Terrible 2's.....at 15 months?!

I'm convinced we've started the terrible two's already.  For the past week or so, Ainsley has been throwing terrible fits.  She will fling her body onto the ground and then start beating her head on the floor.  If I try to pick her up, she just flings herself more, so I try to just let her cry it out.  The other night, we were outside when she decided to throw a fit.  Wilma had come over to talk and Ainsley was headed toward the street, so I went and picked her up and carried her back to where we were standing and told her "No" that she couldn't go toward the street.  She got mad and leaned down and hit her head on the concrete driveway.  Wilma just looked at me and asked if she just hit her head and I replied "Yes".  Of course, Ainsley had a red mark for a few days, but you never know when she's going to do it and I'm hoping eventually she learns that it hurts to hit her head and she'll stop doing it.

Throwing a fit in the car

She's also terrible when we try to change her diaper.  We'll put her on her changing table and she'll start rolling around and fighting you.  We pretty much have to hold  her down with one arm and change the diaper with one hand.  She screams the entire time you do it, although I have found that singing the alphabet to her calms her down a little bit. 

Her favorite things to get into continue to be the remotes, phones, and laptop.  Any drawers that we don't have child locks on are also fun.  She loves to get my makeup out and carry it around.  Dresser drawers have also become a favorite.  She carried at least ten of her shirts into the living room the other day from her dresser.  Our drawers are also fun to get into, and she has to try to put everything on her head that she can find.

Someone got in my makeup the other day...it was all over her face!

Notice all the blue packages in her chair???  She emptied the box of fruit snacks and had to put them all in her chair.  She IS her father's daughter!

Joel was "watching" her the other night and she came out with more of my (clean) underwear on her head!

Ainsley started saying Lisa last week.  If you mention Lisa's name or ask her if she wants to go to Lisa's, she says "E-sa" over and over again.  She's also started to say "go".  I've been working with her on other words, but she refuses to say them.

Just watching some tv in the morning....

Snack before bed

I'm so chubby!!!

I think she's getting another tooth.  The last time a new tooth popped through was December, so it's about time for some more.  She woke up this morning with a runny nose and a diaper rash.  She's also been drooling all day. 

She loves corn on the cob!!!

It's so much fun to watch her discover and figure out new things.  She's started climbing on everything, which I'm not exactly thrilled about.  She's figured out how turn the stuffed animals on that make noise/dance/talk/etc.  She'll find the little button on the animals foot/hand/ear and push it over and over again. 

The thing I'm worried about the most for the next year or so is the temper tantrums while changing her diaper.  I hope this phase doesn't last long.  If anyone has any advice on this, I would greatly appreciate it!

Reading a book while taking a bath....

28

I turned 28 on Monday.  Really, 28???  That means I'm two years away from 30.  I can't even think about the big 3-0 without cringing.  Oh well, I still have two years to think about it.  I wish I could say I got breakfast in bed, a massage, flowers, and a night that ended in my husband cooking supper and cleaning up the mess.  If you know Joel, you probably know that my chances of getting all of that are slim to none.  We did run into town to eat Chinese so I didn't have to cook Monday night, which we followed with an exciting trip to the grocery store before heading home.  I did actually get flowers, a beautiful rose plant from my boss, so I can't complain there!  And, Ainsley remembered to get Mommy a present, with the help of Grandma Shelly.

Jennifer and Drake took me out to lunch for my birthday and we had to constantly remind Drake to talk quietly while we were in the restuarant.  Imagine that, right???  He would get mad at Jennifer because she was talking to me when he was talking first and he wanted to talk.  I can only imagine the arguments in the Dyche house, where everyone is mad because they want to talk, but someone else was talking first so they have to wait!!!

Joel and I went to St. Louis over the weekend for a little get away.  We stayed at Dad's Friday night so I could go to bunco and so we could leave from there Saturday.  Thomas and Jamie were watching Ainsley for us Saturday night, which meant Jake was at Dad's.  I got up with Ainsley Saturday morning and she immediately went over to Jake, who was laying on the floor, and jumped on his back.  She loves that dog.  Here's a video with Ainsley hopping on Jake at the end.

Ainsley wanted to try on Uncle Thom's shoes

They were kind of hard to walk in!!!

Dad had a new toy for Ainsley to play with, which was a ball pit with twenty or so balls.  Jake was dying to get the balls, and as soon as Ainsley would let one go or throw near him, he would snatch it right up.  She would laugh every time he would go after one.  Here's a video of her laughing at Jake.  She kept falling over from laughing so hard.  It was hilarious! They said later that afternoon she would laugh every time he barked. 

Thomas ended up taking Ainsley over to Jamie's parents where Jamie was.  I got this picture from him and a text that said the "Nyquil worked good and he's a good babysitter.  He even pulled over to take the picture."  After seeing the picture, I instructed him to have Jackie show him how to buckle Ainsley in correctly.  At least he tried!

Ainsley was able to play with Avery all night, and according to Jamie and Thomas, she was a good baby.  She finally fell asleep for them around 11 and slept until 10 Sunday morning.   She hasn't slept past 9 in a very long time.  I wish she would do that for me!

Avery and Ainsley

Joel and I shopped a little Saturday afternoon and then went to eat at Maggiano's!  Mmmmmm!!!  It was very good, and we both were stuffed.  I'm glad the closest Maggiano's is an hour and a half away, because I would eat there all the time.

We headed to the casino after supper and ended up staying almost four hours!  It was nice to be able to get away and sit on a stool doing nothing but pushing a button over and over.  I think the best part of the weekend was sleeping in Sunday morning!  I didn't have a little girl screaming in the middle of the night and climbing in bed with us for the rest of the night, where she would kick me and pull my hair. 

We got up Sunday morning and got ready to head to Greenfield for Grandma and Grandpa Bowman's 40th wedding anniversary lunch.  Ainsley got plenty of attention, and ended up crashing on Aunt Di's lap.

Brooke and Preston helping Ainsley put her hat on.

Joelle, Ainsley and Aunt Di

I walked in to find Delaney making something out of toilet paper!!!

Happy 40th Anniversay Grandma and Grandpa!

Aunt Bessie, Grandma Mary, Preston and Micah

Drake's First T Ball Game

Drake's first t ball game was Monday night.  I headed over to watch him while Joel stayed home with Ainsley.  Jennifer's skill of giving directions paired with my navigation skills got me to the game twenty minutes late, but I don't think I missed much.  It was fun to watch Drake play.  Maybe I should say it was fun to watch Drake socialize instead of play, because he did an awful lot of it.  Imagine that, huh?!

The first time he was up to bat, he hit the ball off the tee.  He hit the ball off a pitch the second time he was up to bat and started running toward third, but got turned back around and made it to first.

Drake definitely didn't get the "hustle" award for the game.  He took his sweet time running to the bases.  Oh, who am I kidding....he walked to the bases, kicking the dirt with his head down while he walked from base to base and that was after someone had to tell him two or three times to go to the next base.  It was funny!

Taking his time going to home!

While the other team was up to bat, Drake played a little in the dirt, but he mostly socialized.  He would be at second base talking to the other players and coach, and we'd look up and he'd be at first base.  He made it around the entire infield talking to all the players and coaches along the way.  It's a total mystery where he gets his gift to gab...

Aunt Trista and Drake after the game

After the game, Jennifer and I headed to Jacksonville to meet Terri and Pam for supper before heading back to watch the season premiere of The Bachelorette.  Yes, The Bachelorette, is a big deal! 

Jennifer, Terri, Pam, and Trista eating some Mexican!

We took Ainsley to the pediatrician on Tuesday afternoon.  Dr. Johnston wanted to see her before sending her to an ENT.  We decided to put Ainsley back on the Prevacid for her acid reflux for a couple weeks to see if that helps her from choking and throwing up.  If that doesn't help, we'll look into other issues.

Joel and I have noticed a difference in Ainsley since thickening her liquids and changing sippy cups.  She doesn't cough as much as she did, so it must be working!

Mother's Day Weekend

Yesterday was a pretty good day.  I didn't get breakfast in bed (like I requested before going to bed Saturday night), but I did get to sleep in a little yesterday morning before Joel came in to wake me up to let me know he was making scrambled eggs and toast if I wanted some.  It required me to then wake up, get out of bed, and go to the kitchen to eat my breakfast, but at least I didn't have to make it.  Although, I did have to do the dishes...oh well, I guess I can't have it all! 

Ainsley did remember to get her Mommy something for Mother's Day (courtesy of Grandma Shelly).  Mom hid a present and card in Ainsley's closet when she was here earlier this week and I didn't find it until Saturday night, but I was good and waited until yesterday morning to get it out. 

I'm glad Ainsley has other people looking out for her to remember her Mommy since her, uh-hum, Daddy hasn't been doing a very good job with it!

We did the usual Sunday afternoon outing of a trip to Walmart, and then came home and took a nap.  Now, that's what I call a good day!  We went to Jeremy and Kathleen's yesterday evening for a cookout.

Joel tried riding a bike....

Ainsley liked playing outside.  Lani helped her put her hat on.

Lani also liked pushing Ainsley around in the stroller, but that didn't last very long.  Lani said Ainsley was too heavy to push around!

The wild child (Drake) then got there and brought a bike and another ride on toy with him.  His Mom actually let him wear what he wanted to wear, which consisted of shorts and his boots! 

Ainsley liked Drake's tricycle!

Aunt Jennifer tried to get Ainsley to smile for the camera, but didn't get very far with it.  One of Ainsley's new things to do is to cover her eyes when you try to take a picture....such a stinker!!!

There's a little one!

Those cheeks are the absolute best to kiss!!!

I'm in love with this hat of Ainsley's that goes with a few of her dresses.  Too bad they don't make it in adult sizes!

We left Jeremy and Kathleen's a little early so we could stop by the hospital to see Grandma Shelly before going home.  We had stopped by before going to Jeremy and Kathleen's, but I had her schedule wrong and she wasn't working days, rather nights, so she wasn't there yet.  Ainsley didn't seem to mind too much, though, and gave one of the other nurses all of Grandma's kisses.  Grandma got her own kisses when we stopped by later on that night.

One of Ainsley's newest things is to give kisses to anyone and everyone that will accept them!  If you tell her bye-bye, she thinks that warrants a kiss.  If you tell her you love her, that deserves a kiss.  She kissed one of the nurses multiple times when we visited Mom.  She gives Wilma (our neighbor) kisses anytime we see her, which Wilma admitted was the most kisses she's got in a long time!  If we're in public and leaving somewhere and a stranger tells Ainsley bye, she thinks she has to kiss them! 

Saturday was a busy day that consisted of the Fat Ass 5K that morning and Katie's (Joel's cousin) graduation party that night.  Joel was suppose to watch Ainsley for me Saturday morning while I went to Springfield for the 5K, but he ended up dropping her off with Rita (and Bonnie) for a few hours while he "worked".  I think she slept the two hours she was at Rita's, so she had it pretty easy!  Joel dressed Ainsley that morning, and I didn't see her before they left the house.  When I got home from Springfield, I discovered my baby looking like she was ready for Jeremy and Kathleen's "White Trash Bash".   Her shirt was just a little too small (even though that was only the second time wearing it)!  I'm just glad she didn't go anywhere in public that morning!

I met Lisa and Kristy in Springfield before the race.  Lisa and I have done the race since 2009 (although, I missed it last year), and each year it has gotten bigger.  There was so many people there this year.  I'm glad I didn't take Ainsley and the stroller!!! 

Kristy was the only one that ran it....Lisa and I walked it and made a few stops!

They had a costume contest this year and there were quite a few people dressed up, including a LOT of people with fake butts pinned to them.  A sumo wrestler was running in front of us at one point....

I'm also proud to say that I found Waldo, although the picture was too grainy to post. 

The Fat Ass is a lot of fun, and this year they had ice cream, beer, hot dogs, french fries, doughnuts, and corn dog stops along the way. 

Doughnut stop!

They also have bands performing at various places along the route, as well as clowns!

There's an after party after the race with music, free beer and food, but since I don't drink beer I don't really have any desire to do that part of the day. 

Saturday evening we went to Katie's graduation party.  She graduated from UIS, and I'm sad to say I didn't get any pictures with the grad.  Joel's cousin had a little boy about a month before Ainsley was born, so it's always fun to see them interact together. 

Ainsley was hungry, and loved the strawberries and kiwi.

Brayden decided to join her, and Ainsley ended up feeding him a few bites!

Ainsley was a good girl and tried sharing her purse with Brayden, but he didn't want anything to do with it.

Brayden says:  "Noooo thanks!  You can keep it!"

Drake, on the other hand, was happy when Ainsley finally dropped it and found another toy to play with.

Check out that face!  That is one happy boy!!!

Ainsley came home with quite a few more scratches and scrapes than what we left the house with that night.  She still isn't the best at walking/climbing and fell quite a bit. 

Grandpa Jim and Ainsley

Drake with Grandma Rita

Here's a few pictures while eating supper the other night.  Ainsley likes to rub her hands all over her face and in her hair while eating, which is why she eats naked most of the time and she immediately goes into the bath tub after supper!

Check out her hair!

Our little princess has also been fighting sleep.  She finally crashed on the living room floor the other day and slept for over an hour!

It's going to be another busy week for us, and by the looks of it, it's going to be absolutely beautiful outside.  I'm hoping for a few walks with Ainsley!