A Very First: Solid Foods

I am going to start documenting a lot of Avery's big "firsts" on the blog for her! 

Last night, we introduced Avey to her first real solid food. We picked pears to start her off...If she is anything like her mom, she definitely will have a sweet tooth =) At first, she was very confused. I think she really liked the taste, but the texture was something totally new to her! We noticed that she did use her tongue to take a few bites back into her mouth to swallow, but most was just pushed out. We will attempt real food once a day until she gets accustomed to eating. I can't wait to find out what her favorites are!

Just for Fun Monthly Collage

I plan on making a big one of these when she turns a year old, but I wanted to see how much she has grown over the first four months of her life!

Avery Monthly Update - 4 Months

Avery is 4 months old today!! Her personality is growing by leaps and bounds every day. She is the sweetest little baby, but is definitely learning how to get what she wants. I guess this is when we really have to start thinking about our parenting "methods" =) For now we are still taking it day by day and enjoying this little angel that God put in our family.

Dear Avey,

You are 4 months old today!! What a crazy month this has been in your life! This month (July), we sold our condo and bought/moved into a house we fell in love with that we will raise you in! You have the prettiest light pink stenciled nursery, an awesome playroom and a big yard. Your playroom was my special project...I decorated it with HUGE flowers and forest animals. We will have some fun times in there. I cannot wait for all the memories that await our family in our new house with you!

Your summer nanny is about to go back to school and your permanent nanny (Gamston) is starting in a few weeks. You will have to share her with Anniston, who is 3 months older than you. I hope that you two will become precious friends over this next year and that you love your nanny! She is SO excited to start and is the sweetest girl ever. I think this will be a great year in your life, although you will never remember it =)

Your personality has continued to grow and grow this month. You are still the sweetest little bug ever, but you are starting to learn that when you whine, you get a response from us. No longer do you just cry when you are wet, hungry or tired...but now you cry to get what you want. Which is mostly to be held. We will let it slide for now, but hopefully your nanny share will help this ;)

We went to the doctor last week for your 4 month check-up and you weighed 12lbs 8oz (29th percentile) and we're 62 inches (60th percentile). You love to eat every 3 hours, but you rarely finish your 5oz bottle! We aren't going to start you on rice cereal for a while, because you still need all the calories from the formula. Maybe in a month or two! I bet you will love it!

This past month you rolled over!! We had to change you from your woombie to a sleep sack at night. You still sleep all night, but sometimes you whine to let us know you need your paci in your mouth to continue sleeping...we are working on this too =) This past month you also discovered your feet! You LOVE laying there and playing with your feet. Another one of your favorite things to do is swing on the new swing we hung out on the back deck! You are getting very good at tummy time and holding your neck up. I swear I think you will take off crawling any day now. You also love sitting up in your bouncer! Sometimes you strain your whole body because you want to sit up so bad instead of lay down. We still have to help you do this, but you are so close to doing it on your own! You absolutely cannot get enough of your hands...unless there is a paci in, your hands are in your mouth at ALL times. This causes quite the mess on my shirts, but I am use to it now and don't mind a bit...at least it dries clear right? =)

You are still a very happy and content little baby! You LOVE attention, but as long as you are getting that, you are good to go! Your favorite time of day right now is in the morning with your daddy. You get him to yourself for a whole hour since I am already at work. He loves feeding and snuggling with you on his shoulder. My favorite time of day is when I get home from work and scoop you up from the nanny. You are always so happy to see me and that just makes my day.

We love you so much Avey Rae. You are the sunshine in our life and we cannot wait to see what this next month has in store for you and us!

Love,
Mommy

Here are some pictures from your 4th month of life-

And a few videos-

Avey Post Bath Playtime Pics

I try to constantly remind myself to put down my iPhone and pick up my Nikon. It doesn't always work , but when it does, I am so thankful. Here are some post bathtime pictures from tonight...one of my favorite times when we all just smile and play for a few minutes before we say goodnight!

Porche Family Pictures

I have been meaning to post these for a while now! When Avery was about 8 weeks old, we decided that we wanted some family pictures since I was finally feeling like I could let myself be photographed ;) My friend Katie Davidson of Katie Davidson Photography (www.KatieDavidsonPhotography.com) is an amazing photographer so we decided to do a session swap! I took pictures of her precious family of 5 (3 boys!!) then we switched and she took pictures of our family of three. Although Avery decided to not show a single one of the smiles that is usually on her face, I am SO glad we did this and hope to do it again soon! Here are my favorites!

Avery Monthly Update - 3 Months

This big girl is already 3 months!! I know she is still an "infant", but I say big girl, because this has been a huge month for her developmentally! Her personality has really started to come out and I am loving every bit of it!

Dear Avey,

I can't believe I have only been your mommy for 3 months!! I truly feel like you have been a part of me forever. Maybe for good reason- I know that you have been a part of my heart forever and that the Lord planned you for me since the beginning of time. What a perfect match he made! One of my favorite things to tell you over and over again is, "You are my Avey and I am your Mommy." Simple- but a phrase I hope you will always remember and take with you no matter how old you get. The love in my heart for you cannot be quantified, but I hope you will always feel the strength of it. Even when you are old and I embarrass you...and you might even say you hate me a time or two, I hope you go back and read these and always know how much I truly love you.

Wow- 3 months!! What a month this has been for you! You now can hold your head up all by yourself! I have started carrying you on my side instead of like a baby or over my shoulder. You love to be held up under your arms and bounce on your legs. You still hate tummy time, but you love your bumbo seat and are getting very good at sitting in it. In a few weeks, I bet you will start to live in your little seat! 

You have definitely discovered your voice this month. You LOVE giggling, cooing and gasping. This week you have even started to grunt =) It is the cutest thing ever. Another one of the extremely cute things you do is when you let us know you are getting sad...you pucker your bottom lip out and stare at us to let us know that you are about to cry...we can usually stop it with this fair warning, but we always tell you, "That is the saddest face EVER!"

You love, love watching the Baby TV channel in your bouncer and Baby Einstein DVDs. You are still not the biggest fan of your carseat when you are awake, but whenever I get back there and play Baby Einstein on my phone for you, you forget all about hating your carseat =) You still love bath time, play time on your play mat, and your sheep skin rug. We love playtime with you. We can stare at you, watch your smiles, and listen to your noises forever. Your giggles are the best. You absolutely love being held up to the mirror and looking at yourself and us...I think this would have to be your most favorite thing right now! We also took you in the pool for the first time this month...you loved it!

I went back to work this month so I can buy you pretty dresses and fun toys. It was hard leaving you, but you have a great nanny, Courtney! She absolutely loves playing with you all day long...and I love coming home and scooping you up! Courtney sends me pictures and videos of you all day which definitely help get me through my workday. 

Next week, we will have the keys to our new big house that we bought for you. We are so excited to give you a back yard to catch lightening bugs in, your very own play room to play dress up in (which is my own special project), and a front porch where we will rock, drink lemonade and carve pumpkins together!

Everyone cannot get enough of your smiles and laughs, Avey. You are still the happiest baby ever. Whenever someone is talking to or smiling at you, you stare at them and give them the biggest smile back. Thank you for being so cute and happy. Thank you for always continuing to sleep through every night. Thank you for loving everyone so much. Thank you for being ours.

I love you so much and I LOVE watching you grow and turn into who you will be for the rest of your life with each new day. Your Dad would want me to tell you how much he loves you here too. You are definitely Daddy's little girl and have quickly become his whole world. Happy 3 Months my Aveybug.

Love,
Mommy


Here are some pictures from your third month of life-

Here are some adorable little videos-

Some of your cute noises and grunts on July 4th!

I was videoing you while you were resting...then you spotted me!

We were having some fun with my phone :)

One of your favorite things to do...watch Baby Einstein!