Glass Blowing

For many people the time after thanksgiving is when then shop for gifts and put up trees and decorations in preparation for Christmas but the time after Thanksgiving is also Glass Blowing season. As the weather starts to switch from fall to winter it is the perfect time to fire up the kiln and blow some glass. Glass blowing is truly magical, and when done by talented artists who have worked together for along time they turn that magic into a dance right before your eyes. I am lucky enough to know two such talented artists who have the dance mastered, and create the most beautiful things. And last night in a small metal hut behind a house a few down from ours, Avery saw glass blown for the first time, by two of the most talented glass blowers in the state.

Avery watching the show

 Like most people when they see glass blown for the first time Avery’s eyes were wide open! He was looking at everything, so many new things, the glowing from the “glory hole” and movement of the artists, the sounds of blow pipes on the bench, it was really amazing. I got two shows last night, the one put on by the artists and seeing Avery as he discovered new things. I have been watching glass be blown for years and I am always grateful for the experience but last night was even more special because I got to share it with my baby. Thank you Curt, Bob (and Lu and Bella) for sharing your passion, and talent with us last night.

Curt, Bella, Mommy & Avery 

Happy Thanksgiving

1st Thanksgiving- Thanks for the Bib Gpa H

We kicked off Avery’s first Thanksgiving Wednesday night with a combo Birthday/Thanksgiving Dinner with my family. Avery wore his Birkenstock socks in honor of the birthday girl. Of course there  was lots of food, and daddy even gave Avery a taste of a pickle, or the juice at least.

Birken-socks in honor of the birthday girl

pickle time

Thursday was another big family day, with Jon's family, which included food, football and Avery meeting his cousins for the first time. We have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Dylan and Freddie born premature came home from the hospital 2 weeks ago after over 3 months in the hospital, and are happy and healthy at home with mom and dad.  I think that this was the last quiet Thanksgiving we will have, next year will be totally different with 3 toddlers.

Dylan & Avery (and Justin) 

Freddie & Avery (and Lori & GG)

GT & GG and the Grandkids

We had some great food, Avery had a taste of stuffing, green casserole (the soup part),  and pumpkin pie.

For dinner we went back to my parents for some leftovers, what’s Thanksgiving without the leftovers? There Avery sampled the non baby food version of one of his favorite food, sweet potatoes, and had a little more stuffing and pumpkin with with whipped cream. 

Real Sweet Potatoes

Whipped Cream

Happy Thanksgiving!

  

High 5

High 5

Avery is working on something new,  his high 5. Thanks to a visit from my Aunt, if you ask Avery for a high 5, he now raises his hand for a high five, and some knuckles (or at least sometimes he does, he's still learning)
 

Snack Cup Thief

When it’s getting close to dinner time at our house I usually give Avery some puffs while he waits for me get things ready. Recently I started putting his puffs in a snack cup with a soft rubbery lid that keeps the puffs in, but allows for Avery to get them out easily. Avery seems to enjoy taking his puffs out of his cup, you can tell he is proud of what he can do. When the dog hears me filling the snack cup he seems to appear right beside Avery, ready to pick any small crumb he may drop. Nico doesn’t take anything from Avery, he waits for it to fall to the floor first but he is always at the ready. This past Monday I had given Avery his snack cup filled with Apple Cinnamon puffs while I got his dinner ready, when it was ready I scooped him up from where he was snacking, leaving the almost empty snack cup behind, and headed to the kitchen. Sitting at the table feeding Avery in his highchair I heard a noise, when I looked over to see what it was I saw Nico had stolen the snack cup and was trying to get the few remaining puffs. So funny, big dog, little snack cup with a few puffs left inside. 

Snack Cup Thief caught in the act!

Big Boy Bath

We’ve come along way from those first baths Jon and I gave him (wednesday-night-is-bath-night). Bath time has always been enjoyable for Avery. He has never minded the water, be it bath or shower, splashing around in water is something he likes. And the tub is something he recognizes. Every time he can, he goes to the tub to look in and see if there is any water waiting for him to play in. When it is bath night he loves to watch the tub fill with water, occasionally reaching over the side to try to splash in the rising water.

Can I get in now?

Once the water is ready, in he goes, then in go the toys, foam letters and numbers, a duck and frog and various other things.  He sits and plays and splashes and plays and splashes some more. He chases around the letters while I cover him head to toe in soap and rinse him off again, I usually let him play until he starts to try to stand or just before he turns into a prune.

Bath Time Fun

It’s fun to see how much bath time has changed, and how much his enjoyment with the activity has changed too.

Learning and Discovering

It seems every night Avery shows us some thing new, something he “picked up” somewhere, something someone taught him. When he climbs on things or in things and he wants down or out he goes feet/ butt first and backs safely out and and gets safely down (at least most of the time). He gives kisses (open mouth slobbers). He pushes his car and truck toys around like car and truck toys are meant to be pushed around.

Playing with his cars

He knows what words like, bottle, num num, ball, mama, dada, and no mean. He knows that there is a hole on his face that is the prefect size for his finger. 

Perfect fit!

It has been so fun to watch him as he discovers each new thing and have him share with us what he has learned, I say it all the time but I can't wait to see what he will do next.

Tooth Tally

A rare shot of all 4 teeth!

Avery is now up to four teeth, 2 top front and 2 bottom front. Guess it's a good thing his "Two Front Teeth" weren't  all he wanted for Christmas, because he's got them!

Look Under There

Last night we could not find one of Avery’s favorite things, his volleyball. We looked in every room under things, behind things, places there was no chance of it being, but we couldn’t find it. It wasn’t a big deal to Avery he had other things (balls) to play with but it bothered me only because I knew it was there, somewhere. I continued to search the same places I’d already searched, places I had seen it before. Undisturbed by my quest to find the ball Avery played on. Playing with a different smaller ball, Avery laid down on the floor and rolled his smaller ball under the ottoman we have in the living room, pressing his face closer to the floor and he watched the ball roll thru the small 2ish inch tall space and out the other side, it was so cute to watch him look under and watch the ball. 

Watching the ball roll under and out

He did this a few times before the ball got stuck, then he just looked at me with a smile. I went over to move the ottoman and get the ball back for him and discovered along side the smaller ball, the volleyball, it must have got stuck under there when I was moving the ottoman around. Clever kid, he knew where the volleyball was, he just couldn’t get it.

What I missed

Even though the trip was short it was sure nice to be home with Avery and Jon, and I swear Avery grew while I was gone. 
What I missed: Wednesday, bed time wasn’t until 11pm. Thursday, 5 minutes before Jon picked Avery from daycare he bumped his head on a bookcase got a bump/bruise. 

What remained of Avery's bookcase bruise

And Friday, I was home in time to pick up him! We spent all of Friday night playing, and by “all” I mean 3 hours because bed time was at 8 that night.

Avery and his new Texas friend - Rib Eye

Kisses

Playing ball over the gate with Daddy

Saturday we woke up early and continued where we left off the night before playing and just having a relaxing day. Saturday night is when we had “big” plans. Jon and I were going over to a friends house for a few hours and Avery was staying home with a babysitter. 

Avery and Wylie

It was the first time we had ever left Avery with a babysitter. At first I didn’t think I was ready to leave him with a babysitter but I adjusted to the idea. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust who we were leaving him with it was more that I wanted him to have a good night for her and not be fussy or anything, he is usually such a “good baby” and I just didn’t want him to not be when we leave him with someone new for the first time. It went great, he had a great time with her, hopefully she will be willing to watch him in the future.

Somedays It takes a village

Ready for some boys time

This morning I dropped Avery off at daycare but for the first time in a long time I wont be the one picking him up, and I wont be the one dropping him off tomorrow or Friday. I am for the second time since Avery has been born traveling for work, like last time it is a short trip, a day of travel, a day of work, and then another day of travel. So for the next few days it will be daddy and Avery time, with a little help from the grandparents. We are very lucky that we have family so close that are willing to help us out pick up, drop off and watch Avery, we really couldn’t do it without them some days.  I hope Avery and daddy both get some sleep and that these next few days go by fast. 

Watch Me Grow- Ten Months

I don't sit still too long take the picture!

Avery is ten months old today, and weighs in 22.4lbs or so. He crawls and climbs, he has three teeth, and a fourth on the way. He knows, ba, ball, mama, dada, ga and some many more. He loves to eat graham crackers and cheerios and is just stating to eat blended table foods. Some nights he sleeps thru the night some nights he doesn’t. He is growing and learning everyday. Soon he will get to meet his cousins who are now home from the hospital. Welcome Home Dylan & Freddie. Can’t wait to see what this month brings for new adventures.

TEN months

Happy Hunting

Our Young Buck

Good Luck to everyone out hunting this weekend. Be safe!

Fall Back

Having fun in a pile of leaves

This weekend daylight saving time ends so the clocks are going to fall back an hour.  Before Avery this would have meant an "extra" hour of sleep, but because Avery cant tell time I don't think that will be the case this year.

Happy Fall!

Like what I like

Avery & Super Grover what a lovable pair

As a parent I want Avery to go out and try new things, discover things that make him happy, but secretively I want him to like the things I remember liking, enjoy the things I enjoyed. A lot of parents have that, the hope their children will want to play the same sports or do the same activities that they liked they when they were kids. A lot of the discussion around our hopes for Avery’s future have centered around sports and activities. Of course Jon and I both hope that Avery will want to ski and enjoy skiing because it is something we both really enjoy. And I hope he prefers playing soccer to football and would rather he ski then wrestle, play hockey or swim.  Those are things farther in the future but there are things now that I want him to like because I liked them, or like because they were mine the first time around. It’s just little things, I want him to have a blanket that he loves and a stuffed animal that he loves because I had those things. I want him to like to color and create things and prefer to play make believe then play a video game. But even more specifically I want him to like Sesame Street and I want him to like Grover better then Elmo, because I love Grover. I might loose that battle, of the few toys & books Avery has with Elmo on them he really seems to like them, and maybe even prefer them over his Grover toys & books, Elmo’s red and fuzzy with a big smile, what’s not to like, but lovable fury old Grover is just as great, he is blue with a pink nose, some times has a cape and a helmet, so I am not giving up, Elmo can have some love too, I just want Avery to love Grover more. In the end whatever Sesame Street friend or activity or sport that he chooses, now or in the future it will be his choice, and we will be fine with whatever he chooses.