11 Months Old!

Ava, you are 11 months old already!!  We can't believe it.  Where has this year gone??  You are changing every day and we constantly see you learning and understanding more and more.  We have loved each stage, but this one is especially fun.  You make Daddy and I laugh and smile all the time!  We just can't believe you are our daughter!!  Here are your stats for the month:

-You are now wearing 9-12 mo. clothes, although you are still very thin and lots of things don't fit you in the waist.  It's an adventure to get you dressed every day!

-You're still in size 3 diapers.

-You're drinking 4 bottles a day and eating lots of food in between.  Your favorite foods seem to be toast, applesauce, apples, watermelon, ham, cheese, pears, chicken, and yogurt. Veggies are a hard sell these days, but you will eat them if we give you baby food.  

-You're napping twice a day and sleeping really well at night, around 11 hours.  

-This month you had your first ear infection, in both ears and we're still trying to get rid of it with a second antibiotic. 

-You have at least 6 teeth now, although you WILL NOT let anyone look in your mouth to check it out!

-You are standing all alone often now, and you've taken a few steps here and there, but we can't quite convince you to start walking yet.  You're just too fast at crawling and cruising!  We don't think you have any motivation to slow down and walk :) 

You've become a more independent girl lately, playing on your own and looking through your favorite books by yourself.

As soon as you catch us watching you however, you quickly abandon that and come after us!  Your grin kills us. You are so CUTE when you flash all of those teeth at us and these days, you are full of smiles!

Sometimes I look at you and I no longer see my little baby anymore.  You are looking so much like a little girl, so much taller and older.  We're proud of you and we love watching you grow, but we desperately want time to slow down too!

Your favorite activity this month is to walk/run/bulldoze all over the house with your little car.  You LOVE this thing and you go so fast in it!!  You have learned how to back it up, turn it around and improvise when you get stuck, but sometimes you forget that and we hear you yell and grunt in frustration.  We think that's hilarious and we almost always die laughing, but you're not so amused.  You have quite a little temper when you get stuck!  Sometimes you like to carry things in one of your hands while you walk.  You especially love to carry your plastic spoons.  You're so quirky Ava and we love it!

The bathrooms are your newest discovery and we have to keep them closed off as often as possible because you want to be in EVERYTHING.

But occasionally we let you explore and you're just out of your mind with joy!  

Everything in there is so interesting to you.  

You've also reached the stage where you like to unload everything you can.  You love the dishwasher, the cupboards, your toy baskets and your bookshelf.  Mommy does a lot of picking up after you, but that's ok.  You love to take every single book off your shelf and then you'll sit and look at them for awhile.  I can't clean them up in front of you however, because you'll just do it all over again!  

Of course the big news this month is that God has chosen a sibling for you!  You're going to be a big sister and your Daddy and I think you'll be a wonderful one.  We know you're eventually going to love having a playmate to grow up with, someone to boss around and look after.  You have so many classic firstborn tendencies and we are confident that you will fit right into your new role.  

We love you so much Ava!  This year is flying by and we are soaking up every minute with you.  We could have never predicted how God would mold you and shape you, what kind of personality He would give you and what would make you tick.  But we love discovering the unique ways He's made you and we know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, just as He intended.  

You are perfect just the way you are!

Happy 11 months sweet Ava Page!