Dear Frisbee,

I love you soooo much! I love peaking in to see you on mommy and daddy's bed in the morning when I wake up. I always get so excited when I hear your tags jingling as you head down the stairs to come see me. You are so fascinating to me - four legs, furry body, waggly tail. I blink, blink, blink, when I know you are near as your waggly tail always hits my face. I love to yell at you to get your attention while you are sunbathing outside. "Beeeeeeee!" I try to stand on my tiptoes to let you in and out the door as mommy and daddy don't always do it fast enough for your liking. Today I learned that you have a wet nose. At first, I thought you licked me as you brushed past, so I licked you back! I tried to eat your nose after I learned it was wet! I also started to build a tower on you today with my Legos. I later threw you my ball but you don't play catch very well. Mommy says you are so patient. I don't know what that means, but I love you.

Wet nose and all.

Love, Audrey

15 months!

This one makes me sad because it sounds so old! I don't know why but it does to me!

We had a fabulous weekend outside. Audrey was lucky enough to see both sets of grandparents over the past two weekends. She got to spend lots of time showing off her new toddling, and she got lots of hugs and kisses and books read to her, too!

Audrey loves playing outside so I think she'll love the upcoming months. We just need to be careful of this redhead's fair skin - we've already had to supply daycare with sunscreen...

She's been saying "Fri-bee" and "dog", and loves to pet her best friend (who also seems to genuinely enjoy this). She has started howling like Eric when she opens up her "Doggies" book (I'll need to get video of that one). She loves to help "stir", even got containers out when I was in the kitchen this morning and then said, "Stir!", pointing at her wooden spoon. She's such a little girl now, independent but cuddly all the same. She loves to back up onto my lap, just like we saw cousin Heather doing a few months ago. We were playing today, can't remember what we were doing, but she just came over and tackled me with a hug. She imitates so often, even wanting to wear her sunglasses on her head like mom! She laughs when we laugh, which makes us laugh even more.

We're planning a playdate with our beloved Liam...Liam's mom says there's no one like Audrey at his new daycare.

She's right - there is no one else like our Audrey.

Artwork

Audrey loves art time at school. I'm not surprised since she enjoys "coloring" at home and trying to glue things, too. I love to see what art she has created that day at school. I especially love to see ones that she has colored since she tends to jab the crayon onto the paper until part of the crayon is left behind. It's her signature coloring.

Admittedly, Eric and I have had several conversations trying to figure out, um, what she has drawn or created. I always try to guess when I get her artwork at school as to what it is that she has created. Eric picked Audrey up yesterday, and she came home with a paper with her signature coloring. I asked Eric what it is, and he said, "I don't know but she sure is proud of it." So, of course it has to go on the fridge!

I picked her up tonight, and I was so excited to see artwork in her cubby with the rest of her stuff. She was waiting to get her coat on when I pulled it out to look at it. I bent down to talk with her about it:

"Look baby, I love your pepperoni pizza!"

Teacher: "Um, it's a lady bug."

"Oh, I was so sure I had this one. Of course it's not a pizza - she's learning about insects this week!"

So, when Eric gets home, I decide to quiz him.

"Tell me what you think Audrey made today."

"Oh, you mean the watermelon picture on the counter?"

I'm still laughing about that one. I tell him he's wrong, to try again, and he guesses a flower. No, silly, it's obviously a ladybug! (We both agree that this is obvious once you know it!) So, the ladybug/pizza/watermelon/flower went on the fridge!

Poor Audrey. Some artists are never understood.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Last St. Patrick's Day was my first day back at work. Boo!

Audrey doesn't look a bit Irish, does she?

Audrey's a full-blown toddler now - walking all around, touring the deck out back, waving at all the bank tellers showing off her new walking skills. She just beams with pride while she's walking. Watch out world! I even loaded video below of her toddling! We're soooo excited!

Now, back to this corned beef stuff that Eric thinks I'm eating for dinner...

Tickle, Tickle

Audrey is into tickling others. She loves tickling our belly, back, feet. She doesn't really tickle, just touches and then waits for our reaction. She giggles and giggles. This afternoon, she got a glimmer in her eye that I've come to learn means she's heading to pester Fris. Fris was passed out in the sun. Innocent. Audrey heads for Fris' front feet. She touches them and sits back with a big grin. Fris could care less. Eric and I catch on and start laughing. So, Audrey starts giggling and does it again. Still no reaction from Fris. Hmmm...why is she not giggling? Oh, duh, I tickled her HANDS, not her FEET. So, she heads for Fris' back legs and touches her feet. Eric, Audrey, and I start laughing.

Fris sighs. Dummies.

Moooooove it!

Audrey was pretty restless, bored, tired, and hungry at church last evening. We were so close to church being over when she really started to get upset that we just braved it in the pew. Eric grabbed the bag with her toys and headed out to the car while Audrey and I went up to communion. Oh, finally, now we're going somewhere! Let's get out of here! Didn't you people realize I was ready to go? She immediately stopped complaining as we headed out of the pew and into the aisle. Moving along nicely. Until, we stopped. Audrey looks at me. Why did you stop? She looks to the guy in front of us, back to me. Confused. Let's get going.

So, she pushes the guy in front of us.

Not a light push either. As hard as she can push.

I'm shocked. Audrey!, I say sternly but quietly.

Ok, maybe the guy didn't feel it.

He did. Turns around. Audrey gives him a really serious face. Mooooove it!

I apologize. Can't stop laughing, quietly, of course.

We slither out of church.

We had to say an extra prayer before bed last night...

Monday fun!

I took Audrey to the doctor yesterday as she hasn't been feeling great, and Eric was concerned of another ear infection. Since she's always sick on Mondays (!), and her pediatrician doesn't work on Mondays, we saw one of her colleagues. I love this doctor as he's very laid back, calm, reasonable, knowledgeable, etc. (And, it doesn't hurt that he has told me to enter Audrey into a cute baby contest). She's fine, no ear infection, and the doctor couldn't get over how good she was during the exam. "She's such an awesome patient. She's not even crying!" I figure after seeing sick, crabby kids all day he probably really appreciates no crying, albeit momentarily. She didn't even need me during the exam. She sat on the table all by herself, intrigued by her new friend. She did sneak in some looks to me - just some minor reassurance to make sure her new friend wasn't doing anything mom disapproved of.

We also spent the day stirring cake batter, coloring a picture for daddy, eating crayons, and wearing a ponytail!

Praying

We've been including prayers as part of Audrey's bedtime routine since around the time of her 1st birthday. We ask God to bless every person in our family, naming each one, and including anything that person may be in special need of. We also include friends, teachers, animals, pretty much everyone and everything (I heard Eric the other night even blessing the President and Congress!). Up until about a week ago, I had Audrey lay her head on my shoulder while praying. The other night, she just wanted to say her prayers sitting on my lap so that's how we did it instead. When I told her 'let's say your prayers', she immediately folded her hands to pray! Now, who taught you that? Eric, of course!

When we went to church last evening, I told her when we were praying, and she would accordingly fold her hands. She was quite antsy by the end of it all but still did well. She was making eyes at the nice lady sitting next to us. During the Our Father, the lady held out her hands to pray. Audrey decided that the lady must want her book - why else would you hold your hands out like that? So, Audrey tries to hand her book to the lady. No, baby, she's just praying. (Folds her hands in response). Hmmm...she's still got her hands out though. She must really want my book. (Repeat). Thankfully the Our Father isn't too long, and it was over soon. The nice lady said how cute she is, tried to give her Peace, and Audrey wanted to high five in return.

We're thinking God has a good sense of humor.