Photo binge

Aubree loves putting on headbands, hats, necklaces, purses, bracelets, etc and walking around like she's hot stuff.  If you tell her she's pretty, she grins and sways her shoulders back and forth. :)

Last week, while it was nice out, Ayla and I sat on the deck  during Aubree's nap.  Perfect time for a little ice cream.

Snack time!  All she needs is a cup full of munchies, a sippy full of water, and life is good.

This girl loves accessories. :)

I swear I wash her feet.

Lazy morning

Ayla is usually pretty chill first thing in the morning...she likes to drink some milk and snuggle in her blankets in front of the TV for a while before officially starting her day. :)  I tried to get Aubree to do the same, but it only lasted long enough for me to take this picture.

Different

At least a couple times a day, I marvel at how different Ayla and Aubree are.  It's crazy.  They are so different in just about every possible way.  Ayla is the typical first child.  She is a perfectionist.  She likes every thing just so.  If she's done something one way, that's how it needs to be done every time after.  She's very particular...borderline OCD, I'd say.  Lately, she has been stuffing random things under her door after she's supposed to be in bed because they (according to her), shouldn't be in her room.  She must scan the room after we close the door to make sure her room looks exactly as it did the day before.  She hates to be dirty or messy and as you all know, she is a girly girl.  She tends to be a bit more on the serious side and even a little shy sometimes if she doesn't know you well.  Aubree on the other hand, doesn't have a care in the world.  She tramples through life with a big 'ol smile on her face.  As long as she has a full belly and a good nap, she is as happy as can be.  She tends to be less apprehensive about new people.  Quite often, she walks right up with a grin and puts a hand on their lap.  She falls, bonks, trips, and crashes all day long and doesn't seem to mind one bit if there's a whole turkey sandwich smeared in her hair.  Ayla eats like a bird...Aubree would eat a bird.  No joke.   And this little lady has an a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e.  She throws her head back and flings herself to the ground when she doesn't get her way. (Ayla never did this.)  When I tell Aubree "no", not only does she not listen, the closer I get to her while saying "no", the louder the giggles get and the bigger her smile gets and the more she does what she shouldn't be doing.  For example, she thinks Kody's water bowl is a splash park made especially for her.  Three times in a row today, I had to drag her away from it completely soaked and happy.  Lil shit.  Cute lil shit, though.  When Ayla was this age, when we had to tell her no, which wasn't too often, it would break her little heart and she would never do it again.  Again, so different.

Different or not, they are both so amazing and it's so fun to watch them grow and change day to day.  I have days where I'm pushed to the max and don't think I'm going to make it to bedtime but then I have one of my Mommy Moments, as I like to call them, where I'm in complete awe of them and can't believe they're mine.  I get that feeling every night when I go into their rooms to check on them before I go to bed.  It's like a reset button to see them sleeping so sweetly no matter how tough the day was.  And in that moment, I am floored and I know I am meant to be on this earth to be Ayla and Aubree's mommy.

Love, love, love this one

Still playing catch-up

I took these last month when I put Aubree's hair into pigtails for the first time.  I seem to be behind in all things picture-related...our pictures and pictures I've taken for other people.  I just can't seem to catch up!  I also feel like when I do post, I don't write enough.  I don't want to look back at our books someday and wish I had written more.  I just don't want to forget anything!  I'm going to work on this...

I love her little stink face!

Can you believe she's only 3?  She looks so big in this picture!

It cracks me up when she whips out her crazy, twisty poses. :)

Baby smooches

Aubree started giving kisses today!  In her first year of life, she's probably received a million kisses from us on those deliciously chubby cheeks.  I've been trying to get her to do it for a while and I've noticed that just recently, she has started learning new things really easily--"How big is Aubree?", some body parts, looking for and getting things when I ask--her blankie, socks, etc.  SO, I figured it was only a matter of time before she caught on to kisses. :)  Maybe not so much an actual kiss...but better.  They're those awesome, slobbery, open-mouthed licks on your face.  And she seems so proud of herself when she does it.  She looks up with her famous scrunchy-nosed smile.  Love.

Bath!

Easter

I'm a little behind on posting pictures from Easter...seems to be the theme of my life lately.  I feel like I'm constantly trying to catch up! 

Anyway.

It was a great Easter weekend.  The day before, we dyed eggs.  Ayla worked really hard on them...it was so cute to see her concentrating the way she was. :)  Aubree had no idea what was happening and kept putting things in her mouth that shouldn't have been in her mouth. 

"What is this thing?"

"No idea, but I think I'm going to try and eat it."

"Can I eat these things?"

Showing off the finished product.

On Easter morning, we let the girls check out their Easter baskets and then sent Ayla off on a little egg hunt throughout the house.  She really got a kick out of it this year.  I imagine Aubree will love it next year...she just kind of wandered around and kept rummaging through her bucket while Ayla was running all over the place.

Hugging her new bunny.

Hunting for eggs.  I don't know how she manages to see through all that hair in her face...it would drive me NUTS.

Love seeing her walking around in her sleep sack. :)

Mini-battle--Ayla was counting the eggs to make sure she found all of them.  Meanwhile, Miss  Aubree was taking them out of the bucket and messing with them. :)

After Aubree's nap, we headed over to Ping and Surina's for brunch.  My brother made food for 16 people!  He's awesome.  :)  After we hung out there for a couple of hours, we went over to Dean's parents' house for the afternoon and then dinner.  We were in such a hurry when we were leaving our house that morning  that I somehow managed to forget my camera. :(  I don't have a single picture of the girls in their Easter dresses or the rest of the great day we spent with our families.  I'm bummed, but to be honest, it was kind of nice to not have that heavy camera hanging from my neck for once and running around trying to get pictures of everything.  I actually was able to sit back and enjoy the day. :)