One of the big kids

Last Friday we went to Emily's house for our church's women's fellowship.  It was fun to get together and fun to watching Audrey interacting with the other kids.  She thinks she is big stuff and one of the gang, and they are so cute to watch together.

I am 7 months old today!!

I thought it was difficult getting a 6 month old baby's picture, but this proved beyond me.  I COULD not get one where she wasn't trying to grab the sign - she really has a one track mind when she sets her sights on something.

 So I took it away, and got this adorable picture:

 And then I tried one last time, giving her something else to focus on:

Here's what my 7 month old baby is up to these days (it feels like I JUST did this!!):

• Sleeps 12 hours a night, with the exception of a week ago when she was up in the middle of the night a lot, but it was due to a cold, so I will forgive her.
• Sleeps 30 minutes in the morning (I rarely get a longer nap except for today as I'm writing this she's been asleep for 45 minutes so far) from 9-9:30, and sleeps from 1-3:30 in the afternoon (occasionally longer, occasionally shorter).
• Her awake times are lasting longer and longer and she is happier longer in between naps/bed.
• She still drinks 5 6-oz bottles of formula a day.
• She eats fruits, veggies, oatmeal and rice cereal.  Her favorite by far is plums.  None of it really appeals all that much to her, but I can get her to eat the whole serving of plums without making a face.
• She has a "lovey" now, which she sleeps with.  It's very cute to see her cuddle up next to it - I'll get a picture sometime.
• She is up on her knees rocking back and forth so I know crawling is soon, but I said that last month and she hasn't yet, so who knows?
• She's showing signs of teething again - maybe the top this time - I hope it's as short lived as last time.  
• Her favorite toys are anything that fits in her mouth, so pretty much everything. She shows a preference for stuffed animals and dolls, getting excited anytime you give her one.
• The shaking head thing is new and she is imitating us quite a bit too - we shake, she shakes; we growl, she growls, etc.  Overall, she's pretty quiet, though.  She doesn't babble a ton, but she can. Just grins and wild arm movements and head shakes.
• She still wears a size 3 diaper and 6-9 month clothing - her growing has slowed a tiny bit from the last few months when we were going through sizes like crazy.
• She LIGHTS up when Nick gets home from work and when anyone comes in to rescue her after a nap.
• She only cries when she is tired; she fusses occasionally if she is bored with her surroundings, so as long as I keep her moving, she is one happy baby.

We love this girl!!! :)

Dancing

Audrey has started this new thing where she shakes her head back and forth.  She will sometimes do it for quite a while, and it's always when she is happy.  Nick and I can't figure out why she is doing this, but it is hilarious.  The above videos show just a peek. 

In the picture, you can see her two bottom teeth!! (And don't you love the shirt??)

Adoption tax credit

Many of you may know about the adoption tax credit, available to families who adopt. In 2010-2011 it was a refundable credit. Unfortunately, for 2012 it is non-refundable and in 2013 it is being drastically reduced. The costs of adoption are very high and we are blessed to be able to receive a credit for next year (it applies to the year of finalization, so we didn't get it for 2011). If I could request a favor from the five of you who read this blog. I promise it takes just a minute. If you can go to The House of Representatives and the US Senate websites and find your representatives and senators (easy lookup if you don't know who they are). Fill out the contact form on the sites and request that the tax credit be extended and kept refundable for 2012 and beyond. Tell them our story and how any bit of money helps Audrey and our future children. That's about it for this request and PSA. Thanks for taking the time to do it!!

Cutest little stinker I know

 This little stinker was up A LOT last night.  But she's so cute I can't help but forgive her.

And because you haven't seen it in awhile on the blog, The Hair.  It's getting really long and even more unmanageable.  Please excuse her poor nose.  I've got Aquaphor all over it because it's so chapped (it's not snotty like it looks, just shiny from the Aquaphor).

"Everyone Loves Me"

Even when I'm sick.  Poor girl has a fever and a seriously runny nose.  She is MISERABLE. It sort of came on all of a sudden yesterday afternoon.  She just kept getting worse and worse.  Now there is liquid coming out of every hole in her face and unfortunately, she thinking I'm torturing her when I come at her with a Kleenex.  I hope this is short-lived and I'm very thankful that she is old enough to take Tylenol and Advil to bring her fever down and make her less grumpy.

Nap training

Not for Audrey this time - ME!!  I've never been a good napper.  It takes me FOREVER to fall asleep and then when I do, I sleep for three hours and am wide awake come bedtime. If I had a nickel for every time someone told me "sleep when Audrey sleeps!" I would be a millionaire, but I don't think I've napped more than a handful of times since she's been born.  Mostly, it's because of the above, and because every time I try to nap, I can't sleep thinking she is going to wake any second.  Then her naps were only an hour or less so I didn't have enough time.  But now that her naps are more consistent and are fairly long, I've decided I need to learn the art of napping. She sleeps through the night and I get enough hours of sleep at night, but there are still those random nights where she wakes up and my sleep is interrupted, and plus, mothering is just plain exhausting!! I'm so tired some days!!  I think a nap would really refresh me.

So yesterday, I lay down in the guest room.  The sheets and mattress pad on our bed were in the laundry so I tried out the guest room.  10 minutes in the phone rang.  I ignored it. 10 minutes later, the washing machine got off balance and started its BANG BANG BANG so I went and rebalanced it. Another 10 minutes: phone call.  Meanwhile, Audrey, who is nursing a bit of a cold, woke up twice and had to be rocked back to sleep (which never happens).  Day 1 = bust.

Last night Audrey was up for over an hour because of her cold, so today I've been dragging. I knew I needed to try again. After I put her down for her afternoon nap, I got all cozy in MY bed, read my book for a few minutes, closed my eyes....Audrey woke up.  She settled by herself after a few minutes, so I closed my eyes again and lay there for nearly 45 minutes.  I ALMOST fell asleep, but not quite.  I did lay still enough so I that I feel marginally rested, but I didn't nap.  I would have stayed there longer but the doorbell rang.  I'm understanding why people sleep at night.  Nothing else goes on to distract! Day 2 = bust (but an improvement).

Tomorrow we have afternoon plans and I won't be home to try it, so Thursday I'll go for nap attempt #3.  Any tips you feel you can give me are much appreciated!  I strive to be like my mother, who can go upstairs and lie down, sleep for exactly 15 minutes, and be totally refreshed. 

Who needs candy and flowers??

 This is MY Valentine!!!

Swinging in style

Audrey got her first ride in a swing this morning.  It was FREEZING so I put a blanket in with her, which also helped keep her in the seat. She absolutely loved it, so now I'm going to bug Nick to put up the swing we have for her that's currently on a shelf in the garage.  And isn't that hat precious?  My friend Beth made it for her!  I just love it!

Genius girl

When I tell Audrey to get a book for me to read to her, she goes straight for the calculus textbook.  Too bad I don't understand it well enough to teach it to her.  Guess I'll have to leave that up to her daddy.

I give up

Evidently purees are not messy enough.  She wants to be handed the entire banana and make a ginormous mess.  Well, if this is the only way I can get her to eat, so be it!

Happenings, AKA photo dump

 The last couple of weeks have gone by quickly, it seems! Here's what we've been up to.  Nick and I went out on a date last weekend to see a play that Nick's stepdad David was in.  It was really funny and we thoroughly enjoyed both the play and our time away from home while Grammy and Papa babysat.

Nick worked late nearly every night for two weeks straight, so I tried to plan something every day to keep Audrey from being bored just looking at me every day.  We went shopping with friends, on walks every day, had dinner at Emily and Dave's twice, and kept ourselves occupied.  I'm very thankful, though, that this week things seem to be a bit more normal.

Audrey and I visited Grandma at her office last week (all the pics are on Grandma's camera - oops) and went out to lunch at the Mellow Mushroom.  This week we saw Grammy at her library and got to read in the beanbag chair (sorry for the iPhone pics).

On Sunday our pastor was out of town and our former college professor (and family friend) Dr. D preached. He and his wife spent the afternoon at our house, which was a nice time of fellowship.  They were excited to meet Audrey for the first time. Meanwhile, I got a lap full of big kids - I think I'm glad for just the one right now!! That's a lot of people to care for!!
















Lastly, here's Audrey exploring her world, which is basically what she is up to these days. She can be found intently studying phones, books, carpet, and anything else she can get her hands on. She keeps me very busy!

Like mother, like daughter

I promise I didn't mean to put Audrey in a vest since i was wearing one too.  Just happened.  I guess I should have worn a pink bow so I could match her!

Happy birthday, Dee Dee!!

We love you!!

Book Review

Ok. I know that I've been around a little person a lot lately. And I HAVE read some books on a more adult level, so this is not all I've been reading.  But since being reintroduced to Dr. Seuss in the past six months, I just have to say, this man was a GENIUS with words. Audrey is a bit young to appreciate Dr. Seuss beyond how she can get the books into her mouth, and they are a bit long for her to sit for the whole story, but I've been reading them to her a lot just for the cadence of the rhymes. I will admit to starting The Sneetches before her nap this morning and then when she got fussy and I put her to bed, I took the book out with me so I could finish it!! I just love these books!  Audrey really likes Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? because of all the noises I make when I read it:

"BOOM BOOM BOOM Mr. Brown is a wonder.
BOOM BOOM BOOM Mr. Brown makes thunder!"

And my favorite line from Fox in Socks (say it three times fast, I dare you):

“When beetles fight these battles in a bottle with their paddles
and the bottle's on a poodle and the poodle's eating noodles...
...they call this a muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle
bottle paddle battle.”