This and that

Since I'm behind posting, how about a "Happy St. Patrick's Day"???

Ainsley cracked me up while trying to take her picture for our St. Patrick's Day cards.  I tried getting her to smile, but she thought yelling "girl" at the top of her lungs was more fun! 

If you've had the pleasure of hearing Ainsley say "girl", you can probably tell that she's right at the "rrrr" part in this picture.

 She's on an "ow" kick.  She'll walk around the house and hold her fingers, foot, or anything else and say "ow", "I hurt".  Constantly!  She just wants us to kiss whatever is hurting her.  She even falls down on purpose while walking or running and starts holding her leg or arm while whining "oooowwww".  She's such a little faker!

I guess it doesn't help that Joel and I fake being hurt sometimes, too.  As soon as we say "ow", Ainsley comes running over with her lips puckered up before she even reaches us and has to give us kisses to make it feel better.  She really can be a sweetheart! 

She loves to play with her doctor's kit and look in your ears, give you a shot, and take your blood pressure.  We caught her the other night looking in her baby doll's ears and then trying to put a bandaid on the baby's foot.  Future doctor on our hands?!?  We won't complain!!!

We also let her play with the little highchair seat for a few days.  She thought it was fun to stick her baby in the high chair and feed her.  It was so cute!

Our bed is a big play area for Ainsley.  She likes to climb up in it and fling herself back on the pillows, jump up and down, and roll around in the blankets.

Crazy hair!

We've started time out by making her sit in her little chair for a few minutes, but it's not really working very well.  She also started spitting the other day.  I don't know where she got that from, but hopefully it doesn't stick around long.  She still loves to tell me "no", shake her finger at me, and hit me.  I don't understand why she's so bad for me, but it seems like it's only me.  I'm anxious to see if it will change once the baby gets here.

She has to suck in spaghetti or fettuccine noodles!  It's so funny to watch her eat it!!!

We switched her crib to a toddler bed one day a few weeks ago.  The first night, she got up by herself and started walking down the hallway saying "Mommy, Joel, Mommy, Joel" (she calls me Mommy now, but still refuses to call Joel Daddy).  I hollered at her (it was around 3 AM) and she ran into our room.  She thought it was time to get up for the day, and didn't fall back asleep until 4:45.  It's gotten better, and she'll get up in the middle of the night and come right into our room so Joel can lift her in bed.  Now, if we could only get her sleeping in her own bed all night....

Of course, she had to jump in her bed as soon as we let her in.

Ainsley and I ventured to Alton one Saturday morning so I could get a few recalls on my car fixed.  Mom met us down there, and we headed over to the mall to do a little shopping.  We walked out of Macy's and immediately saw the cookies.  Of course, Grandma Shelly let Ainsley pick out a cookie, and my daughter was in heaven.  She picked out one on a popsicle stick, so I guess it helped (if you can believe it after looking at the pictures) keep her a little cleaner than a normal cookie.

I want that one!

As we walked around the mall, everyone had a smile on their face after seeing Ainsley eating her cookie.  She would get a little on her face, and then take her fingers and smear it around a little more.  She's such a messy eater!

You take my cookie...you get a knuckle sandwich!

On our way home, we stopped at Madilynn's 3rd birthday party.  We didn't stay very long, because someone was cranky and needed a nap!

Birthday girl!!!

Speaking of Grandma Shelly, Ainsley stayed with her one evening for a few hours, and
we came back to find Ainsley discovered the dog kennel.

I've been so busy with work and everything else that we finally got to the bank to deposit Ainsley's birthday money a few weeks ago.  Ainsley warmed right up to Pam when she figured out Pam would let her have as many suckers as she wanted.

We went to see what Daddy was doing at the shed when we left the bank.  He was busy getting the equipment ready for spring, and Ainsley had fun helping him. 

She really liked the tractors.  Joel had to put them back in the shed, so Ainsley was able to go for a few rides.  She sat in the buddy seat all by herself like a champ.  When did she get so big?!

Big girl!

Daddy does all kinds of fun things with Ainsley.  Of course, Mommy doesn't approve of some of them, but Ainsley seems to enjoy herself.  I ran into town one day for a little bit, and I get a text from Joel with the picture below.  He was wheeling her all over the basement in the laundry sorter!

If you haven't noticed, my child tends to fall asleep while eating.  She fell asleep the other day at lunch while eating a Dorito.  I let it hang out of her mouth for a few minutes before I eventually pulled it out.  I was too busy laughing at her! 

She also doesn't eat the cookie part of a sandwich cookie.   Only the icing for Ainsley.  If anyone likes the cookie part with very little icing left on it, let me know.  I can hook you up!

It was pretty nice on Saturday afternoon, so Joel took Ainsley to Bluffs to see the cows (which she wanted nothing to do with).  They went on a walk and played outside when they got back.  Ainsley loved it!  She was covered in bubbles by the time they came in, but she had fun.  Of course, we had crazy Illinois weather last weekend.  It was so nice on Saturday afternoon, and then by Sunday afternoon we had 12 inches of snow on the ground.  Figures!

My hair is still Ainsley's security blanket.  I don't know what we're going to do when the baby gets here, and I'm not able to sit with Ainsley when she wants me.

Playing with Mommy's hair