Have you ever read a book that just makes you cry over and over and over?  Well, until now every book Aubrey Ann has read has made her happy.  That is, until tonight.  So what is the saddest book according to Aubrey Ann?

Is it Lord of the Flies?  No.  Is it Madame Bovary?  Nope.  How about The Grapes of Wrath? No, no, nope.

So what is it?  Llama, Llama Red Pajama.  You heard me right.  According to Aubrey Ann, Llama, Llama Red Pajama is the saddest book ever.

It is a terrible story of a little Llama who is put to bed (in his red pajamas of course), only to find that he needs his Mama to get him a drink of water.  Everything is fine until Mama Llama doesn’t get to Baby Llama fast enough.  This causes baby Llama to be very upset.  I won’t tell you how the story ends, I don’t want to ruin it for you.  It is quite a good read, and anyone who is really serious about their fiction literature ought to read it.

Well, tonight we introduced Aubrey Ann to Llama, Llama Red Pajama only to find that sad books are really not her thing.  She couldn’t even make it through the book to hear the happy ending.

No really, about 5 or so pages into the story, after the little Llama starts to call for his Mama, Aubrey Ann started sobbing, crying “Mama! Mama!” and reaching out for me.  It was the saddest, most adorable thing I have ever seen.

So Grandparents be forewarned, if Aubrey Ann comes to stay the night at your house, just say “No” to Llama, Llama Red Pajama!

Here is a picture of the sad, sad tale of Llama in his red pajamas:

Have you ever had anyone tell you that things go in circles?  Like fashion, one day everyone is wearing acid washed jeans and shoulder pads, and then suddenly it is out of style. Then twenty or so years later you see it creeping back in.  Well, I have learned that privacy, like fashion, tends to go in circles.

If you aren’t a parent, then never fear, your privacy hasn’t come full circle just yet, but it will, don’t worry.

It all starts at birth. You are born helpless.  Our parents must do everything for us, people have to wash us, wipe us, and they even set us up to take embarrassing pictures naked.  Yes, even I have posed Aubrey Ann in embarassing naked pictures, so I am not saying it is wrong, but it serves to prove my point.  We are born with no privacy.  This is acceptable however, since we haven’t yet experienced it, so we don’t know what we are missing.

Then you grow into a toddler and start potty training, finally your mother leaves you in the bathroom alone.  Your first taste of privacy.  Once you have had some, you will never go back.

As the years pass on, you gain more and more privacy, until it is akward, even uncomfortable if someone dares to intrude upon it.  For instance, your mom walking in the bathroom while you are showering, or losing your swim trunks in the ocean when you are trying to go….(to protect the innocent (ahem…PJ) I won’t finish that example)…anyway you get the idea.

For years and years you have glorious uninterupted privacy.  It is wonderful.  Nobody posing you in embarassing naked pictures with strategically placed baby blankets, no one walking in while you are going to the bathroom, and if you are lucky, you haven’t lost your swim trunks in the ocean in awhile either.

Then you have children.  As they are being born, they are causing a huge intrusion on their mother’s privacy.  And no, it doesn’t stop there.

So what is the point?  Well, as I was in the shower today with Aubrey Ann, I was trying to remember when the last time I took a shower alone was.  I don’t mean alone, without Aubrey Ann IN the shower, but I was wondering how long it had been without her anywhere near the vicinity of the shower.  Meaning, not banging on the glass, pushing her nose flat on it, not saying “Mommy, mommy” from the potty, you get the idea.  It has been awhile.  A looooooong while.

Today as I stood in the shower, with Aubrey Ann at my feet, trying to pry a rag between each of my toes, it hit me. My privacy has come full-circle.  I haven’t used the potty alone since she started crawling, and probably before. I haven’t showered alone without someone pointing to every unmentionable body part saying “body” in a very long while.

This may sound like a complaint, and to a certain degree it is.  But, all it takes is one look down at that little nose smushed into the glass, and I see that she is worth every ounce of privacy I have given up.  As long as nobody tries to make me take embarassing pictures with baby blankets, I think I will be OK.

Here is that little privacy intrusion now:

She is so worth it.

So today I went through the frustrating circumstance of not being able to find my cell phone.  Surely, all of us have experienced this at one point or another.

However, if someone who wasn’t a parent to a toddler lost their phone, they would check the usual places.  The car, the couch cushions, next to their bed.  But, oh no, not me.  I am the mother of a toddler.

I was thinking, you can tell a lot about a person from the places they first look for their cell phone.  For instance, a pastor might check next to his Bible, a actress might check in her dressing room, a dog trainer might check next to the dog food.

Today as I found myself looking in the oddest places for my cell phone I came to a realization, not that I haven’t realized it previously, but I am truly a mother.  Not just any mother, the mother of a toddler.

Where are the places that I looked that caused me to have such a profound realization, you ask?  Well, here goes:

1. Inside the toilet- I had a vision of Aubrey Ann picking up my phone and doing her traditional “hi-yo Mamaw” and instead of it ending with a “good-bye” it ending with a flush.

2.  Inside a basket of toys- I mean everything in the house is hers right?

3.  On a bookshelf stuck between “Brown Bear, Brown Bear” and “Goodnight Moon”.  I mean she loves our phones, and she loves reading, why not put the two together?

4. Inside the craft supplies in our pantry, possibly covered in stickers.  Aubrey Ann likes to “help” me pick out what craft we are going to do that day.

5. Inside the refrigerator- Specifically the fruit drawer, where I keep the rare (ok, not really that rare) delicacy, “gapes”.

6.  Inside my shoes- Sherlock use to hide things in there, why not Aubrey Ann?

7.  In the utensil basket in the dishwasher.  A major “no-touch” in our house, but still a possibility.

8. In our pantry smashed between the Goldfish and Graham Crackers.  And no, I don’t organize my pantry alphabetically.

9.  In my bathroom drawer.  Not really Aubrey Ann’s direct doing, but possibly because I suffer from terrible case of “momnesia” which is DEFINITELY her fault.

10.  In the ball-popper.  Enough said.

So where did I finally find this ever elusive phone.  Well, lets say that it wasn’t as much Aubrey Ann’s fault as I would have liked.  I forgot to mention that Aubrey Ann is pretty well-behaved, and usually leaves things that aren’t hers alone.  No, this was all Mommy’s doing.  Actually, I found it in the front pocket of an apron I wore while cooking for Thanksgiving.  Is there some way to blame that on Aubrey Ann?

Even if I have to look in a million odd-ball places to find things, I know it is just one of the many things that comes along with having a toddler.  Besides, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I am truly a mother afterall.

Nope, not any other way.

Aubrey Ann LOVES to go to the park, so even though we were all exhausted, we all headed to the park the day after Thanksgiving.  We had a blast, and Aubrey Ann loved going to the park with Charlie and Grandma Nita.  Aubrey Ann also loved picking up all sorts of “treasures” to bring home with us, including but not excluded to her very first acorn!

Here is some pictures from that fun outing:

Climbing the slide. Is it just me, or does she pose for these pictures?

I am posting these next three pictures just in case nobody believed that I actually would let Aubrey Ann go down the slide all by herself.  So here is proof.  I have actually become rather relaxed in my old age .

Getting ready to go down

Letting go. This is when Mommy half-closes her eyes and clenches her teeth praying for no bumps or bruises...

Wheeeeee!

Are you watching me Daddy?

For Aubrey Ann, silly is a way of life.

What a sweet girl!

Our little tree-hugger!

Is it just me, or is the love pouring out of Daddy's eyes? Could a Daddy love his little girl anymore?

Aubrey Ann, you are so much fun!  I enjoy every trip to the park, every hug, kiss, word, I enjoy everything about you.  I think you are the sweetest little girl I have ever seen.  I cherish every moment of every day with you.