On the Move

Avery has been shaking things up lately!  She recently started riding in style in grocery carts while we are shopping, as well as using high chairs at restaurants.  She loves sitting up like a big girl and the new found freedom from her infant carrier.  Last weekend we went to Mimi's Cafe for breakfast and she grabbed a menu right off the table and could not contain her excitement.  It was super cute. 

She has also started waving recently.  She is not very consistent about it but it is super cute (have a said that recently?) when she does it.  Here she is happy to be shopping with Mommy at IKEA.  Who isn't happy there?  (You can also see her two little bottom teeth).

A few weeks ago I was putting laundry away and well, I tossed Avery in the basket to cary her from one room to the other.  She thought it was great fun and I had to stop for a picture.  Her happy smile can add cheer to the most mundane chores.

And the biggest development of all: she is officially on the move!

She finally made forward progress for the first time over the weekend:

Any surprise food was finally the motivating factor?  I believe it was a McDonald's sausage egg and cheese biscuit for her older brother.  The first couple of days were still a little shaky but she was really on the move today.  I would have taken a newer video but I was too busy prying the ceramic vase out of her chubby fingers.  

Another fun aspect of her getting older is the growing interaction between her and Hayden.  He has been waiting for this day for a long time, asking me "Mom, why is Avery not playing with me yet?"  I am sure as years go by I will instead hear "Mom, Avery won't get out of my room!" but for now I am cherishing the pure joy they have when they are together.

Speaking of the big brother...he seems to be changing just as fast sometimes.  So fast that if I wasn't having so much fun soaking it in and laughing at the crazy things he says, I just might miss it.  He is learning new things all the time.  He can write his own name now and he is learning to sounds out basic words.  He is learning to tell time and just starting to learn about the calendar and days of the week.  Still, there is no shortage of ACTIVE play for this boy.  He is always on the go!  Last week he got to try roller skating for the first time:

He fell down a few times at first but he kept getting back up and trying again.  This is a huge improvement for him since he is usually inclined to becoming frustrated and angry very easily.  He is learning that practice pays off and he could tell that he was getting better as time went on and I could see he had a sense of accomplishment about it.  I was so proud of him.  It's funny how the big changes can sneak up on you in the little, every day moments.

On Easter Sunday someone brought chicks to church for the kids to hold:

Hayden has been a huge helper lately.  He loves helping me in the kitchen, is great about clearing his place and has even started bringing the garbage can back to the house on pick up day.  He even helped me dust the house today.  He loves helping, and almost always does so without being asked.  

As I write, my little man is at his first baseball game with Matt.  Just a little minor league team here in Dayton.  So handsome and grown-up looking, don't you think?

I will have to remember these things next time he says "you're bossy, mommy!" or "I don't want to..."  I am learning that there is joy waiting to be found in every moment.  Life is certainly not perfect, but it is always filled with Love, and for that I am so thankful. 

Weeeeeeeeeeee!

The following is a rather ridiculous number of pictures of a baby on a swing.  A very cute baby, at that.

Miss Avery turned nine months old on Thursday.  She now weighs in at 18 pounds and ten ounces.  She cut her first tooth over Easter weekend and the second is right behind it.  She is trying so hard to crawl, but so far she can only go backwards.  She can get places pretty quickly just by scooting and rolling around.  She is starting to pull up on furniture but can only get as high as her knees.  She talks a lot these days, mostly "dada" sounds.  She still has no interest at all in baby food.  (As my dad says, the girl has taste).  She is a solid sleeper- she naps twice a day for about 1.5 hours each time and about 11.5 hours at night.  She still thinks Hayden is hilarious.  She is very ticklish and will even hold her foot out for us to tickle again after we have stopped.  She likes it when Hayden blows raspberries on her tummy.  She LOVES bath time.  She still likes her pacifier but usually only when she goes to sleep. Let's hope we can keep it that way!

Life with two has definitely been an adjustment.  And for those of you who know Matt and I well you know it can take us a while to adjust to things at times.  But mostly it has been so much fun.  I am really looking forward to this summer when we can really start getting out and exploring and doing fun things as a family.  Life is good!