Aubie is always telling me how to reply to her questions. Like, if she wants some "gummies"(fruit snacks), she'll say, "Mommy, I have some gummies? Say, 'Ok, Aubie.' " So the other night before bed, she asked me, "Mommy, I have somefin?" I reluctantly replied, "I guess so. What would you like?"
"How 'bout some peanut butter crackers?"
"Um..."
"Say, 'Crackers it is!' "

Then yesterday, though not in response to a question, she told me what say. I am so proud of how quickly she just up and started wearing panties all the time and going potty, so I was telling her and she said in a sentimental voice, "Say, 'Our wittle monkey's growing up." So I did, because that is exactly what she is--our little monkey.

A picture of the little monkey who decorated her pajamas with stickers and made sure that her eyes were crossed before I snapped the picture : )

I can't believe I didn't post this before now--10/09/08

As of somewhere around 1:20 on July 20, Mimi's house is no longer ours. No longer our family get-together location, or our there's-not-enough-room-at-my-house-let's-have-it-at-Mimi's spot. It has passed from one Joe and June to another Joe and June (one of the many coincidences that help us all feel better about letting go). David will not have to keep up the pool any more, as he has done for the past two years, but we don't have one to swim in anymore either. I am so thankful that Mimi's house didn't sit on the market for a huge-long time, but it really is sad to have to completely say goodbye. I've known that house my whole life. I could drive the road to Mimi and PaPa's blindfolded. But, blindfolded or no, I won't be driving that route anymore, and its a sobering realization. Anyway, here are a few pictures from the night before closing.

poor puppy

Aubie's puppy (see the post from December 21, 2006) has finally been disassembled. It has now become a jump rope (or several jump ropes), pancakes, lines laid in the floor for one to follow, necklaces, a cake, something else I can't remember, or just beads. When David was taking the puppy apart, Aubie said, "Oh no. My puppy's head is dead." She could actually see what part of the bead clump was a head, but now the puppy is no more. Aubie wasn't traumatized by this occurrence at all, however. In fact, in the middle of the project, when David had to get the phone, she sat there and finished taking the beads apart. I asked her what she was doing and she looked up at me at and said, "I just doin' my Daddy's work." When she got them separated she said, "He be so happy!" This is a picture of the once-puppy pancakes.

It kinda reminded me of the story of Jesus in the temple when she said it. Whenever I heard the story growing up, I'd always thought he sounded a bit snobby when he said, "Didn't you know I'd be about my Father's business?" But when Aubie said that, it hit me as to what Jesus had really been saying. Not the too-big-for-his-britches tone that I had always heard it in--"Didn't you know...?"--but "I'm just doing my Daddy's work." It was really sort of a revelation to me. Out of the mouths of babes...

One of Aubie's favorite names for her dolls, puppies, etc. is Sella. It waned in popularity about a month or two ago, but has since made a comeback. Yesterday, Mom, Aubie, and I were playing with her Little People, and she named the baby Sally, Mom named one of the other girls Sella, and I can't remember what my person's name was. When I asked her what the boy's name should be, she said, "Sella". We tried to get her to come up with a boy name, but she couldn't think of one, so Mom said, "How about Saul?" Aubie said, "No. A Saw cut fings"(things, not fingers).

big girl

Well, I guess you guys are going to just start checking once every 2 weeks, now, huh? Sorry once again. But I really haven't had much computer time lately. No pictures this time (not even the beach ones I promised), but I do have excellent news! My big girl is COMPLETELY potty trained! No sleeping in pullups or anything. Yes, I know it was a long time coming, but the great thing is, it only took one day : ) Two days after her first day in big-girl panties, we had a long car ride and a 6 1/2 hour tour of IKEA and not one accident to speak of. Just thought everyone should share in my joy--the joy of a mother who has only 13 1/2 weeks before the poopy diapers start all over again ; )

sad

Well, a week and a half. I'm getting better, huh? Hope everyone had a lovely 4th of July. Ours was very nice, though sad. It was probably our last time swimming (or doing anything else) at Mimi's house as a family. David and Aubie and I may go one or two more times since he will be working on the pool till closing on July 31st, but that's it. Though I never lived there, I am sadder about it's being sold than I have been about any move that we ever made growing up. There are good memories and not so good memories, but that house has always been a part of my life. Its not the same anymore, though.
posting this on 10/09/08