Abby Doesn't Like Potatoes

Those of you that have spent any time with Steve know he has an unhealthy fascination with saying the word "potato" with an Irish accent.

I don't know exactly what went on ten minutes prior to my returning with dinner tonight. But Steve was singing:

Oh Abby
You came to my life
with potatoes
and I want you to know
Oh Abby


and Abby was trying to bring the madness to an end by saying:

Daddy stop saying I like potatoes, I don't like potatoes, I don't eat potatoes.
Daddy you keep talking about this potatoes and I don't want you to anymore, it makes me nervous.
Daddy, I do not have any potato gardens, and I want you to stop saying that I do because I do not.
Mommy, tell Daddy your daughter does not eat potatoes.
You like potatoes.

Say it with me...

Awwwwwh.

Jack in the Mirror

We Need to Have a Little Talk

This is how Abby gets me back into her room after I've said goodnight. It's hard to resist - one because it's cute, and two because it sounds so serious, and three because sometimes it IS serious. Granted, sometimes she wants to talk about how she can't possibly wear Tuesday's socks on Thursday. Sometimes she's concerned God is going to flood the earth. Sometimes she wants to talk to me about something she's embarrassed to talk about normally. Sometimes she doesn't have anything at all to say and has to try to make it up on the fly when I get there. Often it's about itches I can do so little about.

Infuriating at times? Yes. Heartwrenching too? Very. Hilariously funny? Pretty much.

Oh well.

Moods

h

It would be a sarcastic statement any other time in life, but right now, I'm being perfectly honest: Sunday was a great Jack day... except for all the screaming.



Abby is big into dancing - for Jack, with her dolls, with me, all by herself.

The Name is Jack...

Abby's Friday Afternoon

After a very fun day with Poppa, Abby set her hopes on Gramma's arrival and insisted on waiting outside with a book.

Handsome Devils

Jack: Sleep?

Sleep? I don't need no stinkin' sleep.

Jack & Gus... in stripes

Abby: Brave and Bruised

Abby announced she didn't want her bed rail anymore. So we took it off (and... just happened to pile pillows on the floor... just in case).

First four days went pretty well, and in fact, I thought she was set. But as I was putting her to bed tonight she put her head tenderly down on the pillows on the floor and pat them and said that they were very soft and comfy when she fell off the bed last night.

*snort*

I had no idea she'd fallen out of bed.

And then tonight we heard a little mumbling and Steve went in there to find her face down on the floor o' pillows again.

I wonder how many times this has happened.

Spam

Got stuck with a spam comment, so I'm moderating now. Please do not make that stop you from commenting if you wish - it just means it won't show up until I check it first.

Abby renders me Speechless...

Abby and Claire's grandparents respectively bought them matching shirts on their vacation to Maui. Claire's Mom and I planned a day they (the kids, not the grandparents) would both wear their shirts to take a picture at school. That was today. Here are the pictures.



Cute, huh? Yup, I agree.

But that is not what I am blogging about. Several hours later I got the funniest email of my life from Nancy (Claire's mom). It was one line:

Did Abby come home in Claire's pants? Cuz I'm pretty sure Claire is in Abby's. . .

Abby denies all knowledge of this swap, though a glance at her brown pants confirms that they are in fact Claire's. How this swap took place, perhaps no one will ever know. It could have been a mix-up by a parent if... for example... all the kids had their pants off it would be difficult to tell which were which between these two brown pants. Perhaps it was just a funny joke between the girls... in fact, perhaps this is the moment they thought up the idea:


p.s. Nancy and I did not even plan on the matching brown pants - we hadn't discussed accessories!


Mystery explained... or is it?:
"According to my daughter, it was a dress up day. So OOPS they didn't get into their own pants when they got dressed (I'm assuming). . . the funny thing was that Claire had no idea that they weren't hers! I think she likes Abby's better because they have sparkles. . . :)"

Jack the Brute, Abby on Football...

At Jack's two month check up, he impressed the doc with his strength - both grip while getting pulled up and pushing up. This does not surprise me as I did warn you all he was a mover and a shaker. If Joshua takes over the world, Jack might be his head General Evil Henchman.


Abby was having a very nice time watching the Superbowl replay with Steve. When the Giants scored their last touchdown, Abby said, "Awwh, those guys are giving hugs."

In other Abby news, she is having a fantastic time playing pretend. I couldn't possibly tell you how funny some of the "interactions" her toys have with one another, but here are a few (remember this is Abby playing all characters):

Red ball vs. Blue Ball:
You are evil, blue ball, so YOU have to go in the dungeon so you don't killed anyone
Wait a second, I'm not evil
You're not?
No!
Oh, I thought you were evil.
No, I'm not evil, I'm nice
Oh. That's good. Then can you watch the baby?
Sure. Because I'm nice.
I'm going to the store - don't let any evil people in the house.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye-bye.

Green Car, Purple Car, Yellow Car, Orange Car, Red Car, Pink car:
You can't marry purple car, yellow car, so you have to go over there (tosses yellow car behind her shoulder)
Purple Car is going to marry Green car.
But then, who am I going to marry?
Orange car, you have to go over there with yellow car
*aaaah* (as orange car gets tossed behind her shoulder)
I'm going to marry you Red car. And purple car you marry this guy... this green car.
And you (Referring to tossed cars) you have been very very bad and you are going to not ever ever get any more treats.
What? You're sad?
I know you're sad, but you have been very very bad and I'm sorry but you are going to have to stay there.
You're afraid? okay, okay, you can come back over here but you still can't marry this... these... any of these cars, okay? okay. goooooood car.

Abby, my Lady

Abby's Wink Practice

Jack: Weighing in at 13 pounds...

Introducing... The Jackal:

Go ahead, make my day.

Abby's Todays, Tomorrows, and Yesterdays

Abby doesn't have a clear idea of what Tomorrow and Yesterday totally mean. She generally gets that Yesterday is in the past and Tomorrow is in the future most of the time. But sometimes shes struggles to understand these weird ever changing labels.

So a couple nights ago when discussing how she wanted to go somewhere or do something or see someone I told her something we were scheduled to do "tomorrow."

She got agitated and put out her hands, "Is Tomorrow, Today YET?"

Oddly enough... by the time I write this... it was...or...is

Abby and her Midnight Walks

Ever since Jack was born Abby has been having nightmares. The mentor at her school suggested rather than catering too much to them, we leave a couple blankets on the floor at the foot of her bed that she can go to in the middle of the night.

This has been great in the sense that if Abby does wake up, it's never a prolonged issue. If she does have a nightmare it's usually around 3 or 4am.

Last night I was sitting on my living room couch talking to Steve who had just gotten home from work. It was 10:34pm and we both hear Abby's door creak open and we both just watch as our sweet girl walked to our bedroom without a glance towards us, holding her doll and her water in one hand and, in the other hand- her pillow dragging on the floor. She was just so sweetly, so pathetically half asleep, just doing this duty like she has done a dozen times before.

She was also so sweetly, so pathetically confused when Steve turned her around back to her room, "I thought it was morning already."

I need to sketch that moment because it was so sweet.

Jack's Mom

(and his bath hair which I love)

Jack's New Blanket

Jen P crocheted this blanket for Jack (who knew she crocheted?) and she gets a smile as a thank you!

Abby's Noni Jeans

Noni got Abby these jeans for a birthday a couple years ago... Abby likes soft fabric however and hasn't been coerced into wearing them for two years (or any jeans). Daddy apparently has magic powers of persuasion and she wore them all day today. I, of course, spent the entire day trying to get a good picture. I'm happiest with these artsy ones...

Abby and Jack: Still Truckin'

Another long day... a perfect day by Abby standards, I'd think. We were at Wesley's birthday party (with kids) (that ALSO happened to have the best bouncy adventures ever)(AND pizza AND cupcakes) all morning. We listened to Disney songs on the way there and back. She played with her princess shoes while we relaxed at home for a couple hours. We went to Church where there were more KIDS. Then we went to Claire's house for food where there were KIDS that she KNEW. You'd think... you know... she'd be satiated. At least not desperate to do something else... wouldn't you? Well, if you would you'd be wrong.

Well... she may have claimed to want to go somewhere else with more kids... she seemed pretty content to get ready for bed and she was asleep within about three blinks. So... you know... she is probably dreaming of kids.

Abby's Wesley

Wesley had his 4th birthday party at a bounce house which was very very fun... (I know everyone's concern over these things is passing around germs, but it was the first party of the day and for now I will assume we weren't exposed). Abby took about ten minutes to warm up before not being terrified... but once she warmed up she wore herself out... all the kids did... and the parents...
Notice the sign on the ground... and note that the "Slow" is absolutely not a descriptor of the playing children.