Dear Avery, 6 Months

Dear Avery,

Are you really half a year old already? That must have happened while we were playing. Time flies when you are having fun, and my little peanut, we sure do have a lot of fun together. You just LOVE to play! Your favourite game right now is peek a boo, and you could literally play it all day long and not get tired of it. This is just one thing that  I don't ever want to forget about you at this age my baby. There are lots more though. You started giving kisses this month! This is my favourite thing you have learned to do so far. My neck is covered in little scratches from your little nails grabbing me and pulling me in for kisses. Big slobbery, sucking kisses! And I wouldn't trade it for the world! You know they are kisses now too. I can ask you for a kiss and you do it. I love the way you get so excited when you haven't seen me for awhile. You have just started screaming excitedly when you see me and I LOVE it!! You said "dada" for the first time this month, and even Addison heard it the same way I did. You love your new found vocal skills and are "dada'ing" all the time now. It is the cutest thing baby girl.

You have gotten really good at sitting up. You don't really need anything behind you anymore, but you are so used to having the boppy behind you, that you flop backwards on purpose all the time. Of course you don't realize when it is gone so you end up banging your head on the floor. So we will keep the boppy out for as long as you need it.

Every morning when you wake up, Daddy grabs you and puts you into bed with me. You usually play for awhile until Addie comes in. I love when you see Addie in the morning. You grab her and give her big hugs and kisses. You always have huge smiles for her too. I hope you are always close to each other like this.

You have been very busy increasing our grocery bill this month! I can not believe how much food you eat now! You already eat more than Addison, and you love to eat. It is so much fun cooking all your food for you, making you new things to eat and even feeding you is fun. You start bouncing around and kicking your feet as soon as we put the bib on you. If you are in your highchair and see the bowl of food, you start yelling at us until you get to eat it. I have to make sure it is the right temperature before you see it now so you don't get upset. We cannot spoon it into your mouth fast enough either. I am trying to teach you to sign "more" but you get mad at me for putting the bowl down for a second to show you the sign.

You are hit and miss with the sleeping these days. You absolutely will not nap unless you are home in your bed and Addison is not around. If you see Addie you just want to play with her. And if you are in your carseat, you will only sleep while the car is moving. As soon as we stop, you are awake and want out. You still aren't sleeping through the night anymore. You are pretty much up every two hours. You nurse for a few minutes and go right back to sleep though, so I don't mind getting up with you. There have been one or two nights that you have slept for 5-6 hours straight, but that is when you skip your afternoon nap, or are very tired after swimming lessons. We stopped swaddling you this month at nap and bedtime, and I think you are adjusting to that. You still love to be swaddled, but it is just too cold for it now. You need your sleep-sack now so we had to stop swaddling.

You do love going swimming. I am so happy that you love to swim sweetheart. It is so much fun taking you swimming. You kick both your feet at the same time, and you look like a little dolphin in the pool. Daddy and I love watching you swim! I wish I had some pictures, but the YMCA won't allow us to take any.

Music is another thing you love right now. You can sit and listen to your mobile, or the musical crib toy for hours. Any toys that make music or sing are your favourite toys right now, and you smile so big and dance when you hear them.

We just got our family pictures back, and everyone (including the photographer) is commenting on how gorgeous you are. Even Aunt Nikki showed some of her friends at school and everyone thinks you should be a baby model. I agree, you are stunning. After Christmas, I would love to have a portfolio made for you and see where it goes. It would be so much fun having your pictures done.

You are now in 6-9 month clothing, and your sleepers are getting a little short. I just started putting you in 12 month sleepers, they are too big, but better than having your toes squished in the 9 month ones. It won`t be long before you grow into them.

I have already started your Christmas shopping, I am so excited for your first Christmas! Avery, you just light up my life. I am so happy to have you, and to be blessed enough to have this time off to spend with you. I love you so much my little peanut.

Love, your mama
xoxoxoxoxox

Dear Avery 5 months

Dear Avery,

We are thinking of changing your name. Don't worry, we probably won't actually do it, but it is very tempting, especially since you don't even respond to Avery anymore.  Addison can't say Avery, so she started calling you "Aralee" as a combination of Avery Leigh and it's stuck. We seem to call you "Aralee" more than anything else, and you respond to it, I think you like it. We even get a lot of compliments on it when we are out in public and people ask Addison what your name is. No matter what we call you though, you are always answering with smiles and giggles. And those eyes.... Oh Avery your eyes are absolutely stunning!! I cannot look at you without being in awe of your beauty. Everyone that meets you comments on your eyes, and how captivating and beautiful they are.

You are so beautiful, and so chubby! I can't get over how adorably chubby you are. You are only 14lbs, which is the 46th percentile for weight, and you are in the 94th percentile for height. So you are really an average sized baby, but since Addie was so tiny, I am thrilled to have my chubby little baby. You are already wearing size 6-9 month clothing, which is what Addison wore when she was about 8-9 months old, so we had to buy you all new clothes for your first fall and winter. I was really happy that we got to get you all new clothes. I love that you have all your own things. We even got you your own Halloween costume. I didn't want you to have to be a duck just because Addie's old costume would fit you, so we got your own costume. You are going to be the most adorable ladybug we've ever seen!

I can hardly believe that we are already preparing for your first fall. In many ways, it feels like spring just started and you were just born. On the other hand though, I feel like I have known you all my life, and have loved you forever. You just fit so perfectly into our lives.

It's been another busy month for you. You sat up all by yourself this month! You have only been doing it for a week but are very sturdy and love to sit up and play with your toys. You absolutely love playing in your exersaucer, you grab all the toys and pull down what you can to chew on them. Addie is always bringing you new toys to play with too, so you never get bored. You also love jumping and rocking around in it. We just put your swing away today because you don't have any interest in that any more. Now that you can sit, you want to be around in the action, not in the swing all alone.

My favourite thing to watch you do right now is play with your sister. You follow Addison around with your eyes all day long, and she just adores playing with you. You give her the biggest belly laughs, and the way you rock and reach toward her shows us just how much you want to be mobile so you can run around and play with her. If we put you on your belly, you even creep forward already. She is the best motivation we could have to get you to crawl, and I have a strong feeling that you will crawl earlier than Addie because you want to be with her.

You have decided that you no longer want to nap when we are out of the house. It's pretty cute. You fall asleep in the car, but the second the car stops and the door opens, your big blue eyes pop open and you are as alert as you could possibly be to check out the sights wherever we are. No matter how long you go without a nap though, you are always happy, and never fussy. At home, I have to babygate Addie in the livingroom and put a movie on for her so I can take you up to your room to put you to sleep. If you see Addison, you just turn your head to follow her and smile and laugh. You are only 5 months old and we are already separating you two so you can sleep. I can picture you both as you get older, Daddy and I having to yell up the stairs to go to sleep as you are whispering to each other and running back and forth between your rooms. It brings me such joy to see how much you love each other already, and Daddy and I hope so much that you will always be best friends growing up, and will always be there for each other. Avery, no matter what happens, no matter how much you may fight, or disagree about something (even everything), no matter how much you may hurt each others feelings along the way, know that you are sisters forever, and you will always have each other. Addison will always love you, as you will love her.

My baby girl, this goes without saying for your Daddy and me as well. We will love you unconditionally, and support you unconditionally all our lives. You mean the world to us, and there is absolutely nothing that could ever happen, nothing you could ever do to change that. We will always be here for you.

I love you more than anything my sweet girl.

Love your Mama
xoxoxoxox

Dear Avery, 4 months old

My darling little Avery Leigh. Words cannot sum up the love I have for you. You are by far the sweetest baby ever. You are just always so happy and never miss an opportunity to have a smile on your face. Your little smile brightens up my day every time I see it. 

You have been busy this month! We have been keeping busy enjoying the summer weather as much as possible and you have been enjoying all the new sights and sounds. We've been going to storytime at the library; you coo and bounce through all the songs and listen quietly through the stories. We went to the zoo, and you watched all the animals intently. We went to the cottage for a week, where you played in the sand for the first time, went for your first hot tub, spent time with your grandparents and Aunt Nikki, and went on your first boat excursion to the Umbrella Islands! 

Not only have you been a busy girl enjoying your first summer, but you've also been a very busy girl growing! You are now up to 14lbs and are developing quite the little personality. Everyone who meets you says the same thing about you. You are such a happy girl and are sweet like a little doll. You love to be held and played with, you love to snuggle and are happy to go to anyone who will pay attention to you and snuggle you close. You think your sister is the funniest thing you have ever seen, and give her tons of smiles and belly laughs when she plays with you. Addison absolutely adores you, and I am sure you two will have a special relationship as you get older. You have started screaming this month, and it is really cute. You get all excited and scream at the top of your lungs either to get attention or to have a "conversation" with us. 

We just got out the jumperoo for you, and I was shocked that your feet already touch the floor in it. You are just starting to outgrow your 3-6 month clothes and are filling out your cloth diapers really well. You are getting better at rolling around, and have discovered your toes recently. You love to catch your toes and try to get them into your mouth. You have a little trouble with that sometimes though, because of your rolly little belly. You absolutely love your bath, and Addie loves that you share a tub now. You have outgrown your baby tub, so we put you in on your bath sling and Addie loves having you in there. You are a really good sleeper. You sleep from 8pm-5am, get up to eat and then go right back to sleep until about 8am. You have a morning nap from 9-11am then an afternoon nap from about 1-3, a catnap around 6 and in between the naps, you just love to play. 

Avery, you have added so much to our family. You are so beautiful, and so happy and loving that everyone falls in love with you immediately. I am really enjoying spending my days with you and Addison, and am looking forward to watching you grow more and seeing how your personality develops. 

Happy four months sweetheart. I love you!

Love, your mama

xoxoxo

 

sister love

Sister love... could it be any sweeter?

Dear Avery, 3 months old

Dear Avery,
You are growing and changing so fast every day, that I am struggling to keep up with the pictures so that I don't miss anything. I am trying my best to make sure that we capture every moment with you, but you are very difficult to catch on camera. As soon as you see the camera, you stop doing whatever cute thing I am trying to take a picture of, and just stare at the camera. Haha my sweet girl, there are a lot of pictures of you staring at the camera, and just a few of you smiling. I am probably going to start chasing you around a lot more with the camera so that you get more used to it.

Let's see what you've been up to this past month. You can hold your own head up completely by yourself, and you love to do it. You are sitting up supported in your boppy pillow or bumbo chair, and you absolutely love to sit up and see what's going on around you. You are grabbing onto toys now, and it is amazing to watch you exploring and learning simply from holding a toy. You have started sucking your fingers.... the same two fingers that mama sucked when she was little. You will even put your fingers in your mouth and hold them there with your other hand, it is sooo cute! You have also just realized that when you cry, someone will come running, so you are enjoying getting our attention when you are bored. I spend more time entertaining you during the day than I do feeding and changing you now. It is wonderful though, you have started smiling all the time and just learned to laugh! The sound of your laughter never gets old, I can listen to it all day long.

You are already 13lbs, I can hardly believe it! You are wearing all the clothes that Addison wore for her first winter already, so we will have to buy you all new clothes for your first winter. I am very excited to get you your own winter clothes though. I love having an excuse to get you all new things!

Baby girl, I cannot express enough to you how happy I am to have you, how deeply I love you and how much I enjoy spending my days with you. You are such a happy baby, and you are already sleeping through the night, you could not possibly be more enjoyable if you tried. I am so in love with you my beautiful girl. Everywhere we go people stop to tell me how gorgeous you are and how captivating your big blue eyes are. I couldn't agree more, you are stunning.

I am looking forward to seeing what this month brings sweetheart. I feel so very blessed to be your mother, and I love you with all my heart and soul.

Love Mama
xoxoxoxo

Dear Avery, 2 Months old

Dear Avery,

These last two months have flown by! I am having so much fun staying home with my two girls, and getting to know you. You have changed so much this month. You are starting to look more like a baby instead of a newborn, and as sad as it makes me that you are growing so fast, I am so excited. You have already had your first smile, your first giggle, you've rolled over and you are cooing up a storm! One of my favourite things to do now, is grab you out of your bassinet when you wake up in the morning. You are so happy! I love lying with you beside me on my pillow in the morning. You are so full of smiles and coo's and it makes me feel so very blessed to have you for my daughter. It's such a special time we share when everyone else is still sleeping, and your beautiful little smiles make it so worth waking up so early.

You are by far the sweetest baby I have ever known. You rarely cry, you are always so happy and content. You love to be held and snuggled and you are only waking up once in the night now. You are so enjoyable to have around and are such a wonderful addition to the family. I cannot imagine life without you in it, you make everything so perfect.

I am really working hard to get your nursery finished. I feel awful that it wasn't ready before you were born, but it is coming together and it is beautiful. I finished your mobile and hung it over your change table. I love watching you enjoy it every day. Your little face lights up and you are so intently focused on the little owls and trees that it brings such a smile to my face knowing I made you something you like so much. Daddy is almost finished your crib, and I am very eager to get it put together with your bedding in your own room. I still have the bookshelves to make you, but your very own book collection is really starting to come together already.

You are so good with Addison. She definitely loves you! Every morning, she asks to see you, and smothers you with hugs and kisses. She can be a little aggressive, but you don't complain much. She can be very loud, which startles you sometimes, but for the most part, you are happy to see her. I think you two will be very good friends as you get older.

You are still eating really well, and growing so quickly. You are already wearing your 3-6 month clothing, and are almost too big for your size 1 diapers. I am hoping you are almost big enough for your cloth diapers. During the day, you love going for walks in the stroller. You have a hard time staying awake in there, but you seem to enjoy being out in the fresh air. You also love your swing. You will sit in your swing for an hour and just smile watching everything around you. I love how different you are from Addison, you are already your own little person with your own personality and I am looking forward to watching it develop even more as you get older. I cannot get over how beautiful you are. Every time I look at you, I am amazed. Avery you give me faith in God, you are such a blessing in my life that you simply must be a miracle from Heaven.

Avery, I love you so very much,
keep growing strong little one,
Love always and forever,
Your Mama
xoxoxoxoxox

Dear Avery, 1 month old

Dear Avery,

I absolutely can't believe that you are already a month old. My pregnancy went by so quickly with you, I hope your infancy doesn't go as quickly. I am so absolutely in love with you, I want to enjoy every moment with you.

You have fit right into our family, in a way, it seems as though you have always been here, always been a part of our family. I look so forward to seeing you every morning and spending time with you during the day. You are such a good baby, always content and your eyes are always smiling. You are so beautiful, you have the softest down like brown hair and stunning big blue eyes. I'm sure you will grow into those huge baby blues soon, but I love them so much the way they are.

Avery, Addison adores you just as much as your Daddy and I do, and I am so happy that you are so tolerant of all her hugs and kisses.

My little doll, it's been a busy month. We've been busy going for walks and seeing the doctor a lot. You were so tiny that the Dr. wanted to see you almost every day to make sure you were gaining enough weight. You just had a Dr. appt though and are already 9lbs and 22 inches tall! You are eating so well, and I love that time we share together while you're drinking and we're snuggling in the night. You only wake up twice a night, and you sleep so well in your bassinet. You rarely cry, but you do grunt a lot. When you wake up, you sound like a little billy goat, and Daddy and I laugh and wonder how long you will do that. It is the cutest sound, and I hope you don't grow out of it too fast.

Baby girl, you will never know how much I love you, how much I wanted you and how I will always be there for you. You are the sweetest baby, I can't wait to watch as you change and grow, don't grow too fast though.

I love you so much my little peanut,
Your Mama
xoxoxoxox