All dressed up for Champaign, IL

Early Artwork

Choo Choo Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms3eBRmF57U

Avery absolutely LOVES this video. He has made the connection that there is a "choo choo" design on his blanket, a choo choo in his Thomas the Tank Engine book, and a choo choo design on his cup and plate set.

Avery meets the squirt bottle

Toddler hobbies

Each week there seems to be some new fascination with our little boy. Lately, he loves to take off his pants, socks and shoes and sprint around the house laughing like he has done something naughty. Sometimes he has trouble with his velcro shoes and only manages to get one off. In the midst of wearing nothing but a shirt and a diaper, he will request that we help put his backpack on....just before he dashes off again.

If he wants us to play with him, Avery will grab our finger and pull us in the direction he desires. Most often, it's the bathroom or "ahrooom" where he plays with his toothbrush in the sink or a rubber duck while standing on his stepstool. Or, he leads us to the bedroom to read and put a diaper on his stuffed bear or to the kitchen for some "crah crah" (cracker). Sometimes he drags us to the TV and points to his "Elmo's Potty Time" video.

Nonetheless, Avery is always sweet to want to share his new hobbies with his parents and any other soul who will watch him have fun.

Grandpa Alvin and Avery Antics

Grandpa Alvin came to visit last weekend. Why is it that when he leaves, Avery has learned something new that's ornery? This time, it's the word "yuck!" Thanks Grandpa! That really has made mealtime easier on us now -ha, ha. All kidding aside, it was a nice visit. Grandpa also taught Avery how to dip french fries in ketchup and then to suck off the ketchup before eating the fry, and how to ask for "cake" before dinner.

"Hiyee" and other Avery-isms

Here are some of the words we've been able to distinguish from Avery's vocabulary:
"doh" - door
"da" - whatever he doesn't know the word to
"oo" - spoon
"coh" - coat or something cold from the freezer
"kahk" - clock
"tsoo" - shoe
"sock" - sock
"baaah" - ball
"kaah" - car
"tch" - chair
"tckuk" - truck
"bok" - block
"tee" - TV
"cuh" - cup
"teez" - cheese
"boom" - broom
"hoo" - hoop
"tee" - teeth or toothbrush
"duck" - duck
"crah...crah" - cracker or food that he doesn't know the name to
"uh..ohh" - expression used when he has done something that he knows is not good
"tep tooool" - step stool
"yuck" - yuck (thanks for teaching him that one grandpa!)
"cake" - cake...usually with a smile
"cookie" - cookie
"coke" - coke - we have no idea where he learned this one too since we do not give him soda
"tuk" - stuck - we tell him that doors are stuck when we don't want to take him in a room
"doh" - draw
"tink" - sink
"wok" - rock
"ick" - stick
"fah" - frog
"aybee" - baby
"abuh" - apple or applesauce
"oh" - expression when he responds to things we say sometimes
"dada" - mom and dad
"maaaamaaaaa" - when he needs his mom to give him his milk or hold him after getting hurt
"siyee" - outside
"row, row" - row row row your boat gently down the stream, etc...
"duckaduckaduckaducka" - happy noise when he is content
"ehmoh" - Elmo
(soft, high pitched) "mow mow" - cat
(soft high pitched) "wuff wuff" - dog