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!