We can hardly believe...

...our sweet baby girl is 6 months old!!!

Seems like just yesterday we were leaving the hospital with our Ava Joy!
These past 6 months have flown by.  We have a lot of new changes going on
in the Vetter household! Mommy went back to work on October 1. Daddy is a full
time Mr. Mom, and doing a wonderful job! Ava is getting bigger and
bigger every day.  Here are a few of her new tricks and things she loves:

~ giving a high-five
~ sitting by herself
~ standing up and holding on to the side of the couch or coffee table
~ army crawling, she is getting up on all fours, she can move her legs but hasn't quite figured out her arms
~ singing: This little light of mine, I've got the Joy, Wheels on the bus
~ putting her arms up in the air for someone to hold her
~ jewelry
~ Dada's iPhone
~ real bananas
~ grabbing at faces
~ "touch & feel" storybooks

Things Ava's not crazy about:
~ diaper changes, she's too busy to stay still for 1 minute
~ being in her car seat, this was carried over from last month
~ shots
~ teething



Ava's 6 month stats:
Weight: 20 lbs. 7 oz., >97 percentile
Length: 27.2 inches, 93 percentile
Head:; 43.6 cm, 80 percentile

At Ava's 6 month checkup, the doctor told us to continue doing what we were
doing.  He said that Ava is perfect and she is exactly how every baby
should be!!  We are so blessed to have a healthy and active baby!!

1st trip to the park!

Riding in Big Pop's Jeep

Ava had many first's on Saturday...a Jeep ride, swings, and a ride down the slide.  It was beautiful outside so we decided to take her to the park. Aunt Ninny was driving Big Pop and Nono's new Jeep so we all went to the park in it.  Ava enjoyed being able to see everything, compared to being in Mommy's work car where she is only staring at the back seat. She didn't even seem to mind the wind in her face.  Here's a video of her first ride!

 

Another first were the swings.  The second we got Ava into the swing, she couldn't stop smiling!!

Lastly, Mommy took Aviator down the slide.  She wasn't too sure about this since it was fully enclosed.  The first time down she was okay, the second time was another story!

Had to throw in these sweet shots of Ava and her Daddy! She LOVES him!!!

My new pal, Sophie!

Ava is teething so Grandma Betty bought her Sophie the Giraffe. Ava instantly fell in love with her!! She goes everywhere with us!  Here are a few pics of the new BFF's.

Thank you Grandma Betty for my Sophie!! She makes my mouth feel all better!! I love you!! Ava

The TWENTY pounder!!!

Dear sweet Ava Joy,

It's hard to believe that you are 5 months old today. It seems like just yesterday Daddy and I were on the way to the hospital excited to meet you and imagining what you would look like.  Would you have Daddy's brown eyes, would you have hair, would you be a big baby.  Really, we didn't care about any of those things, we knew you would be perfect just the way God made you.  When you came into our lives that Saturday afternoon, the amount of love we felt for you was indescribable.  You were so beautiful and such a blessing from God.  As Mommy types this all teary eyed, you are in your Johnny Jumper, talking and happy as you have figured out how to jump. You have grown and changed so much and we can't believe how big you are.  Mommy always says she doesn't want you to be big, but it is so fun watching you grow and learn.  We love you Ava Joy and are so thankful and proud to be your Mommy and Daddy.

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

LOVES or things Ava can do at 5 Months:

• You love to eat prunes, peas, and pears (Mommy let you nibble on her pear and you would whine when I would take it away)
• Sitting in a big girl high chair at restaurants or in a shopping cart
• Sit up 
• Army crawl across the living room floor
• Lola and anything that she is doing, you giggle so hard at her
• Grabbing at people's faces, especially if they wear glasses 
• Exersaucer is still a favorite
• Jumping in her Johnny Jumper
• Reading a Bible story before bed
• Singing and dancing around the house with Aunt Ninny and/or Mommy

DISLIKES:

• You have developed a personality and have learned to throw a fit when you don't like what's going on.
•  Being in your car seat, you arch your back once we unbuckle you cause you are ready to be free
• People who get too close to your face or make loud noises in your face

Tulsa Zoo = NO ANIMALS!!

Last week, we took Ava on her first trip to the zoo. It was very hot in Tulsa, in the triple digits!!! We were very disappointed in the lack of animals...no giraffes, monkeys, lions, penguins, or seals. The animal highlight that could also be a lowlight would be Sneezy, the male elephant, and his club foot!! Feel free to ask us about it, or better yet, ask to see the video!!  We did have a wonderful time hanging out with Big Pop and Nono!  Here are a few of our favorite pics:

Big Pop and his baby!

Nono, Daddy, & Mommy managed to sneak in.

The HAPPY Family

Big Pop, Nono, & Ava Joy

The Nuge!!

Mommy & Ava

All in all, a sucessful trip to the Tulsa Zoo!! We didn't need animals to have a wonderful time, just family! Thank you to Big Pop and Nono for spending the day with us!  We LOVE you!!

 

First cereal...I don't want her to be BIG!!

Today was Ava's 4 month checkup. Dr. R walked into the room and she was standing in Daddy's lap with nothing but a diaper on, his exact words were, "well, aren't you fat and happy!" Ava got her shots and was weighed and measured.  Daddy had to hold Ava cause it is too hard for Mommy to see her baby get poked.




Here are her 4 month stats: 
Wt: 17 lbs 4 oz >97 percentile
Ht: 25.2 inches 83 percentile
Head: 42 cm 77 percentile

Her pediatrician also mentioned that she is ready for her first solids. So, tonight we started her on rice cereal.  Before her first bite, Mommy was already in tears, as she doesn't "want her to be big."  See the video below:

Our big 4 month old!!

It's hard to believe that our lil' pride and JOY is 4 months old. A couple of nights ago, Aunt Lindi and I took some pics of sweet Ava in her tutu.  She definitely loves the camera!  Tomorrow is her 4 month checkup with shots and all.  I'll post her 4 month stats tomorrow.

Here are a few of Ava's likes and dislikes:

Likes:

* exersaucer

* putting EVERYTHING in her mouth

* singing; favorites are "If you're happy and you know it..." and "On top of spaghetti"

* tummy time mat

* finding a tv in whatever room she is in

* taking pictures

* her lovies

* shopping

* talking/screaming with delight

* standing like a big girl

Dislikes:

* her binky

* long car rides 

* people that talk too loudly in her face

* getting her nose sucked out

* teething