18 Months!

We rocked jammies all day today.. Cold and rainy, didn't even leave the house.  Avery insisted on wearing her rain boots all day regardless :)

Avery turned 18 months on Nov 8.  I am late in posting because we had to reschedule Avery's 18 month appointment due to yet another ear infection... For those in the peanut gallery that are counting, that is the 3rd one in 10 weeks, and 4th in a year....  Our poor child is well on her way to becoming antibiotic resistant.  I think there has been a total of a few weeks that she has not been on an antibiotic in the last 2 months.... Ugh, anyway, enough with the sick baby talk.  On to happier topics!  We can't believe our baby is now closer to 2 than 1!  These past 6 months have flown by. Avery is now a little sponge, learning something new everyday.  This is the most fun stage!

Avery here are your stats at 18 months:

Weight: 24 lbs (almost 50th percentile)

Height: 32.25 (about 65th percentile)

Sleep:  You had a minor setback when daylight saving ended, but you are now back on your normal schedule.  You go to bed usually between 6:30 and 7:00, and sleep till 7:00-7:30.  Most days you are a great napper, about 2 to 2.5 hours, but about once or twice a week you will only go about 45 minutes to an hour.

Likes: playing with Lexi, doing ANYTHING with Daddy, story time at the library, going to school (you now cry when you have to leave school), reading books, drawing, playing in the kitchen cabinets

Dislikes: ground beef for some reason, drying off after a bath or being pulled out of the bath when you are still playing.

Favorite Toys: Honestly, your favorite things to play with are books.  You love reading.  Also, give you a pen (not a crayon for heaven's sake) and paper and you are happy for a good 25 minutes.

Favorite Books: Night Night Birmingham, Papa Loon, Where's Spot?, Goodnight Moon,

Diaper Size: 4

Clothes Size: You have grown out of most of your 18 month clothes except the smocked stuff, everything else is too short for you.  So, most of the time you are wearing 24 month, and a few 2T.

Favorite Foods: Pancakes, avocado, turkey, cheese, green beans, green peas, and almost anything that you can attempt to use a fork with.  You are not a picky eater, and we pray that this continues!!

Words: I stopped counting them up a few weeks ago.  At best guess, you easily have 40 if not more.  It seems that you learn a new one everyday...  Our favorites are the way you say pancake (ka ka) and avocado (cado),

Milestones: It is fascinating to me how much you are picking up on things.  You understand SO much more these days.  Just the other day I asked you to bring Mommy a diaper... off you went running down the hallway and appeared a few minutes later with one.  Mommy's life just got easier!  Also, just this month you started stringing words together, "Hi Mommy, Bye Bye Daddy", etc... You are also picking up on things you learn in Sunday school; just the other day you pulled down a book and started patting it saying, "Bible, Bible" and "pat pat".  It made Mommy tear up for sure.  You also fold your hands and place them together whenever it is time to pray.

Personality: Your teacher told me you are the sweetest one in your class. Shh, we won't tell the other mommies. :)  She said you give the best hugs, which makes Daddy and me so happy to hear. We think you're the sweetest too! On the flip side, you can be a drama mama.  You throw little fits every now and again, but it's usually nothing that can't be toned down quickly with the threat of a time out.  You're hilarious, and we wouldn't have you any other way.

We love you so much Little Nug.   We pray that you continue to grow up as a happy, sweet, caring, funny little girl.  We know that as you grow you are going to bless others just like you have blessed us.

Pictures from the last 3 months:

Sick baby girl.

Zoo day!

School picture

Not happy about being at the pediatrician's office.. again!

New favorite thing is taking selfies.

While Mommy was in Houston

Farm Days

Last weekend we took Aves up to see her Great Granddaddy Wayne and Great Grandma Eva in Columbia, TN.  What's a trip to Columbia without a visit to Happy Acres!  Avery had a blast riding the tractor, mooing at the cows, running after the cows, throwing rocks into Carter's Creek, playing silly games with Granddaddy Wayne, and eating pretty much EVERYTHING Grandma Eva brought to the table... We are very thankful we have a good eater :)

Thanks to Matthew's grandparents for hosting us for the weekend.  It was a nice, relaxing weekend full of good company, and wonderful food...and I'd be remiss to not mention all the dessert.  It's not a full meal without dessert according to Granddaddy Wayne, even at breakfast! :)

Sweet girl loves her daddy.

She LOVED the cows; kept running after them.  Didn't faze her a bit that they are 10 times bigger than she is!

And just think.. Almost SIX years ago we were at the same place getting engaged.  Amazing how time flies.

Halloween 2013

We celebrated Halloween twice this year with our little Nug.  First at our church for the annual Trunk or Treat, and then on actual Halloween over at Jonathan and Kristen's house for pizza and trick or treating with the kiddos.  Avery had a blast at both.  It rained pretty much the whole time at Trunk or Treat, but she was happy as she could be running around from booth to booth, stuffing her face full of corn dogs (broken into tiny pieces mom!), and even tried her very first piece of chocolate candy (Snickers, one of her Mommy's favorites).

All in all, it was a great Halloween.  10 times more fun with a toddler.  Out of the 7 Halloweens M and I have celebrated together, we went to a party and dressed up together one time, and I wouldn't for a second go back to those days!

The sweetest strawberry that ever was!

Our attempts at getting a good family picture failed... Avery was not in the posing mood, and decided she would rather try and stick her finger up her nose every time Aunt Kristen tried to take a picture.  

Like I said... Not in the mood.  But at least Cousin Sammy is smiling!

Uncle Benj and Aunt Morgan came too!  Aves still being difficult....  This stubborn child must really be mine :)