Our Wooded Wonderland: Ava

12-12-12...Ava's 7 month birthday.

Weight: We didn't have a doctor's visit this month (other than for a flu shot) so we are guessing around 16-17 pounds.
Length: Again, not sure. Longer than last month though, because the 6 month Carter jammies are going to be too short soon.

Diet:
We have really gotten adventerous with Ava's diet. I recently read an article in Parent magazine that said if your baby hasn't had any issues with new foods that there's no reason to follow any certain schedule of new foods (except no honey the first year), and you don't have to wait the customary 3 days between new foods. In fact, it said that trying new foods at whim may help your baby avoid being a picky eater. So we've added zucchini, butternut squash, mango (Ava loved this), watered down 100% apple juice, ground turkey and prunes, ground chicken and apples, crappie, and the baby snacks (rice puffs and yogurt bites). I love LOVE watching her pick up and eat those snacks. So cute. So much concentration!

Sleep:
Well, this month was full of ups and downs in the sleep situation. We were so lucky to have Ava start sleeping through the night at 1 month old (even though it probably was detrimental to our nursing). That sleeping through the night thing ended a couple weeks ago. Of course, it coincided with a busy project at work for me. Ava started talking quite a bit in her sleep, and at times it would wake her up. Either that, or she was hungry. Or her wet diaper was the problem. We're really not sure, we just know that she began waking up 3-4 times a night. Sometimes we'd give her a minute and she'd doze back off on her own. Others times not. She has also begun to sleep on her side or stomach. Scary stuff for me at first! This week we've started adding some rice cereal to her last bottle, and purchased nighttime diapers. So far, so good. She's slept through night for several days now, and we all feel more rested.

What's Going On:
Wallering. That's what's going on. :) This girl LOVES to waller...in her crib, on the floor, all over the couch, on you and anyone holding her. Just another way for Little Miss to expend some of that never-ending energy I guess. I need to get a video on here of Ava doing this wild wiggling she does. So funny.
Sleeping on her belly and side (see above).
Pulling up on her own!
Stranger anxiety. If VERY familiar faces aren't around, she gets very upset. Poor girl. I hate that she feels that way, but I know it just means her emotional development is progressing.
Ssssss. I think Little Miss has discovered her inner snake. Sssss are a new part of her vocabulary, added to the existing Dadadas and other nonsensical words she says. Let's add volume to this one too. Both whispering and yelling.
Crawling backwards is underway here recently. It's not perfect, but she's working on it.
Conquering her world via the walker. Discussed before here. Ava can navigate around in this thing like a PRO! Backing it up, turning it around, making it around corners, endlessly chasing the dog and charging the cat, making her way to a basket of oversized glittery Christmas ornaments to pick up and throw (don't worry, they're plastic). My favorite is when she runs (really!) across the kitchen, arms up, squeeling!

In honor of our sleepy struggles this month, here are several recent pictures showcasing Ava's sleepy faces. :)