14 months

Just a quick update on my sweet Ava Sophia. 

On the 29th she will be 14 months and I am constantly amazed by all that she is learning. 

I'm positive it's just because I am her mom and I am completely and utterly biased...

...but sometimes it baffles me how smart she really is. 

She picks up on things so quickly now, I never know what she will learn next.

For example...she has a little video that teaches her baby sign language. 

I also teach her baby sign language and sign to her during the day...words like "drink" and "milk" and "up" - words that I think are relevant to her very complex life. :)

Well on the video, they briefly mention the word "potty" and show the sign for it.

I never in a million years thought to even try to reinforce the word "potty" because...well, she's nowhere near being potty trained. 

Anyway, the other day I was in the bathroom getting ready and she was pointing to everything in the room and I was telling her what everything was called.
She pointed to the toilet and I said, "potty."

And just like that she signed potty. Perfectly signed, like she had been doing it for months. 

Genius, I tell you. haha
See, I told you...biased. :)

These are the words she says on a regular basis: 

cracker (ca ca) (her favorite right now) 

shoes (shees) 

apple (appie)

mama

hi

bye

thank you (tay too)

more

uh oh 

wow 

cheese 

book (dook)

please (says very, very rarely)

These are the words she can sign: 

milk 

drink 

mama 

daddy 

up 

ball 

banana 

cracker 

fish

bath 

tree (thanks to our Christmas tree)

ball 

potty 

more 

grandpa 

cat 

baby

all done

Signs I'm trying to teach her next: Love (or I love you), sleep

Random things she knows/can do:

• Where her belly button is
• Where her head is
• Where her toes are
• How to use a fork (with limited abilities) :)
• Blow kisses
• Whenever she sees a letter of the alphabet, she says "seeee" because I have been showing her the letters A, B and C and I usually say "A, B, C" over and over. So she somehow now thinks all letters are "seee." One time, Bryson was putting Ava in the stroller and the stroller was parked behind the car as he was loading her up. She started pointing to the licence plate and saying "seee" referring to the letters on the licence plate. She also has a big letter "A" in her room and every time she sees it, she points to it and says, "seeee." At least she is recognizing that they are letters - it's a start. 

At this stage in her life, Ava is extremely active. She definitely keeps me busy. She is also very snuggly and loves to stop what she is doing to come lay on my lap or give me a big hug and kiss. She is my little sweetie peetie and I can't wait to share all her sweetness with all our family over the holidays (which can't come soon enough!!).

Love you soooooo much Ava bean bean! :)
Love,
Momma

And just because I have them (I know I take way too many pictures)...
here is some major pictures-of-Ava overload!

Just looking cute...

One of Ava's snuggly moments - she loves to cuddle with me.

This month Ava had a terrible stomach flu - it was horrible and SO sad. 

Ava eating her saltine crackers when her tummy felt a little bit better. 

Ava just hanging out with Mom on the couch.

Decorating her first Christmas tree (right before she ripped all the ornaments off the tree haha). 

Wrestling match ending in hugs and kisses.

Watching the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade.

She LOVES the Christmas tree!

Eating with a fork like a big girl.

Walking to BART to go Black Friday shopping in the city.

My little fashionista. :)

Puzzles at church.

Ava's absolute favorite toy (and probably her BFF). :)

She was such a trooper while we did some Black Friday shopping. 

Helping me make cookies.