Please don't lick the fireplace...

Parenthood has really changed Jared and me. We rarely eat out and spend our Friday and Saturday nights at home trying to teach Avery to walk and talk and creating games such as "Avery's Favorite Toy" (more on that later). We've also found ourselves saying strange things like: please don't lick the fireplace/wall/trash can/shoe, please don't finger paint in your spit up, and don't eat the dog's food. I suppose this is all normal but we have to stop and laugh every once in awhile.

As always Avery is growing and changing every day. The comment we always hear is "wow, her hair is getting sooo long." This morning when she woke up I could swear she'd gotten an inch taller overnight.

Avery is reaching many new milestones. She started saying "mama" around Christmas and then started "dada" last week, on my birthday ironically. And everything has been "dada" ever since. She has also managed to start pulling herself up in her crib.

And we FINALLY have our first tooth!! It poked through about a week and half ago on the bottom right. It looks like #2 is on the way as well.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Texting my friend Kate. Holla back.

Just pulled myself up in my crib for the first time!

I LOVE riding in the shopping cart!

Hanging out with Great-Grandma Leila

Watching football with Daddy. We are not so thrilled about the Super Bowl matchup.

Hanging out with Mom all day for the MLK holiday

Notice the adorable hair clip.

Back/side view

The Shiner

Avery had a little mishap involving a toy and hardwood floors. She lunged for the toy but was greeted with a faceplant on the floor instead. This is the result - our first little injury. There's been a purple spot under her eye for about a week and a half now but it's finally fading away. Although she cried at first it hasn't seemed to bother her since.

The Baby Food Fiasco

I got a new gadget for Christmas, the Magic Bullet, which can be used to make baby food among other things. I've been really excited to use it and finally got the chance last weekend. I thought I'd start with something easy like carrots. I steamed the carrots and then used the Bullet to puree them. Pretty easy! Before I go any further, I should say that Avery has eaten everything we've given her and she never makes a sour face. She might have a perplexed look on her face when trying a first bite of a new food but then she'll continue eating. So what did she do when I had her taste test the carrots? She started gagging and tried not to swallow! I tried another bite and she gagged until she threw up the little bit she'd eaten. Needless to say I was crushed!

I got up the courage to try again today and made peaches, pears, and peas. I wasn't sure about the peas but you can't go wrong with tasty fruit right? Avery ate all three - no gagging whatsoever. She wasn't wild about the peas but I've always thought they were her least favorite food. I'm looking forward to trying some more foods.

In other news Avery fed herself some puffs today. This is an accomplishment particularly because of the fine motor skills involved. And also because she normally just throws them on the floor for me to pick up.

Snoozing in the car with Evan

For Beth

This is for Beth, one of Avery's favorite babysitters who is a big Longhorns fan. Texas is playing in the Fiesta Bowl tonight (and KU is not playing) so we allowed Avery to wear the Texas onesie Ryan and Beth bought her.

Eight Months Old

Bonus - two posts today! I'm on a roll. Avery turned eight months old on Monday and is still growing like a weed. She's weighing in around 19 pounds these days. Her hair is long enough to put in a little bow or clip and her eyelashes are longer than mine! Hair is still blond (darker at the bottom) and eyes are a very pretty blue.

Avery is quite the little crawler though it is still an army crawl. She is a really good eater and likes everything we give her. Favorite veggies seem to be squash and sweet potatoes. She loves all fruits especially bananas and peaches. She's also eaten turkey, chicken, and beef. She eats puffs (Dad bought her banana flavored) and had apple juice for the first time today. She's only eaten baby food but we plan to start table food in the next month or two.

Also no teeth yet! We check every day but so far nada.

Happy New Year to everyone! We spent a mellow evening at home watching the KU game. Avery wore her KU hoodie for the occasion. Our mini-party only lasted until 12:15 and then we hit the hay. Our friends Kate, Ryan and Beth, Ryan's parents, and Grandma JoAnn came over. Strangely Avery woke up at 11:15 and stayed up for an hour so she rang in the New Year will all of us.

My KU hat almost fits! The shirt is too small though.

Loungin' in my pj's

Playing with the new toy Dad bought me

I love my dad!

Drinking some tasty apple juice

Avery's First Christmas

We had a very busy and exciting Christmas this year. Avery was so much fun. She was too little to open presents by herself but she's a master at pulling off the bows...and putting them in her mouth. She really loved curling ribbon bows!

We spent most of Christmas in Topeka but also had celebrations in Seneca and Wichita. Avery got to stay the night at both grandmas' houses and also visited with all four great-grandmas. So as you can imagine she was very spoiled in the gift department.

Decorating Grandma JoAnn's Christmas tree

Checking out all the presents with Cooper

Posing in our cute outfit at home - notice the tights!

Look at all the cool stuff in my stocking!

Opening presents at Grandma JoAnn's on Christmas Day

STANDING on the chair at Great-Grandma Leila and Grandpa Harley's on Christmas

With Mom on Christmas

With Dad at Great-Uncle Jon's in Wichita

Playing with her new stacking cups with second cousins Kaylee and Molly

Playing with Jeni and Molly

Opening more presents

Bundled up

Playing with my new blocks

Playing with Cooper right before we went back home

Family Christmas picture