS HOUSE!!! She's has been doing it all day apparently. I can't believe I officially have a walker. I'm so sad that she's growing too fast. She's only 10 months and 1 week!!

I promise I will have a real update soon. I've been slacking. Sorry.

Vote for Avery!

She's entered in the Gap casting call! Please to to this website and vote for her once every 24 hours until November 17th! Thank you!

Gap Casting Call!

9 months 2 weeks 2days....

is how old Avery was when she took TWO STEPS by herself! She did it TWICE!!! She just now did it at my parents house! I can't believe how fast she is growing up. Slow down baby girl, you're growing up too fast.

<3

We have a tooth AND a stander!!!

I can feel the tooth it juuuust broke the surface. She was throwing a fit tonight and I got a good look at it while she was screaming at me. (I swear, the attitude is from her father. Teeheehee.) I can see where her gum is split and the tooth is poking through.

Yesterday and today she's been standing on her own when you put her down on the floor until she goes to take a step. She still face plants (I catch her, shut up) when she moves either foot but could stand still all day long. She's almost to getting up on her own without pulling up on anything. She gets up to one knee and just cant get that other foot under her. She's already pulling up on absolutely everything and crawling all over the place.

How in the heck did this happen? I swear 2-3 weeks ago she wasn't even crawling.

She's growing up too fast. ::tear::

Guess what my baby can do.

Avery can stand for seven, SEVEN seconds all by herself. I know this because I timed her. She did it twice. At seven seconds I started clapping and saying "YAY!" which she also started doing and got her balance all off kilter. My bad. After the miraculous event she was standing at her activity table and turned around to look at me and TOOK A STEP FORWARD and face planted. It's the thought that counts right?

My child is a genius. She's going to be like Einstein only toothless. I don't know why those teeth continue to hide out just below the surface. They taunt us.

You are my I love you!

This is what I thought while we were at the park this afternoon. I don't think I will ever EVER love anyone as much as I love little miss Avery Grace. I don't just mean I love you and there are rainbows and butterflies and everything is perfect. I mean I FREAKING LOVE YOU AND I'M GOING TO KISS YOU UNTIL YOUR CHEEKS FALL OFF! Can your cheeks actually fall off from getting kissed too much? I highly doubt this since Avery is at about 800 BILLION and her cheeks are still very much intact.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

And just to seal the case, exhibit D:

Our evening in pictures

We came home and got a bath.


No papparazzi!!

Would you care for some octopus mom?

Gimme that camera.

So pretty.

Squeaky clean!

Playing with her new toy.

She didn't stay standing for long.

She preferred this way.

Ms. Destructo

Why play with the top? The bottom is so much more fun.

Wish list

In an effort to teach Aves Spanish I have been looking at a lot of Spanish education toys and videos. I love these:


This phone is from Educational Toys planet (www.educationaltoysplantet.com) and also has a cute little clock toy too.

I love these maracas that count in English and Spanish:

They are from Leap Frog which has a lot of other great learning toys.

I found these videos on Amazon that I would really love to get for her.



I knew I should have paid attention those 4 years in Spanish. Maybe I will learn the same time she does with the help of these toys/videos. If only momma could afford this:

Anyone have some superglue?

Because at least then I would have my arms free. I think I have held Avery for 3 days. I know, I know, use the Moby. Yep. In theory that works. However it was hotter than HADES here today. I'm talking walk out the door and get smacked in the face hot. My poor a/c unit has been running night and day trying to keep up. I've sweat in places....well, you get the idea.

I don't know what's going on with her. Maybe it's teething? It's so stinking cute when I pick her up and she wraps her arm around my neck that it's hard to be mad at her. Oh my sweet baby Jesus are my arms tired. She has even had to be held to go to sleep. Meh.

I made lots of baby food today while she was taking a nap. I worked frantically in case she woke up. I choose to use the oven for 3 hours on the hottest day of the year. No wonder my a/c is going to kill me in my sleep. I made squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, avacado, and bananas. Tomorrow is strawberries, pears, and peaches. I bought a jar of applesauce, too much work.

With that I bid you adieu. I need a shower...badly.

We're on the injured reserve list...the both of us.

Ave somehow cut her finger in the bathtub tonight. I didn't even realize she did it until I was drying her off. I'm all what's that on her face? Meh, and proceed to dry her off. Took me awhile to realize it was blood because it was so watered down with drool because my child is a leaky faucet. I'm proud of myself, I stayed calm. I always wondered what I would do the first time my baby got hurt. I thought I would be all HOLD THE PHONE!! CALL 911 THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!! Instead I kept my cool and Grandma was the freak out. Now I think the challenge is going to be keeping the thumb out of her mouth until we can take the band-aid off. Bring on the duct tape!

I hurt my shoulder yesterday playing with Avery. I think I just pulled some muscles lifting baby buddah in the air. It seriously EFFING hurts! I'm talking good thing I still have some of the good drugs from squeezing the spawn out hurts. I think I need some muscle relaxers, but do you think I'll go to the doctor? PSSSSHHHH. It's true, nurses make the worst patients. Instead I'll just b!tch and moan about it until it feels better. Yep, b!tch and moan so if I talk to you regularly in real life, prepare yourself. And don't roll your eyes at me. I know you're thinking it "what a baby". It's my SHOULDER! I lift fat old people all day at work and come home and lift baby buddah who is built like a brick sh!thouse all night. It may take awhile. :)

Best birthday present eva!!!!

Ave woke up from her nap and I left her in there a couple minutes while I was doing something else. She was babbling away to herself. Then I heard the best thing ever: "Mama mama mama". I run in and she is on her back with her arms stretched up for me. After eleventy billion kisses we got ready to head to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

At Grandma and Grandpa's house she was be-bopping around in her walker. (She was supervised and safe so STFU.) She wheeled herself up to me and put her arms up to be picked up and DID IT AGAIN! "Mama mama mama". SQUEEEEE! She said mama and was talking to ME!! She's done it a handful of other times today.

I think I'm going to explode from excitement!

Monkey had a bad dream : (

I woke up this morning at 5:30 to Aves screaming bloody murder in her room. I rush into her and scoop her up. She put her arms around my neck and squeezed me sooo tight. I rocked her for awhile and she kept wimpering. I put her in bed with me and she fell asleep finally with a death grip on my shirt.

Poor baby : (

Changes changes

Lots of little things going on around here. I'm getting so antsy about starting my new job! I cannot wait to be a pediatric nurse again! I hope so much that I like Bone Marrow Transplant. Other things going on for me that I prefer not to discuss on the interwebz thankyouverymuch. I'm just finishing up my last few weeks at my current job and preparing myself for what's next.

Avery is almost pulling herself to a standing position. She's soooo close. She rolls all over the place now. From a sitting position she is close to getting herself into a crawling position. I still think she's going to skip crawling and go right to walking though. I can't believe she's going to be 8 months old in a little over a week. How did this happen?

I dropped her off at my parents house yesterday morning before work like I've been doing for almost 5 months. It was the first time she cried when I left. Ok, ok she didn't all out cry but she fussed when I gave her to mom. It made me so sad. My baby didn't want mommy to go. I'm sure she quickly forgot and was off to do other fun things with grandma.

In other news: My bestie is coming to stay with me for awhile until her parents move to Arizona!!!! Slumber party! But, alas, we must remember that we are 24 now and have children. Bummer. I think she'll be staying about a month, maybe longer. I'm so freaking excited! I will be sad when she leaves me to go to Arizona with her parents :(

A long weekend!

Grandma R went back home Sunday morning. We had a very busy 4 days while she was here and did a lot of running around. Aves was a trooper even though she got really fussy sometimes. We went up to Northern Indiana for my cousin Anita's wedding. I got a couple cute pics of Avery there. Of course, none of the wedding.

Tell me she doesn't look so cute and innocent there! Of course she does, if you think different I'll dot your eye! Those cheeks! This was soon followed by a meltdown that was then followed by a brief nap in the moby.

I hijacked my mom's camera since she has a good one and took some pics of Aves. This is one of my favorites of the two of us:

These are some more favorites:


Another week over, another week closer to starting my new job! I'm getting really nervous! I have to schedule my physical and what not for sometime soon. I seem to have so many little things to do that I never seems to just do. I'm sure they wouldn't take me long at all. I would just rather play with Aves when I'm home or relax when she's napping. Someday. :)

Babbling and first words

A continuation of the update from 4th of July. I know, it's late. I have a 7 month old, sue me. (Yep, that's my cop out for everything. Get over it.)

Backstory: The week before 4th of July I put Aves to bed one night and apparently she wasn't tired. I heard her in there saying "mamamama". Of course I ran in and scooped her up and showered her with eleventy billion kisses!! (If someone heard something different, SHUT UP, I like living in denial thankyouverymuch.)

Anyway, Sunday Aves was playing with Jaden on the floor and I heard "dadadada" NOOOOO!!! It has quickly become her new favorite thing to say. Yes, I know she doesn't know what it means and I know it's not directed at anyone. I also know mamama isn't directed at me. But DANG IT!! UGH!! She has also said "babababa" a couple times too. She was sitting in the backseat today just happy as a clam "dadadadadada". ::le sigh:: Of course, that was between attitude problems and screeching like a howler monkey.

Grandma flew in from Florida today. We've been out and about running around most of the day. Aves did pretty good considering she only got one about 2 hour nap. My child the crazy long napper wasn't working with much of one today.

I gotta go find some Tums. I ate Skyline for dinner ::gag:: and now I have a distinct feeling of fullness and shame with a topping of heartburn.

Oh what a weekend.

Aves and I made the voyage northward to spend the 4th weekend in Northern Indiana. We got to spend lots of time with Megan and Jaden. We had a lot of fun. Avery went on her first boat ride. I was a sucky photographer this weekend and only got pics of her at dinner on Friday night. I know, bad mommy. We were both exhausted today and she went to bed early. I think I'm going to follow suit soon. We have a busy week ahead of us. Grandma R is flying in on Thursday so we can head back to Northern Indiana for Anita's wedding on Saturday. Lots of traveling for us!

My eyelids are heavy so pics and further updates are going to have to be later.

Quick! Call CPS!

Little Ms. Attitude decided she was having nothing to do with being at Aunt Ashy and Uncle Ben's new house today while mom helped paint. She threw a fit the whole time we were there! I knew she was tired and tried to get her to sleep but she refuses to sleep if something is going on or in a new place. Wonderful. Awesome. Because of course she is tired after sleeping 14 hours last night. The only thing that kept her happy was playing in the cooler. Yep...the cooler. Because my child is neurotic and won't play with her toys but frozen water is the best thing in the world.



And the rest of these are a blur because 1. She was moving so quickly with her hands ice to mouth to ice to mouth to ice to mouth. 2. I was laughing so hard it was next to impossible to get a decent picture anyway.








After we closed the lid to the cooler the screecher came out! She was happy with this though:


Can we say someone is starting to teeth? Oh, and yes, that is beer in the cooler. Mother of the Year! Woot!

Holy blog overhaul!

My blog got a face lift. :) I'm WILL start updating more often. Not just about Avery (let's not lie, she's the starring role!) but also about life around here.

But for now it's 11pm. So I bid you adieu.

She's doing great!

Avery is old pro at sitting now! She's content sitting on the floor and looking around or playing with little toys. It's too cute. She's also old hat at rolling belly to back. I just went and checked on her (as I do every night before bed) and she's laying head at the foot of the bed on her back instead of her belly. Now if she would just roll the other way consistently. Maybe I should edit that to say "to WANT to roll the other way consistently". She can do it, she's just stubborn. I wonder where she got that from.

She is LOVING food and now knows that what momma puts in her mouth off of a spoon is food and she wants some too! She was pretty mad last night when I wouldn't give her chicken or salad. She had to settle for stage 2 sweet potatoes.

We made a voyage to Indy yesterday for Simone and Josh's wedding! I don't have pics of the wedding because I was trying to keep the screecher quiet but I have a few pics of Avery at the reception. She's always mesmerized by the camera and it kept her occupied for 0.08 seconds. She quickly moved on the other such fun things: the fork, the knife, the water glass, lifting mommy's dress, etc. ::sigh::

Now that we have power back (we were living like the Amish for 2 whole days!) I'm trying to get laundry done and the fridge cleaned out. I'm sitting her right now relishing the AC because, of course, we lose power on one of the freaking HOTTEST weeks of the year. Good thing Grandma and Grandpa still had power. We were sweating in places we didn't know you could sweat!

Diaper butt

So cute!

6 months old!

Avery went to the doctor yesterday for her 6 month check up. She weighs 17lbs 12oz and is 26 1/2 inches long! She is in the 75th percentile for her height and weight! She was showing the doctor how well she sits up all by herself. She was right on track with all of her milestones and we're still working our way through stage one foods. Mommy learned last night that Aves LOVES bananas! When she is introduced to all the stage one foods it's ok to start stage two. We aren't in a hurry though. We've been working with a sippy cup for a couple weeks. She's still not too sure about it. Hopefully we get it figured out soon though. She's been doing great. Growing and learning new things all the time. She's changing so fast.

And with that I leave you with another adorable pic. Love you all!

First camping trip!

Aunt Verna loved the babies.

Uncle Ray loved them too.

Avery fell asleep on Grandma.

Grandma, Grandpa and Nathan

So cute!

My little beach baby.

She knew what cups were for!

We headed up to Michigan for our annual family reunion/Avery's first camping trip! She did pretty good. She was a little overwhelmed with all the people she didn't know, but by the time we left was much better. Of course, everyone was just eating her and her cousin up! Avery wore her swimsuit for the first time and went "swimming". :)

More pics!

What a big girl! I can't believe how fast she is growing! We went shopping for a few last things to go camping this weekend! We leave in the morning and will be home Monday sometime. Hope we survive it. : )

Love you all.

She rolled!

She started out like this....


and ended like this! Yay!! I'm so proud of my big girl!