Life as We Know It...: 2008

Videos

The 3 of us will be heading out of town tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with both families and since it will be a while until we get back I thought I would post some videos for your enjoyment until I get around to the next post. Some are recent, some are not, but they are ones I have been meaning to post for a while and just haven't...plus they take FOREVER to load. Anyway, hope you enjoy them and hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

love,
A,P&A

Dishes at Grandma and Grandpa's House

Touchdown!

Laundry

Wheel of Fortune

Christmas Quiz

My friend Emily posted this on her blog so I thought I would play along for fun.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I LOVE to wrap gifts and make them look pretty (at least try.) I could never possibly have enough wrapping paper. However this year I am trying to clean up a lot of partial rolls and I haven't bought ANYTHING for wrapping.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial 3 footer. That is all we have room for.

3. Favorite ornament? There is no way I could answer this. There are so many I have from when I was a little kid. I love all of them!

4. Hardest person to buy for? My dad. And this year, Peter has been a little more difficult than usual.

5. Open gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? One on Christmas Eve, the rest on Christmas Day.

6. Favorite holiday dish? My mom's sugar cookies. My mother-in-laws kringla.

7. When/how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember, but I am sure it was a sad day.

8. Favorite childhood holiday memories? Helping my mom decorate the house for Christmas, visiting the live nativity at our church, going through the advent calendar as a family, the Christmas Eve service, driving around looking at Christmas lights with my dad, mom, and brother (we still do this.)

9. Favorite holiday tradition? Going to the Christmas Eve service with family. I like this because it can be done no matter where you are or who you are celebrating with.

10. What do you want for Christmas? UGG boots, but I didn't ask for them because they are way too expensive. I will have to save my pennies...for a long time!

11. Where will you spend Christmas this year? In Clear Lake, Ames, & Des Moines

12. Favorite all-time Christmas gift? My engagement to Peter - He proposed in front of my family and they knew it was going to happen so they all had camera's stuffed in between the seat cushions of the couches so they could be ready when he did it. Yet, the funny things is, I do not have one picture of this occasion....hmmm.

13. Worst/funniest all-time Christmas gift? I really can't think of one - at least not one that wasn't from someone who might be reading this =)

14. Favorite Christmas movie? Gotta go with "Christmas Vacation." It gets funnier every time I see it.

15. Favorite Christmas dinner menu? Ham, homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, etc.

So thankful to be stuck inside!

Last night I knew that we were supposed to get some bad weather but it didn't make it any less difficult to see as I looked out the window this morning. As I watched my neighbors struggle to get their car doors open and scrape the layers of ice from their car windows, I grumbled to myself about what a horrible day it was going to be. I have to admit that I am not a fan of winter weather. I love the look of the snow but I hate the dangerous conditions that the ice and snow create. I didn't have plans to go anywhere today but it is nice to have the option to get out if both Abbie and I are feeling antsy. Anyway, my point being, I woke up with a pretty sour attitude about the weather and being stuck indoors.

But...

I have had the most delightful morning with Abbie. We haven't done much out of the ordinary but I think the Lord is using her to remind me to appreciate the small things. Abbie is such a joy to me and these are the things I have enjoyed about our day...

- Her warm body cuddled against me right when I pulled her out of her crib.

- Her bringing me the nail polish saying, "toes?" (They are now a bright shade of pink!)

- Secretly watching her read to her baby a random book about reptiles and amphibiens. (I'm not sure I even knew we had this book.)

- Her cleaning everything in the living room with a diaper wipe...even all the animal pieces from her puzzle.

- Her getting stuck in her room because she shut the door, and listening to her knock until I come to rescue her. This happens several times a day.

- Getting a good laugh at her choice of a morning snack...mini marshmallows and cheese slices (weird!)

- Watching her create a beautiful drawing and carefully putting all the marker lids back on the markers...then discovering her hands were covered with marker and immediately wanting me to wash them off (she hates having dirty hands.)

- Her telling me the colors of each marker when she was coloring. She doesn't always get them right but she knows a few of them - she actually knows blue, pink and purple but can say most all of the other colors so it is funny to hear her guess.

- Watching her brush her hair while looking at her reflection in the toaster. (The toaster is on a low shelf right at her height and since it is stainless steel it makes a pretty good mirror for her.)

-Watching her sleep.

Below is the final product from her time coloring. She did this all by herself. The only time I helped was to guide her back onto the paper when she was coloring on the coffee table =).

Abigail - I am so thankful for you. You have been the best surprise of my life! You teach me so many things each day and Daddy and I are very proud of what a big girl you are becoming. I can't believe that you are almost 2. The time sure flies by quickly. Thank you for your hugs and kisses and for all the excitement you bring to my life. I thank God for you - my sweet, beatiful, goofy girl. I love you!

love,

Your Mommy

1st Dentist Appointment

First of all, I apologize for not posting in such a long time. Life gets busy and some stuff just has to wait. You will notice however that this is 1 of 3 new posts, in my attempt to catch up on some things before I get WAY behind on my updates.

Abbie had her very first dentist appointment today and it went SO much better than I thought it might. We had talked about it a lot before we went and I had her practice showing me her teeth and saying "ahhh." She loves to brush her teeth but I didn't know how she would feel about having another person (other than mommy) messing with her mouth. We know Dr. Hart from church and he did a GREAT job with Abbie. There was a little TV for her to watch and she did such a good job sitting up in the chair and letting him look in her mouth. She even let him brush her teeth and do a flouride treatment. She didn't care too much for the suction straw but all in all I was very proud of her. She even got a new Snow White toothbrush and a prize from the toy chest. The major downer of it all was that my camera batteries were dead and I don't have any new ones so this momentous occasion will only live on in my head and not in pictures...sad! I only hope Peter behaves just as nicely for his dentist appointment on Thursday...ha ha!

Christmas Sewing Project

I decided to make Abbie an apron for Christmas this year as she has become quite the little helper in the kitchen. I really enjoy sewing but only have a small amount of experience and I have never used a pattern before. So I decided that over Thanksgiving I would work on the apron since I would have my mom nearby for help if needed. I found a pattern that looked simple enough and my mom gave me some good tips and suggestions. It came together pretty easily and I am very pleased with the final product. If any of you would ever like one for your child I would love to make another one so let me know!

Thanksgiving Week

Abbie and I just returned last night after almost an entire week away. I will do my best to briefly fill you in but this could get a little long.

Monday - After work I picked Abbie up from daycare and we headed to Des Moines to see our good friends Jason & Rebekah Neff who recently moved there and had a baby shortly after. We enjoyed catching up with them over dinner and Abbie loved being around sweet baby Ava. After dinner with the Neffs we headed north to Ames to visit Peter's family. We spent the night and following day there and although our time was short it was so nice to see them. (I wasn't too great at getting my camera out while we were away so I don't have any pictures of our time with the Neffs...or alot of other things as you will notice.)

Tuesday - Lucy (Peter's sister) and I did some shopping and after Abbie's 3.5 hour nap (whoa!) that afternoon we headed up to Clear Lake to visit my family. In this picture, Abbie was trying to go to sleep in Lucy's chair. It was pretty cute watching her get all snuggled up in it but I didn't think that would make for the greatest nap so she ended up sleeping in her pack-n-play.

Wednesday - My dad babysat Abbie ALL day while my mom, my sister-in-law, and I went shopping up in Minnesota. We had SO much fun and it was nice to be able to have a whole girls day away. Abbie and Grandpa had a blast too! That evening Abbie helped Grandma make chocolate chip cookies...sortof. She mostly just like picking the chocolate chips out of the batter and eating them.

Thursday - We celebrated Thanksgiving at my parent's house with several family members and Abbie found out that she is going to have 2 new second cousins next summer! The feast was fabulous and for the first time I can remember my grandpa Don did not make the Turkey. He very deservingly took a break and my mom made the Turkey, which was delicious!

Friday - My mom and I caved and decided to do a little Black Friday shopping. We didn't go early in the morning but we found a few good sales so I guess it was worth it. We then met my dad and my parent's friends, Bob and Mickey, for lunch at a yummy authentic Mexican restaraunt and we all enjoyed sharing some sopapillas for dessert (sortof like fried ice cream.) Friday night Abbie helped grandpa with the dishes and then proceeded to reclean some more dishes. She LOVED this and stood on a chair at the sink for about an hour. She was soaked when I finally made her stop but I think I found a new way to keep her entertained at home =).

Saturday - We visited my friend Jenni and her two girls Makenna (3) and Emma (8 months.) Abbie and Makenna helped us make pizza for lunch - Abbie mostly just ate the cheese and pepparoni instead of putting them on the pizza. It was so much fun to catch up with Jenni, and Abbie and Makenna had a great time playing together. Abbie especially loved that they had a kitchen for her to play with! Saturday night we played cards with my brother and his wife, and my grandma and grandpa and we all enjoyed some brownies and ice cream.

Have you noticed a theme of A LOT of unhealthy, yet delicious, eating while we were away???

Sunday - We went to church with my parents and ate at the China Buffet for lunch with my aunt and uncle and grandparents. We then headed home on the snowy roads to see Peter after a whole week away from him. Abbie was sad to leave Grandma and Grandpa (probably not as sad as they were) and she kept saying "Papa" (which is Grandpa) in the car while crying until she finally fell asleep. The drive was a little stressful but we are so thankful we made it home safely with such bad roads and such heavy traffic. It was so nice to see Peter, and Abbie was glad to be with her daddy again.

I think that she began working on her 2 year molars while we were away as she had her fingers in her mouth almost the entire week. She also was spouting out new words left and right and took at least a 3 hour nap each day. I think she is growing too as I have noticed her hands and feet lengthening out. So many changes in such a little body! Even with all that going on Abbie was a very good girl all week and we had a wonderful time together with family and friends.

We also said goodbye to my parent's dog AJ while we were visiting. She is pretty old and has fairly severe arthritis and hasn't been eating well lately. She stays outside and these cold Iowa winters are just too much for a dog in her kind of shape so they are going to have her put down sometime in the next couple of weeks. She has been such a good dog and we will miss her!

Yesterday we were back in the swing of things and now we are already starting to get ready for Christmas. I got the tree up and will finish decorating today. There isn't much to do in such a tiny apartment but it is one of my favorite things to do and I plan on having Abbie help me in hopes that it can be a family tradition for us as it was for me and my mom.

We hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving! We are so thankful for each of you!

Another Family Weekend

My brother Dustin, and his wife Melodee came to visit us this weekend and we had a great time together. They were able to come down on Friday in the early afternoon which was a miracle in itself. To have had a Friday where all 4 of us didn't work was unbelieveable! It actually felt like a long weekend which usually doesn't happen when family comes to visit. Anyway, we didn't do much outside since it was so chilly but we had a fun time playing cards, watching movies and we even made banana splits on Saturday night. Abbie had fun seeing them too and loved waking them up each morning (thankfully she slept in a little before doing so.) Thanks for a great weekend guys...can't wait till we can see you again!

Meat...Part 2

Thank you so much to those of you who have commented on this whether it be food ideas or book suggestions. I plan on taking a look into whatever seems like it might help. I realize that this probably won't last forever; I think I just get frustrated when I work hard at preparing a meal for our family and then Abbie won't eat it. We are trying to teach her to eat what is put in front of her so I usually don't make something different for her but I hate the idea of her going to bed hungry. I also started thinking about other sources of protein that she is getting and I really shouldn't be too worried. She LOVES eggs (especially with salsa), cheese, yougurt and cottage cheese. She also loves chicken nuggets which is weird since she pretty much won't eat any other chicken. Anyway, as you can tell I am probably overthinking the issue but I just wanted to say thank you to those of you have have given suggestions. Being a mom is hard sometimes (ok, a lot of the time) but I am so thankful to have friends that are going through the journey with me. =)

Meat...

My intention with this post is both to vent and to seek advice from anyone who may have some answers.

Abbie won't eat meat. Well, she'll eat some meat but most of it, no matter how fine I chop it up, she spits out. Chicken, ground beef, you name it. Even if I try to hide it, she knows it's there and won't even try it. I am not sure if it is the texture that she doesn't like or if it is just a phase (a long one) that she is going through. She does like hot dogs and lunch meat but I am not sure I would consider those part of the meat category if you know what I mean. Peter and I aren't planning on switching to a vegetarian diet anytime soon so if anyone has any words of wisdom regarding our "meatless" situation we would really appreciate it.

Halloween

We aren't too into Halloween in our family but Abbie did dress up for daycare and for a party with our friends that evening. She didn't love her costume at first but she eventually got used to it. She had a great time at daycare that day too. They had a parade outside, played pin the tail on the donkey, made lots of fun treats and made some cute halloween crafts. She also got to eat more sugar in one day than she usually eats in a month.

Here is a video that gives you a glimpse into Abbie's attitude toward her Halloween costume...enjoy!

Winter Coat Blues

Winter Coat + Car Seat = Pure Misery

It has been cold enough these past few days that I have been dressing Abbie in her winter coat when we go outside. As if wearing the coat wasn't bad enough, when I put her in her carseat her whole world falls apart. I know she will eventually get used to getting stuffed into the carseat with a puffy jacket but for now our drives in the car are not so pleasant. If anyone has any suggestions on how to make the situation less unpleasant please let me know.

Here is a picture of Abbie wearing her winter coat indoors when she actually enjoyed it.

Family Weekend # 3

My parents just headed home to Clear Lake after spending a weekend here with us in Coralville. We didn't do a whole lot so this won't take too long. It is nice to relax with them and just enjoy their company while they are here. We watched game 3 of the World Series (not that Peter and I gave them much choice), we played cards and they of course had a great time with Abbie. Abbie was getting over her cold and I didn't feel too hot this weekend either so we were all sortof lazy. Plus with the cold and WINDY weather it was nice to stay inside. The only pictures that were taken all weekend were on my moms' camera so maybe I will post them later. Now it is going to be hard to gear up for another week but we are looking forward to Halloween on Friday and are trying to think of a good costume for the two of us (Abbie already has one)...any good ideas, let us know.

Thanks Mom and Dad for a fun and relaxing weekend. We needed it!

Bloody Nose

Here is a little bit about how the day has gone in the Chidister household today...

Let me first start by saying that I would normally be at work on a Thursday but because Abbie is still running a slight fever and hardly slept at all last night, I decided to stay home with her today. I think that she is feeling much better but I am glad we decided to give her another day before heading back to daycare. So anyway, I put her down for her nap today around 1:30 and she cried a little when I left the room, which is normal. She usually calms down after about a minute or two and then goes to sleep. Well after hearing her cry for about 10 minutes, with no signs of calming down, I went back into her room to check on her and she was literally COVERED in blood. Blood doesn't bother me but I am pretty sure I panicked for a second. I am not trying to gross anyone out but I have x-rayed trauma patients in the ER that are covered in less blood. Once I decided that Abbie wasn't hurt and that the blood had just been coming out of her nose I ran to get some wet towels to try to clean her up. This wasn't a very good idea as I soon discovered it would have taken me FOREVER to actually get it all cleaned up...clothes, blankets, sheets, dolls, pillow, etc. So I took her out of her crip, layed her on the floor and started a bath. Most of the bleeding had stopped at that point but I still wanted her to lay down just in case it started again. She of course didn't lay down because she is 21 months old and if she is not sleeping, she is moving. So I got her in the bathtub, stripped her entire crib down to the bare bones, remade her bed, finished her bath and started all the bloody stuff in the laundry...ahhh. Thankfully I got her to sleep by 3pm (a little late) but she is sleeping peacefully now and most of the laundry came out without a spot (except her shirt which is soaking.) Now I am off to finish dinner before Peter comes home and get myself around to go see some friends who just had a baby yesterday. What a crazy day...my life is never dull!

Family Weekend #2, Sick Days and Cuddles

(Pictured above: Abbie, Peter, Me, James, Lucy, Ian, Mark & Peggy - all of Peter's family minus Ian's wife Laura who couldn't make it )

Abbie's only Great Great Grandma (Peter's great grandma) passed away last week and we headed to Indiana and back on Saturday with Peter's family for the funeral. It was so good to spend time with family and celebrate Grandmas Heckaman's life here on earth. It was her wish for all of us to share a meal together after the funeral and it was so great to catch up with family that we haven't seen in such a long time. Abbie was a trooper while we traveled. We had to leave at 4 in the morning and didn't get home until 10 at night. She slept off and on in the car and during the funeral but while she was awake she was very pleasant to be around and had fun seeing family too. The only bad part was that she woke up with a fever on Sunday morning and has been sick all week.

We took her into the ER on Sunday (because that is the only place to go on Sunday, not because it was an emergency) because her ears really seemed to be bothering her and we thought that maybe she should get started on some medicine if necessary. The good news was that she didn't have an ear infection, the bad news was that she has a virus that has knocked her out pretty hard. Today she is starting to get back to her normal self - playing more vigorously, eating better, etc. She has been sleeping in until 9 or 10am and taking a 3.5 hour nap each day. I am sad to see her sick but both Peter and I must admit that we LOVE how cuddly she is when she isn't feeling well. She loves to be rocked to sleep and just sit on our laps when she is awake. It is almost like the newborn stage in some ways. I am glad to see her feeling a little better though and hope that she is well enough to go to daycare tomorrow (probably where she caught the bug in the first place.) Yay for building up immunity I guess!

7 Things

My friend Christy tagged me with this little game...so here goes.

Here are the rules:

1) Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog

2) Share 7 facts about yourself, some random, some weird

3) Tag 7 more people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs
4) Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs

Random thing #1:

I hate bats! I really don't even want to talk about it...that is how much they creep me out. I can deal with spiders, mice, snakes, and pretty much any other insect or gross animal...except bats.

Random thing #2:

I LOVE jazz music at Christmas time. I love the whole Christmas season in general but I love hearing Christmas jazz when I am shopping or in a restaurant. It just makes me so happy!

Random thing #3:

When I was pregnant with Abbie the smell of the smoke after a candle had been blown out made me nauseous. To this day that smell still make me almost sick. If I blow out a candle I have to do it quick and then go into another room until the smell goes away. Weird I know.

Random thing #4:

I am fairly claustrophobic. I am not bothered so much by being in an enclosed space as I am by having my head or face being in an enclosed space. For example: Peter shoves the covers over my head sometimes and thinks this is pretty funny. However after about 3 seconds I literally start to panic.

Random thing #5:

I really, really, really want to go to Hawaii. This has been true for quite a while and my goal was for Peter and I to go when I finished x-ray school. Well as you know, we had Abbie during my last semester and so this is one of life's goals yet to be fulfilled. I even have a notebook with things to do on each island and notes of things I really want to do when I get there.

Random thing #6:

Several people have told me my handwriting should be a font. I am not sure I completely agree but I appreciate the compliment. I was once told that I wrote "messily neatly"...if that makes sense.

Random thing #7:

I hate fruit and chocolate mixed together. So yes, that means I hate chocolate covered strawberries. I love chocolate (too much) and I love fruit, but mixed together I really despise both.

All right, so now it is your turn. I've decided to tag:

Brandi

Carolyn

Missy

Abby

Amy

Dollie

Stephanie

Tuesday Play Group

Every Tuesday for about the past month and a half Abbie and I have been part of a Tuesday play group. My friend Missy decided to start this as a free way of getting kids and mommy's together to play, eat, have fun and talk. This has been so much fun for us and both Abbie and I really look forward to it each week. Yesterday the kids had so much fun (the most kids that have been there all at once so far.) Most of these women are friends I have known for a while and I have had the privilege of meeting a few new faces too. I would encourage any new moms, or moms-to-be, to be involved in something like this. I know that I could have definitely used something like this when Abbie was just an infant and was trying to figure out what in the world I was doing =). These women are a great source of encouragement and I love being able to get ideas from them on raising our kids, cooking, creative endeavors, long term goals, etc. Thanks ladies for such a fun time each week!

Family Weekend #1

This past weekend Peter's brother Ian and his wife Laura came to visit. We were so happy to have them with us and the time went by way too quickly. We didn't really have an agenda so it was nice to be able to relax and catch up with them. We got out for a nice walk and had a nice lunch together after church on Sunday before they headed back to Madison. We are expecting Peter's parents this coming weekend and my parents the following weekend and are so thankful to be able to let people come to us to take a break from all the traveling that we had to do earlier this fall.

Thanks Ian and Laura for a great weekend!

Oven Puffed Pancake

Sorry that it has been a while since I have posted something. There isn't a reason for it other than that I have been too lazy to download the pictures off the camera. I will do my best to catch you up on some recent happenings...

As most of you know, I have the privilege of only working part-time so I am able to spend 2 1/2 days home with Abbie each week (plus weekends.) Each week I try to prepare a quick breakfast one morning (oatmeal, cereal, eggs, etc.) and on the other day I like to let Abbie help me make something that takes a little more work. Last week she helped me make an Oven Puffed Pancake. I have made this in the past and it is one of the most bizarre looking things so I thought it would be fun to do with her. It is pretty easy to make and comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Here is a peak at Abbie's latest baking experience.

Here is the recipe if you want to give it a try:

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

3 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp. salt

3 cups sliced fresh fruit

powdered sugar or whipped cream

1. Place butter in a 10" oven proof skillet ( I use a pie pan.) Place in a 400 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes until butter melts. In a medium mixing bowl use a wire wisk or rotary beater to beat eggs till combined. Add flour, milk, and salt. Beat till mixture is smooth. Immediately pour into the hot skillet. Bake about 25 minutes or till puffed and well browned.

2. Top with fruit. If desired, sprinkle with powder sugar or top with whipped cream. Cut into wedges an dserve warm.

"Number Two" - Potty Training Update

If any of you are grossed out by potty talk then you might want to quit reading right now. Potty talk is pretty much consuming our life at the moment so I will contine on in sharing our most recent potty training milestone...

As indicated in the title of this post, Abbie did her thing (for daddy of all people..ha ha) in her potty chair today. Peter was actually so proud. I am very proud of her too but I guess girls don't get as excited about #2 as boys do (so gross.) Abbie is continuing to get better about going potty in her potty chair and the only major problem is that she doesn't want to wear a diaper after she is finished. We have moved onto the pull-up diapers which she doesn't mind as much so even though they cost more they are saving a huge wrestling match at home =).

Well I won't elaborate anymore but wanted to share the most recent excitement in our house. Thanks for listening to those of you who actually read this!

Cake # 3

I made this cake (and cupcakes) for a baby shower two weekends ago and I was fairly pleased with how it turned out. I am more critical of my own work than other people but we had no trouble eating all of the cake so I guess that is a good sign. I am always on the search for the perfect recipe so I tried another recipe for chocolate cake. I liked it but now can't decide which of my two I like best. I guess I need to make them at the same time to compare. I am planning some cupcakes for another baby shower later this fall and will probably go with chocolate again so will have to decide by then. I can't say that I mind having to sample all this chocolate cake but I am going to have to put a few more miles on the treadmill to make up for it =).

First Haircut

I took Abbie to get her very first haircut today. I wasn't sure how it would go but she did great. She was a little leary at first but sat still the whole time. She wouldn't keep her cape on but I figured that as long as she was happy I didn't care if she got hair on her shirt. She must have liked it because she said "yay" when we were all finished. They even gave us a cute certificate for her baby book.

Baked Oatmeal

Abbie and I made this for breakfast today and I thought it would be a good one to share. This is my mother-in-law's recipe so I can't take any of the credit. I always love having it when we go to their house to visit and last time I finally wrote down the recipe. Hope you like it!

1 c. sugar
3 c. old fashioned oats

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

(mix all dry ingredients together)

1/4 c. oil

2 eggs

1 c. milk

(mix all wet ingredients together and then add to dry mixture)

Fits well in a square pan or 11x7. I think my mother-in-law doubles for a 9x13.

Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. (My oven bakes hot and it still took about 30 minutes)

Top with fresh fruit, yogurt, or milk to make it more like hot cereal.

First time's a charm???

Abbie has been very interested in the toilet for quite a while now (sometimes she is a litte too nosy) but we were holding off on actual potty training until October since September has been unusually busy for us. We have been doing a lot of pre-potty training, working on small pieces of the puzzle in hopes that it will be easier when it is time to put everything together. I bought a potty chair this summer for when we would need it and I decided to get it out today just to see what would happen. She got really excited and didn't want to stop sitting on it. I finally decided to take her diaper off and let her sit for a while. We sang a few songs and then my phone rang. I left the room to answer it and told Abbie that if she needed to go pee that she should go in the potty. I came back into the bathroom about 20 seconds later and she was standing up, looking into the potty and sure enough, she had gone in her potty...and used toilet paper. I went a little crazy even though I was on the phone (I was talking to my mother-in-law so she didn't mind.) I told Abbie she did a good job and that I was really proud of her. We then washed hands (which she LOVES to do) and attempted to leave the bathroom but all she wanted to do for the next half-hour was sit on her potty. She even threw a tantrum when I put a new diaper on her. I expect that this may have been a fluke that she went on the first try but either way I think we are off to a good start. Enough potty talk for now...thanks for listening if you even made it to the end of this post =)!

The things I would have missed...

I normally work Thursdays but because I work this coming Saturday I had today off. I had originally planned to take Abbie to daycare (we pay for the week whether she goes or not) in hopes that I would have a day to myself and get some things done without distraction. I decided last minute this morning to keep her home with me and I am so glad I did. I usually get 2 1/2 days home with her a week and work the other 2/12 which I have found to be a good balance. But it was really nice to have an extra day with her today. I definitely could have gotten a lot more done without her here but I probably would have wasted a lot of time too. I decided to share a few things I would have missed had I sent her off to daycare today:

- Having her help me make breakfast. We made blueberry pancakes!

- Rocking out in the car to country music on the way home from Target. She giggled and wiggled to the music the whole way home.

- Hearing her say "I love you mama." She said "I love you dada" yesterday on the phone to Peter which was so sweet and today when she said it to me my heart melted. It of course isn't very clear but it is clear enough to understand.

- So many hugs and kisses!

- Chasing eachother around the apartment which always ends in huge hugs!

- Watching her take care of her babies. I love this so much. She is such a good little mommy to them. She feeds them and wipes them and burps them and rocks them and puts them to sleep in the baby bed we made out of a diaper box. She is so nurturing!

There are probably a dozen other things I could write but these are just a few that came to mind. I love you Abbie!!!

Twins Game Weekend - Addition

( The train we rode to the game)

I left out a cute story from the last post about our trip to Minneapolis. As I mentioned in that post, we rode the train from the Mall of America to the Metrodome. Abbie was a little scared at first but I was trying to tell her how the train was similar to the bus we ride at home (actually a much smoother ride than the bus.) Anyway, I was telling her how the train says "choo-choo" and she didn't really seem to care. She just sat quietly and stared out the window. After we had been riding for about 5 minutes she started saying "choo-choo" the rest of the way there. The people around her got a kick out of it because she just kept saying it over and over and over. And even today when she saw a train in her book she got so excited and couldn't stop saying"choo-choo." I wish I would have gotten it on video but no such luck.

Annual MinnesotaTwins Game

My whole family goes to a Twins game once a year in September as part of celebrating Peter and my brother Dustin's birthdays (Peter - Sep. 25th, Dustin - Sep. 15th.) Unfortunately this year, Dustin and his wife Melodee were not able to come so it was just Peter, Abbie and I along with my parents.

We had such a good time, even though the Twins lost. I was a little concerned about Abbie since the game was right during her regular nap time and because she doesn't always like to stay in the same place for very long. We went up to Minneapolis early so that we could put her down for an early nap in the hotel and not only did she take a good nap beforehand but she did GREAT at the baseball game. We rode the train from the Mall of America to the game and she wasn't sure what to think of that at first (she of course did not remember riding it last year) but warmed up to it shortly after it started moving. Last year we had seats close enough that we had a lot of opportunities to catch foul balls but this year we were up quite a bit higher. However, because we sat in the family section we got a free hot dog and drink for each person. My mom is always finding great deals...go mom!

We ate at the Rainforest Cafe after the game and enjoyed some delicious food along with a very fun atmosphere. For those of you who have not eaten there, it is a restaraunt that literally looks like a rainforest and they have A TON of tropical fish (my dad's favorite part.) They have "thunderstorms" in the restaraunt about every 20 mintes and the lights flicker and there is loud thunder and it starts raining out of the ceiling. Anyway, Abbie got scared during the first storm but we were able to distract her during the rest of them. We had the option of having the waiters sing to Peter for his birthday but he requested NOT to be embarassed - so no free dessert for him. We were too full for dessert anyway. So overall it was a fantastic weekend but we were all really tired after coming back 4 1/2 hours on Sunday in the car.

Thanks Mom and Dad for a FUN weekend!

Brilliant Idea!!!

I'm not sure who thought up the idea to make grocery carts that look like cars that kids can ride in but they are truly brilliant in my eyes. Riding in the grocery cart was once fun for Abbie when she was less mobile but since she has been able to walk, trips to the grocery store have become a little less exciting for her. Peter or I usually try to go alone to the store but this morning I had to go with Abbie as we were out of many of our staple items. I knew it was going to be bad when she started crying in the car as soon as we entered the Fareway parking lot sobbing "no, no, no." She brought along a book and her baby so I knew I could keep her interested for a while. But as soon as I walked in the store I saw it...the grocery cart/car where the kids can ride in the front and steer. I did not hesitate for one second and I put Abbie in there. She LOVED it and our grocery store experience was very pleasant. She even buckled up all by herself. She loved waving to everyone from "her" car and not once did she whine or try to get out. I will definitely take advantage of the car cart again and would highly recommend it to others who have a difficult time with their children at the grocery store.

Rough Days...and learning names.

(Abbie took this picture herself when she got ahold of the camera - which was followed by my taking it away - which of course was then followed by a tantrum.)

Well the last 2 days have been difficult to say the least. I'll just come right out and say it...Abbie has been NAUGHTY. I can't even begin to count the number of tantrums she has thrown....diaper changes, getting dressed, pretty much every time I say "no" to something...you get the picture. Anyway, Peter and I are trying to figure out the best way of dealing with her behavior (since most every method we have tried is not working.) Any of you that have prior experience with raising toddlers into somewhat normal children...please give us suggestions.

On the other hand, Abbie still has several cute moments too. She learned to say her name today when you ask her what her name is. She actually pronounces it very clearly too.

Well this was my way of venting to someone other than my husband and my mother - trust me, they are probably tired of hearing from me about this. Again, if ANY of you have ANY suggestions whatsoever, we would LOVE to hear from you...I mean it.

Somersaults!

Well Abbie has been working on this for a long time - you may remember from previous pictures and posts. But she finally has figured out how to do a somersault. This is not something that Peter or I taught her - she just likes being on her head I guess. Anyway, she has been doing it for about a week and I finally got it on video today. (Note: no injuries occured in the making of this video, although it might appear that way at the end!)

Here is another one - but I didn't get the video started until part way through the somersault.

Taking the Bus!

When Abbie and I run weekly errands together we have started taking the bus. I get an annual pass for only $10 since I am a hospital employee and the bus will take us almost anywhere we need to go. It comes right to our apartment and goes by the library, the grocery store, the park, the pool, Target, and the mall. Since gas is so expensive we thought this might help save a little money and Abbie seems to enjoy it. I think she likes not having to ride in her carseat = ). Up to this point she has done very well, quietly sitting on my lap and she loves it when we sit by the window. I also enjoy the bus, not just because it saves us money but because then I don't have to worry about parking (which if you have been to our mall can be quite dificult.) It is also nice to get onto the bus and have instant AC instead of getting into a very hot car. Of course, the bus doesn't work on all occasions but we are trying to utilize it whenever possible. We do have to be more mindful of the time so we don't miss the bus but this is probably good as it seems to keep us (by us, I mean me) more on task. Overall it has been a positive experience and we hope to contine using it.

Trip Downtown

This weekend was the first in a LONG time where neither Peter or I worked and that we didn't have any major plans. We enjoyed a very relaxing Saturday and were able to spend the whole day together as a family. We decided to head downtown (Iowa City) last night to do some birthday shopping for some family members and to drop by some of our favorite spots. Here are a few pictures of our fun:

Abbie chasing Martha the kitty at Peter's favorite used bookstore, Murphy Brookfield.

Abbie and I running through the fountain. She is always a little skittish at first so we went through together.

Abbie and Peter loved playing on the huge play structure together. The lookout bubbles are always one of her favorite parts!

This is the first time Abbie went down the big slide all by herself...

...and she was all smiles at the bottom!

Off to the next thing...

Peter even had a little fun of his own!

One of Abbie's favorite things to do is to push the stroller...sortof.

Taking a break!

A little replenishment/bedtime snack after a long walk.

No More "Abbie Words"

I have decided to remove the section to the left of "Abbie Words." The words are just coming too quickly now and I can't keep up. We are amazed each day at what pops out of her mouth. Yesterday we were at Peter's favorite used bookstore and Abbie found the window where the store's cat likes to sleep. I was telling her how the kitty likes to sleep in the window because the warm sun comes through and all of a sudden she just started saying "window." She has also started putting two words together from time to time. She says "ni-night babies" when she kisses her babies before going to bed and when we read books before nap and bed time she will say "one more?" Every day there are new words or words that are becoming more clear. She is also learning to say her words that she signs - so far she has said "more" and "please" but "thank you" might take a little longer (funny enough, this was my first word as a baby.) Well I am sure this is more detailed than most of you even care about, but all of this to say, we are having a lot of fun being able to communicate more clearly with Abbie and are amazed at how quickly she is learning.

New Pictures!

I am currently in the process of updating the last couple months worth of pictures on our Shutterfly website but for now have made a slide show with some newer pictures. If you click on the slide show you will be able to scroll through them at your own pace. Enjoy!

10 Years!!!

I didn't really give mention to our 5th wedding anniversary back in July, partly because we were on vacation with friends during the time, but today is a different sort of anniversary for Peter and I. 10 years ago today Peter and I began dating. We have had quite a journey and it really doesn't feel like it has been 10 years since we have been "together." I am so thankful to have a husband who loves me like Peter does. He is a good daddy and works so hard to provide for our family. He even won 4 boxes of cereal today at work for winning a standing long jump - I know that sounds ridiculous but General Mills provided breakfast for Heartland Express this morning and had different contests for the employees to win prizes. Anyway, I don't thank him enough for how hard he works, in fact I often complain of the long hours, but I couldn't ask for a better husband and father. I love you honey!

Eye Teeth & Ear Infections

Well Abbie has been getting her eye teeth for what feels like a month now. We can finally see them popping through which means relief is coming soon (until the bottom ones come in.) The good news is that at least there are two coming at once and this also explains a lot of things - the drippy nose, crabbiness, and as of today an ear infection. Doctors always say that ear infections are not related to teeth but I disagree as every single one of Abbie's ear infections has occured at the same time she is getting a tooth/teeth. At least now she can tell me that her ear hurts too. This morning she woke up with a slight fever and was pointing to her ear saying "owee." We got her started on some antibiotics and she should be feeling better soon.

Full of Words

I can't believe that it has been two weeks since I have posted anything but it just goes to show how busy we have been. It is late tonight so I will wait to post some recent pictures but thought I would update you on Abbie's vocabulary. I usually just list it to the right in "Abbie's Most Recent Words" but lately it seems like there is a new word each day. Even if she can't say a word you can tell she is trying to say it. It is so fun being able to communicate more clearly with her - but of course we have several circumstances in which we still can't understand what she is trying to say and she gets frustrated. It is a learning process for all of us. Here are the newest additions to her vocabulary:

- bite (when she wants a bite of what we are eating)

- Amen (she also folds her hands when we pray at meals and before bedtime)

- whoa! (this is SO funny - I will try to get it on video)

- book

- love (wuv)

- done (has said this for a while but now says very clearly)

- juice

- cheese

18 months on the 18th!

Wow, I feel like I just wrote the 17 month post (I guess it was a little late) but here we are at 18 months and I actually feel like a lot has changed in one months time. Abbie's temperment has been a little more challenging. I keep waiting for a tooth to pop through so I can blame her behavior on pain but I think the real truth is that she is just growing in her desire for independence and wants to resist authority. Thankfully the Lord has given me an abundance of patience in dealing with Abbie's daily tantrums but I just take one at a time and hope I am doing something right when disciplining her. I do feel like we are making some progress...SLOW progress, but slow is better than none. Anyway, enough on the tantrums...here is some other stuff she has been up to:

- Gaining a knack for organization and order. She loves to pick things up and put them away. She doesn't like it if a drawer or door is open if it is usually shut.

- She likes to assist in household tasks. She helped me carry some recycling out to the car today and helped me put away some items I brought home from Target. She also tried to fold a shirt while Peter was folding laundry...this could be very useful...we'll have to work on cultivating this skill.

- Climbing...a lot! She can almost crawl up into her high chair by herself!

- The toy piano continues to be a favorite. She loves making her own music and dancing as she plays. Our investment in the piano has definitely paid off.

- Has started to mimick me cooking. Today she pretended to make lunch while I was making her lunch. Using items from her play kitchen and other assorted items in our pantry, she made me some mandarin oranges with balsamic vinegar and a splash of windshield washer fluid. She obviously couldn't get lids off of these things but she pretended to pour them out and then gave it to me to eat. It was very sweet of her...although I am not sure if the washer fluid was intended as poison or not. Needless to say, I hid the washer fluid where she can no longer get to it.

Abbie always keeps us on our toes but we are so blessed to be her parents. We'll see what this next month brings.

We'll close this post with a little percussion video for you to enjoy!

Abbie's Kitchen

On the days that Abbie attends daycare, her favorite spot to play is the toy kitchen. I have wanted to get her one for our place but we just don't have the space in our apartment. She also LOVES to play in our kitchen and we have had to be a bit creative in rearranging things in there so that she can play safely. As I had mentioned in a previous post, Abbie spends a lot of time in our pantry. She likes to go in and shut the door like it is her little playhouse or something. So I decided to save some containers as we emptied them so that she had her own "kitchen" to play with. When I cleaned out our pantry a couple of weeks ago I made her a special shelf. This has helped reduce the amount of food being pulled off the other shelves in the pantry. It still happens but most of the mess she creates now is hers and it is easy to clean up because it all just gets tossed on the shelf. It's nothing fancy but it does the trick.

Back from Vacation

Peter and I returned on Monday from our first real vacation since Abbie was born. We had the privilege of going with 4 other couples (NO KIDS!!!) to a houseboat up in McGreggor, Iowa on the Mississippi river. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we had a fantastic time. Two of the other couples will be having babies this fall so this was probably the last chance we all had to do something together like this for a while. We ate ALL weekend and as you will be able to tell from the pictures, had way too much fun skiing, jetskiiing, tubing and just hanging out on the boat. Becca and Brandon's grandparents own the boat and they were so generous to let us use it and feed us while we were there. Several people asked us if it was hard to leave Abbie behind and we did miss her but we were ready to have a vacation together and with other adults.

We also celebrated our 5th anniversary over the weekend! In some ways it feels like it has been a long time since we were married and in other ways it seems to have flown by. We are so thankful for these 5 years and look forward many ahead.

Below is a slideshow of our weekend. You can click on "view all images" to scroll through them more quickly.

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