Avery Rivers

Well, it was back to the doctor’s office today for the nine month checkup. Avery’s doing great. She’s 21 lbs., 7 oz. and stands 28 inches tall. This puts her in the 86th and 54th percentiles, respectively. Her head circumference is in the 50th percentile.

All her activity and motor skills are right where they should be. The doctor commented at how bright-eyed and alert she was. In the coming months we need to increase the solid food a bit and decrease the amount of formula she has – including the freebie bottle she gets in the middle of the night when she wakes up crying. Going forward, we need to let her cry it out and make her sleep through the night. Neither Mom or I were terribly upset to hear this. Avery’s sure to be another story.

Avery’s got a little residual fluid in her ears from a recent ear infection, but that will clear up soon. And, since she’s up on her shots and looking good, we shouldn’t be returning to the doctor until her first birthday in a few months. Can’t wait to see what we learn then.

The doctor was late for our appointment, so we had plenty of time for examination room exploration. I took some video of Avery crawling and a handful of photos once the exam started. She finally got her arms and shoulders to cooperate when she wants to go somewhere, so she’s a speed demon now. Mom, Dad, Kelsey, and the pets are all on high alert when Avery decides she’s taking off. The top item on this weekend’s agenda is childproofing the house.

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Heart beat? Check.

Exploring

On the move

Ear check

Abdomen exam

Staring contest. (Avery won)

When I work from home, it’s hard not to get distracted waiting for the end of the day. Sometime between 4:30 and 5:00, my office gets transformed into a playroom. Furniture is pushed back and laptops turned off. Toys are spilled all over the floor. If I play my cards right, the Red Sox game stays on the TV.

Everybody gets on the floor (well, just me, since the dogs and Avery are already there). We play, roll around, and laugh until about 6:30 when the pre-bedtime routine begins: veggies, bath, and bottle.

Avery’s quasi-crawling now. The back legs are on board, the arms and shoulders less so. She has no shortage of toys, but remote controls are her favorite thing, so she has one of her own. When you turn her loose, she heads straight for something dangerous or something fragile. She knows her name and I’m pretty sure she knows I’m saying ‘no’, but she laughs and goes for it anyway. It’s impossible to keep from smiling.

I took this photo today. Don’t let appearances fool you. Avery’s all smiles and crawling to Dad – but only because she sees his big, shiny camera. And she’s not taking ‘no’ for an answer.

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