Hollyhand House

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

9 months old

Ava Kate turned 9 months on Friday.  She is growing and changing so much and I am realizing my little baby is getting closer and closer to being ONE everyday!  Where, oh, where has the time gone?!  It seems like just yesterday we were at the hospital!
-We went to the doctor this morning and Ava Kate weighs 20 lbs and 5 oz. and is 28 3/4 inches long.
-She can wear 9 month and 12 month clothes and some of her 6 month smocked dresses and bubbles because of the way they are made.
-She wears a size 4 diaper.  
-She has a bloct tear duct like Anna Riley did in her left eye.  Dr. Roberts suggested we see the eye doctor.  Hopefully hers will clear up on its on without surgery like AR's did!

-She had been trying to crawl for a little while but she actually started crawling on July 4th!  She is all over the place now.  She is into everything and constantly "exploring" the house.

-She gets into  "football stance" as we like to call it.  She puts her bottom in the air and her hands on the ground like she is about to hike a football. 

-She is trying really hard to pull up but hasn't quite mastered it yet.  I give it a couple of weeks or so.  She will stand holding on to something but she isn't quite sturdy yet.  She stands on her tip toes so hopefully in another week or so she will get the hang of it. 


-Her laugh is contagious!  I could just listen to her giggle all day! 
She is such a happy baby!

-She is really laid back and easy going.  She has Riley's personality so far and I hope it stays that way!  She is so "go with the flow!"  Even when she is just worn out...she is such a trooper!

-She holds her own with Big Sister!  I see lots of fights already!  If Anna Riley tries to take something from her, she holds on so tight and won't let go!  She has learned very quick to stand her ground!! 

-The one thing we have had a hard time with is traveling.  Each time we have went somewhere this summer, it has gotten better so maybe she is getting the hang of it.  She is not good at sleeping on the go...she likes sleeping in a bed so that makes things a little difficult.  I think once we turn her carseat around, it will make a big difference!!


-She sleeps great! (in her bed that is).  She still goes to bed between 7 and 7:30 and wakes up around 7:30 and 8.  If she is not up by 8 or 8:15, I wake her.  She has been known to sleep until after 9 but it throws her whole day off!
-She takes two naps:   one around 9:30 or so (if she misses her morning nap she does ok or if she just gets a cat nap she does great adjusting!)  and the other at 1 and sleeps to around 4.   
-She HATES being rocked!  She is not a cuddler...makes me sad!

-She has 4 bottles a day. 
-She has been eating lots of different foods. 
-I don't puree her food anymore.  I just mash it up or give her small bites. She has enjoyed lots of table food some of her favorites were sweet potato fries,  chicken, french fries, rolls and green beans.  She was not a fan of biscuit gravy and mandarin oranges.
-She also loves the puffs and yogurt melts...when Big Sister isn't stealing them from her!


-She is babbling more and trying to say more words.
-She says "Da-Da" all the time.  She has said "Ma-Ma" but I haven't heard it. 
-She has also found her vocal cords and loves to scream...really loud...especially at Anna Riley!!  It makes AR cry usually and it is so hard not to laugh when she does it!  I think Ava Kate is learning how to stand up for herself at an early age!! :) 
-She waves and sometimes it looks like she is doing the "Miss America" wave! :)
-She will clap but not when you ask her to. 
-She likes to sing songs and will almost stop what she is doing and listen.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Fairhope...Part 2

After church (Duncan's baptism) and lunch with the family on Sunday, we left to go back down to Fairhope.  We stayed until Thursday morning.   AR's 3 best friends got to come, along with two of her favorite people...Mrs. Mandy and Mr. Wade!  (she is quite obsessed with them! )  :)  Pop Pop also came down for a couple of nights so that was a special treat!  It can be quite interesting getting 5 girls, 3 and under together and one still being quite small and still trying to do things but they did great.  We even managed to eat out every night but one and breakfast two mornings!  We watched fireworks from the backyard on Wednesday which was a big help since AK really isn't up to staying up until 9pm waiting on something she cares nothing for! So we put her to bed and let the other four girls put on their glow jewlery and stay up to watch.  They had a great time! 
We also spent lots of time at the pool and playing on by the bay.  It was a great trip!  


Sorry for the amount of pictures!
Finally floating on her own and loved it!!  That is all
she wanted to do!

Now this is the life...sitting poolside with a fan!
AK will NOT sleep anywhere but her bed apparently but
she did rest in the stroller for a while.



So typical!  Ava Kate is touching Anna Riley's hair and she
doesn't like it! 



"What's that??"


Miss Audrey won't go many places
without a book...even if it is one
she can't read! :)




Trying to pass the time while the pool
was closed for thunder!



Happy girl!

Movie time!




Daddy's little girl



She loves Mr. Wade!!! She talks about him all the time!

Sparklers!   Thank goodness this didn't scar them too bad
for the real thing the next night!  They weren't big fans of
the sparklers!


Taking turns jumping off...which really gave me a great
arm workout!!  These girls don't stop!!

Tired...but happy!
We go to the ice cream parlor and everyone wants
Lollipops!


Fun memories with sweet friends!




Sunday, July 8, 2012

Fairhope...Part 1

So, I mentioned in my last post that we have been on the go this summer and it hasn't stopped.  I must say sweet little Ava Kate is such a trooper and is keeping up with us pretty good if I must say...I think we will keep her! ;) I know next year...she will be right there in the midst of all the fun! 
 Traveling is still not her favorite but she is doing better and better each trip we take.  I guess at our house, you better learn to like it!
We went to Fairhope two weekends in a row which was a little tough on us all but we had fun once we got there!  My house is really needing us to stay home for a while and show it some attention though!!
These pictures are from the last weekend in June.  The Tidmores came down with us and they are always so easy to go places with!     Cameron even grilled us some Red Snapper one night and Courtney made homemade Cinnamon Rolls...yum! 
AR loved the pool this time.  She finally learned to like the puddle jumper float.  Ava Kate liked the pool too but of course she wears out easy with the heat.  We brought her a battery operated fan in hopes that she would take a nap but she rarely will do that... but she was really good and played until we all left for afternoon naps each day.  




Talon has no fear!  He had fallen off
the back steps before they left to come
down. 


Playing by the bay after naps...
Yes, AR is in her underwear! 






Look at those legs!



How cute is this picture?!
Looks like AR belongs to Courtney and not me! :)