18 months!

i cannot believe that avery is 18 months.  i feel like the time just goes faster and faster.  and i know i always say this but she's at such a cool age right now and is so fun to be around.  she's really communicating a lot and has recently started putting two words together.  "oh no" is her current favorite thing to say and can mean anything from "oh no, i dropped my snack" to "oh no, henry is looking at me weird".  she says it all.the.time.  hilarious and a bit annoying at times.  

she's still not walking full time.  are you surprised?  she can walk and she does walk but on her own terms.  the doctor wasn't worried saying that she would get there in her own time frame, which made me feel better.  i've always felt that she's been a super cautious kid, which among other things has led to her being a late walker.  she was actually doing a lot of walking before our trip back east and then sort of stopped for a while when we were there since everyone was carrying her around.  she's really into walking while holding your hand, which is a nice change from before when she would throw a fit if you attempted that.  

she still loves her animals.  now more than ever really.  and they are so incredibly patient with her that sometimes i don't think she realizes how lucky she is.  ollie is a clear favorite and he's the recipient of most of her hugs, kicks, eye pokes, tail pulls, and hearty pats.  he is the most tolerant cat that i've ever met, even letting her sit on top of him.  she loves the dogs, too and i do think that they missed her when she was gone as they've been extra nice since we got back.  i'm especially proud of grumpy henry.  

she loves the water.  the pool, the ocean, her splash table, and even washing her hands at the sink.  and she definitely prefers outside to inside.   

she still loves her books and has been reading to herself a lot lately, sometimes even preferring that to us reading to her.  i love watching her read and really hope that her love for books continues.  when we were flying it was the books that kept her entertained for the longest.  

she's a pretty good eater and will try just about anything.  favorites are fruit, pasta, pickles, and anything that we're eating.  she can be picky in that if i offer her yogurt she'll turn it down and then when i eat it that's all she wants.

she's sleeping well at night, although the traveling and the time changes has thrown her for a loop.  she was a mess when we first got to maryland and then has been waking up super early since we got back. she's definitely still on east coast time and i'm hoping that in a few more days she'll adjust back to mountain time.  

she loved the beach this month and i'm so excited to take her again in a few months.  

she can be a little weary of strangers and definitely does not like them touching her or me.  something that i've learned after a few doctors appointments.  her 18 month checkup was a little sad because as soon as we walked in she started saying 'no, no, no' like she knew exactly what was going to happen and was not at all okay with it.

i've loved having all of this time with her and watching her grow up.  it makes me a little sad at times that she won't get as much one on one time as she get's now.  her favorite thing is when all three of us are hanging out together, but hopefully in a few months having four of us will be just as exciting to her.