Fussy Little Thing

Having a newborn is never a walk in the park (maybe for some it is... I have yet to meet them THANK GOODNESS) but when your precious newborn is somewhat fussier than normal, it can turn your world upside down. There were times I thought I was just imagining it but when the kids and I stayed with my sister and brother in law for a week, Jake, my brother in law was happily holding Averi and told her "you're a fussy little thing aren't you?" Ok, thank you, it wasn't just me!! Its a tough lesson to learn that your first was in fact a pretty good baby. He wasn't an angel baby, he fussed & had his newborn issues but compared to Averi, Bronson was a SAINT! Every week I would say, oh it'll get easier....and in some ways it did but not in the ways I was anticipating. After Bronson I didn't think there could be any more changing to be done in me. I was so so wrong. I'm sure with every child you have, God alters and refines you in different ways. I've learned not to be so rigid about schedules, not to be so dependent on the kids' naps, my patience has been tested to no end. I've learned you HAVE to laugh when the normal reaction might be to cry and if crying seems more appropriate, it does not make you weak, it makes you real.

Just random thoughts...it really is amazing to me how every baby, every child, every individual is so so so different. Averi, if not completely over-tired loves stimulation. Loves it. We were at at football game a few weeks ago and they shoot a gun at the end of every quarter...every time they shot that gun Averi would giggle. What in the world?! I also must admit she is incredibly stubborn. I though every baby could be conditioned. Not this little muffin. Man, if I had a nickel for every time she's had to cry herself to sleep I'd be a rich woman. I also thought that infants, in general, like to be rocked to sleep. I stand corrected. I also believed (now this is getting embarrassing) that you could get any baby to take a pacifier. You just had to be the one in control, the stubborn one, you could not back down. If you really wanted your baby to take a binki, then it would happen. Ha ha ha ha. Averi is 7 months old and my husband is getting a little annoyed that I'm still trying. Ugh. Maybe the biggest lesson I've learned is humility and to have more of an open mind. Thanks Av (nickname coined by Bronson), I love you for that ;)

And now here we are, over a half a year later since Averi's birth. I can't believe I have a 7 month old and a 3 year old!!!!!! Totally makes sense why I have no sanity left :/ But on a positive note its fun to watch Av hit new milestones. She started saying mama a few days before she turned 6 months, and quickly  learned to say "bubba" aka Bronson, and dada. She has decided it is much more fun to growl and yell than it is to scream...however screaming is still fun. Its even fun to do when she's not mad or unhappy. She has to be the loudest one "talking" when there are people talking around her. I think she just wants to be heard...all the time. We can hear ya Av! I want to remember things about the kids and I can't think of a better way than stealing my dear cousin-in-law Lindsey Christensen's method...hope u don't mind Linds :) here we go.
Things we want to remember about Averi at 7 months:
-weighs 17 lbs 10 oz and is 26" long...
-rolls to where she wants to go but sometimes while on her belly forgets that she can roll and gets really mad & thus ensues the very angry/loud growling
-no one can make her smile or laugh as easily as Bronson does
-her eyes still have a lot of blue in them but the ring around is a brownish-green so we anticipate brown eyes
-her hair is a honey brown and getting lighter and lighter
-she says mama, dada, bubba
-her smile is INCREDIBLE
-was taking a great morning nap until she got her first ear infection
-was sleeping between 9-11 hours at night until the ear infection & now has been getting up twice. boo
-is stubborn about sleep, afternoon naps are hit or miss
-she can pick food up with her fingers and put it in her mouth...50% of the time
-gets in the crawling position in her crib and bashes her face into the wooden bars...
-LOVES food
-does not love it when I leave her sight.
-favorite toy is her brothers hot wheels cars
-has been holding her own bottle for over 2 months :)

Brotherly love

   

he takes good care of her

the hat grandma got her for football games :)

pretty in purple

one of those rare moments where she's sleeping in the car

poor girl had to get 3 shots...but don't those bandaids look so cute on those chubby legs?!

playing with her toys

a favorite face of hers

got her first shiner from her crib bashing

loves our Izzy