My baby is 14 months old today. My oh my, how time flies by...
These days Avery is a busy bee. That is the best way that I know how to describe it. She is walking everywhere, into everything, pulling, pushing, grabbing, etc...
At 14 months Avery is sleeping around 12/13 hours a night. She doesn't wake up in the night to eat. She only wakes up if she is teething which has been very hard on us lately. She has been having a runny nose on & off and waking up at all hours of the night. We took her to the doctor to find out that she is getting her back teeth in. Right now she has 9 teeth, almost 10. We have found that when teething a cold wet rag works great along with some teething tablets & Tylenol. I am thankful that she has only had 2 colds since she has been born, & a few runny noses due to teething. No other major illnesses.
Avery is starting to grow hair; something I thought I would never say. I have to admit at first I was almost devastated, (I mean that in a good way), that she didn't have hair because
MY BABY WAS GOING TO HAVE TONS OF DARK HAIR. She is looking to be a sandy blond/light brown haired girl at this moment which is what Chad & I both were. It's growing super fast & has picked up since her 1st Birthday. I am going to miss this little bold head, we are so use to it now that it just won't seem the same.
We are walking EVERYWHERE. She started walking right after her 1st Birthday. She is pretty much trying to run now. Let's just say I get a good cardio workout, ALL DAY!
She is in a size 3 shoe. She has little itty feet. They are so darn cute though & I can't seem to kiss them enough. Her feet started growing really fast over the past 2 months & she was literally in a size 2 for a month it seemed like!
Speaking of shoes, how cute are these Nike Shox that she just started being able to wear?! Chad & I just laugh when she walks in them because they are heavier than she is use to but they really support her feet well & I feel that is crucial during this growing period.
Ave is in a size 3 diaper & is wearing a variety of sizes in clothes. It's hard to say because it really depends on the place. Most places she can wear 12 months but there are a few she can still wear 6-9 months. She weights a whopping 21 lbs. She is in a forward facing car seat & absolutely loves it. I will play music in the car & move my head & she will do the same along with the music. She loves to move her hands & giggle. She told me to tell you that her favorite song right now is, "Riding Solo"! (HA)!
She now eats everything that we eat. I still try to feed her some fruit by spoon here & there because I have been trying to teach her how to hold her spoon & feed herself, which gets to be super messy, but I love it. Her favorite snacks are cheese & animal crackers. She also loves strawberries, grapes, bananas, apples, cheerio's, & marsh- mellows!
She talks a TON. I just can't believe the things she says & how she tries to mimic me. She is now saying a variety of words: Momma, (but she calls me, Mummy most of the time- it's the funniest thing), Dadda, Daddy, Mimi, Poppa, Mamee, Papa, bye-bye, hi- (& hi-yeeee), no, dog, cow, baby, pig, nose, cheese- (chi), cookie-(tutie), stinky- (tinky).
Along with words she is mimicking everything that we do. She knows how to brush her hair & knows how to point to hers. She also tries to brush my hair, so cute! She points to her nose, & if you ask her where her eyes & ears are she will point to them too. My favorite is that she tries to put on my bracelets & will actually try to wear them all around the house. I am sure I could go on for days but these are some of the cute things she has been doing that just amaze me. They are so much smarter than we could ever give them credit for.
I set aside special time during the day to sit down with her to read her books, have a learning time, & then her free time to just run around & play. We use to run around town alot more when she was younger but now she is learning so quickly that I think it's time to be home alot where she has freedom. And, it's too hot to be outside all day. It was 102 here today.
I enrolled her in a "Kids Day Out" at our church twice a week which will give me 5 hours a day to get several things done, do lunch dates, clean, grocery shop, etc. It's like a "Mother's Day Out" but they are calling it for "kid's" because they are going to be teaching them a lot of things, not just watching & playing with them. BONUS! I am really excited about it because it will allow her to spend time with other children, teach her routine, & also show her how to share with others.
I love to watch her play with her toys. She loves playing with her puzzles!
She is such a happy little girl that is full of lots of expressions!
...But don't let that big bow & those sweet baby blues get you. She can also have quite the little tempter tantrum. We are working on that, trust me. She has learned what Mommy says goes & also has learned to not touch certain things. When I say, "SPANK", she pretty much doesn't touch it. I wanted to teach her EARLY on that she couldn't touch things when I say she can't touch them because I don't want to be in public & at other's homes constantly saying, "stop, don't touch, no, etc". I want her to learn early that when I say not to touch something, don't touch it. =) It took me 3 days on the dog bowl and she hasn't even looked at it since.
And see this look? Ya, she is telling you how it is! I have to turn my head & laugh when she does this so she doesn't see me laughing.
I am in love with my life, in love with my baby. It doesn't mean that everything is just cartwheels & fairy-tales all day everyday; TRUST me- I have more than a bad day at times where I just need to run to Wal-mart & stay in there for hours upon end, ALONE. Sometimes I will go to Sonic, for an hour. Just to take a drive- ha! One day I drove to a different town just to get a Sonic drink- JUST to see new scenery & think.
Having a child has for sure changed me as a person in so many wonderful ways. It is the hardest but most rewarding gift of all. At times it has taken a tole on my body, my sleep, & even my mind & sometimes even has effected me & Chad's relationship. Not in a horrible way but a
challenging way where we have deffinetely had to make "US" time & MAKE the time to sit & talk about our needs, wants, & desires.
It's easy to forget each other when you are focused on a child 24/7. Sometimes when we even go out on a date it's awkard because we aren't use to being alone. We are getting there with each others desires & needs & what makes us tick. The last week has been amazing since we were able to take nice drives & be alone & just be in the moment & talk. Im thankful to God for my sweet sensitive husband- he is such a great christian man of many morals & values.
It's not easy being home all day being a home maker- cooking, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, running errands, changing, feeding, etc. But, I am so blessed that I am home with her & try hard to not use my blog as an outlet to complain. As I once have said I don't "air my dirty laundry" but it sure doesn't mean that I don't have a bad day. Most days are beyond perfect simply because I feel SO blessed to have a healthy baby girl. When I have a bad day I just remember this blessing & gift that God has provided to me.
Avery, we love you!
