Abby: Week 15 Our First Fair!

Week 15

As I mentioned in week 14, Abby had a stomach bug and it continued into the beginning of this week.  Luckily by Wednesday she was feeling much better and back to her old self again.  :)  

Abby is beginning to really reach out for things now.  She concentrates on her toys or a blanket and reaches out to grab it and then likes to put it in her mouth.  (I still think she is teething....)  It's great to watch her learn hand-eye coordination.  She has also become much better at reaching out for the toys attached to her piano play mat and her learning chair.  You can see the concentration on her face as she is looking at her toys.  I think that is one of the most amazing things about babies/children.  I love watching them learn things for the first time.  We take for granted everyday the ability of grab something with our hands.  Babies are trying to figure it out and seeing them go through that is amazing.  To witness them learn something, see something or understand something for the first time is awesome.

Concentrating on grabbing her ball

Grabbing for Mr. Turtle

Chewing on Spike...oh yeah, this is Spike!

We didn't do a whole lot this week, but we did get to a fair this weekend!!  It was our first fair.  Mommy was pretty excited because she's been hearing about all the fairs back home in Maine and missing them.  There are so many things that Mommy has been finding that she misses from back home mostly because she always imagined her kids growing up doing the same things she did.  Going to the Cumberland and Fryeburg fairs, going apple picking in October, or even going to the beach in the summer.  These are things Abby won't be able to do in Maine every year and it's kind of a hard pill to swallow.  Mommy and Daddy wish Maine was more affordable.  Now that we have Abby we would move back if it was, but for now we are doing really well in our new home of Georgia.  We'll just have to find all the wonderful things this state has to offer and start new traditions down here.  :)  You make the best of what you have!  (and we can always go back to Maine to visit)  So let's start it off with a Georgia Fair!!

We had lots of fun at the fair.  First thing we saw were cloggers!!  Mommy was really excited because it brought her back to the days when she use to clog with her Mom and Grandmother.  These cloggers were really good too.  They even had a teen competition team and a group that performed in Disney (both of which Mommy did when she was younger).

Abby and Mommy got an up close and personal look at the animals in the petting area.

 Riding in style at the fair...oh yeah, Miss Monkey came too!

 Pictures in front of the tractor :)

Picture with Daddy :)

We got Abby her first puzzle!!  It's handmade. 

We had a pretty good time at the fair as a family.  It was a beautiful day for it.  We are going to keep an eye out for more events like that we can go to as a family.  Now that Abby is getting a little older it's not so scary to take her out and about.  She travels so well and loves to be outside so it makes it easy. Now that Fall is here we are hoping to find more outdoor activities we can do as a family.  Next weekend we have family photos!!  Yay!  

Abby: Week 14

Week 14

 Second week at school and we did pretty good.  Well, except for one thing....Abby's first stomach bug.  Boooo :(  Poor little girl caught her first of many bugs from school.  I'm actually surprised it took this long.  Thursday she was up at 5:20 am puking and continued to puke all morning long.  Mommy called out of work to stay with Abby, which was a good thing since she couldn't keep anything down.  We ended up heading to the doctor's office that afternoon.  She was ok.  Just wanted to make sure she wasn't getting dehydrated.  Dr. said she was not dehydrated and told us to feed her very small amounts at a time to trick her stomach into letting her keep her milk down.  Luckily it worked, but she wasn't too happy about only being able to eat 1/2 ounce to an ounce at a time.  We ended up having to stay home Friday too.  She did much better over the weekend and even made it through the day at school on Monday, but come Tuesday morning she was sick again.  Daddy stayed home with her on Tuesday.  By Wednesday she had finally kicked the bug.  Mommy had her first experience with feeling helpless.  I wanted more than anything to make her feel better, but I couldn't.  Found out that really sucks....not being able to make your kid feel better.  I know that holding, rocking, kissing and loving her makes her feel a little better, but I wanted to make her stomach completely better so that she could eat like normal, but I couldn't.  I know there will be many more times that I can't make things ALL better, but I'll do my best to make it a little better.

We did learn on Thursday that Abby now weights 13.5 lbs.  She is gaining about a pound a month.  Not sure how that stacks up, but I'm sure we'll get the update at her 4 month check up next month.  Abby is also drooling like crazy!!!  I know that is usually a sign of teething, but I feel like it's way too early for that.  Who knows, little girl has done everything else early...why not teething too.  :)  

She is also learning that she would rather be sitting up than laying down.  She is really enjoying sitting upright.  She needs to get a little more strength to fully sit up on her own, but she's on her way there.  Daddy and Mommy are helping her to feel what it is like to roll over.  We haven't seen any signs yet that she really wants to roll over, but I'm sure that will come with time.

Her favorite toys are still Ms. Monkey (of course) 

and her learning chair.  

We have a new addition to the family too.  Spike is her new rattle friend.  He's a yellow giraffe.  Abby loves him.  Not sure if it's because he's something new to look at or if she just really likes giraffes, but either way it makes her happy and a Happy Abby makes for a Happy Mommy!  Abby did play with a new toy this week, her saucer!  She didn't know exactly what to think about it, but she seemed happy.  Once she gets a little bit more strength I'm sure she'll love it.  She did get all excited, bounce around and was looking at all the different parts to it.  

 One other thing we did this week was bring out Mommy's old baby blanket.  Nana made it for Mommy when she was Abby's age and somehow it's made it through 32 years and is still in great shape!  Abby got wrapped up in it so we could show Nana.  It's silly, but nostalgia kicks in and it's pretty cool to see your daughter wrapped up in the blanket you loved and grew up with.  :)  I'm sure Abby will find her own favorite blanket as she grows up.

Daddy is a genius BTW!!  We've had her highchair in the kitchen just waiting for when she starts eating solid foods or when she can hold her own bottle,

yeah...that happened.  

Took us by surprise too!  

I think it was a fluke though, hands were in the right place at the right time.

 but never thought to use it before then.  Well, Daddy just randomly decided one day to put her in it in the kitchen with us while we made dinner.  Most of the time Abby just wants to be in the same room as us so making dinner together wasn't always possible, but then Daddy went and got all smart on us!  She loved being in her highchair.  It allowed her to play, see us and for us to get dinner made.  It worked out great so now we do that often.  You're so smart Daddy!

GO PATS!!!!!

well....her intentions were good...She's dreaming about a big win, I'm sure. :)

Story time with Daddy

Daddy feeds me too!

Looking cute in my new outfits...

Abby: Week 13 We are officially on our own...

Week 13

So this is it!  We are officially on our own, just the three of us.  It's been non stop visitors since Abby was born almost three months ago.  As wonderful as it's been to have all the family here there was a part of us
looking forward to having the house to ourselves and figuring out our new "normal" life routine.  No help anymore...just us.  It's a little nerve racking, but we did pretty good.

First thing that comes to mind is dropping off and picking up Abby from school.  Monday morning rolled around and Mommy had to drop her off.  Mommy almost made it back to her truck before crying.  I cried most of the morning.  She did great through.  There was nothing to worry about.  It wasn't so much I was worried about her, I just missed her.  I managed to spend most of the day thinking how I could work closer to Abby or work from home.  I still haven't successfully come up with anything.  Daddy gets the fun part of picking her up.  Most days they are home by the time Mommy gets there.   Tuesday rolled around and again, Mommy cried, but this time she made it halfway to work before tearing up.  By Wednesday Mommy could make it the whole day without crying.  I still couldn't focus on anything, but the eyes stayed dry.  By Friday I was back to getting work done.  

Abby's school called Mommy to ask if Mommy could start packing a little more food.  Seems like the little one is going through another growth spurt!!  Abby has started drinking 3 - 3 1/2 oz at a time instead of 2 1/2 oz.  By eating a little bit more she is also eating less often.  She is a little miss piggy, but I guess that is fine. She is such an active little girl that it makes sense she is hungry.  Growing little girl needs her energy.

It's much harder to get pictures taken throughout the week when you are only really home for 4 awake hours a day and the weekend.  None the less we managed to snap a few.  We got a bunch from the weekend.  We had a great weekend just hanging out.  Abby spent some quality time with Mommy outside Saturday morning.  The weather is starting to feel like Fall.  It's been really nice this weekend.  The nights are dropping down to the high 60's so the mornings are still nice and cool with a light breeze.  Perfect for sitting outside. 

On Sunday Mommy and Daddy took Abby to Once Upon  a Child.  Yup, you guessed it....a consignment shop!!  Mommy wanted to get Abby some new outfits for school.  The AC is on at school and Mommy is worried Abby will be too cold in a short sleeved onesie or other summer outfit.  I don't want her to overheat, but we figured if we got her lightweight leggings she'll be fine.  Mommy hopes I'm not over reacting.  I think I saw one of the other little babies with pants on the other day when she dropped Abby off so that made me feel a little better. 

Abby ready for school...well, dressed...not really ready. She would have been happy to stay in bed. Mommy would have too.

Overall the week has been pretty good.  Abby does great at school and we are finally starting to get into a routine as a family.  The week is packed full of a structured routine when we get home and the weekends are a good balance between chores and family play time.  It's really important to Daddy and Mommy that we continue to get in quality time with Abby each weekend.  We don't want to get too caught up with chores or running errands that we don't get to spend time with Abby.  She is growing up so fast that we don't want to miss things.  We also feel it's important to interact with her and help teach her things.  

Next week will probably be more of the same.  Getting used to our new "normal" life and finding what routine works best for us.  

 Mommy and Abby playing outside with her blanket

 Peek-a-boo!!!

 Beautiful morning, but still sunny enough for my hat

OK, so it's a little big, but it does the trick!

Miss Monkey came out to play too!

Sucking my thumb

 Sitting with Mommy <3

Three Months Time

Having a child makes you truly aware of time.  Time does not stop, it does not slow down, it keeps moving.  Most of the time faster than you want it to.  Everyday is new.  You will never relive yesterday.  Children grow.  They grow fast.  It's their rapid growth that makes you so aware of time unlike ever before.  Perhaps we have this heightened awareness of time because we suddenly want to freeze these moments and keep them forever. I wish I could take Abby's laughter and smiles and put them in a glass jar to keep, unaffected by time.  My life has a greater purpose now, to be her mother.  Each day I will do my best to make sure her life is all it can be.  So we will enjoy time, no matter how fast or slow it goes by for that is what I cherish most.  Time with Abby.

Happy 3 months little girl!  Mommy loves you!