Audra's First Instrument

I'm currently using Shutterfly and my pictures to make a personalized gift for Audra... an alphabet book with pictures of her world for each letter.  We didn't have a xylophone or an x-ray, so I decided to make a purchase for the sake of the book.  Audra loves to drum on almost anything, so she was very excited by this new toy. 



So Big!

I realize this is a common baby game, but for some reason David and I hadn't played it with Audra until recently.  Poppop Cundey was the first person who taught this to Audra (when he was visiting at the beginning of November), and now it's one of her favorite things to do.  Usually she'll grin and throw her hands in the air before I even ask the question, and that's her way of telling me that she wants to play!  Next time Poppop asks "how big is Audra?" she'll be ready with the answer!

 



Giggles With Daddy

Audra enjoys playing with her Daddy when he gets home from work each night, and I am so blessed to witness the love between David and his daughter!

 

Climbing Skills

Audra is getting really good at standing up and then getting back down to her knees!  Ninety percent of the time, Audra prefers to spend her time crawling around the house and climbing up on anything that she comes to. 

Also, as you can see, Audra still enjoys shaking her head!

October

The month of October has flown by, and (again) it's been quite some time since I updated my blog.  Here's a quick look at what we've been doing...



 

I like to use David's birthday as an excuse to take a trip, and this year we went to Shenandoah, VA for 4 days.

The cabin that we rented was set on a hillside in the middle of the country... a perfect spot for relaxing!

A view inside the cabin (from the living room, looking towards the kitchen).  I enjoyed the open layout, especially because it helped us watch Audra in her new surroundings.

At first, Audra was content to sit on the rug in the middle of the floor and play wth her toys.  But that didn't last for long!  Soon she was crawling all over the place, and carrying her toys with her as she went. 

It had been years since I worked on a puzzle, but on Thursday night, after Audra went to bed, I decided to start working on a 1000-piece Norman Rockwell puzzle.  After I separated all the edge pieces, it didn't take long for David to join me at the kitchen table to begin putting the frame together.  A few hours later we the edge almost completed.

On Friday afternoon we were joined by my father and his wife, who drove up from North Carolina.  We enjoyed their company immensely over the next day and a half, while we played Sequence, shared many meals, played with Audra, watched 2 Dick Proenneke movies and worked on the puzzle together.

After many hours of frustrating work done on the puzzle (mostly by Dad and David... Gene and I dropped out before the puzzle was 1/2 finished), we had a completed puzzle on Saturday night. 

Two weeks later, on Tuesday, 10/16, Audra and I went to Big Flats, NY to visit Alenna and her family.  On Wednesday my brother-in-laws parents joined us at Alenna's house for the day.  It was so nice to see Dad and Mom Loucks again, and for them to get reacquainted with Audra.  Here they are with the littlest cousins, Mikiah and Audra.

As always, I enjoyed spending a few days with my sister and her family.  Watching her 3 oldest children interact with Audra was especially a treat!  Aiden and Seth took turns helping her stand up, and Cora was trying to hug Audra about every 10 minutes.  It is clear that they love their newest cousin!

Back in NJ on Saturday, October 20th, the weather was perfect for Audra's first hayride and first time picking out a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch.  (Though I will admit that she didn't voice much of an opinion about what pumpkin she wanted to bring home.)

I'm glad we were able to have this family outing while the weather was nice, because the following day Audra came down with a nasty cold which had her very congested and sleeping poorly for the next 6 nights!

Thankfully Audra was feeling better by the following Saturday, because my dear friend, Audra's honorary Aunt Karen, drove up for a visit from Annapolis, MD.  (It looks like a cheesy photographer posed Audra's left arm, but I promise you she did that herself!)

On Halloween, after no issues from Hurricane Sandy (praise the Lord!), we dressed Audra in her first costume.  What a happy little "elephant" we've been blessed with!!

Video's



I've fallen behind in posting video's of Audra, though I've been recording a lot recently.  It seems like she starts doing something "new" every few days, and I want to remember all these little milestones.  She is growing up so fast!

 

This first video is from September 2nd.  Lately she likes to "sing" (almost every evening!) and I sometimes join her.  (Usually she'll carry on her singing longer than this video portrays, but this was right before dinner so she didn't keep it up for very long.)

 

Audra made the discovery of how to click her tongue, and (with a little encouragement) she was showing off for the video on September 12th.  (Most of this is her, though it's somewhat hard to tell because she doesn't move her mouth very much when she "clicks".)



 

Also, during the last few days Audra has started this funny, exagerated breathing through her nose.  David and I think it's hysterical!

 



Updates on Eating

After learning more about Baby Led Weaning I decided that it wasn't for us.  But I also decided to cut the cereal from Audra's diet.  And thankfully she started to do much better with food after that!

My sister-in-law gave me a Baby Bullet for Christmas last year (which is just a small blender, for those who don't know), and in the last 3 weeks, I have made a lot of baby food. 

Audra has now tried (and loved!) banana, zucchini, carrots, yellow squash, avocado, apple, plums and sweet potato.  She has also tried peas a few times, but so far she is not impressed.  (Can't say that I blame her... peas are my favorite vegetable, but when they are mashed I find them unappetizing.)  Also, yesterday I pureed a batch of parsnips and butternut squash, so she'll be trying a couple new vegetables soon. 

Here's a video of Audra eating zucchini (which we recorded on September 7th).  What a big improvement in her eating skills since mid-August! 

More Teeth

One of Audra's top central incisors broke through the gum on Sunday, September 9th.  Finally!  It seems like she's been working on these teeth for the last 5 weeks!  And, as you can see in this picture, we can see her left top central incisor, though it's still below the gums.  (Pardon the food on Audra's face... I took this picture during breakfast.)  I'm hoping that tooth will erupt soon... and that we'll get a break from teething for at least a few weeks.



A Visit to the Park

Dear Audra,

 

Daddy and I took you to the park this afternoon.  At first you were having a little difficulty with hanging on to the swing, so you decided to use your 3 teeth (yes, THREE teeth, as of this morning!) to get a grip.  But Mama stopped that idea as soon as it started... EWWW.

Unfortunately, you weren't thrilled about the swing today.  I think part of the problem was having the sun in your eyes... you were swinging in Daddy's shadow when I took these photos.

So we took you out of the swing and went for a walk around the park.  Daddy carried you while I carried the camera.  (Daddy was also very patient as I used the camera about every 3 minutes!)

I even asked your daddy to take the camera and get a few shots of this mama and her sweet baby.

You seemed to be enjoying the adventure we were having, though you didn't smile until at least 1/2 way through our walk.  When you're busy taking in new scenes, you usually concentrate so intensely that you forget to smile.  I was excited when I snapped this picture of you, grinning, with your daddy.

I took a few pictures of the Delaware River, as we walked along the trail at the Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, NJ.  (Then I edited them a bit when we got home, and tried to make them look artsy.)

I enjoyed spending time with you and your daddy this afternoon, and hope you had a good time, too!

Love,
Your Mama

Not What I Planned

It was a perfect summer night, so I headed outside with Audra as the sun was low in the sky, to snap some pictures of my sweet baby girl.  (As a side note, I realized tonight that Audra will respond to both her name, and "Baby-Girl".  David calls her that more that I do, and it melts my heart at how much love he pours into those two little words!)

 

I was excited about getting some updated pictures of Audra while she was in a good mood.  I had hoped that she would smile for the camera since her smile seems to be maturing every week.  Unfortunately, I hadn't planned on her discovering grass for the first time.  I let her sit there for a few minutes and took over 15 pictures during that time.  Did she look at the camera during that time?  Nope.  She didn't take her eyes off that amazing green stuff that was in front of her!  So this is a sampling of what all the photos look like. 

 

It wasn't what I was planning, but I love the expressions that I was able to catch!

 

New Furniture

David and I bought a new couch this past week!  After it was delivered at the house this afternoon, I looked around and realized that it is the only piece of brand new furniture that we have bought together.  (We've inherited a lot and purchased some on Craigslist, but this was the first time we both had an opinion on a major purchase of home decor.)  I told David that I felt very grown up, but he laughed and reminded me that I've been an adult for over a decade.

 



 

Audra spent some time hanging out on the couch, too.  I thought it was so cute the way she rested her arm on the side of the couch!

Also, for those interested, it is still a sleeper sofa... so we do have room for company if you want to visit!

Happy Feet

I am so glad that I made the choice to buy a johnny jump up for Audra.  Other items that are considered "standard gear" by some parents (such as a baby swing) we don't own and therefore didn't use with Audra.  But honestly, I didn't miss not having it.  However it's been a riot to watch Audra jump, so I'm happy that we didn't forgo getting this toy!

 



Splashes!

Because of the kindness of our neighbors, David and I have been invited to the local community pool as their guests a number of times this summer.  Audra was not impressed with the pool during her first try, but she has since changed her mind.  This is what she looked like tonight!







If you look close you can see how she even tries to kick her legs!

On Your Mark...

Like a runner, poised in her blocks and waiting for the starting gun, Audra has perfected the crawl pose.  She rocks back and forth on her hands and knees, still trying to figure out how to obtain significant forward motion.

 

 

The day will be here... soon, I think.  This little girl wants to CRAWL!

Adventures in Eating

Audra hit the 6-month mark the day that we left NJ for our trip to NY and PA.  So we delayed her official 1st Day of Solid Food until we returned home.  (Personally, I've found breastfeeding to be one of the easiest parts of having a baby, especially when I will be traveling with said baby.  No matter where we are, Audra's got some milk, warmed to the perfect temperature, ready whenever she needs it... and I don't have to plan for a thing!  No bottles to bring and keep clean; no measuring spoons and formula.  The people who claim that bottle-feeding is super convenient baffle me.  Sorry if this is offensive, but what could be more convenient than simply holding your baby to your chest?)

 

Ahhem... I seem to have branched off into a rant... I apologize.

 

Audra tried rice cereal for the first time on Tuesday, August 7th.  Her reaction that day, and the following few days, looked something like this...



Also, I had tried very hard to find the best cereal for her, so I had bought Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Rice Cereal.  Unfortunately, it was iron fortified, and it really upset her little stomach!!  She had some rough nights, which means we had some rough nights, while it was clear that she was uncomfortable and in pain due to the change in her diet.  Ugh.  I don't care what the pediatrician says... I can't keep doing this to my little baby!

So... I began to make my own baby food and introduce real foods to Audra, nothing factory made.  She tried puréed bananas and seemed to really enjoy it!  (However, sometimes it's difficult to tell if she enjoys the food or if she just is having fun by smearing it on her face/hands/tray/bib... etc.)

This past week Audra tried some oatmeal cereal.  I'm not really sure why I thought that would be a good idea.  I'm pretty sure it has the same amount of iron in it as the rice cereal, but I guess I wasn't thinking clearly when I bought that at the grocery store.  She ate a small amount of cereal for breakfast every day this week, but I'm still trying to figure out if cereal, the most "recommended first food", is actually important.

Also, I'm realizing that my patience will be tested every day that I spoon feed Audra.  She still doesn't exactly know what she's supposed to do with a spoon, so she routinely grabs the spoon, pushes it out of her mouth with her tongue and tries to chew the spoon.  I am a neat freak and watching as a mess is created in front of my face... sadly, even when the guilty party is only 6-months-old... is like nails on a chalkboard to someone else.

 

Has anyone tried Baby Led Weaning?  I'm starting to wonder if that would be a better route for Audra's food journey.  (Baby Led Weaning, for those who don't know, is skipping thin and runny purées and not feeding your baby with a spoon.)  I will admit, the idea intrigues me.

Cute Negativity

A few weeks ago Audra learned how to shake her head, and now she'll spontaneously do it multiple times every day.  It may look like she's preparing to be disagreeable, but I think it's adorable!



Crosby Reunion



After leaving Sugar Creek Glen Campground, David and I drove 2 hours to Potter County Family Campground in Coudersport, PA.  We had stayed here last year for the 2011 reunion, but this year David and I stayed in a cabin.  (This cabin, unlike the one at Sugar Creek Glen, had a toilet and shower inside... luxury!)

I was very impressed with my sister, who came to the reunion and spent 3 nights camping with her week-old son, Mikiah, and the rest of her family!  Their cabin was right next to ours, and it was great to be able to see her a lot during the time that we were camping.

There were a lot of people who came to the reunion this year, but the attendees from the Howard Crosby family were the biggest group.  I was especially happy that my niece, Shelly, along with her parents, Doug and Mary Jane, had flown in from the west coast for the event!

We enjoyed our reunion days, and I was happy that so many of my extended family were able to meet Audra!

Camping Adventures

David and I took Audra camping last week!  We went to Sugar Creek Glen in Dansville, NY on Saturday, 7/28 (the day Audra turned 6-months-old!), and stayed in a cabin for 3 nights. 

Due to a faulty GPS, we arrived at the campground around 7pm, an hour later than we had planned.  Audra was fussy after a day of traveling, so David and I decided to put her to bed soon after we arrived and have granola for dinner instead of having David go back into town to get some groceries.  Then there was a knock on the cabin door and our neighbors stopped by with a plate full of food!  They offered us 4 chicken breasts that had cooked all day in a smoker and 4 bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers!  (Apparently it was a big group that had been staying at the campground together and they were leaving on Sunday morning, but no one wanted to take food home with them.)  David and I were blessed by their generosity and very thankful for our delicious dinner!

Monday afternoon, after Audra took a great nap, I put her in the Kozy Carrier and the 3 of us went for a walk through Sugar Creek.  It was a perfect time of year to go hiking there, since the water level was low enough to make it an easy walk but there was still enough water to get our feet and legs wet to stay cool!

David did some more adventuresome climbing of the rocks and, at the end of our hike, jumped into one of the swimming holes. 

Audra enjoyed looking around at all the new surroundings, but after a while she put her head down and napped while David and I continued to hike.

I was so happy that we had found such a great campground to visit!  We enjoyed our time there and hope to go back when Audra is old enough to walk through the creek herself.



The Love Grows!

So I went into the kitchen this morning to get some breakfast, and returned to this moment...

Sophie sharing her toys with Audra!

Later, when I went to the kitchen to get some coffee, I heard Audra laughing in the other room.  Thankfully I was able to grab the camera and catch this sweet moment of Sophie playing with Audra!

I love how gentle Sophie is with Audra, and how Audra is ok with Sophie getting right next to her face.  Before we had Sophie I might have thought it was a little gross to have a dog this close to a baby's face, but Sophie's a licker, so I've gotten used to it!

Catching Up

It's been a while since I've posted!  So far this summer has been packed full of adventures, both big and small, and I'm happy to say that I'm doing my best to enjoy these moments. 

We planted some vegetables again this year, but our garden isn't as big as it was last year.  Already we're enjoying our cherry tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers... and pretty soon we'll be harvesting our roma tomatoes, honeydew and green peppers. 

Father's Day was a quiet event for our little family, but we still enjoyed the routine moments of a morning at church and an afternoon at home.  God has blessed Audra with a wonderful Daddy, and I am so glad to be experiencing parenthood with that man!

Audra started rolling over (from back to belly) on June 14th (at 4 1/2 months).  She now is much more likely to enjoy playing on her play mat... especially since she can easily get away from it!



Summer weather has, somewhat permanently, hit Southern New Jersey with the humid, stale-air days that are common to this area.  For the most part, our days are spent inside because of the hot temps, but I've still been able to dress Audra in some adorable summer outfits.  This cute jean dress (with 2 tiny strawberries!) was a gift from "Aunt" Karen, when she came to meet Audra in February. 

One of my best friends, Carla Brackman, came for a 3 1/2 day visit at the beginning of July with her sons, Trey and Roman!  This has been one of the biggest highlights of my summer thus far.  Visits with Carla are far too infrequent because of the many miles that separate us, and having so much time with her was such a treat!  I'm already looking forward to her next visit and hoping that it won't be too far into the future.

Because of the Brackman's visit, Audra had a few "firsts".  She went to the beach for the first time...

... and went in a pool for the first time.  She wasn't too impressed with either body of water, but I'm sure we'll give her many more opportunities to change her opinions.  And thankfully, as long as we didn't push the water issue, then she was more than happy to be a bystander.

Carla and I first took the kids to Ocean City, NJ on Thursday, July 5th.  David's sister, Marney, and her son, Julian, were able to meet us there.  We didn't get onto the beach until after 2pm, so none of us wanted to leave when the day turned into evening!  We got pizza together before leaving OC and didn't get home until 10:20pm.  It was a long day, which unfortunately ended with an extremely upset and overtired Miss Audra, but all the good moments of the day are enough to overshadow the rough patch that lasted about 45 minutes.

After a day of rest and smaller outings, we went back to Ocean City on Saturday, July 7th.  This time David was able to join us!  Julian, Trey and Roman all enjoyed having Uncle David there...

... and he was also able to share some sweet moments with his little girl.

I grew up in Upstate NY and had only been to the ocean a handful of times before marrying David.  Now it's exciting to be a part of a beach family, and I'm learning to embrace the experience instead of getting annoyed at how much sand follows me off the beach (into my beach bag, into the cooler, into my car, into my house, into the laundry, into my kitchen... you get the idea).  If you had seen me at the beach in 2007 you'd realize how much I've grown in this area over the last 5 years!

On July 14th, some of David's family members from Indiana came for a visit.  His cousin, Amanda, and her son, Weston, enjoyed meeting Audra.  Weston, at 4 1/2 years old, kept telling his mom to "pet her head!" because he liked her mostly bald style.

Aunt Janet was also here that night, and Audra gave those arms a work out!  Audra weighed 16 lbs 5 oz at her last doctors appointment (on June 28th), so she gets heavy pretty quickly! 

In addition to all the fun visits and outings, Audra got her first two teeth between June 25th and July 1st!  They are now clearly visible when she grins (pictured here on July 18th), and it seems like she might be working on the top set now.

Now you're caught up on the events of the last 5 weeks!