Diary of Miss Avalee Apryl

Goodness, I guess it's been awhile since I've written in my diary! I've just been so busy lately, with Summer and all, I just haven't had much extra time!
So, let's see...where should I start? Well, how about that I'm a big girl now, like really big! When I had my last checkup in June, I weighed over 26lbs and was 33 ½” tall (they say that's 92% for height and 82% for weight...whatever all that means!). I'm tall enough to reach on the counters and on the dining room table now. And, when I use the kitchen stool, it's even better, 'cause I can reach the back of the counter! Mommy doesn't seem to happy about this, but it's really opened up some doors for me!
I'm also big enough now that I can really hold my own against my big brother! He tries to push me around sometimes, but I'm pretty tough and don't let him get away with much. I can even wrestle and play 'Tackle, Tackle' with my daddy and Z. I've gotten really good at my signature flying off the couch onto Daddy tackle!
I also love helping Mommy do chores. When she does the dishes, I try to help by rearranging the plates around or licking the extra yogurt off the spoons she forgot to rinse (silly Mommy!). Sometimes she gets frustrated (I'm not sure at who...or why...) so I shut the dishwasher door for her, to try to give her a little break. I even put away my own dishes after I'm done eating, just like my big brother!
I also like helping Mommy do the laundry. I hand her the clothes to put in the washer and she hands me the clothes to put in the dryer. Mommy always says I'm a really good helper and that she's proud of me (sometimes I try even extra hard to help and put extra fun stuff in the dryer when Mommy is distracted...)!
I really like doing everything on my own, and would rather not have anyone help me. From feeding myself to reading books to putting on my socks; I just like doing it all by myself! Mommy says I'm still little and need help, but she does let me feed myself now with my own spoon or fork! Sometimes I get a little messy, but Mommy usually cleans me up pretty quickly. Otherwise, I usually just wipe my face on my brother's shirt or the couch cushions.
I am really into reading now! I've gotten a few new books, but I also like going in my brother's room and raiding his cool library! I get special reading time at naps and bedtime, but Mommy and Daddy (and even Z) will always take time to ready to me anytime I want too. Sometimes, I just look through the book on my own, and even have a couple of my favorite books memorized.
I know probably about 30 signs now too (Mom and Dad teach me ASL, just like they taught Z)...maybe more. Some of the signs I regularly use are; Eat, Milk, Baby, Please, Thank You, Sorry and Book. I usually say these and sign them together. I have started to string some of the signs together now, and Mom and Dad even taught me to sign “May I please be excused (we have to ask to be excused from the table when we're done eating)?” At first, I could only sign “be excused” but now I can do all of it, and I'm just so proud of me (Mom and Dad say they're proud of me too!)!
I have lots of words I can say too, and people comment on my big vocabulary all the time. I just love to talk all the time, and to whomever will listen!
I also really like to use good manners, and try to always remember to say “Please” Thank You” and “You're Welcome.” I really like saying “Bless You” too when someone sneezes. Mommy says she's proud of my good manners and that sure makes me happy!
And, the most exciting news...I'm learning how to swim! I've been taking lessons for a couple months now with my daddy and I have learned so much. I can go underwater, jump off the wall, hold onto the wall by myself and kick, kick kick! I just love being in the pool and hearing Mommy, Grandma and Z all cheer me on (I just really love water of any kind, and love it when Mommy and Daddy takes me to the splash park or the pool!)! Mommy and Daddy say that next year I get to be ion a class on my own. I really love being in the pool with my daddy, but to be able to swim on my own, just like Z would be SO awesome!
And, of course, I still love being happy and you'll often find me laughing or smiling about something. I hear the work 'ornery' a lot around me, and I do try really hard to be good, but I just get so curious about things and want to just experience everything! I mean how should I know that putting my shoe in the toilet or coloring the back of the dining room chairs or trying to eat an ant are bad things?? So, I'm living and learning and doing it my own way. :o)
So, I think that catches you up with me and I promise to try to update you more often!
I gotta go...the bath is calling my name! :0)

~Avalee

Diary of Miss Avalee Apryl

Wow, I've been really neglecting my diary! I can't believe I haven't written in like four months...and SO much has happened since then too.
Lets see...I had my FIRST birthday (wowza was that fun!), I started walking then running (maybe not in that order...hehe), then Christmas (MORE presents!), got to play in the snow, learned lots of new words and signs, went to the zoo for the first time... Wow, I'm one busy gal!
What else? Well, Mommy always says I'm such a little person, not so much a baby, now, so maybe I'll tell ya a little about who I am now.
I'm still a happy little lady, but a little spunkier now! I know I'm the “little sister” but I really try to push the limits on that one. ;0) Since I've become mobile, I can really keep up with my big bro' now. We chase each other around the house all the time, and I even like to wrestle with him (sometimes I can even take him down on my own!). He lets me play with his toys sometimes, but when he doesn't, I sometimes throw a big fit to try and get my way. My hope is that my brother will be forced to share (and maybe even get in trouble...just a little), but usually we both get in trouble, and Mommy just takes away the toy. I've really gotta up my cuteness to make that work better for me! Really, though, my bro' and I love each other sooo much and I just think he's the coolest. He gives me rides on my cool car all over the house, shares bathtime with me, gives me lots of love when I get owies and sneaks yummy food to me when Mom's not lookin' (shhh!).
I'm also kind of accident prone (Mommy says I inherit my “clumsiness” from her). :0( It seems like I'm always bumping this or falling over that. One day, I hit my head in the same place twice and ended up sporting a nice big bruise (just in time for my BFFs 1st birthday too). A few weeks later, I ran into a bench at the carousel and got a BIG bump and bruise on my head. And, just today, I fell head first onto a metal clothing rack at Target! I got a bloody (and very swollen) nose, but also lots of attention. The nice lady in the red shirt got me some milk, but all I wanted to do was sleep (which made Mommy nervous, so she called my doctor to make sure I would be okay...and I am).
I really love animals, pretty much all animals, but my favorites are doggies, kitties and cows. I'm learning the sounds animals make, but I like to be silly and “mooo” for all of them!
Reading has become a passion of mine, which seems to make Mama really happy. I love to read all my books (and Z's too) over and over (sometimes, I just want Mom to read to me all day)! Luckily, Mommy reads a few books at every nap and bedtime, and that makes me very happy. My favorite books right now are, “The Nose Book,” “Night, Night, Little Pookie” counting books and any of the Usborne, “That's Not My _____”
The newest development to make me happy is...Spring! I really don't know what it is exactly, but I do know the sun is out more, it's not as cold, and there are pretty flowers everywhere! Mommy takes us for walks, to the park and to have lunch with Daddy more now too...yippee!
Well, I think that just about catches you up on me! I promise to try to write more diary entries and keep you updated on what's goin' on. :0)

~Avalee

Diary of Miss Avalee Apryl

Wow, it's been awhile since I've written in my diary. So, today is my 11th month birthday! Mama has been gettin' all excited planning a birthday party for me next month, and says I'm gonna love it. I don't know much about parties, but they say I'm going to get a big cake all to myself that I get to eat! I don't even think I have to share with my brother. So, I'll let Mama get all crazy-excited, but I'm just waiting for that cake!
So, let's see...what I have been up to? Well, I have six teeth now! Yup, four on the top on two on the bottom. I love eating small bits of food and chomping them up with my teeth. Mom gives me big-girl food now; carrots, peas, cheese, noodles. And, the best part is she doesn't even mash it all up first! Tonight for dinner, Daddy made me my very own pancake. I'm not sure where these have been all my life, but can I just say...YUMM!
I'm talking a lot more now--well, I've always talked, but nobody could seem to understand me, and now they can! The other morning, after Daddy left for work, I even told Mama; “Dad-Da, Da-Da-Bye-Bye!” I guess Mommy was impressed because she texted Daddy right away to tell him.
I also recently learned to clap (thanks Grandma!) and love doing it! I even clapped along to my favorite TV show, 'Yo Gabba Gabba' (Mommy says not to be too hard on her; she knows I probably shouldn't be watching TV, but my bro gets to watch, and, hey, I'm right there...). In fact, I just always feel so happy, that I clap at almost everything! :D
My other recent skill? Daddy taught me to high-five! I still don't really understand what it is or why we do it, but it makes Daddy happy, so I just giggle and go along with it.
And, my newest trick...walking! Yup, I took my first 'real' step a couple days ago. Z was playing his harmonica and I just really wanted to get closer to those sweet sweet sounds, so I took a step to him! Yay, me! I have done a little more walking since then, but nothing big...yet. I really like cruising on my hippo walker, and can really get movin' with that thing! I'm just working up to be able to finally chase after Z!
And, I had my first Halloween. Mom and Dad took me and Z out to do something they call, “Trick-or-Treating.” I had no idea what that was, but Z was really excited, so I figured it must be good. Turns out though, you have to get changed into some strange clothes that you've never worn before, and never will again. Mama called them “costumes” and put me into a pink leopard one. I thought I looked pretty awesome! Than we got to walk all over our neighborhood, knocking on doors. Mom and Dad let Z go up to the doors and knock, than the people gave him candy! I was so excited to do it myself, that I was practically jumping out of Daddy's arms. One really nice man let me grab a candy, all by myself. I chose M&Ms, and got to chew on the wrapper while we were out. When we got home, I was so excited to try everything out, but Mama and Daddy said I was too young. What?! Well, I decided to play with all the candy anyway, which was a lot of fun (and later, I showed them by getting into some Nerds...hehehe).
I'm told the next holiday is Thanksgiving, and there will be all kinds of food to eat. They did say I could eat that, so I'm really excited, because I looove to eat!

~Avalee

Diary of Miss Avalee Apryl

Hi, everyone! Wow, so much has changed since I last updated all of you!
Lets see...where to start...?
Oh, I have my first tooth. Yup, a little chomper right in the front, on the top. Wa-hoo! It will soon be joined by a toothy friend, right next to it. I'm so excited because I can bite now! I thought you could only bite food, but as it turns out, you can bite people too. Maybe I'm not supposed to though, because people seem to get mad when I do.
I can say “Ma-ma”, “Da-da” and “Da-deeee” now. Although, if I actually want Mama, I usually say “nnnnuuuuu.” I'm thinking it must mean “Mom” because she always responds to it. Gee, maybe I know another language and didn't even know it! I always say “Da-da” though, and if I really want to make sure I have his attention, I use “Da-deeee”; he will do anything for me when I call him that. ;0)
I'm trying to say more things, but must not be making any sense, because everyone just looks at me, like they don't know what I'm saying. I am getting really good at mimicking sounds though, and sometimes it even sounds like I'm saying “I Love You” back to Mama!
I'm also working on gaining some more mobility. Everyone told me I should start crawling next, but it just seems so trivial. I mean, if the long term goal is walking, why not start there? Anyway, I tried the whole crawling thing, and it's just not all it's cracked up to be, so I decided to work on standing, which is just one step closer to walking. I have it all planned out, see. Well, I can stand up all on my own now, but I have a hard time staying up. I'm just not sure how to do the standing thing alone yet. I do really well when I'm holding onto Mama, but if she lets go I start to fall. Darn! I'm just going to keep trying though, because I know I'll get it soon! In the meantime, Mama told Daddy he needs to lower my crib. I guess she's worried since I can pull myself up to the side now.
Otherwise, I've just been keeping busy; playing with my big brother, going to the pool & park, and going on fun trips with my family!
Well, it's late and I need my beauty rest, so I'll talk to you all soon!

~Avalee

Diary of Miss Avalee Apryl

So, I turned six months old earlier this month, and, I tell ya—I feel like such a big girl!
I've expanded on my rolling over skills, and now use it to mobilize myself. Mama is always so surprised to come back to the room she left me in, to see that I'm on the other side! It's great for me, because I can finally get stuff I want (like Z's toes or the power cord to the laptop).
I'm also just starting to kind of scoot now. Mom keeps telling me I could crawl if I want and frequently tells me I'm “almost there.” I think I'd much rather just walk, and try to tell Mama that by standing up every time she pulls me to a sitting position! I know as soon as I can start walking, I'll be able to run and play tag with my big brother. Yay!
And, I sit up by myself all the time now! I really love the view on my world from a sitting position; no more staring at the ceiling all day. Also, Mommy said I officially graduated to being able to sit in the cart while we're shopping. I did hear her telling Grandma that now she doesn't have to try to hoist me in my carseat into the cart. Well, whatever the reason, I'm happy! It's much more fun (and freeing!) to sit in the cart like a big girl, and see everything. Now, I'm really working on actually being able to sit up by myself!
I've also decided it's time for me to get my own phone and computer. I try borrowing Mama's all the time, but she says I'm too little still. Hmph! She also won't let me change the channel with the remote control either. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Backyardigans and Yo Gabba Gabba too, but sometimes I just want to explore my options; maybe something on the Food Network or a documentary on Discovery Channel.
And, I sill love life! It's good to be me; I have lots of family and friends who love me, endless food (thanks, Mom!) and I get to learn so many new things every day! Strangers always come up and ask Mommy if I'm always so happy (I do lots of smiling, giggling and arm waving!) and she she assures them, I am. :0)

~Avalee

Diary of Miss Avalee Apryl

I’ve been kinda sick the last couple weeks, so haven’t had much time to write in my diary…
First I caught this yucky cold and couldn’t stop sneezing and coughing. Plus Mommy kept attacking me with tissue (she can be pretty sneaky!). Personally, I don’t mind if my nose is runny, but Mom just can’t let it go!
I started feeling better, than my ear started hurting. Mommy took me to the doctor and they said I have an ear infection. I don’t know what that means, but they keep shoving this pink goopy stuff down my throat twice a day. Yuck!
But, even though I’m sick, I’m still happy about—well, everything! I roll over ALL the time now, but I get bored being on my tummy for too long, so I have to scream at Mom or Dad to help me. I rolled all the way once, and made the mistake of letting Mama see me, so now she keeps telling me, “You can do it, Avalee!” I’d rather just have her help me; that way I can give her lots of kisses while she’s there!
I recently discovered when I stick out my tongue; people laugh and tell me I’m silly. I like to do that a lot now, because I like to make people laugh for me!
And my new biggest feat is that I learned how to sign Mom & Dad! Mommy and Daddy have been showing me the signs since I was born, but I was just not coordinated to do it before. Everyone was so excited that I signed already, and said it was even earlier than Z. Yes! I think I’m going to work on some other signs pretty soon, and just impress the pants off everyone!
Well, Mama is here with that yucky pink stuff again, so I guess I better get goin’… See ya soon!

~Avalee

Diary of Miss Avalee Apryl

Mama is always writing on here, and it looks like so much fun! I asked her if I could write something sometimes, and she said she thought it was a great idea. So here goes…

Dear Diary,
Things have been going awesome for me lately! I keep finding new stuff I didn’t know I could do before. Hopefully someday, I’ll be as cool as my big brother!!
Of course, Mom already beat me to the big one; but I rolled over on Saturday for the first time. Yay me! I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to roll or sit up first, but everyone seemed to be making such a big deal about it, that I just decided to go for it. Boy, you should have heard them all cheer and clap for me. It’s like I was a rockstar or something! I’ve gotta really get on this standing thing, because I have a feeling that will be even bigger! I’ll be like a god to them then!
I really like grabbing stuff now! It took me a little while to realize I could turn this talent of holding onto stuff into a really fun game of grabbing anything and everything! I really like grabbing onto my big brother’s hair, because he always makes funny noises when I do. And, I like to grab Mommy’s face with both my hands so I can smooch all over her face. Yesterday, I found Z’s super ball on the floor and picked it up, all by myself! Mommy took it right away though, then told Z he couldn’t leave it on the floor anymore ‘cause I could put it in my mouth. Darn…I thought that was the idea!
I also recently discovered I could get my foot up to my mouth. How cool is that?! I love putting my toes in my mouth, and hope that Mom leaves my feet free so I can. I really don’t understand why nobody else does this too, because it’s super fun!
Just yesterday, I decided I was going to take spitting to a whole new level! Mama calls it “blowin’ raspberrys” but whatever it is, I love it! I can’t believe I never knew I could do that, and I’m certainly not going to waste anymore time by not doing it all.the.time!
Well, I feel a little something coming on, and I need to let Mama know… See you soon!

~Avalee