campfire blast

Sunday night when we had that random cold spell, Jamie decided we needed to roast some marshmallows outside in the fire pit after dinner. Audrie was pretty excited...

Jamie worked on getting a good fire going...

While Audrie and I took photos of ourselves...

Audrie was actually really good at roasting the marshmallows. She was very careful and didn't burn hers.

We stayed out there for a long time (Annie was asleep for the night).

I was pretty impressed with my camera's ability to capture these photos even though it was pitch black outside. Just the light from the fire...

We were actually even so corny that we sang some songs around the fire. Audrie loved it!

It was a fun little family night. And we saved a few marshmallows for Annie. :)

our sweetie pie

I know Audrie isn't getting her monthly stats posted on here so I wanted to a quick "update" on our crazy little Audrie.

She's 2 and a half now and has enough energy to power a small country. She weighs 29 pounds and is 37 inches tall. She's always been in the top percentile's for her height but it doesn't really show until I pick her up from her pre-school and she really is one of the tallest little kiddos in her class.

She's starting to wear size 3T but we have to take in the waist on her pants cuz so she's so slim. Personally I'm thinking about going on the "toddler" diet. For three days all I will eat is 4 goldfish crackers and drink a gallon of watered down lemonade... then on the fourth day I will only eat Cheerios I find randomly around the house.

Oh and one popsicle a day...

We love listening to Audrie's stories all day. This girl talks nonstop about the wackiest things. Her favorite things to do are: puzzles, read books, anything involving art, play in her sandbox, blow bubbles, ride in the wagon, terrorize the cat, call people on her fake cell phone, watch movies, take a bath, and of course SING.

I heard a cheesy quote the other day about how kids fill up the hole in your heart you didn't know you had. So corny and so true. 

And Audrie is still the best big sister we could have dreamed she would be. She really adores Annie.

Even introduced her to Dora...

I know they're sisters so they are destined to be clawing each other's eyes out someday, but my goodness they are super cute together right now.

Although Audrie really wants to pick up Annie all the time so we have to work on discouraging that...

These girls just melt my heart!

I don't know what I ever did in my life to deserve such blessings, but I sure am grateful.

4 month update

Annie is four months old today so I snapped a couple quick photos in her crib this morning.

She has her 4 month doctor appointment on Monday so I'll know her weight and height then. (She's also getting shots! Boooo. But thankfully Jamie is taking her so I don't have to witness the torture.)

Annie is rolling over both ways now. She's starting to laugh and it's the greatest thing ever! Her hair is getting thicker and turning more light brown (though she still has her bald patch on the back of her head). And her eyes are turning more brownish every day.

She is starting to eat more now and moving to more of a 4 hour eating schedule. She is still a really great sleeper (3-4 naps during the day and sleeps all night), but has been having some growth spurts that throw her schedule for a loop every now and then.

She is really good at grabbing toys and playing with them for longer periods of time.

Her favorite things to do are: play in her jump-a-roo, be carried in the sling, swing outside, watch Audrie play, take baths, and go for walks.

She also has recently discovered her toes. 

I'm still exclusively nursing her (pumping bottles while I'm at work) and she's doing great with that. I'm trying to hang in there until Christmas, but she's eating so much these days it's hard to keep the supply stocked.

Annie is such a super sweet little girl. Really, she just coos and smiles all day long. The only time she fusses is when she's hungry or sleepy. (Or occasionally if Audrie is singing loudly in her face... she doesn't care for that too much!)

Jamie's mom is still keeping Annie during the day, of course, and Annie loves being loved on and spoiled by her. We love it too!

When Annie is laying on a blanket to play she mysteriously scoots all over the place. You look away for just a moment and somehow she has moved all around the blanket. And when she's on her belly she tries to shove her little toes into the ground to push forward. (Audrie didn't crawl til 8 months... but then walked at 9 and 1/2 months- but we're hoping little Annie takes her time on being mobile!)

We just love her so much and can't get enough kisses from this sweet slobbery face.

We've been good at not ever giving her a pacifier but she does love to chew on her fingers. So I'm sure she'll just be sucking her thumb soon! Go figure.

Sweet Annie, we love you more than we could have imagined!

family get-together

These pictures are over a month old but I really wanted to post them. My family got together last month to "test" out my parents new house (see if it would hold us all). For those of you who don't know- I have a really huge family (4 sisters and 7 brothers). So any time we get together it's a big event.

Audrie had fun playing with her cousins. I don't get to see my siblings enough so it was nice to get to spend some time with them, too.

Everyone had lots of stories to share.

And Audrie got to play with her uncles and a bunny...

My crazy brother Eric (I laughed at this picture of him holding a huge knife and my sweet baby...)

And he had to torment Audrie a little too. Gave me some nice flashbacks to my childhood.

Sweet picture of my dad and Annie...

All of us trying to pose for a photo and convince the little kids to sit still...

It was a fun afternoon with everyone and my parent's house passed the test. :)