All about Aubry (and a little about me)

A is for Aubry and she is AMAZING. She is growing up so fast. Everyday she says something new that amazes me. I often wonder "How does she know about that?" or "Where did she learn that word and how did she know to use it in that context?" She has overcome HUGE obstacles this summer.

The first one was diapers!! We've been talking about the potty since last summer, when she asked for her own "little potty". It went nowhere. We brought it back up in January, thinking it would be great to only have the babies in diapers when they come in March. She told us she would use the potty when she turned 3. Well, turning 3 came and went, and she still came up with excuses. As May approached, and our long road trip to Disney approached, we dropped it. Selfish? Maybe. But we weren't going to talk her into using the potty and then take her on  20 hr road trip. When we came back from Disney, we brought the topic up again. We said things like "how about we try to use the potty once today?" She would say "tomorrow". Everyday she would say tomorrow, until one day she surprised me and said "Today is tomorrow? Okay. I want to wear underwear!". The first few days we kept a diaper on until she had her morning poop. Then, would wear underwear all day until diapered for bed. We had a total of 4 accidents to clean up. 2 on the kitchen floor, 1 in the living room, and 1 in the family room. Not bad! And just after a few days, she got it. It just clicked. She even started pooping on the potty! A huge credit goes to both of her Grandmas... they were watching her while I was in grad class for 2 weeks, right in the middle of her training. We are out of size 4 diapers and have moved on to pull-ups at bedtime. Occasionally it is dry when she wakes, but I don't think we are ready for underwear 24-7 just yet.

One of the things we talked about was a big present when all the stickers were gone. She wanted a bike. Perfect! Half way through the stickers we brought her to Toys R Us to test ride. She knew exactly which one she wanted. When we went back to get it when the chart was full, she didn't want it anymore. The last time we went to the store, Bryan was looking at an ICEE machine that makes slushies and Aubry couldn't get that out of her head. We went home with an ICEE machine. 

Obstacle #2: Pacifiers... aka "fifi". It was the strangest thing, out of nowhere. She isn't napping anymore (ever since the babies came home), so she was only wanting one to use at bedtime. She figured out a while back to move the kitchen stool and she could reach her "stash". We would constantly tell her things like "big girls don't use fifis, fifis are for babies, fifis can make your teeth crooked" Maybe it was a mixture of events: visiting the dentist for the 1st time or that Mia "gave" her passys away. One afternoon she was tired, watching a movie and asked "can I take a nap without a fifi?" Of course. She was too involved in her movie to nap, but an hour later she climbed off the couch and said "I'm going to give my fifis to the twins". She walked into the kitchen and dispersed her "stash" to Morgyn and Grady's pacifier pile. She didn't talk about them until the next day (p.s. that night, bedtime was a nightmare. She didn't want to be left alone and cried for someone to lay with her. We gave in. At least she has a full size bed now, so it was somewhat comfortable). Day 2 she randomly said "I gave my fifis to Morgyn and Grady". I told her how proud of her we were and that she is such a big girl to not use fifis anymore. Night #2: "heard a noise", didn't want to be left alone + storms (which she has always feared) = another "sleepover". Night 3 was Bryan's turn to put her to bed. It ended in screaming, tears, and falling asleep from exhaustion. Night #4 she fell asleep in the car on the way home from Grandma Nancy's. Ah, a peaceful night. Night 5: we got to listen to "someone sleep with me" for 30 minutes until a stood outside her door. I told her I would stand there until she fell asleep. I only had to wait 4 minutes. On one hand, so very frustrating, but she is doing her best, and it is a huge change for her. I am still so proud of her for making the decision all on her own!!!

Random Fun Stuff:

Aunt Jan sent a magnifying glass and bug catcher. Aubry was outside minutes after opening the gifts. Since bugs creep me out, Bryan took her outside and caught a couple grasshoppers for her. She ran inside to show me and I freaked out - all I could picture was her taking the lid off, it jumping out, and it being lost in our house forever. It was then that I decided to just humor her and watch outside :)

(And I have no idea why she is wearing every headband she owns. Another one of her great fashion senses, I suppose)

 

 

Aubry is very into dancing and ballet lately. Almost everyday she turns the front room into a stage for a "show" we watch or it is the gymnastics room, where she has mastered doing somersaults by herself, or it is the fruit store, where we take turns asking if the store has a certain fruit, then make fruit smoothies. (For some reason, a lot of fruit that I ask for, they don't have). Anyway, at a recent photo shoot at Grandma Nancy's, a ballerina outfit appeared. Originally, we all thought it would fit Tessa perfectly. The shoulders kept falling down, so we let Aubry try it... and she refused to get out of it. A week later, we were back at Grandma Nancy's, and she was back in the outfit. I think I see a ballet class in our future....

 

Love :) I can't get enough of this picture. They are so sweet and innocent, looking at each other, best buds, toes sticking out. Love it. 

 Super love.

And don't forget that she is an EXCELLENT big sister. Even though she is often neglected and left to play on her own, her feelings aren't hurt and she loves to interact with Morgyn and Grady.  

 

And last update (but already mentioned above), Aubry took her 1st trip to the dentist. She was super shy, but very brave, and let the hygienist count her teeth, clean her teeth with one of those metal pick things, put that bubble gum flavor stuff on with the spin brush, and paint some fluoride on. When asked her age, she wouldn't speak, but showed the dentist 3 fingers. She got to pick out a prize from the prize bucket when she was all done. She did a great job!!

 

 

 

We went to an ice cream social at Pre School yesterday. Aubry was SOOO excited!! She will be going 2 days a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) with Kyri. Miss Lisa is very excited to have them both! Even though I can't believe she is going to start preschool, I can't wait to take the "first day of school" photo, and since I will be doing a job share this school year, I have the opportunity to drop Aubry off at preschool!!

About me....

The job share: I will be working 60%, still everyday, but won't be going in at 6:30 anymore. I will only be teaching 4th-6th period, but want to get there a little bit before, so my plan is to arrive around 9:15. 4th period starts at 10. Since I have 7th and 8th period off, I am hoping to use that time very effectively to get things done to allow me to leave for the day around 3 (instead of 4 or 4:30). Big changes are ahead for us that we are looking forward too!!