9 Months!

She loves Graham Crackers!

Life is just so full right now! Avery is so much fun and we are loving watching her grow. She started taking steps right after she turned 10 months, so before long I am not going to be able to keep up with her!

Here are the highlights from her 9th month:

• Weight: 18. 10, Height 26 in. This puts her in about the 45th percentile. So at 3 months she was in the 85th and now we are small for our age!

• We are finished with the bottle! At 9 months 2 weeks, we went cold turkey to the sippy cup and she is doing great! She turns it up like a champ. I wanted to take the bottle before it became a comfort item and before I stopped nursing. I am so glad I did this. Side note: a great way to make sure they take whole milk from the sippy cup is to mix it with breastmilk, starting with 3/4 BM and 1/4 WM. Gradually it flip flops until they are drinking all whole milk! This has worked great for Avery.

• In addition to oatmeal and most baby food, she loves graham crackers, cheese, and tortilla chips.
• When sitting on the floor, she uses her legs to spin herself around in circles (this is really cute!)
• Waves bye sometimes, but mainly points at everyone and everything
• LOVES being outside. Gets excited when you are going and upset when you are coming back in.

• Cruising around furniture, doors, drawers, and anything else she can hold on to.
  
• Walks like a champ using her wide base push toy. You can tell she thinks she is such a big girl. I actually cried the first time she used it. It was like nothing to her and all I could think was wow she is growing too fast!
• Hates slowing down for anything, especially having her diaper changed.

• Still enjoys her bath and loves the pool.

• When I wake her up in the morning, together we let the dogs outside for the day. She loves this and smiles as we walk toward the bathroom where they sleep. I say, "where are the puppies" and she smiles and beats the door.
  
• For kissing, she opens her whole mouth and covers you with slobber.
• Talks and jabbers all the time to herself.
• She became quite the momma's girl this month. Didn't like when I left the room and wanted me to hold her more. Definitely more wary of people she doesn't know.
  
• At night she and I laugh and play in our bedroom. I lay her down and as I call it "get her belly." She is so ticklish and laughs so hard. This is my favorite time of the day!