Pleeeease

Audrey is starting to learn a few polite gestures, the most obvious of which is the use of the word please.  She uses the word correctly, but does so in the typical toddler way that makes you wonder if she really understands its purpose.  For example, when she wants a snack or more food at dinner, she points, looks at you and says, "Peeeeeeez" as she squints her eyes and smiles mischievously.  If and when she does not get what she asks for, the polite request is followed by the typical toddler pouting and crying.  Thankfully, she is still young enough that the frustration wears off quickly when she gets distracted by something else.  We are also working on saying "thank you" and "you're welcome," but we still have a way to go with those.  It is amazing how quickly they learn the word that helps them get something but take their time with the ones that show gratitude.   

Audrey is also starting to use a number of other words and to call people by their names.  She still tends to leave the letters r, l, h, and d largely unpronounced.  She has, however, learned to vocalize the "ka" sound.  So, now the words Jack, milk, walk, work, school, stuck, etc. are her favorite to say.  Unfortunately, I can't tell the difference between walk and work when she says them.  I have to use context to decipher.  I used to wonder how anyone understood toddlers, but now I know that it just comes from a lot of exposure to the same child.  When we visit with friends and family, I often feel like an interpreter.  Nonetheless, I am constantly amazed at her ability to learn new words and quickly begin to use them in the correct context.

Preparing our Hearts

The Christmas season always seems to be a challenge for so many people who try to make it perfect for their families and themselves.  If I were to deny that I fall into this group, I would be lying.  This year, I started advent with a women's event at church where a speaker talked about her best and worst Christmas, and she talked about how the period leading up to Christmas, called advent, is a time of waiting and preparation for Christ's coming.  Now, I have been a part of advent worship for years, but this is the first time that I really thought about advent in this light.  I sing the carols that ask for Christ's coming. I have opened the windows on my advent calendar.  I have even been a part of lighting the advent wreath.  So why did I miss this ever important key part of the Christmas story? 
That question has been on my heart and mind since that event 2 weeks ago.  The conclusion that I have come to is that I was so consumed with having the perfect Christmas that I forgot to partake in the season of advent.  I was only focused on the holiday celebrations, putting up the perfect decorations, buying the perfect gifts for people, fitting in a little time with all of our family, etc.  I did not even think about the wait that advents commemorates.  That is, the wait for a Savior, who came once and will come to us again.  In doing so, I always fell short in making my Christmas celebration genuine, and in the end it seemed like a let-down.  I would stress out about the material parts of Christmas and forget to focus on the whole reason we celebrate Christmas. Yes, spending time with family is an important part of Christmas, but it should not consume all of my thoughts and efforts. My heart will truly rejoice when there is true anticipation of something wonderful. 
Audrey is still a little young to remember this Christmas, but I am glad that God prompted me to start thinking about this while she is still so young.  Other than trying to play with ornaments on the tree and the thrill of opening gifts, I don't think Audrey has noticed that it is the Christmas season.  As she grows, I hope that we can impart to her the reason that we celebrate Christmas.  I want her to see past the gifts, Santa Claus, pretty decorations, and family gatherings to the most wonderful gift that God gave us in his son Jesus. All of those things are fun, but they shouldn't overshadow God's gift.  That said, I pray that God will help me to use all of the festivities of advent to truly prepare the hearts and minds of my family for the coming of our Savior. 

Picking and Choosing

I thought that I would have at least 3 years with  complete control of Audrey’s wardrobe as a mother.  Evidentially, I overestimated by double.  Audrey is beginning to have an opinion about her clothes.  At this point, I am thinking comfort governs more than fashion, but I could be wrong.  Nonetheless, she picked out her own new shoes when we went shopping Friday.

I did not set out that day necessarily intending to buy new shoes for her.  My goal was to look around and see what size she needed and what is available in terms of fall styles.  We stopped at one shoe store, and Audrey set her sights on the first pair of shoes we tried on.  They are difficult to describe, but very cute I assure you.  The color is sort of a metallic, plum-brown color and they have pink accents.  They are a cross between a tennis shoe and a T-strap.  I know…they don’t sound very cute at this point, but I assure you, as much as I want Audrey to be an independent individual, I do practice my influence when I feel her decision is all wrong (i.e. our frequent disagreements over playing with dog food and dumping her drink on the ground so she can smear the liquid all over the floor). 

We are spent Labor Day with my mom’s family and all of Audrey’s cousins.  She had  a good time playing with her cousin Ryan. She was also having fun pretending to drive her daddy’s stand-up Jet Ski.  There are a bunch of pictures in the Labor Day folder that show all of her weekend exploits, including the Tiger tailgate before the Mizzou v. Illinois Border Rivalry football game.  We didn’t go to the game, but the tailgate was only a few blocks from our house. You’ll have to check out all of the pictures I added to the Summer 2010 album too; I just got a bunch from my mom. 

Little Trials

It is funny how deeply you feel the hurt of your child as a parent.  I know that when I would ask my mom why she would stay up until I got home late from a friend's house, she would tell me I would understand when I'm older.  Well, I guess I'm older now, because I get it.  Audrey has had bumps, bruises, falls, and even busted lips before.  Each time, it hurts, but as soon as I realize that she is ok, I recover quickly.  This time though, I think it's really sinking in.  Don't worry; Audrey is fine.  She just took a tumble today at school.  She tripped and fell into the metal fence around the playground, which resulted in a bump on her forehead, a busted lip, and what the school told us was a loose tooth.  When I picked her up after work, I discovered that it is in fact two chipped teeth, the front top two to be exact.  Now, they aren't nubs; there is still plenty of tooth to be seen below the gum line. Moreover, they are her baby teeth.  But, as a mother, it is hard to see.  I don't know if they are hurting her or what she is feeling; I just know that she is fussier than normal.  She is going to the dentist at 7 tomorrow morning, but in the meantime, I am anxious.  What will the dentist want to do?  Will they have to put her under to do it?  Will she be out of commission for a few days because of it? 
It is times like this when I reason with myself, but reason just won't work.  As a mother, it feels like I took a blow to the mouth as well.  I just want to protect her and make her feel better, but it is out of my hands to do that.  So, I turn to prayer to ask God to protect her and make her feel better. 
As I write this, I can't help but think of Audrey's Aunt Jen and how her Nana and Papa have felt over the past two months.  I am so close to it, but so far from really understanding.  Audrey is only 19 months old, but as deeply as it hurts to see her with broken teeth, I don't want to even ponder never seeing her smile or laugh again. Once more, I pray that God will protect Audrey and keep her safe from harm.  But more than that, I pray that she will have personal fellowship with God.  I find so much peace in knowing that God is watching over her and all of us, and he loves us so much that Christ died for our sins to give us eternal life.  As hard as it is to imagine losing Audrey, it is harder to imagine being a parent without knowing Christ and feeling the peace of the Holy Spirit to help me through even little trials like these.
Whew...that got deep.  I hope I didn't go too far into the trenches for you!  Nonetheless, I want to share a link to a song that has really touched m,e and that I am playing right now.  It speaks to the hope in Christ's promise that helps us to weather everything life throws at us.  It's a familiar song for many, but the arrangement is beautiful and touching. It is done by a pop band called Owl City.    I hope you enjoy it! 

http://owlcityblog.com/2010/10/25/my-hope-is-found/


Update 11-18:  Audrey's first dentist visit went well.  The chips were "cosmetic" and didn't get to the nerves, so that means no corrective action needs to be taken.  The only remaining risk is that the trauma from the fall will cause the teeth to die or get infected.  We'll keep an eye on them and pray that they don't start to turn black!

Fall Fun

Audrey has had an eventful fall.  She has been to 2 bonfires now.  She was a Mizzou cheerleader for Halloween, and she has even had her first sore throat.  She has also been more defiant than normal over the course of the past week.  She has thrown fits about eating what is on her plate at dinner and not "snacks", walking like a big girl instead of being carried, and even putting on her coat to go outside. Before her throat virus last week, she was a cooperative and happy little girl, then three days of not feeling well and being cared for constantly by mommy or daddy spoiled her.  We are finally getting to the point again where she is her normal cooperative self, most of the time.  I am glad it was just a test, and since she is behaving again, it would seem that we’ve passed.  I won’t get too confident though; I know we’ve got a long way to go.

Last Saturday, Audrey’s first day back being social after 3 days at home sick, we went to Christy White’s studio with Audrey in her Mizzou cheerleader outfit for pictures.  She was cooperative until we decided to take her shoes off.  At that point, the straw from the hay bale bench that Christy was using as a prop began sticking to her socks.  When Audrey knew there was straw on her socks, she could not do anything else until every last piece of straw was off of her socks.  Then, she would put her foot on the ground again, only for it to collect more straw.  This cycle could not be stopped until we put her shoes back on.  Fortunately, we already had a few good shots to use before that.  Today, she was methodically lining up her puzzles at home, taking the pieces off, putting them back on, and then stacking the puzzles to put them away again.  It seems that Audrey got Billy and I’s neat freak genes.  Watch out world! 

Going Strong

Today was Audrey's 18 month checkup.  The verdict is that she is a healthy and growing little girl.  She is now up to 25 1/2 lbs and 33 inches.  This still puts her in the 90th percentile for her size. Since eating continues to be one of her favorite activities, I am not surprised.  She does get picky from time to time; this means that one night she'll chow down on pizza, and the next she'll want nothing to do with it. 
Audrey also continues to increase her vocabulary and her skill at pronunciation.  It is so cute to watch her try to make the "L" sound; she knows that she needs to use her tongue to make that sound, but doesn't have a good understanding of exactly how to do that.  She sticks her tongue out and rolls it around in her mouth.  From time to time she'll succeed, but still lacks consistency in her use of that sound.  She has added several words to her vocabulary as well.  She has learned to associate names with people; she shows particular interest in her grandparents, whom she inquires about on a daily basis if we don't see them. 
Audrey's latest favorite word is bus.  When we are driving in the car, everything that is bigger than a minivan or pickup is a bus; utility trucks, 15 passenger vans, and of course city buses all catch her attention, so she repeats "bus" until her observation is recognized with a confirmation from Billy or I.  It is so fun to see her show interest and excitement about the things she is learning.  Audrey truly is a blessing from God, and we pray that she will continue to grow into a smart, healthy young girl. 

Audrey's First 5K

On Saturday, we went with the Hoenigs to the ThriVe 5K run at Forest Park.  While Billy ran the actual 5K, I walked a 3K while Audrey rolled just ahead of me in her stroller.  She enjoyed pointing at the dogs and waving at strangers while we walked.  Lillian (a.k.a. baby Hoenig) fell asleep, but Audrey stayed awake the entire time.  When we got done with the walk, Audrey wanted to explore.  She would walk up to other children and just watch them.  Then, she found a children’s area with games; he favorite part was the pool full of ducks.  I think we will definitely have to keep an eye on her when we are out in public now.  She has reached that age where sitting in a stroller is not very appealing, and she wants to show her independence by roaming and exploring. 

On Sunday, we visiting Greenville and spent the day with my parents and grandparents on the lake.  Billy swam with Audrey and showed her how much fun it is to jump off of the dock.  To be honest, it isn’t really jumping, because Audrey sits on the edge and then leans forward into her dad’s arms.  But the sensation of falling and the splash are the same as if she had jumped.  By next summer, I think we’re going to have to keep her on a leash when she’s near the water to ensure she doesn’t just go jump in without an adult to assist her.  We will definitely have to do more swimming lessons this winter! 

Repeat Repeat

Audrey has become extremely fascinated by repeating words and reciting what this are.  She now knows the words that describe her body (head, toes, eyes, ears, etc.) and is learning animal names and noises.  Her current favorite is "Nay" in reference to a horse.  I don't think she is able quite yet to differentiate the noise from the name.  She saw a horse pulling a carriage down the street today (a common tourist ride in downtown St. Louis), pointed, and said "Nay."  She can also repeat her name and other people's names. 

Audrey has also become extremely attached to a soft, pink stuffed puppy dog that we call "puppy."  She takes it to school every day and takes it to bed with her each night.  We forgot it when we went to the lake this weekend, but when we got home, she found it right away.  Once she found it, she would not give it up again, not even to eat dinner.  I never thought anything would come between her and food, but she was so upset that we wouldn't let her hold the puppy that she screamed through dinner and didn't finish her food. 

We visited the lake of the Ozarks this weekend, and Audrey had a good time playing with the "Entourage" and their wives/girlfriends.  She also had a good time with Logan.  They played in the sprinklers together and even swam together for a little bit.  Audrey even "swam" by herself for a few seconds; she had her life jacket on (of course), but we would let go of her hands and let her float without human assistance for a few seconds until she started to lose her balance and roll.  She never got scared though; instead, she would squeal and giggle.  Audrey also went tubing for the first time on Sunday.  Her Papa Nance picked out a Torpedo/Rocket shaped tube.  Daddy drove the wave-runner and mommy rode in the tube with Audrey.  Every time we went past the dock, she would smile and wave at the attentive audience she had waiting back at the dock.  There is no doubt in my mind at this point that Audrey will be a lake rat like her mom and dad. 

High Heels and Handbags

While Audrey may not quite be at the age where she can manage walking in high heels, she is at the age where she likes to carry a purse on her arm and try to wear mommy’s shoes.  Just last night, she wanted me to assist her with putting my flip flop under her foot and fitting the strap between her toes.  She could not walk very fast or far, since the shoes was at least 5 times the size of her foot.  This only confirms my previous suspicions that she likes shoes, maybe too much.

On Sunday, we went to church to see our friend Lillian be baptized.  When we picked Audrey up from the nursery, they informed us that she had been playing dress up as she walked to the door with a  small pink purse over her arm.  At school, she is always playing with the hats and the baby dolls.  I don’t know if it is because she has been spending so much time with mommy, or if it is something she is predisposed to be.  Whatever the reason, Audrey continues to show signs of taking after her mom in her desire to dress up and accessorize.

Audrey Says "Hi"

Last week, Billy was in Israel for work, and Audrey and I had a girls’ week.  While we enjoyed each others’ company, we still missed daddy.  With the time change, I was only getting to talk to Billy for about 15 minutes a day, and that usually happened to be while I was at work.  Since he was not getting to “talk” to Audrey, I decided to take a video of her talking to him.  The resulting video makes me smile every time I watch it.  I hope you enjoy it too! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwzLfmMKFqE

The Pupil Becomes the Teacher

This past weekend we got to spend a relaxing weekend at Lake of the Ozarks.  Nana and Papa Nance were down, and we just took it easy each day.  Audrey really enjoyed swimming herself and throwing the dogs’ toys in the water so the dogs would swim after them.  She played so hard that she took 3.5 hour naps both Friday and Saturday.  Friday, she slept on the boat for over an hour, and when we got back, went right back to sleep in her bed for another 2 hours.  Despite these extended naps, Audrey still went to bed around 8:30 and slept in until 7:30 or 8 each day.  I actually woke up before she did on Sunday!

My favorite part of the weekend was a mother daughter moment on Saturday evening.  Nana and Papa were making dinner, Daddy was putting things away on the boat dock, and Mommy and Audrey were playing on the patio that houses Audrey’s sandbox, little plastic picnic table, and 2 plastic child-size Adirondack chairs.  While Audrey played with sidewalk chalk, Mommy sat in one of the little chairs and put her feet up on the bench of the picnic table.  Yes, I am proud to say that my hips did fit into the children’s chair, although the chair stayed put when I stood up.  My action caught Audrey’s eye, because she quickly walked over to the other chair, pulled it around to the other side of the picnic table and attempted to crawl into the chair.  Audrey did not succeed in her first effort to imitate her mom because she pulled the chair too close to the table, leaving her no room to climb into it.  Frustrated, Audrey pulled the chair around to the same side of the table where I was.  She put the chair right next to mine and climbed into it.  She then proceeded to slouch down in the chair so her heels hung over the edge enough to set them on the bench of the table.  When her heels touched the bench, she looked over at me with a huge grin.  I could see the pride in her accomplishment displayed on her face. 

While we have known  for some time that she was watching, taking note, and imitating our actions, this was the first immediate reaction to my behavior that I have seen.  The best part, however, was the look on her face when she achieved her goal.  Even though Audrey is not yet 16 months old, I know that there is something I can learn from her actions in this scenario.  Audrey tried, failed, tried a different approach, and succeeded.  It is a simple lesson, but one that I hope we can continue to instill in her as she grows older and her goals become bigger and more difficult to achieve.   I think Philippians 4:13 says it best: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”  

Pretty Girl

I have a feeling Audrey is going to be a girly girl.  Why?  Because she absolutely loves shoes and bracelets.  “Shoe” was one of her first words; it was right around 10 or 11.   She loves to take her shoes off and try to put them back on herself.  She also has favorite pairs of shoes that she will choose over others if she is given a choice. 

The bracelet habit started because her daddy puts his watch on the nightstand where Audrey can get it.  She would pull the watch over the nightstand, and she managed to figure out how to put it on.  That became the first thing she would do when we got home.  So, I gave her one of my bracelets to play with.  She would put the bracelet on and wear it around while she was playing.  From time to time, she’ll decide to be creative and try putting the bracelet on other parts of her body like her feet and ears.  Audrey’s grandma Rosie bought her some of her own bracelets to play with so she would not break mommy’s.  Now, it is hard to get Audrey out of the house without one of her bracelets on.  It’s a good thing we want her to wear the shoes! 

Independence Days

Audrey celebrated her second 4^th of July in style…sleeping. We were at the Lake of the Ozarks, and she played all day in her little pool and her sandbox; she wore herself out so much that she was in bed by 8:30.  So, after she went down for the night, mom and dad and Nana and Papa watched fireworks from the boat dock.  We took a lot of photos, all of which are posted in the Summer 2010 album. 

As we celebrated our nation’s independence, I couldn’t help but be struck by how Audrey is growing each day in her own independence.  She is using a spoon to eat; half the time she gets frustrated and just uses her fingers instead, but she has the ability to do it if she tries really hard.  It is really cute to watch too, because you can see just how hard she is trying.  Audrey has also learned the two most basic words of communication, “yes” and “no.”  She can nod or shake her head accordingly as well.  Unfortunately, the “no” is more commonly heard than the “yes.” 

We are also starting to work with Audrey to hold the dog leashes.  She gets really excited she when successfully lets the dog guide her down the hallway to our front door.  Being that she is small and the dogs are stronger than she is, Audrey does get pulled down and knocked over during the process more often than she would like.  This usually ends the dog walking lesson for the day.  She is continuing to work on it though. 

The new expression of independence that I am most scared of is Audrey’s interest in phones.  She will pick up a phone, or anything that resembles one (like a remote control), put it to her face, and say “hi.”  From time to time she will also cock her head to one side and put a hand on her hip.  I don’t recall doing that, but she had to learn it somewhere.  I am extremely conscious of everything I do in front of her now, because of her sudden interest in imitating adult behavior.  While these actions may be cute now, I now they won’t be adorable anymore when she is 16 years old.  So, mommy and daddy are on our best behavior and praying God will help us set a good example for our little girl. 

Head Banging Baby

Most Head Banging occurs in conjunction with heavy metal music.  Audrey's head banging, however, is part of her now commonplace temper tantrums.  When she does not get something that she wants, she throws her arms in the air in dramatic fashion, and then slaps her hands on the ground.  Think about someone bowing on their hands and knees.  Unfortunately, this action also causes Audrey to bang her head on the ground.  She now has a bruise on her forehead that she reinjures at least twice a day. 

Billy and I are starting to become immune to the fits.  Audrey seems to think that she should be able to eat precisely when she wants to, that someone should pick her up any time she wishes it, and that the dogs should always bring the ball back to her after she throws it for them.  When these things don’t happen, she plops to the ground and repeats her temper tantrum ritual of squatting with her face down and her hands on the ground. 

When Audrey is not throwing tantrums, she is learning new words and becoming more inquisitive.  Her latest words are shoe, toe, and eye.  She has also become fascinated by puzzles.  Her love of blocks and books continues, and we continue to encourage that love.  She no longer takes any bottles, and she is even learning to say her prayers before bed.  Day by day, we are amazed by what Audrey can do.   Even with the temper tantrums, we are truly blessed to have such a wonderful baby girl. 

Fun in the Sun

We are very thankful that Audrey has taken well to wearing hats lately, because with all of the time she is spending outdoors, she needs the sun protection.  She doesn't have enough hair to protect her head, so a hat is essential.  She still does not like having sunscreen smeared all over her arms, legs, and face, but I know she'll thank me when she's older.  I also know I would rather deal with a little fussing during the sunscreen application than deal with a sunburned 14 month-old. 

I did not think Audrey could grow and develop as quickly as she did during her first year, but now she is really doing new things every day.  She is now up to a 9 word vocabulary.  She knows how to say: dog, mama, dada, hi, bye-bye, Jack, Stella (which sounds like edda) mine and no (which sounds more like nay).   She also repeats, "ba" several times when we are putting on her pajamas, which I believe is her trying to say bed.   When we were at the Lake of the Ozarks  last weekend, I swear that she said her first two-word phrase.  She saw one of Bill and Lana's labs, Sonny, sitting on the couch, and she looked over and said "bee daaah," which translates to "big dog." 

While we were visiting the lake, Audrey enjoyed playing with her pirate sandbox, splashing in her pool and sitting in her swing on the boat dock.  She also got her fair share of scrapes and bruises climbing up and down the stairs and walking up and down the sidewalk.  Audrey also started giving kisses.  They are your typical toddler slobber kiss; naturally, she wants to plant them on your lips too.  The cutest part of her kisses is her reaction afterwards; she grins and giggles.  This week at school, Audrey was the first child in her class to blow on the bubble wand to make a bubble.  She was watching Logan blow bubbles last weekend, so I think she learned it from watching him. 

This weekend, Audrey has not been her normal energetic and happy self.  Her temperature keeps spiking to 100 or 101 degrees, and then it goes down again.  She is also a little stuffy and is sleeping more than normal.  We thought it was from teething, but she cut the tooth this morning and has still been feverish today.  I think we'll be making another trip to the doctor tomorrow.  I hope it isn't another ear infection, because that would be number 5.  I guess we'll find out soon enough.  In the meantime, we'll be saying lots of prayers that she gets to feeling better. 

Audrey Goes to the Beach

We just got back from our first family vacation since Audrey’s birth.  We went to Destin, Florida with some friends to spend some time relaxing on the beach.  I was extremely nervous about how Audrey would do on the airplane, especially since she just got over an ear infection.  We had layovers in Dallas going to and from Florida, so that meant four flights with four takeoffs and four landings.  Our flight left St. Louis at 6 am, which meant we got up to leave for the airport around 3:30 am.    We thought Audrey would go back to sleep on the way to the airport, but she did not.  That made her extremely tired by the time we got on the plane.  So, after a bottle of milk, she went straight to sleep and slept for most of the first flight.  She also slept during the takeoff and landing of the second flight.  On the return home, she left the entire flight to Dallas and was awake for the flight to St. Louis.  She did not like being forced to stay in mom and dad’s laps that last flight, so we were glad to get back to St. Louis. 

Our first day in Florida, we went straight to the beach after lunch and unpacking.  That first day, Audrey was still tired from getting up early, which I think contributed to her initial dislike of the sand.  She could not keep her balance very well in it.  She was tired enough to fall asleep on a beach towel under the beach umbrella though.  By the second day, Audrey discovered that the sand was fun to play in.  At that point, she started eating it, walking in it, and throwing it at everyone.

 The waves were scary for Audrey.  She did not like the fact that they could knock her over when she was standing.  She was content to sit in her dads lap and let the waves wash up on her though.  Audrey did like the swimming pool.  There were steps that she would sit on to splash her feet and throw her toys.  We tried letting her float in her life jacket, but it was too big and came up over her head; needless to say, that did not make her very happy. 

Audrey also had a good time hanging out with Billy’s friends at the condo.  She learned to do some Jedi flips, which basically consisted of her dad flipping her though the air.  She also worked on her somersaults and learned to put blocks on her feet.  Audrey also got to try some hushpuppies, which she seemed to like a lot.  She has a really healthy appetite, which explains why she keeps growing so darn quickly. 

All in all, Audrey was really good during the trip.  She is getting more fond of hats, since we won’t let her go out in the sun without one.  She doesn’t like getting smothered in sunscreen, but she is just going to have to deal with that.    The trip made us really excited to visit the lakes this summer to see her swim and play.  She did so well with the pool that we think she will just love being in the lake water.  We are headed to Lake of the Ozarks for Memorial Day, so we’ll post more pictures of that trip when we get home.

Fat Lips and Tantrums and Hives...Oh My!

Audrey is entering the toddler stage, and with that comes more cuts and bruises as well as the toddler temper tantrums.  Since she began walking back in January, Audrey commonly gets scrapes and bruises from tripping, hitting her head tables (because she doesn’t realize how tall she is) and climbing.  Lately, however, she has made a habit of having physical injuries while mommy is gone.  While mommy was at the Jimmy Buffet concert last week, Audrey fell off of the couch while playing with her dogs and busted her lip open.  She had a huge fat lip for a couple of days, and Monday, Audrey was starting to look normal again.  Then, Monday night, mommy went to Columbia to visit the Phi Mu chapter, and Audrey broke out in hives.  We still don’t know what caused them, but the hives were a blessing in disguise, because when we took her to the doctor, they found that she has an ear infection.  Wednesday morning, we woke up, and the hives were all but gone.  Then, Audrey came home from daycare Wednesday with a bruise on her forehead.  It’s always something!

Audrey’s other new talent is throwing temper tantrums.  She threw a good one while daddy was gone, and she and mommy were coming home from church.  Mommy was carrying groceries and wanted Audrey to walk down the hall from the elevator to the front door, but Audrey decided to sit down in the middle of the hallway and wail for 5 minutes.  Just the other night, Audrey threw a fit because we would not give her another piece of white chocolate candy that daddy brought back from Israel.  She stood by the cabinet where we stored the candy and cried for about 5 minutes until she got distracted by the dogs.  She also likes to throw a temper tantrum when she is standing on the elevator, it opens on the wrong floor (for another Marquette resident to get on or off), and we stop her from exiting the elevator.  She really does not like to be told “no.”  Ahh, the joys of toddler-hood.

Hi

"Hi" is Audrey's first real word.  She has done mama and dada, but more as sounds than in actual association with each of her parents.  Anytime she sees someone now, she will say hi and wave.  I really thought dog would be the first word, because she makes the "Dah" noise when she sees the dogs, but she can't get the "guh" attached to the end of it.  It is so funny to hear her actually use a real word in proper context.  I am so used to her babbling sounds and random noises and have perfected my response of having a fake conversation with her.  However, with real words, I feel the need to respond in a manner that is appropriate to what she is saying.  So, when she says "Hi," I often reply with "Hi."  Unfortunately, that starts a cycle of back-and-forth "Hi's."  I guess since it is her only word, she likes to use it every chance she gets.  So, I am having to adjust my response to be another sort of greeting like, "Good morning" or "How are you doing?"   

Today, we made our first visit to the zoo this year.  Audrey really liked looking at the bears, monkeys and leopard.  She would point at the animals and say, "Dah," which in baby-Audrey speak means dog.  That's right, she thought every animal we saw was a dog.  Then, she would say "hi," wave to the animals, and then wait patiently for them to wave back.  None of them did.  I think she really enjoyed the trip, even though she fell asleep before she got to see the hippopotamus and elephants.  I was pleasantly surprised by how engaged she was the entire time.  Her favorite part was the ducks, because they were very active and splashed into the water.  She called them dogs as well, but "dah" sounds somewhat like duck, so we pretended that she was calling them by the correct name.  I forsee many more family trips to the zoo coming this summer and in future summers!  

Audrey is Turning One!

It is so hard to believe that it was a year ago that I was wondering whether we were ever going to meet our little girl, what she would be like, and when she would get here.  Now, she is almost running around the house, loves her books and dancing, and is keeping mommy and daddy on the run.  I know that every year will have many changes as Audrey grows, and we all get a little older, but it is hard to imagine that any future 12 month span of time could bring more amazing growth and change into our lives that the year that is coming to a close.  I thought it would be fun to do a comparison of April 2009 to April 2010...fun for me at least! 

• Audrey was born at 8:53 pm on Friday, April 3 weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces.  I am estimating that she now weighs about 22 pounds. 
• She was 22.5 inches long when she was born.  Now, she is more than 30 inches long. 
• Audrey was born with very little hair.  She now has more, but it's still not a lot.  We call her look a baby mullet. 
• When we first brought Audrey home, her favorite activities were sleeping and eating.  Well, they were really her only activities.  Now, she loves looking at books, playing with blocks and stuffed animals, dancing, and exploring anything she can get her hands on. 
• Audrey could not move a whole lot when she was first born.  She could turn her head, but couldn't support it.  She could move her arms and legs too, but that was about it.  Now, she is walking and starting to climb.  She discovered a child-sized rocking chair at her Great-Grandma Amanda's house this weekend, and spent at least 30 minutes climbing up into it and then sliding forwad out of it. She also started throwing the ball for the dogs this week.  Granted, it only goes about 2 feet before falling to the ground, but it is a start.  Before long, she will be Jack's best friend.
• As a tiny infant, Audrey was Audrey, but that was really hard to define.  In case you haven't been around infants much, they don't really have much of a personality (see previous comment regarding her favorite activities).  Now, Audrey has quite the personality.  She is generally happy, inquisitive, mischievous, loving, and fun.   
• Last April, Daddy was taking 2 classes last spring during the first semester of his graduate work for a Masters Degree in mechanical engineering.  He now has a graduate certificate in composite structures.  He is also taking only 1 course per semester now, a decision his wife greatly appreciates.  At the current rate, he will graduate in the fall of 2011. 
• A year ago, mommy was always tired, worried about being a good mom, and trying to improve her relationship with God.  Wait...none of that has changed! 
• When we first brought Audrey home, we often felt like we didn't know what we were supposed to be doing as parents, and it was sometimes scary.  Now, we still feel like that at times, but it isn't as scary.  We are more comfortable with our parental roles now, and that makes it easier to focus on our spousal roles as well.  
• At the hospital right after Audrey was born, we had a continuous parade of visitors.  Our family and friends were so excited for us, and we couldn't wait for them to meet her.  I am glad to say that one year later, you are still important parts of our lives.  We will see many of you this weekend as we celebrate Audrey's first birthday.  For those of you we won't see, we hope we'll get to see you sometime soon!

As I look at my little comparison project, I realize that not much has really changed with the exception of Audrey herself.  I am astounded by how much children develop during their first year of life.  Children really are God's little miracles.  I am so thankful that we've gotten to experience this one in our lives.

Mommy...who?

After being gone on business travel for four days, I returned home yesterday afternoon.  Billy picked me up from the airport, and I couldn't wait until we got back downtown to pick Audrey up from daycare.  When we got there, we walked into the room, and Audrey just stared at me.  She waved, and then walked around me to go to her dad.  I was mortified.  She didn't even seem to care that I was home.  So, I swept her up into my arms to give her a hug and walk her out to the care.  By the time we got to the car, she had remembered who I was.  She was smiling at me, and even layed her head on my shoulder.  When I put her in her carseat, she proceeded to scream as if to say, "NO!  Don't leave me again." 

Since I have been home, Billy has mentioned that she is much more of a troublemaker than she was when I was gone.  She also fussed a little during swimming lessons today when I was in the water with her, but she had never done that with her dad.  As I think about it, it has become increasingly clear that she wants daddy to play with her and mommy to comfort her.  This morning when I took a shower, daddy worked at his computer and Audrey played quietly.  As soon as she saw me, she walked over to the toilet to play with it, tried to eat dog food, and grabbed a candle to chew on.  Ugh!  Evidentally I have somehow reinforced in Audrey, more than her dad, that bad behavior will garner attention from me.  This is definitely something we will have to work on! 

Bookworm

It always amazes me when I watch Audrey and see just how much she has grown.  This week, I have realized that she was not crawling much at all anymore.  Even if she is still a little wobbly, she is clearly starting to prefer walking to crawling.  This weekend, we visited Rolla for the annual St. Patrick's Day celebration.  Before we went, I was concerned that Audrey would be hard to handle because she would be wanting to crawl around.  This was not a problem, however, because all she wanted to do was walk. 

Audrey has also taken a keen interest in books.  One night last week, she walked into the bedroom, got a book off of the nightstand, brought it into the living room, and handed it to her dad.  She happily sat in his lap as he read a story from the book to her.  At daycare, they said that she will get a book and sit down with it in the floor and start "reading" to the class.  If no one is paying attention, she will talk louder and louder until someone begins to pay attention.  I hope she maintains this interest as she gets older.   We will read her books as long as she'll let us! 

Boots, Blocks, and Dirty Socks

Audrey is starting to refine her motor skills and is now able to use her hands for activities that require some precision.  She uses these newfound skills when playing with her "blocks."  They are actually plastic 3D shapes that are hollow and have an opening on one side.  She has 2 sets, one of which is slightly smaller than the other.  So, she has discovered that she can put the smaller square inside of the bigger one, and so on.  In general, she just loves putting items inside of other things.  Here are a few stories about Audrey's newest fascination: 

One morning last week, I was getting ready for work, and looked over to see Audrey put the square blocks together, and then drop them inside of my rain boot. She then decided she wanted them back, so she tried to fetch them, but realized that would require her to stand and stretch to get her hand down to the bottom of the boot.  After much effort, she managed to pull the small of the two blocks out of the boot, but it was no longer inside of the bigger one. She stuck her face into the opening of the boot to try to see it, but of course had no light to see where the other block might be. She stuck her hand down there and fished around, but still couldn't find it. Then, she tried dropping the smaller block in and pulling it back out. I am not sure if she was expecting the other block to reappear at some point, but after about 5 times, she got tired of it. I finally fished out the big block, which had gone into the toe of the boot. That is probably why she couldn't find it.

Saturday was laundry day.  I had a ton of laundry to do, so I sorted it in piles on the floor. Throughout the day, I would fold the load in the dryer, move another load to the dryer, and put a new one in the washer, etc. Audrey was fascinated by the whole process, and really liked to pull socks (both hers and ours) out of the piles on the floor and drag them into other parts of the house.  She would also sit and stare at the washer during the spin cycle, because it is a front loader with a clear plastic door.  After moving some clothes out of the washer and into the dryer, I was hanging up some shirts and left the washer door open.  Audrey walked over to the pile of dirty clothes I had sitting by the washer, picked up a pair of her pants, walked over to the washer, and put her pants in it.  After watching me all day, she had figured out the system.  I couldn't believe how quickly she caught on.  It makes me really aware of just how much she is learning from my every action.   

Yesterday, she got the remote from the TV in the bedroom off of the nightstand.  With the remote in hand, she walked into the kitchen, where the dogs' bowls sit.  Next thing we knew, she dropped the remote in the water bowl.  It is now sitting in a cup full of rice on the kitchen counter drying out.

Didn't Your Mom Tell You It's Not Polite to Point?

Evidentially I didn’t teach Audrey that it is not polite to point, because she has started pointing at things she wants to see more closely.  When she points, she wants someone to take her to the item she is pointing at so she can touch it, inspect it, and often try to put it in her mouth.  This weekend we went to the Lake of the Ozarks and spent the weekend with Grandma Lana and Papa Nance.  Audrey would constantly point at the puppies and try to pet them.  Unfortunately, her idea of petting is more like hitting, and the puppies don’t like it very much.  Audrey found a captive dog in Sonny, because Sonny is old enough that she didn’t really feel like moving, so she would just let Audrey “pet” her, as long Audrey didn’t try to grab her face. 

Audrey is at the age now where each day it seems like she is discovering or doing something new.     She makes funny faces, eats new things, and makes new noises.  She has also started understanding things that we say.  When we say “bye bye” she waves.  When we say bottle, she grins.  It never ceases to amaze me how much she develops each and every day.   The one thing that hasn’t changed is her desire to cuddle with her mama when she is tired or doesn’t feel good.  I know that will change someday, but I’ll continue to enjoy it while I can.

Party Girl

We have been a busy bunch these past couple of weeks.  Last weekend we had dinner with friends, lunch with grandma and grandpa (York), a Super Bowl party, and a hockey game.  This weekend we went to the boat show, had dinner with grandma and grandpa (Nance), and went to a Daytona 500 party.  This coming weekend we are going to the lake.  I am glad that I had today off to get some things done around the house.
Even with all that is going on, Audrey continues to be such a good baby.  She has learned to turn her palm up and move her fingers as if to say, "gimme, gimme."  She makes that motion when she wants food, toys, a person, etc.  It is clear that she has figured out how to get what she wants. 
Audrey also continues to get close to walking.  She can take a few steps here and there, but still gets down on her hands and knees when she has a longer distance to go.  Her grandmas like to try to get her to walk by holding something she wants a few feet in front of her.  Learning to walk really is a slow process; it has been over a month since she started standing on her own. 

Fuss-bucket

Audrey has been pretty fussy these past few days.  We actually took her to the doctor on Friday because she had a slight fever and runny nose, was refusing bottles, and was just uncharacteristically fussy.  To our great surprise, the diagnosis was teething.  We hoped it would pass quickly, but here it is two days later, and the babe is still not feeling well. She is quite a sight to behold right now with the stream of drool, boogers and nasty bruise on her cheek.  The bruise is a result of her being too quick for her mommy and tumbling off the bed yesterday while I was folding laundry at the foot of the bed. 

Since she is still running a slight fever this morning, we are letting her be nakey-baby.  It is highly entertaining for us, because she doesn’t like to crawl on the hardwood with bare legs, so she does a bear crawl.  She can stand on her own and take a few steps, so I am surprised she doesn't just muster up the determination to walk.  Her friend at daycare, Kylie, is walking on her own now, so I know it is only a matter of time before Audrey finds the balance to go from place to place on two feet.  I have no doubt that by this summer we'll be chasing her around the yard at both of the lake houses.  It is going to be fun trying to keep Audrey from getting too close to the edge of the boat dock.  Is it summer yet?

Daily Discoveries

Audrey is at that age where she is constantly discovering new things about the world, and we are learning new things about her.  Every day is a new adventure for all of us.  Just this week, we've found:

• Audrey likes formula.  She was 9 months and 20 days old before she tasted it.  When we gave it to her, she drank it like she'd been eating it forever.
• Audrey likes real food, but not necessarily eating it.  She likes to inspect it, pick it up between her thumb and index finder, lick it, and then she might finally put it in her mouth.  Once she has it in her mouth, she'll chew on and taste it, but then she likes to spit it out and throw it on the floor for the dogs. 
• We think Audrey is going to be very analytical.  She takes her index fingers and runs them along her toys, the dog toys, buttons, my purse, and pretty much anything else that she can touch.  She especially likes small holes in things, like where the screws hold her toys together.  Last night, she stuck her finger in one such hole on her push toy, and then decided to sit down.  That resulted in her screaming because her finger was stuck in the hole.  Mommy rescued her, and she went right back to investigating that small hole.
• Audrey also likes things she can open and close.  She got a "stereo" that has a door that you can open to put discs in.  The toy also plays music and lights up if you push the buttons, but she doesn't care about that.  She just likes the door.  She also likes to open the doors for the CD and DVD drives on the computer tower. 
• Audrey has also found that she has the ability to make many different noises.  She makes noises with her mouth that are beginning to sound like words at times.  She also uses her toys and other items around the house to make noise.  She bangs together plastic blocks and also beats them on the dishwasher and chairs.  We let her play with a small Christmas tin, which she enjoyed hitting on the wood floors.  She lkes to shake plastic bowls filled with cereal that rattles.
• Audrey likes to climb.  She climbs through the rungs on the chairs and over the pedastal legs on our table.  She also likes to use her dad and I as her own personal jungle gym when we're sitting on the floor.  I think she likes climbing so much that she'd rather work on developing that skill than trying to walk.   

I know that with everything she does, her mind is constantly working.  She's analyzing and learning about the world around her. That puts a lot of pressure on us as parents to set a good example when she is watching and analyzing our behaviors.  I just remind myself that setting a perfect example is impossible and really not even healthy.  The point is not to hide our mistakes, but show how we sought God and learned from them.  If we were perfect, we wouldn't be able to show her God's forgiveness and grace, which are some of the most important lessons she can ever learn.

A Little Personality

Audrey is getting old enough that her personality has started to show.  She is constantly on the move and getting into everything she can find.  She continues to go after the dog food in the dog bowls, but now she has also started showing interest in power cords and othe electronics.  She got Billy's old blackberry to play with now that we have new phones, and she absolutely loves it.  I guess she takes after her dad with the electronics fascination. 
Audrey is also getting to try more foods.  She is getting real fruits and vegitables and not just the baby food anymore.  Tonight we're going to try some steamed carrots, since baby food carrots are her favorite.  We'll see how she likes the real thing!  When we do give her finger foods, she can't get the food into her mouth fast enough much of the time.  It is hard to say which one of her parents she gets her love of food from though.  She can eat as much as she wants though, because as much as she is moving around, she needs it. 
Audrey also love animals.  She giggles and grabs at Jackson and Stella any time they are near her.  Last night, she met two cats at our friends Dan and Tara's house.  Coopy and Hank amused Audrey to no end; when they would come close to her, she would start laughing with really deep belly laughs.  We did have to watch her, because she wanted to touch their faces, but other than that, she did very well with them. 
I think the most rewarding trait that Audrey has developed is her love of her parents.  When I pick her up, she buries her head in my shoulder and wraps her arms around me.  With her dad, she just grins when he walks in the door.  Saturday evening, she had a teething toy that she kept holding up to her dad.  He would open his mouth and act like he was going to chew on it, which Audrey thought was hilarious.  She really does love to laugh. 
At the doctor today, Audrey showed off how she is growing. She is now 29.5 inches long.  Yes, that is still the 97th percentile.  For weight, at 20 lbs she is only in the 75th percentile.  Maybe her length is why she prefers to crawl over trying to walk.  She can stand on her own for as much as 30 seconds, but when she wants to move, she just sits down and then crawls.  Billy thinks she will be walking before she's 10 months old on February 3.  I don't think she'll be walking by then, because I don't think she seems very motivated to do it.  We'll let you know who is right!  

Can 2010 be as BIG as 2009?

A lot happened for our family in 2009.  The most obvious big event was Audrey's birth.  In addition to that, we bought a new car, and I took on a new role at the Bank. We also had many firsts in Audrey's life, most of which are detailed on this website.  Audrey even had to get in a couple more firsts before the close of 2009.  On the morning of New Year's Eve we discovered that Audrey has finally cut her first tooth!  It is one of the bottom front teeth; she actually cut the other bottom front tooth today.  That same day, Audrey also managed to crawl her way up all of the stairs at the Lake house.  She is now standing on her own for a few seconds at a time, too.  Her balance is improving each day, so I know it will probably be just a few more weeks before she takes her first step.   Audrey has also learned to dance; it basically consists of her moving her head and shoulders back and forth.  When my brother saw her do it, he thought she was pooping.  I quickly corrected him and explained that when pooping, Audrey becomes very still, hunches over, and grunts.  He got to see that later.  

As we enter 2010, I find myself wondering if this year will be as exciting as last.  I know that Audrey will reach many more milestones like taking her first step, saying her first word, and maybe even potty training (hey, I can dream).  As far as careers, homes, and all of those fun adult preoccupations, we don't know what this year may bring, but I think we're pretty content for the time being.  I am learning day-by-day not to let myself dwell on what the future may hold, because I know that God has a plan for us, and He will help us along the way.  That also give me more time to spend with my little girl.  She is already growing up so fast, and I don't want to miss it!  We gave a bunch of clothes that Audrey has outgrown to our friends Carla and Nate, who are expecting a little girl this April.  I watched Carla go through the clothes, and I found myself getting a little emotional.  It wasn't getting rid of the clothes that got to me; it was thinking about the times that Audrey wore those clothes and how much different she is now than she was then.  She is so much more active; she doesn't really like to cuddle anymore; she fights going to sleep.  We used to have to work to keep her awake while she was eating, and now we hope that eating will make her sleepy so she doesn't scream when we put her in her crib.  

I know that Audrey will continue to grow and change during 2010, and I am sure that Billy and I will learn some things about parenting, ourselves and each other. I pray that we are able to keep our eyes focused upward  and help our family and friends find the same focus.  Here's to 2010!