27 Month Update

Here is what's happening in month 27:

• This has been the month of "The Rescuers" and "Finding Nemo" - Avery calls Hung "Marlin" and she is "Nemo". When he picks her up from school she runs over yelling "Hi Marlin". Lots of fantasyland-imagination going on with Disney movies!
• I realized that I say "How does that sound?" a lot because Avery is always suggesting something (like a treat) and then saying "How does that sound?". It's SO cute that it's hard to say no.
• It's so fun reading stories before bed because I am realizing that Avery has a lot of them memorized and can finish the sentences for me. 
• Avery has some new awesome dance moves - Really gets into it!
• She oddly loves to eat frozen pancakes for breakfast. They are fully cooked so we assume it's OK but super strange.
• Avery will hold your face and say "Look at my face and listen to my words".
• She is learning about Santa and starting to get excited for Christmas. Avery says she is going to ask Santa for M&M's, a triangle and 2 kangaroos. So random! She is also worried that Santa might be getting sick so she is going to leave him soup along with Cookies and Milk to help him feel better. 
• They've been talking about "matching" at school - Avery is consistently pointing out things that match. She loves to show us matching colors and shapes and animals..."See, they MATCH!".
• Potty Training is great - Pretty much no accidents and just in pull-ups for Nap and Bedtime.
• Avery wears a 3T or 4T and an 8 or 9 shoe
• Her favorite toys are stuffed animals - There are too many favorites to count and they all have names.
• The other day she grabbed my laptop, opened it and said "I need to check my e-mail." 
•  Avery loves pockets - walks around with her hands in her coat pockets and is always excited when her clothes have them.
• Her favorite song right now is "Royals" by Lordes. She always finishes the second "Royals" or "Rulers" for you.
• When she gets in her mad, terrible two mode she yells "This is NOT good for me!"
• When she walks in a room she'll usually say "What are you guys doing?" or "What's everyone talking about?"
• She has so many different pretend characters that she likes to play that sometimes she forgets and will say "What's my name?" or "Who am I?" and we have to remind her if she's Copper, or Nemo, or Penny, or etc. etc. 
• She loves Minnie's Pat Salon and likes to set up her own "salon" in our dining room. It's an odd salon - It consists of taking her Piano, putting lots of small, random toys behind it, taping some bows to the wall and then playing a toy recorder. She has to "set up" and then once she is good to go, the music starts.
• At school the teachers does "lessons" with each student individually so Avery now comes home and gives us "lessons". Lessons are one of Hung's favorite Avery things right now. 

Avery was a little too into her movie to take time out for photos....

 

A Weekend with Jeff and Aunt Maddie

Aunt Maddie and her boyfriend Jeff came to visit us this past weekend. Avery was so excited all week and could not stop asking when they were coming. She wanted to go to the museum with them and ride the ponies on the carousel!

On Friday we went out to dinner and then snuggled in and watched Disney movies - which both Avery and Aunt Maddie love! On Saturday we went to the Children's Museum. Maddie and Jeff took Avery on the Carousel and Avery was her usual stoic self on the ride although if you ask her she says she's having a great time despite her serious face. We also spent time in the music room and the water area. Saturday afternoon and evening was spent watching football and playing around the house (and Avery put Aunt Maddie down for a nap).

On Sunday, Maddie and Jeff took Avery for a walk outside before the storms hit. She wore her Pajamas and Dora Back Pack and showed them around the neighborhood. We were sad to see them go but had such a fun visit. Avery was upset when she woke up from her nap and Aunt Maddie and Jeff were gone. At least we can look forward to seeing them again this weekend!

 

Happy Halloween 2013!

Halloween was delayed 1 day this year in Indianapolis due to storms (which were not THAT bad - this kind of stuff does not happen in Detroit!). Avery had been asking me every morning if it was Halloween and when it finally was time to Trick or Treat, she was not that excited. We got ready and took some pics (had to get the annual pic of Avery with G as a Ladybug) and then headed out. Our first stop was our next door neighbors who Avery adores - Mia posed with Avery who would NOT stand still. Hung and I took her to a few houses, then my mom and I headed out with her for a bit. She got upset at one house because there was a little girl dressed as Tinkerbell and she wanted that costume. She wouldn't take the candy and kept whimpering "I want that. I want that costume." She was more interested in playing in neighbor's yards and asking questions than getting candy. We went home for a bit and then she ventured back out with Uncle Cullen who had the most luck. They disappeared for quite a while and came back happy with a decent amount of houses visited. She got a sucker and became obsessed with eating it right then and there and that was the breaking point....She was done. But a decent outing for being only 2. Thanks to Uncle Cullen for making the Trick or Treating experience a good one. Happy Halloween!

Princess and the Ladybug

Avery and Mia

Heading up the house where Tinkerbell lived - a breakdown followed shortly after

A little dancing between houses

Returning home with Uncle Cullen

26 Month Update

Here are some cute new and fun things in Month 26:

•  When she wakes up in the morning we hear her yelling "HELP ME! HELP ME! There are snakes and monsters in my bed". She's not actually scared but just has the biggest imagination. And her newest thing is screaming that she "Has to poop!" when she wakes up - She has figured out that this one gets me moving quickly to her room. It has only been true a couple times....Hoping to end this game soon :)
• The word of the day is "why" - And the girl loves to ask questions. We'll be reading a book and she'll look at a page and say "What's that on the floor", "Who put it there?", "Why", "Why is it there". It can take forever to get through a book since every page brings about tons of questions. I love it!
• When she wakes up and it's dark out, she asks "Is it today?". If I tell her "no, we have to sleep more" she cries and says "Oh Man!". And gets really excited if it IS "today"!!
• She loves pancakes with honey for breakfast. Part of the ritual is she has to feel the frozen pancake, pretend to eat it, smile/giggle and then give it back to us to cook. 
• Potty Training is going great!! She has some minor accidents here and there (mostly on the playground at school) but tells us when she needs to go and is only wearing diapers at naps and bedtime. 
• Her language continues to amaze us. She asked to watch Yo Gabba Gabba the other day and said "I haven't watched Gabba in a long time". The way she puts words together is so fun to see.
• She likes to say "but not today" - We'll say, it's almost Halloween and she'll go "But not today". Always trying to figure out when things are happening.
• Avery is loving Halloween this year! Likes to ask everyone what they are going to be and look at all the decorations in the neighborhood. The other night I was trying to get her to sleep - and it was taking forever. She finally put her head on my shoulder and we were rocking and singing and I thought she was getting sleepy. Then she pops her head up and exclaims "HAPPY HALLOWEEN! What are you gonna be for Halloween?" 
• Avery really loves her animals - They go between the crib, car, family room, etc. all day. Most of them have names, her favorites change daily and she asks all the time where they are if she can't find them. She even has one at school that she names "CoCo" - her teacher says she carries it around all day and gets sad if other kids want to play with it.
• We hear a lot "I will do it BY MYSELF!"
• She is getting into Movies - Especially Disney ones with animals like Aristocats. She loves to watch that one and then pretend she is a lost kitty looking for her Mom and Dad.
• Avery also loves to play with her dollhouse and castle - she's a little bossy with HOW to play with them. Lots of "rules" on where the dolls can go, where the furniture goes, who can move them, etc. 
• She likes to say "Yummy in my tummy" and if she is excited about something "I'm gonna EAT it and put it in my mouth!". The other night I asked if her tummy hurt and she said "No, my tummy is good. It's filled with treats" (so much sugar during Halloween!). 
• Avery is very good with manners - Great at "Thank You" and "No Thanks" and saying "Bless You" when you sneeze (and bringing you a Kleenex) and "Excuse Me" or "Excuse You" if you burp (comes out like "cuse me"). "Please" happens sometimes but we are working on it! 
• When you ask Avery what her last name is, she says "Come Trieu". We have no idea where that came from. 
• She is enjoying playing in the basement - we play down there all the time now. A few pretend games she loves to play downstairs - "Fake Trick Or Treating" "Fake Going to School" and "Fake Monster in the tent". I am excited for us to have a finished basement for her to play in soon!
• Another thing I love is when she says "FOR MEEEEEE?" - Get so excited when something is for her.
• I could go on and on...wish I could capture every cute thing she says. She sure makes us laugh everyday!! 

A couple quickly snapped photos before school....