Happy 2010!

Ok, ok I know - it's been WAAAAY too long since I've updated the blog. I have gone through a time where I was just not into it for a while. Photos take a long time to upload and sometimes they don't even work well so I've been putting lots of pictures up on facebook and just assume that you are all on there so you'd see them anyway. I will put some of Aubrey's developmental stats (and her cute things she does) on here for you to read.

Aubrey is almost 2 years old - can you believe it?! I surely can't. It feels like my baby was just born and now she's such a big girl! Her hair is long enough to put in full pigtails and can actually fit into a ponytail too but to be honest it just makes her look too old and I can't take it :( Pigtails it is! She is talking like crazy and can say small sentences like "I need more cereal" or "I need Daddy" or "I need Mom." Notice the trend? She can also point out almost all of her body parts, sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and does the hand motions to Itsy Bitsy Spider. What a cutie! She knows most of the food she eats by name (not that she can say all of them but she can say many) and loves to color and do her puzzles like a pro.

It has been so fun watching Aubrey get bigger, smarter, and even sweeter (if that's possible). I am in the planning mode for Aubs' 2nd bday party and can't wait to enjoy throwing my first real party in our new house! Hope to see you there!

11 Month Old Update

It has been busy (as always) around here and I just never seem to have time to blog, so here is the update from the past few months. Aubrey is coming up on her first birthday and I just can't believe how much she is changing all the time! She is becoming such a big girl and can do lots of fun things now. She is a crawling machine but in the last few weeks she hasn't been crawling as much as she has been cruising and walking around the house with her walkers! She picks herself up off of the floor and walks around the table and couch, the perimeter of her crib, and even pushes her walkers up and down the halls! It is so fun to watch her learn so many new things. This past week she has learned how to pick herself up without even using any props to help her and then stand alone for up to 10 seconds or so. Sometimes I look over at her playpen and she is just standing on her own clapping at her accomplishment! So fun! She is also learning a lot of new words these past few weeks. She has mastered "hi," "bye-bye," "mama," "dada," and now this week she can say "uh-oh," and even "baby" when she sees dolls or other babies! I didn't realize how fast she would learn language and I am really encouraged to see what else will happen in the weeks and months to come! It is sad to know that she is getting bigger and see how fast she grows out of clothes and toys but at the same time it is so awesome to see her really becoming a little person and maturing and learning all the time. I don't have many pictures uploaded right now but I will get some more and put them up here soon I promise! I will also really try to be more consistent with getting stuff up here. Sorry it took so long but thanks for looking back here!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a great 2008 and and will have an even better 2009! We had a fun Christmas and a great New Years Eve hanging out with family and friends. Aubrey even managed to squeeze her first crawls and the subtle sprouting of her first tooth on New Year's Eve! :) She is getting better every day and last night she really started to get around on her hands and knees. I can't even think of how big she will be next year!

Road Trip, Thanksgiving, and more fun stuff!

Sorry for the long overdue post. It has been so busy and I just never seem to have the time or the will at night to sit down and get some pictures posted. We have had a busy last month or so with a road trip out to Colorado for Thanksgiving. Besides our trip we have been just trying to get ready for Christmas with decorating, baking, and learning lots of new tricks to show everyone! Aubrey is not crawling yet but she is moving from one place to another without a problem and is loving getting into all of the Christmas presents under the tree. She is just getting so big I can't believe it! Hope you are all enjoying your Christmas preparations!!!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Ok so it's not quite THAT cold but it is getting chilly and we even got some snow a few days ago! I didn't see it since I stayed at home that day with the kiddos but I heard about it from plenty of people to know that it is in fact true. I can't believe that summer just went away and it's already feeling wintery. I am getting prepared to put on the Christmas music soon. I'm not quiet there but I am guessing that by a week from now I will be. I can't wait!

There isn't too much to report. Aubrey has passed the 7 month mark which I can't believe. She is rolling around all over the place and I am expecting her to start crawling pretty soon. She has also mastered eating and eats most of the 1st foods (peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas, and apple sauce). She just has a few new ones to try out before she's finished them all. She is also learning about her sippy cup even though she hasn't actually drank out of it yet. She is just chewing on it and holding it but she seems to like her new toy well enough.

Life's Worries

It is almost 11:30 here and I am ready to go to sleep. In fact I have been ready to go to sleep for a while now and laid in my bed for about 45 minutes with no success. While my husband and daughter are snoozing their little hearts out my heart is heavy and I can't seem to just close my eyes and relax. Maybe it is all spurred on by my forgetfulness recently and the distress that can bring when you forget about a special event for someone that is close to you or you forget a doctors appointment (grr) and don't know if there will be a penalty. Maybe it is because of my own interpersonal difficulties right now that could make any person burdened on a daily basis. Maybe it is because I just watched a show on the 5 big threats to our world dying off (what a light hearted choice of Troy's don't you think?) Whatever it is I just can't seem to get myself to fall asleep so I figured I would just ease my mind by sharing my thoughts on here. After all, this is my blog. And if you don't have an interest in reading this since it's not happy fun pictures of my baby girl then you don't have to. Thankfully you get to choose.

When I go into Aubrey's room at night it is so bittersweet. I look at her in her cozy pj's and her sweet little face as she dreams away of who knows what (sometimes she smiles and I have to wonder what in the world she is smiling about?) and I worry. I don't remember being a baby and not knowing that things are too expensive and jobs pay too little. I didn't worry about losing the people you love whether they are taken from this world or merely taken from your world. Aubrey lives in this sweet happy world where all she knows is her mommy and daddy and milk and twice a day some bananas or pureed carrots. But one day reality will hit and she too will have to face some of the demons that we all have. I just dread that day for her. When she gets laughed at or let down. It's ok to have disappointment, it's only human. I am definitely not one of those parents who thinks that every person should be allowed to make the team and there shouldn't be cuts. We all have our strengths and we all have our definite weaknesses and to ignore that fact is ignorance. But what about the stuff that we can't really control that really hurts us at our core? Will she be liked by people? Will she fall in love? Will someone ever love her? Will she get to hold her baby in her arms? Will I get to hold her baby in my arms? I really don't understand why I have gotten myself into such a melancholy mood tonight. I think it was the tv show. But whatever the reason these feelings are real and I can't imagine that I'm the only one thinking these things. And now that I have pulled you down with me you will probably be thinking these things whether you were before or not. It is reality and it's ok. God is good and He is in control. Sometimes I just have to remind myself of that. Sometimes it doesn't seem to make too much of a difference anyway even though I absolutely believe it to be true. I think I am going to go to sleep and think about my beautiful daughter sleeping in the room next to me and be happy that I am so blessed to have even met her. Even for a day. That in itself really does show you how good God is.

Fall Fun!

It is officially fall and we are finally getting weather that feels a little more like it! It has been chilly enough to pull out some sweaters and jackets which was a nice change since it has been such a long and hot summer. It has been busy around here with Troy working tons and fitting in a weekend trip and then a visit from Troy's parents but we have all managed to keep up! Aubrey is just changing and growing like crazy. At her last visit she was 16 lb 11 oz. She did have a little bump in the road a few weeks ago when we woke up to find her entire body covered in a red rash. I took her to the doctor and they said it was just a virus and by the next day she was much better. It broke my heart to see my little girl like that but I was happy to see that it went away quickly. She is rolling over like crazy and loves to sit up and play all the time now. I am wondering how long it will be till she starts to crawl because she is just getting very mobile all of a sudden. I have lots of pictures so enjoy!