12 Months

The first picture shows Avery on the way to her first pediatrician appointment at 6 days old. You can read her heart monitor story here and here. The second picture shows her yesterday, the big birthday girl! What a wonderful, fast, hard, exciting, crazy year it's been. We've come a LONG way!

Avery had her 12-month check yesterday. She weighed 21 pounds 14 ounces and was 29 1/4 inches long. The doctor and I both agreed that her last height measurement was probably wrong, since I'm sure she's grown more than a half an inch. I'm not sure they're way of measuring height is the best, but I don't want to give it a try. She got 2 shots and a prescription for a possible ear infection. Although I worry about many things concerning Avery, I'm not one to worry too much about the milestones she's meeting, as long as she does it around the time considered normal. An email brought something to my attention this week that she wasn't quite doing, and a Google search got me all upset, made worse by the fact that my baby was turning one. Our pediatrician is wonderfully on the ball and laid back at the same time and quickly told me she's fine. The responsibility of caring for someone and making decisions that affect her life is so overwhelming. I loved reading this blog a few months ago when she said that after you find out you're pregnant "you automatically carry around, for the rest of your life, an increased likelihood. To have your heart broken. And it's a constant fear that we struggle to put to rest." So, so, so true! I'm working every day to put the what-ifs out of my mind, trust in God, and enjoy my sweet girl.

So enought of that...on to Miss Avery! She is still wearing 12 and 12-18 months clothes and a size 3 diaper. She goes to bed around 7:30 and is now sleeping until 6:30 or 7 am! She is still taking 2 naps, although sometimes her morning naps are short. Since we've been home from the beach, her naps haven't been quite the struggle, and she's doing them without the pacifier. She does talk and play before she falls asleep, sometimes for 20 minutes or so. Since her wake-up times change, it's hard to know when she needs to nap. If she's giving tired signals, she's way past due.

Avery has gone a little crazy with her eating this month. She's had days where she refused most of her bottles and ate solids like she was starving. She's had days where she drank all of her bottles and had a few bites of food. It seems like she just doesn't want to be still to eat. We are going to start whole milk Sunday, and I think that will help her eat better. She has been drinking better from her sippy cup this month but still doesn't drink a ton. I'm going to start cutting out the bottles one feeding at a time, and if she gets through it without becoming dehydrated I'll be thrilled. I think there is a bit of strong will in this child. She's still holding steady at four teeth.

Avery still loves to play with her Fisher Price Learning House. She got a push toy train to take to the beach and can push and walk behind it. She still doesn't do much cruising using the furniture, which is fine with me. She is standing on her own for longer amounts of time, crawls faster and faster, and loves to climb over anything in her way. The dog bed is now a favorite spot. She doesn't see our stairs here much, so she got good practice on the set at the beach. She has been waving and clapping for awhile but does it all the time now. She is sure the people on The Today Show are waving and clapping at her. She speaks to anyone passing in a store or restaurant and will touch them if she can. She leans in for a kiss if we ask and puts her hand on ours for a high five. She talks all the time, but I don't think we've heard her first word. A lot of things are dada. I turn on the TV for her occasionally when I'm trying to clip her nails or cook dinner. She seems to like most shows on Noggin and also Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I don't like her to watch for long, but I would love to find a good DVD that would guarantee a few minutes for cooking instead of chasing.

Avery took her first vacation this month and spent her first nights away from. I was a little nervous about how she would do, but she did wonderfully. I think napping in her Pack-N-Play at Jen-Jen's really helped her sleep in it at the beach. She quickly got on her schedule at the beach and returned to it when we got home.

Avery does not enjoy having her face or hands wiped, unless it is a baby wipe, which she will try to eat. She has no time for diaper or clothing changes either. She's not a fan of being confined in anything for too long. Avery is doing better with with people she is unfamiliar with but prefers they stay out of her face. Can't say I blame her there. She is also doing better when I leave the room, especially since she can follow along with me. This little girl certainly knows what she likes and dislikes.

This year has been such an adventure and has flown by so fast! We eagerly anticipate what's in store for us next but wish time would slow down just a bit. Each day a little more baby slips away and we get more glimpses at the big girl we're loving. Stay tuned for the big party post!