Abigail Ann - 8 Months

Abigail is now 8 months old! I have no idea where the time has gone.

We have loved every minute of this sweet girl's life. She is a joy in our home and so dear and close to her Mommy's heart. She is my teddy bear, my comfort, and brings me happiness every day!

Here is a little news on Miss Abby over the last 2 months

News from January and February:

Her new skill - army crawl to anything! She also pushes up onto her hands and her toes and sticks her bum up into the air! So cute! She often gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth, but then she'll fall onto her stomach again and army crawl. She barely started "REAL" crawling end of Feb.

Her new trick - blowing raspberries and sticking out her tongue!

Her cutest feature - this awesome HAIR!

Her favorite toy - mom's hair, her ball popper from Santa, and binkies (not to suck on, but to play with *exasperated sigh*)

Oh and her Johnny Jump Up! (Best $10 I ever spent!)

Her favorite solid food (1st of Jan.) - sweet potatoes and avocado! and all fruits of course.

Her favorite finger foods now (end of Feb.) - Avocado pieces, mango, and puffs.

She's starting to say actual syllables. "Ya ya ya" "Ba ba ba" and "Da da da!"

She has said "Mama ma ma" only twice as of this date, but the ability is obviously there! Yeah! That's earlier than Annalyn said Mama. Annalyn called me Da da FOREVER!

Funny Abby"ness"

Whenever Abigail is nursing, her free arm doesn't hold still unless she falls asleep. She often beats me with it - it flails and hits my chest and arm and her. She often reaches up and pulls her own hair (which I try not to let her do), but it's just her nervous nursing tendency.

Six month stats:

Weight: 18 lbs. 15 oz ~ 93rd Percentile

Height: ~ 27 inches ~ 78th Percentile

Head: Don't remember but it was 55th Percentile (normal for my children)

This is almost exactly the same as Annalyn back in 2009! Check it out HERE!

She got her 1st tooth on January 19, 2012

She got her 2nd tooth on January 20, 2012

She loves her mommy and cries whenever I leave the room. She doesn't usually like to be handed off to anyone and even though she is army crawling/scooting around, she would still prefer to view the world as an appendage to mom's hip. (As a result I'm quite adept at doing things one-handed and my left arm is getting quite strong ;-)

P.S. Annalyn didn't do this, so it has been really strange for me.

Abigail is very snuggly (which Annalyn was not as a baby) so that has been really fun to just sit and hold her. We get lots of one on one time. BUT...

2/4/12 Abigail screamed for the babysitter for over 3 hours until she finally cried herself to sleep. (Did I mention that she loves her mommy?) Poor babysitter even had her mom come over and help, but to no avail. It's mommy or no one with this girl.

*This is one of those things I said "my children will never do" ... oh if only it was that easy. But, at least having a babysitter was good practice at being away from mommy.*

She loves baths! Especially with her sister! Annalyn loves to pour water on Abby's head and often gets it in her eyes, but Abigail doesn't care. She just kicks and splashes and plays with the duckies! She always cries when she has to get out and HATES to get lotion rubbed on her.

Miss Abby is such a laid back baby. So chill and calm! (Very different from her sister in this regard) As long as she's fed, changed, and close to mom, she's happy and content.

Abby has started to snuggle with her bear when she sleeps. Here's a picture of Annalyn with her "teddy" and Abigail with her "Yogi" or "Yogs" as Annalyn calls him. They are the same bear just one is brown and one is white. Annalyn named Yogi...we'll see if Abby's alright with that when she gets old enough to care.

Abigail has lots of nicknames:

Abby (obviously - no on told me that this was unavoidable! I'm just fine with it though, Abby fits her quite well)

Abby Ann

Miss Abby

Miss Abs

Abbers (my personal favorite - Annalyn made this up on her own. From the back seat of the car one day I hear, "Abbers! AAABBBBERRRRS! WAKE UPPPPP! ABBERS, Why are you sleeping?" *So FUNNY!*)

Goose

Sweetie (Annalyn picked this up from my I think, but often uses it when talking to both Anna and Abby)

Baby-Doll (I often say, "Hey baby doll! How you doing?" or "Come here baby doll - time for a diaper change." But the "baby doll" is said fast and kinda slurred together with a bit of a Texas drawl...hmmm...maybe I've been living here too long ;-)

Aboo - Annalyn uses this one often. "Hey there Aboo!"

One of my favorite Abbyisms: Whenever I am holding her (propped on the hip and walking around...) If someone comes up to Abby - for example: when Daddy gets home from work. He'll walk up to us and coo at Abigial. "Hi there Abby! How you doin' cute girl? You are such a cutie..."

(You know what I mean, baby talk like that...)

Anyway, whenever someone walks up to Abby while she's on my hip, she smiles really big at the person and then buries her head into my shoulder. When I say "buries" I really mean it. She nestles in pretty well and then she'll peek back out at whoever is trying to get her attention. So shy and sweet! (Let's just say that this isn't Daddy's favorite thing)

3/4/12

Abigail started waving "bye bye." C.U.T.E.S.T. thing E.V.E.R!!! She does it in this adorable shy kinda way, but her little hand waves up and down with her arm outstretched all the way.

Abigial has learned to dance! ADORABLE! She just wiggles and bounces, but it is so stinkin' cute!

Rain - A wonder of childhood

I love the wonder in a child's eyes when...

They feel a raindrop on their hand...

Or watch the raindrops hit the ground...

or hear the scary sound of thunder

(or as Annalyn says it: "funder")

I love it when her face lights up as she jumps in puddles

But mostly, the excited look on her face when she realizes that she gets to use her new Ariel Umbrella that Santa brought!

Thanks for sharing the joy and wonder of a rainstorm with me today Sweet Annalyn!

2 year old cuteness

So this is one of those posts that I've kept in my drafts for the last few months and just recorded randomness here and there. Some of it seems so old now 3 months later, but here is it written down to remember forever! Don't worry my next post will be an update on Abby!

Annalyn's speech cuteness right now(Oct 2011):

She doesn't pronounce the L sound correctly in these words - LL words, why is that?

Stroller is "Stroyo"

Pillow is "Piyo"

Halloween is "Hayoeen"

And for some reason...Squirrel is "Squiyo"

And the seasonal cuteness - she has been talking about "Punkmins" for a month. Thought we'd get that one figured out by Halloween, but no - they are still "punkmins"

We rearranged some furniture in our living room and took some pictures off the wall in the process. Our picture of Jesus was leaning against the wall in our bedroom. Annalyn saw it and came to me on the couch and offered me her hand.

"Mom, can I show you Jesus?"

"Sure." I allow myself to be led...

"This is Jesus mom. He helps us be nice to everyone."

Annalyn took a blanket and put it on her head like a veil and said,"Mom, I'm getting married to Daddy!"

"Really? Where are you getting married?"

"In the temple."

"But if you marry Daddy who am I going to be married to?"

"Ummm...Grandpa O! That's a good idea Mama!"

And now for the best part... Several minutes later she came to me and said,

"Mom, I'll marry Daddy. You marry Grandpa O, and Abby can marry Brooklyn!"

For anyone who has seen "Night at the Museum II: Battle of the Smithsonian" (which is one of my all time favorites!)

Annalyn came up to me while I was cleaning the bathroom and said, "FIYAH POWAH" really loudly while showing me her muscles!

(If you haven't seen it check out this link or just search "Night at the Museum 2 The Thinker")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1gouAQVFaE

Cuteness 10/27/11

THE BACKGROUND:

Annalyn has a Barbie movie called, "The Princess and the Pauper" which she LOVES!

THE STORY:

While nursing Abigail on the couch - Annalyn walks to the corner table and unzips Travis's scriptures, opens them, and proceeds to "read..."

"And the pauper and the Lamanites...and they went here and there...and they lived happily ever after!"

"Annalyn, what are you doing?" (I'm still laughing as I write this)

"I'm reading you scriptures Mama."

Favorites: I asked these questions to Anna on the way home from a walk around the lake and just wanted to record them for fun. October 2011 Annalyn is 2 1/2 Years Old

Favorite Color: PINK! (This answer was immediate and loud - no hesitation whatsoever!) and then after some thought..."and white and brown." This comes from the neopolitan ice cream that she gets when she goes #2 on the potty.

Favorite Book: "Dopey"

The next time I asked her it was "Wacky Wednesday"

And the next time I asked her it was "Cordoy" (Corduroy)

Favorite Movie: "Tangled and Hammy the Squiyo" (Over the Hedge)

Favorite Friend to play with: "Kiewa" (Kiera)

Favorite thing to do: At this point she began a long really cute list,

"Ummm, picnics...and my kitchen...and dancing...and ummm reading books. That's fun Mama! And teddy...and Abby..." (I think there were a few more, but I can't remember them right now)

The ending of an era... Annalyn learned to say her S's in November.

There will be no more "foons" at our dinner table.

Abby will "file" no more

Annalyn is no longer "fart"

"No mom, I'm SSSSSmart." "No mom, they're SSSSSSmarties!"

Knew you could figure it out ssssmart girl!

December fun:

Travis likes to show Annalyn youtube videos of great musicians (hoping to inspire her musical gene at an early age I guess). After watching a Steven Sharp Nelson and John Schmidt video Travis asked her,

"Annalyn do you want to play the cello or the violin?"

Annalyn put her finger to her chin and cocked her head to the side (her thinking pose apparently), and said,

"Ummmmmmmm.........how bout the banjo?"

Each evening for family scriptures we always help Annalyn repeat a verse or two. So dad will read 2 or 3 words and Anna will repeat them. When she's finished her verse there's always a good job and high five for participation. Now she's started saying, "mom's turn!" So dad will read a verse and mom will repeat it word for word (with the good job and high five as well).

WELL ~ a few nights ago Annalyn took the scriptures from Travis and said, "No no no, my turn. (she turns a few pages and begins to read...)

"Behold..." (looks up expectantly at mom and dad)

Mom & Dad repeat, "Behold"

"the palace"

M & D, "the palace"

"of God"

M & D, "of God."

"Good job" and high fives around! So funny! She now does that same verse every night but it has become, "Behold the palace of god is white and beautiful. It's the Temple." (Not sure if Annalyn has license to write scripture but she's sure trying her hand at it.

She's also finishing phrases on her own when we read scriptures. So if we say, "And it came..."

Annalyn will say, "And it came to pass"

Or, "the power of..."

Annalyn will say, "the power of God"

(Actually almost anytime you end a phrase with the word "of" she'll automatically add "God" to the end of the phrase even if it doesn't belong there. )

Praying: Annalyn was upset at me when we were sitting down to lunch one afternoon. She didn't want to pray. I explained that she didn't have to join us, but Abigail and I were going to pray for our food anyway.

"No! I'll pray"

She then proceeded with a very loud (screaming really) mean-sounding prayer with a scowl on here face:

"Dear Heavenly Father, were dateful for our day! AaaaaMennnn!"

Mom: "I don't think Heavenly Father likes it when we yell in our prayers. How about if Abby and I say a nice happy prayer?"

Anna, " No no no no, I'LLllll...DOooo....ITtttt!" (yeah that sounds calm and nice)

Her demeanor then changed to one of solemn sadness in one instant (SO FUNNY!)

With her face downcast and her lip sticking out, she said in a whiney quiet voice,

"Dear Heavenly Father, we're dateful for our day. We're dateful for mom and dad and all of our things. Jesus Christ, Amen."

"Well, that was such a nice, happy prayer. Good job Annalyn!"

"No Mom, (exasperatedly) That wasn't my happy prayer, that was my sad prayer."

More Halloween: "Fly My Pretties!"

Our little witch's witch imitation...

What's with the hand motion?

Halloween Traditions

Happy Halloween from Abigail!

Our sweetheart is now 4 months old!

Our 1st Halloween Tradition is

Making Sugar Cookies

for Family Home Evening!

Annalyn LOVED helping daddy cut out the shapes. Abigail was content to watch!

Our masterpieces!

(As a side note - the DAM stands for Daddy, Annalyn, and Mommy - We noticed in the following pictures and switched the cookies around)

Tradition #2: Pumpking Carving

(Or as Annalyn would say, "Punkmin Carving!")

This is an ALL-DAY-EVENT at the Oldham household!

The Progression... 9am

10am

(Trav meticulously traced the design by poking around the image with a straight pin)

Somewhere around noon...

Nearly there...

And finally with a drill, chisel, and several trips to the windowless bathroom to check the lighting

The FINAL PRODUCT!

(Somewhere around 4:30pm)

Trav won the $75 prize at his work's pumpkin carving contest! SWEET!

Annalyn's blondie punkmin - Here's how the creation process went:

Mom: "Annalyn, what shape do you want the eyes?"

Anna: "Green"

Mom: "Green what?"

Anna: "Triangles"

"What shape do you want the nose?"

"Green"

"Green What? Square...circle...triangle...semi-circle?"

"Semi-circle"

"How many teeth should your pumpkin have?"

"2 cuz I'm 2"

"What color hair should your pumpkin have?"

"Blonde, cuz I'm blonde"

So there you have it! Annalyn's creation.

(I, of course, had to add the ears, earrings, and eyelashes.)

(Trav added the freckles with his drill)

And Tradition #3

THE COSTUMES!

THIS YEAR'S SPECIAL - OLDHAM CLASSIC HALLOWEEN!

Here you have it:

Mummy & Deady, Our resident Candy Witch, & our Plump Little Pumpkin!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Conversations with a 2 year old!

Here's our cute Annalyn. Just turned 2 1/2 and a bundle of energy, joy, and cuteness!

I can barely keep up with this chica! Example:

A few days ago Annalyn got into the pantry and closed the door. When I went to open it she said,

"No, go away mom I'm playing hide and seek."

I went back to washing dishes. About a minute later I hear,

"Mom help! Help me! I need help mom!"

I opened the pantry door to find...

The oreos were hidden BEHIND the paper towels, but like Po in Kung Fu Panda - tell this girl where the oreo cookies are and you'll find her in a "perfect split" on the top shelf shoving cookies in her mouth. Good thing the camera was handy!

Cuteness of this morning 10/12/11:

Annalyn dropped her gogurt on the floor during breakfast.

Mom: "Do you want me to pick that up for you?"

Anna: "No thank you Mom Honey"

Annalyn doesn't pronounce the "s" sound correctly if it's at the first of a word. So here are some fun phrases only to be heard at the Oldham residence:

"I fart mom" (smart)

"I want farties" (smarties)

"Abby, can you file at me?" "She filed, she filed!" (smile)

Obviously nursing takes a front seat in our daily life - and thus my 2-year old's brain thinks she knows all about it:

Shortly after reading (i.e. looking at) her "Old Macdonald Had a Farm" book Annalyn came to me while I was nursing Abigail and said,

"Mom, your milk comes out your boobs, but a cow's milk comes out their bum."

She quickly learned the word "udder" after I had Annalyn bring me her farm book and turn to the picture of the cow.

Anna was being disruptive in sacrament meeting so I took her out into the foyer. After several minutes ON MY LAP she calmed down and said,

"I want to go back in mom"

"Okay, but you need to fold your arms and be reverent"

"Okay mom, you fold your arms too"

"Okay, ready?"

"Sure, but mom... you need to cover up your boobs." As she took both hands and pulled my shirt up to my chin. The other parents in the foyer were cracking up! Haha - thanks for keeping me on track cute girl!

Mom: "Good Morning Annalyn"

Anna: "Oh Hi Mom. I want to see Abigail" (this nonchalant "Oh Hi Mom" is normal)

(Annalyn proceeds to climb up next to me on the couch and poke and prod Abigail while she's nursing)

Mom: "Abby doesn't like that honey"

Anna: "But mom look...Baby Abby waked her eyes up. She yikes it! She yikes it!"

While doing dishes Annalyn was pulling on my legs saying, "Mommy Mommy (exasperatedly) Mommmmy...come here."

Mom: "Hold on a minute honey, my hands are wet"

Annalyn: "Ug, mom, you're dwiving me nuts"

Compliment of the day 10/3/11

"Hi Mom. I like your big legs." (She pronounces like with a y...yike)

I love it when a 2-year old starts praying on their own.

Prayers:

"Dear...We're dateful for mom and dad and all kind of sings(things)..." (funny that she'll say the "s" sound at the first of this word, but not when the word actually does start with an "s"....why is that?)

"Dear...We're dateful for dad and peter piper...amen"

"Dear...dateful dat mom and dad got mawwied in the tempo" (this was so sweet cuz she did it all on her own - we hadn't even been talking about the temple that day.)

Mostly prayers consist of thanking Heavenly Father for everyone in the room - usually twice, and then thanking Him for every individual item on our plates, plus the plate, sippie, and often the door and windows in the room.

In the car on the way home one evening...

Mom: The sun is going down that means it's almost time for bed

Anna: The sun is bwight in my eyes

Mom: Don't look at the sun, it'll hurt your eyes

Anna: I looking I looking...mama it's bwight

Mom: Well, why did you look at it?

Anna: Because why

Popular Phrase during potty training:

"I knew there was some pee in there!!"

AND MY ALL TIME FAVORITE:

We'd just gotten back from swimming at a friend's pool and I asked Annalyn to take off her wet swimsuit so we could have a bath. She complied. I looked over about a minute later and she was on a barstool, stark naked, hands behind her back putting a piece of pull and peel licorice in her bum crack...

Mom: "Annalyn, what are you doing?"

Annalyn: "I'm taking my temperature."

(Abigail had a fever that morning and she'd watched me take her temp. with a rectal thermometer. HAHAHA)

Annalyn came up to me yesterday (10/17/11) and said:

"Mom, X is for Xylophone. Bet you didn't know that!"

Annalyn knows her alphabet and will sing it for you if you give her a gummy worm.

She knows about 1/2 the letters by sight and can write and A and a C by herself (at least mom can tell that's what she's writing)

Trav started teaching her math - she knows 1+1=2 and 2+2=4 (which she will also show you if you give her a gummy worm ;-)

Everytime we ask Annalyn to pick the song for Family Home Evening she immediately starts singing "Wing awound da Wosie, a pocket pull of Posies..."

Her favorite pastime right now is to have PICNICS! I am constantly finding her in a corner of the house or out back with the picnic blanket, her tea set from Grandma O., her play food and her stuffed animals. She invites me to join sometimes but only if I bring "real food." So cute!

All of our neighbors have dogs (we're surrounded) and Annalyn's other favorite pastime is to stand by the fence out back and make Riley (the chihuahua next door) bark. The other day I poked my head out the back door and said:

"Anna honey, what are you doing?"

"Bugging Riley. I'll come in in a minute."

LIFE IS WONDERFUL! ANNALYN FILLS OUR DAYS WITH LOTS OF LAUGHS AND TONS OF HUGS! COME VISIT US! SHE'LL MAKE YOUR DAY TOO!

Oh what do babysitters teach our children?

We went on a date a few evenings ago - always nice to get out for a few minutes - and upon returning home we discovered Annalyn had a new talent. All we can figure is that the babysitter must have had a dance party with Anna because she definitely didn't learn to dance like that from Travis. And though some might disagree, I'm pretty sure I don't look like that when I dance.

Sorry the music is so quiet, but hope you enjoy the entertainment! We sure do! What a doll!