Peeps

Abby, what do you see?It's a Peep.... you've never had marshmallow. I wonder if you'll like it. Daddy loves marshmallows! You need a second look? I know, it looks like a little chick and not a marshmallow. So, what do you think?
Yea, not so much. Daddy can eat my Peeps!

Happy 15 Months Baby Girl

I feel like we've had an explosion of development in the last few months. I hope I can capture it all here! Abby cracks us up- she is just plain funny. She loves to make us laugh and then claps for herself! She seeks out your attention and adoration. We love to give it to her! Her new sound is to imitate Jabba the Hut. Daddy worked on that one! It sounds a lot like Santa's belly laugh to non-Star Wars peeps. She can do "the wheels on the bus" and patty cake on comand! And, when this little piggy goes to market, the giggles ensue.

Pardon the "mess" that she is in these pictures. I cut her bangs and they REALLY shrunk when they dried. She refuses a bow most days so they just look really short! And, she enjoyed playing with her markers during art a little too much. She has blue marker on her eye, ear, neck, cheek and hands! Let's talk about words and signs. Verbally, Abby seems to imitate every sound we make. She may not have the letters down, but she adjusts the tone and pitch really well. Words she can say (that we understand) include: hi, no, momma, daddy, nana, banana, cracker, more, milk, ball, baby, thank you, please, daisy (like upsy daisy when I pick her up) and bye bye. She can sign: eat, drink, water, milk, ball, yes, no, please, thank you, book, hat, and cracker. She is signing cracker below. She is also learning body parts and can ID her: head, nose, ears, tongue, teeth and belly. She is very routine- plays with the same toys in her room and bathtub in the same order each time. She goes through her full routine each time.

She is still sleeping like a champion- 11.5 hours per night. She goes to bed at 7 PM and gets up between 6:30 and 7 AM. She takes a short nap (60-75 minutes) at school and often plays in the baby room while the other kids continue napping!

We are so close to walking, but just aren't there yet. In the past few days, she has stood on her own and will "fall" into our arms. That is huge progress from just collapsing on her jelly legs. While waiting on the pediatrician, we walked around the lobby in her squeakies shoes and she had a blast!

Eating varies from day to day. But generally, Abby is a good eater. She is a healthy weight, so we aren't concerned. Here are some of her favorites: carrots, corn, nilla wafers, cheese, yogurt, mandarin oranges, and Ritz crackers. Abby has 16 teeth and can do really well with crunchy foods!

We are still milk and water only. She does so well with both of them that we haven't tried juice.

From the numbers perspective:

Weight- 24.5 pounds (70%)

Height- 31 cm (60%)

Head- 95%

Everything looks as it should- she is growing on track and we couldn't be more grateful.

Birthday Eve

We celebrated my 34th birthday today and Marcus did a wonderful job making it special!

He told me to sleep in this morning and he had a special breakfast for me. Look at these- he recreated the yummy spa breakfast we had in Hawaii in October 2008. He bought bagels and schmear from Einstein Brothers that morning, but had hidden in the kitchen the honey, granola, bananas and the macadamia nuts. They were so filling and a great replica.

After breakfast, we went to church where Marcus had everyone sing to me. Embarrassing, but very sweet. We had a nice afternoon at home including a wagon ride around the neighborhood. I then ran downtown to try out a new hairdresser since mine is on maternity leave. Veronica did a fantastic job!

Mom joined us at the house and Marcus and I snuck out shortly before Abby went to bed for birthday dinner at The Oasis. The last time I ate at The Oasis was about 10 years ago at our first dinner when we decided to move to Austin. Growing up here, it was a special place and I wanted him to love Austin. That place has grown so much. The weather and sunset was perfect!

I didn't open my birthday present- it is lost in the mail- ha! Just kidding, I know what it is and can't wait to get it tomorrow. I'll be sure to post a picture!

Zilker Park Fun

I grew up going to Zilker Park and before Abby we have taken Kyleigh and Cohen. I've always loved the playgrounds, the atmosphere, the nearby water, and the train, the Zilker Zephyr. It was such a pretty day on Saturday, that we took Abby for her first Zilker Park fun! These pictures tell it all- she smiled as she swung, lit up when the breeze from the train ride touched her face, and said "mare" when Marcus went down the slide with her. It was so much fun to experience it with her. We have some fun times ahead!

Friday Night Small Group

Friday night we were brave and tried out another small group at church. We were brave because we left the house with Abby after her bedtime into a situation where she needed to be still and quiet.... does this face look like she can be still and quiet?

We met at the Hatley's house and while waiting for others to arrive, Abby had a BLAST playing with Maggie, their Westie. She loved that dog and was so excited she let Abby pet her, unlike our cat! Abby also let Maggie lick her face.... I guess we hadn't cleaned it well because Maggie licked Abby's face all night long. It was funny to Abby and then she got a little cranky about it! Overall, Abby did well and crashed before we left their neighborhood! She also slept past 7:30 this morning. Sweet! We hope to meet with our small group regularly and hope Abby continues to do well.

Rudy's Lighting

Some Sunday morning before church, we eat breakfast at Rudy's BBQ. I am always amazed at how pretty Abby's eyes look in the morning sunlight on their covered patio. With her sweet purple dress on from Aunt Tiffany, her eyes looked amazing this past Sunday.

Somebody Loves...

ketchup!

She takes after her Daddy on this one. We let Abby dip her chicken into ketchup and she ate a lot of ketchup and not much chicken!

Sorry Granpa, it's another messy food face picture!

Boys Boys Boys

Seriously Abby, you just met the boy! No car dates just yet! Abby Lu loves boys. She cracks us up. We've had to postiion her in restaurants to not face a boy in the hopes that she'll eat. If not, she stares, waves, smiles and blows kisses. She doesn't do it with little girls. How does she know?

This little boy jumped in the car with her at the mall playground and then proceeded to show off his manly skills (driving the car) for her. She just smiled in adoration until Daddy promptly removed her from the car! :)

Family Birthday Celebration

Sunday afternoon we visited my Dad and Jacque for an early birthday/bon voyage summer trip celebration. Dad and Jacque volunteer for the National Parks and Wildlife programs in the summer and leave soon. They'll return in August. They get to miss the Texas summers and the northern winters and explore the county in their RV. This summer they will be in Idaho and Colorado.

Abby was having fun with my Dad trying to show him all the ways their house is not kid proof. She wanted his drink, pens, remote controls and to crawl between the chair and small end table over and over again! We celebrated my sister, Tiffany, and my birthdays. We are both born on the same day, 4 years apart. She is celebrating the big 3-0 next week. I'll be 26- ha! Kyleigh had great fun carrying Abby around like a doll. Abby was sometimes a willing participant.
Cohen had fun playing with Abby's toys. He'd build up her blocks and she'd come over and knock them down! He'd build them up again!

Along with a lovely James Avery charm and new spring necklaces, I received a new Jimmie Johnson NASCAR t-shirt. Boogity, it's time to go racing, boys!

Abby Loves Fruit Crisps

Marcus and I died laughing at Abby the other night- I pulled out the camera and she immediately showed me her teeth and gave me a big ol' grin. Taking her picture 20 times per day has its advantages. Now, if only she will do that when a real photographer comes her way! I gave Abby a Mixed Berry fruit crisp for dessert after her dinner and she loved it! She eats TLC fruit and grain bars with her breakfast, so I had a feeling she would like these too. They are the perfect size to feed herself.
I highly recommend these for kids or yourself! I'ved seen them at Target, HEB Plus and Randalls. They are like 2 sweet crackers (crispy) with fruit smeared in the middle. Plus, 2 of the bars are only 100 calories! They come in Mixed Berry and Cinnamon Apple. Both are great!

While eating her crisps, I also got a picture of Abby's new jellies. Don't these take you back to junior high? Abby loves them! I thought she would have to nap with them the first time she wore them. She would just look at her feet and smile. They are from Trumpette Too and sold in the baby section at Target. They are still size 6-12 months and she has room to grow into them! At just $12, I bought them in pink and green! They also have purple, orange and clear.

Family Date Night

We don't eat out much at night with Abby, but decided to go out for Chinese food last night and cross our fingers Abby could handle it! We arrived at Mama Fu's at 6 PM and they were out of highchairs. Nothing like those words to put two parents in scramble mood! So, we held Abby in the booth until another table noticed and had their daughter move into a booster seat. She was probably 3 and did fine.

While waiting on a high chair and our food we played Abby's current favorite game. You hide her ball with a bowl or cup and she'll bend her arms, put her palms up and shake her head side to side. We got into the habit of doing that while asking her where her ball was and it stuck. So very cute! Abby enjoyed her first Chinese food dinner. She ate some honey glazed chicken, fried rice, edamame, snap peas, and carrots. It took her a few minutes to warm up to it, but then she did great!

This was her very first fortune. Fitting for an adventurous little girl.

After dinner, we still had a happy baby so we went for frozen yogurt. I love all the build-your-own yogurt shops around town. Abby shared my vanilla and Marcus' chocolate and cheesecake mix. She loves yogurt but will immediately spit it out with there are toppings inside. Strange!

Latest Fashion

I love Spring time! The colors, the clothes, the accessories are fun and now that Abby is not a newborn, she can partake!

Marcus and I were recently discussing Abby needed a sunhat for the summer.We both went to Gymboree on the same day and bought her hats- ha! We ended up keeping this one (his) since mine was the same size, but too small. The 4T/5T hat he picked out ended up fitting! Thank goodness- I was scared to know what size comes next!

The glasses were a gift to me before she was born and I think she finally gets it. Last time we wore them to the park and she wore them the entire time. She'll wear them in the car on ocassion as well. And, Abby got her first pair of capri pants for Spring. I bought these at Kohls on clearance last year. I would wear capri pants all the time if I could. Abby loved hers too!

Flip flops are next, but those'll have to wait until next year. I can't have her learning to walk in flip flops!

A Doll

Picture People came out to Abby's school last week and did their photos. I love this one- we ordered a couple of it. She looks like a doll who is up to something. A perfect description of my child!

Daddy Makes Me Crazy!

At school Abby washes her hands after meals and diaper changes. We are trying to do that more often instead of wiping her hands with wipes for her. The problem is that she loves the water and gets it everywhere! Sometimes we just give in and let her have fun with it. We, most often, means Marcus. After dinner the other night (Marcus had just come home from the gym) he let Abby play in the bathroom sink. Beyond water on her hands and feet, she watched Daddy use it on her head!And, then the fun began. She is looking at Daddy asking for more water, more mohawks, and more laughs! Here is the finished product- oh so pretty!
They are a silly silly pair!

She's a Sham Rocker

Our precious, spunky, funny, sweet SHAM ROCKER on St. Patrick's Day 2010. Here she is just one year ago- amazing!

It is Rodeo Time!

Marcus and I usually attend the rodeo each year. One year we went 4 times. Last year we didn't go. This year, we had tickets for Gary Allan. He is one of our favorites and we've seen him 3 or 4 times at the rodeo. I was happy to pull out my brown boots for the ocassion. They are boot mules which I love- slip ons that look like boots! Watching rodeo fashion is a big part of the fun! Before the rodeo, we stopped at Bob & Mike's Chicken in Arbor Walk for dinner. Their chicken is juicy, onion rings are handmade goodness and sweet tea with lime juice and sugar is to die for! So so good!
Luckily, we saved room for fair food- funnel cake! It looks green in the arena lighting- ha!

We arrived just in time for "mutton busting". For you non-rodeo people, this is where young children (ages 4-7) ride a sheep and are scored. It is hilarious! These kids hold on for dear life and get so animated when they win or fall off. Their Mommas are standing in the arena on the outside to celebrate with them after their ride. The little girl almost won it! We had fun discussing if we'd let Abby ride a mutton one day. We had great seats- 4th row just above the bull pens. They came with all the smells you'd expect from a rodeo on a wet night after a warm day.

Gary Allen took the stage a little after 9 and sang some new hits and a few of our favorites. If you don't know much about him, he is a little country and a little rock and roll with a lot of drum and guitar notes. He sings of heartache which is my favorite musical theme. His wife committed suicide a few years ago and many of his songs are about the loss, and life and love afterward.

As always, he left the stage and did a round in the back of a new Dodge Ram!

See you next year Gary!

Weekend with Nana and Grammy

Our family had a long, but wonderful weekend. Both my Mom and Marcus' Mom spent the weekend with us. Both arrived on Friday after work. Grammy met us at the park and got to see how happy being outdoors and especially on the swings and slides makes Abby. She just kicks with excitement. We hadn't been to the park in a few months and Abby is so much more proficient at swinging. She did a great job using her body to move the swing.We had dinner at home on Friday night and played chicken foot. It was a close game until the very end when Nana beat us all on a daring move.

Saturday we beat the crowd and "opened" Hula Hut for lunch. We sat outside on the covered patio over the water. Abby loved the birds, breeze, and boys sitting near us! We also let her color on her menu. A few bites on the crayons, but overall, she is doing better with them.Saturday afternoon we watched "Up" and grilled steaks for dinner. Abby played around and entertained us all. She is learning to keep her sunglasses on and discovered Grammy's cane. After a wonderful breakfast at Moody's in Leander (pancakes taste like doughnuts, people!) we said goodbye to Grammy. Marcus did yard work for hours and my Mom and I made Abby some spring onesies and a dress. So cute- thank you etsy for the inspiration!

Nana is staying through tomorrow so that Marcus and I can see Gary Allen tonight at the rodeo. Yee Haw!

Eat More ChiKiN

I gave Abby a toy cow from my exhibit hall this weekend and she proceeded to eat him up! The Chick-fil-A cows would be very upset with her!She did this while driving, but luckily at a red light I saw her and asked her to give it to me and I got a slobby mess of cow face. Ahh how I prayed for this :)