Monday, March 12, 2012

A really nice weekend.

This weekend was just really great.  It was energizing, refocusing, and family-driven, which we really needed.  We had a really challenging week last week.  It was full of late nights, cars breaking down, sleepless nights (thank you, Abby), and going through the motions.  So often lately I feel like we just put one foot in front of the other.  We don't get out of the house enough, leaving to have dinners with family, grocery shop, or just run errands when necessary.  We go through the motions of the day, exhausted and completely devoid of energy or inspiration in the end.  We NEEDED a great weekend to adjust our focus back to where it should be - on our family.


Brad had Friday off as a furlough day, but it was pretty much a disappointment that threatened to ruin our 3-day weekend.  Due to tons of errands and lots of school stuff for Brad, we ended up just staying around the house.  


Luckily enough, I won tickets to a show at the Center for Puppetry Arts on Facebook, of all places.  We had to wake up early, shift naps around, and do some seriously strategic planning, but it was all worth it in the end.  I regret to say that I don't have a single photo of the day.  Photography was strictly prohibited in the entire place, so I didn't even bother to bring a camera.  It was SO much fun!  We saw "Space!" which was a little too educational for my taste, but the girls loved it.  Both girls made it through the entire show!  The stadium bench seats were perfect, and Emma was able to see the stage easily from her seat.  Abby made it until the last few minutes when she got so excited that she started talking to the puppets.  Brad took her out for a few minutes of a break.  Just about that time, Emma told me that she needed to go potty.  We grabbed the rest of our stuff and made it to the bathroom (our very first public restroom experience!).  There, she touched everything in sight as I scream/whispered - DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!!!!!  It was pretty funny, after the fact.


As we were heading back to the theater, Brad came out and told us it had just finished.  So much fun!!  We got to see a real Big Bird, Ernie, Kermit and Rowlf (from the Muppets).  Lots of other puppets from the Jim Henson collection as well.  


We headed home for a nice long family nap.  It was just an awesome day.




On Sunday we decided to venture to Stone Mountain (where we had planned to go on Friday) and ride the Sky Lift.  For those of you who haven't been, it's a large trolley-type car that goes up the side of the mountain on a cable system to the top.  We rode to the top of the mountain and got to walk around and see the city.  It was SOOOO windy! 






The girls had such a great time.  Abby stayed snugly and warmly in the Moby wrap, which was perfect for the trip.  Emma scared the crap out of both of us several times.  Brad decided that we might need to invest in a leash for her for next time.  :)  





Brad loved how Abby's eyes got HUGE every time she looked out of the cable car.



It was so great to re-charge and spend some quality family time.  We really needed it.  Now if we can just make it through another long week full of late work days for Brad and this God-forsaken time change, we'll be doing good!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

8 Months


Yes, as has become typical with these posts, Abby is, in fact, 9 months old now.  And yes, I am just now getting around to doing her 8 month post.  I know, I know.  I'm sure she'll hate me forever once she's old enough to know how post-dated her monthly update posts were.  She'll live.  I'm certain of it.




Anyway.  Abby at 8 months.  It wasn't a terribly exciting month, but we had a few "firsts."  Abby caught her first real cold.  Emma got it first, passed it to Abby, and then to me.  It was pretty rough.  Low-grade fever, congestion, runny nose and NO sleep.  The best part is that she had just really started to sleep through the night with some regularity when the shit hit the fan.  It took an act of God to get her sleeping again, but I'm happy to report that she's back on track now.




She wants to be put DOWN all of the time!!  She will arch her back, wrestle, fling herself backward, and do the worm in order to get you to put her in the floor to play.  Once in the floor, she gets up on all fours and rocks backwards, or just commando crawls to whatever she wants.  And she's FAST!  What she lacks in size, she makes up for in speed.  She's hell on wheels and you can't turn your back for a second.  Her favorite mission in life?  To get into Emma's potty.  And she's stealthy about it.  Little stink.




As much as she wants to get down to play, she also adores me holding her.  I think she'd be content to ride around on my hip for about 95% of the day.  She doesn't like being sat in her exersaucer or her swing for more than a few seconds, and she's the first one to let you know how displeased she is with the situation.  I told my mom, when she's grown up and has had one baby, I'm going to get her back for this.  I'm going to wait until that baby is about 18 months old - you know, REALLY good and busy, and I'm going to buy her a monkey.  Not just any monkey.  One that wears diapers and screams when you put it down.  And one that smears food all over its face while you feed it, and fights like a cage fighter when you try to get him dressed.  I'm going to make her carry that monkey around all day while she chases her other child around.  And I'm going to laugh.  Really hard.  :)




She's also eating like a horse.  Brad wants to come to her next check up so that he can find out where her hollow leg is.  Seriously.  She eats like it's her job.  WAY more than Emma ever did, and Emma outweighed her by about half.  She eats 4-5 ounces of fruits/veggies with oatmeal mixed in at each of her 3 meals.  She also eats a ton of Gerber puffs, Baby Mum Mums (her personal favorite), and other finger foods.  She nurses about 5 times a day.  She likes rice, cut up cooked veggies or fruit, and rice cakes.  She's a hawg.  Not a "hog."  A HAWG!


The funniest part is that she's still a peanut.  There are a couple of tiny leg rolls, but she's still SO skinny and small.  My aunt Claire says she'll fool you because she looks like such a tiny baby, but she ISN'T!  She's got a lot of personality and if the food's not coming fast enough, you'd better cover your ears.  




She is in 6 month clothes.  She can wear 6-9 months, but 3-6 still fits comfortably.  She's in a size 2 diaper (but she's still in a size small diaper cover).  Not sure what she weighs, but I'd be willing to bet it's not even 16lbs.



She loves her big sister, but big sister is rough when they play, so she's a little scared at times!  So is her mommy.  Emma wants to roll around and rough house with her, but is still learning that she's small and easily hurt.  


She has recently decided that it's hysterical when someone pretends to gag.  She's got the best laugh ever.  




She adores the remote control, just like her big sister did.


She still looks just like her mama, and more and more like her Grandpa every day.  Every now and then I take a picture and look back at it and my breath is just sucked away - she looks SO much like him.  That has been such a blessing for me because I am so devastated that he never got to meet her on this side of heaven.  I just know he would adore her so much.  


This month has not been particularly busy, but Abby's been busy growing like a little weed.  How on earth has it nearly been a year??  I'm planning a joint party for Abby's first and Emma's third birthdays.  SO hard to believe time has flown that fast.