it's a Polar Express kinda afternoon

My newest co-worker

Twinkle... Twinkle...

Cheeeeeeeeeee!

Out of sight, but not out of mind!

Ainsley's little friend Samuel included her in his prayers last night. His friend. He's 2. How cute is that?

Nothing like your own padded room...

She catches on quick!

Thanks to a basket full of candy corn, my little flower had a fabulous Halloween. She didn't wear her headband, but she did wear her flower costuem and enjoyed the party...or at least the juice boxes at the party!
Harry's friend Alana brought her a plastic pumpkin (at least I'm told that's how she aquired it!). She loves pumpkins. Punkins! She points them out when we go for walks and in the car. She loves this plastic one. Much easier to put on her head, to try to take to bed with her, and yes, to fill up with Treats! I was all set to take Harry trick or treating when Ainsley came running behind us with her pumpkin shouting "Treats!" How did she know? How did she know? After about 4 houses we stopped asking for candy and started asking for wet wipes! yes, she dug in to her first Milky Way.
AInsley was still in her flower costume dancing around the house when Harry and I returned an hour or so later (yes, she went home!). Shortly after Kevin changed her into her Halloween pajamas, so she then walked around the house pointing to all of the punkins on them.

Sit!

Ainsley LOVES that Harry's step stool has ended up next to the ottoman.
Climb!
She climbs up and sits on the ottoman, feet straight out in front of her, where she pretends to watch TV.
TV!
Arthur!
She still doesn't really watch it, I'm convinced, but she pretends to.
Cute as can be!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star!

Best. Song. Ever.
"Twinkle Twinkle?"

"Read? Read? Read? Read?"

It's no exaggeration that Ainsley's favorite word is "read." She LOVES books. Her attention span seems to have increased past simple board books. She's borrowing books from Harry's library now, and will sit through repeated readings of much longer story books. It's impressive, really...once you get past the annoyance of having to read constantly! I rearranged her room recently to accomodate new furniture, so she can grasp some books outside of her crib now. It's not uncommon to find her in her crib "reading."

Dinner Conversation, Continued

" I don't want this. I don't like it."
Yes, this was Ainsley at dinner. Very matter of fact.

Hey, Mikey!

Kevin made the best slow roasted BBQ chicken tonight. Yum!
After 10 minutes of crying for "logurt," Ainsley finally broke down and put some chicken in her mouth. "Like It!" she exclaimed, completely shocked! "Like it!"

Reading to Baby

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Dinner Conversation

My dad joined us for dinner this evening, so dinner conversation was a little livlier than usual. I almost didn't notice the "chugga chugga chugga chugga chigga chugga chugga chugga choo CHOOO!" going on next to me. My little one knows how to enterain herself, that's for sure!

La La La La Loll La!

A Mind of Her Own

Ainsley knows what she wants. She knows what it's called. She knows how to ask for it. She knows what she doesn't want. This is true for food, clothing, activities - you name it.
Most mornings, if AInsley doesn't like what's laid out for her to wear, she says so. "No. Don't want it." If you push the issue you get a "Nooooooooo!" I still cannot figure out how Kevin got the kid into camp pants (with a pink T, of course) for her first hockey game.
Last night, she ate dinner. Most nights it's yogurt. "Pasta!" Ainsley shouted when she saw the wild rice. Close enough. She also ate up all of her vegetables. the salmon? "Don't like it! All done!"
If you play by her rules, she's an easy kid!

My Little Pixie

"Here!" Ainsley says to me, while sitting on the sofa and handing me a piece of tissue.
I very kindly responded "You know where the trash can is!"
She stared at me for a few seconds, hand outstretched. I thought she might cry. Instead, she rolls onto her tummy, slides off of the sofa feet first, runs to the trashcan and throws out the tissue. She's so smart!
Later, while sorting through her clothes, I had her help out again.
"Here's a wash cloth to give to daddy for your tub. This onesie needs to go in the trash."
So, she takes teh washcloth to daddy, and then runs out of teh room with Kevin staring after her. Clink. The trashcan lid closes! We've had much more success with her training than Bailey's!

Fun with Munchkins

This evening, while using the front lawn as the big red mat, we taught Ainsley how to Ta-Da. She stands with hands on her hips, does a forward roll, then says ta-da! I really need to find a competition cheer squad for her. She's a natural!

Music to my ears!

Monkeys!

Ainsley exclaimed as she located this evenings pajamas. :-)

Menike would be so proud!

Harry had a very rough day this today...Kindergarten, swimming, new friends, pumpkin patch, two wheeling, play dates...He was a wreck. I asked AInsley to give him a hug and kiss and cheer him up. She threw in a "Love You!" for free!
Speaking of how wonderful AInsley is, I was also impressed with her spatial relations and fine motor skills in putting the pieces together in one of Harry's wooden block puzzles.
She also kicked butt at gym class. She's teh youngest in the class, and the tiniest. I think her size (or lack thereof) aids in her ability to impress people. But she holds her own. They ran out of colored balls in class, so they handed her a soccer ball instead. She took it, shouted

SOCCER!,

and kicked it around the room. She rocks.

Moving on to sentences...

Ainsley follows directions well, and since she is a girl, she tends to know where things are and be able to locate them. Today when I asked her to get her milk, she walked around for a few seconds and said

I don't see it.

I swear, she's 45 already! Some days it seems like she was never a baby. She should still be a baby, but she's just not. She's very wise. And very funny. Harry has this little sister Lola...Lola. One of the few TV characters she acknowledges. A tiny girl with crazy yellow hair and stripey tights.

Word of the Day

Earlier this week:

Crazy!

Growing

Ainsley had her 18 month check up today. I think I left her progress sheet at the doctor! Darn it!
I do remember she is in the 20% range for both height and weight. I knew she was growing while she slept. That's kind of bitterweet for me...
Took an autism checklist. It was laughable for this kid. It really was...but sadly, for some kids twice her age, I don't think that's the case.
4 shots. Kevin owes me big time. He can hold Harry down for his flu shot next week.

Ainsley is 18 months old today!

And she's awesome! Crazy. But awesome!
This kid has more words than I can count. They include princess, cowbell, cupcake, beach, shoes, truck, house, pool, Alex, Julia, Everett, Bailey, Meghan, Mommy, Daddy, Harry, Grandma, PopPop, lunch...it goes on and on.
She doesn't watch TV. No interest. She does like music, though, and she requests we put it back on when it's between CDs in the car. She likes to dance. And jump (no elevation, however). She follows multi-part directions very well, and she picks up on everything.
A little while ago she was talking about " 'side" and I was explaining inside vs. outside. Naturally I went into "spinning all around" Before I finished my sentence she was twirling in circles.
She's out of her highchair and sitting at the table with us in a booster. Today she was walking to the park with Menike and her friends, and when Julia and Alex stopped holding hands, Ainsley pointed out to them what they needed to do. SHe often demands "Hands!" of Harry and he obliges. He recently walked her through a couple of airports.
Ainsley loves books. "Book!" "Read!" She likes to be read to, but she'll also sit down and look at books herself. She loves to go for rides in her stroller. "Ride!" Sometimes we ride in the wagon or on the tricycle. She LOVES outside!
She has yellow hair. Most of her teeth. She's got a decent tan. Her feet are tiny! They get her where she needs to go though...which is wherever she wants! She loves to wear dresses, and pink, and shoes, and definitely swim suits! She does not like to wear bows. Her hair is always a mess. She likes to go to starbuck's. She calls it by name when she sees the sign. At the McDonalds drive through the other day she said "Coke!" Uh-oh!
This one is ALWAYS listening!!! And always entertaining!

Tantrums rock!

Like my hat?

Rockin' out with Rocknoceros!

College Park Playdate

Got blanket and put baby night night!

Johnny Rockets!!!

one for the ... plane?

the usual...

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From The Director

Yesterday, I saw Ainsley when I visited Menike. She was so cute in her pink
outfit! She played outside with her friends and then we went inside. Ainsley
looked at books and asked Alex for a book he was looking at. She turned the
pages so carefully and petted the fur in the Farm Babies book.

Pretty-ing Up Daddy's Cast

Amusing Daddy...

We're Home!

My view from the porch

I can see you...

Amusing Mommy...

I need a vacation

Le Tour