9 Month Check-Up

On October 28th Ava had her 9 month check-up. She weighed 20 lbs. 9 oz. and is in the 81st percentile. She measured 28 1/4 in. and is in the 75 percentile for her height. Ava continues to be bigger than average, but is growing at a steady rate. She wears some 9 months clothing, but is starting to move into 12 months. Ava's feet are still tiny, chubby, and so cute. She wears a size 2 shoe, but it is hard to keep them on since her feet are so chubby.

Ava is still trying new foods and her new favorite thing is bread. We have given her different kinds of bread and she woofs it down. She also still really likes pears and always gives us big smiles when we feed her some. We are still waiting to give her eggs, berries, and milk until after she turns one, but anything else we are eating we let her try.

Ava is crawling faster than ever. She can get around quickly and easily. She has figured out how to maneuver the step down into the frontroom and can go back up too. Today she crawled all the way down the hall which is about forty feet. We now keep a close eye on her and I put her in the jumperoo if I need to use the bathroom or do some laundry in the garage. Ava can be very sneaky so if I don't do this she will go after Luca's water bowl.

Ava has definitely found her voice. She is making new sounds all the time. Her favorite things to say are "Ba, Ba" and "Da, Da". Ava can say "Ma, Ma" but doesn't do it very often. She loves to talk to herself in her crib in the morning and after naps. We enjoy listening to her over the baby monitor. This past week Ava has learned to scream and loves to do it when she is happy. When Ava is laughing and happy she often screams and sounds upset. It is funny because we know she is happy, but other people look concerned and aren't sure what we are doing to our precious baby girl.

These past 9 months have flown by and it is hard to remember Ava as a tiny 6 lb. 4 oz. newborn. She has changed our lives in many ways and we are grateful for her everyday. Ava is a beautiful daughter of God and we know she is a special gift that has been given to us. We are honored to be her parents and love her more than words can express. She has brought so much joy into our lives and has filled the void we felt for many years. We know Ava was meant to be with us and we are blessed to have her as a part of our forever family.