Four months shy...

Dear Abby,

It's just four months shy of your third birthday and I have an unrelenting urge to document and never forget the little girl you are at this very moment.

Your personality lights up the room. You love to be the center of attention and know how to make everyone laugh. Before we arrive at a party, you always inform us that you are going to be shy this time. And you are...for about three minutes. You make friends easily and love to have friends over to play. Though you recently started going through the "NO MINE!" phase, you are getting much better at sharing and even offering toys to friends. Though most days you probably wish the sharing rule didn't exist, you are quick to inform your Daddy and I at any point that we are required to share everything (food, make up, our phones, our ice cream even though you have already finished your portion) with you! So, you can't fool us. We know you understand what we are asking you to do. :)

You are passionate and feel everything so deeply. It can look like you out tantrum-ing any kid on the block when you have your mind set on something or you empathizing sweetly with others. It really affects you when you see someone crying and being quite a nurturer you immediately try to find ways to make it better.The other day, you were playing "soccer" with Isaiah. Every time Isaiah kicked the ball, it would roll right into his little brother Elijah. You kept saying, "Isaiah, be careful! You are hurting your little brother!" Then, you went to pick up the ball, bent down to Elijah hugged him and made sure he was okay. 

Make believe is the world you live in! Your favorite thing to do is wait for Daddy to get home from work, so you can take him outside and pretend to be his mommy. Just the other day, we spent the afternoon celebrating Amelia's birthday. Amelia is your favorite baby doll right now. She goes everywhere with you (including the bathtub) and you love being her mommy. For Amelia's birthday party, you and I baked her birthday cookies, shopped for her gifts in the playroom and wrapped them. Then, we invited all of her other baby friends (who you named Hazel, Sophie, Lily and Evie) and Ella. When you are in the bathtub, you pretend to teach your rubber duckies how to sing worship songs or use your foam letters to paint me pictures or take Yo Gabba Gabba to sunset at the Bluff. You mind is so bright and imaginative. It is a joy to see you create and enjoy life in so many new ways. But, to all those playing along, be warned! Your imagination has rules and guidelines you take very seriously. Including, but not limited to:

• Do not talk to Abby's imaginary friends if you don't know exactly what room they are in at that moment. 
• Do not move Amelia and take her somewhere without asking her Mommy.
•  Ernie the Turtle likes to wear Ella's pajamas. Do not take them off and put them in the hamper when you see them lying in the middle of the hallway because Ernie will be cold and cry.
• Do not call Ella "baby sister" when Abby is playing with her because Ella's name is Mommy.
•  Do not call Abby's baby sister "Ella" because her name is Goldilocks. Abby name is Baby Bear. I am Mama bear and Daddy is Papa bear.

 You make us laugh so hard our bellies hurt. Sometimes you say things without even knowing it and then there are times when you are very intentional about making us laugh. Some of your recent quoteables:  

• "Mommy, I want to be like you when I get sooo bigger because you are so cute and pretty and gorgeous."

•  "I pee like a fountain!"

• "Mommy, Ella just told me she's going back to the hospital in a few days. It's time for her to go back in your belly."
• Abby: Mommy, when I get married I'm going to wear five colored dresses.Me: Who are you going to marry?
  Abby: NO WAY!!!!
  

 You love to learn. When I bring out a learning activity or a learning book for you to use, it is like giving you ice cream. You want to learn every chance you get even when I'm not teaching you. I continue to be amazed at the things you absorb from different people and t.v. shows. The latest phrases you have casually and appropriately inserted into our conversations are "No fair!" (love that one...NOT!) and "Mommy, I'm very disappointed". Sometimes I forget I am having a conversation with a toddler because you act so grown up. The other day, Daddy walked into your room and said, "Abby, you have a big pile of library books over there!" You looked over at the pile and said, "Oh yeah, definitely!" Last night, we were reading a shape book. I pointed to a kite and asked you what shape it was. You responded, "That's a rhombus, Mommy." Really?! :) 

It's official! We have entered the land of "WHY?".  Daddy and I love this stage of development, which is surprising since philosophy was our least favorite subject in college. You are discovering the reason for everything. If we tell you something, you ask why. If we say we are going somewhere, you ask why. If you see a banana, you ask why it is yellow. While reading books, you ask,"Why is the porcupine wearing a red shirt?" and "Why is the wall blue?" A conversation with you looks like this: 
Abby: Mommy, why are they sitting at the table? 
M: Because they are eating breakfast. 
A: Why are they eating breakfast? 
M: Because they are hungry. 
A: Why are they hungry? 
M: Because it is morning and they haven't eaten all night. 
A: Why haven't they eaten? 
M: Because they were sleeping. 
A: Why were they sleeping? 
....and on and on and on! 
 There aren't enough answers for your many questions, but we give you as many answers as we can and then we point you to Jesus! We love to see you start to understand life in these new ways. 

You are thoughtful and encouraging! You pray for our meals every night. The other night, you prayed for our dinner. Halfway through dinner, I had to nurse your sister, so as she started to eat, you bowed your head and prayed, "Dear God, thank you for Sissy's dinner. In Jesus' name. Amen."

AND....no more pull-ups!! You've completed your last step of potty training--wearing your underwear overnight! We're so proud of you! 

You weigh in at about 28 pounds. I'm not sure of your exact height, but all of a sudden you can reach your light switch and your skinny jeans are too short, so I think you just had a growth spurt.


I said so much, yet I barely scratched the surface in capturing what a lovely and wonderful little daughter you are. You are a delight and I'm so honored to be your Mommy! I love you Abby Em! 

Apple Picking 2012

Grammy came for a visit and just in time for our annual apple picking trip. We spent the crisp sunny Saturday morning at the orchard enjoying all things fall. We picked two whole bags and enjoyed a bunch more as we walked. Abby got her first bee stings. My poor girl got one on her hand and two on her cheek. Thankfully, she didn't have a bad reaction, just lots of tears. Ella napped the whole time. Once our bags were full, we headed to the bakery and playground for donuts and fun. A perfect fall morning, followed by a perfect date night.

Grammy, thanks for watching the girls while we enjoyed our first night out since Ella was born!

the girls

The name of these apples made us laugh.

picking and eating raspberries with Grammy

look at that gorgeous sky

my little family

lots of apples

Abby was thrilled to be able to go on Noah's Ark.

feeding the goats

kind of looks like she is on the back of a motorcycle

apple picking 2012

Snapshots

church community day 2012

sister love.

Check out her peace sign. :) Chicks rock!

Alana and Jamie came to visit.

smiles for Jamie

Abby loves Alana and her brownies. :)

love her

dance party!

Sissy watches and dances from her chair

Ella: 2 months

Ella: Two Months Old  

Weight: 12.4 lbs. 

Height: 23.5 inches

grabbing for toys all by yourself

sleeping through the night for a while from 9-5, but since the getting your first cold you are getting up in the night again

bedtime moved up: ready for bed and sleeping in crib between 7:30 and 8

 looking and sounding like you are trying really hard to laugh

mimicking lots of our sounds

lots of smiles 

enjoying being outside and watching the trees, but your favorite thing to watch is your sister 

had your first set of shots and really struggled for about 24 hours afterward

loving bath and tummy time

took some longer car rides with your first trip to the Bluff, Papa's house and Aunt Charlene's house

little beauty

tummy time

precious little lady

what a face! ;)

"just hanging out with my sister"

And to think there was a moment before Ella was born when I couldn't imagine loving another little baby as much as I love Abby. I couldn't have been more wrong. I love love love you Ella Margaret! I love you and your sister so much sometimes my heart feels like it could explode. God has blessed your Daddy and I in more ways than we could have ever asked or imagined.  Happy 2 month birthday!

A Mini Family Reunion

Last weekend, we had a mini family reunion with some of the family on my mom's side. My Aunt Charlene's house is such a special part of my childhood, so it was especially fun to bring my children there for the first time. It was so nice to spend time together since we don't get to see each other very often. Abby was thrilled to play with everyone, but especially loved playing with Emily and Billy! Ella met everyone for the first time. We had a great time!

Abby & Emily

Aunt Charlene, Grandma and Ella

playing games

Susan and Ella

the two babies

Abby loves Ali! She also loves being the center of attention. That is why right after this picture was taken she dumped her entire bottle of water onto herself to make everyone laugh. She had the whole room in an uproar. She then proceeded to run around singing about being naked while her clothes were in the dryer.

Abby & Billy

Ali & Ella

baby love.

cousins. <3 br="br">

Kori and Ella. Either Ella is hungry and wanted Kori to feed her or she is craning her neck to see who is winning the Syracuse game behind her! Go 'Cuse.

Looking forward to another family reunion next year.