Broken

A few weeks ago, Abby overheard Joe and I talking about brokenness within ourselves and sin. We had no idea how intently she was listening to our conversation while she played with her ABC magnets on the fridge. Abby jumped right into the middle of our conversation. 

Abby: Daddy broken? 
Joe: Yes Abby. Daddy is broken. That's one reason I need Jesus.
Abby:  Mommy broken too? 
Jen: Yes. Mommy is broken too. 
Abby: Need Jesus? 
Jen: Yes! I definitely need Jesus. Jesus fixes our broken hearts. 
Abby: Abby broken? 
Joe: Yes. Abby's broken too. 
Abby: Abby need Jesus? 
Jen: Yes. Abby needs Jesus too. 
Abby: Jesus fix my broken heart. 

That moment was such a precious little gift from God to us and a tangible reminder of childlike faith.

Fast forward a few days. Our car had been in the shop for about a week because of an accident we had been in and Joe had just brought it home. When we got Abby in the car to head to the store, she was a ball of questions.


Abby: Blue car back home? 
Joe: Yes. Our blue car is back home. 
Abby: Still broken? 
Joe: No, it isn't broken anymore. They fixed it. 
Abby: Not broken? Jesus fixed it? 

So sweet. She has been applying and trying to understand the idea of being broken and Jesus fixing things ever since.


Finally, last week I was slowly waking up, when Abby came running over to our radio alarm clock shouting:

Abby: Music, music mommy. 
Me: Not yet, Abby. No music right now. It's too early. 
Abby: Mommy, Jesus music. 
Me: Not yet, Abby. In a little while. 
Abby (with hand over her chest): Mommy, my heart hurts. I need Jesus.  

Done. Music on. Mommy is up and out of bed. Couldn't ask for a better start to the day. 

What's happening lately?

With the beautiful (and unseasonal) spring weather we've been blessed with in the middle of March, we've been so busy I've nearly forgotten to take out my camera. We've spent lots of time being in the moment and soaking up life. Here's a glimpse at some of the latest happenings around here.

We have become VERY aware recently that Abby studies our every moves. What a humbling thing to have your little toddler mirror YOU (and all your words, attitudes and actions). I'm reminded in a new way what a wonderful (and large) responsibility it is to shape our little girl for Jesus. I'm thankful.

One of my favorite things to see is Abby being a "mommy" to her babies. The other day, Abby had gone into my room, taken the monitor and my book off the nightstand, put the baby into her crib for bed and turned the noise machine on. When I walked around the corner, Abby was walking out of her bedroom, closing the door behind her and setting up in the hallway. Monitor ready. Book in hand. I've been doing that on the nights when Abby is really struggling to fall back to sleep because of her molars trying to pop through. When I walked around the corner, Abby quickly "shushed" me and told me the baby was sleeping.  I snuck into my room to peek around the corner and watch Abby as she flipped through my book and continually checked the monitor!

little mommy

Our friend Zakiya came to visit. We loved having her here and were so thankful she made the trip up from NYC for the day. It took a whole lot to convince Abby that Zakiya couldn't stay in Abby's room the whole time playing. Abby just didn't want to let her go. I mean who would...Abby got lessons on boys, economics, fashion and self defense within the first hour!

fellow bookworms

After Abby's nap, we went with Zakiya to TCBY for some dessert. I decided I would just share an ice cream with Abby. Note to self: If you want any ice cream, it's time to get your own. Abby is very capable of enjoying a whole cup all by herself!

 Thanks for coming! Now it's our turn to visit you....CA maybe? :)

What a treat!

Abby has been loving her rainboots.  Fully clothed....or not!

Abby called me into the kitchen to show me her words. 

 Abby (while pointing to the blue letters) : Mommy, I spelled Daddy! 

Yay Abby! :) 

toppled over right out of her toybox and she thought it was hysterical

 

 We've loved spending so much time outside. Yesterday we were outside for three hours straight and I wore out way before Abby. The sun is so refreshing. We took lots of walks with her baby, had a picnic in the front yard and played in the backyard for a while. To sweeten the deal even further, we got to eat dinner outside when Daddy came home.

 We've spent lots of mornings, afternoons and evenings with our neighbors. Playing, bbqing, walking and watching the kids soak each other in the hose. It's so much fun to have friends right down the street.

Abby and Isaiah playing in the water

I'll leave you with a little song to start your day.

I'

Faces

If you were a fly on the wall of our home, it wouldn't take you long to realize we like to keep things interesting around here and that we're all really expressive! ;) Making faces and laughing until our stomachs hurt is on our list of unofficial favorite pastimes. Abby wins the funny face all star award, hands down!

Warming up. Notice Abby checking me out to make sure I'm doing it right.

Make a goofy face.

Now...shake your dino tail and make a funny face. 

Proof that we look alike, perhaps? At least we know whose weird facial expressions she has!

Make your sour pickle face.

Just for the record, Abby taught me all of these!

24 weeks

24 weeks

 

so excited to meet her baby sister

Only 14 more to go...

This one's for you, Nagymama!

riding the bike Nagymama got her for Christmas

big CHEESE!

And a little Hungarian message to start your day...

Moments to Always Remember

I must have at least one moment everyday when I want to stop time and freeze the precious moments I get to experience as a mom. Here are just a few to always remember:

• Counting, counting everything around us and though she knows how to count to three, this is Abby's favorite counting method: three...four...six...seven...eight..nine...ten...seven...eight...nine...ten...seven...eight...nine...ten
• I love that since we've started working on her numbers, every letter O has become a zero. 
• I love watching Abby play with her friends and get SO energized by being with people.

taking a movie break with her friends Ally Grace and Micah

Favorite Quotes: 

• "Mommy, your 'hello' is ringing!" (translation: "Mommy, your phone is ringing!")
• "I NEED YOU" - Abby's new favorite line every time she needs some quality time/hugs OR any time she is jealous for my attention. She knows how to melt her mommy's heart! 
• When we go to the store and someone asks Abby her age, she'll often respond: "Two! Mommy twenty six. Daddy twenty nine."
• While I was in the kitchen cleaning up from lunch, Abby went into the living room to play with her blocks. After hearing them continually come crashing down on the glass tabletop:

                    Me: Abby, please take the blocks off the table and play on the floor.                  
                   Abby: No Mommy! I'm building Noah's Ark.

• Abby's favorite game is Hide and Seek. She waits until her Daddy walks through the door everyday and excitedly asks him to hide. If it's her turn, she counts (from 3-10, skipping 5) and then runs around the house calling "Dadddddddy? Joeeeeeee?" until she finds him. The funniest is when it's Abby's turn to hide. When Joe goes to find her and calls for her, Abby's response is always to tell Joe exactly where she is. 

               Joe: Abby? Are you in Mommy and Daddy's room?
               Abby: No. Baby's room.
               Joe (trying to make the game last a little longer): Abby? Are you in your room?
               Abby: No, Daddy! In Baby's room.
               Joe (walking into baby's room): Abby? Are you in the baby's room?
               Abby (popping out of her hiding spot): Daddy! I'm here!

one of Abby's not so obvious hiding spots

taking a rest after reading the circulars

Some of my favorite moments lately have been watching Abby experience my pregnancy and understand to some extent that she is going to be a big sister. She is so sweet about it. When she comes into our bed to snuggle with us in the morning, she will often lift up my shirt, rub my belly and say, "Hi Baby. It's your sidder, Abby" and then sing the baby "Choochee" (the song I made up for Abby when she was an infant and still sing to her every night before bed).

If you were to ask Abby what she is going to do when her baby sister is born, she runs through her list. Change diaper, wipe baby, dance baby, Shhh shhh shhh baby, walk baby.  The other day, I asked her if she will tell Mommy when the baby is crying. She paused deep in thought and then as matter of factly as ever said, "No! I help baby".

As I shared in a previous post, we had Abby in the room with us during our recent ultrasound. She was totally interested and observant while we were in there, but like anything else, it's hard to know exactly how much she has understood. The following morning, Abby and I were playing downstairs in her playroom. She pulled out her doctor kit and routinely "checked me" by using every piece of equipment and declaring "healfy" after each part. Only this time, at the end of my "Dr. Abby exam", she got up and brought back her little V-tech laptop. Abby put it on the floor, powered up the computer, lifted my shirt up while pretending to squirt gel on my belly and started to roll her mouse around on my stomach. Pointing at the screen, she said, "Mommy, look. Baby's face." :) I know I say it all the time, but I just love her!

quality time with Daddy

Abby's first snowman

excited for her first ride in the wagon Papa gave her