milestone updates

-Aspen
finished 1st grade being in the 90th percentile of 1st graders.  yay girl!  she is ranked in the top 100 in the district - I'm one proud mama.  She didn't get it from me, because...well...I just don't have the school smarts.  Thank goodness for a dad who likes to play math and logic and reasoning games with her.  if it hadn't been that she wanted to be #1 (she really wants to be the smartest kid for some reason...she is competitive) she wouldn't have ever done much with homework...because I was a terrible mom at checking on homework....
-she is into Geodes right now and likes to get them to cut them open.  She is working on walking with us every night to strengthen her legs so she can go rock hounding with her Uncle Shaun sometime.
-She still loves to read, but I have to keep the T.V. off to motivate her to do so.  Once I allow T.V. - she is a zombie, so her dad has put a ban on T.V. watching all day.  She can have one hour before dinner if she is good all day.
-She loves to sing, dance, talk in silly voices, dress up, play with stuffed animals, play with any real animal she can get her hands on
-she has been working on earning a fish by keeping her room clean all month.  It's worked pretty good.
-she is trying to earn an app on the phone (game to play) by not whining daily...so far this hasn't happened.  She is just whiney...not sure how to break it.
-She asked when she can start learning photography so she can start assisting me and make money.  Love my girl!
-She loves playing monopoly, candyland, any card games, and she is GOOD at them.  Such a fast learner.
-She has finally learned to ride her bike without training wheels.  I had to stop teaching her and let Ashton do it, because we both ended in tears when I did it.  She was sent here to teach me patience...and so far I'm struggling.
-She is starting to be interested in her little sister and will sit and sing/talk/kiss her.
-her daily chores are - her room/dishwasher/trashes-much to her dismay

she hates
-onions
-cleaning
-doing anything that is not on her own time
-not being able to watch T.V.
-not being able to watch Sonic, Power Rangers, Avatar...she always picks the shows that I can't stand.  I hate the mean voices they use in the shows....and they are of course the ones she picks-she puts up with the ones I allow - my little pony, strawberry shortcake, care bears....

She is a funny girl who loves to talk...a LOT...but she is smart, bright and bubbly, and I enjoy having her around.

Audrianna - will be 5 mths on the 18th...time is going too fast!!
-sleeps in her crib with the side down right next to my side of the bed so I can sleep with a hand holding hers.  Co-sleeping nicely only lasted so long, then she wanted to nurse all night long and I needed some space.  she still sleeps with me from about 4am till I wake, but I get 11-4 on my own...I'm glad we spent the time we did co-sleeping, I knew it would go fast
-started really laughing out loud this month - it is my favorite when they start laughing at who knows what...I just love this age!
-is starting to eat cereal and sweet potatoes.  she loves to eat
-sucks on her hands a lot
-smiles pretty much ALL the time.  She is a happy baby and such a joy for us!
-she sits up in a baby chair and stares at her toys.  occasionaly she will reach out and touch one.
-likes to swing
-loves to be held all the time
-loves rocked to sleep, but if you don't lay her down right as she is falling asleep, she will not sleep in her bed.
-can scoot herself all over-can't leave her unattended on couches or in bouncy seats....she may have scooted herself out of her bouncy seat and face down on the floor the other day.  good thing it's not high off the floor. she was just mad she was on her tummy, didnt get hurt or anything
-prefers a bottle to breastfeeding thanks to her days in the nicu
-loves to be talked to and smiled at
-loves walks every night before bed or she doesnt settle down well
-likes being hung upside down
-still hates tummy time
-watches my every move
-loves her daddy
-loves being tickled
-getting vocal-likes to try different sounds
-makes everyone smile-anyone who meets her falls in love with her because she is so sweet

we are just in love with her.  I am so happy to be her mama-she lights up our home

As for Ashton and I-we are good, working, getting through the days, lucky if we get to sit and hold hands at the end of the day.  Life is busy, but we are in a good place right now.