Mother of the Year

So I'm usually very attentive and all, but since Abby has started crawling, she's been getting into a bit more mischief than usual. Take today for example:

While I was getting ready in the master bathroom this morning, Abby was sitting on the floor and playing with my hair brush. She likes to watch me dry my hair every morning before we head out to our "schools". I suddenly realized I had not heard from her in a minute or two (she's always holding conversations with inanimate objects. It's really quite darling) and looked around to find her standing up, gripping the toilet seat, and trying to peer inside the bowl. Eww. BUT it did lead to a "teachable moment" - that's teacher-speak for a chance to dazzle her with information she never asked for. Our teachable moment consisted of "what a potty is for" (with full demonstration of the flush feature) and how we "wash, wash, wash our hands" after touching the potty.

Later, we were in the kitchen making our lunches when Abby crawled over to the cat food bowl. She looked up at me and said "uh uhh uh uh" (which is what I always say to her when she gets too close to the animal food). I smiled and nodded and said "That's RIGHT! Going near the cat food is a no-no!". I smiled at my genious child and she smiled back...right before putting a fistfull of cat kibble in her mouth.

Blessed...not stressed!

We have had a great last few weeks of summer, and now we're heading into the final countdown before Abby turns ONE. Yes, I'm holding back tears as I write that. It seems like just last week we were bringing her home for the first time after all the weeks of back and forth to the nicu. She was so tiny she fit in the palm of Matt's hand and we just all laid on the bed when we got her home and looked over at each other like "now what??" And now here we are at 11 months old and 18 lbs. She may be a tiny thing, but she makes up for it with fiestiness! It seems like Abby learns how to do something new everyday - just yesterday she came home from "school" and she was pointing for the first time. Pointing at EVERYTHING - and babbling on and on to let me know what it was she was pointing at.

Abby had a great playdate with Corbin and Ian a few weeks ago. Ian was sleeping when I remembered I brought my camera, so here are some shots of Abby and her "best friend":

Here they are trying to start their own band "The Tiny Teethers". Abby has agreed to be lead singer if Corbin does all the dancing:






Corbin and Cathy - this was just too cute not to add:

Forever Friends:

We crashed Mimi and Papa's anniversary dinner - and Gigi and Grandy decided to join us too! Here we are at Frank's Italian Restaurant:

I got to spend some much needed girl-time celebrating with my friend Kristin at her baby shower. Here are Kristin, her sister Kelly, and their mother. Can you tell Mrs. Ross is excited to be getting two grandchildren this fall?

There are four people in this picture :)

Abigail learned to crawl last month and now she is a mobile machine! She spends her days moving from one room to another and chasing around the animals:

Here she is on her first day of "school"! She was so excited to go and play with the other babies...until she realized mommy was not going to be there the whole time.

Cutest face on earth: