Bunny Hunting

So we had a bit of a rough week this last week. First Jeff was sick and then Aubrey was even more sick. We ended up spending 4.5 hours of Saturday evening in the ER because of some unusual symptoms Aubrey was having. Luckily they turned out to be nothing thank goodness. She's also had this horrible cough that has pretty much been lingering since September. It will get really bad for a few weeks, then start to lessen and then before it goes completely away she'll get another cold and it will come on strong again. So, the good thing about our ER visit is they did a chest Xray and found that her lungs look good - so that eased my mind a lot about her cough. So, couple a sick family with a new church responsibility that has taken me some time to get mentally and emotionally prepared for and that turns into a pretty exhausting week for me! But, we made it through and are hoping this week is a little better! Aubrey is still pretty sick today but doesn't seem quite as miserable as yesterday - so I figure that is progress. So, suffice it to say I didn't get to either blogging or cleaning my house much last week. And now, of course, I have chosen to catch up on the blog first before the house cleaning! I am sure Jeff will be less than thrilled with my priorities - but Grandma Buell really wants a new post - so this one is for you Bernice! (What son could get frustrated with his wife for trying to please his mother!)

So, a week before last we had 2 bunnies visiting our yard quite frequently. Aubrey loved it and we thought they were pretty cute too. Until, our neighbor told us that they had been in their yard for a while now and had made a big mess of it. So, as soon as Jeff heard that - he started Bunny Hunting! My resourceful husband took our wheel barrow and propped it up on some pvc pipe. He then tied string around it and fed that into our house. Then he put some yummy treats for the bunnies under the wheel barrow. When the bunnies came for a nibble, he pulled on the string and the wheel barrow came down and trapped the bunnies. So in the space of about 12 hours Jeff had caught both bunnies. One Sunday night and the next Monday morning. Then we spent much of Monday playing with bunnies - which Aubrey loved!

Here is Jeff retrieving his caught bunny.

Bringing the first bunny in Sunday night for Aubrey to see.

Both bunnies in their comfortable, yet temporary home. The white and brown one was caught Sunday night and lived in our shed that night in this box that Jeff had also put food and water in.

Aubrey enjoying the second bunny caught Monday morning.

Playing with the bunnies!

Monday evening some neighborhood friends who are our local bunny experts retrieved our bunnies and told us they would take them to an animal shelter. Probably a better place for them than what calling animal control would have gotten them!

Wet wipes and Washcloths

Wet Wipes

About 3 weeks ago Aubrey began her strange fascination with wet wipes. She thinks they are cute little blankets. Every time I would put Aubrey on the changing table she would immediately grab a wet wipe.

Then she would lie down, spread it out on her belly and say "Ni Ni"

After her diaper was changed she would carry that wet wipe with her all throughout the house. She would find stuffed animals to lay it on. Or she would merely spread it out nicely on the floor, make sure it was perfectly straight and then pick it up and start over. We now find dry wet wipes all over the house. Many nights she even wants to sleep with one. Who knows what is in the heads of these little toddlers.

Washcloths

In most homes washcloths in tubs are used for cleaning oneself. But, to Aubrey a washcloth is a blanket for her baby. Santa brought Aubrey a Strawberry shortcake doll that came with a tub and a swimsuit. She is now Aubrey's favorite tubby time toy. That and the washcloth of course.

First, Aubrey will spread out the wash cloth nice and straight on the side of the tub.

Then she sings her doll a song and gives her a hug and a kiss and lays her on the washcloth.

Then she swaddles the doll and says "Ni Ni."

Then the whole process starts all over again. She has spent several 30 min. tubby times doing this the entire time. It's really quite cute. She's being a little Mommy. If only she would spend as much time with her doll that actually came with a bassinet, blanket, diaper bag with food and bottle, car seat & stroller. Somehow it is not quite as fun as a little doll and a washcloth!

Primping

For the past month or so, Aubrey has been real interested in the make-up and morning ritual process. She usually wants to try a few things out herself. This morning she was real cute. The minute she saw me go over to the sink to get ready, she ran and got her stool and put it right next to me so she could get ready with me. Every time I finished with something she would hold her hand out as if to say, "my turn". What a little girly girl.

First I put on my deodorant.

Then a little toner.

Next comes the moisturizer.

We can't forget the powder.

The eyeliner comes next. (I'm glad she didn't poke her eye out!)

Then I must keep my lips smooth with chapstick.

The teeth are next. (Luckily, she used her toothbrush and didn't insist on mine!)

And last but not least we must do our hair.

It's not easy lookin' this GOOD!

On an entirely different note, Aubrey has NOT mastered drinking from a cup. Last week I sat down with a cup of chocolate milk. Aubrey wanted to have some, so I held the cup out for her to drink some. She was doing really good and wanted to drink on her own. So, I let her take the cup. Well, that was the end of my chocolate milk!

Surprisingly the clothes came out nice and clean from the wash, you would never know they had been covered in chocolate milk!

HiYa

We gave Aubrey "If you Give a Cat a Cupcake" for Christmas this year. Both Jeff and I (independent from each other) would say, "HiYa" whenever we got to the page where the cat is doing Karate. Aubrey started not only saying, "HiYa" whenever we get to that page, but refers to the book as, "HiYa". Whenever she wants to read this story we hear "HiYa" over and over again until we read it. Well, last night I noticed Jeff teaching Aubrey how to do some Karate chops as they were saying "HiYa". So this is what Aubrey was doing all morning:

I don't know if you all are familiar with this series. But, Aubrey just loves them. We only have two. The original "If you give a mouse a cookie" and the above one. For the past month, "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" is by far Aubrey's favorite story. She will look through the book over and over again in one sitting. She also has to have it when she is sitting on the potty. Funny girl! So now it lives in the bathroom!

Since we are on the topic of children's books, we also gave Aubrey, "God Gave us You" for Christmas. I LOVE this story. I was crying in Walmart as I was reading it. It was one of those that as I read it I felt like it was our story being told. Luckily Aubrey loves it as well. It's definitely one of her new favs.

Her favorite page in the book is when they are at the doctors office listening to the baby's heartbeat. Aubrey has come to the midwifes with me several times and loves to hear Brooke's heartbeat. She always talks about it by saying, "Boom Boom Boom". So now this story is called "Boom Boom Boom". I love that she titles her books so that she can tell us what she wants to read! Anyway, this book has been perfect for us. It is all about the process of mommy getting pregnant and her belly getting bigger and than the baby being born and then bringing the baby home. I think it is helping Aubrey understand the whole process. So, hopefully she won't be too surprised when Brooke is on the outside! I think she is getting it somewhat cause her second favorite page is when the baby is born. She always exclaims "BABY" when we get to that page. So, we'll see.


After we bought that book I noticed on the back that there is a sequel, "God Gave us Two". Apparently it is teaching the first child about having a sibling. I have to have this book! I have searched everywhere for months and I can't find it locally. I will probably have to just order it. I'm thinking it will be Aubrey's valentine present.

One of my favorite things has always been children's books. I am soooo glad that Aubrey loves to read! Of all of her Christmas gifts, her new stories are by far the most used and loved. I've been reading to her since birth. At 3 months I made it part of our daily routine. And since then we have both been hooked. I hope Brooke will love stories as well!

Life with a Toddler

The Problem

Aubrey is an early riser - mommy is NOT an early riser.

The Solution

Several months ago I brought a bunch of toys and books into our bedroom so Aubrey could play in our room, while I try to rest in bed awhile longer.

The Problem

Our room began to look like a disaster area. Toys everywhere and nowhere to store them.

The Solution

We had Aubrey's port-a-crib in our room so I could put her in it to play while I got ready in the morning. Jeff began storing all of her toys in it at night time.

The Problem

Aubrey couldn't get to her toys, so one of us would have to get up and get them out for her, totally ruining the whole resting in bed while she plays bit. Also, the port-a-crib got so full, she could hardly fit in it herself!

The Solution

I found these lovely, cheap storage bins to store Aubrey's things in and they are low enough for her to reach them herself. This was a wonderful solution for a few weeks.

The Problem

Aubrey discovered that the above storage bins also doubled nicely as step stools. So this last week, within minutes of being up she would empty the entire contents of all three storage bins and stack them together and use them to get up at whatever she wanted. (If she wants to reach the light switch, one bin is not quite tall enough, so she must stack multiple together to get at it. She's too smart for her own good!)

So for the past couple of weeks I had two choices 1) Spend all day picking up Aubrey's toys. It seemed like a fruitless waste of time, since the moment I picked them up she would once again need a step stool, and would empty everything out again. OR 2) Risk breaking my neck every time I walked into my bedroom. Neither option seemed like a great one to me!

The Solution

I got out our step stool for her to use.

The Problem

It is quite a bit taller than the bins and Aubrey has trouble getting down on her own. Also, it is too heavy for her, so she can't lug it around to wherever she needs it to be. So, yesterday she spent the whole day fussing at me because she was either stuck on top of the stool, or she couldn't get it to where she needed it to go.

The SOLUTION

Thank you Rubbermaid. We went to Walmart this morning and found the perfect stool. I even took Aubrey out of the cart to try it out.

It is the perfect height, exactly the same as her stacked storage bins. So she can reach the light switches to her contentment! And she can get up and down it by herself.

It is super light weight, so she can carry it around with ease all throughout the house. Since, it's been home she's carried it from the family room to her bedroom and then back out front to the kitchen.

Hurray for good solutions! I am sure this too will bring problems of it's own - but for now I will glory in my success! Oh how fun life is with a toddler!

The Best part of making Brownies

Aubrey was helping me make brownies this afternoon. We finished mixing and I poured the batter into the pan. I set the bowl and spoon back down and turned my back for a moment. When I turned back I saw Aubrey with the big spoon in her mouth. It made me laugh. Apparently, she can tell a good thing when she sees it. She must have a little of her Grandpa Bagley in her. Whenever mom was cooking or baking, dad always had to sample it. We would frequently hear my mom in the kitchen saying, "Larry, get your hands out of that." So, she must be Grandpa's girl!

Before I washed her face I took her to the mirror to see herself and she laughed too!

Pics, Pics & More Pics

I am glad that my obsession of taking pictures of Aubrey hasn't lessened. This way I won't make the cardinal sin of taking all the pictures of the first child and very few of subsequent children. With my obsession going strong, I think baby Brooke will get plenty of camera time!

The cutest little mommy!

Feeding my baby with Grandma.

I love my new Cooties from the Alabama Bagley's

I make a great teammate.

Umm, Grandma, I think this is the best card to play.

I love reading stories in my new duckie chair.

Don't my bracelets look pretty?

Really enjoying my candy cane.

I love Piglet on my new outfit from Grandma & pa Buell. All day long I pointed to her and tried to say Piglet. When we went to the store and I had a coat on, I made mom take off my coat as soon as we were in the store so that I could see Piglet again.

Looking pretty in my new dress from Grandma & pa Bagley.

Having fun with Uncle Steve.

I am sorry your teeth hurt Aunt Summer.