Smooth, like buttah.

Justin and I FINALLY got the opportunity to get away and go snowboarding today! It was his first and only trip this year and my third, and since we used to go an average of 15 times a season, we were pretty excited. We couldn't have asked for a better day. Blue skies, no crowds, freshly groomed runs, and perfect temperatures. Let me just make a note that the last time I went snowboarding this year it was -22 degrees with the wind chill (Um, hello frozen appendages). So basically, it was 40 degrees warmer today. Downright balmy if you ask me. And I know you didn't.

The only downside to the day was paying $50 a ticket for a half day. Yeah. Luckily Justin's mom had gotten us a mountain money card for Christmas which covered the two tickets (exactly, with none to spare) so we didn't have to pay anything, but still. I asked them for a half day ticket and the ticketing lady informed me that they only sell half day tickets starting at noon. Um? I'm still only going to be here for half of a day. Plus, the half day price is still like $42, so it's not like they would be losing too much money. Last time I checked half of 50 was 25, but I guess things have changed...

Aside from that little bit of ridiculous-ness, we had a really great day. I'm a little sore because apparently I'm a senior citizen, but no broken hips or anything. I even got a sunburn. Yeah. Too bad it's only located on the south half of my face. Mmm...goggle tans...

And here's me, as the kids say, "Butterin' the gnar"...

Viernes

So, Audrey has hit a new stage. Someone was telling me about how the half-ages are always the worst for kids. I just realized the other day that Audrey is now one and a HALF. She's just been crazy. It's not always a bad kind of crazy, sometimes she's hilarious, but a lot more of the time she makes me want to leave her in the arcade section of Wal-Mart. She probably wouldn't even notice, and she reeeeally likes it there. So much so, that once it was closed and she was so distraught that she stood there shaking the chains like some kind of caged gorilla at the zoo. It was pretty funny until I realized that she was my kid...

She has begun to hit, kick, break, rip, and slam things when she doesn't get her way, and it's been hard to stop her because sometimes it's just so funny when she does it. Sometimes, I said. Once she wanted a treat and proceeded to throw a 15 minute fit because I told her to say please. It should be noted that she does know how to say please and she had also JUST eaten (because she's always eating).

The other day she climbed out of her crib for the first time. The mattress is on the lowest setting, and she's fairly short as far as babies go, but somehow she managed it. She reached her little foot up to the top of the rail, much like a ballet dancer at the barre, and flung herself over. She hasn't done it since, but I'm sure she'll remember soon enough. Someone I know was telling me about her friend who still has her 3 1/2 year-old twins sleeping in a crib. Seriously? Couldn't they just step over the edge?

Probably the most obnoxious change has been her ultra clinginess. She has always been a fairly cautious baby who has to sit back and take in new situations before venturing too far away, but it's gotten to the point of being ridiculous. I went to my sister's house the other day and she sat with me (uh, on top of me) for over an hour before she would go play. She's never sat still for more than 30 seconds. If I moved in any way, she would FREAK out. I've heard that babies can sense things, so maybe she's picking up on my desire to run away to Cancun, or really, anywhere that babies are not allowed. Not permanently, you know, just...long enough to find some of my sanity.

Not all of the changes in her behavior have been bad. Wait, changes? Who am I kidding. It's not like she was some kind of Easy™ baby to begin with. It's just a new kind of crazy. Just when we figure out the last stage, a new one sweeps in a we're back to the beginning. But, as I was saying, it's not all bad. Audrey's personality has really started to make an appearance over the last couple of months. She loves to make us laugh and really does like to help people. If she hears/sees another kid crying in a store, she tries to give them her blanky (even when we're a couple of aisles away). She's pretty much fearless, and she's willing to try anything. Tonight she was getting up onto this little step stool and then stepping off of it just to see if she could do it without falling (she could). It was about a foot tall. She loves jumping, dancing, spinning, and running. She copies everything I do, and she only needs to see me do something once and she picks it up. She can do jumping jacks, stand on her toes, do pull-ups on the edge of our counters. It's pretty amazing to watch her, but it's also a little scary because I know she's going to grow up always pushing the limits.

It has also been fun to hear her attempting to copy what we say. She says quite a few words rather clearly, but most of the time she just babbles to herself or the cat or us. She loves the cat and won't leave the house without saying, "Bye Ki-eee" whether he's there or not.



Some other things she likes to say:
Audee--Audrey
Bye Daddy! (Anytime he leaves...even if it's just to go to the next room)
Guk--Milk, Truck, Stuck...I haven't figured out the distinction between them yet.
Duce--Juice
Mommy
Doggy
Llama
Mahma--Grandma
Pampa--Grandpa
Ny Ny--Night Night
Mo--More
Car
Hosey--Horsey
Oh! NO!
Oh Mah--Oh man
Guy (There was this guy dressed up in a Ziggy costume-you know, from the lumber store-and she kept following him around saying "Guy!"





Aaaand, there are many more, but I'm sure that was quite enough for today. I guess I will never get bored while dealing with Audrey. Then again, I may never get any sleep either.

This picture was taken on the courthouse steps after the County Centennial Celebration this week. Just in case you were wondering, she's not staring thoughtfully off into the distance, she's looking for Ziggy.

The Great Cupcake Migration

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I don't care what anyone says, nothing says Valentine's Day like Red Velvet cupcakes and cinnamon hearts.