Brunch pictures
We attend a regular brunch with some friends who all have kids around the same age as Avery. Several of my friends happen to be way better than your average amateur photographer (come to think of it, it's actually every single mother who attends the brunch besides me). Having little interest or talent for photography myself, this is something I often take advantage of by asking whomever is snapping pictures to just a few of Avery, too. It's kind of an over-said understanding by now.
Anyway, at the last brunch, Christie brought her camera and, as usual, she got some great shots of Avery. She's wearing BFF Elise's dress and had a little cold, but I think this is the most appropriate place to gush over what a beautiful girl she is.
Development
Avery's becoming more independent every day. Sometimes I'm astounded by her maturity and poise at three. I didn't expect a 3yo to be so capable and so observant. Before becoming a parent, I never paid much attention to when children hit milestones and things like that. This lack of knowledge makes the privilege of being Avery's mother that much more magical and wonderful. If you can mess up a child by telling her you love her too often, I'm totally going to mess this girl up. I can't help but constantly tell her how much I love her when she's being the "on" 3yo. When she decided to throw a fit or challenge me/D on some inane thing, she's almost as exasperating. But my theory is this is why kids are so utterly amazing most of the time: you've got to have those moment to get through the exasperating ones!
Her favorite foods are salmon (raw, cooked, whatever); beans (green, black, whatever); blueberries (fresh, frozen, whatever); almonds; pumpkin seeds; broccoli; hard boiled eggs; cupcakes; cookies; and heart candy (the kind they sell around Valentine's Day with the sayings on them). She, thankfully, continues to be a good eater.
Avery and I have settled into an understanding about quiet time and bed time. She has to go to quiet time and she has to go to bed, but what she does once she's there is up to her. When I took the battle out of nap time and said she didn't have to nap, but she did need to play quietly in her room for an hour, she quickly resumed napping once she realized I was serious: no nap was fine, but she was going to have quiet time one way or the other. It occurred to me to try the same thing with bed time. Some nights she'll be awake a bit longer than I would like, but most nights if we remove the battle from it and set some ground rules (she can get out of her bed, but she can't leave her room; she can read her books, but she can't read too loudly; etc), she drifts off to sleep much sooner than she did with constant reminders of "go to sleep Avery."
Friends
Avery's best friend is, by far, Elise. Avery still calls Elise "Friend Elise," a carry over from when she would do the sign for "friend" when we'd get to Elise's house and I'd say, "Yes, we're going to see Friend Elise." Avery and Elise play extremely well together about 90% of the time they're together. The other 10% is fighting as if they're cousins or siblings. Avery loves to go to Aunt Chele and Uncle Jay's house (we call them aunt and uncle despite the fact they're not actually aunts and uncles). She loves it when Friend Elise and Baby Nolan (who is no longer a baby, but a full fledged toddler) come over. She does not like it when just Baby Nolan comes over. Avery and Nolan are so alike that it's like fire and ice when you put them together. Nolan is just as headstrong as Avery. I think once Nolan learns to talk, those two will find their common ground.
At school, Avery's BFF is Lily. Lily is also our neighbor, so we head over there for play dates occasionally. Lily and Avery bonded quickly because both LOVE to play dress up. I think that's pretty much all they do when they're both at school on the same day. Lily and Avery also have their battles - mostly over who is going to wear which princess dress. It's fascinating for me to hear her talk with Lily because they forged much of the friendship when I wasn't there. They have conversations about their lives which boggles my mind.
Avery's two main out-and-about-town buddies are Henry and Josie. Henry and Avery seemed so similar (to me) for quite some time. They both loved to go out and do things; they were outgoing kids; they love to laugh and play at the park. Then, almost overnight, Henry became a boy obsessed with trucks and trains and superheroes. Avery became a girl obsessed with princess dresses and clothes and shoes. Neither Christie nor I were aware of the divergence until it hit us one day that they are now so different. Despite these differences, Avery still loves to play with Henry. Josie is another friend whom we don't see all that often (maybe once a week on average), but whom Avery has a pretty strong connection. It seems more of a one-way connection with Avery looking up to Josie, literally and figuratively. Josie is 7-months older, but is tall for her age. She's also one smart cookie, and is the youngest of three kids to boot. I think the combination of those things strikes a bit of awe in Avery. Josie, Avery, and Henry took a Tiny Hip Hopper dance class together. It's was about as cute as you can imagine to watch toddler do hip hop to a funked up version of Humpty Dumpty.
Fashion
Avery loves clothes. She loves shoes. She loves all things sparkly and girly and pink. Being a cargo pant wearing casual woman, I'm so not that person. I fought it for a while, trying to quietly coax Avery into totally functional tan pants which would be complemented by any top she chose to wear. I think about a year ago, I let that go and embraced my girly girl. She has a closet full of skirts and dresses, and a dresser full of tights and baby legs so she can wear them year round. It is rare that Avery wants to wear pants.
Avery's love of shoes, though, is truly epic. A month or so ago, I said we needed to go to the mall for something. I truly hate the mall, so this is a rare trip. Upon hearing we were going to the mall, and remembering that is where we got her black sparkly shoes, she quickly announced her black shoes now hurt her. Suspicious, I asked if she was just saying that because she just wanted new shoes. Not yet devious to continue with the ruse by using a lie, she immediately said, "Yes." I humored her and took her to Nordstrom's to have her foot measured. Yep, her shoe size has not changed and those black shoes still fit just fine. After realizing we weren't going to buy a new pair of black shoes, she has not complained of the fit of her shoes again. Of course, just because we didn't get the shoes didn't stop her from asking for every dress we saw on the way out. I managed to resist saying yes since her closet is literally so full of clothing (all that fit mind you) that we had to move her princess dresses into our closet.
Before tonight, Avery had not asked for any sort of toy in months and months. The only things she ever asks for are clothes, shoes, and jewelry (and cupcakes, of course!) Tonight she actually said she wanted a fire truck and an ambulance. Hot dog! I'm all over that. I'll probably end up buying some dainty outfit for her to wear whilst playing with the toys, but I tell myself it's good that I am embracing the girly girl rather than fighting it. Truthfully, I wouldn't have it any other way now. I love that she knows who she is and isn't going to let anyone sway her otherwise.
Entertainment
Avery has inherited our love of movies and TV. We haven't missed a blockbuster cartoon in the theater yet. She's seen Up, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon, Toy Story 3, Tangled (twice), and Gnomeo and Juliet in the theater. I love to take her to the movies. She sits on my lap the whole movie, eats popcorn, and is enthralled with the story line. I think because I dreamed so often of taking a child to the movies before Avery arrived, I truly treasure having a daughter who enjoys it as much as I do. D is the one who got her hooked on the popcorn. I wasn't pleased with this, but once I let go of my stick-in-the-mud attitude about it, I find it adorable to watch her pop the popcorn in her mouth.
TV-wise, Avery loves the whole PBS line up. Her current favorite is Calliou. Hands down. After that, it's a tie between Super Why! and WordWorld.
Pretend Play
Avery has fully entered the world of pretend play in the past few months. Lately, I'll hear her talking to her baby dolls playing house with them, or she'll pretend she's on a boat, or she'll say she's the sous chef and wants to make 'sangna. She also likes to pretend to go to outer space, which often entails wearing snow boots, a belt, a hat and nothing else.
Excels
I'm going to wrap up this All About Avery Now post by listing a few things I think she truly excels in for a kid her age. I'm a bit biased, so forgive me. It's a mother's prerogative.
Following instructions. Example: today I was having my hair highlighted (she comes to my house to do it), so I was immobilized. Avery decided that Kari really needed to see her snow boots, but they were in the car. As such, I was able to talk Avery through each step to getting the boots out of the car:
1. move chair over to the magnetic board
2. get the keys hanging on the far left* red hook
3. bring keys to me so I can show her which button to push to slide the door open on the minivan
4. go into garage, push button, get boots.
She did it all perfectly step by step.
Dressing herself. For whatever reason, Avery is very aware of when her clothes are on backwards. She also never puts her shoes on the wrong feet. Basically since she could put on her shoes around 18 months, she's been able to get the right shoes and the right feet. D did explain how to tell right from left at first, but she caught on very quickly. She just seems to have an innate feel for if things are fitting correctly. She always puts her underwear and skirts and shirts on with the tags in the back. With the exception of if clothes are inside out, she's fully self-sufficient at getting dressed on her own (if she feels like cooperating that day).
*Right/Left. I note this one because I really struggle with right and left to this day. The other day, we were out on a tricycle ride. I kept saying, "Avery go left! No, go left!" So she did, only I meant for her to go right. She knew better than me.
Enunciation and speech clarity. I don't know that her vocabulary is any bigger than the average three-year-old, but her speech and enunciation is very clear most of the time. If she's shy, she'll say things that don't make sense, or stick her fingers in her mouth. But when she's with people she knows, she speaks very clearly. She talks about her "prescription glasses" with near perfect enunciation.
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