Nu Nu

We started to say good-bye to Audrey's pacifier today. She said good-bye to it this morning, but of course an hour later, wanted to say hello to it again! I asked her the other day if we could give her nu-nu's to the babies at daycare, and she vehemently shook her head, no. I told her this morning that we are going to say good-bye and give it to the babies at daycare this week. Not sure how that will go. She was restricted to naptime and bedtime (despite efforts not to give it to her). We went for a walk this evening, and she usually has her Nuk then. When I didn't give her one, she repeatedly said, "Nu-Nu! Nu-Nu!" We tried to distract her by pointing out birds, trees, animals, etc., but she kept requesting her Nu-Nu. This changed after Fris did her, ahem, thing, and Eric put the bag in the bottom of the stroller until we got to the nearest trashcan. As soon as Eric put it under her in the stroller, Audrey starts to say, repeatedly:

"Uh-Oh!!!"

Tank you!

Eric brought back some Ghiradelli chocolate from California. I offered a piece to Audrey for dessert this evening, and her eyes lit up. She ended up requesting two more pieces of chocolate, and in between nibbles, would say, "Tank you! Tank you!" I think she may just like chocolate as much as her mother!

17 months!

Audrey's 17 month birthday started by her sleeping in with her daddy. We think teething is to blame for some night-time irritability, and when she wakes up earlier than usual, she usually ends up in bed with us (and the dog!). They looked so peaceful that I just let them sleep in. Eric was leaving for California today so I wanted her to have as much time with him before they started their days which would end in different places.

When I asked her this evening if she had fun at school, she said, "Yes!" This is interesting since she apparently got bit on the finger today by one of her "friends" (they never say who the offender is!). I told her teacher I'd rather Audrey not have friends like that! Audrey was apparently showing off her finger bite to all the others, but she had gotten over it by the time I arrived to pick her up. She is definitely enjoying her outside time and playing with her friends - she's got skinned up knees on her beautiful little 17 month-old legs!

Car Shopping + Toddler = F - U - N!!!

Audrey experienced another first this weekend - her first experience with car shopping. I was ill-prepared for Saturday's excursion since I thought we were heading out to buy patio furniture. A quick trip before swim lesson. We ended up at a car dealership though, so Audrey found her own ways to entertain herself. Running around the showroom. Laughing as I would chase after her. Squirming until she got down from my arms. Attempting to put cheerios into showcars' exhaust systems. Repeat. And again. And again. She changed it up by taking the salesman's hand and walking him all around his showroom. Next time, we'll have this one do the negotiating...

I had Audrey wave good-bye to my car. I was so sad to leave my ole' car, and Eric and I lamented about the memories. Bought in August 1998. Moved to Bloomington the next day. Moved me to Toledo 1 year later. Countless trips from Toledo to Bloomington and back again over the course of 4 years. Move to Minneapolis. Move to Houston. Several trips from Houston to IL. One very long and scary ride from Houston to Austin to evacuate for Hurricane Rita. Move to Indy. And one very special trip - bringing Audrey home from the hospital. My ole car never failed, and I was sad to leave it. 156,235 was the final mileage. I said good-bye. Audrey waved good-bye. Eric sang Margaritaville to it (he says it's going on vacation to Mexico - for parts :(...

Flattery

It's quite flattering how much Audrey seems to admire Eric and I. Wants to be just like us. She'll point to try to get whatever is on our plate, even after she has just pushed away the exact same meal from her own. It just looks better if it's something involving us. She'll take a drink when I take a drink at lunch, say AHHHHH! after a sip of water if we do. She wants to spread mulch, pull weeds, and fold laundry.

The other night, she saw my shoes on the living room floor. I thought for sure that she would bring them over to the stairs (where she brings her dad's shoes to help clean up!), but instead, she tried to try on one of them. Such effort it took to get one on, needing some help from me to get it positioned just the way she wanted it. The grin she had when she realized she had on my shoes! (And how funny it was for her to see me "try on" her shoe!).

It's so flattering how much she looks up to us. I know that there will be times that she does not look up to us so much (or at all), but for now, we'll just enjoy our little mirror-image.

What is that they say about redheads?

Audrey has started stomping her feet when irritated. It's hard not to laugh when she's doing this, but boy is she angry when the foot stomping card is used!

Multiple teachers told me this morning at drop off that they get the eye rolls from Audrey. I thought it was just the one teacher she did this with, but apparently even the chef that Audrey holds in high regards has gotten the eye roll. I have yet to see this. I'm sure she wouldn't roll her eyes at her mother though...

They said they prefer Audrey's eye rolls to the other little girl in Audrey's class who apparently tries to create a diversion to take the heat off of her if she's up to no good...good thing Audrey only hangs out with the boys!

A new, um, chair

Audrey loves little chairs. She loves the one in my office, loves to push in the little chairs at daycare (she likes things to be in proper order!). So, I thought she would take to a little potty. We thought it would be a good time to buy one for her, to have her get used to having it around. And maybe accidently use it!

Oh, how excited she was when we ventured out to buy one yesterday. When I took it out of the box and set it up, I asked her to sit on it. She did just that, then stood up and said, "Uh oh!" Um, this chair is obviously broken - why else would it have a hole in it???!!! She was so excited about her new chair that she would sit on it, stand up and say, "Uh oh!", then run to the front door, look back at me with a big grin, and run and give me a big hug.

Let's hope potty training is this exciting to her!

Mother's Day

I had a great second Mother's Day. We celebrated yesterday and went to the park at our old stomping ground, walked the trail, and then went to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Broad Ripple, where we had Audrey's baptism dinner. It was really nice to have a chance to head back to the area since we don't make it there enough. On the way there, Audrey did some back seat driving. We noticed a couple weeks ago that she makes a Vroom Vroom sound when she sees a car. Well, she was making such sounds in the backseat while Eric was driving, seeming to try to go faster than her father was driving! She then appeared to be STEERING with her hands as well. Watch out for when this little one gets behind the wheel!

Audrey loved swinging at the park, especially since daddy pushed A LOT higher than mommy! Oh the giggles! She loved yelling at the dogs to try to get their attention ("Doggie!!!!!"). At dinner, she didn't eat much because she was so proud of herself for learning to drink out of a straw over the course of dinner. She was so SHOCKED when something came out of the straw! And soooo proud of herself - grinning from ear to ear!

She helped with some yardwork today, and was an angel while we went to the store. I whispered to her as we were leaving the store that she was the best little girl anyone could ever ask for. I think she knows this:)

I know Mother's Day was a day for me, as her mom, but I'm just so thankful that she is who she is. We're so blessed.

(What do you think of her outfit, Uncle T and Uncle J???)

Swimming and more...

Audrey really, really enjoys her swim lessons. She's got one toe in before the class can even start, and I see her signing 'more' the minute her teacher has finished a song. She loves for me to sing the swimming lesson songs during bathtime, again signing 'more' the minute I finish a song. One of the songs involves having the kids sit on the wall, then stand on the wall, then jump in, of course with mom/dad holding on. The song version involves an alligator:

Alligator, alligator, on the wall!
Alligator, alligator, stand up tall!
Alligator, alligator jump off the wall!

We just so happen to have a squeezable/squirtable alligator from Aunt A and Uncle A which we can use in the tub to sing this song and enact it (much better than Audrey standing on the wall!). Anyway, she LOVES it! She also loves for me to sing, "This is the way we wash our face" etc. during the bath as she then likes to kick up the water until she's gotten me all wet. This is the song used at lessons to help get the kids accustomed to the water. Tonight, Eric was doing the bath and started singing:

Motorboat, motorboat go so slow.
Motorboat, motorboat, go so slow.
Motorboat, motorboat step on the gas.

Well, anything that involves anything FAST definitely captures our little girl's attention. He asked that I come up to watch her, and she was enacting the song (spinning while sitting to BE the motorboat, just like at lessons, but also having found a toy boat to help with her act), again wanting this not to end (even keeping the boat she was using as the last toy to give up when bathtime was over).

She also loves counting now. We've been counting the toys in her tub, lining them up on the wall, to get a good count. She wants them to be counted over and over, and will even point and try to "count" along with me. She even started pointed to the letters on my t-shirt the other night, again repeatedly wanting me to let her know which letters were making up the words.

She has learned to say, "Uh Oh" and it might be my favorite thing she's said yet (though mama and Aud-REE are very close seconds). Her Uh Oh is said when appropriate, and I often have to figure out what she's referencing. Her Uh Oh though is more like, A-Oh so it's really cute since she's put her own signature on it. She may have picked Uh Oh up from me, or maybe at daycare, but her father said it's not from him since it's not Uh Oh he finds himself saying when something goes awry...

Boys, Boys, Boys

Audrey apparently has another boyfriend. A second one, not a replacement for Cullen (who I found out today is actually called Callen - huh?).

Ready for her other boyfriend's name?

MAX!

What does Grandpa Max think about that???!!!

Happy Monday Morning!

Eric needed some video of Audrey for one of his classes so I thought I'd post it here as well. We had about 4 minutes to have Audrey show off for the camera, and, as always, she did great! But, I prefer Monday mornings to be a little more laid back!