8 Month Pictures

Avery gave me about 5 minutes the other day before her nap to take a few shots. Here they are!

A Very First: Thanksgiving

I am a week late in posting, but better late than never in the blog world =) We had a wonderful Thanksgiving break this year. It was SO relaxing and we got to spend some great time with Avery without the stresses of the work week. We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year...it is always easier staying at our house with all of Avery's things than leaving! Here are some pictures from the day!

Avery Monthly Update - 8 Months

 I feel like I was just posting Avery's 7 month post, now here we are at month 8!! Boy how time flies. This has been a crazy and amazing month of her life. We LOVED having our little turkey with us for Thanksgiving and getting almost a whole week off to spend with her. 4 more months until she turns one...I bet it will be here before I know it! I guess it is like they always say, "Time flies when you are having fun!" Happy 8 Months Avery Reagan!!

 Dear Avey,

8 Months?!? Holy cow, Avery, where is time going?? We are enjoying every minute of it, but boy it is sure going by fast!! I am sad you are growing, but as long as you always promise to be my baby, then I guess it is okay. Your Dad loves it...he says that this is his FAVORITE stage right now (between you and me, he says that every month!) =)

You got your first tooth this month on the bottom right!! It is so cute...and it really didn't seem to bother you. I know some people blame everything on teething, but so far I wouldn't blame anything on that. You really haven't seemed to mind. We will see how the other teeth go!

You were very congested and had a cough pretty much for the whole 7th month of your life. You really didn't let it bother you much though. I take that back, you HATE it when I wipe your nose. You have somehow figured out how to take care of it as you see me getting the tissue out by wiping it on my shirt. Then you look up and smile at me. Thanks for that =)

You switched schools (AGAIN, I know!) and started on Tuesday. Your symptoms seemed to have vanished and your nose and cough are free and clear thank goodness! You got into your new school sooner than we expected. Although we are sad you won't be with Molly everyday anymore and we loved Suzuki, your class size will be more than cut in half, it is so much more affordable, and you are only 5 minutes from our house now. Which is important because you still haven't grown a fondness for being in your car seat! Driving with you is pretty miserable until you fall asleep. You just hate being restrained and not seeing anyone. Oh well, I can't wait until we can turn your seat around to face the front! The only thing (aside from falling asleep with your paci) that can make you stop is the song "The Itsy Bitsy Spider"....so naturally you can imagine the scene of me singing that at the top of my lungs to you in the back seat. Hey-whatever it takes!! You had a pretty rough first day at your new school, which was to be expected. But I just called at lunch to check on you today (your second day) and they said you are doing MUCH better and are very happy...thank goodness!!

Boy you are so fun these days. You are constantly laughing and your smile rarely leaves your face. You think EVERYTHING we do is funny. It is great! Your favorite is when we all crawl around and chase each other! You also love when your dad shakes his hair in your face. You love when we leave the room and play peekaboo around a corner. You also love when we chase each other around the house (or store) holding you...you think it is just hilarious! Oh and eating my nose, that is your favorite too. I eat your chin back and you just crack up. Your laugh is the best. It makes nothing else matter, really. I hope you have a little girl one day and can experience the same immeasurable joy that your smile and laugh bring me. We would pretty much do anything (and everything) for it.

It's the month of Jesus' birth!! And we are SO excited for the new traditions it will bring! We had such a great time picking out our tree together. We are going to decorate it tonight and see Santa this weekend. I am not sure if you will like him or cry...over Thanksgiving break you developed a LARGE attachment to me. Before that, you would pretty much go to anyone and be happy. Now, you really just want to stay with me. So I am not sure how you will act with Santa...we'll see =) At least you'll have on a super cute outfit! I'll definitely post some of the pictures on here after!

I can't wait to see when you will start walking. You love to walk holding onto our hands...it is definitely one of your favorite things. You are pulling up now like a champ and can get over/around anything. Boy will we be in for it when you are walking!! I can't wait =)

We are starting to feed you more than just purees. You have had bananas, cheese, avacado, etc...we will start branching out a lot more this month! You love your solids! You have discovered how to take your food and rub it on the wall when we forget to pull your highchair away from it...you can only imagine how much your dad hate that...I think it's kind of funny =) Oh and on that note, you LOVE it when we say no or when you "hurt someone". You think it is hilarious. We are in for it! On a sweeter note, you love saying "Mama, Mama, Mama, etc". You sometimes say it just once, and sometimes you say it about 5 times...and almost all day. I just love it! We are still working on Dada...you will get there!

Thanks for another amazing month Avey. It was one of the best yet (of course!). I cannot wait to experience the 8th month of your life. I love you more and more everyday (I don't know how that is possible). You mean the world to us, because you are the world to us. Thank you so much for being you!

Love,
Mommy

A Very First: Bringing Home our Christmas Tree

Since this year has a lot of firsts for Avery, we decided to start making our own family "traditions". One of them is cutting down our own Christmas tree. In October, we fell in love with the place we got our pumpkins- Kinsey Family Farm up in Gainsville. We read that they sold Christmas trees there too, so we decided that this will be where we go every year as a family to get our tree!

Avery's Mimi and Grandad came with us this year. Avery had a GREAT time! It was a little chilly, but because it was about 2 hours before they closed, there was hardly anyone there! When we first got there, we had apple cider and spent some time at the petting zoo. Avery pet cows, horses, goats, ducks, etc. She loved staring at them and listening to the sounds they made.

We then went on a tractor ride out to the trees where we found the perfect one! It isn't your typical Fraser Fir tree, but instead a Carolina Sapphire Cypress. We loved the fullness and "vintage" look to it. It looks perfect in our house! After Jason cut down the tree, we rode the tractor back to the barn while we warmed up at the bonfire while the tree was being wrapped up. After we loaded it on our car, we had a great dinner at Cracker Barrel then came home and put up the tree! What a perfect day with Avery...one we hope to re-create every year! Below are some of my favorite pictures from the day =)

Avery Monthly Update - 7 Months

I am three days late on this post, but it is better late than never =) We have had our hands very full these days, but we wouldn't want it any other way! I swear that each month, Jason and I keep thinking that it is the best and that Avery is at "the best age". But somehow, the next month keeps getting better. Avery is growing so fast and we are loving every second of it. I swear tomorrow I will wake up and she will be walking! Love this little girl and her sweet, curious and fun personality.

Dear Avey,

What a fun month this has been with you! Your development each month never ceases to amaze us. You have gotten so good at army crawling and it's practically a full blown crawl now. You just need to learn to lift your mid section a tad bit and you will be so fast! You are all about the games right now. You LOVE playing with your Daddy. Right now, him and you have this game where he takes one of your socks and you have the other. You guys love holding them up to each other then waving them around and putting them in your mouth! He also taught you how to make noises with your mouth and then move your hand back and fourth on your lips to make funny noises. You LOVE this! I have a fun video of this to share with you one day =) You also love to grab our faces, pat our backs and nuzzle your head into our shoulders.

We are actually changing your schools again. Not because we don't like where you are, but because a spot came up for you at a great one right by our house. Instead of the 1.5 hours it takes for me to pick you up now after work, we will get home so much sooner for more playtime! You will miss your Aunt Molly and the other amazing teachers, but you will get to still get to see Molly a lot so it will be like you were never gone!

This month you decided that you no longer wanted to sit in your bath chair. So now you sit on the mat we got you in the tub- such a big girl! We also tried the cry it out method a few days ago...I was so against this, but it actually wasn't bad. For one night you woke up and cried for about 10 minutes a few times, but the next night you only woke up twice, then last night you didn't wake up at all! You are so smart though, you cry and stare at the door and wait for us to come in. If we don't, then you stare at the chair like you expect us to be there. It breaks my heart when you cry, but I knew if I could just make it through a few nights it would be better for all of us! (Don't worry, I will still convince your dad to let me bring you in our bed sometimes as a special treat!)

I have to tell you, I am already planning your First Birthday Party. I am SO excited for it...I hope you love it! T-Minus 5 months! Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. I have NO idea what to get your for Christmas yet since you already have everything you need....but I am sure I can think of a couple of things ;) We are so excited to see you rip through your presents! By then you will be almost 9 months- crazy! Our goal is to get you walking in January at 9 months...this is when your dad and I both started walking =) We'll see what you have in mind though!

We love you so much bug. Thank you for another amazing month of seeing your sweet smile every day. We know you love us so much and that means the world to us. Here's to a great 7th month of your life!

Love,
Mommy

Insert 7 Month Collage Here :)

Just Because: A Mini-Backyard Photo Shoot

This month, I took A LOT of pictures of Avery. But I guess this makes sense since October is my favorite month and there is so much fun fall stuff to do. Avery was also 6 months in October, and I think this made me a little sentimental. She is already a half a year old. I feel like her 1 year Birthday is just around the corner. I also feel like she is such a little person now, even though I know she is still very much a baby. Her expressions and happiness constantly amazes me and I just can't resist an opportunity to capture it and freeze it in time. We took these pictures last week because the weather was great, and well so was her outfit =) Love.