19 months

Avery Claire,

I cannot believe you are 19 months old. You are becoming such a big girl. It blows my mind at how your little mind works and at how you take in everything around you.

At 19 months, you:

- have added some new words to your vocabulary: mine!!, book, no, shide (sometimes it means outside/ somtimes it means slide), juice, stop, Bat (aka Matt), boe (more)...We were looking at your pictures on the ride to Clay County Friday and I swear you looked at Mrs. Brittany and said "Brittany," more than once. I don't remember if I've mentioned it, but you answer uh-huh and un-huh to answer yes or no. You attempt to say just about anything we ask you to say. I really need to start writing down new words so I won't have to try to remember them all!

- are Miss Independent. For example, you do not need help to push your trike or to drink from a cup with a straw. You push our hands away when we try to offer help.

- love your pillow and blanket! Most nights, you bring it into the living room before bedtime to rest.

- are still just as strong-willed as ever. I know that will benefit you one day. As your mama, it's sometimes a challenge.

- will finally drink from a "big girl" sippie cup. For the longest, you only liked the Nuk soft spout cups, but you will finally drink from the cups with the harder spouts.


- love that nheya-nheya (paci) more and more every day. Daddy would get rid of them today. I guess Mama's hanging on to that last little bit of baby. I know it has to be soon, though, because you are becoming entirely too attached.
- sometimes have a very serious face! You wrinkle your eyebrows (and look just like your Daddy!).

- love an audience! I don't know where you get it from, but you will dance and show out when you know someone's watching!

- don't meet a stranger. You say hi and bye to everyone and everything. I love that you are so friendly!

- love daycare. Daddy says you hug him and head in without looking back every morning. Mrs. Teresa and Mrs. Brittany say that they wish every kid would come in as easily as you do!

- give such sweet hugs and kisses! Lately, you will walk up to us and just randomly give a kiss. Melts. my. heart for you to show love!

- love to go!! You get so excited when you realize we've arrived at our destination and it's time to get out of the car.

- want to be outside 24/7. Not sure what we're gonna do when cold weather really hits us.

- make my day when I come home and you get so excited! I can hear you running when I open the door.

- love to play with the neighbors kids - the youngest of which is 4. You think you are as big as they are and you love to let Gracie and Annsleigh push you in the swing and help you "shide."

- love to look at Win's picture album. You miss seeing him and were so excited to see him last weekend, but you were asleep and didn't even get to!!

- love to climb...into the dining room chairs! Seriously, we don't leave you alone for more than a second. There's no telling where you'll be!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE shoes! You like to change your shoes, you want to wear my shoes...in the afternoons, one of the first things you do is get us to take off your shoes so you can get Mommy's! Your favorite pair of your shoes is a pair of Corky's flip flops that are a size too small. You get so mad when my flip flops won't stay on your feet and the only way I can convince you to quit trying is to find those too little flip flops.

- love babies! You take such good care of your baby dolls and run straight for any real babies you see. You are sweet to them, but you make Mama nervous. If we see a baby anywhere, you make a bee line for it. You tried to take care of Luke in the nursery at church last Sunday, but he didn't care too much for your help. He didn't think he was a baby, but you did!

- are our sunshine! Life with you is forever interesting, entertaining, fun, silly, and happy! We love you more than words could ever, ever say, our sweet baby girl! We are so proud to be your Mommy and Daddy! I wish I could record your every single second. You are such a precious, sweet little girl!