Avi is 8 MONTHS OLD!

Aviela is such a happy kid.  Do I start all of her posts this way?  She really is happy almost all of the time.

Avi still does not crawl.  She has learned to do a few things while seated.  She can now turn around so she can pick which direction she is seated.  And last night, while watching tv with Zuri, she leaned and scooted about 4 feet to get to the books in Zuri's room.  She definitely has interest in crawling because she definitely wants to get her hands on everything!  It might be quite difficult when she does crawl!

We spend a lot of time in this position...one leg back and on one knee reaching for toys that Zuri has strewn around the room.

Avi's eating has gotten a little bit better.  She generally likes to eat food like cheese, cereal, crackers, blueberries and even some veggies.  Depending on the day her bottles are sometimes easier to give her too.  She is definitely growing and putting on some weight, noted by her chubby face.  But she is still a lean machine.

We saw a picture of me when I was a kid and we definitely look alike, even down to the lack of hair at that age (Sorry Avi!).  The only difference is that I have blue eyes and she has brown.  I need to get that picture and post a comparison.

Avi stats:
Height:  28 inches tall ~ 84%
Weight: 16 lbs and 5oz ~ 29%

Since her 6 month doctors appointment she has grown 1.5 inches and almost 2 lbs.  And went up on the percentiles from about 80% on height to 84% and 20% on weight to 29%.  So, it looks like she is growing well.  She won't have another doctors appointment until her 1 year check (Oh my goodness one year!!!), so I won't know her size again for 4 months.

She currently wears:
Size 9 month clothing
Size 3 shoes
Size 3 diapers


Likes:
Getting her hands on everything
Sister tickling her
Sister copying what she is saying
Walks
Stella
Bath
Being thrown in the air
Toys in general
Singing to her

Dislikes:
Falling down and not being able to get back up
Not being able to get things she wants
Not being able to crawl


Zuri and Avi definitely have fun together right now.  Zuri will always ask for Avi to sit by her, or tell me that Avi wants to read books with her.  Zuri will even sit there and read Avi books.  She likes to give Avi hugs but she also likes to "bonk" Avi on the head for no reason.  Luckily, Avi is pretty forgiving right now.  Zuri loves bath time with Avi and likes to hide behind Avi and yell "THE CROCODILE IS COMING!!!!"  I keep telling her she should protect her sister from the crocodile, but so far she is quick to feed her to the croc.  

But Zuri also likes to give her "huggies!"

Zuri's 1st Haircut!

Zuri got her haircut right before her 3rd Birthday.  Her hair was getting very long, it was nearing her low back when it was wet.

We just got the ends trimmed as her hair was super long and layered a bit to help give it more curl.  She did a great job!

Zuri is 3!!!!!

Zurianna turned the big THREE!  After Christmas I told her that her birthday was next.  So, she would keep saying "Christmas is over, what is next??  MY BIRTHDAY!"  Followed by her saying that she wanted a PARTY where she could wear a birthday hat and balloons and blow out candles like this and she would pretend to blow them out. Zuri told me that she wanted a superhero birthday and that she wanted a superhero cake.  She would tell me that she is going to be 3 (while holding up a different amount of fingers).  It is definitely interesting how she had her own visions of what she wanted for her birthday.  So, of course we tried to do some or most of what she asked.

She wore the Superhero dress I bought her for Christmas for her birthday.  Pedro picked up balloons and birthday hats on his way home from work.  She was very excited.

Our morning started with going out to breakfast.  She wore her birthday hat to the restaurant.

  Then  she got to choose her breakfast and then when they brought it out they had a candle on it so we sang to her and she blew it out!  She was so excited!

She had told me that she wanted Anna for her birthday because Avi gave her Elsa for Christmas.  So, Avi gave her a present at the restaurant and it was ANNA!  She screamed and yelled!  I gave her a card that sang "Let it go" and she was even more excited.

After breakfast we headed downtown to the stock show parade.  We got to see some of her favorite animals--horses and cows.  She was very happy.

After the stock show parade we went home for a short nap.  After nap time I surprised her with a horse barn and a horse!  She was so excited especially after seeing the horses earlier in the day.  Then we went to Chuck E Cheese, where she played the night away with Grey and Ashby.  Nana and papa came too.

She is happy here...not a great picture!

And another round of happy birthday and blowing out candles....

On Saturday (two days later) we had another family party where Kurt and Dena's family came, Kory and Karen's, Nana and Papa and Linzy and Chyler.  We went to Torres because Zuri asked for mexican food (she said she wanted chips or mexican every time I asked her).  She had more fun there and some fun gifts.  Along with another singing of happy birthday and more candles.

She then proceeded to wipe off the whip cream and eat it...!

She had a great birthday!

Zuri's 3 year stats!

Height: 40 inches tall 97% (They say she will be somewhere between 5'8 and 5'11).
Weight: 36lbs 90%  (Think she has weighed this or more for months)


She was such a good girl at her doctors appointment!  No crying and she fully cooperated, although there were no shots involved!

Christmas 2015!

Our first Christmas with our family of four and our first Christmas where Zuri really understood that there might (after many threats of no presents) be presents for her.  We started the month with a visit from "Jack", Santa's Elf.  Zuri enjoyed looking for Jack every morning.  She would frequently tell me that she wasn't allowed to touch Jack, only mama could.  During many tantrums I would tell her Jack was watching, but it really never worked.  However, one day after a tantrum and an eventual time out I heard her go downstairs and tell Jack she was sorry.  But Jack was still unsure what to tell Santa about any presents. Zuri kept telling me Santa was going to bring her "Two Trucks and Candy!"  Not sure what trucks she was hoping for so that was an interesting one.

Zuri also really wanted to make Gingerbread Men with me, so I had to make them one evening with her, she was so excited!!

Christmas Eve we went to Kurt and Dena's house for a family gathering.  Pedro had to work, but he did swing by for a few minutes, which was nice.  The kids had a lot of fun.

Christmas morning came and Zuri woke wanting to see what Santa had brought.  But as luck would have it Pedro got a late call for work and wasn't going to get home until about 8:30am.  Keeping the kids in the room was quite difficult!

Pedro got home and Santa had brought Zuri a few cars, candy and a table!

Then on to opening the presents, Zuri kept asking "WHO GOT THIS FOR ME??" and she still asks me all the time.  She was really excited for her presents which consisted of a train set, frozen clothing, elsa doll, a frozen bike and helmet and a superhero dress.  She loved the Elsa doll that Avi had bought her, she kept telling Avi "THANK YOU!!"

Avi enjoyed sitting there and playing with wrapping paper.  But she did get a few toys, one of which Zuri bought her and enjoyed playing with.  Zuri loved opening Avi's presents and she would get equally excited and say "Avi LOOK!!! It's for YOU!!"  

It was also a white Christmas and Zuri enjoyed playing in the snow.

We went to my parents house for dinner in the afternoon and while the kids napped Pedro and I saw a movie.  It was a nice holiday.