Shepherd Christmas

Grandpa Shepherd and I hung out a lot today. He let me play with all the wrapping paper. I loved it. Wrapping paper is the best. I also loved this big giant box that Grandma let me pull myself up on and walk around. Christmas is great!

My new hat and scarf

Miss Andrea's daughter Erica, made me this hat and scarf. She loves me. She tells mom all the time that she is going to adopt me, because she loves me so much. Quite honestly, what is not to love? I am cute, fun, sweet... I am awesome!

Fun in the snow!

Grandma Shepherd bought me a snowsuit and it finally fits! I can go outside and play in the snow!

Thanks Aunt Beth

Aunt Beth sent this outfit to us. It says "Ho Ho Ho" on my butt. Everyone says it is super cute. Me....I was embarassed and kept trying to crawl away and hide when mom tried to take my picture.

Sledding

Today we went sledding outside. It was so much fun!

Pretty new outfit from Grandma Shepherd

Today Mom dressed me up in a pretty little outfit that Grandma bought for me. Then we got all dressed up in warm clothes and picked up my new slide that I can slide down this summer.

Avery and her tree

Before I was born, Mom picked out this tree to be our Christmas tree. Dad decorated it in a pot on the front porch. A few days after I was born, Dad planted it in the ground to commemorate the happy occassion.

Avery learns to wave

I might be wearing a size 6 months and be 10 months old(a.k.a I might be small), but I have already learned to wave. See.... I am so proud of myself. I am also saying the words Hi, Dada and Mama and signing the word Milk when I am hungry. I am one smart girl!

I love Denim dresses with tights

Grandma Carol says that Denim dresses rock! I love them. My eyes are just closed in this picture because Dad loves to use the flash and I always blink when he does that.

It takes Three to Rake Leaves

Dad was afraid that it would snow, so he had all 3 of us go outside and rake quickly on Saturday before it was supposed to snow on Sunday.

All my cousins and I and even Aunt Teri got together and had a great big Halloween party! I was a Dalmation puppy. Grandma made scary brownies with gummi worms and breadstick fingers and devilied eye ball eggs and chili with pumpkin shaped cheese. She went all out!

Ummm....Dad

This is me on my way to daycare at 6:15 am. Who would want to be dressed like this for a whole day? What was Mom thinking? I am adorable though. Who else could work this outfit?

9 month's old today and Halloween costume number 1

I love my Dalmation Halloween costume! I am crawling, smiling with my one tooth smile and making silly noises that make Mom and Dad laugh. (Except I discovered at dinner tonight that it is not funny to make those silly noises (raspberries) with a mouth full of food) Mom was not happy when I spit squash all over her and my clothes. :0 Sorry MOM!

Cider Mill

Mom, Dad and I went to the Cider Mill today. Mom and Dad had cider. They wouldn't let me have any. They say that I am too young.

They did show me all of the ducks that were swimming in the pond though. They were just like the ducks in my book.

Jacob is my friend

Jacob is a super smart 4 year old at day care that is my friend. He wrote me this note today. I am going to have mom hang it on the fridge!

In case you haven't learned how to read yet, it says, "Baby Avery - Hi. Hi. I love to sing for you. Jacob"

Geometry is Awesome!

I love shapes. I now know that these are an ellipse and a triangle.

Even with my eyes closed I would recognize a triangle.

Flour+Water+Food Coloring = FUN

Mom let me paint all over a piece of wax paper but I ripped it to shreads instead of painting on it, so mom just let me paint all over my face and all over the high chair. It was awesome!

Look Mom!

I can crawl... Or at least I can move forward in a motion that some might consider a form of crawling. I can jump my legs up and down while keeping my arms in place and then lunge forward until I am flat on my belly and then do it over and over until I have managed to get where I want to go.

Love my Winter Hat

I turned 8 months old today! Woo Hoo

Mom just loves me in these white cords and this red top. Too cute!

Orange, Black and Mom's new do!

Daycare with Ms. Andrea

This is Ms. Andrea. Everyday I go t her house and she takes care of me. She holds me and feeds me and just plain loves me. When I am there I get to play with all of these nice boys and also Emma (she was sleeping when mom took the picture). They call me "baaaby" and even share their toys with me. They are all very nice and so I have a lot of fun there!

Daddy learns patience

Tonight Dad let me feed myself. In case you don't know my dad, he tends to be a neat person and does not like messes. He let me feed myself the avocado tonight and then took pictures. He was so proud of me! I did good! Dad did good too. He didn't even freak out that I was a little messy!

Avery weighs in at 7.5 months at....

15 pounds 7.5 ounces! We love our new highchair that Grandpa Shepherd bought for us. I am eating all my vegetables and have started into fruits now!

I think I need a bigger bib!

I can't help but smile. I am so proud of myself. I fed myself plums. I didn't get many of them into my mouth, but I had fun!

My first tooth

On Thursday I got my first tooth. It hurt a lot, but I just chew on my hand and it feels better. I am smiling because I am trying to show off my new tooth!

Avery's "W" impression

Mom told me that I could be the first woman in the Oval office, which is still not a problem because Hillary is gone and we all know that Obama is winning so Sarah Palin will never be there. So to make mom laugh I decided I would give her my best Goerge "W" impression. What do you think?

Yum ... Peas!

Peas were definilty not as good as squash, but after a while I did smile!

Avery at 6.5 months

I now weigh in at 14 pounds 9 ounces and I am 25.5 inches tall. While I have only gained 1 pound 7 ounces in the last 2 months, I have grown nearly 2 inches, so I am getting tall! As a point of interest, Mom guessed my weight exactly and won the bet that she and dad had in the "guess the baby's weight" game! Go MOM!

As they say on Grey's "Seriously"

Mom gave me this cup today. She thinks I am going to start drinking out of it..."Mom...Hello... The cup is bigger than my head. How am I going to drink out of it?"

Which is why there was the same amount of water in the cup when I was done as there was when I started. Maybe another day.

Avery likes to read

Mom came in to help Dad with changing my diaper and found me reading. I am way advanced for a 6 month old girl and Dr. Suess is pretty cool.

Avery goes to CH Robinson

I wanted to go see Daddy at work, so I put on a pretty dress with matching shoes and hat (from Aunt Nancy) and then mom took a picture (ok many pictures ... she is terrible at taking a picture while holding my hand and then waiting for me to look up with my eyes open) and then we got in the car, I fell asleep and the next thing you know....pooof...there is dad! YEAH!