Avery is 8 months old!

Avery turned 8 months old on Thursday (the same day her daddy had knee surgery, which is why this post is late). I feel like I say this same thing every month: I can't believe how time has flown and Avery is growing so much. But it's true every month! 

Avery is "crawling." I mean, she can get around now. It may not be too graceful but it works for her.

Avery can sometimes stand on her own...for a few seconds. She has taken one step by herself. I hesitate to call it her "first step" because she isn't yet walking on her own. 

Ever since she was 3 months old, all Avery had wanted to do is walk - she's so excited that it is finally so close to becoming reality! In other news: we are in deep, deep trouble.

Avery loves to eat! She will eat just about anything! 

She can pull herself up to standing - and loves it. The bars on our bed, her crib, the baby gate and the ottoman are her favorite standing places. 

I'm pretty sure Avery has started teething again. This time it's the top teeth. I can't see anything yet, but I just know that they are coming. We've been using Hyland's teething tablets again. 

Avery talks herself to sleep in the car almost every time. 

We have quite the little flirt on our hands! Over the weekend, she was flirting SO HARD at the store. Like, yelling at a guy and laughing and smiling so he would just look at her. 

Avery smiles at EVERYONE. She loves the word "cute," knows that it refers to herself, and promptly smiles in return or looks around, even craning her neck at times, to smile at whoever just said she was "so cute."

She's sassy - always yelling at us.

She also growls. It's kinda weird. Like, if someone that didn't know her and heard the amount of time during the day that she spends growling (either at others, to herself or at her toys), I'm pretty sure they would think she was raised by wild animals.

Avery can clap! She knows to clap she someone says, "patty cake," and "bake a cake." If you tell her to "bake a cake," she will clap. 

Avery still loves her carriers - we used the ergo for the first time this weekend and she loved it! She still loves the ktan wrap though, it must be more snuggly and comforting because she will nap in it and not in the ergo. The wrap is getting tough though because I'm pretty sure my neck and shoulders are not happy after carrying her a long time in it! She's getting so big!

Blues Clues is her favorite tv show...still. I think we've watched the same episode about 200 times now. Probably an exaggeration, but she does watch it at least one time per day so mommy can get stuff done around the house.

We are still bed sharing. Avery starts out in her crib and then we being her to our bed about halfway through the night. On the nights that Avery is in bed with us and actually sleeps all night, I love it. I still love it even if she doesn't sleep all night, but sometimes having a foot in my ribs or a finger up my nose is a little disturbing while trying to sleep ;) 

I am so in love with our little girl - I truly could not ask for a sweeter, happier, easier baby. I know we are so so lucky to have an easy baby so I try not to brag much about her. Also, I just want to point out that no matter how much I rave about not letting my baby cry it out or how bed sharing is awesome or how baby led weaning is great - it is NEVER to  make a statement about how our way of parenting is right, or better. Every child is different, every family is different. What works for one may not work for all or may not even be an option for some. I can't even say that we will be able to do the same things with our next child - each one is so different. 

Avery is developing so quickly now, it's like each day is a new adventure. I can't wait to see what's next!