Has it been a year already?

Hmm…it really has been almost a year since I last blogged.  Cliché, but I don’t know where to start!  I guess I’ll summarize the whole last year in one smallish post! 

Aubrie has done so much growing up! She hit most of the milestones right on time, crawling and sitting around 6-7 months, pulling up to stand at 9 months, walking behind her “walker” toy at 10-11 months, and she finally took her first steps at 12.5 months.  Since then she’s been running around like crazy! She’s a really hyper little one, tons of energy, and boy is she OPINIONATED! If she doesn’t get her way she becomes the biggest drama queen and runs to the carpet or a run to throw herself down on (she learned the hard way that tile isn’t the greatest place to heave yourself when upset).  She has been so much fun too, I really can’t imagine my life without her.  Or if I do, I imagine it being boring and monotonous.  The things she’s done and how she’s taught me to live my life, it’s just amazing watching her grow and take on this huge personality.  Not a day goes by that I don’t laugh at her antics, or shower her with hugs and kisses.  I live my life for her—I want to make her smile and laugh every single day that we have, and every time I do, my life is that much better for being loved so hard in return.  I’m so blessed to have her in my life. 

Some of the things she’s doing now—she’s such a lover!  She has a few boyfriends at school (daycare)—Miles and Tanner—as well as having to choose between brothers: Braden, Jacob and Evan!   Her best friends are actually some of my co-workers children.  Alese is in the same daycare room with Aubrie, and I always hear stories about the mischief they get into, and the fun they have together!  They love to chase each other around and give hugs and laugh. It’s adorable to watch!  She also plays with Cami, whose mommy grew up in Mtn Lake (small world!) 

Aubrie really LOVES her babies (dolls), and could spend all day wrapping them up in blankies, feeding them, burping them, and taking them for rides in her little stroller.  She is a dancing machine—if it’s got a beat she’s groovin!  She knows how to dance to “Ring around the Rosie”, and claps with the “Happy and you know it” song.  She will attempt the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” sometimes too.  She loves to color and is actually pretty good at it—I’m convinced she’s going to be a lefty, since she eats, colors, and throws balls with her left hand. 

 

Aubrie’s vocabulary is improving a lot too.  She understands a lot of simple commands like “go get your coat”, “say night night daddy/gizzy”, “let’s go bye-bye”, “drink your milk”, “let’s dance”, and many many more.  She’s recently started telling us when she’s dirty by pointing to her diaper and saying incomprehensible words.   She does say a handful of words, such as puppy, mommy, daddy, buh-bye, hello, Gizzy, no, uh-oh, whoa, bubble…probably a few more that I can’t think of.  I can’t believe how smart she is—she really picks up on things fast and is a great imitator (uh oh, watch those words around her!)

Well that’s my Aubrie update…I suppose I can move onto life in general.  I still work at Mercy NICU, and I still absolutely LOVE it.  I couldn’t imagine doing any other job!  I also started doing home care a few times a month for a baby/family that I fell in love with in the hospital.  It’s really not a typical job, I kinda just hang out with the parents and do a few nursing duties every once in awhile!!  Can’t complain about that one!  I’ve become very close with the parents and consider them to be some of my closest friends.  As odd as this sounds, I’m glad everything happened the way it did, because I’ve learned so much from their experiences and the trials and tribulations they’ve been through.  And they have the most AMAZING attitudes towards everything….they’ve taught me not to take anything at all for granted, and my life is better for knowing them all. 

Kris got a new job working for Dice Holdings company (whatever that is).  He still does taxes and financial stuff but he’s not as bogged down this time of year as others are, or as he would be in his old position.  The job came with a salary increase, which can’t hurt anything, so I’m pretty sure he likes what he’s doing now rather than working as a CPA. 

We still live in the same old house in Des Moines.  Someday we’ll move, maybe by the time we get married and baby #2 rolls around, but for now we’re doing ok where we are.  It’s nice and close to my job, and there are enough stores and whatnot around to keep me entertained.  I would like to move before Aubrie starts school though, since I’m not too interested in her attending any of the schools in our district. 

This is probably the world’s most boring blog.  It’s really not fun at all, but I had to catch you up on what’s happened in the last year or so! I promise it will get better, and much more interesting! For now I’d better head up and try to soothe my sickly little Aubrie…..