The not-so-helpful Helper

Audrey has become quite the "helper" these days.

Just this morning, she helped me unload all the clean dishes, by taking out as many spoons as she could and throwing them on the floor.

Then when I was feeding her some cream of wheat, she helped feed herself by grabbing the cereal from the spoon and smearing it all over her face, followed by a precious look-mom-i-did-it-all-by-myself smile from ear to ear.

In general she helps with all of the household chores, she rearranges books, scatters clean socks and makes sure we have secret stashes of cheerios stowed away in all kinds of clever places.

Confidence is contagious

Today Audrey and I stopped over at a friends house. Her little boy is 2 months older than Audrey and is already quite a walking pro. As soon as Audrey saw him walking around the house so confidently, she immediately abandoned crawling and started showing off her walking skills as well. She took a few tumbles, but she managed to stay on her feet during most of the visit. It was like a light bulb went off in her head. When she saw another little person walking so well, she knew she could do it too.

Camera MIA

Hey friends and family,

I have unfortunately misplaced my camera, so pics are probably going to be a while in coming. In the meantime, I will endeavor to share some cute anecdotes when I can. And who knows maybe I will get a new camera for my birthday and be able to take eyes-open pictures in the relatively near future.

These Feet were made for walkin'

Saturday June 17th, Audrey took her first official step. Since then she has been taking a few steps at a time throughout the course of her adventures during the day. The funny and perhaps unusual thing is that she always has at least one, often two, things in her hands. She will take a step towards us while gripping her favorite book, toy or puzzle piece tightly.

So big!

Audrey loves to play a game we like to call "So big!" The game basically consists of us saying "so big" several times, while Audrey raises her hands above her head to show us how big she is. It is good clean fun for the whole family.

(her dress is tucked into her bloomers to make it easier for her to crawl)

Walking the...

garbage can around the kitchen has never been so much fun!

Audrey loves to push the garbage can around the kitchen. She hasn't quite mastered the whole steering aspect yet, but she doesn't seem to mind. She just trys to pull the trash out when she hits a wall or a rug. Lucky me.

A cold

Audrey has a cold. She has a raspy little cough and a runny nose. I think the worst part of the cold from Audrey's perspective is having her nose wiped. She really does not like that and puts up quite a fight. Otherwise she seems pretty happy, just a little more clingy and tired.

Teeth

I finally got a picture of her cute little teeth. She just has the two bottom teeth, but she makes the most of them and a bite from her can hurt. (Just ask her Aunt Bud, who got a good bite on the chin over vacation.)

Williamsburg Strawberry

We took a lovely family vacation last week to Williamsburg, VA.

This is a picture of Audrey (in a cute strawberry outfit) and I in the Governor's Mansion gardens at Colonial Williamsburg.

Audrey Buckets

Aunt William called Audrey - Audrey Buckets, from the very first time they met.

So of course, I couldn't resist a few pictures of Audrey playing with her toys with the bucket on her head. She left it on her head the whole time she was playing. Though she was terribly surprised whenever she waved the rake a little too close and it banged the bucket on her head. She wasn't too fond of that part of being a bucket-head at all.

Stair Master

It is a very scary day at our house. Audrey has learned how to climb stairs!

Considering the fact that we live in a townhouse, it is actually a good skill for her to master. However, that doesn't mean I want her climbing the stairs before she can walk, talk or understand what I am saying to her.

She has been able to do a courtesy stair here and there (to reach shoelaces that we put up a couple of steps to be out of her reach) for a week or so. But the other day, she just felt inspired and kept on going. I stayed a step below her all the way up, and then I made her work her way back down the stairs just like my dad taught me when I was little. She really wasn't so fond of the going down, but by the end she was cooperating her little legs, going down one knee then the other then reaching one foot down and then the other and repeating.

The most scary part of letting her climb the stairs on her own, was watching her practice her standing techniques on each step. Why in the world she wanted to have both hands free was a mystery to me - I certainly didn't.

Broccoli Squirrel

Audrey likes to just put things in her mouth and leave them there - saving them for chewing up or other further processing at some future point.

Sometimes after feeding her some finger foods, I will think she is done and clean her up and set her down to play. Ten minutes later she will start chewing and so I will rush over to her and make her give me the contents of her mouth, only to discover that it is legitimate food that she has just saved in her cute chubby cheeks.

Last night, we gave her some steamed broccoli. She liked it a lot and I thought she had eaten most of it. I was wrong on that one. I went to nurse her right before putting her to bed. When she opened her mouth, I couldn't help laughing. She had a big wad of green broccoli tucked into the side of her cheek.

Future Chocolate Connoisseur?

I made the mistake of leaving our box of Easter chocolates within Audrey's reach. I soon discovered her working diligently to get to figure out what was in the box.

Raisin Toes

This picture is of Miss Audrey after playing in the bathtub for a little too long. She is fascinated by her raisin toes. Also, when her hair is wet, it looks like she has a lot more of it.

Will work for ...

shoe laces!

I wish I was kidding, but Miss Audrey loves nothing so much as shoe laces. She will untie any shoe she sees and immediately tries to put the laces in her mouth. If you want to make friends with Audrey, wear shoes with laces.

Easter Beauty with her Daddy

Audrey looked especially beautiful in her Easter finery.


Audrey and her Daddy dancing around. A big thank you to the Greats for the Easter dress.

Seeing the Easter Bunny

Audrey wasn't thrilled with the Easter bunny. She tolerated him and didn't cry, but she certainly was not as excited by seeing an adult sized moving bunny as I thought (or hoped) she might be.

Either way, she looked dashing in the cute pink dress that her aunt Danielle sent her.

Breaking news... A TOOTH!!

After what seems like several weeks of swollen gums and fussiness, Audrey's first tooth finally broke through her gums!!

As soon as it is visible, rest assured, there will be pictures. In the meantime, I could feel it with my finger. It is the front bottom left tooth and I am quite sure the bottom right tooth is just a few days behind.

A jungle gym or a jail...

but not a crib.

Since Audrey discovered the joys of standing in her crib, she no longer wants to sleep in it. I only wish I was kidding. She is just too curious for her own good. She just has to try standing one more time - no matter how tired she is.

When I put her down to sleep with a full belly and droopy eyes, I now find her standing up crying 5 minutes later because she can't get down or she throws the pacifier overboard or she can't hold herself up with one hand and she really wants to rub those poor tired eyes. So I'll go in and fix whatever ails her and then put her back down only to come to the same end.

The alternative is equally pathetic. She will sit facing out with her hands on the bars, trying to shake them to get our attention. It is as if she is literally trying to say, "let me out!"

I am hoping this phase comes quickly to an end - otherwise, she may be sleeping in her much-less-exciting - pack'n play very soon.

So pleased with myself!

Over the last 10 days, Audrey has made huge developmental strides.

She is now completely crawling on all fours - no more army crawling. And nothing gets in her way, she will crawl right over anything she can. And she is picking up more speed everyday.

She can come to sitting on her own. She has been sitting up without support for a week or two, but now, she can come to sitting on her own too.

And now... She can come to standing on her own too!! Yesterday I put her down for a nap and she was just chatting for a bit and then she got quiet, so I thought she was sleeping - I could not have been more wrong. I decided to peek in on her and this is what I saw... Little Audrey standing up with the biggest smile I have ever seen! Now if only I could get her to keep her eyes open for pictures.



(Don't worry we dropped her mattress down in her crib last night.)