School Days!

It is that time of year again!  I love this time of year, but it is incredibly busy!  Both Amelia and Audrey are in a preschool program this fall:  

Amelia is in the Young Five's "Explorers" at New Beginnings Preschool at First Baptist Church.  This year, Conor Klas and Jackson Parker (two of her friends back from WPNS days) are in her class, as well as several kids of moms that I've meet through Junior League.

Amelia's annual first day of school picture on our front door (Vegas included):

Amelia in front of her school door - she is in Miss Kayla's class this year.  Note the excitement!  She should be- Amelia's teach is pretty awesome.  

Audrey is in the Friday Toddler Class at Woodside Parents Nursery School.  It is a co-op so I go with her during the entire class.  Her teacher is Miss Karen.  We have some old friends in the class as well which always makes it more fun!

Audrey was not amenable to a formal picture...

Here she is checking out the fish (insert fish sound here) at the water fountain

This is as close as I got to a formal first day photo

Super excited to get dirty!

Newfound love for play-doh!

Loves trucks!  Especially ones that rock!

On her second week of school, they had finger paint out for the toddlers.  Audrey was the only one interested in it enough to paint - she first painted the paper, then her hands, then her face... saying "pretty" as she spread it around her face.  Audrey cleared the table of the kids - I think they were scared of her and the parents were looking at me like i was crazy!  hey - they are supposed to do that stuff here!  not at home  :)

We have a swimmer!

After many weeks of swim practice, Amelia swam an entire lap across the pool!  I had tears in my eyes when I saw her reach the other end.  Coach Morgan asked her to rest before she turned to swim back but she wanted to go right away.  I am so incredibly proud of her!  What a huge milestone!

Miss Personality

Audrey's personality is hysterical.  From the noises she makes, her timing with facial expressions, the "jokes" she makes and the trouble she finds, Audrey is turning into quite a gal!  When she's frustrated, she makes a guttural sound "kkkuh" - unfortunately I can trace it back to a sound I made when she was wrangling herself away from my grasp.  We all think it is hilarious and this has only resulted in her doing it more and more...

Her silliness includes walking backwards -just because she can, putting her blanket over her head and yelling so that you'll play peek-a-boo with her, giving high-fives while saying "five", "cheers"-ing everything (even when she has food in her hand instead of a sippy cup), climbing on top of tables, chairs, and falling out of the cozy coupe.  She loves to pull the blooms off of all our growing plants in the backyard.  We try to tell her no, but she just looks straight in our eyes, and SNAPs it off!  sometimes she'll walk over and say "no, no, no" to the plants.

Audrey eats constantly, and more than ever wants to feed herself.  She makes me get the food (think egg, pasta, etc) onto a fork and then she wants to hold it herself and put it in her mouth.  this happens over and over again.  She is so proud to do it.  Audrey also likes to rub food all over her face and into her hair (see pic below of banana head).  We can hardly keep up.

Enjoying Easter Brunch

Not drinking the Coronita ( :) ) but rather enjoying the cool glass.

Look Ma!  I stacked the cups!

One of her favorite looks - the melissa and doug wooden tongs around her neck, while holding a wooden pretend shot in her mouth.  She thinks it is hysterical.

No hands!  Imagine this is accompanied by a flood of giggles.

Banana Head - yes, this is a hairstyle that incorporates a mashed banana.

WE LOVE YOU AND YOUR ANTICS BABY AUDREY!  XO

Milestones

Audrey is blossoming into her own little being as of late - so many new words, knowing exactly what she wants, and attempts to feed herself.  She is experimenting with using a spoon and fork.  Audrey absolutely thinks she can feed herself yogurt and oatmeal.  You can only imagine what that results in....

Haircuts take two...

Both girls were in need of another trim - I still find it amazing that Audrey has had the same number of haircuts as big sister Amelia.  Both were super excited and loved the toy "surprise" at the end.

14 Months!

Audrey, our sweet baby Audrey, you are now 14 months old.  I am not quite sure how, but time does get exponentially faster when you have children.  Maybe it is because life's so busy.

Audrey you bring so much joy to our family.  Within just the last month, you walk everywhere - you are so done with crawling.  This means you are higher up and now see that climbing can get you even higher... on top of the picnic table, into whatever bin happens to be out (toy bins, boxes, laundry baskets, you name it), on top of kids chairs, on top of ride on toys (on your knees!), crawling into your doll's pram and shopping cart and even your wagon. I love the look on your face when you're settled in - so accomplished and with such a clever smile.  We cannot leave you alone for a single minute.  You are so adventurous.  We catch you with your hands in the toilets, climbing on the treadmill, trying to escape the gates so you can get upstairs, sadly watching the sliding glass door close your path to the outside.

Within the  last few weeks, you've shared lots of "sounds" that are words - Uh-oh, Hyyye (Hi), lots of Dada, Buh-Bye, Weeee (a personal favorite), Nigh-Nigh, De-Das (Vegas), Buuh (Book), Mama, Nana (Banana and use this for milk and your blanket too).  You've started having temper tantrums that are just so darn cute, when you don't get your way and you know how to swat our hand away.

You've been busy making music, filling things up and dumping them out, trying to brush your hair, walking around with a toothbrush in your mouth for half the day (i know, that's dangerous!), taking off your socks, trying to get outside (even in the rain), drinking lots and lots of whole milk, splashing in the tub and playing the stand-up sit-down game, pulling out all the sippy cups from the drawer, and sneaking into Amelia's room to get the miniature dog bone out of her doll house.

Given that spring has sprung already, we spruced up the backyard.  You love the patio where we relocated the play house, the cozy coupe, the tricycle and your water table.  We find you climbing through the windows of the cozy coupe to get in and out - just like the dukes of hazard.  You love playing peek a boo in the windows of the playhouse and climbing on top of the picnic table.  We've had to install safety gates to keep you from getting into the tool area or down on the bricks.  On day two with the gates you climbed through the rose garden to get around our contraptions.  Fortunately you love swinging on the playset so we can guarantee your safety for a while.

Most lovely, is your relationship with Amelia.  You are two peas in a pod and I am so excited that you love one another so much.  It is so cute to see you ladies hide from one another, giggle together and hold hands in the car from your carseats.  What lucky girls you are to have such a special relationship.

It is a treat to see you delight in your world.  We love you baby Audrey.

And Away She Goes!

Audrey has been taking a few steps here and there, but mostly they seem accidental - until today!

[Please ignore mommy's squeals of delight in the video.]

She still prefers to crawl as her mode of transportation, but this is exciting nonetheless.

Watch out everyone!  We love you Audrey.