Snapshots

love these little baby hands

Movie date with Uncle Cory: Finding Nemo 3D! What a fun treat for a little girl. She loved going to the movies with her Uncle and all the popcorn she got to eat!

tummy time!

being like Mommy

sister time

reading to Sissy

love this face

pretty much the sweetest moment ever

Wisdom for Life

Abby and Ella, This is such a great reminder! I'm praying that I would make moment by moment choices to abide in Christ today (and everyday) and not try to be superwoman! I also pray for you that you would begin to really grasp these truths at a young age and experience lots of freedom and joy in Jesus! I pray that you would both be women who learn to abide in Christ.

Source: daeofourlives.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

I love you! Love, Mommy

Abby & Will

 Look at how these two little friends have grown up together in the last (almost) three years! They are exactly one month apart. They have really become buddies!

Will: just born   Abby: 1 month

Will: 1 month   Abby: 2 months

Abby: 4 months   Will: 3 months

Will: 5 months   Abby: 6 months

Abby: 8 months   Will: 7 months

2 and a half year olds!

Fall Getaway 2012

We just got back from the 6th Upstate New York Fall Getaway. God was at work in the lives of over 400 students and staff at the conference. We are blessed to have been a part of it and especially thankful that we were all able to go this year. A day before we were set to leave, Abby came down with a fever. We weren't sure if she would be better in time or if I would have to stay home with the girls while Joe went. There were so many reasons I would have been sad to miss the weekend. Thankfully, Abby was fever free and doing much better the morning of Fall Getaway, so off we went.

the view from our window on Saturday morning: so peaceful and breathtaking

  

exploring

Abby and Will. Will is one of Abby's best buddies. It is super cute to watch them together.

Some of the Capital Region students we have the joy of spending time with

helping Daddy do his job to get ready for the morning meeting

Daddy's little helper

Anna Kate takes such great care of the little kids and Abby adores her. Thanks Anna Kate!

playing in the sand with Will. Abby is most likely baking a cake, while Will plays with the trucks. :)

Ella's mode of transportation for the weekend. She was content hanging with/on her Mommy!

my girls.

played hard and ready for her afternoon nap

Ella hanging with our students

Right before this picture was snapped Abby was running after Will in the cafeteria yelling," Will, I love you!" Cute little buddies.

our family <3 br="br">

a whole lot of before bedtime cuteness

powerful night of worship

And with that the weekend comes to an end. This is what happens when the moms need to pack up our rooms. The kids enjoyed some t.v. time and snacks in their own mini movie theater.

As soon as Will joined the group, Abby got up from her seat to go over and share Will's with him. Then, every time something funny happened on the show, they would look at each other and laugh.

I loved having the chance to spend time with an old college friend. Lauren and I have been friends since my sophomore year of college, so it was tons of fun to catch up and hear all about her wedding planning! When did we all become such grown ups? :) 

Another year. Another great Fall Getaway! Thank you Lord!

Made with Love

Nagymama,
Thank you for our beautiful matching fall sweaters and hats! Aren't we cute?
 AND thank you for the coolest light up sneakers ever! 
Love, Abby & Ella

Abby at the Dentist

Abby's had her first trip to the dentist and she loved it. She was so excited to go and wouldn't stop asking if it was time. I thank "Elmo's World: Teeth" for her enthusiasm. She learned all about what it would be like at the dentist long before it was her turn to go, so she actually felt really special when Joe told her she had an appointment.  Abby has all 20 healthy little teeth and a fun new toothbrush to clean them with. She learned about dental floss and has already brought it to us and asked us to floss her teeth. We better reinforce this habit now, so she actually DOES floss her teeth regularly because while many of us tend to ignore the dentist's orders to floss daily, Abby is taking her very seriously! :)

 

She was such a big girl that the people in the office told Joe they couldn't believe she was only two and a half. They said she was acting like a five year old the way she was sitting so patiently and following their directions. We're so proud of our brave little girl.

Now, we just have to help Abby have patience because she keeps asking to go back and is having trouble understanding her next appointment isn't for another six months! I'm so thankful her first experience was a great one.

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!