Wake Up!

This is how Aubrey wakes up her brother from his naps...

A Good Day

Today was a great day. We took a drive to Tulsa to the Aquarium to see some sharks (and other various water life). Austin loved it, he has been really into sharks lately. He likes to watch Jaws and any documentary about sharks. I think Aubrey enjoyed it too. We took Route 66 and got to see a lot of Oklahoma we hadn't seen before. Small towns are the same all over...

Anyway, we had a great day checking out the many different fish and the huge shark tank; it is set up so you walk through a tunnel and the sharks swim above you. We spent a lot of time just watching them swim. Here are some pics from the day.

Here is Austin 'petting' a star fish. He said they are soft.

Austin was a bit cautious touching the shark teeth.

Here is one of the sharks swimming right above us.

Aubrey is watching the shark swim.

Austin was braver in touching these alligator teeth!

I love days like today.

Mommy Brain

Austin says I am old. He says I'm slow too but that is for a different post, one that ends with me sprawled out on the lawn red faced and sweating with Austin taunting me that "you missed me, you missed me, now you have to kiss me, ha ha ha ha". Anyway, he says I am old because I can't remember anything. I asked him to remind me to do something the other day, he said he could because he is young.

I really blame him for my lack of memory. I haven't been the same since pregnancy, and it got worse with each one. I think I was relatively smart before having kids. I could at least verbalize complete sentences that sounded half-way intelligent and could carry on conversations with other adults. Since pregnancy I haven't been the same. I can't think of the words I was going to say and most of my sentences end in a stammer. I often don't join conversations because of the fear that it will end with others looking at me strangely while I stare off into space with a confused look on my face trying to think of what I was talking about. The thoughts were there at one time, they just don't stick around.

One of my girlfriends is pregnant. I enjoy watching her struggle, it is funny when it is happening to someone else, and comforting as well. At least I am not the only one who lost brain cells. The sad part is they haven't come back. That worries me. I am not sure they ever will.

But truth be told it has been worth it. I may not be able to remember anything anymore, but I have two very wonderful little beings to help remind me of the important stuff. If I can only remember to tell them what it is they have to remind me of...

On The Move

Look who is getting ready to crawl! She likes to rock back and forth, but hasn't quite got the hang of moving forward. Her little feet slip and she ends up going backwards. But it won't be long now!

Thought you would enjoy a picture of Austin when he started crawling too, what a cute little guy!

Questions

As I've mentioned before, Austin's favorite question is "Why?". He loves to ask it a lot, often several times in one conversation (I guess my 'Because mommy said so' does not satisfy his curiosity most of the time). Some of his "Why?" questions are really hard, so my fall back answer is "Because God made it that way". I then get "Why did God make it that way?" Hmmmm...

Although "Why?" is his favorite question, I thought I would share with you a list of some other questions he has asked that are my favorites.

-(Out of the blue) "Does it only happen on Wednesdays or Tuesdays?" (What?) "Rainbows."
-"Did God make cars?" (or buildings, or ice cream, or toys)
-"Where was I before I was in your belly?"
-(At least once a week) "Is it Christmas tomorrow?"
-"Is the sun beating the wind because it wants to be summer?" (Everything is a competition with Austin, he was hoping the sun would win this day because it was cold).
-"Probably the sun is mean because it hurts my eyes." (Not a question, but I thought it was worth mentioning).
-"How do fish breathe under water?"
-"Why do I have to grow up?"
-"Why would I go to college?"(after the discussion of what happens when he grows up).
-"Why did God make me before He made Aubrey?"
-"I wish you would have had daddy too so he could be little like me and we could play all the time". (also not a question, but just too cute. I don't think I tried to explain this as it gets into some discussions neither of us are ready for at this time).
-"When I go to high school after I grow up will you wait in the car in the parking lot and feed Aubrey her bottle?"
-"Why do girls talk so much?"

Check back on this post, I will continue to add the good questions he asks. If you have any good answers to any of them, please share.

The Many Faces Of Sleeping Aubrey

Awww....

The Dropping Girl

Austin has
re-named Aubrey
"the dropping girl". She is at that stage where she loves to drop anything and everything just to see what happens. At least once a day Austin asks why she does this (his favorite question remember?). If she is 'the dropping girl', then he is the 'pick-up boy', because he is the one who gets to pick up everything she drops. He enjoys it for the first 300 times, but then gets a little tired of it. But hey, he is younger than I am and has more flexibility/energy to bend down and pick them up. And he is closer to the ground. I don't know how I managed without the 4 year old him when he was a baby! I bet a lot of things just stayed on the floor.

Happy Valentine's Day

In honor of Valentine's day I asked Austin what Love means. After about 10 'I don't knows' (his favorite response to most questions, except for maybe "why?", he asks that a ton too), he said love probably mean kisses. We decided that you must love someone to give them kisses and that mommy and daddy love Austin and Aubrey a ton because we give them lots of kisses. Austin usually wipes his off. So now the world knows...love=kisses. Things are so simple for 4 year olds.

Rhyming

Austin has just about mastered writing his ABC's and 123's (at least the capitol letters, we are still working on lower case). We are trying to work on what sounds each letter makes. He is working on rhyming words in school. Everyday he asks if different words "match". Today it was fly and drive. Yesterday it was black and smack. Some days he gets it, some days he doesn't. It is always fun and interesting to see what words he will try to "match" next.

Rainman

Sometimes Austin reminds us of Rainman-only in the sense that once he gets something in his head, he can't be distracted or swayed. (Yeah, 15 minutes to Judge Wapner, yeah).

Let me give you an example:

We were riding in the car recently and the conversation went as follows:
Austin-"Mommy, I want some water".
To which I replied-"OK baby, when we get home I will get you some".
Austin-"OK".
(2 seconds later)
Austin-"I'm thirsty, I want some water".
Me-"I know honey, when we get home".
(Silence, for about 2 more seconds)
Austin-"I want some water please" (like the please is going to help).
Me-"Austin, do you see any water in this car?"
Austin-"No".
Me-"Then you have to wait until we get home ok?"
Austin-"OK!!"
(Maybe 5 seconds this time)
Austin-"Mommy, I'm hungry".

Like I said, 15 minutes to Judge Wapner.

Budding Artist

Austin loves to draw pictures. He loves to do any kind of art really. He recently started giving his people bodies with arms and legs. I liked it when the arms came out of the side of the head. This picture is of daddy and Austin, they are racing.

I bet Austin won.

The Shirt Says It All

Cute shirt huh?

Green Beans, My Favorite

Enough said.

Snow

It snowed yesterday. Austin was very excited to see the snow, and wanted to "make a snowball and hit mommy". Sometimes I just tear up at how sweet he can be. We lasted about 2 minutes as it was really cold, long enough for him to make a snowball and throw it at me. And get his picture taken. Today the snow was all gone. That's Oklahoma weather for you.

Austin's enthusiasm to play in the snow reminded me of all of the fun I had playing in the snow as a kid. Growing up in Wyoming, I am no stranger to the snow. I had the snow suits, big heavy coats, huge mittens and hats, and cool moon boots to keep me warm while playing outside. I looked like the kid from 'A Christmas Story'. The snow would drift so high in our yard that my sister and I could sled down them and build houses in them. We would stay outside until our cheeks were bright red, the only part of our body that was exposed. Then we would come in and strip off all the 10 pounds of winter wear, and then stand in front of the fireplace warming up our backsides and running to sit on the couch to burn them. Good times...