10 months... where does the time go.. Tonight I was rocking you and you filled up my arms. i remember rocking you the day we brought you home and you were so so tiny... You were so tiny for so long too. Now you are a chunker. 17 lbs at least. You are learning lots and lots of things. You wave bye bye, clap your hands to " when your happy and you know it" you say Dada and look for his picture on the wall when I ask you to say his name. Last night in your room I told you daddy was going to be coming home soon and to please let him hold you. You jumped up and looked around the room.. I think you were looking to see where his picture might me. It was so cute. Your association with Daddy is a picture hanging on the wall. That is a little sad to me, but also so precious. The kids all carry you around and you love it.. I guess mom had gotten a little laxed in these later months.. Today you were in a fashion show walking the runway with the girls. GK always plays a game with you where she sets up pillows and you stand next to the ottoman and then you helps you fall into the pillows. You love it!

Today for the first time you repeated baba.. I have been working with you on this even moving your mouth for you and TODAY you said it... in frustration b/c I wasn't getting your baba fast enough. It was a good sound, but was of course very nasally.. You are beginning to cruise around furniture and getting more daring on walking around the cupboards in the kitchen. You love to bang them open and shut. You hate getting dressed and I need to put your diaper on while you are standing, I cannot even hold you down. You are ready for bed at 7pm and get really hyper and crazy when we are out and you are not in your crib..... Yes, finally consistently sleeping through the night.....
You're eating lots of things now... WE threw out that baby mush that made you miserable and now you eat : Cheerios, puffs, green beans, bread, yogurt melts, string cheese smashed up, french fries, crackers cut into small pieces. Anything that you can mash in your gums and then swallow. I am working on getting my milk supply up.. I just don't want to give up just yet.... I have been battling complications of being on antibiotics that have resulted in difficulty pumping.., but with only 2 months to go I'd love to make it to surgery....... I am just not sure that will be possible.... Below are a few pictures in Avery's room with mom practicing with her new lens.

Outside for a stroll! Pretty in Pink!!! Poiled poiled is what we call you! Grammy and Grandpa bought you this stroller! You are just learning the word No... we also say Ta Ta when we mean no- our friends in Canada taught us this! Up until now when we'd tell you no touching or ta ta you'd just laugh at us... no you are finally getting it! You have also found a new affection for the fireplace b/c you can see your reflection in it and also find me in it too. I need to keep you away from the TV stand b/c it has glass in it and I am afraid you'll crash your head into it. You are getting lots of bottles a day and I put cereal in several of them... you also are eating food. I just decided it won't kill you so lets just try. Things that don't crumble are best. Cheerios work great, those puffs from Gerber, toast, noodles, I even gave you a small piece of lunch meat. We are taking this food stuff slow... but finally we can put something on your tray at meal time. It makes you VERY happy. You are also drinking out of a big girl cut. you sip and everything. sometimes it all run out of your mouth and other it comes out the nose, but I think you actually are drinking it too. You are still getting breast milk, but sadly not as much as mom would like... I am hoping to make it to my goal of one year and after your next surgery........ Just wish you'd take all the stuff in the freezer, I'd quit pumping now! I'd be done now if it weren't for the spending surgery in Jan... I really want you to have all those antibodies while in the hospital.

It's been a beautiful fall here and a long one for once! It's November and it's just begun to be cold- what a treat.

Avery.. where has the time gone.... Your Dad is still gone in training for his work. We are surviving!!! HA- We are doing really well actually, just have a few crazy nights a week. The Big kids have learned to scatter when mom blows her top. You just laugh! You are saying da da da, and look to Daddy's picture every time we ask you "Where's Daddy" So then we go and kiss the pictures. The pictures all have slobber smudges on them. If I tell you I love you Ava- You immediately give me lots of kisses and still you hug me every time I get you up from nap. You are very affectionate... probably b/c we have showered you with nothing buy affection since the day you were born. When I rock you at night I tell you "take that stinky binki out so mama can give you kisses" then you grab the bink and pluck it out so I can kiss, then you plot it back in. Sometimes you put it in my mouth! In these pictures you love to play near mom so you are always in the kitchen. I give you all the Tupperware and other non toy items to play with. You love them best! You also like to play with my drapes. I have to pin them up for fear you'll putt them down on top of you! You have learned to stand at the patio window and pound, you love to splash on command in the tub. We still use the dish pan in the sink, but have occasionally go to the big tub. As you pull up on everything you have taken some spills and even smacked your lip, but all is well. You never like being far from mom. You always play near me.. or cry out for mom to find you!