That's right the big 1-0, we're in the double digit months now!! I know everyone thinks this is a count down until Avery turns a year old, but really it's not. Each month is so unique and fun, and I wouldn't skip one for anything in the world.
Ever since Avery started crawling it just seems like everything else has been following so soon after. Our little baby is definitely turning into a kid. Whether it's her awesome personality coming out or learning more each day and her motor skills just keep progressing.

The biggest accomplishment is that Avery took her first steps yesterday!!! I know it's a day past her 10 month birthday, but I had to wait to add it to the blog. We are so proud of her. We knew it was getting close because she would lunge from toy to furniture if she couldn't reach and was standing on her own and even standing up without the help of toys or furniture or us. I was hoping by this time she would be walking but I definitely didn't want to push it.
We had a mommy group pizza play date yesterday and before we started making the pizzas we were all hanging out in the living room and I was trying to see if Avery would try to walk and she did it!! Maybe she just needed an audience?!? I was so impressed but didn't want to push her so after everyone left I encouraged her to try again and she did it, then of course when Joel got home we had to show him too.
Today she walked without any encouragement, she was standing and decided she wanted a toy and just walked right over to it, slowly and carefully she did it all by herself. So, we now have a walker! She's also mastered the art of crawling on all fours and boy is she fast!

I'm not only proud of my baby for being uber mobile, but she's also developing quite the personality. I really don't know where she gets half the faces that she comes up with but she is very expressive. She loves to squint her eyes, pucker her lips, do tricks with her tongue, and just be silly in general. I crawl after her and growl and unlike most babies I've been around she crawls towards me, not away, and she has the cutest imitation growl too, very funny to watch. I would definitely describe Avery as a playful girl. She is definitely a ham, if I haven't mentioned that yet, she loves attention.

She has just started saying, "Hi" to me and Joel, she's also still saying "mo" for more. As for the baby sign language department, she's mastered two new words: "milk" and "eat." I'm now trying to teach her "done," "drink" and "change," so we'll see how that goes as well. She is picking things up so fast though. Not only can she communicate those words but she also comprehends "apple," "snack," "hair," "hat," "frog," "baby," and I know this one is weird but "headband." So it's amazing now to be able to talk to her and have her understand so much. It's very encouraging as a mom to know that your child is actually learning from you.

In the food department Avery is growing up too. We are still doing Stage 3 baby foods, but we're also doing some more toddler-ish snacks like animal cookies and baby goldfish crackers. Aves has just recently started table foods and loves cottage cheese, turkey sticks, and regular cheese too. She's also tried broccoli which she is getting used to the texture of.
Avery's first restaurant food was IHOP buttermilk pancakes. I tore them up very small and she loved them. No syrup yet though. As far as the sippy cup goes she is a pro. She used to be content and almost insistent that I hold the cup for her while she drank it, but she is all about doing it herself now and does a great job holding it up.

Her preferences for things are really becoming more prevalent now-a-days too. Avery likes making friends and kissing them....a lot. She is more interested in books and reading and wants a book at nap time. She loves opening cabinets and closing them, not really worried about what's inside yet though.
She loves playing with her house, especially with someone else to say "hello" and ring the doorbell. Some of her favorite toys have wheels, she loves pushing things and seeing them go. Avery absolutely adores pictures of people. She is always pointing to our pictures. I laminated a few pictures of Joel, Avery and I so she can look at them, chew them, whatever she wants, she carries them around too. It's very cute. She loves hugging her stuffed animals and says "awww." She treats them like her babies already.
Lastly, I don't think she does this because she likes it but rather just wants it to be done with, but she will help get dressed by pushing her arms through her shirt sleeves. I think she does this so she can use the hand to play with whatever I've given her to distract her.
Avery doesn't like getting her diaper changed, she'd rather crawl off and go play even with a naked bottom. She could care less if her diaper is wet so I continue to wrestle with her when it comes to diapering. At least it's a good workout for me.

Avery also celebrated her first St. Patrick's Day, because I am part Irish I thought it would be fun. We went to a friends play date, all wore green and were served corned beef and cabbage. It was a little crazy as there were a lot of family but very fun and good to get out and socialize.

I'm in the midst of planning her first birthday party, which I know will be here way too soon, but for now we are enjoying our 10 month-old baby.