My Dearest Avery,
Can I still say, "my how you've grown"? My little baby has turned into a beautiful little girl! No one would consider you a baby these days. You're doing quite a lot lately: facing forward in the car, going potty on your own, zipping your back-pack, singing to the radio, telling me you're not a baby, talking up a storm, dancing like crazy, feeding me your many delicious treats from your kitchen, turning lights on and off, throwing footballs, and much much more. You pick up on everything we say and you have quite the vocabulary now. Here are a few things you like to say:
- what are you doing?
- anytime mom, anytime
- please, thank you and you're welcome
- put me down!
- I got booger
- poop! (when you fart)
- mine! (you're struggling with sharing)
- no, thank you - this is one of your favorites
- go team Stein!
- it's going to be ok, mom, it's going to be ok
- I'm fine
- I love you too
- booboo owie
- five dollars - yes, your father has already taught you how to earn money
- oh, come on!
- oh dear!
You've had a lot going on the past few months....you were a butterfly for Halloween (cutest butterfly I've ever seen), then we went to Half Moon Bay with daddy, then Roswell for Thanksgiving, and Kansas City for New Year's. Somewhere in there, you continued soccer and swim, we bought a house (to build), and you got bit by Kansas. Kansas will soon be moving out, but you still had to have 12 stitches in your face and one wound was infected so we had a return visit to the ER. NOT fun, but you're handling it so well. It's actually pulled out your inner doctor!
You enjoy dressing up as a princess, drawing on your new easel, giving us check-ups and making us feel better with your doctor kit, throwing balls back and forth, "fixing" the bench at the end of my bed, playing with your train set, and playing with your baby dolls. You're getting better at playing with other kids and you're exploring your independence. You also like being tickled and you still enjoy cuddling, which I'm taking advantage of any time you let me.
Here's your world in pictures right now.....
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| Your 2 year old Halloween costume! |
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| You liked it more than you let on in this pic - haha! |
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| proud of your pumpkin! |
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| With me at one of our favorite stores :) You say "thank you" to the sliding doors! |
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| Cute moment with daddy! |
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| Getting your game face on.... |
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| With coach Zach! You moved up in classes in November! |
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| While daddy enjoyed Techonomy, you and I enjoyed breakfast and a hike! |
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| In the Redwood Forest! |
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| Map is upside down, sweetie! |
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| Cutest navigator ever! |
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| Then back to the hotel for smores! |
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| At the Tech Museum of San Jose - building our robot! |
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| Feeling what it's like to be an astronaut |
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| DJ Avery |
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| At Stanford's campus....for early enrollment :) |
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| In Roswell for Thanksgiving - playing with a puppy |
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| Lots of kids! |
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| happy family! |
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| We went with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Catherine's group to pick out a tree in the NM forest! |
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| cutie! |
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| the day after your dog bite from Kansas :( |
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| checking out winter haven |
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| making cookies for Santa |
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| Christmas Eve! |
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| you love your princess outfits from Aunt Cara |
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| And your train set from us |
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| Christmas night - you also got a star night light - you had a great day! |
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| New Year's in Kansas City - went to the children's museum of Shawnee for NYE |
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| busy playing dr and mom |
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| dancing! |
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| you tell 'em Emma |
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| you had a blast with Emma - you guys love each other! |
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| party animals! |
And now for some big girl pics....just to prove you truly aren't a baby anymore....
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| hello, is this my teenager? |
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| so beautiful |
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| already sitting at the bar?!?! |
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| you got style |
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| negotiating house features |
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| dino poop! |
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| school girl look! |
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| watching princess videos on the computer! |
Avery, you're just the best. Dad and I can't get enough of you. You want to play right when you wake up, all the way until it's time to go to bed. You've been napping in your teepee, and you'll start your toddler bed as soon as Kansas moves out. I can't wait to see what 2017 has in store for us! Love you so much!
All my love,
