The New Bathroom

It turned out so well and I only wish I had the picture-taking ability to capture it just right!  But these will have to do.  Many thanks to the hard work from Brian and Dad!

That Girl

Aubrey is almost two years old and I don't know where the time has gone. She is such a cute little stinker and I have to document what she's about before she grows any bigger and I forget. It's so true that you remember everything about your first child and struggle to pay attention enough to remember what the second one does, what their personality is, etc. While Aubrey and Ellie are somewhat similar, they definitely have their differences. Ellie was walking and talking at 12 months. Aubrey JUST started walking; but has taken off and is just now increasing her vocabulary.  Her favorite things to say are:

• Sees-uh (sister)
• Thank ooh - she knows exactly when to say it, too!
• Why - this means I want to watch Super Why!
• Baby
• Dogdog - her favorite thing - as in we can't lose it ever or we'll be in big trouble
• Mama & Dada
• Snow - she wrinkles her nose and says this very nasal-y.  Not sure where this came from!
• Cerul - cereal

Aubrey loves to play pretend with her animals and baby dolls.  This is way earlier than Ellie enjoyed this type of play.  She pretends that she's feeding them and makes a clicking sound with her tongue and teeth as if she were eating.  Yesterday, Dogdog was attempting to eat upside down!  She also does this when she gives her baby dolls a bottle to drink.  We go through the motions of burping and rocking too.  She just loves it!  She'll take them for walks around the house in the baby strollers with sees-uh by her side.

Aubrey is quite the little dancer too!  While Ellie is now enrolled in dance lessons, her boogie-ing genes kicked in a little later.  Aubrey dances to just about anything - you just have to get her started.  Her favorite things to sing are 'La Lu La' - she just sings this when she's happy.  She also tries to sing Jesus Loves Me with us at bedtime now.

She loves playing with her sissy and Ellie loves Aubrey so much too.  They really play well together most of the time: coloring, playing kitchen, dolls, playing in their room, etc.  Ellie loves teaching Aubrey new things and really is a helper (and sometimes a little mother).  They especially love being in a room together now, which is so sweet and bound to deepen their relationship.

 Gotta have an Ellie picture.  I'll come back with another post about her later - she's amazing!

This one too!

Also from last year, this picture will go on display too! I wish I had the energy for beach trips and pictures this year! This one is from our Labor Day trip last year, which we will miss again this year. The two years we've missed it have been due to our fall babies!

Beach Babies

I LOVE this picture from last year. What joy! This is going in the girl's new bathroom. More pics to come!

Under the Sea...in our bathroom!

In our family, and probably most others I know, new babies bring more home improvement projects. Of course we are redoing Ellie's room of five years to fit a little boy, we've moved the girls into bunk beds in Aubrey's room (now for the two of them and they're doing great) and we've finally tackled the 'guest/kids' bathroom upstairs. It was the last room to have lovely black, gray and pink wallpaper in it and it was time to go. When I saw this set at Target, I knew that was it!  I hesitated on the pirate octopus but Brian said we had to have it for Ethan, so I went back and got it.

Dad came over to help install beadboard and paint this weekend and it turned out great (well, it's not quite finished but close enough)! I'll post pictures when it's done. He and Brian only made like 20 trips to Lowe's to get various things throughout the weekend. I sure hope one of those receipts lands us that $2500 gift card they say it will!

Baby Boy

Poor thing - I keep calling him Baby Boy but he does have a name! It's actually kind of endearing - we're so used to everything being girlie, that it's fun to say 'boy'. Ellie keeps saying 'Mommy, he has a name!' And he does...

Ethan Robert Wolfe

And here's what the room may look like...We painted navy this weekend and it looks really good - thanks Brian and Dad!  And Auntie Rachel picked up the striped sheets for us in Atlanta - thank you!

Pictures...