hugs & kisses

audrey has become very affectionate lately. she is absolutely in love with the bunnies auntie kiki gave her for christmas and has been giving them tight hugs around the neck, which she's now starting to share with the rest us. they feel oh so good!

memorial day

gwen's 1st birthday party

monkey laugh

i couldn't get her to demonstrate any of her signs in this video, but here's some naked cuteness before bedtime. this is a silly laugh she's been doing lately.

fun with dad

water baby

smile series

i was trying to get audrey to show off her new front teeth and got some cute smiley shots in the meantime.

why do we even bother with toys?

our little jackson pollock likes to do abstract art with her bottle when we aren't looking.

she also loves pulling the pans out from under the stove, then stacking and sitting inside them.

afterparty

despite all the gorgeous gifts audrey received for her 1st birthday, her favorite thing to play with is the severed head of her pinata. morbid!


in other news, she has finally started using her signs! we've been signing "milk", "more" and "all done" for months now, without her ever demonstrating any comprehension of them. until - what do you know - she wanted some of her leftover birthday cake, stood beneath it perched on the countertop, and started doing all 3 signs at once! she is now signing "milk" whenever she wants something (i think she interprets it to mean "give me") and is using "more" in the appropriate context. when i say "all done" she prompty removes her bib. now i need to brush up on more signs to teach her so we can continue this communication breakthrough!

pool party!

for more pix of the fun-filled weekend, click here.

many thanks to everyone who made the effort to be there! we love you!
(and many thanks to ivy portwood to took many of the gorgeous pix posted here.) xx

actual birthday (may 1) party

dede and auntie kiss kiss were in town this weekend to help audrey ring in her 1st year, as were all the members of the freedman clan. we celebrated on her actual birthday, friday night, before the big bash on sunday. the collins were unable to make the party sunday, so we had - yet another - celebration with them on saturday before they had to leave town.

this is the way the ladies ride...