The Alford Family: Ava is 16 Months!

Ava Elizabeth Alford

16 Months old

around 23 pounds

I am in love with this little thing! She is always so funny and full of life. She is becoming more and more independent, but it is fun to watch her try things on her own. She hardly ever gets upset if she can't figure something out. She falls and gets back up! I mean that figuratively and literally. Because of this independence she insists upon, we have had a lot more cuts and scrapes, bit lips, bruised legs.

This month she has gotten to experience riding in the car in a whole new way. It is like a whole new world to her. She will point at things and say, "whats that?" I usually don't have a clue what she is pointing at.

This girl still loves to read! She looks at books and talks to them. I think she is trying to read them. Sometimes, she will just sit for like an hour and peruse through her books. We are starting to get a little rougher with them which bothers this mommy. I have had to doctor up a few and remind her that "We are book readers, not book beaters or eaters."

Ava will sometimes grace us with compliance and show us where her belly, ears, eyes, and nose are. She will also sometimes be obliged to say these words:

No (her favorite)
hey
bye
all done
okay
ball
dada
Sally (Sal)
Mama (this is the word she uses for me and grandma comes out mama)
Whas that?
yay and always with a clap
you and she will point at you
papa
cat
puppy (pup pup)
shoe
thank you
Amen
cookie (coo coo)
shh
clap (cop cop cop)
Wow
baby
uh oh
Oh no
BOO!

Ava is showing more and more interest in food. Mommy is going to have to get real creative, though, because she seems to get bored with what I give her to eat real quick. Ava is also drinking out of a sippy cup with a straw. This might seem like a big deal to most people, but for this mommy it is. I thought she would never give up a bottle. She is loving ice cream. At Sweet Frog's she had cookies and cream frozen yogurt and she has also enjoyed a bowl or two of that here at home.

Those piggy tails crack me up

Eating frozen yogurt at Sweet Frog's

Ava still loves the movies Frozen, Tangled, and Brave.

Here she is watching one of those 3 movies while mommy is getting things ready to go bye bye

Ava loves to go to the park or greenway. She loves to be outside and I love for her to be outside! Sun is good for the soul. And it is finally warming up enough so we can enjoy the outdoors.

All things considered, Ava is doing really well with her transition to becoming a big sister. Sometimes I have to remember that she is still a baby, herself. She loves to love on Sally and likes to help us burp her and she always wants to hold her. She gives her hugs and kisses and it is the sweetest thing. Every once in a while, if she gets in trouble and Sally is nearby, she will take it out on her sister, or try to before we snatch Sally up. But, all in all, I think she loves her sister. Ava has always been a sweet spirit and very social, so I think she enjoys having the extra person always around.