A shot in the wrong arm

The pediatrician gave Avery a break last night.  Instead she only had her well visit, no shots.  Instead I got a flu shot there.  Here are her current statistics:
24 lbs 6 1/2 oz (75%)
31" tall (75%)
18 3/4" head (90%)

Taking off

We had a nice Thanksgiving.  Avery was not up for getting passed around this year, but she did warm up and was social enough.  It was hard this morning to load her into the car seat and take her back to school and I mean literally hard, she was scooting herself back out with force.  She was however happy when we arrived at school to see her friends, and didn't cling to me, so that made it a little easier.

She did get past that vaccine last week without issue, thank goodness.

Avery's latest accomplishment is taking off her shirt.  She pulled it off several times yesterday before I gave up and allowed her to wander about unfettered.  It was pretty warm yesterday (near if not in the 50s) so the house wasn't too cold.

A few bites and a shot

Last night Avery received her MMR vaccine.  Maybe she was spaced out but she actually willingly ate some mandarin oranges! I've tried offering them to her several times and over the side they would go, but we had success last night.  Tonight was pizza, which she is willing to gnaw on.  She still seems happy and well. I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but it would be nice to get through a vaccine without her starting to feel unwell in the next two days.

Jaws

Tooth #11 was confirmed tonight.  Her top right lateral incisor.  I got a good look when she was throwing herself backwards and laughing while I brushed her teeth.  I'm not surprised as she hasn't wanted me brushing her top front teeth for the past week.

Today she took a mega nap - 3 hours.  On one hand this is good as I want her rested up for the holidays and her vaccine on Monday.  On the other hand it meant she was awake for an extra half hour this evening.

To report back on the food saga, I stuck to my guns for most of today.  She didn't scream, only glared at me when I presented her carrots first thing this morning.  By evening (after the mega nap) she resisted the carrots more stringently.  I caved and made her some oatmeal mixed with fruit and snuck a few bites of carrots in with that.

Up and down

Nothing wants to go in the mouth.  She doesn't even try with most foods, just straight over the side of the high chair.  That is, unless of course it is a cracker, cereal, or snack.  She'll stand there and tell me she's hungry and wants more and wail when I present her with something she doesn't want.  I know I have to stick to my guns.  I hated it, but she's gone to bed last night and tonight without a full stomach.  I'm thinking this weekend is going to need to be very focused.  Either you eat chunks or you don't eat.  I need to get her moving forward.

Tonight she spent time practicing on the stairs.  Under my watch she went up the first two stairs and back down, up and down, up and down. I'm trying to convince her that she needn't walk on the stairs trying to come down but instead scoot down on her butt of back down.

Since I previously heard she wasn't using her paci at daycare for naps I gave a brief try of putting her down without it tonight but was instantly met with a wiggly whiny child.  Fair enough - we'll wait a while on that one, especially since she is now happy to go straight into the crib after her prayers without cuddle time.  I know that as she gets a bit older there will be cuddling on the couch etc, but right now I'm missing those pre-bed cuddles, but I know it's important for her to be able to go down on her own.

Winter Storm Avery

The first winter storm rolled through last night and the weather channel dubbed it winter storm Avery!  True to form it seems pretty mild, especially here.  This morning it was all rain and only in the past hour has the deck shown a little bit of ice forming.  I guess the same cannot be said for Maryland and back in Johnstown.  Truly though, it's the middle of November and I've only noticed a flake or two flittering by so far.  That pleases me greatly.

I am obsolete.

Just out of curiosity, tonight I put Avery straight into her crib after getting her ready for bed, no cuddling in the rocking chair.  She didn't care - not a peep.  I think her sheepie has made me obsolete.

Lovey dovey

Avery has taken to cuddling with her sheepie in her crib.  I'm glad that I can put a blanket over her on colder nights now and offer her something that brings her comfort when she wakes.

It is pretty darn cute to walk in there and see her sitting up with her sheepie in her arms and a smile on her face.

The horsey says...

That 10th tooth seems to have finished popping through.  While Avery doesn't want me brushing her front teeth, which hints that it may still be tender, her rash has 99% subsided.

Early this week we met with our photographer for a milk and cookies photo session, so I have some photos ready for Christmas now.  They turned out pretty decent.  Once again she was crying as soon as we got there.  Fortunately, she seemed contented pretty fast after being handed a cookie.

Tonight we practiced animals and noises while putting our puzzle together.  I'm pretty sure she's understanding the horse and duck.  It sure sounds, and repeatedly at that, like she tries to say quack quack when I ask what the duck says and she whinnies back when I say horse and whinny at her.  I think I've reported previously that she can find her belly and belly button quite consistently.  This of course means you have to lift up your shirt you know.

Feeling better

Avery's rash has tamed back down again, thank goodness.  I have seeing that girl in pain.  Amusingly though she starts wiggling her little butt the second you go to use a wipey on her.  I am sure it is anticipation of pain, but absent that pain it is pretty amusing.

We went to the pediatrician on Monday, scheduled for the MMR vaccine, but were advised to wait a little longer between the variacella and MMR, so instead she got her flu shot.  I need to go get one myself.  We'll be back to the doctor a couple more times in the next month for the second flu shot (which they advise for little ones) and her MMR.  It could be a rough month if any of these make her feel less than well.

On a bright note, we were scheduled for another 30 minute photo shoot yesterday - a "milk and cookies" session.  Avery started crying right at the onset again, I don't know what it is about our photographer that makes her wig out a little.  This time it didn't last too long (I'm sure handing her that cookie helped) and I am pretty sure she got some cute photos of her.

Most definitely teething

A week and a half fighting diaper rash, this is definitely the longest struggle we've had thus far.  This time we're seeing distinct wound spots.  I firmly blame the desitin at this point for amplifying things when we first noticed the rash starting - the rest of it is headed to the garbage.  I seem to get things tamed down and then she has a day with 5 or 6 poops, which makes it pretty hard to not flare it back up.

We can now see her first upper lateral incisor trying to push through and her molars on the bottom are still in progress.  Regardless, that incisor makes #10, we're half way home.

Avery's Halloween costume was a big hit at daycare and with neighborhood folks, many commenting it was the most creative they've seen in a while.  She sure made for one cute little Cabbage Patch Kid and she did look a good bit like Trixie in her red sweat suit and eyeliner freckles.  She did score her first candy from the neighbor which her Dad and I ate, but I did share a twix with her today and she really liked it - look out world.