The girls are growing up so fast...Olivia is looking like a big girl now filling her crib while she sleeps.  When I walk into her room in the morning she always greets us with a heart filled "hhhi" along with a sheepish grin.
Christmas was so much fun this year. We spend the holiday in San Diego with Grandma Kathie, Aunt Jen and Gabby.

Christmas Eve Olivia was all dressed up in a new red number.  This was a recent gift from one of Audrey's friends who could no longer fit into it.

Olivia is turning into a little girl so quickly.  She is walking and running all over the house.  She often falls hard because her body cannot keep up with her feet.  She has had many more head smacks than Audrey ever did.  It must be hard trying to keep up with your big sister.

Olivia has begun climbing on anything that will stand still.  Here she was being silly after bath and decided not to climb the bed railing since I pulled out the camera.

Audrey has been having so much fun in the bath lately and never wants to get out.  She has fallen in love with the dress up dolls that Ryan gave her for her 3rd birthday. Audrey also prefers to bathe by herself so she does not have to share her toys.

Daddy and Olivia read books and draw while Audrey is still enjoying bath time.  Olivia is saying so many words now.  It is amazing. She had drifted away from her baby obsession, they are still very important, but Olivia now loves to say ball and cheese.  Olivia loves to eat cheese!

Such a big girl at Lydia's baby shower last week.

Monday morning and back to school.  Mama got her bed head under control, but only after I took a picture.

Early in the morning having fun with I photo!

Family Fun

I found the photo booth app on my computer.  It was fun to take silly pictures as a family.  We have been having so much fun lately watching the girls play together...best friends in the making (I hope)

Good Times

The Ward family has been having fun this summer. Here are some pictures that we have taken on several different occasions.

Olivia was having a blast at Eagle Rock Rec Center.  She loves the swings!

We went to San Diego at the end of July to visit our friends who were out on vacation from Detroit.  Audrey was in a great mood that day and gave me this crazy smile.

We spent the morning at Scripps Aquarium in La Jolla, it was beautiful.

The three girls were never really in sync, but there is a picture (the best one) of all of them; Julia, Audrey and Olivia.

Joe and Olivia  take a minuite to pose for a picture.

 I think it was funny face day for Audrey.  ha!

The girls loves looking up into the big tank.

Julia likes looking cool for the camera

Another day, another adventure....BATH TIME!

It is Olivia's favorite time of the day!

Audrey usually has a great time too.  Unless it is time to wash her hair.  

Last night after bath time Olivia was posing inside the otttoman

Olivia is so proud of herself lately for finding her belly button.  It is the highlight of my night after a long day at work.

Yes it is the middle of July!

Wow!  I just realized that it has been over 2 weeks since I have posted anything.  Our lives are crazy right now.  I have the job that I always dreamed of before I had children.  I now have the huge decision before me....do I go after the position that I have always dreamed of? Or do I just hang low and work at what I am good at for the rest of my career? I am choosing the first for now, as I want my girls to admire my career and brag about their mommy.  With that said I am working long hours and have many challenges ahead of me.

Joe and I have been snapping pictures in the past few weeks.  Olivia is growing up so quickly and developing the toddler attitude. She is in love with Audrey .

Picture will come soon I promise!

 Olivia has been crawling up into Audrey lap lately trying to snuggle. Audrey is not loving it as much as Olivia.  Look at Olivia's grin.  She is so happy to be able to play with Audrey now that she is a "big girl".

Audrey has fun telling Olivia what to do.  Hmm....am I surprised?  Here is a picture of Audrey tucking Olivia into bed (aka the doll cradle)

Here Audrey is pretending to sleep.

And finally here is the picture that I promised a month ago. Olivia LOVES to stand up on her chair to get a closer look at the TV! Yup, she is my dare-devil!

let the summer time fun begin

It looks like summer is now here. Traffic is much lighter and I love it.  We have also been enjoying many summer favorites.  Olivia has discovered the joy of eating watermelon.  Joe shot these when I was at work.

I plan on framing these!

This weekend included a few new experiences for Olivia.  Watermelon and fish.  We took the girls down to the Long Beach Aquarium on Sunday to look at the fish and the sea otters.

 

This picture makes me laugh since they both have their eyes closed.

Looking at the reef sharks

Olivia was very excited.

Audrey was a very good big sister telling Olivia all about the fish.

 Having fun looking into the tanks.

SO much fun no one wanted to leave.

 New experiences....

Later at home, sitting in a big girl chair using her left hand!  

We had a great weekend!

a fork, knife and a pair of shoes

Yes...my little girl, my baby has decided that she needs to eat with a spoon and a fork. She really loves feeding herself with utencils.  This happened over the past week and she is very good at it surprisingly.  But with that said by no means is she a clean and tidy eater.

Although this picture shows the spoon in her right hand, she tends to favor her left.

Lately Audrey has been walking around the house wearing my shoes.  She has been doing it for months and it has always been pretty funny unless she fell and hurt herself.  The other evening Joe snapped this photo while I was out with a friend. Audrey helped herself into my bedroom and slipped on a camisole top.  Joe found her trying to open the front door to find me.  Pretty cute!

The best thing of the past month by far is Audrey's huge milestone...saying good-bye to diapers!  Yes, she finally did it!  All it took was a huge bribe from mommy and daddy.  Here Audrey is posing with her new kitchen while trying on her flower girl dress for my brothers wedding.  She reminds me of a 50's housewife! 

Audrey in disguise

I picked up Audrey from school this afternoon and I could not find her.  She was in disguise along with all of her classmates and teacher Jose.

I asked her to pose with her daddy when we got home.  She really is one in a million!  

Such a big girl growing up more each day.  Last night after her bath I gave Audrey her first manicure and pedicure.  She loves her red nails and was a little confused when it would not wash off.

Fun times in February

The past month has been a whirl wind. At least one of the girls was sick every day in the month of February!  But we still managed to have some fun in between the coughing, sneezing and all of the rain!  Olivia is now 10.5 months old and will be celebrating her first birthday soon!  Audrey is now acting like the typical 2.5 year old.  Some days are better than others....  Audrey drives me crazy, but is too cute at the same time. She enjoys playing at the park, singing ring and the rosy, and is beginning to play house with her dolls.  Olivia is so different from her older sister in so many ways that I look forward to what she can do tomorrow.  She is getting 6 teeth in at the moment!!  A big girl now she is sleeping in her crib with her sister all night long. It felt great to pack up the crib that was living in our front room for the past 10 months.  Joe and I have a bet going on weather Olivia will be walking by her first birthday.  I think she will be!

 

Last weekend we went to the Huntington Gardens in San Marino. It is a large, beautiful open landscape  where Audrey can run around and explore the great outdoors.  She loves the Chinese gardens where the ducks, and koi fish live.  Here is a picture of Olivia that I took while we were enjoying the sun playing on the grass

 

 Here is a picture of my two princesses!  Audrey insisted that they both dress up last week.  Audrey enjoyed playing music on her jukebox and began dancing around with mommy and daddy.  Olivia tried to join in but will need to wait a month or two until she is standing on her own.

A ham for the camera, Olivia is so much fun!

 

Audrey went outside to play in the rain. She ended up pretty wet and dirty, earning a ticket straight into the bath tub.

 

Olivia has decided this past month that she enjoys eating  food straight off the table.  No more "baby" food for her!  On Saturday night she enjoyed a meal of homemade chicken enchiladas that her daddy made.  Yummy!

 

Here is proof that Audrey is a happy girl and she does smile!!!

Cute thoughts for the day

We woke up today to the first rain of the season. I am excited to put on Audrey's rain coat. Joe dressed Audrey in a long sleeved shirt and jeans.  I cut  her hair last night, it is a cute little bob.  I am trying to help it grow out nicely, giving definition between her bangs and the length of her hair.  I guess you can say it was her first real hair cut.
Audrey has become facinated with trash trucks.  It was super cute watching her run from the front door to the window of her bedroom screaming for her dad to come and watch the truck with her. As I am typing she is sitting next to me having a bowl of cereal, slurping from her spoon.  I love her!
Olivia my other darling has also stepped up and is demanding new attention.  She is not yet crawling but the girl can move across a floor.  It is just a matter of time.  She is kicking her legs and beginning to pull them under herself ready to push up.  Oh Olivia you are growing up so quickly.  While I was feeding you last night at 2am I realized how long your body has become.  My little baby is not as little as she used to be.  I will miss it when she no longer can lay across my lap.  I am sure she would tell you differently.  Olivia has now discovered her voice and has been screeching for the last 24 hours.  It is crazy, her smile is still toothless, but not for long as her first tooth has cut through and you can see the puffiness in her gum from the second bottom tooth that will appear any day. She is loving her solid food. We give her 1 solid meal a day and feed her at the table with the family.  She loves butternut squash, and for the past two nights I have mixed in some plum that I made over the summer just for her! She loved it and was sad when it was gone. She is so different that her sister was at this time.  She is so curious, active and exploring everything!

Solid Foods & New Boots

The past two days have been very exciting.  Many things have happened!
While getting ready to go out tonight and I got Audrey dressed up in some fall items.  The weather has begun cooling off and Autumn is around the corner.  Audrey is sporting her first pair of boots, paired with dark bootleg jeans and a blue and lavender peasant top. I looked at her in awe!  My little girl looks so cute and fashionable...very bohemian chic !  I not realize that I have more fun dressing her than I do myself!

Yesterday Olivia had her first bite of solid foods. She has been sitting in her high chair at the dinner table with us now for over a month.  She smacks her lips asking for a bite for the past few weeks.  I decided to bake her a butternut squash last night for dinner, and she LOVED it!