Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Colorado Visit
Avery and I are in Colorado for the week visiting my mom. Avery is having the best time exploring a new house and playing with Mom's dog, Barkley. However, Avery's favorite activity so far is the hammock in Mom's backyard. I think this picture says it all.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Pictures
A friend (thanks, Amber!) took these great pictures of Avery the other day. I tried to pick my favorite, but couldn't so I have to post them all.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
States
OK, I finally got a rendition of Avery singing the 50 States song. It's not the best picture quality since I got it at the end of some video of us playing another game together, but you get the gist. Please excuse the untied pants and dirty shirt. :)
In this version, she remembers 33 states and skips 17. She has, at one point or another, sang all of the states, but never gotten (that I've noticed) all 50 in one rendition. What seems to happen is that she commits a block of them to memory and sings those over and over for a while, then she'll work on another block and sometimes leave the previously learned block out. Then she'll eventually add the dropped block. This cycle is continuing, so maybe she'll do all 50 in a few months? Who knows. No matter the number she misses, I am so proud!
50 States (well, 33) from Megan Smith on Vimeo.
In this version, she remembers 33 states and skips 17. She has, at one point or another, sang all of the states, but never gotten (that I've noticed) all 50 in one rendition. What seems to happen is that she commits a block of them to memory and sings those over and over for a while, then she'll work on another block and sometimes leave the previously learned block out. Then she'll eventually add the dropped block. This cycle is continuing, so maybe she'll do all 50 in a few months? Who knows. No matter the number she misses, I am so proud!
50 States (well, 33) from Megan Smith on Vimeo.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Trailblazers
D had a last minute cancellation leaving him with an extra ticket to a Trailblazers game. Avery was the beneficiary of said ticket. It was her first official sporting event (that I can remember). D took pictures with my phone, which I'd sent along in case Avery got bored with the game, so the picture quality isn't great, but they'll do.
And another picture that I just love, also taken with my phone, is of Avery after I told her we were heading out for a dog walk. She quickly left the room, then came back dressed like this. So cute!
Avery's doing really well and is as happy as ever. However, she's definitely excelling at the terrible two's! She can throw a fit with the best of them. Fortunately this less than desirable behavior is mixed in with a whole lot more adorable behavior such as asking me, "How are you doing this morning, Mommy?" when I see her in the mornings. She's also taken to answering, "um, sure!" when we ask her if she wants something. I guess D and I must say that a lot, but coming from a 2yo, it does sound a bit odd.
Her vocabulary is quite large now and she's getting better and better at pronouncing words. Most notably, she can now pronounce Connecticut with complete clarity. And she knows the vast majority of states in alphabetical order due to the 50 States song I taught her. Video will be compiled of this at some point surely. I have video from January, but she's progressed much further in the song now. She tends to clam up when I get out the camera, so I have to catch her in the act of singing.
In other news, she's started "school" two days a week. Avery is very social and loves to be around other kids. We get out and do an activity with other children most days of the week, but both D and I thought she'd benefit from a bit more socialization. As a result, she's now going two days a week she is going to a local daycare/preschool. If I was at all hesitant about the idea, any hesitation was wiped away when we went for a tour and Avery simply did not want to leave. I'm happy to report that after her first two weeks, she hasn't had any adjustment issues, naps well at school, and hasn't had any set backs in her oh-so-awesome-how-did-we-get-so-lucky potty training. And we've not had to deal with any separation anxiety since she's quite happy to join the rest of the class when we arrive. She is a bit clingy the day after her two days at school, but not in an alarming way.
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| "Dude, it's my first game!" |
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| No sporting event experience is complete without junk food! |
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| Those players are really, really close. |
Avery's doing really well and is as happy as ever. However, she's definitely excelling at the terrible two's! She can throw a fit with the best of them. Fortunately this less than desirable behavior is mixed in with a whole lot more adorable behavior such as asking me, "How are you doing this morning, Mommy?" when I see her in the mornings. She's also taken to answering, "um, sure!" when we ask her if she wants something. I guess D and I must say that a lot, but coming from a 2yo, it does sound a bit odd.
Her vocabulary is quite large now and she's getting better and better at pronouncing words. Most notably, she can now pronounce Connecticut with complete clarity. And she knows the vast majority of states in alphabetical order due to the 50 States song I taught her. Video will be compiled of this at some point surely. I have video from January, but she's progressed much further in the song now. She tends to clam up when I get out the camera, so I have to catch her in the act of singing.
In other news, she's started "school" two days a week. Avery is very social and loves to be around other kids. We get out and do an activity with other children most days of the week, but both D and I thought she'd benefit from a bit more socialization. As a result, she's now going two days a week she is going to a local daycare/preschool. If I was at all hesitant about the idea, any hesitation was wiped away when we went for a tour and Avery simply did not want to leave. I'm happy to report that after her first two weeks, she hasn't had any adjustment issues, naps well at school, and hasn't had any set backs in her oh-so-awesome-how-did-we-get-so-lucky potty training. And we've not had to deal with any separation anxiety since she's quite happy to join the rest of the class when we arrive. She is a bit clingy the day after her two days at school, but not in an alarming way.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Dinosaurs
With the beautiful weather in Portland lately, Avery and I have been doing many outdoor activities, including hikes with friends. Today we went on a hike in the morning through the Hoyt Arboretum, then on our daily dog hike on the trail by our house and through the cemetery, and finally on a tricycling trip around the neighborhood. It's going to be tough when the usual rainy weather returns.
During this morning's hike, someone suggested to the kids that there were probably dinosaurs in the forest (anything to get the kids moving!) All three of them grabbed onto this idea and went in search of dinosaurs. When we stumbled upon an observation deck along the trail, the kids wasted no time in calling for the hiding dinosaurs to make an appearance.
During this morning's hike, someone suggested to the kids that there were probably dinosaurs in the forest (anything to get the kids moving!) All three of them grabbed onto this idea and went in search of dinosaurs. When we stumbled upon an observation deck along the trail, the kids wasted no time in calling for the hiding dinosaurs to make an appearance.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Home Again
I didn't realize I hadn't done a post since we returned from Mexico! This is a wrong that must be righted.
Our return flights from Mexico were about as easy as they come. Avery did awesome on both flights, planes were on time, baggage arrived as expected. Basically, it couldn't have been an easier trip home. For that, I am always full of gratitude.
Since we've been back, Nain came to visit for a week. Nain and Avery always have a great time together, with Nain often taking Avery outside to do things like blow bubbles and tricycle around the neighborhood.
With each passing day, Avery is establishing more independence and making decisions about the way she likes things to be done. For example, I just assumed she would want stuffed animals on her bed to keep her company. This is flatly wrong. She doesn't like any stuffed animals or babies on her bed when she sleeps, especially if she did not put them there to begin with. She will sometimes take her baby to bed with her, but she never keeps it with her through the night. Avery sleeps alone ... and with her bibs. She loves those bibs. Often, when she wakes up in the morning, she's standing at the door of her bedroom. I knock and ask if I can come in, she sweetly replies, "Yes," then says, "Avery's awake!" (or, as she did this morning, "I awake!) and is standing there with anywhere from 10-15 bibs in her arms. She carries them into say hi to Damian who's usually getting ready for work. I find her attachment to the bibs interesting because she definitely needs them to sleep, they are a source of comfort, but she rarely insists on bringing them with us when we leave the house. The few times she has done that, she specifically states that she wants to leave them in the car. I'm very thankful that she has no objection to the bibs being washed, and doesn't have an attachment to any particular bib, so losing one is no problem. If she finds the rare bib that hasn't been cut (we cut the velcro part off the back so she can't put the bib on and accidentally strangle herself), she immediately requests that it be cut.
We also recently had a visit with Avery's great grandmother Ruth! It's seems remembering the phrase "great grandmother" is a bit much for Avery right now, so we'll just call her Grandma Ruth. Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Jerry came up for a visit last week to meet Avery. While Avery was a bit reserved at first, when she figured out these two people where there to watch her ... well, she was happy as a clam! It was a great visit and we were so happy to meet Ruth and Jerry!
Our return flights from Mexico were about as easy as they come. Avery did awesome on both flights, planes were on time, baggage arrived as expected. Basically, it couldn't have been an easier trip home. For that, I am always full of gratitude.
Since we've been back, Nain came to visit for a week. Nain and Avery always have a great time together, with Nain often taking Avery outside to do things like blow bubbles and tricycle around the neighborhood.
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| Nain and Avery before a bubble blowing session |
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| Avery in her favorite jammies: dinosaurs! |
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| Avery in her Halloween costume (pulled out of the closet at her request) |
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| Avery with Megan's best friend from HS, Jen! |
With each passing day, Avery is establishing more independence and making decisions about the way she likes things to be done. For example, I just assumed she would want stuffed animals on her bed to keep her company. This is flatly wrong. She doesn't like any stuffed animals or babies on her bed when she sleeps, especially if she did not put them there to begin with. She will sometimes take her baby to bed with her, but she never keeps it with her through the night. Avery sleeps alone ... and with her bibs. She loves those bibs. Often, when she wakes up in the morning, she's standing at the door of her bedroom. I knock and ask if I can come in, she sweetly replies, "Yes," then says, "Avery's awake!" (or, as she did this morning, "I awake!) and is standing there with anywhere from 10-15 bibs in her arms. She carries them into say hi to Damian who's usually getting ready for work. I find her attachment to the bibs interesting because she definitely needs them to sleep, they are a source of comfort, but she rarely insists on bringing them with us when we leave the house. The few times she has done that, she specifically states that she wants to leave them in the car. I'm very thankful that she has no objection to the bibs being washed, and doesn't have an attachment to any particular bib, so losing one is no problem. If she finds the rare bib that hasn't been cut (we cut the velcro part off the back so she can't put the bib on and accidentally strangle herself), she immediately requests that it be cut.
We also recently had a visit with Avery's great grandmother Ruth! It's seems remembering the phrase "great grandmother" is a bit much for Avery right now, so we'll just call her Grandma Ruth. Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Jerry came up for a visit last week to meet Avery. While Avery was a bit reserved at first, when she figured out these two people where there to watch her ... well, she was happy as a clam! It was a great visit and we were so happy to meet Ruth and Jerry!
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