May's Random Ramblings

• We had the unfortunate experience of seeing someone needing lifeguard attention during a recent trip to the beach. As far as we could tell he was going to be fine. Abby talked about it for days and kept asking about their "rescue packs" just like Diego has!
• We were talking about our very fast approaching move and talking about the packers/movers coming to our house. Abby overheard Andrew and I talking and asked when The Imagination Movers would be coming to our house to help us move. (Imagination Movers is a show on Playhouse Disney).
• We were getting ready to go to the beach for the day and Abby was talking about how she and Andrew were going to be making sand castles. I asked her what I could do and she said, "be lazy".
• With all the last minute cleaning I was doing while our house was on the market, Abby has been helping a lot. One day I was sweeping the floors when she so lovingly pointed out that I should clean under the rug because that is where all the dirt is!
• Abby was throwing pennies into the fountain outside of the mall and making wishes. Her first wish was that "Miss Sam's babies will be healthy", her second wish was "that people would not put trash on the ground but only in the garbage." and her third wish was to have Nolan come home so they could play together.
  

Sitting up and other amazing baby feats!

Of course I am behind on posting, big surprise there.  Anyway, Olivia has been sitting up on her own for a while now.  She started really sitting up on her own just after she turned 6 months. She will sit on her blankie on the floor and play with her toys for a long time, she is much more self-entertained than Abby ever was.  I don't know if this is due to the fact that she has to be since Im not able to give her as much one on one time or due to her personality...most likely a combination of the two!  She is also able to find her paci in the crib (I put it in the corner when she goes to sleep) and pop it in her mouth all by herself.  Its so cute to walk into her room in the morning and see her sucking away on her paci like Maggie Simpson with a big smile on her face! She has learned to cluck, and is very proud of the sound she can make.  She is also really discovering her voice just in time for our plane ride to Colorado next week.  She will just yell at the top of her lungs just to hear herself, she thinks its funny...the people lucky enough to sit next to us on the airplane, probably not so much!


 I don't think she is too close to crawling, mostly due to the fact that she does not really like to be on her tummy.  I try to put her on her belly for a while but after a few minutes she rolls over onto her back or just screams till I sit her back up.  She is able to lift her little bum in the air and scoot a little bit if there is something she REALLY wants to get to and its usually something she shouldn't have.  A favorite of hers right now is paper, it tastes so good.  I am in no hurry for her to crawl, I think its nice that she stays put.  When she becomes mobile I will really have to be on my toes, especially with all the little toys that Abby has lying around.  I may have to invest in one of those gigantic baby gates, or as I like to call them, baby jails!

Olivia has also been trying a few "solids" here and there.  She really like nawing on a cucumber under strict supervision of course.  The biter biscuits or "zweedlebutt" as Andrew and I call it, isn't the biggest hit.  I keep giving it to her hoping she will start to like it because that was the only way Andrew and I were able to go out to dinner with Abby for a while because it kept her entertained for so long.  I have tried giving her puffs a few times too (again one of Abby's favorites, in fact she still eats them) but Olivia isn't a hug fan.  She mostly just plays with them.

Tyler Matthew

Abigail and Olivia would like to welcome their first cousin, Tyler Matthew to the world. He was born on Saturday May 9 at 4:40PM. He weighed 7 lbs 3 oz and he was 19.5 inches long. Mom, Dad and baby are doing well and Andrew and I are very excited to be an Aunt and Uncle finally!!

Because I Am Your Mom...

Abigail
Because I am your mom, I have learned that ANYTHING can be a princess, from an acorn to a block to a quarter.
Because I am your mom, I have come up with inventive ways to get your to eat your meals. I am not above singing silly songs (ie. There's a Party in my Tummy), making the spoon an airplane or a train, or "talking" the princess juice boxes.
Because I am your mom, I get to play doll house and Barbies again just like when I was little.
Because I am your mom, I am constantly on the hunt for cute clothes at a good deal.
Because I am your mom, I have the difficult job of explaining why Daddy isn't home when he is away on TDY.
Because I am your mom, I always have a Laurie Berkner song stuck in my head.
Because I am your mom, I always make sure special and flamingo are close by at bedtime.
Because I am your mom, I have had to brave some of the nastiest public bathrooms known to man.
Because I am your mom, I know that 5 minutes after we get to WalMart we will be visiting the bathroom regardless if you had just gone to the bathroom 2 minutes prior.
Because I am your mom, I am the luckiest woman in the world.



Olivia
Because I am your mom, I get to steal moments away to rock you to sleep in the rocking chair.
Because I am your mom, I am constantly putting my hair up in a pony tail to keep it out of your reach.
Because I am your mom, I am always making sure there is a paci nearby.
Because I am your mom, I get to see you smile with your whole face every single day.
Because I am your mom, I know Days of Our Lives is on Soapnet at 3AM and Dr. Phil is on at 4AM.
Because I am your mom, I am the luckiest woman in the world.


Girls
Because I am your mom, I now drive a minivan which I swore I would never do and I actually like it...no, I LOVE it!
Because I am your mom, I am able to see that a relationship between sisters is a bond that can never be broken and that it begins at day 1.
Because I am your mom, I am surrounded by pink.
Because I am your mom, I get to experience the joy of listening to the two of you interact, laugh, squeal, and giggle.
Because I am your mom, I get to say "my girls".
Because I am your mom, I have found a new respect and love for your Father as I watch him the two of you.
Because I am your mom, I continue to work on being a better person because I want to be a positive influence on you.
Because I am your mom, I am working on my relationship with God so that you may have one.
Because I am your mom, I am the luckiest woman in the world!!!

Papi and Grammy Visit

My Dad and Jane came to visit for a few days last week. We had a great visit; the weather was perfect, the boys got in a few rounds of golf, we hit up the beach, goofy golf, and HarborWalk, and had lots of laughs! The girls enjoyed being with their grandparents and I think Grammy and Papi enjoyed spoiling the girls! The only thing that would have made the visit better is if Greta and Duke would have been able to join them....maybe in Arizona!!

Papi and Olivia

Olivia and Grammy

Andrew, Abby and Papi at Goofy Golf....I will add that I won, and that was after the boys had 2 practice rounds at the real course!

Chey, Olivia, Abby, Papi and Grammy

Andrew and my Dad at Harry T's at Harbor Walk with their Harry Steamer Platter
(I know this picture is dark....sorry!)

Abby buried in the sand

Olivia enjoying the shade at the beach....it didn't last long, our umbrella was swept up by the wind and broke not too long after this picture was taken!

Abby relaxing at the beach, drinking a cold juice box on a hot day

Olivia is sleeping under the towel. We took a walk down the beach looking for shells and on the way back I felt her head start to bob up and down. I guess the motion of walking, the sound of the waves, and the salty sea air did her in!

Sam's Baby Shower

A few weeks ago we had a baby shower for Sam and her baby boys. We decided together to do an "non-traditional" family shower in the form of a BBQ. It was a lot of fun to get everyone together to eat, chat, and celebrate the upcoming birth of the twins! I feel honored that I was able to host this shower for such a wonderful family!

I had to go back on my promise of no shower games...We only played one game and it was for the guys, no less! That's right, those are bottles (with beer in them) and the one to finish the quickest was the winner. I heard quite a bit of complaining about how hard it was to actually drink from a bottle :-)

Some of the kiddos (and Bucky) having a picnic
Lily, Ella, Abby, Nolan and Brycen

The Mommy and Daddy opening gifts

The happy family of three....soon to be 5!!!!