To a Special Friend

Happy First Birtday Haley Faith!!!!

We love you!

Eye Opening

I hate change. I know that it is inevitable that things will change. I know that change shows progress and growth. But none of this changes that fact that I hate change. In the end, I do pretty well in adapting and accepting change but if I had it my way very little would ever change in my world.

Tonight I realized just how much I hate change...My trusty old Tevas are just that...OLD!!! My blue pair I bought in college and my pink pair joined me shortly there after. I have lived in them summer after summer after summer. They are quick to put on, easy to clean when dirty, do well in water, never blister (I could go miles in them w/o any issues) and well, we have history. Problem is I wore them while pregnant, large and in charge pregnant, and they have not forgot those days. So now that I'm 50 lbs lighter my feet are not so happy in them and I fear it is time for a new pair.

I've been shopping for a new pair for a few years now but just haven't found a pattern that I like. And as you can tell, you have to love the pattern b/c it is a long term commitment when it comes to a pair of Tevas. But with a pending trip to Cedar Point I had to make a purchase. So off to the store I went. I picked up a cute pair of size 8 and gave the a quick try. "Hummmm, my feet must have truly grown/flattened out while preggers b/c the 8 is almost too short! Crazy" I thought. But I purchase them anyway and head home.

With Abby in bed I decided to get to know my new friends so I slipped them on for a quick stroll through the house. "Weird" I thought, "the strap doesn't seem to be in the right place and these must might be too small...and I think they are way harder than before." I dismiss these thoughts b/c, well, the last time I purchased a new pair was before Michael was around...years ago.... So off to the closet I went to grab one of my trusty old friends....

Sure enough, not event Tevas stay the same!!!!!!!!!! After a sole to sole comparison I have found that:
1) new Tevas are about 1/3" skinner than the old
2) new Tevas are about 1/3" shorter than the old
3) the outside strap on the new Tevas is about 1/2' closer to the leg than the old
4) the new Tevas are harder than the old



UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I hate change and I'm just starting to understand how much I hate it. Kind of ridiculous that the change in a pair of flip flops left me feeling this way...

Growing before my eyes

She may not be growing much as far as height goes but in the category of ability she is running one he'll of a race!

Abby is now sleeping in a "big girl bed". I just wish we could get her to sleep through the night...

We do have to celebrate the fact that she wakes frequently with a dry diaper (today was the 3rd mooring in a row...) and that she put on her own pants for the first time today. Abby has also been sitting "naky butt" on the potty lately And gets upset when she has a poopy diaper. Humm, this all sounds like potty training doesn't it? Think we might start that soon...

In the last two weeks or so I've noticed that her communication skills are growing too. We are up to four word sentences now. Today's example "I no like it" to her lunch option or "Mamma you stop it". I laughed today when she said "König" instead of "kitty" today--she has said Snuggles 100 times but never König :)

and in the world of teeth we now have the top front four and two molars and for the bottom two molars two front middle plus two more (one just cut threw today on the left side. I wouldn't doubt if she is getting a few more because she is still chewing on her hand, or anything else she can get, and more on the cranky side than usual.

Well that is about it for now, have a good day!

Not the Only Stubborn One

I am writing this from the darkened room of a stubborn 22 month, minus one day, old daughter who just cried/screamed in her crib for 40+minutes before deciding that she wanted (and could) climb out of her crib!

The story goes like this: I decided that we were going to start the fight of Abby putting herself to sleep when Mommy puts to bed at night this evening. So after a half hour of reading books in Abby's room I put her in her crib for one last story... Needless to say she was NOT happy about that. The story ended and Mommy left...she was NOT happy about that. I let her cry for a little and out went the paci (all 4 of them), the pillow, the blanket, Peanut and Ellie...she was NOT happy about that. In I went to return them to their rightful place, told her that we the last time I was coming in tonight and that if she threw stuff out again it was all gone for the night-that she understood. And out Mommy went...she was NOT happy about that.

And with the monitor in tow to the basement I went for cat duty. Abby was upset and crying pretty hard but Mommy had to stay strong.

After a few minutes she started to settle down and the crying stopped. This is always when I wish I would have registered for the video monitor but I told my self not to worry because she was simply falling asleep...WRONG!! As I come up the stairs from the basement the crying starts again but this time it sounds like she is in the hall upstairs--"just not possible" I think to myself. Then, I hear the gate rattle and I instantly think "who's upstairs?!" but it hits me when I hear the crying...Abby is out of her crib!!!!! Panic sets in "oh @!&! she is crying because she is hurt!!!" "she broke her arm/leg/finger!!!" "I'm such a horrible mom, how did I let this happen??"

I finally reach the top of the stairs and the crying stops as she meets my gaze. She is fine. I scoop her up and want to hug her and scold her all at the same time. I decide that she needs to know that it is not ok to climb out of the crib so scolding won (have I ever said how hard it it to do the right thing sometimes?). In to time out she went and the "no no" conversation began. A quick hug followed then back to bed she went. I had to stay in the room for fear of her climbing out again.

So, I guess we will really be changing the crib into a bed this weekend!!!

Overdue updates

Well excuses are like noses...everyone has one and some are better than others! I wish I had q good one, but truth be told---- I don't.

Here is what we were up to in April and May:

Abby is an early riser and mommy is not, so there are many mornings where she plays in our room as I finish getting ready. She had developed a love of dress up which ends up looking like this:


My favorite part of this pic is that my sunglass case is a regular purse for my little Peanut!


She is talking up a storm now and isn't afraid to let you know what she wants.

We recently came upon a new friend who loves to visit each morning...Abby likes him for the most part but some mornings are better than others.

Sam, that's what Abby and MJ decided to name the bird, comes around at about 7, knocks for twenty minutes or so then takes a half hour break and then starts over again. This pattern continues ALL DAY LONG!!! We are hoping that once the leaves come in his marathon visits will stop. I'll keep you posted on that...

Easter is coming, Easter is coming!!! Mommy didn't get the notice that holidays are celebrated at daycare by bringing treats until Abby came home with Valentin goodies from friends so we made up for the oversight by sending bubbles and stickers to our friends for Easter. Abby was a big help:

Silly time found us while shopping at Babies R' Us:






Don't we look cute?


Easter weekend brought us another cold, Easter treats and an egg hunt:

Abby loved opening her found treasures!





A cold and rainy spring left us housebound more often than we liked, but Sri Webster quickly became the entertainment we needed!

Desperate for new things to do, even the simple things became toys. Example--Box full of fun:

Mother's Day was yet another perfect day with my family!! From sleeping until 11 to gifts in bed, I couldn't have asked for a better morning--then a nice stroll and some yummy cake!!





Abby and MJ sure know how to spoil Mommy!

The warm weather finally arrived and with that we had a return of the piggies:


It is amazing to see just how much her hair has grown in a few short months

(I'll add a pic when I get home of her piggies last fall)

Well that brings you up to speed and I PROMISE to be better about posting