Shaking It Off...

Thank you for all your encouragement. From emails and conversations I've come to understand that nearly every mom has dropped their child and/or had them get locked in the car (although no one mentioned that these events happened on consecutive days). Your stories really helped me. A couple of weeks ago I heard this speaker share about her book, Motherhood, the Guilt That Keeps on Giving on Focus on the Family. The front cover has a mom standing near "Mt. Guiltmore". I would love to get the book but I would feel guilty for taking the time to read it and for spending the money. Seriously, as I head down the parenting path I want to begin now correcting my course when I make mistakes, and then choosing not to beat myself up over it. My energy is better spent on being motivated to do things well the next time rather than perseverating on what has already happened. This is a big learning curve. Thanks to all of you we are dusting ourselves off and moving forward with lessons learned.

Belated sharing of Abbey's St. Patrick's art. It's still March until tomorrow, right? The bottom shamrock is her first marble painting.

Modern Art

Paint with water book. This also involved painting the kitchen table, but I won't show that.

This may be TMI, but our new game is Abbey hitting me on the behind and me singing "boom shakalaka, boom shakalaka" and shaking my booty and then I run around and tap her on the rear. It's pretty fun!

Thrill of Victory, Agony of Defeat

We had a fantastic weekend. It really felt like a breakthrough, even though we didn't know we needed one. I've been so happy with how well Abbey has done and so thankful for how we've bonded, so it's hard to explain how it improved but I'll try... Somehow she seemed more relaxed and secure. I was shocked when she was playing with her dollhouse and I walked from the living room into the kitchen to get something and she didn't fuss or run after me. That has never happened. She has always stayed within a couple of feet of me. It happened several more times through the weekend. It was like she finally believed that I am really not going anywhere without her. She also started trying to say a lot more things and use a lot more jargon. On Sunday she called out "Mama" in the car and I turned around and she was trying to give me a piece of her quesidilla. She has been saying "mamamamama" and patting me all along, but this was the first time that she really called me by name. It was so wonderful. My heart just soared! She's doing it several times a day now and it's just so thrilling. She also said "eye" this weekend and pointed to her eye and she said "boom-boom" coming down the stairs. She said "ball" over the weekend and the past few days she has said "bird" and "baby". Her "more" is getting better too. I know it all sounds so small, but in my heart it's like she aced her SAT's or constructed an Egyptian pyramid. So I was just floating along on cloud nine until my week really got started. Monday morning I came out to the car to find a little light on in the back seat that I never knew existed. It's right above her car seat and evidently she's aware of it. Fortunately my car started. Next came Black Tuesday. Monday night she really wouldn't eat her dinner. Later she was up during the night and ended up in bed with me. This hasn't happened in about 3 months. We were both short an 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. sleep when we headed out in the morning. I was carrying a lot of things out to the car with us when she stopped in her tracks and decided she wanted to be carried. I tried to scoop her up and she went over backwards and hit her head on the concrete. I was terrified and headed out to drive her towards the hospital and her daycare which are both right next to each other, trying to decide what to do as I drove. She seemed okay but very "un-chipper". I was able to call the doctor and they said that if I wasn't seeing the symptoms they listed that I didn't need to bring her in. I was so overwhelmed all day and kept calling her daycare, where thankfully she was dancing and doing puzzles. Alot of people shared with me that these things happen, but it is so awful to feel like you've failed in keeping your child safe. Oh, but it wasn't over. The next morning we went out to the car and while I was putting everything in she managed to hit the auto door lock without me knowing it. I put her in her seat with a huge fluffy coat on, shut the door and went around the car to get in. I can't tell you how I felt when I realized what had happened. She was locked in the car with my phone and my house keys. Incredibly my neighbor, whom I never see in the morning, came out to her garage. She stayed with Abbey and let me run in her house to call 911. The fire department sent a truck. They got there in about 2 minutes and got the door open really quickly. Abbey was smiling and waving at them. For the second day in a row I had to call the principal and explain why I would be late. I've really struggled this week with feeling so incompetent. If you are wanting to flame me, don't bother... you couldn't possibly be harder on me than I have been on myself. I know I won't be making those same mistakes again, but I am afraid of what other things I could do. I am so grateful to God that she wasn't hurt and that people were there to help me. So we had some mountain high peaks over the weekend and came crashing down to the valley this week.

 

Thank you to Erie for sending Abbey this darling shirt and clips from Switzerland!

 

Thank you Jan and Bob for the wonderful PJ's and book. This is our new favorite night-time wear, so cool and comfy for spring. The pants remind me of the circus which is perfect because between 7 and 8 p.m. every night Abbey starts trying to do backflips and other stunts off the couch. I try to stay awake enough stop her. She's very quick. I've seriously wondered if she has some acrobatic skills in her DNA.

Tractor Talk

 
 

Abbey liked the tractor that you put tokens in and ride around like a go-cart. I liked the one that you sit on and pretend you are riding. Next thing you know she'll be wanting to ride a motorcycle.

Wooo-woo!

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I got my computer back yesterday and am loving catching up on all of your blogs.

This is Abbey's train ride at the farm. I still can't believe that she wanted to go on this without me. She cried when we left after riding it two times. When I ask her now if she wants to go back and ride the train her eyes get as big as saucers and she gives an emphatic "yes"! I think she can't believe she really did it either.
Note the chipmunk-like trill in my voice as I yell hi to her. That would be because I am shocked at seeing her whirl around on this thing.

Sunday School

I love "cooking" my cereal!





















I am getting better at puzzles and I love rocking chairs.













Doggie comes with me to church. I am not smiling because mama has me standing on a chair.

Unintended Break

Quickie update. We are fine. We are happy. We cannot blog. Last Sunday my computer wouldn't turn on. It's been a learning curve for me in getting it fixed. It's a Dell and it's a year and a half old and no longer under warranty. It could have been the power supply (minor) or the motherboard (major). Fortunately they believe it's the power supply and a new one will be shipped out the middle of next week and then I will have it installed. In the meantime I cannot access blogs at work and I just stopped by our church office so that I could atleast post and say hi to all my faithful friends. It may be a blessing in disguise because my wrists and forearms are not in good shape so I can't really use the computer anyway. Thank you so much for sharing about the "mommy arm syndrome", I will try to get in to see the doctor.
Abbey said "ball" today clear as a bell. She has also been saying "apple". I know this sounds so small, but I am so excited! She has her second speech session tomorrow. She is no longer interested in signing much, she just wants to try to talk. My daycare provider has been on vacation last week and this so Abbey has been having lots of Lao Lao time and going to the park everyday. She is really into Sesame Street. Normally we can't watch it because I leave for work too early, so that has been a special treat. She is now in between 12 mo and 18 mo clothing, the one getting to be too small and the other still too big. She is also inbetween a 5 and a 6 in shoes, but I found some cute pink 5 and a half mary jane's that are just right. This child has a great sense of humor and I am hoping to finally develop one as I learn from her. She's a gutsy girl too. When I get my computer back I'll post a clip of her riding a little train all by herself when we went to the farm last week. I was so excited for her to see the animals but she was really into racing a minature tractor. I love it that we are so different, she is enriching my life in so many ways. All the girly things I've always been into just don't seem to fit her personality. She's sporty, fiesty, and funny. I love it! It's all new and different and I think she will take me places I never would have gone without her.

More Than a Photo, Less Than a Video

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Life is packed every moment! Sorry I haven't been better with posting. The flu lingered until finally turning into sinus infection. My arms feel like they are about to fall off from carrying a toddler, this is another excuse why I can't type...besides the fact that I am either working, busy with Abbey, or asleep. This little clip above is from last Saturday. I took Abbey to an outdoor mall. We've only been there one other time but when we pulled up she started clapping. She is visiting the Koi and eating fish crackers (I mean throwing them to the fish). She is delightful and I love the way people's faces light up when they see her. I am now instantly friends with everyone everywhere, which is very fun. I am continually amazed at how God keeps helping me all the time. I did not know how I could ever get my report cards done and then my daycare provider decided to have a Parent's Night Out. The kids got to stay at her house for the evening and have pizza and a movie and I went home and cranked out all my report cards. The other day I was soooo sick and said a little prayer asking God to help me make it through the day until I could get to a doctor. When school started I could barely even stand up and in walks my principal with a spare substitute that no one needed for an hour and a half. I ran to Urgent Care and the pharmacy, got antibiotics, and by the end of the day I was totally on the mend. It's just amazing to me how a way keeps opening up for me whenever there seems to be no way. Thank you God! Now about my arms, I am not joking. I worked out for a year and a half to make sure my upper arms and back were baby ready, but I never thought about my hands and wrists and they are killing me. I have to use them all the time with the highchair, crib, carseat, etc. and it's really quite a problem. If anyone has tips please let me know.
As for Angel Abbey... she is saying "yes" clearly now, not "yeah". She is also trying to say things like "I love you" to her dolly, "Big Bird", and has mastered putting the "n" on "no". She cracked me up the other night...We were out at the duck pond with her stroller, which she would much rather push than ride in. She was having a hard time going up a very steep hill and was trying different techniques. She finally tipped the stroller to where it was lying down and put it behind her and pulled her little doggie around just like a rickshaw. She got the biggest kick out of it too. Have I told you she also has a sumo wrestler squat? When she is really happy and silly she gets in sumo postion and stomps back and forth. Of course I join in and we both crack up.