Avery is a really picky eater. Her primary nourishment is definitely still breast milk but I do try to offer her a variety of food at every meal in hopes that she weans before kindergarten. Just kidding about kindergarten! Kind of. Anyway, she's a picky eater and sometimes I'm at a loss for what to serve because she's not ready for some foods and others immediately end up on the floor or spit out on her clothes. Yesterday for lunch she had Gerber snacks, Fruity Cheerios, and a few bites of an apple. It's on days that I feed my baby cheese puffs as a meal that I feel really awesome. Or like a failure. I'm consoling myself with the fact that there was also an apple (real fruit!). 
After I leave IKEA I always feel like I'm left playing that game, like, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm going to bring..." and then you go around the room and everyone adds an item and you have to remember the long list and it just keeps going and going. So my trip yesterday was to purchase a table and chair set for Avery's birthday as well as picking up a few baskets to help me organize the myriad shelves in the living room and our bedroom. Soooo, baskets are expensive! And I may have ended up with new bedding. And a rug. And possibly some picture holders. And I think a few other random items. It just happens!I'll post pictures after things are organized. It could be a while.
Today I'm thankful for Pampers Cruisers, size 3 - for providing an hour of entertainment on this dreary Tuesday. I have plans for those boxes which is why they're still in her room. And truthfully, the small box still has half a pack of diapers. 
Who knew pushing, pulling, and carrying two boxes around would be so much fun?!
She'll be one year old. Well technically one week, five hours, and five minutes...but who's counting?!
Today Deran & Avery took an almost four hour nap together on the sofa. Deran was wearing a hideous Christmas sweater t-shirt and keeping warm with a snowflake blanket. But FOUR hours?! I didn't even know what to do with myself. During the week I never get that kind of time and honestly, I was ready for Avery (and okay, Deran too) to wake up!
My cards and cameras were in separate places so I grabbed my iPhone. I've been capturing moments like this since the beginning and it's always amazing to see her growth.
Poor baby has a fever, stuffy nose, and an ear infection. It's been a rough day but she still looks pretty darn cute. 
Meanwhile, Momma has some crafts planned for tonight! I'm actually making something for an upcoming session. I just hope it turns out as cute as the image in my head!
I really love baby legs and bought several sets before Avery was born. However, as she's always had tiny tiny legs, we haven't really used them. I once read a tutorial on flickr on how to make your own using a pair of women's knee socks and I was totally confused. And then in all my craftiness, I stumbled upon this tutorial and couldn't believe how easy it was!I went to Target and got $2 knee socks and BAM! Homemade baby legs. They're perfect for protecting her knees as she crawls all over the place and they're perfect for later since she has room to grow!
When a certain cute cousin realized our new cousin was also four years old, she informed the new cutie that she was "a little four" because she's not as tall. And she may be a little four, but she's a lot cute! I'm still going through this wedding and I keep finding her happy face.
Thinking about making dozens more rosettes makes me want to punch myself in the face. Only I can't because my fists have been rendered useless since my hands have fallen off from all the rosette making. Not really. 
I decided Avery's birthday invitations needed a little embellishing in the form of FOUR rosettes per invite, two colors in two sizes. Indeed it's turned out to be quite a chore but each time I look at the finished product I fall a little more in love with the whole thing. 
I can't believe her first birthday is almost here! We (mostly me) decided to go with all things pink. I've made lots of decorations from various pinks and pink prints and I'm pretty sure it's going to be beautiful, though not as beautiful as the actual birthday girl! Toot toot! That was me, tooting my own horn, because 1) my craftiness knows no bounds and 2) my baby is beautiful!
A step here, two steps there. Last night she took four steps in the bathroom. One day soon she'll be walking all over the place.
*I just noticed the orange star hiding under the couch. I've been looking for that stacking star for at least four days!!
To all the soldiers, past and present, who've served for our country. I realize many soldiers die every day, but somehow it's a little different when it's close to home.
1. I came face to face with an octopus...or squid...or some kind of tentacled sea creature.2. I made mashed potatoes for the first time ever. Like, boiled and mashed real potatoes. No box necessary.3. I sewed three bibs and a skirt for my favorite girl. She never fails to make me smile.
Dang. Eleven months. Once upon a time I was talking to my dad about how quickly life seems to pass by and I made the comment that once I had kids maybe it would seem to slow down a bit. He just looked at me, shook his head and said, "Nope. It just goes even faster." And he was right.On a day to day basis, life has slowed down. Meals seem to stretch on interminably, walking hand in hand from her bedroom to the living room can take half an hour, and when we go for strolls every time she acts interested in something we happen to be passing I try to stop. Just to let her explore and take it all in. But in the grand scheme of things, the last eleven months have been a blur. Like, I see pictures from March and I think how tiny she looks and now it's July and she's changed so much.At eleven months Avery loves us, the pugs, playing with her food, dancing, being outside, swimming, riding in her car, putting random non-edible things in her mouth, and eating the spines of books. She dislikes stern voices and going to sleep. She gives the sweetest kisses and though she'd previously been reserving her sweetness for baby dolls and Oscar, she now gives kisses to Mommy & Daddy.Avery has really started dancing and girl has some rhythm! She really gets into songs like Bugler's Holiday & Summertime. Deran loves that she grooves to that music and he often plays his trumpet for her at night. Avery's always had some issues with going to sleep. I get that she doesn't want to miss anything, but man does she fight sleep sometimes! In the picture on the left side of the middle row, she's totally asleep...SITTING UP. She's been trying to just sit straight up without the whole roll-over-use-my-arms-and-push and it's really cute to watch.I don't think it'll come as a surprise to any regular readers, but when it comes to discipline...wait, what's discipline? In our defense, she's still a tiny baby and she doesn't really do anything bad! However, we are trying to steer her clear of the DVD player and of course anything that could be harmful. Daddy's made her cry a few times by telling her no. It's totally tragic and followed by cuddling and an explanation of why we don't want her to do whatever it was she was trying to do. I didn't get yelled at and spanked as a kid and I turned out just fine! When my sister & I were bad, my mom would make us hold hands and sit on the couch together and that's tough love folks! So most people think Avery looks like Deran but apparently she has my penchant for putting anything in her mouth. My mom says she could sweep, vacuum, etc. and I'd still find some random thing to put in my mouth. Totally Avery. That needle in a haystack? From a mile away Avery would be all, "What hay?! All I see is a needle and I must have it on my tongue!" But she's really great because when I touch her chin and ask her to let me see, she opens her mouth and whatever it is is usually on the tip of her tongue.Eleven months is really fun! Avery is more interactive and has such a great personality. She signed "all done" for the first time on her own last night when she finished her dinner and I couldn't have been more excited or proud. I'm hanging on to these baby days, but I'm also looking forward to the future.
Happy 11 month birthday baby girl, we love you lots!
I was working on a 4th of July shirt for Avery earlier today and she was being helpful as usual. She grabbed some of the scrap material and somehow managed to get it all crisscrossed around her arms.
She looked so darn cute today in her whale pajamas, I didn't change her until laaaate in the day...like almost 6:00 p.m.
And I don't know what it is, it could just be her overwhelming adorableness, but I just can't get enough of her lately. I just really love her so much. Tomorrow she'll be 11 months old and it's just crazy how quickly this time has gone by. I remember when I was a kid and I loved my baby dolls and I always secretly wished someone would leave a baby on our doorstep so I'd have a real baby to play with. And lately I've been trying to take in every moment with Avery because right now, like this time RIGHT NOW, I have my very own baby to play with and take care of and it's such an awesome thing.I know an overwhelming number of pregnant women. Every day it seems I'm finding out someone else is expecting. It's always exciting news to hear and I'm genuinely happy for each and every one of them. I'm so glad to have Avery, other people need to experience the baby love too! But I have to say, I'm really happy for this friend. It's been almost a decade since we met and not only is she a great friend, but she's an awesome educator. And she made it known that she wanted her own classroom...or at least enough kids to fill an SUV (please stay away from the mini-vans)! So I'm really excited for her to start this journey into motherhood because it's really amazing and her excitement is almost tangible it's so overwhelming. She deserves a class full of mini Mahlers. I love you Lace, and your little baby too.
I can't, I can't. I can't, I can't stand the rain. Milli Vanilli anyone? It's just been one of those afternoons. After waking from an almost three hour nap, Avery was um...in a mood. She clung to me most of the afternoon and until she went to sleep. Moody or not, I kind of like days like today. As she's moving more and asserting her independence, I savor every cuddle she tosses my way. However, I am ready for some sunny weather so we can head back outside!
