I Love It When...

... babies talk in their cribs waiting for Mom or Dad to come and get them.

When Evan was little, I could leave him in his crib for sometimes 30 minutes while I finished getting dressed, making breakfast, etc. He would just talk and play. When he wanted out and had started learning how to say people's names, he'd go through the list of names, just waiting for someone to come get him.

Now that Aubrie has started saying names, she kind of does the same thing, and it's so cute! She doesn't go through all of the names like Evan did, but she definitely calls for Mommy, and when that doesn't work she switches to Daddy. She even said Bobby once! She's not as patient as Evan was, and starts crying after a few minutes if I don't go and get her.

It's so cute listening to her calling for us, but it shows me just how much she's growing up! Pretty soon she'll be big like Evan. So I'm going to soak up these precious little moments and enjoy every sound she makes while this small.

We Have A Walker!

Aubrie took her first steps today!! Chris and I were standing in the kitchen, and Chris got Aubrie to stand up on her own next to him. She took one step towards the island before she grabbed it to hold on. We were so excited that we made kind of a loud noise, and she got scared and cried for like 5 minutes! Then we decided to let her try it again. She is a quick learner because she took several more steps the second and third time we stood her up. She laughed each time she fell backwards, so cute!

Evan was around 15 months when he started to walk, so it looks like Aubrie beat him by just a few days! She'll be 15 months in 4 days. It also took Evan about a month to really get the hang of it after he took his first steps, but I bet Aubrie catches on within a few weeks. I only say that because of their personalities; Evan is more laid back, while Aubrie is a hands-on go-getter type. She'll want to walk quickly so that she can chase her brother and cousin around!

(I have a video, but it's on my phone, and I have to figure out how to get it on the computer. Check FB if you want to see it!).

Evan Turns 3!!

Oh. My. Goodness. My little boy is 3!

Evan has gotten so big over the past year. It's crazy to look back at pictures from his second birthday and to see how much he has changed. He talks so much clearer than a year ago, and it often feels like I'm talking to a "real" little kid, rather than a baby or toddler.

He LOVES to pretend with his toys now, and comes up with such funny stories! It's so cute to watch him weave stories together from what he is learning and put it all together. For example, while playing with an Iron Man toy he got for his birthday, he uses phrases from Buzz Lightyear, makes him sit with other toys at a picnic breakfast, etc, all within about 5 minutes. I love his imagination!

He's been going through phases where he only wants "Mommy." He even told Chris, "but I don't love you!" Chris is better than me, because it didn't even phase him! I would've been balling. But Chris just knew that he didn't mean it, which of course he didn't. He'll tell me, "But Mommy, you're my friend." These phases last for a few days at a time, and then he's back to his normal easy-going self. He amazes me because just when I think he's going to throw a fit, he'll just look at me and say, "ok." Love him to pieces. Every. Single. Piece. I'm going to enjoy every minute of it, good and bad, because I'm noticing that it all goes by so fast. I'm going to enjoy the fact that he cries for me to hold him because he misses me, not be frustrated that it's something else I have to "deal with." He may not be doing that in the near future...

I'm trying to think of everything I can about him so that I can write it down and not forget. He's just such a sweet little boy, and he makes my heart melt. It hits me every time I see him that he's turning into a big kid, and I have mixed feelings about that. I always wanted to have a son so that I could watch him grow into a good, strong, handsome, smart young man. Now that Evan is getting older, I can actually start to see him turning into that person, and I love every minute of it.

(I have pictures from his 2nd birthday on our external hard drive, so I will go through those photos and post them very soon).

Mother's Day 2011

What a wonderful Mother's Day this year! I woke up to Chris saying, "Don't worry about the kids; just get dressed and I'll get everything ready for church." I couldn't help myself, and kept trying to help get things ready to go. It's hard to break the habit. :)

It was also Evan's 3rd birthday yesterday, so we decided to let him open his birthday present before we left for church. We got him a cool basketball hoop. His cousin Aiden has the same hoop, and Evan LOVES it! Although, he doesn't quite understand that you're supposed to try and shoot the basketball in the hoop all the time. So far, his favorite part of the hoop is to knock it over...

After Evan opened his present, we rushed to get in the car and head to church. After church, we ate lunch at Doneraki mexican restaurant, and it was good! We met Mama D, Nick, Alia, & Aiden, Bobby & Allison, Clay & Amanda, and my Mom near the Gulfgate Mall. It was a great lunch with several surprises; one of which was my brother announcing that he and Amanda were going to have a baby! They are due on December 19th! It's been one year since they had a miscarriage, so we are very excited about this little baby!

After lunch, we went back home where the kids played and Chris gave me a foot rub. I could get used to this Mother's Day stuff! It was a great Mother's Day!

(no pictures since our camera is still out, and I don't know how to put pics from my phone on the computer...).

Seizure?

Chris got a call this morning from Aubrie's MDO teachers saying that she had had 2 "seizure-like" episodes. While she was pretending to sleep in the middle of the floor, one of her teachers walked over and picked her up. Her teacher noticed that Aubrie was kind of limp and heavy, and just hugged her really hard. She said it happened again about 30 minutes later while they were playing on the little train playset in front of their classroom. No jerking or eye-rolling, but they said it was just strange and out of character for her.

After Chris and I rushed over to the church, both with adrenaline pumping and hearts pounding, we got to hold her and she was as happy as could be! It was a relief to see her smiling face when we walked in the building, I must say. I made an appointment with our pediatrician's office, and we saw Dr. Parkerson (not our normal doctor) at 1:30PM today. The doctor said that it didn't sound like she had had a seizure because she had been responsive afterward. She said that most children her age also don't have the "silent" seizures; there is usually the jerking and eye-rolling to go along with it, and a period of unresponsiveness afterward. So, we aren't scheduled for any follow-up testing, as of yet. We are watching her to see if it happens again so that we can witness it for ourselves. Then we can make more decisions, if it happens again.

Please be praying that this is nothing, and that she doesn't have any more "episodes," whatever they may be.