Football & Footie Pajamas

Ainslee got to go to another football game yesterday. This one was Lopez vs. Tejada Middle Schools. Jason's parents came to watch Jason's team and to spend some time with Ainslee. Ainslee had a blast running around, making friends, and getting dirty :) You just mention football now, and Ainslee runs to the door saying "ball, ball, ball." Makes Daddy so proud!

Ainslee and Grandpa enjoying the game (wish I had gotten one w/ Grandma too!)

Heading out on the field after the game to talk to Daddy

And completely unrelated, but oh so adorable, is Ainslee in her new footie pajamas. I LOVE them! And so does she. She kept pointing to the bottoms of her feet and saying "shoes!"

Whoop!

We headed to Aggieland last Friday night for a weekend of fun! Jason had signed up for a Crossfit competition/fundraiser and "Aunt" Katy scored us all tickets to the football game (alumni side, 40 yard line, 11th row, thank you Garrett family)! As an added bonus, our friend Lee and his wife Lindsey (who we had yet to meet) were able to come into town for the day. We had a great time visiting, eating, and enjoying the company of great friends!

This was Ainslee's second Aggie game to attend, and we prepared her by teaching her how to gig'em, whoop, and yell "Go Aggies!" I was a little worried because the game did not start until 6 pm, but our little AGGie proved herself to be quite the fan! I would have to say that the band was her absolute favorite part. She watched the entire performance and as soon as they ran off the field she looked at me and said and signed, "more, more, more." She even yelled Aggies the next day when she saw a marching band in her Wee Sing video, haha! She was quite the trooper the entire game, and we honestly only left because we wanted to beat the traffic (and we were BTHO UAB by a ton of points). We can't wait to take her to another game!

This is how she does gig'em- can't quite get just the thumb yet

In awe of...

The band!

Katy provided some more half-time entertainment

Ainslee loved wearing Katy's baseball helmet

Katy let her play w/ her camera, this is her "cheese" face

She loved playing with sidewalk chalk

A letter

Dear Terrible Two's,
Please pack your bags and leave, you are bit too early anyway, but I'd rather you not come EVER. I would really like to have my sweet, fun, happy, great napper/sleeper back. Thanks and gig'em!
Seriously,
The Mommy

Nevermind!

Well, let's just say the whole "big girl" thing was jumping the gun a tad. We gave it a week, which I feel was adequate time to adjust, but Ainslee was not having the toddler bed. She got to where she would go to bed just fine, but would wake up WAY to many times in the night (not safe and usually resulting in Jason sleeping on her floor). She seemed to like her bed a lot during the day, like the time I heard lots of giggling and went in to find Ainslee jumping on the bed and Cameron holding on to the rails and jumping...umm, are they four years old already?

I ordered a crib tent last week when exhaustion hit it's peak. Saturday afternoon our "tent" arrived. Ainslee literally tore the box open, so we assembled it and let her play like it was a real tent, which she loved. Sunday, Jason and I spent forever re-assembling her crib and installing the tent. After it was all said and done, I realized I forgot to put the crib skirt on, but I don't think that will be happening now. It's a bit of an ordeal to put the whole thing together. Needless to say, without the frills it really looks like a baby jail now.

The result- Sunday night we did not hear a peep out of her. Amen!

Could this look any more like a poor little baby trapped in jail???

Not so big, big girl!

We have been dealing with a variety of "lovely" issues in the Gilbreath household this past week. I have yet to come to an exact diagnosis, but Ainslee has been suffering from some kind of separation anxiety, which led to her absolutely not wanting to nap or go to bed (alone). This has also been accompanied by getting her 2 year molars (because she's advanced like that). To make all of these matters even worse, she discovered that she could climb out of her crib. What to do, what to do? Well, having her scream and bang on her bedroom door was starting to get a little old (after about 5 minutes), so was waking up 4 times a night, and sleeping in our bed. This is the child who very willingly would take a 3-4 hour nap and sleep 12 hours at night!

So, Friday afternoon Ainslee and I headed to Kerrville to pick up the toddler bed we had waiting in my parent's attic. After a few trial and errors, my mom suggested we try the "Super Nanny approach." We put her to bed like normal and every time she got up we were to walk/carry her back to her bed and tell her to stay in bed. I was mentally preparing myself for about 50-100 times of this, but after just THREE times she gave up and went to sleep! I just put her down for her nap and it only took TWO times to get her stay in bed and fall asleep. I call that progress!

I was totally not ready for this "big girl" bed thing. I was hoping she would sleep in a crib forever, or at least until she was 3. But, as usual, I guess she had other plans.

Some Entertainment

Sorry for the poor quality, but I think at least the grandparents will enjoy! Aunt Lauren and Uncle Trevor and Grammy spent last Friday night with us (hence the air mattress in the living room). This was at about 10:00 pm and Ainslee was still wired! Ainslee was thoroughly enjoying Grammy's preschool finger plays and songs. And we were thoroughly entertained by Ainslee's excitement! Hope you are too!

21 Months

Ainslee is 21 months old today, that is just crazy! Jason was asking when we are going to stop counting her age in terms of months, I figure we'll stop when she turns 2. Maybe, maybe not. 21 months is a random age to post about, but she is doing some exciting things lately and this is the best means of summarizing all of them.

I recently purchased Leap Frog's Letter Factory (DVD) after hearing/reading great reviews. Well, let's just say the reviews did not disappoint. Ainslee is completely obsessed with this movie and requests it MANY times a day by saying "A,A,A,A,A,A," at the top of her lungs. The show goes through the entire alphabet and teaches the letters and their sounds. Ainslee can already tell you about 90% of the letter sounds when you ask her what the letter says. Crazy! Some of them were sounds that she hadn't really started saying yet! She has become alphabet crazed and points to letters on everything all the time now. I think it has also really helped in her vocabulary. She is now repeating more words and trying to say a lot more words.

Ainslee is also perfecting her motor skills these days. She can run way too fast and swings her left (yes, only the left) arm while she's at it. She has become a little dare devil on the playground and tries to climb the Jungle gym that is about 6 feet high. We definitely have to keep a close eye on her!

I feel like Ainslee's earlier "monthly" post always discussed her eating habits. Well, I am not nearly as concerned about her eating these days. She still LOVES fruit, but she will now eat just about everything that we do for dinner. She will also eat hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and pasta - you know, all the wonderful, "oh so healthy" foods that most toddlers love, and that she used to despise. Eating has become much less of a stress factor in our lives :)

If I had to list Ainslee's favorite activities these days, I would say she loves singing songs (with motions), reading books, and playing outside (if the front door isn't locked, she's out of here!). We are having so much fun with her and love her silly, goofy side that she is showing us so much more of lately!

We HEART Pudding!

Chocolate pudding. Is there anything (besides ice cream of course) that is better? I think not! And lucky for me, Jason and Ainslee feel the same way. And unlike ice cream, it is incredibly cheap, easy, and quick to make yourself!

Yummy!

"Right back 'atcha!"

Finger lickin' good!

Finished!