I call shotgun!

I went to pick up Audrey this evening at daycare. I was greeted by Liam's mom, who informed me that she had just broken up Liam and Audrey, who were "sharing" a push toy they were pushing all over the room. There's two of these toys in the room, so they each could have used one, but instead they chose to share. Very cute. I think Liam has a thing for Audrey.

The director then greets me with the following:

Director: "Audrey, um, really needs to sit up front during our buggy rides."

Me: "Why does she need to?"

Director: "She insists. The whole, um, daycare, hears about it if she isn't allowed a front seat."

I see. So, I then ask her teacher about this:

Me: "I hear that Audrey calls shotgun before a buggy ride."

Teacher: "Yeah, she gets really upset if she isn't allowed up front. But, sometimes, it's a back seat she insists on. It just depends. We never know her preference until she, um, let's us know that was definitely NOT her preference. But, it's NEVER a middle seat. We all know Audrey does not want a middle seat."

Me: "Well, do any of the other babies do this?"

Teacher: (averts eyes) "Um, no. Just your daughter."

A spitfire. That's what we have on our hands. A spitfire.

And, we have clapping!

I've really enjoyed the fact that many of Audrey's "classmates" have been with her from the beginning. There's Liam, Hadley, Taylor, Sam, another Sam, Will, and Cooper. A few have since moved on to the toddler room, but Liam, Hadley, and Audrey are within days of each other in age. So, each morning on the way to daycare, I talk with Audrey about her getting to play with her friends, and then proceed to name them all (Eric can't believe that Audrey and I have this "other life"). Well, Liam has been clapping for a couple months, for as long as Audrey has been waving. I've been working with her on clapping, but I'd get nothing! Meanwhile, Liam always seemed to clap anytime I was around, just to show off...

So, this morning, Audrey got up, I got her changed, and we started down the stairs to see Eric making her bottle. As is typical, we ask that he turns down the lights since Audrey doesn't like lots of lights in the morning. She and I wait on the stairs for him to make sure it isn't too bright. He then says "Good Morning!", and she gives her typical first morning scowl. Then, she breaks into a smile for Eric and CLAPS! "Do it again, baby!", I ask. And, she CLAPS again! It's adorable because she doesn't make any noise when she does it. But, she's oh so proud.

When I picked her up this evening, there was a painting she had done that I was told I could take home. It was labelled, "Autumn Sunrise". I showed it to Audrey and told her it was the most lovely Autumn Sunrise I'd ever seen. She looked at me, looked back at her painting, and CLAPPED. So stinkin' cute.

I told her teacher she had just started clapping this morning. Her teacher said that she was vehemently clapping while they were playing the song, "Wheels on the Bus". Tonight, Eric sang it to her, and she started clapping. She also clapped when she saw I had finally hung up our family handprints we had painted a while ago. Ok, that's rubbing it in since I know I've been slow to hang up pictures since we've moved...

So, take that Liam the Clapper!

Top Ten at Ten

Double digits today. Sigh. These pictures used to be so easy to get...

I stayed home sick from work today, and the house seemed so empty. So quiet. Too quiet. It's hard to remember what things were like before Audrey. Quiet, I suppose, but oh so boring!

~Top Ten Things To Love About You at 10 Months~

1. How much you continue to love my version of Barbara Ann. This is the one thing that I can do, no matter how upset you are about something, that instantly calms you. It is a favorite on our car rides.

2. How your wave always stops me from what I am doing, to wave back. It's irresistable.

3. How you've managed to cut two bottom teeth and two incisors, BEFORE ANY FRONT TEETH! A true Hoosier, I'm afraid.

4. How excited you are to see me when I pick you up at daycare. I am not allowed to do anything but scoop you up - first - and then gather up all your belongings with one hand, you in my other arm.

5. How you "run" to whatever your target is when you realize we are coming to redirect you as we've just told you "no".

6. How much you love "big orange cup" in the bath. I use this to rinse her hair. When I tip her head back, I must tickle her chin because she starts to giggle every time. Then, she holds her breath and waits...waits...for the water to pour over her. Still holding her breath, she looks to me for my reaction. As much I hate water in my face, I reassure her that this was fun, and she gives a big grin.

7. How you SHOVEL (with your LEFT hand!) your various meals into your mouth. Such a fool I was to ever try to feed you from a spoon.

8. How you love dancing with me to some Harry Connick on our days at home. You especially love the "dips" and "twirls".

9. How you love to watch for daddy from the front window. I know he's home when I hear you giggling at something he's doing thru the window!

10. How you decided to say "mama" and "dada" at the same time this past weekend. So impartial!

The Tongue!

We had family pictures taken last evening. We went to the Museum of Art and had pictures taken on the grounds with lots of trees, flowers, and foot bridges. It was a lot of fun, and these were the first family pictures we've had taken. We all dressed up, even color coordinated, and prepared to smile for the camera.

Soooooo....

Audrey decided to stick out her tongue every time a picture was taken! Eric called it correctly, that she was getting another tooth (actually, she's still trying to get a front tooth thru!), but, seriously! I couldn't stop laughing at what she was doing so I can't wait to see the proofs! The photographer sent a few to us after the session and it seems she did manage to get a few without the tongue out...but boy did she have to work for those!

Of course, I can't judge - there is that infamous "puss" face family picture that still manages to surface way too often...

First Cool Autumn

I always try to give Audrey a preview of what to expect of her day on our drive to daycare/work. This morning, I was telling her about how it is supposed to *finally* feel like Fall beginning today. I was telling her about all the changes that happen in Fall, including the leaves changing color and then falling off the trees, and the temperatures becoming nice and cool. When I told her this would be her first Fall since last year she wasn't here yet, I told her that her last Fall must have felt like the Fall we would have in Houston. She giggled. I said it again. She giggled.

How does she time these things so well??

Audrey and I had such a good day today. We played, we cooked, we read, we snoozed, we sat outside, we went to the grocery store, we took pictures of her in her Halloween costume, she gobbled down anything I put in front of her for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nothing exciting but she is such a good baby that I enjoy my day at home with her so much more every week. Now, mind you, she did manage to make a mud puddle with the dirt Fris tracked inside together with water from Fris' water bowl that she played around in. She managed to get her wooden spoon stuck in the register. And, she managed to pull out more of Fris' fur (Fris lets her!). Of course, she also managed to pull out more orangutan fur from her animal book. She is obsessed with this! If she spots the book, she'll crawl over, immediately turn to the orangutan page, and start pulling out his fur. Even Grandma Smith couldn't keep her from doing this in church, orangutan fur floating through the air. I've told Eric that Audrey isn't allowed near orangutans anytime soon.

Some of Audrey's favorite things of late: reading with daddy, soft pillows, watching for daddy, her new sunglasses (thanks, Aunt Christy!), and of course, Fris!

Busy Day

Yesterday, Audrey learned how to do the following:

1) Close the car door, on me.
2) Stand alone (albeit briefly and with arms flailing!)
3) Get 1 knee up on the couch to try to sit up high like mom and dad, and sometimes Fris!)
4) Use the top of her shape sorter as a bat to hit a ball.
5) Cut two teeth (thankfully, one is a top front one!)

Let's see, yesterday I learned, well, to just sit back in awe at Audrey's emergence from baby to toddler. :(

Go......

ahem, Cubs! I had to do this. I had rules in place - she wasn't allowed in public, only wore it for a few minutes, etc. - but I felt this had to be done for her dad. I put a red bow in her hair to make me feel better that she really does bleed Cardinal red, not Cubs blue. For some reason, Fris insisted on being in the picture. Stood right in front of the camera. Then Audrey tried to run away from the camera. Then Eric was covering up her Cubs shirt but it was the only way to keep her from running away. "Three ring circus," I hear Eric mumble under his breath.

Of course, it's best that Audrey is in bed for these games. The minute Eric sits down to watch the game (Cubs ahead 2-0), they fall apart. When he looked away from the screen, they threw strikes. But, the minute he looked back to the game, the Dodgers hit a grand slam. What's that about a goat?