October Fun

Earlier this month Abby and cousin Callie attended a pumpkin painting party at my friend Sarah's.  We all had a blast.  There were plenty of good eats, including a roasted vegetable couscous dish (yum!). 

I was just really there for the food, but Abby had fun making friends with an amicable red donkey. 

Both girls went on a hayride.

And then there was the pumpkin painting.  

Nothing beats getting all messy with edible fingerpaints!  

Nine Months

Nine months is a benchmark age.  It's a clothing cut-off.  So once again I sort through. Abby's clothes and create piles of what fits, what's too small and what will fit in the next week or so.  And just when I've organized all the clothes in her closet and stored the outgrown clothing in the basement, she hits the next benchmark age and I start all over again.  The circle of life. 

While Mommy has been clothing sorting, Abby has been busy doing her baby thing.  At nine months Abby. . .

• is very vocal
• can be very loud 
• babbles "ma ma ma," "da da da," "na na na," and "ba ba ba"
• makes raspberries
• rubs her fingers over her lips to make more babbling noises 
• claps her hands a lot

 

• uses hand clapping for the "more" sign when she wants more water (At least, I think that's what she's doing!)
• has a 50% success rate of raising her arms when prompted with "How big is Abby?"
  
• pulls herself up on everything she can - ottoman, couch, bathtub, stove, spice rack 
• can sit down gently from a standing position. . .most of the time
  
• prefers any toy that she hasn't seen in a while
• army crawls to the other babies and their toys during yoga class 
• growls excitedly
• sits in shopping carts and restaurant high chairs like a pro
• still loves french fries (sigh)
• rubs her eyes and ears when she's tired
• plays with her hair while she nurses to sleep
• loves to play on the bathroom scale (She's not already obsessed with her weight, is she?)
• grabs Desmond's tail
• chases Molly around the house
• eats leaves
• regularly laughs at her clueless parents 

  



  



   
 
 

Sacked Out

In the evening Abby wants to be near her Mama.  Not just on the floor in the same room.  She needs to be in physical contact with Mama.  

Of course, this is the most hectic part of my day.  It involves pretending I'm a television chef on the Food Network as I cook dinner, running up and down the stairs to wash laundry once I realize I have no clean pants for tomorrow, and giving my mother a play-by-play of the day's events.  And, of course, my significant other always calls while driving home from work.  In fact, that's essentially the only time he really wants to talk to me.  During dinner I'm lucky if I get a full sentence out of him, but on his ride home it's Chatty McChatterson.

So during these chaotic couple of hours, I often put Abby on my back in one of the (many) carriers I own.  It's win-win.  She's happy as a clam and I can do what I need to do.  

This past week Abby was so tuckered out from the day's adventures that she passed out while on my back. 

I gingerly placed Miss Abigail and the carrier on the big chair. . .but she didn't wake up.

Greg built a blockade of pillows and blankets around her and she slept for almost an hour.

Win-win!

On Command

That's what Abby's Grandpa said every time I tried to get her to do a trick in front of someone: "She refuses to perform on command."  

Well, I guess she's realized how excited we all get when she does what we ask because Abby will now clap her hands when she sees someone else clapping and enthusiastically saying "Yay!."  

OK, so a hand-clapping is still not 100% guaranteed, but more often then not, she'll comply.  (I'm considering giving her a little whipped cream for each successful performance.  Abby loves whipped cream.)

If you scroll down these pictures really fast it looks like she's in motion!  Sort of.

Cat Hat

Just hanging around in my cat hat, checking out the backyard.

 

And up we go.

 

Mountain climbers, anyone?

 Wait a minute!  Who's spying on me?

Oh, it's just Mama with that silly camera again.  Doesn't she have anything better to do?

Yogurtland

Happiness is lounging in the baby carrier against one's Dada.

Correction: Happiness is being fed yummy frozen yogurt while lounging in the baby carrier against one's Dada.

Correction: Happiness is feeding oneself yummy frozen yogurt from the coolest plastic spoon ever while lounging in the baby carrier against one's Dada.

Rear View

I bought one of those car mirrors that let's you see the baby in the backseat.  I thought it would be helpful to know when Abby is sleeping during a trip.  Then I can circle the block if she's about to nod off or try to schedule a nap for later.  Great idea!

But the problem is. . .

I can't stop looking at her.  

Not the best thing to do when you're driving. . .staring in your rear-view for extended periods of time.  Well, at least I'm not texting, right?

I suppose that Abby was in need of some security this day.  Two dangling toys and a blanket. 

Wedding #2

Last month our good friends Marlene and Chris were married!

We took out first family overnight trip and stayed in a posh hotel.  Abby explored the room with her rapid army crawl.  New and different flooring is excitement in her world.

Abby attended the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony and the reception.  She was a doll at the rehearsal and made a proper mess around her highchair at the restaurant.  

Here's Abby at the church with her best bud Jason.

She slept through the ceremony, thanks to Greg and the Ergo carrier.  Of course, I have no pictures of the ceremony.  I was in the wedding and. . .dun, dun, dun, dunn. . .I forgot my camera.

Abby was a hit at the reception.  She got her groove on, thanks to me and the Ergo carrier.  Again, I have no pictures of the reception because 

I. 

Forgot. 

My. 

Camera.  

Can you tell that I'm annoyed?

Anyway, here's Abigail Grace all dolled up in the hotel room before the wedding.  Yes, I put a pink bow on her head.  No comments, please.