Q&A with Abby

The Wish List

I opened the mailbox today to find the Toys R Us Christmas catalog. Every time I bring in the mail, Abby searches the stack in hopes of finding something for her. Today was her lucky day! The sight of a "toy magazine" caught her attention right away. I gave her the catalog to look through while we were in the car and it was really cute to hear her in the backseat pointing to things and saying, "Sissy, you like this? Ok! Mommy, Sissy likes this."

When we got home, Abby shared her wish list with me as she flipped through again. The list made me smile, so to the blog it goes. Now, I will always remember the sweet moment.

• an African American cabbage patch doll
• a Doc McStuffins Time for your Check Up Doll
• a Doc McStuffins DVD
• a dollhouse (so thrilled that her Daddy and I already assumed/planned correctly on this one!)
• a guitar
• new markers
• and a V-tech globe

Maybe it's a mom thing, but her childish hope and excitement paired with her innocent requests and personal preferences melt my heart.

Love.

Snapshots & Quotables

loves her fingers.

asked to be wrapped up like a baby and held. yup we are totally in that stage. :)

A: Daddy, I want to go to Lake Bluff.
D: We can't Abby. Not until next summer. The cottage is all closed up for the winter.
A: Oh no, what happened to Grammy?
D: It's okay. She went home to Moorestown.
A (with big smile of understanding on her face): Oh Daddy, I want to go there and play chest!

Harvest party at church. This is Abby and a bunch of her little friends.

The other day when I was asking Abby to do something, she responded, "Mommy, you don't know about me!" She said it again to Joe that night. I'm not sure where she heard that phrase, but I think it's hysterical. Though it makes it sound like she has some kind of street reputation that I should be afraid of.

Look at me, Mom!

Daddy and Abby went outside to do lawn work. I looked outside an hour later and saw this.

D: Abby, are you doing something you are not supposed?
A: Certainly not!

The next day:
D: I'll see you when I get home from work, Abby.
A: I certainly hope so!

Bumbo time!

Aunt Cyncy

Aunt Cyncy came to visit for the weekend and meet Ella for the first time. We had lots of fun together going to the state museum, painting pumpkins, taking a family walk on the perfect fall day, playing all kinds of games and enjoying some delicious dinners. Abby kept Aunt Cyncy very occupied during any down time we had. (She might still be recovering back home in PA!) We enjoyed every minute of her visit with us!

capturing the moment of the most beautiful fall morning. I could stay in this moment forever!

posing with the wolves at the museum

love that smiling face and she loved the bear exhibit

hanging out and enjoying the museum from this view

Abby and Mommy hanging out in the longhouse

before our ride on the Merry-Go-Round

Thanks for coming, Aunt Cyncy! See you again at Thanksgiving. :)

Ella: 3 months

Ella: 3 months 

Weight: 14.9 pounds 

laughing and smiling a lot

really ticklish 

love holding Mommy's hair or your Superbuggy and using your pacifier when falling asleep

very talkative-making lots of new sounds 

noticing when Mommy leaves the room and are very vocal when you don't like it

intentionally grabbing toys and playing with them

taking good naps in your swing during the day 

sitting up well in your Bumbo and enjoying the new view 

lifting up your head and chest during tummy time and flashing us big smiles 

got sick for the first time (sinus infection) and had your first antibiotic 

going to bed between 7-8 and waking once in the night to eat 

celebrated your baby dedication with a morning at church and a little family party afterward

some new places you've visited:  Fall Getaway, the zoo, the pumpkin patch, Asher's birthday party 

favorite activities: playing on the changing table and playing/laughing at your family while we have a dance party around the kitchen before dinner


 

my baby love.

stylin' in her rock star outfit

rock star attitude to go with it?

Precious Moment

I'm really not sure if I've ever posted this video, but while working on my emails I found it hanging around my inbox. It was just three months ago, but such a precious memory already. I love my two little girls.

Ella's Dedication

Yesterday was Ella's baby dedication at church. Dedicating Ella to the Lord was our way to publicly thank Him for the precious gift He has entrusted to us. It represents our commitment to raise our little girl by the grace of God according to His word and point her to the only one who gives meaning to life, Jesus!

Grammy, G-Diddy, Grandma and Casey came to the church for the service. Abby stayed in the service to "watch Pastor John pray for her Sissy".  Papa and Uncle Cory joined us at our house afterward where we all ate and hung out for the afternoon.

It was a special day!

Ella slept through the whole thing!

all dressed up and ready for church

Grammy and G-Diddy with their girls

Grandma has the special touch...putting Ella to sleep just like Mommy.

the guys enjoying some yummy artichoke dip

our family

my love

three generations

Abby had the help of both Grandma and Grammy to complete her new complicated puzzle!

Abby's Land of Make Believe

Abby's imagination is amazing! It's a lot of fun to watch as Abby creates a world of fun that not only occupies her, but is exciting to her. It can also be challenging! Like when Abby's imaginary friends need to use the potty at the same time as Abby and Abby insists they go first because that's the kind thing to do. Sweet, right? Yes! But, challenging when you have to clean up the pee all over the floor from her unnecessary potty accident.

These days are so special. An age packed full of hopes and dreams, free from worry and full of a childhood innocence that I want to protect and preserve in my little girl as long as I can!

M: Abby, why did you rub your lip gloss all over the front of your book?
A: That's not lipgloss, Mommy. That's frosting and I was frosting my cake.

M: Abby, why did you dump your whole container of pink paint into the cup of water?
A: That's not paint, Mommy. That's soap and the cup of water is my sink. I need to wash my hands.

M: Abby, why is there a necklace hanging out the back of your pants?
A: That's not a necklace, Mommy. That's a fishing pole and I'm the fish.

M: Abby, why did you pile up all of the dinner on your plate? It's time to eat it. 
A: That's not my dinner, Mommy. That's a cake! I can't eat it yet. It's not done baking in the oven.

M: Abby, why are you opening the fridge and trying to climb in?
A: That's not the fridge, Mommy. That's my rocketship and I'm flying to "Flordida" to see Nagymama.

M: Abby, why are all of your crayons dumped out and the papers ripped off of each one?
A: Those aren't my crayons, Mommy. This is the color factory and I am making you new colors.

M: Abby, why do I hear you opening the kitchen cabinets?
A: They aren't cabinets, Mommy! They are cars. I'm driving to my friend's house. 

Pumpkins

The leaves are falling. The air is crisp and the spring flowers in front of our house died in the first frost of the season. Fall is offcially here and without all the flowers out front our lonely mum was in desperate need of some pumpkins! This weekend, we made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. We spent the perfect fall morning with friends, walking through tons of pumpkins, posing for funny pictures and  riding the train.

Our family! October 2012

Abby and Maddie

Mommy and Ella

riding the train

This sea of orange makes me smile.

Abby and Malachi

cute girls

Abby and Makena

friends. I love these girls.

The top picture is of the girls last year while apple picking. Look how much they've grown!

Stay tuned for our carving creations next week!

A Day at the Zoo

A couple of weekends ago, we took our girls to the zoo. Rob (or as Abby so lovingly refers to him "Bob"), Kelly and Asher met us there. Despite the long drive, the struggle to get out the door that morning and the threat of rain, we did it and we are glad we did! It was a refreshing trip with good friends and we were even home in time for dinner. Abby loved roaming around the zoo and checking out all the animals. She has been asking to go for months. Since she doesn't remember her trip to the Denver Zoo last summer, we wanted to take her  before fall was over. Ella enjoyed herself too...she just slept the whole time!

little buddies checking out the animals

kind of crazy to think they are only separated by some really thick glass...

excited to see the penguins

"Look, Mommy! It's Happy Feet!"

classic.

Joe just couldn't pass the tiger without stopping for to pose. :)

good friends.

Abby even got to meet Mr. Penguin after lunch.