Red Duck

Little Audrey is a chatterbox. She is constantly talking and humming. She isn't however actually saying anything. That is until Thursday. On Thursday she felt inspired to start actually saying something. She attempted a "Hi", and then said "Duck" and later on "red". The only one she says with any consistency is "Duck" pronounced "cuck". A funny first word indeed.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Audrey had her 1st Birthday on July 22. At the party she encountered her first cake and she did not understand how to blow out the candle. This picture was captured seconds before I blew out the candle and that precariously perched hand, dove straight into the cake.

Walking like a champ

Audrey is now "officially" walking. She no longer utilizes her knees at all - except for with the stairs and only then because it can't be helped.

Since she is walking so well, I thought it was time for her to try walking outside, she of course, had other ideas - namely, sitting. The sidewalk was just far too interesting for walking around on, she had to inspect close up first.

Three Kids in a Basket

This weekend, Kalyn and Bryan came up with their kids (Ali and Josie) for the 4th of July Weekend. It was lovely having them here and Audrey enjoyed having some kids to play with. She did not however, appreciate the game of sitting in the basket nearly as much as Ali and Josie.

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.