Addison is reading!

Today Addison read her first book, Mat, from the Bob series. She sounded out each letter on her own. It's a very simple book, but I am so excited for her. She's been a bookworm her whole life and I'm trying hard to keep up with her yet not frustrate her. Her bookshelf is full, so we go to the library every Monday. We check out 15 books, but she always sneaks a few more in the bag. This week she filled up her marble jar and wants to go on a Daddy Daughter date to the bookstore for a muffin and a book (although I wouldn't be surprised if she talks Daddy into two or three!). We read at least 10 books a day. And today she read one to me. 

Life

Audrey loves her lamb blankies!

Dr. Addison has been busy ...

... very busy.

The new and improved "Button Bank" is a hit with Audrey too!

It's incredibly hot these days. So we've been going to the pool a lot lately.

bling, bling

 BFFs

Family Weekend

Last weekend, the girls and I drove to the west coast to stay on the beach with Grammy and Poppy. We got to see Scotty, Amanda and their crew too!

Along the way, we stopped by Melanoma Center of Hope to surprise Nana! Dr. Addison loved it!

 Austin was there too! I love seeing him "hold" a baby.

Addison is getting so brave in the ocean (and pool) now!

 I love how excited Grammy was about her sandcastle skills, then Addison knocked them down.

 Audrey just loves to walk!

Cutest cousins ever

The water was really shallow, so Bradly had fun skim boarding!

 Digging for little clams

 My cute niece, Madilynn, chasing the birds!

So glad we live close to these guys!

Thanks Grammy and Poppy for letting us join your beach weekend!

 sisters

Sunday we spent the day at Grandpa and Grandma Barber's house! Of course they spoiled the girls with themed bags of goodies (cats and ballerinas) and even a bathtub full of balloons!

Hide and Seek and Thesaurus Mom

Funny things about hide and seek with our family:

• Daddy likes to hide in the pantry and sneakily eat a cookie or two
• when you can't find someone, just follow Lou Lou and Stella
• Addison likes to make noise while hiding so she can be found
• Mommy has to hide with Addison or she will come out early and find you
• Audrey gets really confused by it all, but loves how excited we get

Addison is in the "why" stage. Conversations with Addison these days:

Me: We're almost home!

Addi: What does almost mean?

Me: Soon

Addi: What does soon mean?

Me: Just a short time, in a minute.

Addi: What does a minute mean.

Me: 60 seconds

Addi: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, what comes after 12?

Me: 13 and we are home.

14 months old

Happy 14 months old to Audrey! My loud and smiley handful. 

My girls

There are so many things I love about these girls. 

I am so blessed to spend my days with them.

Audrey, I love ...

the excited, open mouth look you have when you are pushing the corn popper or walking with the pull toy puppy.

how you walk to the rug and lay down when you see me get you a clean diaper. Now if we could just get you to lay there a little longer to actually finish the diaper change.

watching you eat peaches. You get so excited when you see me cutting one up. Then, if I'm not fast enough, you throw yourself on the floor and throw a little fit. Once I've diced up the whole peach, you shovel it all in your mouth in less than 2 minutes.

that you are starting to really love your books. Your current favorites are: "Doggies" by Sandra Boynton, "Let's go to the Farm" a Fisher Price Flap book, "Where is Baby's Belly Button?" by Karen Katz and "First 100 Words".

your crazy stomper leg. The same leg you used to gangster crawl, you now use to stomp. In the tub, while you dance, when you try to jump.

playing in Addison's new twin bed with you. Its on the floor and perfect height for you to climb up and roll around on. You have no sense of the edge and no worries of failing. So it also causes me to have a heart attack each time.

that your trash can obsession has now become a little more handy. You help me throw real trash away now, not just toys.

Pig tails for the first time!

Well, half pig tails!

Audrey is starting to follow in Addison's footsteps.

Beginning to love her books!

Enjoy this spoon video:

Addison, I love ...

hearing you "read" a story to Audrey. You have so many of our board books memorized. Today before nap time you recited "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" to her.

how eager you are to learn numbers. You count everything. And you also like to one-up everything. For example, I give you 5 kisses (that we have to count out) and you give me 6. I tell you I'm 29 and then you tell me that Aba is 58.

that you have favorite toys to play with. There's Aba (Apa?) and your doctors kit of course, but then there is also "the moving leg Barbie, Nuna" and the two little dolphins in the bathtub. I also love the crazy names you come up with. They are definitely not names you would hear in America : )

watching how well you are doing in swim lessons! This month you have a different teacher and you love it. 

how tall you are getting. You can get on the swing by yourself, get up on the potty without a stool, and you can reach the top monkey bar ladder at the playground.

when you make me play games. You love to play ballet class and swim lessons. Most times you are the teacher and I am the student. You love to play beach fun, which is when we pretend the rug is the sand the rest of the house is the ocean.

overhearing you sound out beginning sounds. "FFFF. Mom! Fish starts with F!" You are also trying to rhyme now. Mostly nonsense words, but I'll take it!

Enjoy this rain video:

Update

I'm a little behind in my blog updates so this will be a long one.

We had an amazing time in the Keys! Our first weekend apart from the girls was a success. They had a blast with Grammy, Poppy, and Parker and we did too!

Popsicle on a summer day = happy girl

She loves her magnifying glass

I'm glad our dogs don't mind being rolled on.

Addison still likes to collect leaves and Audrey just wants to eat them.

I love this picture, she loves this huge tree.

Audrey in the black light room at the museum.

fun with a box

Addison's last ballet class went really well.

 Started doing a home preschool routine with Addison last week.

 Fourth of July was hot, but fun. Andrew was home and we went to our community "carnival". Addison tried out a bounce house and a slip 'n slide for the first time! 

We stayed home for fireworks just to see what we could see from our back yard. Not that great compared to our Brickell apartment, but still saw some ones. Audrey will be old enough next year to stay up and go to a park to see a real show.

We got to see the Ritters this weekend. Papa worked his magic on the grill again! 

Played in the pool!

Thank you Nana, Papa, Benjamin and Michael for bringing over the bed for Addison! She can really spread out now!