Some days we just can not control the cuteness

The only way she survives doing things like the below.  If you can not see, she threw (not dumped) almost all of the blocks.

I Audrey

I was not overly thrilled to trek up tp Audrey's room to threaten her not to pee on the bed. As I walked in her room she was tossing her diaper over the edge of her bed. Typically if we do not catch her she then pees in the bed so we are forced to come in. Yes she is that fun at night.

So I entered and said " Oh no, oh no you are putting that diaper back on and keeping it on even if i have to tape it on you. This is a problem kiddo."

" Oh no Mommy, I not a problem, i not a problem, I Audrey Mommy. I not a problem Mommy"

If she only knew. I love her to bits, but she keeps us on our toes. Ask me at the end of the summer how I like running after my not a problem kid as she tries to jump in the pool any chance she gets! And you can be sure that if she continues to take that diaper off that there will be tape involved.

Just because

you rarely see pictures of me, because I am typically the one taking the pictures...

Oh and cuteness in piggies.  The oldest kept hers in for 1/2 a day and the youngest for 1/2 a car ride.

Audrey fights for Justice

So I know that Audrey is usually the problem in fights with Celia ( although Celia does like to press her buttons) but last night she stuck up for her rights.  Audrey got out her mega bloks and was building with them.  I was downstairs and I heard a lot of yelling. 

 I came up just to see Audrey standing up and yelling at Celia " Boo, that's not fair, that's not fair, give them back.  Boo they is mine, that's not fair".  

Celia then told me that Audrey took a block and her tower fell down and Celia needed the block back.  I wish I had a picture.  Audrey was still standing there and looking furious and I saw the issue.  

So Celia divided up the blocks between the two of them, Audrey got 4 blocks and Celia got the rest of the container!  Celia was convinced she was in the right, that all Audrey needed was the four.  

I then learned that even though Celia gave her the 4 she later decided she needed just one more and took it from Audrey and that was the last straw for Audrey.  I hope she continues to hold her ground and stick up for herself!  Of course Big Sis needs to now realize that Little Sis is totally aware of everything now.    

Weekend

We had a rather low key weekend.  Yesterday was nice out but today was a drizzly and not as warm day.  We ventured out for various trips.  Audrey and I went to the grocery store, Pete and Celia went to Target, and the whole family went out to get froyo.  On the way to Target Celia became upset because they were going to pick up something for Audrey and not for her.  What you ask were they going to pick up for Audrey???  Her reflux meds.  Yep.  Pete briefly had a discussion with Celia explaining that it was just yucky medicine.  Evidently she was not to be overly reasoned with because she still saw the injustice in the fact that they were going to Target to pick up something for Audrey.  Celia is so neglected.  I shall pick her up some Cod Liver oil next time.   I have to note that while they were at Target I had to briefly reason with Audrey that she was not in need of a particular bottle of hairspray.  We passed this shiny, golden bottle of big hairspray and I guess it interested her.  Admittedly if you have ever seen her hair after a nap it may be worth a try.

I love Audrey cocked head in this picture

Celia is into the whiny, I have nothing to do state.  This summer should be interesting!!  Perhaps I will be glad that I am working some.   We will have fun, but those rainy days may be interesting....  When Celia does find things to do she is good at entertaining herself for awhile but she does not like to clean up at all.  She will avoid it at all costs.  This has been from day one with her but now her messes get quite extensive!  Audrey is at this point fairly good at cleaning up her messes and sometimes helps out with Celia's messes.  When they both play together I am well informed by Celia as to who got what out!!

We are in the process of sleep training Audrey yet again.  She has been awful lately with falling asleep so Thursday evening I had it and told Pete not to go in there anymore.  We hung tight and baby girl fell asleep around 10 pm, Friday was the same, last night was around 8:00 I believe, and tonight she basically only complained a few times and was out.  I would like to think we have accomplished what we wanted however Audrey might just be exhausted and is resting up to fight us again tomorrow night.    Audrey is super into "I do it myself" lately and that is getting so old!!  But every toddler goes through it I suppose!

Celia's Recap

The healthy running kids series was a very nice experience for us.  We expected very little of the program as no one I talked to had heard about it.  I was pleasantly surprised and I wish more people knew about it and I wish it was not just during the spring!  Celia had a great time doing the 50 yard dash.  It gave her confidence, some exercise, and it allowed her to see that winning does not matter.  Next year she has to do the 1/4 mile and we will start practicing at least a few weeks before it!!

So Celia never really learned how to do a great start, she was too nervous about making sure that everyone started.  I guess she did not want to have a false start.  But once she started she had some good pick up and she seemed to have fun running!  She also had fun watching a friend in the 1/4 miler run.  I thought that was great, learning to cheer for others is certainly very, very, very important.  Trust me spectators at races are likely the most influential motivation you can get!

Check out those long legs!!!

Recap

I started out on my 1/2 marathon training determined to run the race or at least some part of it.  Early on my knee told me it was not going to happen.  Having to go down the stairs stiff legged and scared that I was going to cringe from pain really made it clear that running at that time was not worth it!  I think I went about training wrong or perhaps injured myself in some way, not sure.  But after awhile I gave in and decided I was just going to race walk it.  To be honest I am glad that happened.  It is sort of cool to walk a marathon and have runners right next to you.  I am 100% sure that the runners did not think it was cool to have someone walking beside them, but oh well.  I also learned that it is my sport.  Don't get me wrong, I am going to give running a try again and I hope to run my next 1/2 marathon but I also plan to racewalk another 1/2 marathon.  But I am proud of my 11:30 pace walking miles and I am curious if I can ever get close to an 11 min. pace.  I passed a man walking and a woman run walking beside him.  I then heard him say "I am just trying to figure out if she is legal" so I turned around and said "Are you a racewalker???"  Sure enough he was and he did think I was legal (racewalking means you have to follow certain rules in technique).  It was fun to briefly talk to him and then I took off.  Shortly after that I passed a man watching the race and he looked familiar, we both looked at each other and at the same time pointed to each other and said "you".  It was an older man from my racewalking team, that was very cool.  So I had fun, the hills killed me, oh boy I was not prepared for all of them.  I made it but they were not ok!

My favorite part was seeing Celia at the very end, the picture above is of me giving her a high five as I passed.  She gave me the motivation to finish strong.  Typically the announcer at the end says something like "here comes a walker, or speed walker (ugh, I can not stand that term)" but this time I heard "and here comes a race walker, racewalker Carrie"

So I still have 0 desire to do another full marathon, nope not for me right now.  I might think differently a year from now but right now it has 0 interest.  I saw how awful some of the full marathoners looked and really I think that 13.1 miles is good for now.  I am a few years older then when I used to do these kind of miles often and let me tell you I was wiped out yesterday.   Who knows if it was just lack of sleep from the night before or just the fact that a 1/2 marathon wears out this 36 year old, not sure!!

The most important part of the race was that I had fun!  

We did it!

So my 1/2 marathon was on Mothers Day and Celia 's last healthy kids run was today. We both got medals! My marathon was fun and I surprised myself by blasting my goal of 12 min miles (race walking and not running), averaged 11:30 miles.

Education by Celia

Me: How was school today? What did you do?
Celia: Well, I don't want to tell you one part because I got in trouble and you will punish me
Me: No you already got in trouble, what happened?
Celia: Well it was sort of educational, it was a pattern!
Me: What?
Celia: Well at nap I sort of kept trying to stretch out my monkey ( stuffed animal she brought) and made some noise so they told me to stop, then took the monkey, then gave it back, then told me to stop, then took monkey, then gave it back. See a pattern, it was an education.


This is the child that was excited to tell me one day that she had a consequence but she handled it very well. Then she did not understand why I was stuck on the consequence part vs her handling it well...

She does not often get in trouble at school.

Celia and Audrey's Exercise Video

Okay folks, swim suit season is upon us.  Audrey and Celia are here to get you in shape!