Audrey will chew on just about anything. Of course, these are meant to be chewed on... She is just so cute. I can't help it. Yes, biased, I know, I know. She is asleep right now. I think she is trying to cut teeth. A joy for both parent and child. Someone once told me they thought that was the one mistake that God made, having babies teethe. I stepped aside because I thought lightning would strike. I would have to respectfully disagree. It may not be fun, but as in any trial, the results are worthwhile. We just happen to see these results quicker.

Alex is in his room for quiet time. A self imposed quiet time. He stole some jelly beans and then went into his room and closed the door. Now he is wanting out. So he is banging on the door yelling, "mommy, mommy, mommy!" It warms a mother's heart, especially when his baby sister is asleep across the hall. Wait! Now he is bouncing a ball yelling that he is playing "basitball" and making sounds like an elephant. He has discovered that if you pull apart the CHILD PROOF door knob covers you can have quick and easy access to freedom. Did I mention that they were child proof? Yeah, well, not so much. I do give him credit though. He actually did it the first time by using his screwdriver that came with a workbench.

Audrey's crawling is improving. She can get wherever she wants to go. Another blessing and curse all wrapped into one. A blessing because soon I will not have to cart her everywhere and a curse because soon I will not have to cart her everywhere. Yes, I said it again. Now I can control where she goes and what she gets into - for the most part. When she gets up and starts wandering my job requirements increase with no increase in pay. Par for the course, I suppose. Audrey has started to yell. I think it is experimenting with talking over her brother. She sounds as if she is either angry or hurt - but neither are the case. She is smiling when she is doing most of it. She loves to be in her Exer-Saucer. And she loves to be held. I like that part too.

Alex still likes to snuggle after a bath. Grandma M got a chance to experience that after she gave him a haircut the other night. He just likes to be wrapped in a towel and then he has to be held for a 'ittle bit. I love it. Nothing like a clean boy who wants to snuggle with you. His haircut is so cute. I love it. I actually had Grandma M take a bit more off - Alex's hair was very long to the point it was starting to curl. He looks like a little man.

UPDATE: Now he is banging on his door wanting me to fix something. I should go check on him but then that will ultimately mean that quiet time is over. If I stay in here I can extend quiet time a little longer. Just a little longer, please. Plus I have to get stuff ready for Alex's visit to Pa-paw S's house.

The day is young and I am already behind. 

The otters were pretty cool! Alex loved the zoo. And if you see him, ask him about the gorilla. He tells the story very well. We had a good time despite my reservations. Reservations because I was taking a whiney two year old to the zoo on a day that was supposed to be oppressive, weather-wise. But it worked out great. The weather wasn't too bad and the kids were absolutely wonderful. We stayed there until the park was about to close. That surprised me. I expected to be required to leave due to unhappy campers. Ah, but not so.

Guess what now...Audrey can crawl. Yep, I said crawl. The child can't even sit up on her own but she can crawl. Not scooting on her stomach, but actually up on her hands and knees moving forward. The doctor just shakes her head and agrees that I am for some interesting times.

Audrey is a very happy baby. I know, no surprise. It amazes me that every morning she greets me with a smile. Even when her brother wakes her up - she smiles. She loves to be outside and to see everything. She also loves to be naked but that is another story.

Alex newest thing is to tell me that "I not go to bed, mommy. I not sleep." Oh, how soon they turn on you. He has also started to come into our room in the middle of the night. He ran into a door the other night. I thought his dad was going to have to use some Judo on a perpetrator to save us. I then realized that he doesn't know Judo and the "perp" was really a twerp named Alex. "My need my mommy." Really, what do you do with that? Daddy doesn't find it as endearing as mommy at 3:30am. He must be jealous.

Ahhhhhhh, the house is quiet. Babies are sleeping. This is nice. I should probably take advantage of this time and take a shower, or I could clean...or do nothing....decisions, decisions. 

Audrey Race...as Alex calls her now. How cute she is!!! She still does not have any teeth, which I find very surprising considering the amount of saliva the child produces. She can bite hard, too. The "spoon tap" test (a test proudly proclaimed by my Aunt Judy) failed to yield any results. They have to be in there somewhere. She still isn't crawling. I know, you think, "...but she is only 5 months old." If you saw the child moving you would be amazed that she ISN'T crawling yet. She is a very happy baby. Unless her brother bites her finger. We found that out the other night. I am not sure why he bit her finger. He is not a known biter.

Which takes me to my next topic...um, are all two year olds bi-polar? One minute he is flying off the wall laughing and the next he is whining saying he needs his mommy. "Need" is his favorite word now. "My need my mommy, my need that, my need a dink, my need my daddy, my need my balloon..." get the picture? I just don't get it. I need to go and review the book "Bringing up Boys" by Dr. James Dobson. If I remember correctly boys are technically a different species. I thought that with Alex's daddy for awhile, then he shaped up. So I thought it was a fluke. Go figure - they are made that way.

I do enjoy it though, even though it may seem as if I do not. I love it. I love it when Alex says he needs me to sleep with him for "just a 'ittle bit, mommy." How do you say no to that? Even when the laundry is piling up.

You should see Audrey when she sees Alex. She just lights up. She has a big smile to begin with but it seems to grow even bigger when her brother shows up. She is always reaching for him and trying to touch him. Alex loves it when she pulls his hair. I don't. I try to stop it because I am just waiting for the day that Alex decides he should try it.

We will be going to the Columbus Zoo on Friday with Pap-paw S and family. Should be fun. Or at least interesting.

Let's see - 12:50AM...what am I doing up?

Can someone please help me? I need to know how you deal with a little boy who is so cute and yet a weasel. Yesterday he was in trouble for strategically placing Fruit Loops behind the fireplace insert. While I was sternly disciplining him, he kissed me lightly on my nose and smiled, saying, "Mommy, I kissed you." What do you do?! The day before that we had just walked in the door, with a smile on his face he proceeded to kick the dog. Not sure why.

As for Audrey, if those teeth don't come in soon....And wiggle, man, this girl wiggles. It's a work out just to hold her. We have been attending a local camp meeting. Good messages but I am exhausted when it is over. Chasing two kids, one crying because she wants down and another crying because he wants up. Go figure. I have never been so wildly popular in my life.

Alex has been content lately to play with his trains. Buying those trains has been the best investment in toys for him. He plays with them constantly. I am just waiting for the day that Audrey wants to play with them...that will be trouble. For now she is content to drool on the ones that Alex gives her to hold.

Alex's patience with Audrey is waning. It has taken a serious hit this month, and the month just started. He now tells me to put her down and pick him up. Today he told me to quit feeding her. He thought he would help by pulling my shirt. He also tells people to take her. He still likes to hold her and lay on her. I will remind her of the many times that I saved her life when she was little. Alex now loves his sister...most times - not all times as before.

Audrey will be crawling soon. She has mastered getting up on her knees. But she doesn't have the arm support yet. Everyone must pray for me when she starts crawling/walking. I doubt she will ever stop. Constant motion.

Well, for once the day is young. What to do, what to do?

Living a life of leisure. That's Alex for you. He likes to sit in Audrey's bouncer and lounge. He is getting so big. I had someone tell me the other day they thought he looked as if he was three. Nooooooo! Not yet.

Alex's big announcement the other day was that when he was a 'ittle boy he was a frog. And he was green and had black eyes and a black mouth and he said, "Ribbit." He has learned that an elephant is a pachyderm. Rhinos and hippos are next. He has also learned that if he lays on the floor next to his door at night and sobs uncontrollably I will come and lay with him. I can't help it. He sobs as if his heart is broken. I just can't take it.

Alex got in trouble at church today. When asked if he got in trouble today he said yes. And then proceeded to tell me, through no prompting, that "Holly 'panked me." I had to tell Holly that time out had grown to a much bigger experience for Alex. And no, she didn't spank him. She did what she had to do when a two year old attempts to pull hair and throw a cup at a baby. Separation and time-out. Yes, Holly, I will be using your techniques.

Audrey is grow like crazy. She slobbers all of the time. And for anyone who has held her for an extended period of time - you know what I am talking about. She still has very curly hair. She may hate it later in life. The minute we step out into the humidity the curls spring into shape, even if her hair has been straight all day. It is so cute. She is very happy too. Of course, she is very happy as long as the following conditions are met: not tired and not hungry. If either of the conditions are not met then we have issues.

Audrey is rolling over and over and over. She uses it as her means to travel. She is constantly on the move. She has discovered that the appendages on the end of her arms are useful. She has to pat her Pop-pop's goatee. He loves it.

She still has her cousin, Lorelai, beat on weight. And they appear to be the same height. Lorelai still has her beat as she not only realizes that she has useful appendages at the end of her arms, but she is more adept at using them as weapons. Plus she can sit up. I think she secretly is laughing at Audrey because she can't sit up on her own yet. Just wait, Miss Lorelai...just wait.

Oh well, another day, another night and once again it is midnight. Where has the day gone?