Dear Audrey aka LaLa

I have decided that you may never answer to your given name, because Gram and I make up new names for you daily. First you were Peanut Butter, and that got inevitably shortened to Peanut. But, lately, you have been LaLa. It has sort of stuck to you. Gram sings La - LA and says "hey...Lala!" and now...well...Audrey you are Lala.

You are such a funny little girl. You smile so big in the morning and laugh more often.

This weekend, you made it through 5 hours of apple harvest festival without a peep. You love to look around and face outward now. You recognize me from across the room and it warms my heart.

I can talk to you and you babble back a little, sometimes it is like we are holding a real conversation.

Lala, you are such a beautiful soul...I see it already shining through in your eyes. I experienced a taste of it today when I held you in my arms and walked through the lobby and into the main worship venue at church and you suddenly stilled and stared upward, like God himself was speaking to you, like you knew the song of worship the choir was singing. As with all things that center around you, it brought tears of JOY to my eyes. Your soul remembers the potters hands.

Love,

Mommy

To My Dear Audrey at 6 weeks and 4 days

Dear Audrey:

You are growing up so fast. I can now understand why people want more than 1 baby, the time goes by so swiftly. It seems like I brought you home 2 weeks ago, not 6 weeks ago.

You had a rough weekend. I learned that ready-made Enfamil is not the same as the powder. So, after a bad bellyache, we threw the rest of the can away. Bellyaches are no fun.

Once we got home from Grandma's, your attitude went right back to the sweet little girl I know so well.

This morning, you woke up at 4 am...not because you were hungry, or because you were

wet...but, I think, because you were wanting to exercise your newest tool...your voice.

Yep, you found your voice, overnight!

When I first brought you home, every noise that you made was basically the inner-workings of a cry...but not anymore.

Now, you sit in our swing and babble to the sunrise. You can see it coming up through the window. You love the sun. If you are crying, and your dad and I have worn out every reason

why (wet, cold, hungry, etc...) we take you outside. You always calm down, like the wind blows in a new attitude.

Your dad is a magnificent soul. He bought me two rocking chairs for the front porch, so that I can take you out and rock you. I like to watch the birds come at the feeder. I can't wait for you to notice them, so that we can enjoy them together.

I prayed that you would be an "outside" kid who enjoys everything the earth has to offer...and so far it looks like God answered even that, the smallest of my prayers, for you.

You are smiling, and every day that I wake up and greet you, I think your smile widens. Even if you have only given me a few hours sleep, that smile wipes away everything else.

Everyday, you spend time in both of your swings, on our bed with the barn gym, on the floor with the rainforest mat and on your belly ith the lady bug mat. You love to stretch and kick.

Mrs. Dean says laying you out to kick will help you grow. I guess that is what happened to

me...gram laid me out to kick often.

Right now, you are asleep in your play pen. I can see you from my chair. I can hear you as well....you make this little sucking noise while you sleep. Gram says I made the same noise. Even though you look so much like your daddy, I think you are alot like me.

I can't wait to enjoy trips to the beach with you, a special trip to Disney, and to experience all the world has to offer, with you and daddy.

For now, stay small and grow strong. It really won't be like this for long.

I love you,

Mom

Getting ready for fall

This weekend, we enjoyed a lovely luncheon at my Aunt Robins. Before our meal, my great aunts and I were instructed, by my Aunt Robin, on the art of scarecrow making.

We each made a scarecrow to adorn Robin's yard. Even the dog got in on the action.

Audrey was a bit cranky, so my mom took over "baby whisperer" duty.

What an enjoyable afternoon. I love the fall!

Great, Great Aunts

Audrey and Mommy headed to wellsboro this past weekend to enjoy some time with my mom and my Great Great Aunts. My Aunt Honey ( Ruth) and my Aunt Tootie ( Katherine) are my grandfather's sisters. They visit my mom's house twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. They are such wonderful and fun ladies. I am so blessed to have good relationships with them. Audrey is so blessed to have spent the weekend with them.

I must admit, Audrey wasn't on her best behavior for the weekend. She had a belly ache and was constipated for the first full day, so she cried and screamed alot. BUT, we managed to get some good family time in between bouts of insanity.

Aunt Honey enjoyed feeding her and rocking her.

Aunt Tootie enjoyed "talking" with Audrey.

We had a GREAT, GREAT visit!

God is surely good that he would allow Audrey the opportunity to have these wonderful ladies in her life.

Growing

Like a little sunflower...that is what Audrey Joy is doing.

Before I was a mom, I never thought about the changes a little one would go through so quickly. Not the obvious changes like weight gain, but amazing small things I notice; like the fact that Audrey's eyelashes are growing long, or the day I realized real watery tears came into her little eyes.

She opens her hands now; they are no longer just little fists. Her hair continues to fall out, but in its place is new fuzzy lighter hair

I think the greatest growth so far has been her ability in just 5 short weeks to smile and laugh. Her gummy smile lights up my whole heart!

She has slept, like a big girl, in her crib for 2 nights now. She sleeps very well in the crib. We should have tried it sooner.

She truly is the joy in her name, the joy in my heart!

winning a grammy

We did....with the presence of my mom this past labor day weekend.She and my dad came for a visit, during which she voluteered to take the night shift for 3 full nights, while I caught up on my sleep.

What a wonderful gift!

We enjoyed a nice weekend together.

My Aunt Bon and Uncle Harold came for a visit on Saturday.

As they were leaving, we discovered a Black and Yellow Argiope Spider in my flower bed.

Spiders creep me out! This is one big and has quit an amazing web. Now, 3 days later, I am not as itchy looking at our 8 legged garden guest. It is actually quite interesting.

Sunday, we headed to Kelly's Salter Family picnic. It was a very nice day!

It's hard to believe summer has ended and fall is just beginning.

Girls can fight fires too...

Even if we would have found out that we were having a girl beforehand, we still would have managed to receive Fire Fighter outfits. Her dad is the chief, it was inevitable.

So today, we busted out the Fire Chief outfit and added a headband...Viola...a little girl Fire Chief.

****right after taking these pictures, she peed and we had to throw the outfit in the washer****