My Girls

 I am just loving the stages my girls are in. I pretty much just want to freeze time and have them stay 2 and 4 forever! They are becoming so independent and yet are still so cute and innocent. I just want to bottle up all of this cuteness! They have both been very pleasant lately, and for the most part get along so well. They have been so well behaved and obedient also. It makes me sad knowing that they won't stay this way for long.

 Aubrey's attempt at kissing Brooke while looking at the camera!

Brooke is just overflowing with personality these days. She hops around singing and talking all day. She generally has a little skip or jump to her step. She is just a happy and sweet little thing.

This evening Aubrey was giving her some loves and Brooke said, "Sissy giving me a hug and a kiss. She loves me. I love you Sis." Then Aubrey responded with an "I love you" back. It was so sweet. She proceeded to tell Aubrey a few more times tonight that she loved her.

  

Brooke wet all over me while I changed her diaper a few days ago. I guess that's what I get for changing her while she was standing up. I hurried and held her diaper over her to protect the floor. As she was going she says, "I need to go potty Mommy." (Yeah I'm aware of that Brooke). As soon as she was done she looks at me annoyed and says, "You need to change my diaper mom." Oh those 2 year olds!

 She loves to count and can count to 10. (although she frequently leaves out either the 2 or 3)

Brooke can cleans up her room all by herself. And she'll do it upon my first request and I don't even have to stay and watch. It is the most fabulous thing in the world!

She has been working on dressing herself. She can get her pants on, but usually has trouble getting them past her diaper on her backside. And of course, she doesn't want me to help. Sometimes she runs around for a while with them under her diaper before I can sneak them up. She can get her shirts over her head and in one arm. The other arm is a little trouble for her.

She can stand up for herself. Aubrey likes to answer for her. The other day I asked Brooke a question and Aubrey started to answer. Brooke said very firmly, "No sissy let me talk." I had to suppress a giggle with that one.

I had to do her hair with curls again this week, 'cause I loved them so much last week. Look at those adorable curls!

They finished their first week of Survival Swimming this week. Brooke cried a lot on the 2nd and 3rd lesson. On our way to the 4th lesson Brooke said, "I be happy at swim class now." And she was. Not a single tear! Aubrey was so proud of her! She kept saying to me, "Brooke's not even crying today."

Here she is floating. The teacher is just holding her on her head.

Diving for rings.

More floating - she loves to float!

Going all the way under the water!

Brooke loves to dress up. She is so happy that she can put her tutu on all by herself. She also likes to carry around bags that she has filled with books. Here she is sporting her fire hat.

Aubrey has been just a doll lately. She has toned down so much when it comes to emotional/stubborn outbursts. (Thank goodness!) She keeps her room clean, helps with all sorts of chores, keeps her sister entertained, is very concerned with doing what it right and is still very creative and down right hilarious! I am just loving my 4 year old Aubrey!

I was talking to Brooke about obeying me the other day and Aubrey piped in, "You want to do what's right because someday you'll see Jesus and you'll want to tell him that you try to do what's right."

 She is such a little mommy with her sister. Most of the time she is gentle with her. She talks to her with a Mommy voice and calls Brooke "cutie". She'll say things like, "Oh cutie are you OK?" It's so sweet.

Tonight they were having left over Mac n' Cheese with hot dogs. Brooke loves the hot dogs the best and there were only a few left in the bowl. I saw her put all of the hot dogs on one plate and the other didn't have any. Then she handed me the plate with the hot dogs and said, "This is for Brooke because she really loves hot dogs." That just made my heart melt. I'm so happy that she is learning concern and sacrifice for others.

She is already starting to become self-conscious. I know that it's a natural progression, but I am sad to see it starting already. I hope to build confident, capable young ladies - so hopefully we can work through this.

She is doing so good in Survival Swimming.

Here she is learning to swim to the stairs.

I loved this picture because she is looking right up at her teacher and listening to what she is telling her.

On her third lesson she started being able to float without the teacher holding on at all.

Way to go Aubrey!

Here she is taking a ride on the duck boat, then she jumps off and swims to the teacher.

I'm so excited to see how the girls progress in their swimming this week.

I had a dentist appointment last week, so the girls got to eat lunch with their daddy at his office. They were so excited to get to go to work with Daddy!