Fifteen Months and Walking

Yesterday Aubree turned 15 months and I'm happy to report that her walking is increasing every day.  I would say that she's walking about 40% - 50% of the time.  She'll start walking whenever I put her down from carrying her and for the last few days, she's been initiating walking herself.  It always jars me a little bit when I look up from doing something and there's Aubree strolling across the room.  This is all good news since we're about T-minus three weeks from the next wedding.  I'm sure she'll pick up some speed between now and then but I would say it's not going to be a very fast walk for her down the aisle.  As far as turning 15 months, we'll go in for her doctor's appointment on Wednesday and I'll give her stats then and also an update on her talking. 

Hmmm, baby sitting under a table with semi strange look on her face.  Whatever could she be doing under there?

This was our first full week back from vacation and it was nice to get back to our routine...although we would obviously prefer to be on vacation (although, as a mother, it's not like you're ever actually on vacation as long as you're with the kids - - at least when they're toddlers.  A quote from my new favorite show, Modern Family, "I'm a mom travelling with my kids. For me, this is not a vacation.  It's a business trip.").  Casselberry Library is on a break this week and next for story time so Tuesday found us at the Orange County Library on East Colonial.  Calleigh refers to this library as the one "where I fell down" because she indeed took a tumble there many, many months ago when we were on the sidewalk.  It's funny how kids remember certain things.  They won't remember the names of places or a description of it but they'll usually remember it as a particular incident that stood out in their minds.  I see this happening all the time with Calleigh.  Anyway, we enjoyed our story time there especially since the teacher was a lady dressed up as Mother Goose (whoever that is.)

Wednesday we went to the splash playground in Winter Springs.  I was hoping it would go a little better this time since Aubree is sort of walking but I don't think she was comfortable enough around the fountains to do too much of it.  Maybe next time.  I did have a little bit of an eye opening experience while we were in the playground area.  We were on the swings and there were three little boys, who I would say were about four, on the swings next to us. None of the mothers were nearby.  I don't know what precipitated the comment but one of the boys says to the other, "I'm going to beat you up.  I'm going to tear you up into little pieces."  I was of course, aghast to hear such a thing coming from a young kid but sadly, not really surprised when you think of what some little kids are allowed to watch on TV. I'm sure Calleigh heard but fortunately it hasn't been repeated.   

Yesterday we did our tour of Walmart and today we did our yard sales although, tragically, it was just two of them.  This was definitely a down week for yard sale-ing....I'm guessing because school is starting.  One of the two that we did go to, however, was a big one at one of our competitor hospitals in Longwood.  It was so hot that we could barely stand it out there but we took a quick lap.  At one of the tables, a lady offered Calleigh a homemade cookie.  I thought for sure Calleigh would have her hand in there before you could blink  your eyes but instead, she stepped back and said "No, I'm going to wait and have some crackers in the car."  Well bust my buttons.  Aubree, however, was quite inclined to have a cookie and as I took one for her and I to share, I whispered to the lady, "We'll be back."  Sure enough, about a minute later, Calleigh says "Well, I think I will have a cookie."  Surprise, surprise.

This week we've had a number of afternoon visits from our little friend, Brady, who lives in our neighborhood.  He's seven and Calleigh loves talking to him.  He seems to enjoy Calleigh and Aubree's company just as much.  I'm always a little confused if I should invite him in our house or what..he kind of stands in the doorway and we talk to him.  I don't know what the protocol is in these situations.  Do I ask him where he lives and then go talk to his mother?  For some reason I'm thinking that if she lets her seven year old roam the neighborhood by himself than she won't mind him going into our house but who knows.  We finally met his older brother, Chandler, yesterday who is in fifth grade.  He had a Lego guy with him and I commented on it and he says to me "Yeah, I FINALLY got to see my dad and he bought me a $100 Lego set."  How very sad.  But on a lighter note, Brady had come by on Monday and then again on Tuesday.  When Calleigh saw him on Tuesday, the first thing she said to him was "Brady, why do you always wear that?  You wore that shirt yesterday."   Poor Brady.  He started mumbling something about his mom just doing laundry and it was clean.  But it's so like Calleigh to notice a detail like that.  You really can't get anything by her.

I have some other big news that's really not my news at all but I'm very excited by it.  My brother, Shawn, and his wife, Camille, announced in Nova Scotia that they're expecting baby # 2.  Yay!  Camille is due February 18.  Camden will have a little brother or sister and they'll be finding out which one in less than a month.  They had made a video of Camden's first year and at the end, they had a picture of the ultrasound.  Very neat way to share the news...although truthfully, Duncan and I already knew.  They were too excited not to share it with us.  So this now makes three of the ten cousins (and their wives) that are having babies in the next six months.  

Finally, this is mostly for my friend Amy who commented on my last blog as to how I had gotten away with no  speeding tickets despite being pulled over nine times (although truthfully, two of the nine were by the Andrews "police"...still counts I say because they could have ticketed me). I'll sum it up in one word - - contrition.  I don't do the tears or come up with a sob story.  I just admit I'm wrong and say I'm very sorry.  That either works or I've been very lucky.

That little green blob is a frog we discovered on our door.  Calleigh didn't want to touch so I did (not that I wanted to either).  It flew off the door into our house which took a little work to finally get out.  Note to self, next time you touch a frog on your door, make sure the door is closed.

This week Calleigh has been obsessed with this pink dress up dress she got for her birthday.  Not sure why it wasn't exciting the other twelve weeks that have elapsed since she received it.  I put it on backwards by accident when I put it on her for the first time this week and for the rest of the time, she's insisted it went that same way. So she's worn it backwards every single time now.  There is no convincing her otherwise.

We picked up some paints at Walmart yesterday.  Truthfully, she's more interested in just mixing the colors together than actually painting anything.  

On that note, have a Happy Sabbath.