Rice Cereal!!!

Aubree had rice cereal for the first time tonight! Dr. Davey gave us the ok at her appointment on Monday but I wanted to wait until tonight so Dean and Ayla could see her eat (they're home, by the way, and it's sooo great to have them back!)

I was excited to feed her but just a teensy bit afraid that she would hate it. I told myself it wouldn't be a big deal if she didn't eat much because it's only the first day.

Well.

She ate the whole freaking thing in probably ten minutes. She didn't just wind up with it all over herself, she actually ate it. She was moving her mouth like she was chewing and eventually started opening her mouth for it. She even got antsy between bites. I. Can't. Believe. It. And after that, she downed a few ounces of formula. I was so overjoyed that I could have cried. Seriously. This is coming from a mom with an extremely picky eater as a first child so this is quite possibly the best thing ever. You have no idea how thrilled I will be if she is a good eater. I realize it's only the first day and it could very easily be beginner's luck but right now I'm giddy.

Before her first bite.

Almost home!

I just talked to Dean and he and Ayla are in Clear Lake. They will be staying the night there. I said good night to Ayla on the phone and I swear she sounds older. But then again, it's probably because I've been listening to baby babble all week. :) I am so so so excited to have them home...I've missed them so much!

Here are the last bunch of pictures that Dean has sent to me during the past couple of days:

Playing at the lake.

Making sure Rapunzel's hair looks just right.

Playing in the dirt!

Potty break in Grandma & Grandpa's van after arriving in Duluth. :)

Checking out the aerial bridge and ships with Grandpa.

In the museum...
On the road again with Daddy.

Pics

I thought I posted these a few days ago, but I didn't. Just another hodge-podge of pictures from the previous two weeks or so.

Ayla is not ready to leave the house unless she has all of her accessories.

Aubree...always waiting patiently.

Snoozing on the couch...this is becoming quite common.

Where's Ayla?
Jacuzzi bath! This one cracks me up because I think she looks the most like me when she's scowling.
Aubree keeping busy in her playmat while Ayla was in the tub.

Happy!

Aubree's 4-month check-up

This morning, I took Aubree in for her 4-month check-up. Everything is great...she's healthy, she's growing. That's all we ask for!

Here are her stats...all of her percentages went up from her 2-month appointment, which is great:

Waiting for Dr. Davey. (Without all the ruffly pink stuff, she looks like a boy! I think she looks like her cousin, Bennett.)

A little unsure, but she did just fine.

And then came the dreaded shots. I'm proud to say I didn't shed any tears this time. The nurse started with the vaccination that she drinks. She. Hated. It. Ayla used to guzzle it down like it was the best thing ever. Aubree? Not so much. She started screaming! And then she had to take some Tylenol since she developed a fever last time with her shots and that made her even more angry. I told her that wasn't even the bad part! She was still screaming when the shots went in...her eyes widened with the first one and that threw her into a higher level of screaming. I don't think she even noticed the second one. Poor baby. I picked her up as soon as she was done and she stopped crying pretty much right away, but first she had to look at the nurse and stick her little bottom lip out, as if to say, "why did you just do that to me?"

So far she hasn't had any reaction to her shots...complete 180 from last time. Hopefully tonight goes just as well.

Showing off her little band-aids at Yeh-Yeh and Nai-Nai's house...I hate taking those suckers off. :(

More Cabin pics

Picking flowers at the family reunion...she said, "This wedding is perfect!" :)

Morning picture for Mommy.
Pretty lady. Quiet time...
Asleep in the car.
Playing on the iPad with Daddy...I miss them.

Finally there!

These are the latest pictures Dean has sent me. They arrived at the cabin at about 1:30 this afternoon.

This cracks me up. She's going potty in a random gas station parking lot with a big 'ol smile on her face. :)

They were about 20 minutes away at this point. Marla said Ayla was about to lose it. I don't blame her...those last several miles always seem to take forever. Dean said overall, she did amazingly well.
Finally there and eating lunch.
Eating dinner after playing at the lake.

Passed out for the night!

4-months!