Sayings

As I'm changing a poo diaper today:

Aubrey: Daddy...you have to be soft with my butt!

Me: I know Aubrey, I'm trying. But you know, if you put your poopies in the potty it wouldn't hurt when we wipe.

Aubrey: [silence].......Daddy you have to be soft with my butt because it's expensive!

----

We took all Aubrey's stuffed animals out of her crib today to play tea party. We even brought out some that were in the closet. Right before bed we were cleaning them all up, discussing which would go into the crib and which would go into the closet. She surprised me by handing me her snow monkey, which has been a sleeping staple for many months. "Aubrey, you love your snow money." "No Daddy...he's too hairy. He can go in the closet." He is pretty hairy. I chuckled and put him up with the other cast-offs.

We read a few books. Into bed Aubrey went. Into the living room I went. Tracy finishes putting Charlotte to sleep and goes into say goodnight to Aubrey. The first thing Aubrey says to Tracy? "Daddy won't let me sleep with the snow monkey...he's in the closet".

.

Otherwise we still all have the stomach ick. Ick.

Things we do

When mommy is sick and laying in bed groaning....Daddy and Charlotte and Aubrey practice Vogue dancing to Rick Springfield's Don't Talk to Strangers (yes, every song must also be an object lesson). Aubrey's great at the moves and keeps a very straight face. Charlotte giggles and buries her face in the blankets when we sing, "baby don't you know-oh?!?". Next up on the iPod? Rick's Celebrate Youth. And so we did.

Da da da da da da

I think Charlotte finally gets dada and mama. At least...she doesn't seem to say dadadada much until I come home from work. And mama only happens when Tracy's around. So...YEAH! First words.

Aubrey is off to dance class today. Honestly, we'd pay someone money for almost any excuse to put her into a tutu. We fools and our money are soon parted - and there's not much to part with. Yes, we know. Little Gym. Dance class. And I'll be derned if I don't find a way to get her into ice skates when she turns 3 (already looked into it...3 and up at the Galleria). Soccer maybe at 4. And guitar lessons....I dunno. 4 as well? It would be easier if she'd let me play the guitar now and then to show her how it's done. Instead I get, "Daddy!! Stop singing!!! I play the 'tar".

In other news, Daddy spends all day editing videos of women in their underwear. Mommy spends most days trying to convince Charlotte that she still has to eat some baby food and can't just eat only bananas and avocados and cheerios and beans and rice. Meanwhile all our grass is dying.

Mommy goes out

Tracy went to see Yaz (Yazoo) last night. I hear they sounded great and she had fun...until a man asked her to be quiet so that he could hear better and not be disturbed as he texted his friends on his iPhone.

Charlotte seems like she feels better today. She got a catheter (sp?) yesterday to check for an infection. Ugh!!

Grumpy Girls

We have 2 grumpy girls. Charlotte still wakes up 2-3 times a night. Then she wants to get up at 5AM each morning. Not workable in our little house. If we get up with her, we make noise and it wakes Aubrey up. That means Aubrey woke up too early and is grumpy all day. So we try and make Charlotte sleep in. That doesn't work either. Then the dogs jump down when they hear that we're awake and they wake anyone up who's not already awake. So now Mommy and Daddy are grumpy too.

Galveston

Went to Galveston over the weekend for Uncle Mikey's wedding. Rented a little house on the beach. Got little sleep...but this time (as opposed to our disasterous attempt last year) everything worked out. Aubrey loved the beach. She slept on her mattress on the floor. She played with cousins and Grandpa. Progress.

My 3 girls on the beach. Charlotte mosly wanted to eat sand. But she did have fun swimming as well.

Aubrey was the flower girl at the wedding. She did a great job hurling the flowers to the ground in bunches.

The last night there we went to hunt for hermit crabs with grandpa. Lots of fun. Aubrey held the crabs and helped pick them out of the water.

This is the beach in front of our house. It was wonderful waking up and walking out onto the porch to see the waves and hear them crashing. Since Aubrey would wake up each night in a panic I would go sleep next to her until morning. She'd wake me up and we'd creep outside to munch on cinnamon rolls as the sun rose. Wonderful.

More updates

Angela and Danny brought over the kids to swim the other day. Aubrey and Daniela prcticed their synchronized dives.

Luka hung out with daddy, ate hot dogs and went down the slide.

Summer's here. That means daily "iceycones".

Another chapter in Aubrey's quest to be friends with all living creatures. The butterfly. Yes - it's alive and yes it is sitting happily on her hand. "got to be careful Daddy", she chides me when I get too close.

Aubrey entertained us the other day with a dance. I'll try and post the video this week as well. It was....um...interesting.

And more smiles.

Charlotte is just about to crawl. She's up and rocking. Aubrey offers to help.