Mooserific!

Conversations with Abby

[In the car.]

“Papa, that your iPhone?”

Yep.

“Mama has iPhone, too.”

She does.

“Papa has iPad. Mama has iPad. Papa has computer. Mama has computer.”

That’s right.

“Abby doesn’t have computer.”

“Papa, you need to listen to your podcast.”

Are you sure? I thought you didn’t like my podcasts.

“Nope. I like High.” (Loretta Lynn’s “High on a Mountain Top” is her favorite song. Thanks, Grandpa.)

Okay, we’ll listen to it, but just once. (She’s been known to request it over and over.)

[We listen to it.]

“Jingle Bells, too.” (Her other favorite.)

[We listen to that.]

What should we listen to now?

“BEETHOVEN!”

We are adventuring!

Twins! Yes, that’s right. At my first ultrasound, we discovered that our family is increasing by two! We hadn’t even considered that as a possibility. Twins don’t run on either side of our families (unless you count my great grandmother). As everyone says to me: they do now! We’re all excited, but also feeling a little bit nervous. Life will be changing soon in more ways than we expected. We’re reading twins books, making plans, and researching one of the more essential must-haves: a minivan. Abby likes saying “there’s a baby in your belly.”

Speaking of Abby, John spent the long Memorial Day weekend working on her “1 hour to assemble” swing set. It’s definitely taken more than an hour, but he seems to be enjoying the challenge. His little helper has been very enthusiastic. The slide part is now assembled. She likes to tell us she’s going to slide down “just one more time” and then go over and over again.

pssssss

Last December, when we bought Abby a potty, she quickly lost interest, and so we decided that potty training time would happen closer to her second birthday and in warmer weather. Well, Grandma and Grandpa recognized that it was time and over the weekend read the book “Diaper Free Baby.” It’s all about elimination communication. When we arrived Monday morning they were ready. The rug had been pulled up, and Abby had a stack of new panties waiting for her. We didn’t get to talk about their plan because I had to rush to work.

Around 10:30, I got a call at the reference desk from a very excited Abigail. I couldn’t quite make out what she was telling me, but I understood “poop outside” and “potty.” Grandma relayed that she had been wearing her panties, and started to poo outside. She was encouraged to stop, head to the potty, and finish there. She did. I could tell she was very proud. When I got off the phone, my colleagues asked about the call. I relayed the story and joked that she’d be potty trained by Wednesday. Well, today is Wednesday, and here’s what Grandpa relayed via email this afternoon:

This morning Abigail was playing with her babies on the porch. I had taken her diapers off. She made a little pee. I said let’s go sit on the potty chair. I made the little pssss sound. (She had already taken all of her babies to pee and said pssss to them. ) Once on the potty chair she made a good pee. She was quite pleased. We took the tray to the bathroom and poured it into the toilet.

As we finished lunch Abigail got a concentrated expression on her face. Sue asked if she wanted to go to her potty chair. She said, “I do.” Sue took her to it. Sue took her diaper off. Abby sat right down. Sue made the psss sound and sang a little song about going to the potty. Abigail made a nice poop and as she pointed out, “I pee, too!” We dumped that in the toilet and she helped flush.

(You will get our bill later.)

Jump to this evening: right before bed, I asked Abby if she needed to go pee pee. She said “okay” and off we went to the bathroom. Jammies off, down she sat, I said “psssss” and before we knew it she did it! There was lots of excitement had by all. I’m not sure if I’m more proud of Abby or of her grandparents, but I’m definitely a proud Mama.

Being a fireman.

Easter

Mint and spaghetti

“I want some cookies.”

I’m not sure we have any cookies… Oh wait, I think we have some mint Girl Scout cookies.

“I like mint leaves.”

Who gave you mint leaves?

“Grandma! I chewed ‘em up! Yum!”

“What’cha making?”

I’m making us some spaghetti for dinner.

“I get!” and she went right to the pantry, picked out a jar of spaghetti sauce, and handed it to me.

Thanks!

“You’re welcome.” She then proceeded back to the study where she un-paused Barney.

M&Ms

Abigail what would you like for a snack?
“Numanums.”
What? M&Ms?
“Yes, please.”
We don’t have any M&Ms.
“Buy some numanums at Kroger.”

She also requests that we buy ice cream. “Cold and sweet.”

Yesterday, we took a walk up to the gas station and picked up some M&Ms. She loved it. We think it’s super funny that she remembers M&Ms from Christmas – the last time we had some at our house!

Papa need sugar?

Abigail was in high spirits tonight — lots of silliness and laughing. One of her favorite games right now is to ask Papa if he needs a kiss.

“Papa need sugar?”
Yes.
“Mama need sugar.” And she grabs me, kisses me, and gives Papa a mocking look. She does this over and over and just thinks it’s hilarious.

She had a great day with Gramma and Grampa today. I love this picture:

Look what Abby can do

Venus took Abigail to play on a neighbor’s slide. Impressive for a 20-month-old in big pink boots, eh?

[jwplayer mediaid=“257”]

A conversation with Abigail

Me: Abby, I think something is wrong with the computer.

[Abigail gets down on her hands and knees and looks at the computer.]

Abigail: What is it? What’s wrong?

Me: I’m not sure.

Abigail: Abby fix it!

[Abigail bangs on the keyboard.]

Venus took Abigail to play on a neighbor’s slide. Impressive for a 20-month-old in big pink boots, eh?

First haircut

We gave Abigail her first haircut Friday night. It only took a month for me to work up the courage to do it (Emily knows why), but after a few snips her baby hair mullet was gone. It’s super cute now. It just occurred to me though that I missed the chance to be sentimental. I should have saved some of that cute, blonde baby hair! Geez! Mommy brain strikes again.

I missed you!

What a wonderful thing to hear upon returning from the grocery store. Not only did Abigail miss me, but she told me about it in the first person. I’m a proud papa and I think there’s something in my eye…

Abby do it!

It seems like one of Abigail’s favorite sentences these days is “Abby do it.” She wants to try and do everything all by herself. She’s constantly trying to figure things out, and almost always on the go. Dinner time in her high chair lasts for about five minutes and then she’s off to jump between bench and chair, or to steal my chair.

Grandma and Grandpa have been working on manners. She now usually says please, thank you, and you’re welcome. As Grandma says “good manners can take a person far.” I agree. It works on us.

We’ve all been amazed by her good memory. She surprised me the other day. While at the grocery store, Abigail asked for cookies. Since we were near the organic section, we checked there for animal crackers. She right away noticed the Elmo crackers. I reluctantly gave them to her, but later traded them for some better, less expensive ones. When we got home, she asked for her cookies and I pulled them out. “Elmo” she cried. She remembered! I told John this story when he got home. He laughed and said that she wasn’t upset about the cookies, but that I tricked her. I “broke her heart” he said. Abigail, who was listening, said “Momma broke heart.” Lesson learned. I already knew we had to watch what we say, but now we have to be careful what we promise too. She remembers.

And, yes, she still loves bath time (as long as you don’t try to wash her hair).

Red Firetrucks!

Abigail loves firetrucks. She’s knows where the fire houses on our route home and looks forward to seeing the trucks and telling Mama about what she saw: “Tell Mama saw red firetruck!”

She got too big for rear-facing car seats, so we flipped them around. She’s definitely enjoying the improved view. She points out cars, trucks, and airplanes to me.

Abigail loves Indian food. She is often hopeful that her mama is bringing some home with her. She knows “Indian food”, “nan”, and “mango lassi”. Other favorites include soup, tomatoes, and potatos.

I’m happy to say that she’s slept through the night for the past week.