A family of Olympic junkies

Audrey loves the Olympics too. Perhaps because it means the TV is on a lot more. But, we did find her trying to snowboard on her Duplo box top the other day.

I don't know what she actually was doing, but it sure does look like she is trying to snowboard. She even repeated the activity several times. And, snowboard cross had just been on TV, so clearly she was beginning her Olympic training at a young age.

Two video disclaimers
1) I am really annoying. I need to work on that.
2) She was fine after she fell, she got right up and was off.

Precious Moments

I need moments like these.

To remind my why it is worth it to miss moments like these.

Photo Credit Chris Switzer

Photo Credit Chris Switzer

Sometimes I miss derby in a painful, gut wrenching way. The sport, the people, the contact. All. Of. It. Well, maybe not the aches and pains. But the longing is real and intense.

But, I know I made the right choice because I get to put this sweet girl to bed more, and have more moments like these.

And I get to hang out with this amazing man more.

And we get to be a family more.

And that makes me really, really happy.

But that painful ache does remind me I need to get to practice to visit more often. That I have time for.

Little babies turn into little girls way before they should

I only wrote two posts in January. Fail. I resolve to do better in February.

So, here we go.

Audrey needs an update of what she is doing these days. Which is lots and lots of things.

Baby girl has become a big girl seemingly overnight. I don't even know where to begin, she has made so many leaps in the past month.

We'll start with physical progress. Audrey can run. Yep. Run. She's is deceptively fast and agile. It is a whole new ball game. She is also working on perfecting the skills of climbing and exercising zero caution. That girl has no fear, at all. This is not because we don't let natural consequences happen. She falls and bumps and bruises a lot. She just has a fearless personality. I have no idea where she got that from. Certainly not her mom or dad.

Anyway, physical advances in recent days include climbing in and out of her rocking chair. Standing in her rocking chair, we have mostly put an end to this but if no one is looking up she goes. Climbing in and out of the hidey-hole. Now that I padded it she rarely smashes her head, of course. Climbing in her toy basket. Climbing in the magazine rack. Climbing up to the slide and going down by herself at the play space. Do you see a theme here?

Audrey is also making large mental strides. We always have tried to talk to her in complete sentences and explain things. Which often gets comments about how she has no idea what we are saying anyway. I have always thought she may not, but she may. And when she does I want to be telling her what we are doing and why. Well guess what, she still doesn't say all that many words consistently, but she understands many, many words and sentences.

If one of us says "Audrey let's go change your diaper" she runs to her bedroom door and starts banging. If she picks up Shasta's toy and you tell her "Audrey, give Shasta her toy" she walks over and offers the toy to Shasta. If she is kneeling in her chair and you say "Audrey, turn around and sit on your bottom" she does. Well, at least most of the time. If she doesn't I say "Do you need help?" and then she almost always sits down. Point being, she understands A LOT more words than she can say.

So, parents out there keep talking to your littles. They understand more than you think and one day they will start responding with words or actions.

Toddler knows best

When we were in Wisconsin for Christmas we took Audrey to the Madison Children's Museum. They have an area just for little dudes.

She had a lot of fun. Her favorite things were, looking at the fish, going down the ramp, going down the slide, and WATER!

She loved watching the fish in the tank. Which is good, because we still owe her a fish tank for her birthday. Soon baby girl. Tires, generators, and life have gotten in the way but we haven't forgotten you. We will go pick out your fish soon.

She really liked the super steep slide as well. Always a dare devil that one.

But her favorite part was the water room. Of course. Every time we go to a Children's Museum there is a water room and every time I think why. Why are you tempting our children with water? They are going to get all wet and it will be messy, and they will get cold, and we will have to change clothes.

This trip I had an epiphany.

Who cares.

Who cares if she gets wet. Who cares if it is a mess. Who cares if we have to leave right after the water room because she is soaking wet. We took her to the Children's Museum so SHE could have fun, right? So we need to let her have the fun she wants to have. Even if that means a wet little girl.

She will be a happy, wet little girl.

I will admit this is sometimes easier said than done. But I have been trying to remind myself of this in everyday life as well. Within reason, of course. Playing in the toilet is still a no go. BUT when I can I try to remember to let Audrey choose her own fun, even if it is not what I would choose at that moment.

From now on we will bring extra clothes to the Children's Museum.

A Jane of many trades

Audrey is a very well rounded little lady.

She loves books. They are easily one of her favorite toys.

She also loves her duplos. She likes to take them out of the bin and put them back in the bin. She really enjoys taking them apart and then putting them away. I suspect she will learn to build with them one day.

She is a budding photographer.

 

However, her greatest love is perhaps for her riding toys. She has a musical scooter thing and a hippo push toy/rider. She loves to be pushed on them. But, let's be honest mom and dad do not always love to push her. It is fun because she squeals with glee. But you can only push a toddler down the hall so many times.

So, when no one is willing to push her she likes to use her riding toys in creative ways.

She surfs on the hippo.

She uses them as climbing aids.

She pushes them into things.

And of course, she falls off. Our little dare devil. I'm sure we'll get to spend more than our fair share of time at urgent care. I am OK with that, though. I like spunky little girls!

Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.

Audrey got way more gifts than she could even need. That is OK. Everyone had fun spoiling her and she had fun too.

As you can see she got lots of loot. Including, a xylaphone, an animal train, a regular train, a ride on toy, a bus, a flashlight, dinosaur stackers, bath toys, books, and lots of clothes. She was not wanting for gifts.

We all had a wonderful Christmas with family. I hope you did too!

Snow Baby

Before we got ice, we got snow. It is no secret that I love snow. I am not so keen on ice, but snow I love.

There was enough snow to go sledding, make snowmen, go skiing, all of the wonderful snow activities. We were excited to share the fun of snow with Audrey. She experienced snow last year, but she was really little and not really able to play in the snow yet.

We got her all dressed up in her snow gear to see what she thought after the first big snow.

She was pretty unsure. She did know she for sure did not want to walk in the snow. She still doesn't try to walk in snow. She did eventually begin to play with the snow and she thought sledding down a a small hill in the front yard was pretty cool.

I think she will become a lover of snow.