Life With Aubrey

Soccer 2011

I think I'm going to have to learn more about the game of soccer, because... this girl is darn good. It's not baseball/softball, but it's a sport... and she loves it. So you know what? I'm all for it!!

Here's a few highlights from this year...

  
 
  
 
  
 

Guess who still sticks her tongue out while she plays...

  
 
 

And what's the best way to top off a fun & successful season?! Why... with sugar-coated soccer ball donuts, that's how!

Looking forward to next season (this spring!)

Butler at the Zoo

Every year, Ryan's company treats everyone to a picnic at the zoo! Thankfully, this year it took place in September instead of during the scorching-hot afternoons of late July and August like usual.  So one more day at the Zoo meant...

One more ride around the Grand Carousel!

 

I've got probably a hundred pictures of Aubrey on the carousel. Smile and wave, smile and wave. So this time around, I had nothing but time on my hands and she rode it like six times so I decided to do a little experimenting with my camera!

 
 

I can't remember what the technique is called and I still have some perfecting to do, but it was fun nonetheless! After the carousel, we headed to the picnic grounds which I personally love--they can be so peaceful, right there on the lake.

And Aubs sure had a fun time playing & dancing along the "boardwalk" while we waited for lunch to be served (hot dogs, BBQ chicken, chips, veggies, etc...)

  
 
 

Now, if we weren't having enough of a good time already... we were in for a real treat over in the North America exhibit! Would you believe that for ONCE those stinkin' polar bears were actually moving around and active?! I think I about fainted. Literally.

 

As a matter of fact, the bears weren't just out and about--they were playing! Or fighting... or flirting... who knows. But it was a riot and we were totally entranced!

 
 
 

After a relatively perfect day at the zoo, we headed to Olive Garden to reload on carbs and then headed to the theater to catch the Lion King in 3D. (It seemed fitting.)

I have to tell you... I love family days. Quite frankly, this one just goes down in the books as the most fun trip to the zoo ever. It wasn't the carousel, or the picnic along the river, the polar bears or even the 3D African safari experience afterward--it was 12 hours of laughing, talking, hand-holding and bonding.

And it was awesome.

Hot Air Balloons 2011

This year's Balloon Festival was kind of a bust because of the all the wind & rain we had.  The launch itself (our favorite part) was canceled, but we heard around town that they'd still be doing the glow.  After last year, we'd decided we wanted to make it a point to see that part this time around but we weren't so sure what the conditions would be like since it was humid & clammy and the grounds were MUDDY!

So we did the next best thing and pulled up alongside the road next to the Union County airport and watched from our mosquito-free, air-conditioned vehicle.

And while we waited for the sun to set and the balloons to blow up, we were otherwise entertained by a munchkin in the back seat making faces and posing for the camera.

  
 

It felt like we'd waited for hours, but finally they started to get their glow on!

And that's when I realized... I'd left my tripod at home. DUH!

  

Oh well... you get the gist. Besides, there's always next year. Overall, the experience was kind of a let down because it took the balloons like 30-45 minutes to stand up and then they all lit up for about 2 minutes and started deflating again! I remember sitting there thinking "Seriously?  That's IT?!?!"

Thinking it was done, we packed up and left. We didn't have the greatest view anyway and we were being chewed up by bugs. Come to find out, apparently they light up and deflate, light up and deflate over and over again for awhile creating different illuminating effects.  If it's not muddy & raining, we'll pack up the tripod and try it again next year! 

In the meantime, we decided to just enjoy the occasional hot air balloon that flies over our house throughout the summer! Take for instance one afternoon Aubrey & Ryan were out washing the Freestyle.

 
  
 
  
 
 

Ahhh.... life in Marysville.
We kinda sort of love it.

A lot.

The Sign

Ryan still does a bit of traveling every now and then for work. Unfortunately, this year he was gone for his birthday, which left Aubrey at wits end because she couldn't throw him a party. (So cute that at her age, she associates every birthday with having a party and doesn't quite understand that you can have birthdays without parties!) 

So she and I decided that we'd make him a big giant sign and decorate it, hang it on the fireplace mantel and when he got home it would be a huge surprise...

...and it was.

Needless to say, that lil' poster has become one of Ryan's most prized posessions. Well, that and the girl that colored it. 

I think that beats a party any day, don't you?

Baskets of Fun

Whenever Aubrey talks on the phone, she's as active as ever. The girl just can't sit still and talk on the phone--period. She's either walking around, coloring, drawing, fiddling with a toy or a doll... or she's parked inside a laundry basket.

 
 

What is it with kids and laundry baskets anyway?

(2008)

To be honest with you, for as often as I've found Aubrey sitting inside a laundry basket over the years, I could have sworn I had more pictures. But alas... this is all I've found (so far). Crazy kid.

But she's darn cute, isn't she?!

Backyard Waterpark

Ryan had the power washer out one afternoon and decided to clean off the swingset/slide in the backyard. Aubrey had a hard time understanding the difference between a water hose and the power washer, so she quickly ran upstairs to change into her swimsuit and was outside begging to be hosed down before I could say "but... uh... it's different than the... honey, you can't with the... WAIT! Let me get the camera!"

Ryan ended up standing at a distance from the swingset, aiming the water over the slide. As she'd slide down, she'd go through the "rainy mist" just like you would at a waterpark and she just thought that was the coolest thing! (Simple pleasures, you know...)

  
 

After the waterslide, we had waterswings...

  

And of course, that soon evolved into just chasing Aubrey down with water (from a safe distance, of course...)

  

All in all, it was a fun afternoon. And given that it was doubly successful (cleaning the swingset AND creating the waterpark experience all at once)... I think we just might "rinse and repeat" next summer!

Four Going on Fourteen

Every now and then I'll catch a glimpse of what I think the future will be like, and the day I took these photos (complete with red-eye, sorry!) I caught one of those glimpses for sure.

 

She was just sitting there, writing letters.
Quiet as a lark, in her own little world.

And I remember thinking about what life will be like someday when she's all grown up, spending her evenings doing homework and writing papers. She can be so studious even now, a mere kidlet in preschool, that I can only hope some of that passion for writing and learning and drawing will carry on as she gets older, you know? (At the same time of course that I'm lamenting the impossibility of her staying young forever and ever.) 

And I think this is where some of the "hard fun" of parenting comes into play. Where you find yourself imaging the life of your child a little down the road and you realize that some of what you want for them then (enjoying school, being a good sport, etc) is directly related to what you're encouraging now.

So when it comes to doing just that--nurturing this little passion for all things reading, writing and drawing--I'm going to do everything I can to see that it never grows old. And hopefully, when she IS fourteen, I'll catch a little glimpse of the inner child inside the bookworm.

 
 

Studious one second, silly the next.
That's my girl!

The Evolution of a Lawn Bag

Just when you think there's not much else you can do with your standard, run-of-the-mill lawn & leaf bag, well... that's when you look up from your yardwork and see your kid walking down the sidewalk with one draped over her head!

  
 
 

Ahh... the imagination of children never ceases to amaze me.

T-Ball 2011

After we become family members of the YMCA, we decided to enroll Aubrey in the Y's t-ball program. Personally, I was excited about that adventure, having played t-ball and baseball and softball as a kid. So me and my high hopes went out, got her a tee to pratice on at home and a little glove (which is the cutest lil' thing ever!)

 

At first, she jumped right in, her favorite part being the time spent "at bat". The rest of the time... well... she was less than enthused.

 
 
 

When playing in the field, she occupied herself looking for airplanes in the sky, swinging her glove arm around or resting her glove on her head. And let's just say... not a stone went unturned on that field with Aubrey around!

But again... when it came to the hitting and running part... she was all in!

 

It was so cute sometimes because she'd run with her hands on her helmet as if it were about to fall off. And that's so her... concerned about her hair, the way she looks, etc.  It cracks me up because--I am SOOOO the opposite!

 

Now I can't say I blame Aubrey for the lightswitch effect between the fielding and the batting. Because every kid takes a turn at bat each time their team is up and there are no strikeouts, innings are REALLY LONG (and boring) for a child with a short attention span!

Plus... it was doggone HOT, many days being over 100 degrees outside. It got to the point where she no longer wanted to play because she hated being so sweaty and hot. Again--can't blame her there as I'm the same way!

 

During the season, when asked, Aubrey would swear up and down that she hated t-ball and would never play again. (Sniff, sniff) But eventually, after the season ended she told us she liked it enough to give it another shot. So we'll see what kind of future next summer holds! In the meantime, I'm looking for a baseball league that doesn't play so late in the summer! Phew! It was H-O-T!

Almost Five

Composed June 8, 2011

Dear Aubrey,

I'm writing this today because it could be another six months before I get your blog caught up and who knows what I'll still remember by then. I regret that I've missed out on documenting so much about you being four because I've been so obsessed with finishing up last year's memorable moments first, instead. I've long since decided I've had it with promises so I can't promise I'll be better about capturing the every day from here on out. But I can tell you that I'll make more of an effort because I'm realizing--now more than ever--that life is fleeting and that the most precious of moments are those we're experiencing now, while you're young enough to think your Mom's still pretty cool (even though she's such a slacker).

These are the things about your being four years old (almost FIVE) that I don't ever want to forget:

1. No matter how old you get or how tall you grow--you weed, you--your spot on my lap is still just the right size. You know, like we're shaped ever-so-perfectly to commandeer the perfect cuddle each and every time. I love that. And the day it's no longer cool to snuggle with your mama... umm, yeah... I ca't even finish that thought. Moving on...

2. While you still love the occasional pancake and/or waffle, your breakfast tastes have grown to accomodate Honey Nut Cheerios, Cheesy Eggs, Yogurt and a waffle, and sometimes just plain old buttered toast (without the crust, of course). Unfortunately, when it comes to the non-breakfast meals, you could still eat chicken nuggets, yogurt or macaroni and cheese every.single.day. So... we're still working on improving your dinners & all of those weekend lunches, but... baby steps, baby steps. 

2a. The other day we were eating tacos and you begged to have one and then scarfed it down before your Daddy and I could process what was happening before our eyes! Did our picky eater just eat a taco? Seriously?!  (insert happy dance here.) Anyway... back when your diet consisted of baby food and not much else, you'd eat anything and everything--no matter what. So I still haven't given up on the notion that your strict, preferred tastes will someday come back around and right now I'm thinking these tacos may have revealed the light at the end of the food battle tunnel! For now...

3. Your bedtime routine goes something like this: Shower/Bath. Toothbrushing/Flossing. "Last" drink of water. Potty.  Second "last" drink of water. Books, books and more books--2 to 3 different books read every night while cuddling in bed. The "sensitive" (where Mommy/Daddy "tickle" your back). Third "last" drink of water. A Christmas Song played on your snowglobe (no matter the season) and then:

Mommy/Daddy: "Goodnight, I love you."
Aubrey: "I love you, too."
Mommy/Daddy: "I love you more."
Aubrey: "I love you MOST!!"

And then we restart the Christmas song again because the good nights sometimes take too long and the 10 second song is over before we can make it out the door but then finally you snuggle in for a snooze on/around 8-8:15pm. The whole bedtime routine from shower to lights out takes roughly an hour and some change, but I wouldn't exchange a minute of it!

4. You latch on to a new "sleep toy" every couple of weeks and that toy goes with you everywhere. For awhile, it was a stuffed deer from Nikon that Mommy gave you awhile back. Eventually, he ended up with a spiral jelly-band/bracelet-majig around his neck to make him "pretty". After that, it was "Boo Boo Bunny" who's actually supposed to live in the freezer for when you need it as an icepack, but there was just no arguing the nonsense of that one. Last week it was a bluebird finger puppet thing you got from McDonald's a LONG, LONG time ago that was recently "rediscovered" and all of a sudden was like, the coolest thing ever. And this week it's a stuffed lion/rattle baby toy you and Mimi picked up at the Dollar Store over the weekend. I love how your little stuffed animal loyalties change right alongside your passions and your mood...

4a. In your bed, you have said "sleep toy" tucked underneath one arm by lights out. There are usually 2-3 understudies close by (though they rarely make it through the night without being knocked off) and then one or two books stuffed under your pillow.  Sometimes one of the heart-shaped "bed decor" type pillows ends up tucked into your blankets with you and your friends and your books... Where you find room to sleep, I've yet to find out. Oh to be a fly with night vision on your wall at night...

5. You and Daddy still go out to breakfast at least every other Saturday. (When you don't have a T-ball or Soccer game, that is...) Sometimes your "date" includes a trip to Lowe's or Home Depot afterward to build something. Other times you just run a few random errands together or come straight home. But each time--without fail--you pride yourself on getting all dressed up for daddy which usually involves a dress, fancy shoes, hair worn half down/half up and a smile spread clear across your face. Daddy's thrilled beyond thrilled to be taking you out on the town and I'm happy to just crawl back into bed (because of #6, read below).

6. Your internal weekend alarm clock is set to "buttcrack of dawn." You can be difficult to wake up at 6:15am all through the week, but come Saturday... it's 5:45 and you're in my room beating me over the head with a pillow. Dear, sweet, beautiful child... I would like to introduce you to my friend 8AM. The concept of sleeping in is lost on you, but hey... the Saturday & Sunday naps have crept up to 2 hours so no complaints there!

7. If you could live in your swimsuit, with easy access to a sprinkler at any given time--you would. We're heading into Summertime "Water Day" season and that's honestly all you can think about. All I can think about, though is that new bikini you got this year and the way you prance around like a supermodel wearing it. Oy to the vey. I'm in BIG trouble when you hit the teen years! Oh, and once a tweener, always a tweener. Once again you're inbetween sizes (like always)... the 4/5's are getting too small, but the 6's are still WAY TOO BIG. Bathing suits included. Your 4/5 bikini's a little tight and the shirt's a little short, but the next size up just wouldn't stay on your tuckus! (How does one even spell tuckus? Took-us? Tuchus?... Tooshie?)

7a. We took you to swimming lessons at the YMCA this year, kinda fearful of the outcome given that you're no stranger to water or being in your swimsuit, but somewhere between age 1 and age 2 you developed a SEVERE fear of swimming pools and/or anything larger than a bathtub.  At first, you were a little nervous, not quite sure what to expect being taken out into deeper water with your swim teacher, but eventually you let your guard down and now you're practically a fish and can't WAIT until we take you swimming each week and you're excited to "graduate" to the next level of swim classes this fall!

8. The Berenstain Bears is currently your television program of choice and if given the chance, you'll watch the same 12-minute episode over and over and over again. It's gotten to the point where I sing the Berenstain Bears theme song to myself at work. (Note to self: Charge the ipod.) Not that the Backardigans (which you still love) and the Barbie movies (that you've memorized every song to) are any better. I find myself replaying those in my head, too...

9. You are quite the budding artiste--constantly drawing stick figure images of your family and friends, coloring anything and everything that waxed color will stick to (except the walls & furniture, thank goodness) and you and the Scotch Tape have a rather tight bond. (Umm... literally).

10. You're a bossy lil' thing... and sassy, too. Not quite sure what to make of that yet, but time to nip that one in the bud! Again... not looking forward to the teen years! We're working on speaking in full sentences instead of grunts, faces, and whiny demands and our pleases and thank yous are getting a workout! It's just a phase... it's just a phase... it's just a phase...

11. You love to play Hide-and-Seek. But you can't stand sitting still long enough for someone to find you, so you always tell us where you are. Every night you race into your room to hide under the sheet. We come in, pretend we can't find you and then you pull the sheet down and "surprise" us. Then, anytime we leave the room (say, for one of your umpteen glasses of water) you hide under your sheet again.  This is what we do all night, every night. Should I be worried that you haven't yet caught on that we know where you are since you hide in the same place, every single time? Nah... fun like this won't last forever, so I'll just keep playin' along. "Aubrey? Aubrey? Where are you? Oh no! She's missing!... (long pause)... Ack! You scared me! I had no idea you were under there!"

12. The "big girl" thing to do these days is to tie your shoes--without any help.  One day we were tying them for you and the next day, you were showing us you could do it yourself. We have no idea how you learned or who taught you (as supposedly it wasn't the school), but we are incredibly impressed! Now it's your "thing"... the big, grownup thing to do before you start your day. One step closer to kindergarten... *gulp*.

13. And speaking of Kindergarten, guess who's well on her way to reading? That would be A-U-B-R-E-Y... the sound-er-out-er and speller of the family. What's truly incredibly awesome is... you love it. You love learning the words and you LOVE it when you recognize a word you've seen before. I just like to listen to you pretend to read, recognizing a word you know here and there and mixing it up with a bunch of random nothing-ness. Highlight of my day, baby girl. It's the highlight of my day.

13. Oh, and know what else you're really into learning? Spanish.  We'll be talking about something totally random and you'll shout out a word completely unrelated in Spanish, like "pillow" or "green" or "napkin." And what cracks me up is, you'll get on the phone with Abuela and start reciting these random, unconnected words like they're conversation in Spanish. You talk about pride... my cup runneth over.

14. On the way to work & school each morning, your Daddy follows me in his car. When we get to Avery road, you guys exit and head to school and I stay straight and go to work. And every day we wave as we pass each other en route. There've been times when I've debated going to work earlier so that I can get home earlier, but unfortunately that'd mean I would need to leave well before you guys do. But you know? I just can't start my day without that wave...

I'm sure there are other things I could totally blather on about here. You know me... I'm your biggest fan. But for now, I'll stop typing and maybe post a few other updates from 2010 and 2011 so that maybe--just maybe--this post will go live before you actually turn five. (How bad would it be if I had to wait to post this until you were almost six? Ugh... I'm gonna be better about this blogging thing, girlie!! Hold me to it!)

Bottom line is... I can't believe you're going to be five. F-I-V-E. FIVE.
Oh sweet, beautiful baby girl... where does the time go?