11 Months Old, The begining of the end

This is it...our last month of infancy. Audrey is now 11 months old, and I'm a tad bit more emotional about it than I anticipated. She's my baby, and I'm not ready to say goodbye to her snuggling up to my chest and drifting off to sleep, or the heart warming laugh she gives when we kiss the rolls on her pudgy little legs. And the way he little body relaxes in my arms as she drinks her bottle just before going to bed for the night. However, I am looking forward to watching her master walking, currently she can take about 5 wobbly steps at a time. And o how I love the excitement in her eyes as she takes each unsteady step with a determination to reach her finish line. Have a mentioned that this girls also loves to talk! She babbles all day long to anyone that will listen, she loves to wave and say "Hi" in the most adorable high pitched excited tone that she can muster up. I can't wait until she begins to actually speak more, and I can share in all her excitement. She has also recently taken an interest in her baby doll, and I love watching her hug on it, and when she does she goes "aw". I can't wait to watch her push her baby dolls up and down the sidewalk in a stroller, or lay them in a crib in her room at night. There is so much to look forward to, so as sad as I am to see the infant stage of Audrey's life pass, I am also excited for all the fun that's in store for us in the 2nd year of her life. And we are going to start the year out right, with an awesome lady bug bash for her 1st birthday!

Puzzles

I love watching John's little mind at work. He has always been a fan of the big wooden puzzles, but up until a couple of weeks ago I hadn't really challenged him with jigsaw puzzles. We had one that's not to difficult, but being as he hadn't done them , I thought it would be something we could work on together while Audrey was napping one morning. Well to my surprise after helping him put in back together one time, John quickly picked up on the concept and wanted to do it himself. I was in awe as I watched his little mind study the pieces and place one by one into the puzzle until it was complete. John was so taken with the puzzle that we bought a few more, a little more challenging and he mastered those just as quickly.He amazes me more all the time! A little smarty pants just like his daddy:) Just in the last week we bought a couple of more puzzles even more challenging. One a big floor puzzle of Thomas the train this one did challenge him a bit, it took him a whole week to master it!

And then daddy just found a set of 3 toy story puzzles each one a little more difficult, but he again mastered the first one on the first day, and puzzles 2 and 3 still give him a bit of a challenge but I don't expect it to be long before he has them down too.

Happy Mother's Day!

I want to wish every mother old, and young, those that are expecting, and those that hope to be one day a Happy Mothers Day! There is nothing in the world like being a mother. Motherhood holds the happiest and most challenging moments a woman will ever face. I love my children more than words can express, they have turned my life upside down, and I thank God that he has entrusted their little lives into my hands. I can't express what I feel when I look at my children, knowing that they shared my very breath, that their little bodies where formed and grew, and moved inside mine. To know that the sounds of my heart beat and my voice was and will always be a comfort and a constant in their lives. To know that there will be many people who will influence their life but mine will leave the biggest footprint on their hearts. Being a mother is not always easy, there are days...O there are days that i cry tears of frustration and wonder if I have taken on more than I can handle. But then I remember the days i feared i would never have a child, and I thank God that I do have not one but two beautiful children, different in every way but both mine. Not one but two children who need me, at my best and even at my worst. Who look to me in tears of fear for a peace only i can bring, or tears of pain for comfort only I can give. Little ones who laughs brighten my day, and make my heart skip a beat. I thank God that I have been given the opportunity to walk along the road of motherhood, with a little hand in each of mine, and pray that He walks before me leading the way, so that the imprints I leave on their little hearts will lead them to personal relationships with the only being who could ever love them more than I do.

Something New Every Day

Last week was yet another exciting week with Audrey. This may not be all that exciting to most people, but we are finally able to put Audrey's hair up into a pony tail, and just today she wore pig tails! It is so much fun to divulge into all things girl...pretty dresses, shoes, and finally pretty hair bows. Even bigger news she also took her first steps on Friday night, with no encouragement. She was holding onto our recliner and I was sitting a few steps away on our couch and she just let go of the chair and took 3 quick steps over to me. Of course it took me by surprise, and we made a big deal out of it. So now whenever we actually encourage her to try she gets so excited she can only get a step and a half before she falls, but it's a start! I also am fully aware that her walking is just going to make my days a little more challenging, but it's still so exciting! On Saturday she surprised me once again, when she all of the sudden climbed my stairs...there was no excitement this time. I had run up stairs to grab something, and usually she'll crawl over to the landing and wait for me to come down, but this time when i went to come back down stairs she was almost at the top, and my heart sank. What if she had fallen? Thank God she didn't, but still a little to scary. I guess it's time for baby gates! She also is starting to talk; she has been saying mama, and dada but as of the last couple of days she says up, and baba for bottle. It is scary how close to 1 she is getting, and the changes that are occurring daily, however we are enjoying watching our beautiful princess turn in to a toddler!