Ava is now 10 months, and will be 11 months on February 10th. I cannot believe that she will almost be a year old. How time has flown! I am so thankful for the blessing of having a beautiful, healthy, curious, loving, and determined little girl. We have had the chance to get to know Ava better these past few months, as she has begun communicating with us and making huge developmental strides on a daily basis. It has been fun to watch her grow. She began taking her first steps a few weeks ago. As of today, she has taken up to 10 steps on her own at a time. Every time she does this, I feel myself holding my breath, willing her to take just one more - it's exciting! Ava is very active. She loves cruising around the furniture, which is great for her growth but also a little scary for her parents! We can't let her out of our sight, as she is fearless and often doesn't know her limits or her own strength! She is more talkative than she ever has been in the past. She knows who "mama" and "dada" are, and she can say these words herself. She also likes to say "ba" for ball. Sometimes she will say "hoo" when I ask her what an owl says. She loves to wave bye-bye or hi, and often does this during the day. When we ask her how big she is, she clasps her hands together and raises them over her head. It's adorable! I have captured some of these tricks below. Some of her best communicative moments occur during mealtimes, when she's "captive" in her highchair! One of the funniest things Ava does right now is when she crinkles up her nose and sniffs really fast. Apparently, I used to do this all the time as a little girl. She does this in the video, too. Ava still loves her walks, and as we've had an unseasonably warm winter, we've still been able to get out when the weather cooperates. She is often silent, and sometimes I wonder if she's okay. When I check on her, she's simply sitting quietly, listening and watching while we walk through the neighborhood. Sometimes she will just sigh during our walks, and I know that she is content. Ava loves the outdoors, and I am so excited to spend the summer outside FINALLY! Last summer, as babies aren't supposed to wear sunscreen until at least 6 months, we spent most of our time indoors or shaded in the stroller. This summer, I'm really looking forward to taking Ava to the pool and maybe to the local parks. One of Ava's favorite activities is still taking a bath. She has some fun bath toys, including a rubber ducky, whale that sprays water (thanks Grandpa J!), and a little fish. She seems very relaxed during bathtime, but also loves to make big splashes and sometimes drink the water! I am amazed, as she will put her face right in the water and everything. Many older children struggle with putting their face in the water, and it is hard for them to learn how to swim. I am hopeful that Ava continues to love the water, and maybe we will be able to take a mom/baby swimming class together this summer. Ava still drinks formula, but we are counting down the days until she can drink whole milk! We will save a lot of money, and it's a lot less hassle. Our doctor recommends waiting until she's a year old to make the switch. Right now, Ava is still taking a bottle, but we're trying to incorporate her formula into a sippy cup. She likes the cup for water during meals, but isn't quite sure about drinking milk out of it... We'll keep trying and hopefully she'll change her mind as she gets used to the idea. Ava is a really good eater and so far, the only thing she hasn't liked eating is peas. Funny... that's my least favorite food, too! Maybe I didn't eat enough of them while pregnant! But she really dislikes them. We've tried many times and she's just not crazy about eating them. I'm wondering if frozen peas might be more tasty to her. We will try them soon. Ava has pretty much been eating pureed foods. We are incorporating pieces of banana, pear, and avocado. So far, she will eat a few but has little patience with trying to chase around the little slimy pieces on her tray. I think she will warm up to this later, too. I'm trying to introduce new things but not force them on her. Sometimes it's hard as a parent to break yourself from the routine of always giving them formula in a bottle, baby food, etc. It seems you just get used to something and they grow out of it. I'm trying to remember to nudge Ava along without 1) holding her back because I'm stuck in a routine or 2) forcing something that she's not quite ready for. It's a balancing act, to be sure! Ava still sleeps very well and all through the night. Since she was 3 months old, she has never woken during the night. We are so happy to have a good sleeper! Ava goes to bed at 7 pm after a nightly bath. Daddy usually gives her the evening bottle before bed, as he appreciates this time with her. Ava takes 2 naps a day still, but I'm guessing she will start weaning herself from the morning nap the closer she gets to a year old. As I understand it, the morning nap can be intermittent until about 18 months or longer. We'll see. Right now, my mom watches Ava two days a week and Aunt Larissa (my sister-in-law), watches Ava the other three days. She is always in our home and sleeping in her own bed. We are so blessed to have this arrangement. It makes me feel so much better to know that she is in good hands, and that she is with family who loves her. Larissa does an incredible job with Ava. She is a teacher at heart, loves children, and has extensive nannying experience. We are amazed at the things both she and my mom have taught her. Sometimes one wonders if they're doing the right thing by working full-time. Maybe they should stay home with their child... Actually, even though I have those feelings once in a while, I have been thrilled with the depth of experiences Ava has been able to have because of the fact that I'm not with her all the time. I would never have thought to do things or teach her certain things that my mom and Larissa have. I think Ava has been enriched by having other people care for her. I am also amazed that, so far, Ava has had no stranger anxiety. This tends to come on at about 9 months. Although I'm sure we're not out of the woods yet, I have been so pleased to see Ava welcome new people and experiences. She seems excited to take on a new adventure, and that makes me happy as a mom. Ava has always been independent - you can tell she's her own little person! Ava is very observant. I can't get over how focused she can be while learning something new or just observing her surroundings. She will zero in on our arm or nose, for example, and just stare at it! She will turn a toy or object over and over in her hands, looking at it from all angles. She is seriously gifted when it comes to the powers of observation! There is no putting anything by Ava. From a young age (4 months?), I watched her as she watched everything going on in a room. She knew who came and went, what they were doing, and was keenly interested in what the adults were doing. She loves music, and she LOVES electronics! She goes crazy when we let her look at our phones or the remote, pushing all the buttons and driving her babysitters crazy as she messes up the TV channels or volume! :) She laughs out loud if we let her type on the computer. We've gotten lots of error messages and dialed a few people by mistake, but she has so much fun with it, it's hard not to indulge her from time to time! Ava also loves to read books. Larissa and my mom have really worked with her on her reading, and Erik and I will read to her as much as we can also. Her favorites have been Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle, Grandma book with flaps that she can open while she reads (they are in bad shape, let me tell you!), and Here Comes Halloween, also with interactive flaps (thank you Marissa Jacobson, for that awesome book!). Right now, she is in love with a book called The Little Mouse, the Big Bear, and the Red Ripe Strawberry. Ava loves turning the pages and looking at the pictures in books. She is surrounded by books on a daily basis, and I'm happy she enjoys them so much. I hope her love for reading will only continue to grow. Enjoy Ava's little personality in the video below - she lights up our lives and our home. Hopefully she can brighten up your day today, too!
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