two years + five months

Ooooohhhhh Avery at 29 months!  Where to begin, this has been a very full month.  In some ways I can't believe how quickly this month has flown by and yet in the midst of it, time seemed to pass so slowly.  But here we are, another month in and as always parenting Avery is the best part of life.

At 29 months Avery loves babies, Winnie the Pooh, Diego, white rice, family, being a tiny baby, walking the dogs, and in general being the pickiest eater EVER.  She dislikes not getting her way.  I just asked her if there was anything she didn't like and she said no, she likes everything.  Which is mostly true, she's a fairly easy going girl.

Avery LOVES the Winnie the Pooh movie.  Fortunately we like it too!  She still likes Diego and she's recently started wanting to watch Elmo again.  As always, the Wonder Pets are still a favorite.  Since we're traveling back and forth to Austin as we transition, these have become car ride necessities because our baby girl does not like to nap in the car. 

Her vocabulary continues to explode and she picks up on EVERYTHING the people around her say.  And if she's awake then she's likely talking about something.  She talks to herself, her dolls, us, and the pugs.  I love to listen in to conversations she's having with her dolls.  She is so cute!!  She has also become so independent.  We often hear, "No, I want to do it on my own!" or "Let me do it!" "I did it all on my own!" or "I want to help you, let me help you." That last one basically means she wants to take over whatever you're doing.

Her love of outer space is back in full force.  She's spent the last week telling us, "I'm a rocket ship and I'm going to the moon!  I'm going to see a man and stars!"  And she loves to point out the moon and stars at night.  

We are still working on potty training, I have high hopes for the next couple of months.  The other day when we left the house she cried because we made her wear a pull-up instead of panties.  Yet of all the public restrooms we've been in because she says she needs to go, she hasn't actually gone.  Can I just say how much I despise public restrooms when it comes to taking my toddler?  GROSS.  So we're still working on it, and that's okay.  

Probably the hardest part of parenting Avery the last several months has been getting her to eat.  She's never been a big eater but she's steadily lost weight since around 18 months.  So she's had a ton of tests and guess what?  She's a picky eater.  Something we already knew, but we also understood the doctor's concern.  And of course she can't continue to lose weight so we offer junk with higher calories, we add a calorie supplement to various foods, we threaten to take away toys.  Basically everything I never wanted to do as a parent when it came to meals, we do that.  And it can be really exhausting to get through a meal, but there are no positive alternatives at this point.  If she were maintaining her weight on a regular basis then I'd say fine, eat when you want!  And maybe we'll get to that point, but for now we try to get her to eat whatever, whenever.  I think it's working a little because she maintained through the month of December!  And when I say she's a picky eater, I'm not exaggerating.  She doesn't like her food to touch and last night she cried and threw a mini fit saying she didn't want to eat her mac & cheese (a diet staple).  The reason?  A half a grain of rice on one noodle.  NO JOKE.  I removed it and she was able to eat.  And I know we're probably doing things all wrong giving in to such behavior, but again - LOSING WEIGHT.  She inspects her food, picks specks of pepper off, and the list goes on.  She's pretty consistent with white rice and mac & cheese, though sometimes she'll decide not to eat that.  You just never know from day to day.

And with all of this pickiness has come her ability to manipulate like nobody's business.  At bedtime she cries and tells us she wants to eat.  Sneaky, that girl of ours.  But honestly, 8/10 times she'll actually eat.  If she's had a good day we just put her to bed, but if she hasn't eaten well that day we'll often let her eat.  Another favorite way to get out of bed or doing something she doesn't want to do is to tell us she has to use the restroom.  Boy, does she have us wrapped around her tiny finger!  The same tiny fingers she uses to show us the Longhorn sign.  And she says things like, "Longhorns rock!" or just "Longhorrrrrns!"  Yet when we asked her one day if she was going to attend the University of Texas when she grew up she said, "You guys, why you always ask me that?" I don't know kid, I don't know.

Oh, Avery!  Twenty-nine months of being her parents and every day we are a little more appreciative than the last.  We love talking to her, listening to her, and just being with her.  We love love love Avery's hugs!  Nothing is quite as sweet as a squeeze from our favorite tot.  Avery is an amazing girl, how fortunate are we that she's ours?!  

Happy 29 month birthday sweet girl, we love you lots!

*That first picture in the top left was taken on my birthday.  Avery decided to say Happy Birthday by waking up at 3:30 in the morning and NOT going back to sleep.  So she fell asleep on the way to brunch and we couldn't even wake her up at the restaurant!