Hi. I'm Avery.

Doubling Up

2009-04-28T10:44:00.006-04:00

It was my second birthday over the weekend! I never thought I'd make it this far. Remember when I was a little bundle swaddled up in the hospital nursery after my first bath? Because I don't. In fact, I don't believe Dad when he says I used to fit on one of his arms and he could bounce me just by flicking his wrist. I was never that little, was I? And if I was, I'm not going back. It's too much fun running and jumping and talking and singing and swinging.

Whenever anyone asks how old I am, I say "Twenty-eight pounds." At this point I've forgotten whether it's a rote response or a joke.

We had a big party on Saturday to celebrate my milestone. My best friend Mallory came over, along with her parents and about 20 other people. Dad made a bunch of food, including two kinds of cupcakes. I ate the icing off two chocolate ones and the bottoms off two blue lemon ones (he said they were margarita, and the booze was in the icing so I didn't get too much of that). I also had a lot of chips and cheese, some lemonade, some rice, and (in the interest of healthy eating) a baby carrot. My favorite part of the party, though, was the pinata. Mom helped me hit it with a stick, and when a bigger girl broke it, candy came out. I hid candy everywhere, so no matter how much Mom and Dad find and put away I'll still have a stash.

There's been a lot of travel in April. Dad and I went to New Mexico last week so we could try to find a house to buy. I guess we're moving this summer, which means that we need to box up all our stuff and put it in a truck so it can be unboxed in a new building. But that new building is going to belong to us, so we have to find one we like. My favorite of the whole week was the one that had the swingset in the backyard, but Dad said something about "too small" and "ugly," and then promised I could have a swingset no matter where we end up. He and Mom are working on buying one -- the first one they said was sketchy, so they made a second offer yesterday. I hope we're not homeless, because then I won't have a place for my books.

Also, we had two different sets of guests the week before Easter. Grandma and Grandpa came for four days over the weekend, and then my great-uncle and great-aunt from Saskatchewan came during the week. We had so much fun! We went to the beach twice, the Magic Kingdom, the botanic garden, and a bunch of restaurants. Grandma helped me color Easter eggs, which was a lot of fun with the stickers and the splashing and the pretty colors when they came out. And Auntie Shirley read to me pretty much nonstop, which as you probably know is my favorite thing to do of all time.

You know, I can't think of anything else we did. The travel and the house hunting and my giant party have taken over all of our brains in the house. It's a lot to think about and a short time to make it happen. Oh well. I'll write again before we leave Florida, and maybe now that I'm two it'll be easier to remember.

Marching Along

2009-03-16T10:19:00.004-04:00

Oh yeah, I forgot I have a blog. Happens sometimes.

The last month has been packed full of learning more vocabulary words. Dad and I talk all day, about the dogs, my friends, my TV show (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is my favorite), my toys, and whatever else I might happen to see. It's fun to surprise him with words that he didn't know I knew. We can sometimes carry a single thread of conversation for several minutes.

Of course, knowledge is power, and as I learn more I'm starting to figure out how much power exactly I have. I'll turn down stuff I like just because I can. I'm also less satisfied sitting in one place, especially when it's a new place -- I want to explore everything. Of course, that's not always appropriate for a little girl by herself, according to Mom and Dad. Sometimes that makes me mad, and I make sure everyone knows it. They call this the "terrible twos," I guess because I'm almost two. But I'm not trying to be bad, I just want to learn more.

So let's see, stuff that happened since my last post. Grandma and Grandpa came over Valentine's Day, and we had a lot of fun playing together, even though I wasn't feeling very good that weekend. Like, I wasn't interested in gym class, so we just had to leave rather than playing. Still, we went to the beach, we played in the backyard, and we had some good dinners together. We were planning to go to Disney World, but again, I really wasn't feeling good enough to enjoy myself out there.

Mallory and I had a couple of play dates the week after that. Her mom and dad needed a date, so she came over Sunday and we played on the slide and in the sand table. Then the dogs had a vet appointment on Thursday, so Dad took me over to Mallory's house and we played for a long time, until we were both ready for naps. (Mallory was falling asleep when Dad came to get me, and I almost fell asleep in the car on the way home from her house.)

We went to a wedding not long after that. Mom's friend Shene asked her to be a bridesmaid, so we all drove to Tampa and made it into a little weekend break. The wedding was at the Florida Aquarium, and it was cool looking at all the fish and water birds, and I even saw a ginormous spiny lobster and a big turtle. The most fun, though, was dancing with Mom and Dad (and Tony a little bit, too) during the reception. I didn't want that part to end. We were going to go to the beach with Melissa and Aditi (our usual weeknight dinner party guests) on Sunday morning after the wedding, but it was cold and rainy, so we decided against it.

I finally did get to go to the Magic Kingdom, with Nona when she was here last week. She didn't want to originally, but Mom sort of talked her into it. We rode a lot of fun stuff together, and I think in the end Nona was glad she went with me. While she was here, we also got to dig in the sand at the Contemporary (where she was staying) and play in the pools at the Polynesian (because the Contemporary pool was closed for some reason, so they directed us to the Poly).

Auntie Cassie and Uncle Ben were here last week, too. They brought their baby, Keegan, who was just too cute. He's still only seven months old, not quite crawling but he's really good at scooting around on his belly. We all went on a cruise together over the weekend, on the Disney Wonder. There was actually fun stuff for us little kids on the boat -- a splash zone, character greetings, the Playhouse Disney dance party. We stopped in Nassau, where we saw lots of fish and got three impromptu area tours (once on the glass-bottom boat, once on a cab ride to the Atlantis aquarium, and once on the ferry ride back to the ship), and on Castaway Cay, Disney's own private island in the Bahamas, where they had a really pretty and safe beach for me to play on.

Last night, we went to an Orlando Magic game. It was my first time seeing basketball in person. We sat way up in the stands, but I could still pick out the players and see who was doing cool stuff. Dwight Howard doesn't look as big from row S as he does on TV, but it was exciting to see him slam dunk. What I really liked, though, was when the dancers did a dunking routine during intermission. I also liked Stuff (the green alien mascot) and the giant floating milk bottle ridden by a cow that dropped stuff into the crowd.

Whew, that's a lot of stuff. I should update sooner next time so I can remember it better.

Quarter to Two

2009-02-02T17:46:00.007-05:00

Back to the delayed schedule, right? But who has time to write when there's so much to do and explore? Besides going to gym class twice a week, we're spending a lot of time playing outside, reading books, taking long hikes, running new and bigger errands, doing chores around the house, and hitting up local stuff. After all, we're back to New Mexico in less than six months, and as excited as we are, we want to get all we can out of Florida in our remaining time here.

So a lot's been going on in 2009 already. We were in Canada for New Year's Day, spending some time with my aunties and Pappy and Grandma. Everybody seemed glad to be home, and a lot more comfortable than when I saw them in the hospital before. I can't imagine having to live somewhere that isn't your house for as long as they did, so it was better being at home with them. We played games, danced, dressed up together, and even went into Victoria for a little while to look at the city. Keep Auntie Lourdess in your thoughts, though -- she's still recuperating from all the treatments, so she's not a hundred percent yet.

When we got home, we took the next step toward big-girl-hood: I got a potty. We brought it home just so it'd be there, but as it turns out I really like the idea. Pooping in there is a lot better than going in my diaper -- it's not anywhere near as gross, for me or the 'rents. It helps that my potty plays music when I use it. I'm still not using it all the time yet -- Mom and Dad don't want to push me, especially with a big move coming up -- but I'm making some progress.

I also got a booster seat while we were at the store buying the potty. Since I like eating off the main table better than the high chair tray, it just made sense to have a seat of my own that lifted me up there. This I could take or leave, especially since I still have a table my own size from Christmas, but it's kind of nice to be able to sit at the table with Mom and Dad when they're eating. What's more fun for me, though, is to get one of my friends (my dolls, my stuffed animals, sometimes even little plastic non-anthropomorphic toys) up into the seat so they can have a snack. It's important to share, after all. In fact, if Maggie's not sitting at the table with me, sometimes I won't touch my food until I find her and help her into the chair.

This month, we went to Disney World twice and the Sanford zoo once. It was all fun, even the zoo trip when Dad thought I was too tired to enjoy myself. In fact, that day was warm (as compared to the sub-60s we've had most of January), so Mallory and I got to play in the splash zone for a little while and get nice and drenched. At the World, I basically redid my favorites -- Small World, the carousel and the parade at Magic Kingdom; Honey I Shrunk the Playset and Playhouse Disney Live at Hollywood Studios. Dad's also talking about finding a weekday to go where I can have the run of one of those play areas. Hey, we gotta make use of the pass, after all.

Finally, if you're looking for the usual every-three-month measurements, I didn't see the doctor this time. My next scheduled checkup isn't until my birthday, and hopefully I won't have to go back until then. (The urinary exams I had came back all clear, and yes, I did go to the hospital for that, but they didn't measure me.) But I always ask Dad to help me get on the scale at the supermarket, which says I'm 28 pounds, and he lined me up against a Lobo Louie height poster I have, which says I'm 32 inches. So use that if you want.

Merry Whatever You Celebrate

2008-12-29T23:36:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone, I hope you had a great Christmas or Hannukah or Ramadan or Solstice or Festivus or Decemberween! (I don't add Kwanzaa because we listened to a talk about it last year and it sounds like most families that celebrate it do so in tandem with Christmas.)

We do Christmas in our house, and it was great. Mom helped me put out cookies and milk for Santa Claus (and some oats for his reindeer) the night before, then we read stories about the Grinch and the Night Before Christmas while I was going to bed. When I got up, the cookies were eaten, the oats were gone, and there was a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse playset under the tree with my name on it. Of course, I got up at 3:30 to change beds, still too tired to really play, but I brought Mickey and Toodles with me into bed with Mom and Dad. I got so many great gifts from so many nice people ... thank you to everyone who thought to give or send me something! (Mom is going to help me write real thank-you notes over the weekend.)

The night before Christmas, we went with Mallory and her parents to go see the ice display at the Gaylord Palms. (It's technically spelled "ICE!", but Dad's eye gets all twitchy when he has to write it like that.) Basically, they took a giant convention hall and filled it with room-size ice carvings of bridges, gingerbread houses, a nativity scene, Santa's lap, and even a huge slide with the reindeer flying over it. It was pretty cool -- both figuratively and literally. Mallory and I were pretty much freezing by the time we finished up in there. Hey, we can't help it; we were both born in the deep South, and anything cold is against our nature.

Oh, if you guys were worried about my sickness, don't be -- I'm feeling a lot better, running around and playing with my new toys and chasing the dogs just like normal. I'm supposed to go for some imaging tests next week, only we don't know exactly when because the people who called Dad about it last week are not, shall we say, exactly on the ball. (It took them three calls to just get to the point where maybe now we might be ready to potentially reserve a time slot with the specialist.) It's not a big deal -- Dr. B says it's standard for any girl under age 2 to have these tests, just in case we're predisposed to infections.

In a couple days we're going to Canada to visit my aunties! They're back home in Duncan, and I've never been to the island before (whatever that is), so I'm looking forward to seeing them where they're supposed to be instead of in that hospital where I couldn't even really touch Auntie Lourdess. I'll write about that sometime after we get back.

You Give Me Fever

2008-12-19T17:36:00.004-05:00

Well, the past week certainly hasn't been super fun for me. Last Friday in the middle of the night, I woke up with a fever. Dad gave me some water and some Tylenol, but it didn't help because I was still hot when we woke up properly in the morning. Then when he took my temperature, it was so hot that Mom said we had to go to the emergency room. The doctor there did some tests and determined that I had a urinary tract infection. Yuck! So I've been taking medicine for it all week, with a couple more days to go, and on Monday we're going to have another test to make sure it's gone.

The good news, though, is that once the fever finally broke on Sunday, I felt a lot better. In fact, this week hasn't been much different from others in terms of playing and reading and running around, except that I've had some longer naps. Also, Dad's felt a little sorry for me, so we've been watching a little more TV than in the last few months. I've enjoyed sitting on his lap and watching my shows while we sing along ... my favorites are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Imagination Movers and Jack's Big Music Show. We've also gone for some long hikes through the woods using the jogging stroller. This week there were cars and motorbikes back there, which was weird, but nobody even gave us a hard time. Even the police officer waved us through.

I just realized I hadn't written about our trip home over Thanksgiving. It was so much fun! We spent the first half of the week in Santa Fe with Nona and Pa-Pa and Uncle Clayton, and I had a great time reading with them and chasing the cats. We also went to the children's museum, which was a total blast. Then on Wednesday we went to Albuquerque and stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. I got to see just about everyone in the family on Thanksgiving, including Great-Great-Grandma. The highlight of the trip, though, was going to Ally's house and playing with her and all her cool toys (especially her doll stroller).

I'd better cut this short now. We're going to Mallory's for dinner. Come back after Christmas, because from the looks of the pile under the tree I'm going to have a lot of thank-yous and shout-outs!

Give Thanks

2008-11-20T16:46:00.005-05:00

Hey, check it out, I'm updating my blog before a month has passed. Part of that is because we're going to visit family for Thanksgiving, so I want to make sure and write an entry before we do. But another, bigger part of it is that I've been so lax about writing here. I genuinely regret that, and it's something I'm going to try to fix. I know you all care what I'm up to, and I hate to make you wait so long or guess or hound Dad while I don't do it.

So what's new of the last two weeks? Not a whole heck of a lot. I'm experimenting more with words, stringing them together and parroting Mom and Dad when they say new stuff. Dad's working on teaching me the concept of "please," and I'm starting to get that it's something he wants me to say when I ask for snacks. The whole logical problem-solving thing is fun, to be honest. I can find my toys in the toy boxes, I can climb in the stroller when I want to go out, and if I want Mom or Dad to show me pictures I just bring them the photo album. Or else I can just shout "pics" until they cave and get the album for me.

As far as outings, there's been some new stuff. Mom and I went with Mallory and her mom to the Central Florida Zoo, which wasn't as good as the one in Albuquerque but had a really cool petting zoo section. And last week, we all drove out to Cape Canaveral to watch the space shuttle take off. It was really amazing how it lit up the whole sky. Otherwise, we just keep going to the gym and the store, or to restaurants where I can amaze Mom's co-workers by being congenial. (I guess some other toddlers scream or throw food. Amateurs.)

I think that's most of everything for the last little bit, actually. Totally looking forward to seeing so many grandparents and aunties and uncles next week, though!

Oh yeah, gratuitous plug: I added a link to my wishlist in the sidebar. Probably anybody who wants to get me a present for Christmas already has an idea, but if you're coming up short, it's there.

Bonk!

2008-11-07T23:57:00.004-05:00

Whoops, I totally missed October. Sorry, everybody. I've been really busy growing, plus our weird family schedule (with Mom working nights) threw me off. The last month and change has been awesome, not just because my team made it to the World Series (go Rays!) but because I'm becoming even more capable and independent. I climb on stuff, talk up a storm, and start to understand better what Mom and Dad are saying. Mom's pretty amazed too; she says every day I bust out another word she didn't realize I knew. And I'm stringing words together now, which is a progression of the last couple weeks ... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I had my 18-month doctor's appointment today. Stats, first off, for everyone keeping track:
Weight: 26 lbs 1 oz
Height: 31 3/4 inchesDr. B says I'm still slightly above average, and doing everything I'm supposed to be doing at this age: eating with a spoon, stacking toys, and (like I mentioned) putting two words together. Of course I had vaccinations -- three this time, with a fourth to come in a month (they have to do the flu vaccine by halves, since this is the first time I'm getting it).

So let's see ... what all has happened since the last time I deigned to write? Some of my aunties came to visit, first of all. Aunties Coop, Tara, and Vieng, as well as Uncle Jason, were here in the beginning of October for something of a reunion. Mom says she and all the aunties lived together during college, and this was the first time they'd all been in the same place since she and Dad got married. We spent a lot of time at Epcot, because they're doing the Food and Wine Festival, but we also goofed off around the house playing games and drinking. That is, the adults drank, and I spun in circles and passed books around.

I've had more time at my new gym class too. It's a lot of fun ... not as directed as Little Gym, but a lot more to climb and see and explore, and there's still gymnastics time so I learn how to hang and balance and roll and all that stuff. It's funny, though, that at the old place I was one of the littlest kids in class, and now I'm one of the biggest. Most of the other kids are younger than twelve months, it looks like, and only a small handful of us are walking on our own. Plus, with the good training, it goes without saying that I'm the best at doing forward rolls.

We also did a little bit of traveling this last weekend. Mom had a meeting with a medical group in Las Cruces that wants to hire her, and she's verbally committed to them. Now it's down to her signing the contract. I'm excited to be closer to a lot of my family. It's still three hours, but three hours in a car is easier than in a plane. (Dad likes it too, because he's actually got legroom and doesn't have to hold me the whole time.) The desert is really different than what I'm used to in Florida, but Mom says I'm still going to have a yard where I can run around, and she also says we'll have a pool so I can learn to swim. So that should be fun. But I will miss my friend Mallory. As she's getting bigger too, she's a lot more fun to play with, and I am forever asking Dad if we can go over and see her.

Oh yeah, there was a big election this week. I went with both Mom and Dad when they voted, in the new jogging stroller that Nona bought me. Mom's was better, because I got a cookie ... with Dad I just got a sticker. But they said we'll have a new president, which is pretty exciting for history, I guess. It won't really affect me directly unless he tries to take my swing and give it to the troops. But he's got daughters just like me, so I kinda doubt he'd do something like that.

Well, it looks like I touched on everything. I'll probably be another month, because not much is happening until Thanksgiving and I want to write all about that after it happens. I'm not a future-reader, people.

Seventeen Months

2008-09-27T23:53:00.002-04:00

Wow, I forgot I had a blog. OK, not really. But come on -- how boring is it to sit at a computer and just type when you could be running around playing with stuff? That's what I've been doing. The more I walk, the more I like it, because the more I can get into and faster. I'm tall enough to reach things on Mom's vanity, the dressers, and even the edges of the kitchen counters; I'm dexterous enough to open drawers and climb into my stroller or my high chair (and sometimes use them as stepping stools); I'm retentive enough to remember where my toys and snacks (not to mention stuff I'm not supposed to play with but want to anyway) are; I'm observant enough to realize that the door for the dogs won't open only for them.

But it hasn't been all mischief around here. I'm still learning and growing a lot. Lately it's been names. "Mom" and "Daddy" are easy. "Kucha" and "Angel" are harder to say, but I'm getting there. I call my doll, Maggie, by name now, as well as my friend Mallory who lives close by. And when I look at photo albums (one of my favorite kinds of book to read), I can point out all these people, as well as others (Uncle Mike and Ally are the easiest to say).

We've been out and about a lot since my last entry, too. Uncle Mike was here with Auntie Erin at the end of their honeymoon, and we spent some time at Disney World together. I found a new gym and am going to start going every Saturday (today was my first real class). We went to a birthday party for one of Daddy's friends, to a barbecue at Auntie Shene's, and to a backyard party at one of Mom's co-workers' houses, all within a week or so.

The biggest outing of the last month was yesterday's trip to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Mom's wanted to go to this party probably since she worked here so long ago, and this year we made it happen. They didn't wear costumes -- Dad had a funny shirt, and Mom had one with a sequined pumpkin. I made up for their lameness with my ladybug outfit. Of course, the hat wouldn't stay on for much longer than it took to get a picture of me with Mallory. We rode a bunch of rides, did some trick-or-treating, and watched the show, the fireworks and the parade before we got too tired to stay any longer. Still, by the time we got in the car it was almost 11:30. I totally stayed up later than Mallory, though, by a good fifteen minutes.

Probably my proudest moment of the month, though -- at least as far as Dad's concerned -- was when I ate a whole taco and asked for more. I've been trying a lot of different foods this month, stuff they don't have to puree and feed me with a spoon. In fact, I'll eat with a spoon by myself a little bit. Of course I have my favorites (raisins and goldfish equals crazy delicious), but I won't argue with a sweet potato or a zucchini fry (especially if it has a little cheese on it).

That should just about catch me up. I'll try to write another one sooner!

Sixteen Months

2008-08-28T22:53:00.002-04:00

No pictures today, guys -- you can see all the new ones for the week in my sidebar. Instead, we're going to do an all-dancing, all-video update.

I've decided that dancing is now one of my favorite pastimes. We listen to a lot of music (at least, when Mom and Dad haven't caved and turned the TV on, which they're trying to be better about), and I'm really enjoying the beats and the tunes. Of course, I can't sing yet, let alone play an instrument (however this video might indicate otherwise), so I express my excitement by dancing. This afternoon, in fact, I actually handed Dad the remote so he would turn on the tunes. (We get a few XM Radio channels on the TV, which is what we mostly listen to.) I like children's music, disco, and ... er ... hip-hop.

I've also been playing with my baby doll a lot lately. You might remember the picture -- when my great-grandma sent me the baby, she was almost as big as I was. Mom and I named her Maggie, and I've taken to carrying her around the house, changing her hats, loading her into my swing outside, giving her rides in my new toy crate on wheels, bringing her in the car, and (of course) dancing with her.

Otherwise, nothing big is going on. The rain from last week was horrible, because I couldn't play outside, and now we think it stirred something up because I've had congestion all this week. But at least I can play and go for walks again. I hope it clears up over the weekend, because my Uncle Mike and Auntie Erin are coming and I don't want to miss out on playtime. But I'll let you know what happens.

Videos

2008-08-19T23:38:00.004-04:00

Hey guys, just as a quick note, I uploaded some new videos. You'll have to go here to see them, because Dad's drum corps video is in the front and as such the one featured in the little window. I'm gonna try to figure out how to make my badge just have my videos so you don't have to mess with his other stuff.

EDIT: I figured it out. Now the video player on this page will always have me on the front.

Fifteen Months and Then Some

2008-08-14T23:10:00.003-04:00

Auntie Tara reminded me today that I owe everyone a post. Sorry, guys. I didn't intend to take this long of a hiatus.

So. Since the last time I posted, I had a doctor's appointment. I don't know if you guys are still tracking stats, but here they are (in metric too for the scientists and Canadians):
Height: 30 3/4 inches (78.1 cm)
Weight: 23 lbs 3 oz (10.52 kg)This puts me a little closer to the center of the charts in terms of percentile. It also promises (as long as the height-prediction method Dad's found multiple places is accurate) that I'll be taller than five feet when I grow up. (If you don't know it, the method is to double your height at two years old. I'm already over 2-6 now, so as long as I don't shrink.) I got a couple more inoculations too, but hopefully next time will be the last of those for a while.

Other growth stuff is coming along as well. I'm saying more words, as well as responding yes and no to questions. Granted, I don't always understand what Mom and Dad are asking me, but I'll nod or shake my head with varying intensity depending on how much I do get. ("Do you want more juice?" is a dumb question, but then so is "Are you ready for a nap?") I'm exploring my surroundings more, which can be scary for the parents when I take a step that I wasn't quite prepared for. I'm also doing a lot of imitation -- this morning, when we were all up before dawn, I totally copied Mom in giving Dad a hug and a kiss and saying "bye." Of course, she wouldn't let me go to work with her anyway. Stupid med school.

My grandma and grandpa came a few weeks ago, and we hung out at my house for a few days, and then we went to Tampa. Grandpa had a doctor recruiting conference to go to there, and Mom took the opportunity to talk to a guy about a position in New Mexico. He took her and Dad out to dinner, so I got to have dinner at the cafe with Grandma and Grandpa, which was cool. We also played in the pool and at the park right next to the hotel. Then on Saturday evening I saw my first Rays game. I've adopted the Rays as my home team, so it's nice that they're doing so well this year. They were playing the Tigers, who are Dad's and Grandpa's team, and my boys totally whooped up on them. I also got to have nachos for the first time, and they were delicious.

After Tampa we went to New Mexico for a week. Mom had another interview, this one in Las Cruces, so while she and Dad went to that I spent a day with Grandma and Grandpa, visiting their coworkers and playing with their dogs. I also got to spend three whole days in Santa Fe with Nona, including an evening with just her when Mom and Dad went to see Uncle Clayton perform in the Santa Fe Opera. The cat let me pet him this time, even though he wasn't too sure, and Nona got me a pool and played with me on the trampoline. Uncle Mike got married that week, too, so on Friday we came back to Albuquerque for the rehearsal dinner. I was supposed to be a flower girl, but I didn't sleep very well the night before, so I was grumpy and nobody could make me walk down the aisle. I slept through most of the reception, but was awake for another baseball game that night (Isotopes this time, and they won again).

As you can see, I've had a pretty busy couple of weeks. This weekend we were going to go with Dad for his drum corps competition in Atlanta, but Mom and I are too tired to make another trip so soon. (Mom has to work early on Monday, but Dad won't be done until 7 or so Sunday night, and it's not fair to make her sleep in the car even though she wants to see him perform.) Instead, we're going to try out a different gym and then maybe go to Disney with one (or some) of Mom's friends if we can talk them into coming along. Basically, we just need to rest and unwind, and nothing does that better than a weekend at home.

Long one this time! I'll try to write again before the month is out.

On the Run

2008-07-17T16:25:00.003-04:00

Walking is totally easy now, so I'm experimenting with what else I can do. Running? Check. Spinning in circles? Check. Climbing on furniture? Check. Pushing my toys around? Check and double check -- including sliding furniture on the tile and rolling my empty stroller across the living room. I certainly keep Dad busy, and Mom too when she gets home and Dad collapses from a full day of chasing me.

It doesn't help that my gym closed. Can you believe it? Mom said the owners couldn't concentrate on running the place and their family at the same time, but they couldn't find a buyer to keep it going either. So on Saturday I had my last class with Miss Staci at the Little Gym. There's another place close to our house, but since Dad can't come to class until his drum corps is over we're going to wait until September to start a new membership. Unless Miss Staci starts working there before that -- she said she'd call if she did, and I could see Mom signing me up a little earlier than we've planned so I could start new classes with her.

After class we went to the beach. That made two weekends in a row for me, actually. Mom and I went with Mallory and her parents after class two weeks ago, and we had tons of fun. This time, it was just our family, but I still loved running in the sand (and eating a little), smashing Dad's sand castle, eating jelly sandwiches, and splashing in the waves. I did have a little accident, though. Not long after we got there, I was leaning on the umbrella, and it came out of the sand and bopped me in the eyelid. Man, it hurt, and it even bled a little. I had a scab and a pretty good bruise for the better part of four days, but it fell off this morning.

The other big thing from these last two weeks is that I'm not sleeping in my crib anymore. Nope -- now I have a toddler bed. OK, so technically my crib is what's called "convertible," so all Dad had to do was take off the front rail and put a little brace/roll guard on. It's not like I got a whole new piece of furniture. (The rail goes back on and turns into a footboard when I'm ready for a full-size big-kid bed.) We decided to give it a shot, and turns out I really like sleeping in it. I've slept through the night in it for two nights now -- Tuesday I woke up at 6:30, but last night I slept nine hours straight. I didn't realize how nice it was not having to fight Dad for bed space. The only problem is I still don't know how to get down by myself. I have to yell for the 'rents.

That's all for this time, I guess. Next time I post will be after Dad's birthday. I can't believe he's so old.

Take It Outside

2008-07-02T22:36:00.004-04:00

I've gotten a lot of new stuff to play with outside recently, which is good because I love it out there. I posted about my pool before, and I might have put up pictures of the sand and water table (which Dad just filled up with sand today). But then Mom found a cool slide on Craigslist for totally cheap. My stuff is so awesome out there that a couple days ago I went out the dog door out of sheer determination to get outside. Just the one time so far, though -- I'm not totally positive that will work every time, or that I won't get in trouble for doing it. But it's been great to hang out in the yard. Of course, Mom and Dad won't let me play out there when it's raining, which I don't get because they let me splash in the pool and that's water too. Whatever. Parents.

This week I've also been fascinated by books. Not all of them, mind you. A select handful. Mom said she's so tired of reading me Biscuit's Snowy Day that it might get lost. I don't really know how that works, but I haven't been able to find my Dog pop-up book for a week or so either. Dad said he had to fix it after I tore off some of the moving parts, but now it's just gone. I don't know. I can still get Ten Little Ladybugs for some fun reading time.

Dad's going away for the weekend for his drum corps. It's lame and I'll miss him, but I know he's going to have fun and do great. Mom and I have fun plans for the holiday, too -- playing in the yard, of course, but also going to gym class, going bowling with some friends and hitting a party on Friday night. So we'll have fun even though he's not here.

Fourteen Months

2008-06-24T18:17:00.006-04:00

Sorry, everyone. I've been really bad about updating my blog lately. There's a lot to do now that I can walk -- chase dogs, splash in the pool, get my books down, carry toys to various rooms, take things off higher shelves than before, and (perhaps most importantly) run around in circles. With all these new responsibilities, I don't have as much time to sit at the computer. Plus Dad's usually playing Wii when he should be helping me write.

Mom and Dad's wedding anniversary was a couple of weeks ago (nine days, to be exact), and so they went out for a fancy dinner and a movie. Without me, that is. Yes -- for the second time since I was born, they managed to get a sitter and have an evening out, and they went to CityWalk again. Some people have no taste for adventure, I guess. While they were there, I was at SeaWorld. Pretty cool, huh? Dr. C and his wife (that's who was watching me) wanted to take me and their daughter Mallory (about four months younger) with an auntie and a cousin in tow. And it was a lot of fun! I loved Shamu and the dolphin show, but I fell asleep before we went to the penguin exhibit so Dad says we have to go back.

We've been experimenting with going to movies, too. Mom took me to Kung Fu Panda over the weekend while Dad was at drum corps rehearsal, and today Dad took me to a free show of Robots. I haven't really been able to get into it, though. Movies are really for sitting still, and that's not where I'm at right now. I'd rather run around and play with stuff and explore. Dad said that if the theater today had been empty he would have let me run on the floor in front of the screen, but it was packed -- people other than Dad take advantage of free stuff for kids in the summer, I guess. Both times we ended up leaving about 40 minutes into the flick.

Otherwise, it's just business as usual in the house. I'm learning more words to go along with pictures and toys -- baby, bear, cow, fish, sock. I've slept straight through the night in my crib three times since my last update, now that the worst of the teething is just about over. (My molars are mostly in now, and I'm enjoying crunching on apples with them.) Along with the walking, I'm doing a little bit of experimental tumbling, rolling myself over in different ways on the carpet to see how I can get up. And of course I have to keep Dad on his toes by reminding him that he hasn't properly closed the pantry or put away his laundry yet.

So that should about catch me up. See you next time!

Step Off

2008-06-12T08:54:00.000-04:00

Four months worth of videos finally uploaded here.

Walk It Off

2008-06-10T23:07:00.002-04:00

Sorry about the lack of updates, everyone. I've been too busy walking.

Yeah, we've decided it's official -- even though I still prefer to hold someone's hand and cruise around, and I'll crawl when I really want to get somewhere, I am now a biped. It's increasingly likely that I'll step away from the couch to follow the dogs or get something from Dad, rather than dropping to my knees first. I'll even push up on a wall for balance rather than looking for something low and horizontal. (My favorite is the end of a wall, where it's short and squared-off.) Today we went to the park, and I was traversing the gaps between play equipment and benches with no problem (even with shoes on). So yes, this means I'm now one step closer to being that marching band geek that Dad seems hell-bent on grooming me to be.

That's it for this time. Sorry so short. I'll try to post a video tomorrow or the next day, depending on when I can manage to get the camera hooked up.

Splish Splash

2008-05-30T18:40:00.006-04:00

Wow, everyone, it's been a while. But honestly, not that much has changed since my last update. I'm still not walking by myself, I still don't like peas, I'm still having fun in gym class. Basically, I'm the same fun Avery you've come to know and love.

I did get a pool, though. Since it's getting even hotter out there, and I still love playing outside, we have to take advantage of it. We went to the store and got me an inflatable pool with a sunshade, thanks to some of my birthday money. I broke it in by going skinny-dipping. Hey, it's my pool, it's my yard, and I'm not old enough for the neighbors to be scandalized yet. Over the last couple days, I've been playing in and out of the pool, getting more used to it and starting to have more fun. Mom actually got in with me today, but she wouldn't let Dad take pictures because she didn't want him putting her in a bikini on the Internet. (She is old enough to draw catty comments -- which is dumb, because my mom looks better in a bikini than a lot of people.) I'm also getting a sand and water table in a few weeks, whenever it gets delivered. That ought to be fun, and might even distract me from playing in Kucha's water dish.

I guess that's all for this time, actually. See you next time!

Cinco de Moya

2008-05-13T11:54:00.004-04:00

Oh, boy. My birthday trip to visit the grandparents was so much fun that I was too exhausted to write yesterday. I seriously napped for almost six hours.

We got in to Albuquerque on Saturday and went to see my grandpa and grandma Moya right away (they were leaving on a trip of their own the next morning), and that was pretty nice. Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa Harrison's house where we were staying. Uncle Mike was there too, and I got to meet Erin as my auntie for the first time. (Last time I met her, it was only for about an hour and I was busy eating, so we didn't really get to play. But this time we had a lot of fun.) I also got to play with Grandma's dogs, which I love to do. They're even more tolerant of me than Kucha!

Sunday was my birthday party in Albuquerque. I knew we had a big family, but I didn't realize I had so many friends in the area until they all showed up. It was a big group, and a lot of people close to my age even. Some people even drove from Tularosa or Scottsdale, and Auntie Coop actually flew in from Ohio to be there. Grandma made me a butterfly cake, and my Auntie Shauna hooked everyone else up with cupcakes that looked awesome. (I think Dad ate six over the next three days.) We had fun playing with balls and bubbles and cars, and the bigger kids played monkeyballs, which looks fun but I can't throw far or well enough to play it right yet.

We stayed in Albuquerque until Thursday morning. Well, Mom had a job interview in Socorro on Wednesday and Dad went with her, so I stayed with Grandma and Grandpa and met some of the people they work with. On Monday we all went to the Isotopes game. That's the biggest stadium I've been in so far, and the game was fun too, especially since the Isotopes won. (Mom has never seen them lose! She should get free season tickets.) Tuesday we went to the zoo, and I loved all the animals, but especially the ducks. I fell asleep before we left, though, so I didn't get to see the eagles or parrots or apes. Then Thursday Mom had a second stage of her interview down by UNM, so Dad took me on a little tour and we went to the Duck Pond to feed the ducks.

As soon as Mom was done, we drove up to Santa Fe to spend some time with Nona and Pa-Pa. GG and Great-Grandpa were there too -- they flew down from Canada just for my birthday party. I was a little shy around him at first, but Nona says that Mom didn't like Great-Grandpa until she was two years old, and I sure did better than that. We had a lot of fun watching the birds (there are tons of them where Nona lives!) and playing with some of Uncle Clayton's old toys, including his beloved Thomas the Tank Engine set. I even saw a coyote a couple of times. Plus, I busted the cat trying to hunt birds no fewer than three times by pointing at him when he got up where they keep the bird houses.

Saturday I had my Santa Fe party, and Fiona and Chloe showed up for that with their parents. I'd played with Fiona before, but Chloe is just a baby (three or four months old) so she couldn't play with us. Nona made a trifle, but Mom said it had sherry in it and I couldn't have any. Which is weird, because she didn't have a problem with Auntie Shari holding me on Sunday. Oh well. I got an awesome cupcake with chocolate frosting, and I demolished it because by now I was an old pro at eating cake.

Even though I requested no gifts for my parties, I got a lot of really nice ones. Thank you to everybody who got me such great gifts! I'll be sending actual thank-you notes later this week.

And even though it's nice to be home, I sort of miss New Mexico already. Mom and Dad say we'll be back there for good in a year, though. I'll sure be happy to be closer to all these people who love me.

Oh yeah -- there are tons of new pictures on Dad's Flickr site. You'll have to go back three pages to see them all.

My First Cake

2008-04-27T22:48:00.002-04:00

If you didn't already see them, Dad put up the pictures of me dealing with my birthday cake. It was good stuff! Too bad I dropped it before I got very much.

Happy Birthday To Me

2008-04-25T22:34:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! This is just going to be a quickie with the vitals on the day, since I didn't get to upload new pictures this week.

Yep, it's my birthday! I'm a whole year old now, and I'm really happy with how it's gone so far. I've got a warm bed, a family that loves me, and lots of encouragement to keep growing and learning. It's awesome.

Today I went to see Dr. B for my one-year checkup. I know, you're all appalled at me going to the doctor on my birthday, especially when I needed to get shots. But it was better to do it today than try to squeeze it in next week before we go to New Mexico. Besides, my Orlando party isn't until tomorrow, and I'm already over the ill effects.

Oh right, some of you keep track of this:
Height: 29 1/4 inches
Weight: 21 pounds, 14 ouncesSo I'm two ounces shy of being able to turn the car seat around. Probably by the time we get back from our trip, Dad can do that for me. It'll probably be cooler to watch out the windshield when he's driving than just staring at the headliner.

I guess that's it for now! I'll try to update again Monday or Tuesday with party pictures.

Almost There

2008-04-20T22:12:00.003-04:00

Sorry, everyone. I've been too busy running around lately to come update my blog. No, not by myself yet, but when Dad's just sitting there at the computer I'd much rather make him get up and help me trot around the house. Walking is within my grasp, but so is Dad's finger and I feel more secure if I have him helping me.

It's not like I haven't been exploring more things, though. In the last couple weeks, we've been going outside and playing in the grass. Dad prefers to take me into the front yard, in the shade of the big tree, where the grass is shorter and less weedy and not full of ant hills and dog poops. Plus it's a good place to sit and watch the neighborhood kids play basketball. I'm having fun picking up leaves, pulling blades of grass, and just sort of experimenting with the feel of it between my toes. Being outside in general is fun, and the opportunity to explore a new surface out there is one I can't pass up. The bugs can get annoying, but otherwise it's a lot of fun. We're going to try going to the park next.

These last two weeks have been kind of hard on my schedule, too. Mom's working the night shift again this month, which basically means that my main source of comfort in the night is gone. This is where all you experienced parents will shake your heads at Mom and Dad for letting me co-sleep. Hey, I'm comfortable, and that's what matters, right? Plus, in their defense, it's hard for my parents to have a consistent plan and attack when Mom's work schedule changes so drastically every month.

In case you forgot, my birthday is at the end of the week. Mom and Dad already gave me my presents, though ... I guess they couldn't wait to play with them either. They got me the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn House, and it's awesome. I love opening the door and the window to hear the songs, or pressing the doorbell or flipping the switch to watch the porch light go on and off. They got me a couple smaller things too -- a Tampa Bay Rays padded mini baseball bat, a few new elephants, and a swing for the porch (which Dad hasn't installed yet). This weekend a few of my local friends are coming over for a barbecue and to play some games in the backyard. (Guess Dad'll have to clean it up some.)

It's just about my bedtime now. Good night!

April Showers

2008-04-07T12:50:00.003-04:00

Wow, I've done a lot in the last two weeks. No real new developments ... er ... developmentally (other than my increased inclination to feed myself and/or throw food off the high chair), but we've been to a lot of places.

Last weekend, to celebrate Mom's birthday (which was a while ago, but she didn't have a full weekend off then) we went to Savannah, Georgia. I'm not sure why we went -- I guess it looked interesting and fun to her, but all I knew about Savannah was when Dad sometimes watches Paula Deen's TV show. Still, I'm glad we went, because we had fun. We tried to go to Paula's restaurant on Sunday, actually, but when we got there an hour before it opened, the line already went down the street and around the corner -- and that was just to put your name on the list! So instead we ate at the Pirate's House, which was really good. (I just had the cornbread, but it was awesome. Mom and Dad really liked the fried chicken and sweet potatoes.)

We spent Saturday walking around the town squares, looking at the old statues and beautiful landscaping and architecture. That night, we tried to go to a bluegrass concert, but I wanted to dance in the seat and the people around us got agitated, so we just left rather than bugging them. (We did get to dance and hang out in the upstairs lobby of the theater for a while, because they were piping the music out from the hall.) On the ride back to Orlando, I was so tired that I slept for more than three hours, which meant by the time I woke up we were almost home.

We went bowling again this week with some of Mom's friends from work. I had more fun this time, because I've been playing with balls at home and so I was interested in them. Did you know bowling balls are really heavy? I couldn't pick one up, but I pushed it down the lane (with Dad's help, though). But then Dad wouldn't let me crawl down the gutter to check out the pins, because there was oil on the floor or something and he didn't want me to get hurt or too messy. Whatever, Dad!

This weekend we went to the Magic Kingdom again. It was just as fun as ever. We rode the Haunted Mansion (it was my first time, but Mom says they updated it and made it cooler than it used to be), It's a Small World (still my favorite) and thought about Dumbo -- but then it started raining. (That's not why I'm wet in the picture -- I played in the kid fountain for a while before the rain started. It's a good thing Mom and Dad brought me a change of clothes!) The 'rents were hungry at that point, so we decided to go to Epcot and get an early dinner at the new Japanese restaurant. Dad says it's pretty authentic, but I just had Cheerios, so I wouldn't know.

My birthday is at the end of this month! I've sent out party invitations to a lot of my family and friends, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone. Just as a quick note: I don't really want or need anything for my birthday. I have lots of clothes and toys, so I request no gifts. However, I know that my grandparents and great-grandparents are going to scoff and do what they want anyway, and some of you might want to do the same. So Dad helped me put together a wish list, and if you insist on getting me a gift but are short on ideas, these are things I think would be fun.

Wow, long one this week. See you next time!

Eleven Months

2008-03-26T17:46:00.003-04:00

Just one month until my birthday! I can't believe I'm almost one. It's exciting and sort of weird at the same time. Celebrating your first birthday is supposed to be a major milestone, but at the same time it doesn't feel like I'm that old. Which is silly if you think about it, because I don't remember not being here, and Mom and Dad say they can't remember what life was like before me either. (Well, Dad says he had to put CDs and DVDs back on the shelf a lot less often.)

One thing that makes it feel a little less weird is how much I've learned and how much stronger I've gotten, even just in the last couple months. I love to cruise now, and I make Dad hold my hands and help me walk around the house at least a few times a day. This week, I started to bear-walk on my hands and feet, rather than just regular crawling. I'll crawl when I want to get somewhere fast, but I'm starting to figure out that I can get around on my feet -- I just don't have balance enough to walk on my own yet. But I have started working on standing by myself, without holding on to things. Saturday I kept my balance for a good ten seconds before I had to sit down.

As it gets warmer, we're spending more time outside. (This is probably the last you'll see of that hat I'm wearing in the picture!) Besides our usual walks, Dad and I like to stand out by the back fence and watch ducks and herons and other birds at our pond. On Monday, too, we went to a baseball game to see Dad's team play the one closest to us. I had fun there -- it was a nice day, and they have a big grassy hill just beyond the left-field fence that I could crawl around on. One of the nice guys who works at the stadium gave me a baseball, too, which was really cool to roll around with the other little kids. Dad says that when the minor-league team plays there, they have a kids' playground set up, which should be fun for all of us.

I guess that's it for this time. See you soon!

Erin Go Brach

2008-03-17T23:26:00.004-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody. I'm one-eighth Irish, after all, so I do celebrate it.

It's been a while since my last update, hasn't it? Sorry about that. By the time I thought to do it, we were on a plane to Vancouver and then I didn't get a chance while we were there. We went to visit Auntie Lourdess in the hospital again -- she was coming up out of her stem cell transplant, and it seemed to go well because she was feeling great pretty much the whole time we were there. (Of course, since then there have been more complications, so keep on with the good thoughts.) I had more fun this time, because now that I'm mobile and able to entertain myself, I was able to play with the toys in the hospital playroom. We spent a lot of time with Auntie Georgette, too. I love her so much -- she loves to play with me and she's so funny! We went to the World of Science and the aquarium together and had a great time. And of course it was nice to see Pappy and Grandma again (as well as give them a break to have some together time while we took care of my aunties).

The teeth have made tons of progress since last update. I officially have five now, with the sixth almost all the way out of the gum. If you have to grow some teeth, let me give you a piece of advice: Don't do it. This nonsense hurts like nobody's business, and I have not been thrilled with the whole deal. My folks should have bought stock in Orajel, because it's always gotta be on hand to help me cope. (Dad keeps saying I can eat steak soon, but that doesn't really help.) The upshot is now I can crunch on Cheerios and my rice crackers, which makes eating them even more fun. I'm also starting to eat peas and carrots, sliced bananas, and (if I don't throw them overboard instead -- they can be a little too sour sometimes) apples that haven't been pureed to within an inch of their life.

In other areas, I'm still making progress. Sleeping on my own is no longer the fight it used to be -- I'll go down for two to four hours at a time, depending on what time it is and how tired I am. (I still prefer to share the bed with Mom and Dad, naturally, but one step at a time.) I'm wanting to walk more -- I still can't do it without help, of course, I make Dad hold my hand -- and the last week or so I've been trying to figure out how to stand on my own, getting my balance so I can get going. Kucha's been really helpful for that, actually; she lets me push up on her back away from furniture and doesn't get mad when I fall down and land on her.

That's about all I can think about for tonight. Slainte!

Marching Onward

2008-03-03T16:53:00.003-05:00

Well, time keeps going on here at the house, bring its little pains and travails with it. Dad and I had colds last week, which was no fun at all -- I'm still coughing a little bit as I push the last of the grossness out of my system. What's more, those two new teeth I mentioned are starting to break in earnest. Last night they really hurt -- I just wanted to nurse, but Mom's trying to teach me that I don't need a nipple all night long, and it wouldn't have actually helped with the pain anyway. I know that logically, but give me a break; I'm just a baby and I want soothing. Finally Dad got me some Tylenol and rocked me to sleep in the study, where I wouldn't miss or be tempted by Mom's boobs.

Since I have so much fun playing with the balls in gym class, Dad got me this one a couple weeks ago. It has since become my new favorite toy. I'll make him walk me over to it so I can sit down and grab it right away, and when he or Mom rolls it to me I sieze it with a shriek of delight. Pushing it around the living room is fun too. Other toys I'm particularly digging right now include my fridge farm (you're supposed to match the front and back halves of animals, but I mostly just like banging it on the floor to make it play music) and my stacking cups (the rings are fun, but they're harder to chew on and they don't make quite the same satisfying noise when you knock them together). Of course, I still mostly prefer to play with things that aren't actually toys.

Lately I've been starting to wake up and go to bed earlier, too. I know, all you grandparents and aunties and other adults with child-raising experience were probably starting to freak out about my 11:00 bedtime. But I've been conking out with Mom at closer to 9:30 the last few days, and waking up at around 8. It generally depends on what kind of a nap I get, and I'm finally hitting a routine on those too, getting one in the morning two or three hours after I wake up and another after lunch around 3 or 4. But sometimes I'll fight off that afternoon nap so hard that I only get 20 minutes or so, which either means I fall asleep early and wake up starving or I just plain can't get to sleep. I mean, whatever, right? You can sleep when you're dead. I have too much to learn right now.

That's all for this time, I guess. I'll try to write again before the weekend's over.