Play Dough Play Date

The simplicity of play dough and holiday crafts made for memorable moments this afternoon with my favorite little lady. After her conference at daycare, daddy returned to work, and mommy and my baby ballerina went home for an afternoon play date, dress up, and our first time with play dough together. 

I just love this baby beauty. Each time I say "ballerina" she shows me her little dancer pose. We of course are holding a chocolate chip cookie as we get into ballerina position. Our afternoon was truly a sweet treat.

My holiday container had lots of great craft pieces including hats, holiday garland, Easter eggs, play dough, and Easter grass. Talk about an hour worth of endless fun.

This was Auby's first experience with play dough (with mommy). She really enjoyed rubbing it in her fingers as well as putting the pieces in the plastic eggs. It was fun to watch her explore the materials.

 {Fun play dough tools}

 Mommy had a lot of fun capturing our little afternoon of holiday craft play.

The Easter grass was a big hit. It was also a big mess but totally worth it and an easy clean up. I do love that she knows the word for mess and repeated it to me a few times.

I love simple afternoons like this. I love watching Auby explore and grow. It is so fun to see my tiny baby become such a big little girl.Thank you sweet girl for a fun afternoon Play Dough Play Date!

Heart Day Festivities 2015

This Valentine's Day was filled with lots of fun and lots of love.

 {First Grade Valentine's Fun}

Friday: All week my firsties enjoyed a week of kind acts, Valentine stations, and heart day activities. When Friday came, we celebrated our Friendship Party in style. From Valentine Oobleck, first grade Valentine boxes, Heart Day BINGO, a Magic School Bus "getting charged" video, and sweet friendship treats, our day was filled with fun.

 {To my first grade teacher friends... Enjoy a happy and HEALTHY heart day!}

 {BINGO hearts}

{Heart shaped Valentine Oobleck spill}

 

{Auby's Heart Day Labels}

 {Auby has a heart for you!}

Our little lady enjoyed a fun Friday of Valentine festivities at school. This is her sweet heart day bag and her little Valentine treats. I love her little hand on the bag.

{Auby's Heart Day Fun! Thanks to all of our sweet littles at school for making her feel so special!}

After school, we decided to go to our favorite park. She absolutely adores the slide. We probably spent almost our first full hour going up and down (or backwards as she likes to do). We made a few baby friends as well as a very sweet couple that gave us a diaper as we were very unprepared for this spontaneous trip. I am just amazed at her independence. When did she get so big?

{Hope Park on Heart Day with our little "Melt our Hearts!"}

 {Happy Heart Day!
LOVE the Zellners}

Saturday:

 {Auby's Valentine Treats}

Oh how this monkey balloon scared her

 Good morning baby

 

This Valentine's Day, we said good-bye to our babe's beloved bottle. It was a bit rough on our girl but we know there is an end in sight and she will be better for it. 

She did enjoy lots of distractions this Valentine's. We love our pancake Saturdays at the Zellner home. It is so fun to have this cute little helper in the kitchen with us.

 {We HEART our pancake Saturdays!}

After breakfast, little girl climbed in her stroller and said a word that we would never expect. She said the f word... We quickly realized she was saying "walk". It gave us a good laugh (as that is cute at this age?!?) and bundled the babe. It was a beautiful 40 degree morning and a great walk with my two Valentines.

This Valentine's Day, we celebrated a beautiful 80 degree summer day in February. We enjoyed lots of fun and lots of love. Our day included pancake Saturday, a walk, Zellner LOVE crafts, Wall-E fun, time with our custard cutie, and playtime at the park.

{Our Custard Cutie. We took her out for a spin... in her chair that is;) }

{Valentine Cards}

Sunday: Our baby beauty is ready for church.

I sure do LOVE my baby with all my HEART! Happy Valentine Weekend!

Heart Week 2015

Wishing you a happy HEART week!

February 2015 week 1

Monday: Hunkering down for our six more weeks of winter (with our morning waffle). Thanks for the heads up Mr. Groundhog.

 

Happy Groundhog Day! My firsties vote, shadow or no shadow!

So thankful for this sweet picture as this handsome boy turned six on February 2nd. Seems like home to me! Toby is enjoying a lazy night at home with his new family. So thankful for a family that would share this picture moment with us.

 Tuesday: A great reminder!

Our Mama Tuesday took us over to the Fant house where we enjoyed a babe dance party with our Fantlet friends. I sure love this special time with my bestie and her babes.

Wednesday: I must have all my animals when I get out of bed. Love my morning chats with baby, Ah-Dog and dear!

A special pick me up after school date with the husband.

Thursday: Sometimes your day calls for a sweet pick me up!

Friday: I surely loved Bryson's special greeting to Auby.

Our Zellner/fantlet hang out while the ladies were at the IF Gathering.
Saturday: 

  IF Gathering.

I am so thankful for our God's moving in our lives.

 ABF Brunch and park play with our bible study group.

Happy 16 months to our beautiful baby girl!

Auby's Month-iversary Series: 16 Months

Dear Auby,
Each day you continue to amaze me sweet girl and I fall more in love with each and every day. Being your mommy has been my greatest wish fulfilled and I am truly thankful. Auby we love you sweet baby beauty. This month we have seen baby giggles, smiles, belly laughs, as well as tears and tantrums. I have to say this may have been your hardest month so far in regards to teething, biting, pulling hair, sickness, and just not being yourself sweet babe. We've definitely had a few cases of biting and pulling on friends at both church and daycare. But this too shall pass and it has. I mean this face, I could eat you up. But we have also seen great growth this month with new words, new abilities, and so much love. You can be shy and outgoing. You are a cuddler as well as completely independent. There are so many beautiful sides to you sweet girl and we love watching you grow each and every day. I wish you such a beautiful month filled with fun and friendships and so much love!

Date: 2/7/2015
Age: 16 months
Measurements: 22+ lbs and growing. We will know more at her 18 month appointment.
Clothing:You are officially in 18-24 month clothing. Your little legs are so long like your daddy's. I have loved your little leggings. Our favorite places to shop are Old Navy and Target. We are so thankful for the sweet hand me downs from friends.
Eating: At the beginning of the month, you were a bit of a picky eater. Foods that you enjoyed were simply not being eaten. But now you can definitely eat a fair share of food. You enjoy broccoli (love it), blueberry yogurt (you say blilillies), black beans, cheese sticks, waffles, rice, chicken, cookies (you love saying cookie), pancake Saturdays, and so much more.
Sleeping: Your bedtime each day is 7PM and typically wake up at 6AM each weekday. It is hard to wake you up during the week (which is one of my favorite times of day) because you are so not ready to be woken up. You have been a champ sleeper on weekends. You will sleep to 7:30-8:00AM on weekends. I am assuming you are making up from your busy week. I love our morning and night time routine. In the morning, I sing your special name song. You are such a cuddler. You tuck your arms underneath and lay your head on my shoulder. We open the blinds together and look at our day. You like to name things like the house, tree, and light. You love turning on the light and reading a few stories as mommy gets your outfit together. As we make our way downstairs, you like to hold mommy's hand as you slide your little self down the stairs. Usually you are saying, go, Mattie, or daddy! It is absolutely adorable. You give daddy big hugs and kisses before you walk to your chair and drink your milk.

New Activities and Random Tidbits: 

- words: Baby girl you say new words each and every day. Here are some of your favorites: mommy, daddy, Mattie, nigh-nigh, wawa (water), bok (book), nak (snack), ready, go, waffull (waffle), coo-kee, (cookie), Emi (one of our baby besties), Marley (student from school), gentu (gentle), nice, up, dow (down), ello (hello), yay, pay (play), doggies, mows (cat), jackie (jacket), off, ot (out), hey, shoe, sock, pez (please), tatoo (thank you), Mickey, walk, apple, blilly (blue berries), beans, beyee (belly)
- Sliding down the slide independently
- running hugs
- You can point to body parts including ears, mouth, tongue, teeth, head, hair, fingers, hands, toes, feet, belly, belly button, and tummy. You always point to your ears when I ask you where your eyes are
- You love rasberries on your tummy.
- You are starting to unzip your onesies and jacket.
- You attempt to put on your socks and shoes.
- You found a paci this month and threw the biggest fit when it was taken from you.
- Help mommy make pancakes on Saturdays. You like to stir the batter.
- Attempt to dress yourself and like to pull clothes off when changing
- You say hey or hi every time we open the door to get you from your car seat
- You wave your head back and forth and pop your body up and down when you dance
- When we count, you love saying two.
- You love watching Mickey and Sofia the First
- Attend daycare and will be moving rooms in the next few months
- Mommy and daddy will be officially dropping your bottle and moving to a cup this Valentine's weekend (pure laziness and a bit of refusal has made this a longer process than we would like, but we have a date set to say bye bye to the ba-ba)
- This month we have attended a lot of baby birthdays, play dates, breakfast brunches.
- On Sunday's you go to the preschool area and do a fantastic job. Your teachers say you are so talkative and talk ALL.THE.TIME! I wonder who you get that from?  

Likes: Mommy and Daddy, pancake Saturdays, parks, rocking horses, "reading" books, playing with friends, food, snacks, stuffed animal friends- deer, and Ah-dog, straps that click, walks, being turned upside down, silly faces, mimicking mommy and daddy, pillows, playing in the cabinets with plastic cooking utensils, pots and pans, dancing, music, twirling your hair, showing your belly,

Dislikes: Car seats, not getting food/snack/bottle fast enough, being woken up too early, having anything taken away from you.

Watch Auby Grow!

 {12-16 months}

Jabob's Pump it Up Fourth Birthday

This Saturday we celebrated Jacob's Lego themed 4th birthday in Pump it Up style. From blow up bounce houses, slides, baby besties, sweet lego treats and a whole lot of blue icing, we surely had a super sweet time.

 {Sweet treats and handmade Lego toppers}

 {The birthday boy shooting hoops with Ray}

 {Auby jumping with Kristin}

 {The birthday boy & his friends}

I just love how Bryson takes care of Auby. What a fun relationship they all have together.

 

After a bit of afternoon bounce time and a whole lot of fun, the kiddos worked up an appetite. Pizza, chips, juice boxes, and of course a sweet birthday treat were a delicious addition to the party.

 

Could it have gotten any sweeter? And our little girl definitely enjoyed her sweet treat and quickly became a sweet mess. She was definitely covered from head to finger and face with blue icing. I have to say she gave the party two thumbs up!

Happy Birthday sweet Jacob! Thank you for letting us celebrate your super sweet day!