Video of the week

This is what happens when good 'ole boys get bored on Halloween....



I was wondering what ever happened to Lovelace...

9 months

Can it really be that Avery will be a year old in just three months?!? This can't be right...she should definitely still be a small, newborn infant...

But she's not. She is now a sweet, babbling, attempting to crawl, happy, 9th month old baby. And with a tooth I might add! Yes, our gummy-grinned girl now flaunts a cute little tooth, just barely peeking from her bottom gum. If you get to touch it or even see it you're lucky, because she is very "protective" of her new appendage. Avery is also working on her communication skills. She still says "dada" and occasionally "mama" and "bye bye." At times, it seems as if she is trying to say "hey there" and she also tries to say "Dixie." She also likes to say "uh" for "uh oh"..and of course drops things repetitively so she can say it over and over again. She imitates barking and quacking. She loves to clap her hands and has recently started to "roll them" around each other (like for "roll 'em up" in Patty Cake). You can ask her where her belly is and she will pat it with her hands. She will also throw her hands in the air when you say touchdown...a trick I'm certain a certain Brindley boy taught her without us knowing :).

Avery is desperately trying to crawl. Her once spastic moves have become a little more refined and she is now our little inchworm. She also enjoys vocalizing as she moves, because it is such hard work! We did happen to capture this cuteness on video....



It is unbelievable how much and how quickly she is learning to do new things (see, I've said it again). I went to the Exceptional Childrens conference in Greensboro on Sunday and returned Tuesday afternoon. Avery had acquired a few new skills just in the short amount of time that I was gone! She started to wave with her fingers (instead of her whole arm) and can hold her bottle by herself. My mother-in-law also informed me that she is able to sit up on her own. It didn't take long for her to learn how to get down from a sitting position, but she has suddenly discovered how to sit up on her own. I didn't actually witness this new talent, so I was a little unsure...until last night. I laid Avery in her crib and bent over to turn on her CD player. When I stood back up, there was my once lying baby, now sitting up looking at me. Needless to say, her crib mattress has now been lowered. I must brag on Shayne a little. This was his first time being alone with Avery for more than a few hours. He did a great job taking care of the Poots and I believe they have bonded more because of their daddy/daughter alone time.

We look forward to seeing what this next month brings!

Happy Halloween!

I thought I'd have a little Halloween fun for my video of the week. Leah, I had to borrow you for this one.

Happy Halloween!

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Video of the week

Sorry the video for last week is a little late, but I believe it's worth it...

Fall in the mountains

I just love this time of year. When it starts getting cooler and the leaves begin to change. The return of Friday night lights and the anticipation of upcoming holidays. Making (and more importantly eating) pumpkin cheesecake. The smell of hot apple cider. Getting to wear fuzzy socks to bed and sleep on flannel sheets. I could go on and on...

Last Sunday, our little family decided to venture out and enjoy the beautiful fall day. We went to the pumpkin patch at First Methodist church and our good friend Colleen met us there to take some pictures of Avery. It was bitterly cold, but Avery was a trooper. The pictures are absolutely amazing and I believe that Colleen needs to make a quick career change :). I've posted the pictures in a slideshow because there are too many to post individually and there was no way I could only pick a few!

After taking pictures, we decided to take a trip to the parkway, however it was closed, so we decided to go to Cataloochee instead. The trip there was amazing! It had snowed that morning, so we were able to have our first winter preview. Nothing is prettier than fall-colored leaves covered in snow. Avery got to see her first elk (alive that is...not counting the one hanging on our wall at home) but did not seem too amused. Shayne and I were able to get some decent pictures while we were there...hopefully after Christmas we'll change "decent" to "exceptional" when we buy ourselves a new, much nicer camera. Although our pictures don't quite do it justice, there's no doubt about it...this place we call home is amazing.

Video of the week

This one's for you dad

On this day, three years ago....

I married my best friend...