18 Month Update

Avery, you are a year and a half old! In just six short months you will be TWO. Eek! That just sounds crazy to think about! This past month your vocabulary and personality have just exploded. Here's what you've been up to:

• You changed pediatricians today. While we loved Dr. J's nurses, we just couldn't handle the 45 minute waits every time we had an appointment. Not to mention that Dr. J's constant baby talk and obsession with antibiotics was beyond annoying. So when Dr. T (who I've known forever) moved his practice to our town, we made the decision to switch, and I'm SO glad we did! It was a much better experience, and I felt like he was actually paying attention to you and asking questions instead of trying to rush off to the next appointment. 
• Your current stats: 27 lbs (80%), 34" tall (off the charts), and Dr. T was very impressed with your language development
• You wear size 24 month and 2T clothes, a size 6 (almost 7) shoe, and we just moved up to a size 5 diaper

• You don't really show much interest in TV except for the Backyardigans songs and anything Elmo. You love Elmo! Daddy introduced you to Elmo's ABCs and the ducks via YouTube, and you're pretty close to obsessed. Anytime you see the iPod or a TV, you want to watch "Cs" and "ducks." You don't get to watch them every time, but when you do, you are so fascinated. It's pretty much the longest you'll sit still.

• You still love for us to read to you. You're not even very picky about which book we read; you'll just grab a stack from the bookshelf and run into whichever room we're in yelling, "Read! Read!"

• You adore your grandparents. You're always asking for NeNe, Pop-Pop, "Gahmah" (Grandma), and "Rishie" (Granddaddy, who you caught onto his first name much faster than the name you're supposed to call him!). You also love your aunts and uncles and can say most of their names; you've even stopped spitting for "Allison" and now call her "Agua"

• You're a big helper! It's impossible for me to unload the dishwasher without you. I love it!

• You're a pro at animal names and sounds. My favorite is when you "neigh" like a horse. Your voice gets all high-pitched and you smile so big. However, your pig sounds are pretty hilarious in their own right. You love to play with all of your animal magnets and LeapFrog Fridge Farm. 

• You have lots of little friends and love to say their names. Your favorite name is Jacob, and you amaze me that you can group your friends together according to where you see them (church, MDO, family friends). You also know your own name now, and you like to identify things that are yours. You'll point out "Daddy cup," "Mommy cup," and "Avery cup" at the table.

• You're a very polite little girl. You say "please," "thank you," "excuse me" (which actually sounds like "me me" but you use it in the correct context every time!), and my favorite, "bless you" whenever someone sneezes. Your little voice just makes me smile.

• You got a kid-sized mp3 player with a microphone for Christmas, and you love to sing with it! It's saved us from having to rescue CDs when you want to push all the buttons on the CD player in your room. Besides "ducks" and "Cs" your favorite songs are "deep" (Deep and Wide) and "hallu" (Hallelu, Hallelu) from your Wee Sing Bible Songs CD. 

• You love to hug and kiss (although we're trying to get you to kiss people on the cheeks instead of the lips!), and you always pucker your lips when you tell us "kiss" and hold your arms out when you say "hug." 

• You love buckles, and that's probably the cutest word in your current repertoire.

• You've finally started liking being in front of the camera. Anytime we get it out you say, "Pictures! Cheese!" and give us the cheesiest little grin. It's a nice change from the scowls you used to give the camera. 

• You're also becoming much more independent when you play. You still like to be in the same room as me, but you're pretty content to talk to your toys and move them back and forth with little help from me. It probably helps that Christmas brought you many more playtime options. It's fun to see you pretending and starting to imagine things. 

You're just getting so big! I think this jump from 17 to 18 months was huge developmentally for you.  I also felt this way about the transition from 11 to 12 months, but now that you're doing more "big girl" things it seems even more obvious. Anyway, I say this in every monthly update, but we just love you like crazy and have so enjoyed watching you grow into a precious little lady.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy