Biker Babe!

We were thrilled to show Grandaddy and Grandmama Abigail's new ride! For now she gets a free ride, but pedals are there whenever she's ready!

Huntsville Trip

We finally took a little summer vacation. A weekend trip to Huntsville to visit friends. Abigail had a great time with Grace (almost 5) and Jackson (2&1/2). We enjoyed hanging out with friends, playing on the swings & in the sprinkler, going on walks, grilling out, going out to eat, visiting the Botanical Gardens, and Abigail LOVED playing in the Woolsey's big fun playroom. Thanks Woolsey family for a great visit!

Here are some pics from our visit to the Huntsville Botanical Gardens

Headed into the Children's Garden

Getting lost in the flower maze

Daddy and Abigail in the butterfly garden

There was a scarecrow contest going on at the gardens. Families and companies designed scarecrows with different themes. Abigail LOVED the Elmo scarecrow. We had to go back a 2nd time after the butterfly garden to see Elmo again. 

Walking around the gardens. . .the perfect time to work on Touchdown!--just in time for football season.

We are out of this world!

First Authors

Most Wednesdays, we attend story time at the library where MiMi (far right) has a children's program. How cool is it that your grandmother is a Children's Librarian? We love it when Mimi does the program, but sometimes she has guests. Wednesday, Abigail got to meet her first real authors and illustrators of this book, Herman's Journey, a true story about a caterpillar going on a trip with them and turning into a butterfly along the way. Thanks Mimi for buying us the book and the fun caterpillar finger puppet!

*(actually. . . these are the 2nd authors that Abigail has met, because she has obviously met Grandmama who has written her own book. So, these are her first children's book authors.) 

This is often what Abigail does during story time. . . wander around! She often has her own agenda for the morning. Snacks are often required to keep her sitting still for 2-5 minutes at a time. Ah well, I think (hope!) this is within the range of normal for 16 months. . .  

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Hang with us. . . there are a few glitches I've yet to figure out with this new template!

16 Months

At 16 months (+3 weeks, she'll be 17 months next week), Abigail is truly a joy. She is constantly learning and there is never a dull moment. She never ceases to amaze us with new words and actions that she learns after only a few trials. We could really teach this kid anything. Her mimicry is stellar. She loves to walk very fast to the point that she is practically running, and at times will not sit in your lap for very long before squirming out and getting into the next thing. She has learned the word "no", and she knows what a "no-no" is, however at times she chooses to do things that are no-nos, like pour her milk out onto her tray, and throw her bowl or plate on the floor. She does not do this often, but I fear there may be more of this in the future. We have done a one minute time out here and there, but not often enough to really have a system down. She is a good eater, and I no longer have my anxiety that she's going to be an extremely picky like her father was. She still signs some, but is adding in words with her signs, and usually says "more" instead of signing it. We were impressed that she quickly picked up the signs for "Grandmama" and Grandaddy", since she can't say these words yet. She often signs "all done". After she's all done with her dinner, she'll wave her hands over mommy and daddy's plates if we haven't quite finished eating as if to say to us, "hurry up and get all done!" She can say "Abby", but is still working on Abigail. She likes to listen to songs in the car, and likes to have the ABCs sung to her and will try to sing along. Daddy has taught her the hand motion for "touchdown", just in time for football season, and she can also do hand bumps and give high five and hugs. Sometimes, if we're lucky we'll get night night kisses. She used to always give us kisses before bed, but lately, she has become a little stingy with kisses. Sometimes she is so eager to get in the bed, that she doesn't seem to have time for this! She sleeps very well, 12+ hours each night plus one 2 hour nap at home (sometimes more!) and usually naps 1 to 1&1/2 hours on her cot at school. She likes to say, "night night" whenever we're finished reading a book. She loves to blow bubbles and get the mail. She loves to dance (more like bounce), and we are working on jumping with help from mommy. She will point out a baby whenever she sees one, and will say hi to just about anyone.

I am baffled when they tell me that she does not talk that much at school because she is very verbal at home.
Here is our word list so far: Maybe we are being generous. . . she really is generally only saying the first syllable or so of these words, (i.e. ba, ma, da, etc.), but there are some words like mommy, daddy, hi, bye, bow, bubble, bible, knee, & baby that she says very distinctly. Thanks Eric Carle and Bright Baby books for helping us learn animals and colors!

Mama / Mommy
Dada / Daddy
Mimi
Papa
Nana (Aunt Nan)
Jojo (Uncle Joel)
Doe (Uncle Dale)
Lala (Aunt Lauren)
(Signs grandmama and grandaddy)
More
Milk (ma)
Mail (also ma)
Ball 
Bee
Baby
Bow
Weee (as in what you say when you go swinging)
Apple (papple)
Pear
Uh oh
Night night
Bye bye
Hi
Book
MINE - I cannot believe she has learned this word - we are in for it now!!!!
Water (wa-wor)
Rain & Cheese - she can say these but doesn't say them often
Oh no! (This is our favorite phrase right now)
Yay!
Abby
Bath (also ba)
Bag (also ba)
Boo boo
Knee
Shoe
Dog (da)
Please (pee, or bee)
Bible
Bubble
Poo poo
Pee pee
Diaper (pie-per)
Potty ? (she says Baa-ti, and we are not sure exactly what this is)
Choo Choo (does accompanying hand motion-learned this when she saw trolleys in downtown Memphis)

Animal sounds:
Neigh
Meow (again this is ma; whenever she sees a cat, she says, "ma")
Woof woof
Moo moo
Baa baa
Ssssssss (for snake)
Whoo Whoo (for owl)
Roar roar (Raa raa for lion and bear)
Ooo ooo ooo (for monkey)
Fish (she makes a fish face-also thinks turtles are fish)
Oink oink (usually this is just "uhh, uhh" but one time she said "ainey ainey" for oink oink!)
And did you know that a duck says "ma, ma, ma, ma, ma"?

Colors: just getting started! Usually blue is her first guess
Purple
Blue
Yellow (yay-yo)

We love you Abigail!