Speak and spell

Maybe most kids are doing this at 16 months...but Aubrey sure wasn't, so we're pretty impressed.
We're not really the flashcards - teach your kid to do math by age 2 type of parents. We'd rather they play and slowly learn what they need to know. But we've been working with Aubrey on her letters. She knows how to spell her name, but doesn't really like it so much.
So yesterday I said, Aubrey, let's spell your name. I said, "A", to start it for her, and instead of Aubrey taking it, I heard a little "Yoooooo" from beside me. It was Charlotte. Surprised, I looked at her and said, "B"....and she smiled and said "awwwrwww". I said, "E"......and sure enough, she smiled really big and yelled "Y!!!"
So...um...my 3 year old won't spell her name, but luckily her not quite 1 1/2 year old sister is there to help her. A couple more times since has gotten Es and Bs out of Charlotte. So I think the only letter she won't supply is the A, since that's our job to start it with.

Sarcasm

"Here's your water Aubrey", I say and place the sippy on her table. I say goodnight and close the door. 1 minute later she's back out. Not surprising...she usually comes out and asks for her "big hug". It's part of the ritual. So I pick her up and ask if she wants her hug. "no...it's not cold".
What's not cold?
"The water's not cold".
Oh yeah, I'd used tap water because I hadn't had a chance to put a new water jug on the Ozarka dispenser.
"I know Aubrey, we're out of cold water"

"Well, are we out of ice?"

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She's done this before and I might have even blogged about it before. But now it's taking on a new urgency.

Tracy tells Aubrey all the time that "a girl can do anything she wants to do". This is mostly in reference to how a girl can be anything and do anything in life she wants.
Last night I told the girls it was time for their bath. Aubrey starts to whine and said, "but I wanted to play dress up!!!". Aubrey, not now...maybe after your bath.
"but a girl can do anything she wants to do!!!!"

"ok...but just for 5 minutes, then we take a bath"
From there I walked in to tell Tracy that she needs to explain better to Aubrey what that phrase means.

Speaking of explanations...how do you make a child understand what "tomorrow" means. When we say, "tomorrow's gym class", the next day Aubrey asks, "is it tomorrow??". Um. "No, it's today". We're sort of at a loss here.


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This morning as we played on the floor I pulled a cover over Charlotte and I to hide from Aubrey who was walking in. Charlotte smiled and whispered, "hiding" with perfect pronunciation. So fun.

Dance Recital Costumes!!!!!!

How we Miss you.

My sweet sweet Kasey. We miss you so much. Not to take away from how much my girls adore you, but I often find myself just waiting to see your beautiful blue eyes, and sweet smile walking up to my door each day to make my life so much easier - and to be my friend, my sounding board, my non judgemental friend. We are so different, but the same too - you know what I mean.

The recent gift you sent my daughters was so awesome! You know us well - thank you again.

Good luck on your next journey, I will be thinking of you as I do every day already. Be safe - I know but I had to say it. I cannot wait to see you in April and we will be at the airport to get you if you want!

Love you so much!

The Galloways

Happenings:

Aubrey has a thing for Peter Pan. Tonight she asked if we could visit Neverland. I said, "sure, when you sleep you can dream about Peter Pan." "No, daddy...not in my dreams...not pretend...I want to go to Neverland" She then proceeded to explain how Peter would be coming to visit her tonight to snuggle with her as she sleeps. Not sure how I'm supposed to take this.

I love:
1. how charlotte waves her arms when she's excited
2. that Aubrey will NOT go to sleep at night if there's a single item in her room out of place. All animals MUST be on bed and in place. No books or trash or toys allowed on the floor. Fan on. Night light on. Water on table.
3. how excited Charlotte gets when we turn on the alarm. she knows we're leaving the house.
4. that Charlotte will sleep in the car. Not "will", in fact, but "does"...every time.
5. Aubrey's love of dance
6. Aubrey's crazy mommy instincts. I get lectured ALL THE TIME about whatever it is that's on her mind. "Daddy, no more sugar for you", "Daddy, you need to be careful...let me help you go potty so that you don't bump your head", "Charlotte, don't carry that. It's too heavy. No MAAM! No MAAM!",
7. how much both my girls love their bath each night. I love it even more when we get through it without Charlotte pooing in the bath.
8. Aubrey singing. She loves to sing. She knows songs I didn't know she knows. The other night I caught her mumble/singing the words to Information Society's Pure Energy.
9. Aubrey dancing. I wish everyone could see her dance. We'll put on the B-52's Rock Lobster ("the Lobster song!!!") and she'll go nuts. The part where he says, "down....down...." finds she and I laying down on the ground until the drums kick back in. funny stuff.
10. coming home. My greeting from Aubrey aren't what they use to be. But Charlotte is soooo sweet. Today she wobbled over, I picked her up and she put her head on my shoulder for a long, very sweet hug.
11. forgiveness. Charlotte is a HORRIBLE sleeper. bad. wakes up all the time. scratches and kicks and slaps my head. for hours at a time. Sits and and wants to play. And most nights I am DONE with that pretty quickly. I'll eventually get upset and say loudly, "CHARLOTTE...NIGHTNIGHT!!" and she'll cry and we'll have to spend more time getting her to sleep until she finally passes out on Tracy's or my head and I'll wake up 3 hours later 1/2 off the bed with a monster pinched nerve in my back. but then, 10 minutes after we wake up...she's laughing and I'm laughing and we're playing on the floor and everything is OK again....until 2AM the next night, when we start over again.

Last Day of Little Gym

Aubrey Loves Mr. Nick!!!