Our Life at Home

Here Comes Trouble

On the move...

Thank you Grandma!

What?  Did you say Grandma sent me a new coat?  I sure am excited to try it on.

 

Yeah, this 6-12 month size is pretty big on me, but there's no way I could wear that 3-6 month size anymore.  That's for babies!

It sure is keeping me warm when I'm out and about.

7 months old!

Ava, you turned seven months old on February 22.  If you are wondering why it has taken me so long to write this blog post, it is because I can no longer keep up with you.  You are on the move all day every day.  A lot has happened in your world and here is some of what you've been up to lately:

• You crawl.  My dear sweet baby, you've been trying to crawl for so long.  Rocking back and forth, getting up on your hands and knees and trying to move until you collapse onto your belly in exhaustion.  A few days before you turned 7 months old, you figured it all out and pulled everything together.  At first, you'd only move a few feet but now there is no stopping you.
• You've been struggling a little bit with separation anxiety lately.  You always look for me with a little worried expression on your face and smile when you see me.  I think you are just checking to see if I am there.  Daddy came back from his ski trip on Wednesday and he went to Baby Sing and Sign class with us on Thursday.  It warmed my heart to see you crawl off your mat, say hello to Jessie Cat and the other babies.  You are truly starting to explore your world.
• You are starting to grow more hair.  You've noticed it too.  You take your pointer finger and circle it around the hair on the back of your head.
• You are willing to drink a whole bottle of formula without the slightest bit of hesitation.  Yes, a bottle and formula! I didn't know if this day would ever come.  You are still mostly breastfed but it gives me a level of comfort to know that I can leave you and you won't starve yourself.  When you are older, remind me to tell you how Daddy took you to see Grandma Neal in Sussex and you refused to eat anything...all day until you came home to Mama at 6pm.  Oh, and you love food especially finger food.  You have started snatching food from the other babies in playgroup.  
• You are still a tiny thing.  As of Monday, you weigh a total of 15lbs, 8oz.  Most babies double their birth weight by six months and you still have 10oz to go.  You've only put on 8oz since January, which is not much for a growing girl.  I'm told you have plenty of baby fat in all the right places and that you are probably pretty active.  Then, I remember how you are a wild woman in your jumperoo, how you are constantly on the move and think naps are for wimps and it all makes sense to me.  You are growing at your own pace and as long as you are not hungry, that's just fine with me.
• Speaking of naps.  Just when I think you are a baby who takes great naps, you decide they are completely unnecessary and a waste of your time.  You prefer to power nap for 10 minutes as we run errands or make our way from one activity to the next.  This seems to be working for you but my dear sweet baby, it doesn't give me much of a break.
• We have been looking for a nursery school for you to start one or two days a week soon.  You love being with other babies and quite honestly, I need a little alone time too.
• We love you Ava Belle!
  

A day late...

But have I told you how difficult these monthly photos have become??

Ironically, the last one is the first picture I took and the one that I'll use for her 7 month write-up, which I'll do later today!
 

Happy Valentine's Day

 
 
 

 

Who needs a spoon?

Big Girl

Happy Friday!

I am always trying to find new places to take pictures of Ava.  She is pretty good at sitting on her own so I thought that I would try to take some pictures on the steps in her room. 

At first, I thought she was admiring her shoes.  Little did I know that she was planning her escape and I didn't expect what happened next.

She got really excited and then...

she stood up. 

Doesn't she looked please with herself?  I don't know who was more shocked me or her.  I quick took the photo, threw my camera on the ground and then grabbed her before she fell over.  She is definitely a little dare devil.  It's seriously time to start thinking about baby proofing the house because I have a feeling that she is going to be on the move very soon.

You know it's time to lower the crib mattress...

When the mobile keeps hitting your baby on the head. 

Yep, it's time.  Way overdue, in fact.  Sometimes at night, Ava will pull on the dangling cats and we can hear her sucking on them through the monitor.  It took us a while to figure out what was going on.  Good Grief!

On an unrelated note, the other night, Paul and I were talking about nicknames and how we pretty much never call anyone in this house by their actual name.  And we conclued that our poor baby will probably never know her real name.

Ava is also known as Monkey, Babooshka, Avs and Ava-La-Roo

Paul is Harvey or Pumpkin

Bella is often called Belle, Jelly or Bella Jelly

Max is Maxie, Maxwell Tyson, Tyson or Sultan

Some of the names have a story behind them.  Others are completely random and have no point whatsoever. 

I know, we're weird.  What else can I say?

6 months old!

 

Little Miss Ava, you are now six months old!  Here's what you've been up to lately...

• My little social butterfly.  You love other babies and when people smile at you, you are quick to flash your big grin!
• You talk constantly although I have no idea what you are saying.  I hear you in your crib in the morning babbling away just having the best time in the world.
• You mostly sleep now on your stomach with your legs tuck under and your arms by your sides - very much like Child's pose in yoga.  This is a big change as you spent the first 5 months of your life sleeping on your back. 
• You sit very well now on your own.  You started to "tripod" in early December and now you are pretty great even without the aid of your hands
• You have two teeth on the bottom, which seemed to come out of nowhere.  You've been teething for what seems like many months and then suddenly one day after I'd convinced myself that your chronic drooling stage might last forever, two teeth appeared, just like that.
• We've started solid food in the last week and so far you've tried sweet potatoes, peas, pears, apples, bananas, broccoli and carrots.  I'm mostly letting you feed yourself, which means that your food is pretty much everywhere BUT in your mouth.  Do most people have carrots in their bathtub?  Because we do.
• You love your Daddy's voice and stop whatever you are doing and look up whenever you hear it.
• We sing a lot.  Some of your favorite songs are "Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We're Going to the Moon" and "The Grand Old Duke of York".  
• You love books and we read every day.  I can't believe how much your attention span has grown.  We've read "Moo, Baa, La La La", "Barnyard Dance" and "I am not Going to Get Up Today" so many times that I know all the words by heart.
• One of your absolute FAVORITE activities is when we place you underneath a large rainbow parachute and pull it up and down.  You find it a hoot and so does everyone else.
• Bath time is probably your favorite time of the day and you've just started a new swim class this month, which has been really fun.  You've been my little water baby from the very beginning and that hasn't changed one bit.
• You went to the creche at my gym for the first time this month.  It was the first time that someone other than family has watched you.  You've yet to cry there and I don't even think you miss me, but you truly don't have any stranger anxiety yet so I know that might get a little more difficult as the months go on.
• We love you Ava and can't wait to see how much fun you have this month!