Still Alive and Well

Abby and I are doing well. Can't believe she will be 4 in November. Where does the time go??? Been meaning to do an update for a while but you know how that goes. Soooo some quick bullets and a lot of pictures :)

***Our heat wave of a summer continues. For at least the last 4 weeks it has been 93 or above More than it hasn't. And often it's the upper 90's or 100! Makes it pretty miserable unless your in the pool,

*** Swimming lessons continue for my little bean. Progress is oh so slow but we actually has a break through last week when little Miss swam about 3 inches without her life jacket. Still working on getting her face in the water willingly though.

***Her 4 brothers and 1 sister (baby) are all still living with us and per her doing well :) 1 brother goes to school with her every day and seems to be disrupting nap time. Brother evidently chooses to ignore the no talking during nap time rule and keeps getting Abby in trouble :)

***Abby still wears a pull up at night. Should I be concerned? Although she has been dry the last 3 nights. I'm sure I just jinxed myself.

***We have passes to Busch Gardens but have yet to go because it has been so blazing hot! If anyone one wants to go some late afternoon let us know :)

***New house is coming along. So much to do and so little time. A lot of outdoor chores that just can't be done right now because of the heat. I am so ready for fall!!!

***Looks like no vacations this summer for us either. Mommy is broke. New house has about exhausted all of my savings. Hoping that money tree pops up in my back yard soon!

***Work is Work.... And that's all I have to say about that.

***We haven't seen any of our FCC buddies this summer. Miss you guys :(

***We have been fortunate to have lots of OOT family visit this summer.Abby has enjoyed spending time with them :)

***Really hating working 5 days a week :( Where is my Prince anyway?????

***One of my cats has decided to boycott the litter box. Evidently cat poop does not belong there? Only Cat Pee. Whats up with that? It could be worse though if she was peeing on my carpet.

***I introduced Abby to Slurpee's this summer. She loves them and thinks she needs one every time we pass a 7*11 ( AKA The Slurpee Store).

***Abby is really recognizing a lot of her letters these days ad points them out during our drive to and from school each day :)

***Abby has been fighting her baths lately. Not fun! Fine once she is in but it takes a long time to convince her she needs to take one. (she never used to mind) Hoping this phase passes quickly.

***Anyone worried about 12/22//2012? Just wondering.... Contemplating asking off for that day.


***Abby needs a dentist appointment. (her first) Dreading it.

***What a riot she is. The things she comes up with :) Course I can't think of any right now.

***Really hoping RQ's latest predictions pan out for all of you still waiting!

Happy Birthday America

We celebrated like we do each year at my sister in laws parents home on the river. The fireworks come from right across the other side :) Below - boats a gathering for the show.

Abby and cousin Josh

She would have jumped the whole time if I had let her :)

Jumping Joy :)

Cousins waiting for the show to start. Back row Erin (Sissy) and Josh (JP) Front row Jack, Abby, Virginia and Zachary.

Sweaty Mommy

Sweet shot! Zachary, Abby and Jack :)

Then back to Meema's for sparklers.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

RIP Fishie

Abby's Betta fish passed away last night. He had been with us about 6 months and we really enjoyed the little guy. She took the news well when I told her this morning. I had a feeling he was on his way out this past weak since he had been acting funny so I had been paving the way. She wanted to know who had taken fishie to heaven so I told her the angels. She didn't ask for another one yet either. There are (sadly) plenty more to save so we will see.

Water Baby

So this picture was actually supposed to be at the end of the post but I accidentally deleted it and had to re post it out of order.

Abby and her Da.

Concentrating :D

There she goes!

Hanging with Auntie L on her first boat ride pm Uncle Hughie and Aunt Elizabeth's boat.

Sleepy girl :)

So small and totally out!

Abby's Meema and Da put in a pool this past winter and Abby has essentially been in heaven. She was a little timid at first but once she figured out she wouldn't sink in her life jacket she became fairly confident and started swimming the length of the pool on her own. I on the other hand have been pretty nervous. Meema and Da don't have a pool alarm yet. It has been ordered I'm told. I have been afraid to leave Abby there without me then decided she would just have to wear a life jacket all of the time when ever I wasn't there. Okay a little extreme so have settled for when she is out by the pool or on the dock WITH EMPHASIS that she must never go out there without a grown up. We chant the rules every day. Often per her request. She will start, " Now Mommy tell me the rules for Meema's." Then starts with, "What do we always have to do?" Then waits for me to say Never go outside without a grown up and always wear your life jacket Then she adds and a bathing suit. Plus we have also added no running. She seemed to have a healthy respect for the pool and knew her limits. Meema arranged for a swiming instructor to come over and give the Grand kids swimming lessons too. Last Saturday was the first one. Abby and I were outside talking with my step sister. The instructor was due any minute. I took of her dress while talking to my stepsister. Did not put the life jacket on her per the lesson due to start any minute. I was 2 feet from the steps and while talking I look down and see that Abby had very quietly and quickly decided to go down the 4 steps on her own! She was facing us ant the water level was just over her eyes! She was bobbing a little and than sunk right in front of me.! Holy S#$T. I jumped in fully clothed and got her. She was quiet while I pounded on her back. She didn't seem to have swallowed much if any water but boy did she finally let out a scream. It's true it just takes a minute and though my step sister swears it was less than 30 seconds for the whole event to transpire it seemed like forever to me. She is fine but the episode while giving her a healthy dose of much needed fear and respect for the pool also kind of hurt the first swimming lesson. I had to go in with her and she cried and didn't participate much. After the lesson was over though she settled down and again became fairly comfortable in the pool as long as she had on her life jacket. Meema scheduled 3 extra lessons this week in addition to this Saturdays lesson. Monday and Tuesdays lessons were still rough although she did better on Tuesday. Time will tell. Also what I feared the most happened on my watch! Not my most proud parenting moment. Lesson learned too. I will never take my eyes off of her again. And now some swimming pictures ending with her first boat ride. Actually her second boat ride but she doesn't remember her first since it was so long ago so I'm calling it her first. She was pretty nervous but settled down and took a little nap.

Imaginary Friends

So tonight Abby comes up to me and says, "Mommy is this my home?" Of course it is I tell her. (Abby)"But he keeps telling me it's not."(Me)"Who is he?" (Abby)"Brudur." (Me) "Who is Brodur?" (Abby)"My friend Brudur." So she has an imaginary friend :) A few minutes later and she comes back again, "Mommy. He is still saying it." (Me) "Well you tell Brudur he is wrong and this is your home."Than I asked her what Brudur looks like?"(Abby) No answer. (Me)"How big is he?" Based on the measurements Abby indicates with her hands brudur is about 6 inches tall. As the conversation progresses I learn that Brudur also has 3 brudurs (brothers). 1 brother is 3 feet tall (again based on her hand measurements) but the other two are small like Brudur and they all sleep in the bed with us :) Later I catch her talking to herself at the table while coloring. When I ask her she tells me she is talking to her brudurs. And later while taking a shower she yells, "Hey Mom? Can you call my brudurs in for me?" Such an imagination :)

She is my Sunshine :)

My new back yard! JUST KIDDING :) Mothers day at my Mom's.

Still Here!

I just can't seem to give this blog the time I used to. Even my laptop has been used far less since we moved. Being a home owner makes for a lot more chores in comparison to condo living. Our new digs are coming along slowly. So much to be done! This house was pretty neglected. Thankfully my Dad was up for a week and tackled some of my to do list :) Abby had a great time with her Grand-dad and was really sorry to see him go. We still have a lot to do and right now I am living for weekends that we have nothing to do but hang out at home all weekend. They go by so darn fast that I feel like I can never get anything accomplished.

We have settled in nicely though. I couldn't ask for better neighbors! The neighborhood is great. Lot's of kids. We really haven't met anyone out side of our cul da sac yet but everyone waves when we drive by. We will start taking some walks soon ad hopefully meet some new friends for Abby :) Here are a smattering of pictures over the last several weeks. First up planting flower seeds. Ignore my nasty driveway. A weed kill was in progress and I have more gravel coming for the driveway.

We took a little road trip to Syracuse NY for my Grand-mothers memorial service. 12 hrs long and the longest little one has ever been in the car. She did great though. Bringing her own little potty was the best thing I could have done :)

Playing lacrosse with cousin Josh.

Meeting new cousins in NY :) Abby and cousin Gracie.

Posing in Cousin Wendy's yard with all the pretty flowers.

Posing with cousins Josh and Ben. You can see she was quite thrilled during this Kodak moment.

More cousin fun :) Abby loves to talk about her cousins in NY and misses them a lot.

Back at home reading to her stuffed animals.

Reading books with Grandad.

Meema and Da moved the swing set over to our back yard from theirs. It need some spiffing up but little miss is thrilled to have her own swings (despite this non smiling photo)

Sprinkler fun. We have has some scorchers lately.