"Meowy"...and other words

Audrey is obsessed with cats.  Especially our cat, Scarlet.  She calls our kitty and all kitties, "meowy".  Corey took the girls out to dinner the other night so I could host a few girlfriends at our house and they went to the neighborhood diner known for housing the balloon guy that can create anything.  Natalie asked for a ballerina (which he made her but I neglected to get a picture of it early on and the it's lost so much air it  looks like she's been on a dancer diet) and Audrey asked for a "meowy". 

This is her balloon kitty.  She loved it.  She snuggled it like no balloon animal should ever be snuggled.  At one point it came apart in two, still fully inflated pieces and she snuggled each end separately.  We finally had to toss it when she wasn't looking.

But she's saying a little collection of words now, other than meowy. She often needs an interpreter, however, but big sis is always up to the task when we're not in earshot. Some of the cute ones:

"awright":  all right

"me do" :  I want to do it MYSELF

"choose":  shoes

"wish": fish

"top it":  stop it!"
"I na know":  I don't know
"hoj":  orange
"woo hoo":  dog

"wa wa":  water

"hi": phone

"wash":  I want to wash my hands

"teed":  I want to brush my teeth

"yup":  yes
"play":  play, of course. 
But this is funny...when she's clingy or constantly underfoot, I'll say, "Audrey, go play" while pointing to  a toy or activity across the room.  The other day I caught her with something she shouldn't have and she pointed across the room and said, "Mommy, play!" meaning leave me alone with this thing I'm not supposed to have, please!

Post Party Hair

Remember the Girly Girlz party Natalie attended a week or so ago?  Well, I think I mentioned that Natalie came home with her first official "up do".  Well, that little "do" consisted of about two dozen tightly twisted curls secured close to her scalp with bobby pins and further secured, for good measure, with glittery hairspray.  She kept it in the entire afternoon and wanted to sleep in it but I was terrified of the tangles that these twists would turn into while she slept.  So, we took them out just before bed.  And this is the result.

It was hilarious. 

 I just found the pics and had to share. 

There is always a price for glamour!!

Who needs toys?

When you have a mud puddle in the backyard?

I think all kids are infatuated with muddy water but desert kids seem to be especially drawn to mud puddles because they live a fairly mud-less life.  When we water our big pine tree in the backyard our girls are immediately drawn to the mud.  They come from all corners of the yard when they smell it or see it.  Especially when they're wearing white pants.

Corey snapped these pics of Audrey the other day totally engrossed with a stick and a mud puddle.  She kept poking around in the mud while he kept poking around the tree, snapping pictures.  We just thought these were the cutest shots.

She notices the papa-razzi...

and gets right back to the business of being a kid.

Tea for a Two Year Old

Natalie wanted to have a tea party the other day with her fancy tea set from Grandma Lala and Papa Rod.  The very breakable tea set that she's usually only allowed to play with on the carpet and when Audrey is sleeping.  Well, Audrey was very much awake during this tea party and Natalie wanted to include her.  I was so touched that she trusted Audrey with her special tea set but visions of two year old temper tantrums, broken china and sisterly strangling kept flashing in my head.  But, as with most things Natalie has her mind set on doing, she just made it happen while I was still deciding if it was a good idea.

She placed towels on the kitchen floor, set up the cups and saucers, dished up some goldfish crackers onto the tiny plates and filled her tea pot with water. She asked Audrey to sit down and Audrey complied. Then I witnessed the loveliest, calmest tea party of sisterly love. Audrey was so honored to be a part of this event that she behaved like a dream, requested about 15 refills in her tiny teacup and politely ate her goldfish crackers one at a time.

Sometimes these two can play together so beautifully.  I'm going to try to capture more of these lovely moments on camera and lock myself in my bedroom and look at the pictures when they're screaming at each other for hours on end.

Girly Girl

Natalie went to a birthday party at a place called Girly Girlz in Scottsdale.  I think she would have stayed there the remainder of the week if they let her.  She was the special guest of the birthday girl's little sister but she sure enjoyed acting all grown up for the afternoon! Our girly girl got her hair done in an "up do" (including glitter hairspray) and her nails painted peony pink.  She got to wear sparkly gems, hold a microphone and dance on a stage with life-size cut outs of teen beat stars that I didn't even recognize in the party favor picture she brought home.  I'm very out of touch and this will soon have to be rectified if the Girly Girlz music selection is any indication what our daughter will be listening to in a few short years.  Her party favor bag included a fairy wand sucker, nail polish and eye shadow.  She's in heaven. 

She came home from the party and immediately refreshed her glitter eye shadow.  "I don't even feel it when it's on, Mommy!" she told me as she laid it on so thick it must have actually weighted down her lids.  Then she put some eye shadow on Audrey.  The teal color. I'd been going through our baby stuff to give to a girlfriend of mine and I had the baby bottles out.  Audrey grabbed a  bottle and insisted I put water in it so she could drink out of it.  So, our 5 year old was walking around the house looking 15 and our almost 2 year old was walking around drinking from a bottle while wearing teal eye shadow.  As we left for the park later that afternoon, Natalie said, "I hope someone at the park notices my eyes shadow."  I had the exact opposite wish.

We didn't get pictures of her at the party or all done up after the party.  But these are some cute pics taken as she headed to her Easter party at school last week.  Her goal every day as she dresses for school is to be ENTIRELY pink.  Her clothing options (and my laundry schedule) doesn't always allow this but she's perfectly pink most days of the week.

And this is a cute picture of Audrey that Kristen took when she was here!

This Little Piggy....

Let us do pigtails!!!

Not just once, but on a semi regular basis!  When she's in the mood, of course.  And distracted by Sesame Street, the cat or a combination of both.  Lately, it's taken a bit more than distraction to convince her to let us do her hair.  I've started bribing her with Easter jelly beans.  That seems to be working for now.  I figure that's how we convinced Natalie to use the potty and that turned out all right. 

 These pics are a little blurry because the kid doesn't stop moving and now

the pigtails are just one more wiggly part of a very wiggly girl!

Her behavior has been every bit that of an official 2 year old these days.  Lots of drama.  Lots of refusing to cooperate.  Lots and lots of "NO!"   The pigtails make her look so cute that I have an easier time staying patient and calm when she's screaming to get out of the cart at the grocery store and throwing her snack on the floor in protest!

Happy Easter!

 We had a nice, mellow, low key Easter Sunday and it was just what we needed.  I was sick the entire week before so I was just happy I felt like going to church that morning. 

 Of course, the Easter Bunny visited us and the baskets were devoured (literally) before 7am.  Thankfully he threw in some coloring books and sunglasses to slow down the consumption of jelly beans and Peeps.

 Audrey had her first Peep and she wasn't sure what to think at first.

But by the second Peep she was pretty sure they were the best treat EVER.

It was a good day.

Long Time No See

We've had a busy March around here. So busy, in fact, that I forgot it's already April. I went to a conference in Reno for a week last week and took Audrey with me.  She did great!  I dropped her off at various loving homes throughout the week (thank you, Aimee, Catie and Aunt Karen!!) around 7am and didn't see her again until after 5.  That's new for Audrey and me as we usually go most places as a pair!
Natalie stayed home to keep Corey company.  He took her to school every day, did her hair, packed her lunch and kept her entertained and totally content!  In fact, I don't think she missed us at all.  I heard from Corey throughout the week that Natalie was loving leaving her toys wherever she wanted...with no threat of a little sister snatching them. 

When we arrived home, however, there was a very sweet reunion.  They hugged.  They called out each other's names as if in disbelief that they were actually together.  They hugged again.  And then Natalie toured Audrey around their shared tidied room as if it was her first visit. 

Unfortunately the novelty of reuniting wore off rather quickly.  A few hours back at home and together as a family and the sisterly squabbling resumed.  At one point, Natalie whispered in my ear, "I really missed you, Mommy, but I did NOT miss Audrey!!"

Kristen arrived for a visit before Audrey and I returned home so

she had some nice alone time with Natalie. 

 She even volunteered in her preschool classroom one day and had a lot of fun.

I hear they actually painted with their noses that day. 

And they made Aunt Jeanne's famous pudding cookies.

Those were a LOVELY homecoming present, I must say!

 

And Kristen was able to spend some time with Audrey once we got home. 

They walked to the park both mornings and fed the ducks.

It was nice to be back together again as a family, though.  I'd never travelled alone with Audrey and she is so BUSY that it almost takes two of us to keep up with her in an airport. 

 I think I'll take Natalie next time and leave Audrey at home!