Another Contest!

Jump over to this blog to win some cute stuff. And mention my name or blog in the comment too :)

http://endeanmom1.blogspot.com/

Bloggy Book!

Avery is spending the weekend with Nonna and Poppa. I have been really feeling the need to turn my blog into a book, using blurb.com, so that Avery will always have it. I knew it would take a while and be almost impossible with Avery all weekend, so Nonna volunteered to babysit. I spent Friday evening and almost all of Saturday working with blurb to upload a 188 page book. It is just this blog - posts and pictures from Avery's first year. So, I should have my book by the end of the month. Hopefully, tomorrow before church I can finish her baby book (I know, I'm so late on that!) I did take a break to go shopping w/ Charlie and buy Avery some new K Swiss tennis shoes and Osh Kosh B'Gosh little brown flats, two new outfits and her princess chair. She still sits in her bouncer and I think she is getting way too brave so maybe the chair will be safer. So, Avery really racked up this weekend! We miss her terribly and I'm excited to see her tomorrow! It is wayyyy past my bedtime...so that is all for today!

Eating Spaghetti

Avery lovvves spaghetti. She also loves being independent. I used to be able to feed her spaghetti. Then she wanted to hold the spoon herself, so I would scoop it and hand the spoon to her. Now, we're at 'Stage 3'. She absolutely refused to let me do anything....she insisted on doing it all herself. So, here are some very messy pictures of Avery feeding herself for the first time. Let's hope her hand/eye coordination develops!

Concentration, people!

Can you puh-lease stop it with that camera?

I'm trying to concentrate, woman!
"Hmm...wonder how mommy gets this stuff ON the spoon?"

Success...kind've!?!

She is looking down at the other half of it - which is in her lap

"Oh, to heck with it...I'm hungry!"

Don'tcha Just Love a Giveaway?

I've been thinking of doing one of my own lately but I don't think I have enough traffic. My mom would probably end up winning...ha!

But, you can jump over to Gravity of Motion and read how to win one of 10 fantastic prizes.

I really, really love to win something. Like, enough to call a local radio station no less than 20 times in a row to win some disgusting sounding new chicken nuggets from Wendy's that, by the way, I can't eat because they are loaded with carbs. But just to win them would make my day. That's how much I love to win.

So go visit Gravity of Motion and mention my blog in your comment puh-lease!

Have a great weekend. And if work is really slow today (crossing my fingers) I have no less than 4 posts to write. I have been a picture taking maniac this week!

Showing Her Creative Side

My friend, Dewana, mentioned that Addison had tried out markers. I didn't realize Avery was old enough to use markers but thought we could give it a try. I'm always looking for something to keep her attention while I cook at night since Charlie is still working and these days I can't let lil Ms. Climber out of my sight. She enjoys unloading the dishwasher and cabinets, eating snacks in her highchair and using pots and pans to make her 'own supper' (she loves to stir anything in a pan!) but I wanted to do something fun for her. So, off I went to Wal-Mart (bleck) to find washable markers and a big art pad. Avery had a blast! She also tried coloring on the floor and doors, thank goodness for washable markers! I just gave her a Clorox wipe and she scrubbed up the mess. I'm telling you, this child lovvves to clean. See what I mean...?

After she colored on one of the doors, I wiped a little of it off, but she insisted on doing it herself - she is also Ms. Independent these days. So, I let her give it a try and she did a great job!

Doing the damage...I figured why not take a pic before I tell her she can never do it again! Honestly, it wouldn't bother me if she did color on the door b/c it comes off so easily, but I doubt Ms. Tina (the sitter) would appreciate us encouraging bad behavior!

Oh, did I mention she tried to eat it and color her neck and mouth at one point?

Don't worry...I didn't try the Clorox wipe on her! ;)

Just look at that face, I had just taken the marker from her!

Finally...success! "Good girl Avery, we ONLY color on PAPER!"
She was not too content with just paper, always looking for something else to color!

But I think she had a great time, don't you?

She totally did not get the concept that the towel wouldn't take the marker off the paper!

Working hard...

Avery's first picture (in marker, at least!)

She Changed Her Mind...

I guess 1 year old was just too young to enjoy her ball pit/bouncy playpen. After I cleaned it out I discovered Avery loves to bounce in it. It's become one of her new favorite toys! Glad to know we're gonna get some use out of it after all : )

You can still see some of the spots left from the virus...hope they're not scars!

Of course, she still loves to throw things out of the ball pit while she's playing!

And once she's done, she'll throw it all back in...she already cleans up after herself!

Look how serious...

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

1. I am not writing this at work. Work has not been so slow lately, that I'm actually tired of reading blogs and news. I am not already wishing my boss was back from vacation to keep me busy.

2. I am not doing this on a whim, just because MckMama said that we can win a prize because I can't think of anything to possibly include...so here we go...

3. I am not amazed that Avery is turning into a little smarty pants and now knows where the dirty clothes go vs. where the trash goes vs. where the diapers go vs. where she goes when I tell her we need to change her diaper vs. where she goes when I tell her its bathtime. Wow! Now if she'll just start talking a bit more, I'll be one happy camper!

4. I am not shocked that my husband decided he wants a few weeks off from golf after golfing in extreme temperatures in the middle of the day in the middle of August and coming home with a case of heat exhaustion/dehydration.

5. I did not get super excited about losing 8 lbs my first week of Atkins and super disappointed after losing only 2 lbs my second week. I certainly was not thinking about how disappointed I was when I was coming up on a cute little ice-cream drive through in town. I did not proceed to swing very quickly into the drive thru and take my frustration out on a volcano (chocolate chip cookie pieces in the shape of a volcano covering vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and hot fudge....one word: Y-U-M!). It was not all downhill from there - for the entire week! I am happy to report that after my carb binge I still kept 8 of the 10 lbs off that I'd lost and got 'back on the horse' today. The no carb horse that is. Bleck.

6. Avery did not thoroughly enjoy riding the carousel once again this weekend. Thankfully, her daddy was standing at the railing waving this time, rather than riding the alligator in front of her. She squealed with delight each time we passed him, along with Nonna and Poppa.

7. And last but not least, I did not underestimate Avery this weekend when I left her in her room playing on the floor to go talk to her daddy for a moment. He was showing me something on the computer and after a few minutes, I went to check on her. She was not STANDING on her bed (there is a twin bed in her room) playing with toys on the headboard! I was shocked and amazed and then realized there is a little white shelf at the end of the bed full of stuffed animals. All of the animals were all over the floor and lil' Ms. Climber made her way on TOP of the bed. Rest assure, the shelf has found a new home - the garage!

Avery's Grocery Cart

A few weeks ago Gigi was in town and made a trip to Toys R Us. She bought Avery her very own grocery cart! Of course, this is the perfect toy for Avery because she can load and unload it all she wants!

As you can see, she loves shopping for dishes and silverware...

her favorite store is called "The Dishwasher"

She always brings her baby with her to the store...

only because it's not RSV season, of course!

Doing some shopping...wooden spoons are her favorite!

I guess the baby is umm...sleeping? :)

And her second favorite store is called "Mommy's Cabinet"

her favorite items are the plastic containers!

Looking at some of her purchases. Looks like she made it back home with baby safely!

Daycare - Day 123

Looking back at this post, you would've never thought we'd come so far...

Today, Charlie dropped Avery off at Mrs. Tina's house and Avery did her normal routine - run over to the other kids to play, without even looking back. Except today, her BFF, Bella, took her hand and they walked into the playroom together. Now tell me that isn't the sweetest thing you've heard all day? My baby already has a best friend! So for any mother who is struggling with daycare, just keep looking until you find a place you feel comfortable with and pretty soon - they'll be running away without looking back.

I'm so thankful that I decided not to rob a bank and quit my job! That could've ended very badly, I suppose, and we definitely found a place we love for Avery. Mrs. Tina told me she has adjusted so well and now knows where to sit for lunch and snack time and where to lay for nap time. Lil' Ms. Independent, huh? I would've never thought we'd make it this far in a few months. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jesus!

Besides, it seems like just yesterday we were taking pictures like this...

Way Back WHENsday