Playdate with the Caldwell crew and Rock'NRoll Avery

This past weekend Avery and I had a playdate in Hickory, NC with the Caldwell crew. Laura and I are friends from college - we are most famously known for being the life of the party by night and still pulling off excellent grades and Cum Laude honors by day. We called it multi-tasking. But, my have times a changed!

Laura's new little one Lela and Avery wore matching outfits (this was not planned, folks - promise) and the younger gals got lots of attention from older sis Callie. RJ was very excited about our picnic outside on the beautiful day. And what kid wouldn't be excited about his Happy Meal? Avery found a couple stray french fries and popped them in her mouth before I had a chance to say "Ronald McDonald." As I wiped the grease and salt off her fingers I caught a glimpse of the delight on her face. Yes, she loved the french fries. She also enjoyed playing with a little R2D2 toy. Jeff would have been proud.

See us in our matching outfits?

Callie piled up toys for Avery - she was in heaven!

Baby Lela

On Sunday I had to work at a magazine event, so Avery had a Daddy day. They played a lot and listened to music, and Jeff even snapped photos of Avery jammin' in an Axl Rose style bandana and her rock n roll t-shirt. Jeff did a grocery run with Avery and said it took him forever because people kept asking about Avery. He swears he didn't take her out in the QUEEN shirt and Rock 'N Roll bananda:

But, I guess I will never know!

Baby loves IKEA!

It's been a long time coming, but Avery is finally mobile. This past week she showed a particular fondness to the Ikea catalog. She military crawls toward it and then I promptly move it to another location and she charges for it again. She finally gained the knowledge of what it takes to have forward motion - we have a feeling that there's no turning back now!

We better get used to cleaning the floors more often! :)

St. Patrick's festival in Columbia!

The last couple years we have gone down to Columbia for the annual St. Patrick's Day festival and stayed with some of our besties Chad and Adrienne!

This year our friend Tom came too. Though Chad and Jeff talked a big game about making Tom dress up as a leprechaun, in fact they all dressed alike in funny t-shirts that made them look as though they were wearing rainbow suspenders.

The day was filled with live music, catching up with friends and drinking Guinness. Oh, and we definitely enjoyed people watching - you never know who you will find at these festivals!

Check out Tom's t-shirt he bought:

Avery was a trooper, and liked people watching too:

And, as usual at the end of the long, fun day we ended up back at the Alexander household hanging out, eating pizza, playing cards and goofing off.

Avery even got serenaded by the guys (they we singing Guns N' Roses - she looks less than thrilled in the picture, but was having fun... I think):

And, for good luck, here's one last picture of Avery on her 1st ACTUAL St. Patrick's Day!

Bananarama - Avery is 9 months old!

Can you believe it - Avery is 9 MONTHS old!

Tuesday night Avery took a bite of a banana like a big girl. I handed it to her to see what she would do, and she just chomped right into it! The girl loves to eat, and especially likes taking control. She starting to try more finger foods, yet still really enjoys purees too. She likes to help guide the spoon into her mouth.

Today we went for Avery's 9 month well visit with Dr. Ryan. She is a healthy 17 lbs 11 oz (25%), 26 inches long (15%) and, whoa she's got a big head - it's measuring in the 75th percentile! The nurse actually measured it twice to make sure... haha! She may be a shrimp-o like her mom, but we think she will be a smarty! Avery had to get her finger pricked for a blood test and had her last Hepatitis B shot. Though traumatic, she got over it quickly.

Derek, Melissa and Van came over for dinner tonight. Baby Van is 3 months old, and it was fun to see Avery and he chilling on the floor together. Avery kept wanting to grab at him, and was rolling up to him. He was kicking, kicking, kicking and Avery almost got herself kicked in the head. He is very strong! Ave was enthralled with his pajamas that had basketballs, baseballs and soccer balls on them.

Things I want to remember from month 9 with Avery: Her sweet little scrunched up nose when she smiles, the night Jeff, Avery and I were cracking up laughing in the kitchen while we got dinner together and sang silly songs, Ave and I dancing to Vampire Weekend, praying over Avery in her crib as she falls asleep, belly kisses on the changing table, the sight of Avery cuddled up napping in Jeff's arms during naptime on a Saturday, Peek-a-boo giggles.

Our little "monster" giggling

Avery has been known over the last month or so to make scary "monster" noises when she is really focused on playing with her toys. She will be babbling along, and then this weird little monster voice comes out of her. It's hysterical, but unfortunately every time I try to get the camera out she stops doing it. We do have witnesses that have heard it, though. We are a little worried that she will do her scary and semi-evil sounding voice during church one day and people may be a little concerned. If Ave was a rapper her name would surely be "lil' monster." She would be known for her low, raspy, slightly-evil sounding voice.

Along with the monster voice, Avery is a giggle monster. Here is a vid of her giggling like crazy. All I had to do was toss a toy in the air a couple times for her... the kid is easy to please!

When our friends Greyley (Grey and Haley) came to town a couple weekends ago, we went out to lunch with them and the Utsey's at East Blvd Bar & Grill. We decided that Avery should taste a lemon for the first time... and and her reaction was great - a little lizard baby sticking out her tongue. Just when I didn't think she liked it she would reach out for it and open her mouth to taste the lemon again. Any of my relatives would know that Avery is just getting ready for her first taste of Nana's famous lemon cake. It shouldn't be shocking that Avery likes lemons - it runs in the family!

For those of you that would like to see a funny video of Avery tasting a lemon for the first time, please visit a post of our friends the Utsey's blog: http://dandmutsey.blogspot.com/2010/02/greyley-visits-van.html. Thanks to Melissa, we caught the moment on video!