Dear Dissertation,

Dear Dissertation,

Please give me my life back!  I know I chose you for this journey and will eventually appreciate how you will open new doors for me, but right now I am cursing your existence!  If Alice asks again, “You all done working?” and I have to answer, “No sweetie” I may just abandon you completely.  Just get me to graduation and I may absolve our differences.   Three more weeks of you and hopefully you will be out of my life and on your way to publishing. . . 

Sincerely,

A stressed out/brain fried doctoral student

Toddler Talk

Alice is always cracking us up with her funny conversations.  I decided I needed to start taking a moment to write down her little "Alicisms" so we can remember this fun stage.  So, I'm calling this "Toddler Talk" and putting together brief posts to share her gift of gab!

Today--Before Bedtime


Me: "Good night Alice.  Sleep tight.  I love you."

Alice:  "Good night.  Thank you for your time."

(such refined social behavior she has :)


Last Week-In the Morning


Me: Look at Audrey.  She's awake in her crib.

Alice: Yes, she's a happy customer.  She's such a nice fella!

(a little too much time mimicking Papa!)


Last Week-In the Car 


Alice was driving on Michigan Road close to Andy's former workplace.


Alice: Why Daddy not work there anymore?

Andy: Because it went out of business.

Alice: Don't worry, Mommy will give you business.

(hilarious!)

Look Who's One!

I had my 1 year appointment with Dr. Harper. . . 

and I am following in my sister's footsteps. . . I am 22 pounds and 30 inches long (75% and 90%).  My hair is just long enough for Carrie to put it into piggies :)  


I love to mimic everything people say, but my favorite words are "hi, bye-bye, momma, dadda, ahhlesse (alice), papa, bayoone (balloon), baybe (baby), and many other babbles that sounds somewhat like the sounds I am learning.  I love to play patty cake and wind-the-bobbin, peek-a-boo, and throw my arms up "sooo big!"


Can you believe I just started to walk??  I really took off this week!   I have to keep up with my big sis (I  even climbed up into her bed the other day before mommy caught me!)


Here is some video of me taking my big girl steps at my birthday party!

Audrey's 1st (for the 3rd time) B-day Party!

Boy, does this kid know how to P-A-R-T-Y!


We had Audrey's 1st b-day party at our house today (a little delayed).  Actually, this was her 3rd time celebrating the big first b-day.  We had a Yo Gabba Gabba celebration.  I went to the party store on Wednesday ready to buy my Gabba themed party supplies, but no such luck :(  All the party stores in town aren't equipped with D.J. Lance Rock and his five strange looking critter friends. . . so we had to settle on the rainbow of Gabba colors and these Gabba bath squeeze toys.  But. . .


we did have an AMAZING cake (courtesy of Nana!)



and this birthday girl devoured it!

along with Nora, Alice, and Nora's cousin, Keaton

Many of our friends and family members weren't able to make it to the party, but we had a wonderful time celebrating with Nana, Papa, Uncle Tommie, Aunt Brandie, Carl, and the Stites!

After the minor rain delay, 

the kids went outside to play.



Happy Birthday Audrey Pickle. . . or as big sister calls her for short, Pick!


Both girls sported their Brobee t-shirt. . . and, as Brobee would say,

"There's a PARTY in my TUMMY (so YUMMY, so YUMMY)!

Wabash Celebration

We headed to Wabash for a Mother's Day/Audrey's B-day/My b-day party!

It's birthday cake time!

Spending time after dinner with Nana-the-Great.

Grammy with the cake!

Alice loves to help blow out the candles!

What a cutie-pie!

Baths in the BIG bathtub!



Alice loves to get into Grammy's makeup - While I was out working on my paper, Andy puts Grammy's makeup to good use - giving Audrey a mustache (sigh!).  She still looks pretty cute :)

Thanks Grammy and Grandpa for the great weekend!

Happy Birthday Audrey

One year ago today you were brought into our lives. Before you were born, I felt you little hands and feet stretch and move each day. We worried about sharing our love between two daughters,

And then we met you.

I was worried Alice wouldn’t react well to sharing her mommy and daddy with her new baby sister,

And then she met you.

Alice will never know life without her baby sister. She’ll only know her little “Audrey Pickle” idolizes her and will want to follow in her footsteps.

I look at Audrey, my spunky, curious, determined, and incredibly sweet now 1 year old.  We just can’t imagine a day of life without you.

It’s hard to believe your first birthday is already here. Audrey, you bring our family so much joy, love, and pure happiness. You have transformed our lives, captured our hearts, and we count our blessings God’s plan for you brought us together.