Ava is 10 Months Old!!!!

 



I know you can do the math, but Ava will be a year old in 2 more months!  Where has the time gone?  You blink and so much about them changes....it's insane.

It's hard to believe another month has flown by.  A lot has happened this month.  We found out that Ava was going to be a Big Sis to another little girl that we are going to call Sally Jean.  We had to say goodbye to the best grandpa and great grandpa ever as he was welcomed into Jesus' arms.  Those two things have been a lot to take in during her 10th month. 

She did remarkably well as we traveled through the night to say goodbye to grandpa and even was in good spirits when we arrived at the hospital at about 3 am.  She didn't do as well the next two nights, however, because were were sleeping in the same room with her and we were so exhausted that we went to bed at the same time as she did.  Trying to put her in the pack n play and us get into our bed at the same time was not happening for her because she could see us.  So, for 2 nights, she ended up in our bed with us.  Needless to say, she was well rested, but we were NOT!  The last night we were in Ohio, Curtis put her to bed at her normal time and then left the room so she could have a chance to settle down and go to sleep like she normally does at home.  That worked like a charm and we finally got some sleep ourselves.  She did great on the way home and we all stopped at  Bob Evans.  After we ate breakfast, Ava, Jack and Maddie took  pictures next to this wagon that was all decorated for Halloween and Fall. 

 

 

 

There have been more temper tantrums this month than there has been ever before.  We are also getting a little attitude at times.  She is one determined little thing.  And so stubborn. I have NO idea where she gets those character traits from.  Most of the time I tell her "No!" she just smiles and keeps going like I don't even exist. She loves getting into the cabinets.  She is allowed in one cabinet-the tupperware cabinet.  But other than that, the others are off limits.  We have got to buy hardware for our cabinets and drawers (I know...FINALLY, right?) so we can put safety locks on those suckers.  Anyway, she loves the tupperware drawer, but those other drawers have become more and more intriguing, especially since mommy won't let her in them. 

Here she is making a mess and having fun with the tupperware cabinet:

 

One day I took her to Target and we didn't have her grocery cart cover because I had washed it the day before and it was drying.  I was miserable without that thing.  She was buckled in the cart but that did not matter.  She stood herself up and turned herself around.  She was so naughty!  I swore to never leave that cover at home.  The next time we went shopping, I brought the cover and it didn't matter.  She has also discovered she can stand up and turn around with that thing, too. 

 

 

Ava can clap her hands, attempt to blow kisses ( but she rarely will for me) and is perfecting her hand wave.When she waves at you now, she will often say "Hiya!" Which we think is her way of saying hi!  She is so funny in the morning when I get her.  For the past 10 months, our furry brother, Winston, has come with me in the mornings to greet her with a "Good Morning Sunshine!" and then he gives her a little lick. She looks for him instantly now and waves at him.  She seems disappointed when he doesn't come which has happened a few times because  he doesn't always make it to the other side of the baby gate before I shut it.  It is so cute.  She loves that dog...oh, and the cat.  The cat is so mean to her.  He will sit somewhere in close proximity to her and let her get super close to him and then he dashes off.  She usually looks somewhat astonished at how fast he is and little sad, too.  She saw her first horse up close and it came up to her to pet.  Mommy, of course, pet the horse, but Ava just looked.  She wasn't too sure of touching it....it was SO BIG! 

 

 

Eating with Ava has become obnoxious!  Let me rephrase that: Feeding Ava has become obnoxious.  Those are the times of days I get the most frustrated.  She has become more and more picky.  She is so easily distracted...hopefully she is not ADD.  You know the teacher in me worries about these kinds of things.  She insists on rubbing her face, then her eyes, then her hair when I am feeding her, which leads to bathtime almost after every feeding ( or it should, but typically she just gets one HUGE wipe down with some baby wipes) Who has time to bathe a child 2-3 times per day?  If the mess is absolutely horrendous...like I can't pick her up, its so bad, she will get a bath.  And even then, I still find food caked in very odd places.  Places where food should not be. 

 

She is eating some chunkier things like cooked carrots, peaches, and some meat.  But that is about all the new stuff she has had.  I am funny about giving her big people food and I don't really know what my hold up is...just nerves I guess.  She is drinking from her juice cup a little bit better, but still she mostly likes to gnaw on the nipple and hold it upside down and shake it.  Her newest game is throwing it on the floor and seeing how many times mommy will pick it up and give it back to her to do all over again.  I am shocked she still likes to play this game, because I usually pick it up once (2 times at the most)  and  then I take the juice away.  She really enjoys her snack foods-puffs, yogurt melts, veggie sticks, little crunchies, Cheerios, and Rice Krispy's. 

 

 

 

She is extremely active and busy.  Everyone who watches her comments on how busy she is.  Haha! Believe me...I KNOW!!!!  She loves to discover and find new interesting things to get into.  I have realized that this age is a very tiring age and she isn't even walking.  Holy Cow! 

 

 

 

Things I have loved about this month:

• She will play for a few minutes and then crawl over to me to check in and love on me
• She likes to clap her hands when certain songs come on that she recognizes
• She bounces up and down when she is trying to dance
• She says mamamamam when she crawls to me...so I think she is saying mama. 
• She has the funniest smiles and gets so happy over the silliest things
• She laughs when we laugh even though she has no clue what we are laughing about
• She can  actually stand and enjoy my singing
• She throws fits over things we do every day, multiple times per day-like diaper changes
• She is fighting me on those headbands and starting to show her independence there
• She still loves cuddling with her mommy and daddy
• She has no fear of anything- people, places, animals (except for maybe that horse)
• She says "Hiya" when she waves