A Little More 18 Months

Finally...here are a few pictures for Avery's 18 month post. I am almost a week late, but judging by the week it's been, I'd say I'm doing good. I did try to upload them a few times to that post and had no luck.

Avery went to the doctor Monday. She is weighing a little over 21 pounds, which is less than the last few visits. At several of them she had clothes on because she usually starts to cry when we try to take her clothes off at the doctor. Giraffi was also on the scale a few times. I think this put her in like the 15th-25th percentile. I really was paying attention but probably still had some water in my ears from the day before. She is almost 31 inches tall, which put her in the 25th percentile, I think. Of all days for the nurse not to write it down. She hasn't done much growing lately, especially in the weight department, but our pediatrician is not concerned. Once she came off the bottle and began moving, she really slimmed down. Our doctor basically said she's back to similar percentiles as when she was born.

Her right ear still had fluid but did not appear to be infected. We have chosen not to see an ENT at this time, and our pediatrician agreed. Basically, she said that they are surgeons and if we see them they will put tubes in. At this point she is not sure if that's necessary. I can't shake the worry that the hearing in that ear could be affected, so I don't know what we'll do. For now, we have another appointment in April for her ears, but with the winter sick season upon us I'm afraid we may be back before then.

A few more Avery facts I just have to record:

We routinely say "No, no, no" to Sammy the dog for his pesky behavior, and we also say it to Dixie outside when he barks. Avery doesn't say no, but she shakes her finger. Usually Dixie is barking each afternoon when we get home (and no, no, no is better than some of the comments I make). Avery now starts shaking her finger as soon as we turn onto our street. She will also do it if you ask her what we tell Sammy. They are Ned's dogs and he doesn't think it's as precious as I do. We never have to say it to my cat.

Avery has been has been singing E-I-E-I-O for awhile now and will break out into it out of the blue. She also sings it when she sees her Old MacDonald book. I wish people knew that I had Avery in the backseat when I driving down the road belting it out.

Avery has become fascinated with seeing herself on the camera, so much so that sometimes it's hard to get a picture. She apparently has also learned that phones take pictures, because just this morning she held my phone to her face and said "Cheese!" Imitating texting I understand, but my phone is old and I really don't take that many pictures.

These are the little stories that I want to remember today, because when she's all grown, I won't want to remember that she tore the house up or dropped food on the floor. By then I'll have plenty of time for resting and cleaning and will want to be living these days again.

I Used to Fold My Underwear

I don't anymore. Fold my underwear that is. I realized that if Avery was awake, I could spend that time playing with her or keeping her from sprinkling feminine hygiene products all over the house. If Avery was asleep, well, maybe I could sit down. And that sounds a whole lot better than folding underwear. I'm fully aware that some of you reading probably have pristine undergarment drawers, and if you are able to gloat now and make yourself feel a little better, have at it.

This week was just another reminder that it will be a LONG time before many things get folded, cleaned, straightened, or found. Here's why:

**The wind in the kitchen finally subsided today. They were six long, loud days in our house. When Servpro returned Wednesday, they still found moisture, so they left 2 fans and the humidifier. They ripped out a little of our wall, meaning I will now have to come up with a new paint color. By that point I was really thinking it would be great to just tear everything wet out so that I could hear myself think (and Avery investigate) in the upper level of my house.

**We've basically been kitchenless since Sunday as well, other than using the fridge. We've eaten out or gotten take-out each night. I felt guilty about not cooking for a few seconds the other night. Then I felt the wind, saw the dirty fan cords draped on my counters, noticed the lack of overhead lighting and the hole in the ceiling, and got over it. We're getting reimbursed. We'll eat out.

**My online class started Wednesday. There is definitely a reason that college is typically designed for the 18 to 2o something age range. I've had several panic attacks concerning drop boxes, forums, and assigned reading.

**When I arrived at school at noon Monday (after leaving Avery in the pediatrician's office screaming for me BEFORE the shots) I was handed the phone and listened to a lady tell me that the class mentioned about was not going to count for recertification. This meant that I had paid $350 for nothing and would probably not get into another class for the spring semester. I spent the next 2 days scrambling because of her mistake. Luckily, I can pay another $240 to get graduate credit from a random college and hopefully keep my license from expiring.

What a week. I was ready to jump off a roof Monday but can say that things are looking better, at least until the construction begins next week in the kitchen. Tonight I'm enjoying the sofa in my living room for the first time since last Saturday and thinking of ordering a new book. Who needs folded underwear anyway?

The Big Drip

When we opened our door after church Sunday, the big drip is exactly what we heard. A quick peek through the railings that seperate the foyer from our raised living room showed quite a sight. For the life of me, I just couldn't figure out why water was dripping from the ceiling fan in the kitchen. When Ned made sense of what he was looking at, he realized that the water line to the fridge had frozen and burst. The water line that runs across the ceiling of our kitchen. The water line that apparently froze alot and left us without water from the fridge on winter mornings. And yes, we now wonder why we didn't look into that more.

Upon further inspection, we discovered water coming from another kitchen light and down a kitchen cabinet in addition to the fan. Water covered the floor but luckily was not deep. Avery's lunch and naptime quickly approached, so I changed clothes, grabbed what I could, and left for my parents'. We had to have a few rousing renditions of "Old MacDonald" to keep Avery awake on the ride.

Ned turned off the water and started moving things out of the kitchen once we were gone. I had a few soggy Longaberger baskets and a wet can opener and coffee pot. It's always good to be married to your insurace agent, since he knew just what to do. He got Servpro on the way, moved everything out of the kitchen, and cut a hole in the ceiling to help the water drain.

Meanwhile, Avery and I had lunch then went to work on a nap. Halfway to my parents' house I remembered I had no pacifier but thought Avery would do ok without it after a busy morning in Sunday School. Wrong. She cried, played, talked, and kicked for about 40 minutes. Then, after all that work, the nap didn't quite make it to two hours because Molly the cat was trapped in Avery's room.

By this time, Servpro was working at the house, and Ned had water turned on to everything except that line. Avery and I headed home to see what was going on. Servpro was leaving just as we arrived. Here is a view of their handy work.

That's 6 fans and a humidifier, plus one hole in the ceiling. Needless to say, the kitchen is out of order as it closely resembles a wind tunnel now. My hair shot straight above my head as I tried to get a snack cup for Avery. Instead of Paula Deen's Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie, we visited Applebee's for dinner. It looks like eating out or take out will be happening alot this week.

It's just too loud to sit upstairs, so we are at least getting some use out of our downstairs room. We'll bring down some more toys, add a few layers of clothes, and make it work. If we can keep Avery and the pets out of the fans and cords, we'll be happy.

I was pretty sure we would be staying with my parents tonight, and all I could think this afternoon was that I just wanted to go home. Life with a child is easiest at home. Then, I checked the blog of someone who lost their home due to fire before Christmas, and I felt ashamed. This is just a hang nail compared to a loss as great as that. It IS an inconvenience, but I'll take some deep breaths, enjoy a few nights out thanks to our insurance, and pick out a few new things for our kitchen. The downside to being married to your insurance agent? They're a stickler for insurance fraud and won't let you slide a few extra items to the "water damage" pile.

18 Months

Avery is 18 months old today, and I can't seem to figure out how she has grown so quickly. Each age is special in it's own way, but I'm really enjoying these toddler days.

We visit the doctor tomorrow and will have official height and weight measurements then. When we were there several weeks ago she was slightly over 22 lbs with clothes and Giraffi. She still wears 12-18 months or 18 months clothes, but her size 3 diapers are getting a little snug. Shoes are a 4.5-5.

Nighttime sleep remains the same with bedtime between 7 and 7:30 pm. She wakes at 6:30 on school days but generally sleeps a little longer on the weekends. She dropped her morning nap while we were on Christmas break and was sleeping later in the mornings. The transition went pretty well, even when she started getting up earlier to go back to the sitter's. Naptime is around 12:30, and she naps 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on what time she got up. I took the pacifier when she dropped the morning nap but gave it back because I thought she wasn't napping as long. I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but I don't think a pacifier for one nap is going to hurt anybody. We may try to take it again soon. We started having a little fussing at bedtime after Christmas. It seems like more of a protest that I leave the room and then it's done. We have gone back and forth with this for the last month, and I attribute it to being home with me over Christmas and an increased "I love my Mama" attitude. This week (after a 4-day weekend) she cried for an hour. She actually screamed, and because she had never done that, I went in twice and got her up once. She's been sick and I just didn't know what was going on, so I went against what we usually do. Early on we realized that Avery needs to settle herself, and since I don't rock her to sleep, going in will 9 times out of 10 just prolong the crying. It was a long hour. Tuesday night she cried for 20 minutes, Wednesday night she cried for a few minutes, and Thursday night was about 2 protest cries.

Avery's eating habits and food choices remain about the same. Her appetite varies and is usually biggest at breakfast and lunch. My parents finally got her to eat scrambled egg recently, and she is also loving the Gerber cereal bars. Pop Tarts are an occasional treat, but please do not break it in half or she will cry like you ripped Giraffi in half. This also applies to toast. Utensil operation has really improved this month. For several months she's been able to do yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, etc., but she has gotten good with scooping up firmer items and is working hard with her fork. She did a great job with her slippery macaroni and cheese the other day! Scooping things like sweet potato and squash casserole is now a breeze as well. If it looks like finger food, though, fingers are still used.

She is such a lovebug! Kisses and hugs are given out frequently during the day. She seems to enjoy giving them but also needs to receive them alot. Jennifer says that she comes for quick hugs during the day then goes about her business playing. If I'm sitting on the floor, she pushes my legs down just right so that she can either sit in my lap or lay across it. Although she is quite the proficient walker, she still enjoys being carried.

Toys have taken a backseat to exploring around the house this month. We've just recently put on child locks because I could not stay ahead of the mess. I still can't stay ahead of it, though! She's not being bad, she just likes to investigate, pull things out, and carry things around. She will do some fussing if we take something that she wants, but we have yet to have fits of falling out, throwing, etc. She is most unhappy when waiting for food or if food doesn't look like what she had envisioned.

Avery continues to be quite the talker...10-15 real words and the rest in her own language. Socks (soss) was a fun one to add this month, especially since my sock drawer fully accessible. I now find my "soss" all around the house. This past week she's popped up with pee-pee, causing the babysitter to run her to the potty each time she says it. I'm not convinced it's bathroom related. On the potty front, Jennifer has started sitting Avery on it and singing a potty song. She hasn't done anything yet but enjoys being on it. We don't have a potty at home yet. I don't feel like she's ready and continue to read that pushing at this age can backfire. I'll see how she does with Jennifer, and go from there, but I think summertime with less clothes sounds just as good.

We turned both of Avery's carseats around this month, and she has enjoyed the new view. She spots birds, big trucks, and the moon through the windows and roof. I'm glad that we made it until almost 18 months, although the recommended age is 2. She will be in a 5-point harness and then booster for a LONG time, so she might as well get used to Mama's car rules.

I could write for days on what a fun, busy age this is. There is so much I want to remember, from the way she tries to snap her fingers to the way she thinks she turns on the gas logs at Lolli and Poppa's with the TV remote. Everything is magical (except with she's angry), everything is innocent, and everything is simple. She is surely a joy to our lives and the lives of those who know and love her well.

**Pictures to come. Our after church photo shoot was derailed by a busted pipe!

Week in Review ~ 1/22

What a LONG short week! Avery and I were home on Monday for MLK Jr. day. My sinuses were not feeling the best so we didn't do much. When I put Avery to bed that night I got a little more than the usual one fuss protest when I leave the room. She screamed. Then she screamed more. I broke the "rules" and went back in because I knew with that fuss, something must be wrong. I got her up, rocked her a bit, and put her back down, and it started all over again. She's cried at bedtime before but never like this. I ended up going in again 15-20 minutes later because she was still going strong. I didn't get her up, and she was calm while I was by her bed. But again, she tuned up when I walked away. By this point, I regreted going in at all. Early on we learned that Avery had to settle herself when she was upset or over tired since we weren't going to rock her to sleep. Finally, I could tell that she was starting to quiet/wear out, and just shy of the 1-hour mark she was completely quiet. She fussed again when we went to bed and a few quick times in the night. I don't know if it was because we were out 3 nights in a row, because she has gotten even more attached to me, her ears, or just a fluke. We stopped waking Avery to feed a 8 weeks, and other than a period of night waking between 4 and 5 months, she's put herself to sleep and slept all night. Needless to say, this type of behavior makes us nervous. Mama needs her sleep.

Luckily, she got better and better each night. I continued to put her to bed early in case she needed to catch up. Tuesday night she cried 15-20 minutes, Wednesday night a couple of minutes, and the rest of the week was just a protest cry as I left. It's hard to hear her so sad, but she needs her rest and won't get it if I turn around each time she fusses. Even though these times are so rare, I am very thankful she is still in her crib. I hope she stays cozy and contained in there for a long time!

Wednesday was my birthday and was so special with lots of student well-wishes and tons of FB messages. That night my in-laws took us to the new Italian sports bar FoSho. I find the Italian a strange mix with sports bar, and the name strange altogether, but the food was great. The chefs from one of our favorite pizza places are there, and we all had delicious meals. I had my own pizza on my birthday. For all you Nascar fans, it's owned by Hermie Sadler, who used to race and now does broadcasting for races. He is brother to Elliott, who races now, and they are all local Emporia people.

Thursday and Friday were just regular days. The full moon was shining brightly over school making things a bit crazy. Mexican was in order for Friday night to celebrate the end of the week. That has always been one of Avery's favorite places. We are thankful that she continues to do so well eating out.

Avery was up around 6:30 Saturday morning but was pretty quiet until about 7:30, so I enjoyed some extra sleep. I had planned to go shopping with Mom but she had been sick since Wednesday with a sinus infection. Mimi came and stayed with Avery while I grocery shopped. It was SO cold. My car said 21 degrees on the way to the store. Avery does not like the cold wind in her face, so I'm glad she stayed home. I got home in time to fix her lunch and make these yummy brownies. I was unproductive while she napped other than looking for a new phone, and I enjoyed every minute. I am loving Oprah's new network, especially the behind the scenes show, and I watched Friday night's episode. When she woke up, we went to Lolli and Poppa's house for a quick visit. They just can't go too long without an Avery fix. Ned was home from hunting when we got there, and it was time for dinner. We had a little playtime, then it was time for bath and bed for Avery. Boyz II Men is in town for a concert tonight, and we sat complaining that we didn't use the office tickets to go. But, since we're both in our comfy pants and Ned is asleep in the chair, it may have been a good decision.

We're going to try Sunday School again tomorrow and hope for less tears. This week is a busy one: Avery's 18-month health check, my staff Christmas dinner, and I head back to school...as a student!

Strike a Pose

Avery's 18 month old portraits involved tears, snot, runny eyes, and a lot of tongue! You know you've got a great photographer when she can make something beautiful out of all of that. This was Avery's 7th time visiting Conway Photo, and I'm sad we won't be back until July. A big thanks to Carol and Lynn for capturing our Avery so perfectly!

Click here to view her portraits.

Sunday Funday

Sunday morning dawned bright and early after I stayed up too late trying to win an outfit on eBay for Avery. I did not win but did manage to run someone's price up. Ned got up with Avery, and when I got up it was time to get ready for church. We planned to try Sunday School , since they are doing 8 sessions on this book.

We left Avery in the nursery in a puddle of tears. Her screams could be heard all across the church, so Ned went back in with her. The last few times she's been in the nursery, I've been keeping it. She's also really been needing Mama lately and is still fighting her cold. Ned got her engaged with some Goldfish and snuck out. I had to tell him that's not what we do. I think the book and the book for group sessions will be good, but the class could be facilitated better. When I peeped in the nursery door, Avery was being rocked by one of the teenagers. Goldfish were not good when she realized Daddy was gone, and she sat with Emily the rest of the time. Hopefully next Sunday will be smoother. She seemed to like Emily so maybe I've found a helper/babysitter to use sometime if I can be that brave. Now that I'm a mom, I wonder how in the world all the parents I babysat for trusted me with their children.

We did not stay for preaching and came home and finally hung Avery's bow holder. After lunch it was time for nap, and Avery resisted a little even though I knew she was tired. That immediately makes me concerned about her ears. I'm hoping we can make it to her 18-month check next Monday.

After her nap we headed to Lolli and Poppa's for dinner. Moses has become a good buddy. He's just too slow to get away, and he doesn't seem to mind that she comes at him with outstretched arms like the others do.

Poppa pulled out my Fisher Price barn and other Little People accessories. It was one of my favorite toys, and I think I played with it longer last night than Avery did.

Lolli and Poppa have introduced Avery to some fun new things on her last visits. Flashlights are good for checking underneath the couch for cats and for shining on the ceiling. She also has realized that the gas logs turn on with the remote. They won't let her have that remote, but when she points the TV remote at the logs, they secretly turn them on and off and then cheer for her. And I mean cheer like at a football game. I think she'll turn out just fine from all her time with them.

After dinner it was time for cake and ice cream. This was the 28th cake Mrs. Kitchen has made for me.

Avery made sure everyone knew she had cleaned her plate and had plenty of room for cake.

We visited after dinner, and Avery kept everyone entertained. When the game was over we put Avery in her jammies and headed home with lots of cake to celebrate with all week.