Celia

Miss Celia

Celia with her teachers, Miss Donna and Miss Lauren on her last day in the 2/3 room.  I cropped out the other little girl in the picture, that is what the white spot is from!  Miss Donna told us at the beginning of the school year that we would not have the same kids at the end of the year.  Basically it was said that we were leaving our toddlers and picking up preschoolers.  Ugh, makes me so sad but so proud. 

Celia has had an eventful school year.  She became a big sister and boy was that a transition, but so far she has handled it like a champion.  She also had to adjust to going to school less days and for less time, which she only had some slight issues with.  Change is hard for everyone, but really hard when you are 3.  Celia took soccer shots this year and did very well, however I do not know if she was really blown away by the activity! 

She learned a great deal about religion this year.  Pastor Cory taught her the Easter story and Celia told us about it many times and asked and it sparked her interest in death which freaked her Daddy out a bit.  She also learned some awesome songs that I have heard 5,006 times.  She colored a ton in school and made lots of awesome crafts.  She certainly felt loved in her classroom, and it she got her share of hugs from Miss. Donna and Office Donna.

When I first dropped my peanut off at daycare when she was 1, I hated it.  My plan was to put her in school until the end of the school year and then stay home.  We would save money, I would get pregnant again, and then stay home.  I knew I would not like this situation.  Well.... things really changed.  I honestly did not worry about Celia while I was at work.  She absolutely fell in love with her classroom, her teacher, and her friends.  School really matched Celia's personality.  This school genuinely cares for the babies and big kids.  It has become part of our extended family.  It is a big part of the reason why Celia is so very bright. 

So this school year, Celia also learned to write.  She can basically write anything now and often asks "Mommy, how do you write _________ or ________"  I can just tell her the letters and she will write them.   She is starting to get more and more interested with spelling words and i hope that sparks a desire to learn how to read more words.  She was doing great with her reading, she can read the at and an family, but is not as into it right now.  I am not going to push her.  She is into numbers now and that is great because she needs work in that area.  But she is able to match numbers up to 8 with quantities and can add quantities.  She knows before, after, few, and less too.  She loves having pretend homework.  She is also getting to be a very good little artist.

She might not have loved soccer but she really does love to swim.  She has told me that she wished Ms. Hayley her swim teacher was her mother so that she could swim all day.  I did not take that to heart at all, I knew what she meant.  Celia also told me that she is smart, that even when she isn't smart, she is still smart.  Funny thing, I also knew what she meant!!  She is going to have intensive swim lessons at the end of July, every day at 4:30 for 2 weeks.  I decided that I really wanted to wear her out at the end of the day.  They are an hour long.  So hopefully Celia will be able to swim more by the time we go to the beach the last two weeks in August.

She really does still look my little baby when she is asleep.  Poor kid, she really does still need her naps!

This was on the day of her school show.  I tried to get pictures of teh two of them, neither one was cooperating very well!!

7 months

So Audrey is 7 months.  It has been a rough month.  I almost feel like we are back to her personality a few months ago.  The good news is that she is sleeping better at night, naps are hit or miss.  But she still cries a lot and this past month it has escalated.  We just upped her reflux meds and there have been a few better days.  Shortly after her 6 month appointment she had a very bad reaction to oatmeal and so we have been slow to introduce solids.  She is doing okay with solids, eats them sometimes and won't have anything to do with them on other days.  She does like to drink water out of an open cup though!

She will not have a check up until she is 9 months old, although I am debating on taking her in sooner if she doesn't change her attitude!  I do think that she just does not appreciate us because if we take her anywhere she turns on the charm and is as happy as can be- as long as I am around.  At home it often does not matter if I am around, I will sit right beside her and entertain her and sometimes it still is not enough.   Actually she can go from screaming to giggling in a second.  Tonight she was screaming so much that Pete kept asking if she was in pain.  I took off her diaper, turned on Elmo, gave her Philleppe and she was all smiles.  Honestly.

So what is she up to?  Well since we upped the reflux meds she is back to working on crawling more.  We went to the beach last week and she did very well army crawling on their carpet.  We have hardwood laminate on our main floor so perhaps that is more trick.  She can definately army crawl but she often will not tolerate being put down so therefore she does not always get to practice!!  She loves to stand and can stand while holding onto something.  I never walk away, but really she is very steady as long as she remembers that she should not let go!  She has pulled herself up to standing many times, but somedays I think her little body is just too tired as she gets half way and just drops!!

She loves to have someone clap for her.  Her favorite toys include Philleppe the Handy Manny Screw driver, real keys, and the leapfrog table- oh and Elmo.  We also discovered that she loves puzzle pieces!  She also really enjoys playing in water and loved floating around in the baby pool when we were at the beach. 

Clothes and diapers:  Nothing really has changed here.  3 to 6 month clothing is fitting her very well with no real signs of growing out of it.  But I do sometimes put some 6 to 9 month/6 to 12 month stuff on her.  It is big, but with the fluffy butt, it works.  She is slimming out in the tummy a bit so all of her diapers still fit well, and I am evening having to tighten the waist! 

So Miss. Audrey, here's to a hopefully, calmer next month!!!

Look what I can do

 So do you know what I have been doing lately?

 Yep, I can pull my self up!  It is hardwork but I love it.

And folks, here is my fan club.  They cheer for me everyday.  

Beauty

Apology to my daughters

Dear Celia,

I am so sorry about the other day. I walked down the stairs and did not look to see if you were following or even going to go down the stairs. I should always do that because I know that you have to be first so that you can win. I am sorry that I caused an off and on 20 minute rant about how rude that was and that you should always win.

Oh and I will also see about moving the load bearing wall near my bedroom so that you do not accidentally walk into it again and scrape your hand. That was totally Mommy and Daddy's fault for buying this house.

Love you always,
Mommy

Dear Audrey,

I apologize for thinking that the big hunk of whatever should have been wiped from below your nose. I thought that perhaps you wanted it off of your face. I was wrong. I realize that in the future it is not needed to wipe anything off of your face and if I do I risk a tantrum and telling off for at least 5 minutes.

I also apologize for not being available at all times to have you hold my hands and stand. It is totally my fault for wanting to do the selfish things like pee or eat.

Love Mommy

More laughter

Audrey Pics

Okay, so the first picture is the exact expression that Pete makes when he is awake.  He does not appreciate being awake.  My poor sweety.

My sister made this outfit for Celia and I just loved it when she was a baby.  I wanted to get it on Audrey even though it is a bit big for her now.  I did not think that if I waited until the weather got cooler again that it would fit her.  Luckily last Friday was a cooler day and the outfit survived without getting anything on it!

She is just cute here..

Do you see what is in her hand?  It is Philleppe from Handy Manny.  She loves that play screw driver.  Maybe she will actually be Mommy's girl! For those that don't know, I am not a lipstick and high heels girl, I am a power drill, fix what I can, tennis shoes and no make up kind of girl.  Celia on the other hand.... Well somehow she knows what lipstick, perfume, and nail polish is.  She is a girly girl... with a bit of an edge though.  Perhaps she needs to spend sometime with her Aunt Vickie, she knows about the girly girl stuff.

Oh and here is Celia wearing the same overalls.  They really don't look alike!  But I think they have the same eyes and some of the same expressions.  Celias face is definately more round.  Oh and the ears are the same, I think they both have my ears...

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