Happy Birthday Aubrey

Aubrey has turned 1 today! I can't believe that she is 1 already! Happy Birthday my sweet baby!

Aubrey's Butterfly Birthday Bash!

Hi, This is Aubrey and I want to tell you about my 1st Birthday Party. Yes, I know my birthday isn't for a few more days, but we had my party early so all of my local Aunts and Uncles could be there.

This is Mommy getting me ready for my party. She put curly ribbons in my hair - don't I look so festive?

Mommy & Daddy decided to have my party at Chuck E. Cheese's cause they thought I would like the show there. And boy were they right! Watch the video below of me rockin' out to the tunes! I was dancing so hard at times, Mommy thought I might tip over my highchair!

Daddy picked up some really fun balloons for me, and mom and dad decorated the table in a butterfly theme.

When all of my guests came, we ate some pizza. I even got to eat some. It sure was YUMMY! Chuck E. Cheese stopped by to say,"Hi", while we were eating!

Then we had birthday cake. I didn't know what to think of it at first, so I spit it out. Then I decided to try it again. This time I liked it! I didn't make a mess like most babies. I wanted to be lady like - so I ate it very daintily. You can see me in the videos and pictures below.

Then we opened birthday presents! Everyone spoiled me! Thanks to everyone for my fun gifts! You can see me opening my first birthday present in the next video.

After all of the presents were opened we got to play games and ride the rides! You can see a picture of me riding my first ride below. Mommy remembers seeing her sisters ride this ride when they were all kids!

This was my favorite ride. You get to ride in a car with Chuck E. Cheese - and they even take your picture! I sure do love getting my picture taken. I wonder who might have instilled that love in me!?

Here I am on more of the rides - and my guests playing games!

Before JJ had to go home and go to bed, we rode a truck ride together. Don't we look so cute together in the truck?!

After the Games, my Aunts & Uncles gave me all of their tickets they won, so that I could get some prizes. Mommy picked out some that would be mementos of the night, and fun to play with. I got a Chuck E. Cheese's lunchbox, ball & stickers.

By the time I got into the car to go home, I had partied so hard that I fell right to sleep! It sure was a fun party! Thanks to Mommy, Daddy, Aunts Tammy, Katie, Cindy, Summer, Esther, Uncles Elliot, John, Bryan, Cousins JJ, Amy, Stephanie and friend Steve, for sharing my first birthday party with me!

Here are some more pictures of the night.

Weaned!

Aubrey is officially weaned from her pacifier! She hasn't had one for almost 2 weeks now! We even survived church last week without one!! My goal was to have her weaned by 1 year old - so I am ahead of schedule!!

Unfortunately she has also weaned herself from baby food. She won't even eat fruit or cereal anymore. So, now meals are more time consuming for me. I am also running out of ideas for toddler foods. Especially nutritious but quick meals. So, everyone let me know what your favorite foods for toddlers are. I need the help!

First Haircut

Aubrey had her first haircut today. Really we only trimmed her bangs. But, a first is a first. And I love all of Aubrey's firsts! Aubrey wants to know if you like her new bangs?

COUSINS

We have pictures of some of Aubrey's cousins in the kitchen. Aubrey just LOVES the pictures. Every time she sees them, she reaches for them. When we take her over to look at them she giggles and gets really excited. If we even say the word, "cousin", she will point at the pictures. Well now Aubrey gets to see those cousins! For my Mother's Day gift, Aubrey and I are going to Alabama to see Dane and Karen and their kids, in less than 2 weeks! We are so excited. I told Karen the good news yesterday, and she is still in shock!

Aubrey has the cutest mad face. It really softens the blow when she is throwing a fit!

Yesterday Aubrey decided to help me do dishes. The entire time I was loading the dishwasher she was taking the silverware out and then putting it back in. It was really cute. I did though have to move out all of the sharp knives. I really think she thought she was helping me. What a little sweetheart!

Fondue Date Night

You'll only appreciate that title if you are an "Everybody Loves Raymond" fan.

Thanks Elliot & Katie for bringing over the delicious chocolate fondue! They also brought over just about everything you could imagine to dip in it. My favorites were chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter balls & pretzels. I think the strawberries & bananas were a hit with the other fruit lovers.

Cough, Cough, Cough

Jeff and Aubrey like to play this game where Jeff pretends to cough and then Aubrey makes a cute little fake cough back. It's really funny. Aubrey goes to High Priests with Jeff on Sundays because I am in Primary. Well, there was a lot of coughing going on in High Priests on Sunday. Jeff said that every time a man coughed, Aubrey would do her little fake cough back. He said it was soooo funny.

I tried to get a little video of her doing her fake cough. She was much more interested on climbing over me to get the camera! But, if you listen closely at the beginning she makes a little cough right after mine.

Loves for Daddy

Aubrey likes to get up real early these days. So, when she wakes up I just bring her into bed and nurse her so I can kind of rest at the same time. Well, usually when she is finished Jeff is up getting ready for work. But, on the weekends he is still in bed and Aubrey LOVES being in between us in the bed! On Saturday, after she finished nursing she looked over and saw Daddy, but he was turned the other way, facing the wall. So, she leaned over to him and did a little pat, pat, pat on his back. He was sleeping so he didn't respond. So she came back to me for a moment. Then she looked over at Daddy and just rested her hand on his shoulder for a while. Still no response. So, once again she came back to me. But, she really wanted his attention. So, after a moment she crawled over to him and laid her head on his back. He then patted her on the head. That appeased her for a moment and she then came back to me. But, Daddy still hadn't turned around, which was her ultimate goal. So, she then crawled onto his pillow and laid her head down right next to his in the crook of his neck. It was soooo CUTE! He finally turned around and she was so HAPPY!

Fun with Mommy

Later on Saturday I was sitting on the floor blow drying my hair. Aubrey was playing in the room with me. She saw my brush sitting next to me. So she crawled over to me, climbed up using my shoulder, then bent down picked up the brush and started brushing my hair. What a little cutie pants! She is already learning all about being a GIRL.

Has Spring Finally Come?

I sure hope Spring is finally here to stay - although it is hard to keep my hopes up with the crazy weather we have been having. Spring keeps teasing us by coming for a day and then disappearing entirely. So, I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

I bought Aubrey some cute Spring clothes months ago and have just been waiting for a Spring day to wear some. When I heard today was going to reach 70 degrees I brought out her bright floral hoody dress that I've been dying for her to wear. So, of course I took plenty of pictures. I'm not biased or anything, but I think she looks like a doll in it!

Aubrey learned the sign for "eat" this week. Which is sort of ironic since she hasn't wanted to eat all week because she is teething. Anyway, she is so cute when she does it. She does it pretty accurately too. Here are pictures of Aubrey making the sign.

She made the sign while she was sitting outside with daddy, so I brought them a snack. Then I went into the kitchen to make dinner. I peaked out the window and got the cutest little view of them sitting on the blanket together with Jeff giving her snacks. So, of course, I just had to go out and snap a photo! (Look at our green, beautiful grass! Doesn't Jeff do a great job.)

Like I said earlier, Aubrey hasn't been eating well this week. The week before she decided that she only wanted to eat what mommy and daddy were eating. So, we have been feeding her mostly the same foods we eat. Well, this week even that wasn't working. One day at lunch she was reaching for my pasta. So, I put some on her tray. She sort of played with it a little and maybe ate a bite or two. Then started reaching for my fork. So, I put some of the pasta on the fork and she ate it right up. Then she decided that she must help with putting the fork in her mouth. So, I had to put the pasta on the fork and then put the fork a few inches from her mouth, then she would grab it and help guide it into her mouth. Funny girl. So, I realized, she has to not only eat what we eat, but how we eat it too. So, I went and bought her some toddler forks that she won't poke an eye out with. So, below are pictures of her practicing using a fork. She definitely has not mastered the concept, but sure enjoyed having a fork of her own. Especially if there was food on it.

The following is a picture of Aubrey's one and only tooth. That's right, she is almost 1 and only has this one tooth. The funny thing is that Aubrey's cousin, JJ, who is 6 months younger, had his first tooth break through the same day as Aubrey. They got their first teeth on March 28th. I believe that he already has 2 more now. I sincerely hope the second one is going to pop through soon, so we can get happy Aubrey back!

Jane Austen

I took the Jane Austen Quiz.

Take the Quiz here!

You are Elinor Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see.

I think it turned out pretty accurately. I must have answered the questions honestly!

Tubby Time

This evening after dinner Aubrey was doing her normal cruising along the furniture when I asked Jeff, "Are you going to give Aubrey a bath?" She heard me and made her excited sounds. So I asked her, "Is it Tubby Time?" She then got down and crawled right to the bathroom! She is learning so much so fast. I guess we have to already start being careful about what we say around her!

SWEET ESCAPE

Aubrey has a new favorite song. Sweet Escape by Gwen Steffani. We were listening to the song yesterday and I started singing the "woo who" part at the beginning. She started singing along with me and dancing too. Later that evening I was telling Jeff the story and started singing "woo who" and once again Aubrey started singing with me! Today when ever the song started she would get really excited.

Dinner Date

Thanks for the YUMMY dinner Merris family!

Aubrey and JJ and a fun time playing together at Cindy & John's tonight.

AREN'T WE AN ADORABLE PAIR!

JJ used to look so small next to Aubrey - now there is only a 3 lb difference between them!

Thanks for sharing your play mat with me, JJ.

This is my duck, Quackers, isn't he fun!

Smooches for JJ

Climbing the stairs is fun to do, to do, to do, to do, to do . . .

Look at JJ sitting up on his own!

JJ tickles and giggles.

Tubby Time! These are the pictures they will be embarrassed about when they are older - but they were so dang cute in the tub together, we just couldn't resist.

MORE PICTURES FROM THIS WEEKEND