9 Months Old and Full of Fun

Averie you are 9 months old already! I haven't been doing a good job keeping up with things so let me update you on what's been going on. For Thanksgiving we had the whole family over here to eat and hang out with you. You wore your "Little Turkey" pajamas and sat in your exersaucer while we ate and then we played on the floor of your room with Nana and Aunt Katie while the boys watched football. Instead of hitting the Black Friday sales the next day, we went with Daddy to get your first Christmas tree! I had big plans of taking you into the woods and getting a chainsaw to cut one down but we ended up just going to the tree lot in Mills River that our church sponsors and picking out a tree from there. We decorated all weekend and really got into the Christmas spirit.
The past couple of weeks we have been hanging out around the house and going on lunch dates. You are always so good and patient and love entertaining everyone around you. You had your first Christmas photo shoot and later that week Nana and I took you to the Grove Park Inn to see the gingerbread houses. Nana and I used to do that every year when I was younger so it was nice to start the tradition up again and include you. Everyone LOVED you at the Grove Park Inn and I thought these two ladies we met on the elevator were going to take you home. You already have such a wonderful sense of humor and love to laugh and smile. While we were in line to see the gingerbread houses the people in front of us stopped and held up the line and you politely reached out and rubbed the woman's back to remind her to keep moving. I wasn't sure what was going to happen when she turned around but all she did was smile at you and move along. Yay Averie - you have great timing! You are a mess.
You had your first encounter with Santa this month. As you can see from the picture, you aren't really such a big fan. The very second I set you down in his lap, you let out an ear-piercing scream and screamed until we got you off. All your daddy and I could do was laugh at your sheer terror (do we win parents of the year or what??) and then take you to your very first Build-A-Bear. We built you a bunny that Daddy named Bella who giggles when you press her foot. You held on for dear life to her until we got out of the mall, you must have been terrified that big bearded man was going to show up again.
Your new favorite things to do are crawl, sit up, roll around, and clap. I laid you down for a nap a couple weeks ago and when you got quiet I went to check on you to make sure you were asleep. However, instead of sleeping you figured out how to sit up in your crib and were happily playing with the flowers on your mobile. That led to an interesting afternoon of me trying to figure out how to lower your crib. Now you crawl all around your crib and when I go get you in the mornings you are sitting up with your legs sticking out between the slats looking like you are in baby jail.
You had your first overnight stay at Nana and Granddaddy's this week while your daddy and I went to his work Christmas party. I only called 3 times and I think Nana and Granddaddy were having more fun that you. Nana said at bedtime you fussed for 30 seconds then settled down and slept for your normal 12 hours straight. I am so thankful that you are such an accommodating and flexible baby. I missed you so much and was so excited to see you the next morning! Last week brought your first big snow and you enjoyed watching it out the window. Daddy was home with us for an extra day and we all snuggled in to hang out and play with you during our unexpected break.
Christmas is on Friday and I am looking so forward to the memories we are going to make. You are the best present I could ever ask for and everyday is a gift with you. We are hosting a Christmas cookie party tomorrow with all our friends (big and little) and I know we will have a great time. I can't wait to tell you next week all about your first Christmas.
Love,
Mama