A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful memories of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Abby's Four Month Birthday

Abby is four month’s old (on December 23, 2011) and gearing up for her very first Christmas.  She is getting so big, learning new things everyday, and is ‘playing’ more and more.  She started to giggle around 3 ½ months old.  I can kiss her tummy and she thinks that is so funny.  She also laughs when you tickle her neck.  She has also started to have hyper fits.  They are hysterical.  I cannot even express how much I love my little girl.
She pushes buttons on her toys now and really focuses on the lights.  When there is music I guarantee she is kicking her feet and swinging her arms.  She is one moving little girl.  She still likes the swing, bouncy, our bed, her bed with music playing (the piano), and really likes all her toys now.  She is a reader—she loves to read.  She looks so big now because when you read her a story she looks at the pages and waits for you to turn the page to see what is next.  It is amazing!
I went to work for seven days this month and Mawmaw kept Abby.  She learned so much during the week I was working.  It was so hard for me because by the time I got home, I was tired, she was tired and the day was almost gone.  It is really sad how our society works: we work all day to come home and sleep and then do it again.  I really wish we were off 5 days and worked 2 days.  That would be great for me and Miss Abby.  I missed her terribly when I was working but she had fun playing with Mawmaw.    
Abby is changing so much these days.  She is at the beginning stages where you can really play with her and she smiles and giggles in her, oh so cute, little voice.  She has very good control of her head now but still doesn’t like tummy time.  What Abby really likes these days is the television.  I am pretty sure we watch too much tv as Abby is just fascinated in commercial and shows.
Her eyes are still a dark blue but looks green some days.  She is still in a size 2 diaper but should be moving on up to size 3 soon.  Abby is still in 3-6 month clothing but I bet in another month she will be in 6-9 month clothing.  She is still wearing newborn size shoes.  Yes, she has small feet!
Abbygale is pretty much still sleeping through the night.  She is still sleeping in the bassinet beside our bed but slowly starting to outgrow her little bed.  It is almost time for the transfer to the crib (frown).  She cries in her sleep around 5 am and wants to be moved to our bed to lay with us.  She goes to bed anywhere from 8:30-9:30 and wakes up in the morning around 7:00-8:00.  Abby is drinking 5-6 ounce bottles throughout the day roughly every 3 hours, but doesn’t drink any bottles at night.  I give her a little water now, especially when she has hickups.
Abby does take naps throughout the day now where as before you never really knew if she would take a nap.  She still just likes her cat naps if she can help it but seems to bemore tired lately.  She must be growing.  She puts herself to sleep in the swing from time to time and has really been wanting to take more naps in Mommy’s arms throughout the day.  Poor baby is so tired!  When she is really tired she puts her hand over her eyes to cover up the sun/light.  It’s adorable!
Abby’s favorite place to be is on her changing table.  We call this the ‘happy mat’ because she loves it!  When she is a little fussy we lay her on her changing table and her mood really does turn around.  I am pretty sure she feels safe and likes to look at herself in the big mirror.
Abby loves baths and chews on her hands while we are giving her a bath.  She kicks her legs some too to hear the water splash.  She is so calm and happy in the tub on her red ladybug body sponge. 
Abby is a talker these days.  She has found her voice and started talking and talking more and more.  She is very aware and will follow you around with her eyes.  She also has started looking up and behind her when she hears your voice.  She is just getting too big for her britches!! 
Abby is such a joy and is really a great baby.  She can pitch a fit when she wants to (mad or tired) but really is an angel.  I couldn’t have asked for a better baby.  She is pretty easy going and loves to be out and about.  She is a good rider, a great shopper, and really does well with other kids.  She likes to see different things and really takes everything in.  I know I say this in every blog but Abbygale Kate really is just perfect.  She is everything to me.  She is so much fun, so sweet, and so very lovable.  I am really cherishing every moment with her.
Hi George!

Such a Cutie Pie!
Granbette and Abbygale
Abby and Granbette
I'm Holding My Own Bottle!
 I Love to Read!


 My Hands Taste Good!






 Mommy's Best Present Ever!!
 I'm Hungry!


 PawPaw and Abbygale
 I Cover My Eyes When I Sleep!
 First Time I Held On To My Toys...I Was With MawMaw!!
 Cutest Girl EVER!!
Perfect Little Girl!

 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Her!!
 Cute Little Sad Lip!
 Precious Even When Mad!
 Ready for Church!!

What Does Abbygale Kate Helford Stand For?


Abbygale Kate Helford can be described as:

A: Angel
B: Beautiful
B: Brilliant
Y: Yeller
G: Girly
A: Adorable
L: Loveable
E: Easy Going


K: Kicker
A: Attitude
T: Thumb Sucker
E: Eater


H: Happy
E: Extra Special
L: Loud
F: Fiesty
O: One of a Kind
R: Rotten (In a Good Way)
D: Daddy’s Facial Expressions (Speaks With Her Face)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Abby's 4 Month Checkup

Abby had her four month checkup on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 with Dr. Hughes.  She did pretty well considering she had to get shots again.  Abbygale weighed in at 14 pounds 10 ounces (80 percentile).  She is 25 inches long (75 percentile) and her head circumference was 42 cm (85 percentile).  She had to get two shots and one liquid shot so of course she cried but cried less than at her two month checkup.  Poor baby was mad because those mean ol’ nurses hurt her.  Dr. Hughes said she is one growing girl and everything looked good.  We don’t have another well check until 6 months old and at around 5 months she gets to start eating cereal and stage 1 foods.  So exciting!  We will introduce one food for five days straight before introducing another food.  I think we are going to start with rice cereal and then a vegetable and then a fruit.  After the introduction she will eat the baby food three times a day.  However, six months is when it is real important to start feeding them baby food so that gives us around a month for Abby to get use to the new texture and everything.  Dr. Hughes is so very helpful :) I’m pretty sure she is going to love it because she sure does like her milk!
Abby Morning of her Doctor's Appointment
 My Happy Girl
 Chillin' with Mommy and Daddy at Academy, Babies R Us, and Chuy's
 Poor Baby Doesn't Know What's Ahead!
I'm ready to go home (before we get to the doctor's office)
 Daddy and Abby right before the shots

Abby has really done well after the shots.  I think she isn't feeling nearly as bad as she did at two months.  She has still been smiling and playing.  She is just a little crankier than normal but overall being such a big girl!  She deserves a thumbs up for sure! I have one strong baby girl!

The morning after her doctor's appointment Abby wasn't feeling well.  She had a little fever and you could tell just uncomfortable.  Poor baby!  This time around with shots was still better than the previous experience.

Abby's 1st Ingram Christmas With Preston

On Saturday, December 17, 2011 we celebrated the Ingram Christmas with Preston.  Aunt Rikki, Uncle Adriel, and Cousin Preston came to visit Friday evening and stayed until mid-morning on Sunday.  Abby had lots of fun!  It is extra special when they come down because we don't get to see them too often.  Friday evening after supper Preston and Abby exchanged Christmas gifts.  Abby was spoiled rotten and got a HUGE bag full of all kinds of stuff, including cute clothes, a baby doll, a Leap Frog DJ music learning toy, a toy sorter, a farm toy that plays music, links, sing-a-long music cds, books, and more!  Abby got a whole lot of stuff from Aunt Rikki and Preston!  She LOVED all of it!!  Abby got Preston some cooking toys and a John Deere tractor flashlight.  I think they both were happy!  They played and played and played!
Saturday all the Ingram's came over for food, fun, and lots of laughs.  It was a great time!  Preston got to see everyone for Christmas since he will be home on Christmas Eve.  Abby will celebrate again with all the Ingram's on Christmas Eve at Granny's!!  Abby did get more presents on Saturday too.  Aunt Melissa got her a nativity scene and a toy phone.  They are pretty cool!  We really enjoyed spending some time with the family since family is so special!!

Lauri, Kailei, and Ashlyn came over to play too and Kailei, Ashlyn, and Abby exchanged gifts.  Abby got a REALLY, REALLY COOL sleep over bag that is a frog princess (with legs and a tutu and all)!  It's priceless!!  Abby is ready for her first vacation!

Abby has already celebrated Christmas with family and great friends and still has lots more celebrating to do.  We are so thankful for all of our family and wonderful friends.  They mean everything to us!
Abby Opening Gifts

This looks cool Mommy!

Preston loving his 'cook' food

Let's play Mommy!

The plastic donut taste so good!  Yum!

Vroom!  Vroom!

MawMaw and her Grandbabies!

Preston and Abbygale

We like our hands...They taste good!

Hi!

Preston, Abby, and Daxton!

Family!

Cousins: Preston, Abby, and Daxton

Can we go play yet?

We are done!

Daxton and Preston snuck outside to play without Abby!

Aunt Rikki

Sunday, December 04, 2011

Abby Saw Santa Claus!!

Abby got to meet Santa Claus for the very first time!  She wouldn't smile for him but she didn't cry either!!  We saw the real Santa Claus and then a Santa helper since Santa couldn't be everywhere!!  We are really getting in the Christmas spirit! 
Abby was so excited to meet Mr. Claus.

Abby waiting in line patiently to meet Santa Claus!
 Mr. Claus and Abby
 Santa checking Abby out!
 Santa Claus and Abbygale!

Saturday, December 03, 2011

A Letter From Santa

Abby received her first letter from Santa Claus!!  We are so excited Santa took time out of his busy schedule to write Miss Abbygale a letter.  Wow, Abby must have been one good little girl!  Santa is so very sweet.  Abby can't wait until Christmas! 

December 2011 Is Here!!

Its December 1st…Abby’s very first time to experience the great holiday frenzy that the month of December brings. The weather is finally nice and chilly and we have our Christmas tree up ready for Santa Claus. We started a new tradition this year that we plan on continuing each year…”The Elf on the Shelf.” I’m very excited about this since I have been ready to start it for years! Our elf has joined our family and is watching over Miss Abbygale so he can report to Santa how Abby is doing. In case you are wondering, Abby is just perfect! She is definitely on the nice list this year.
The countdown to Christmas is on. I love the holidays and hope Abby enjoys them as much as I do too. This year is extra special because now we have a little one to start all the fun holiday traditions and do all the fun activities that comes with Christmas.

We have the Christmas tree up and Abby’s stocking hanging. This was as much as I could put up because Abby really likes to be held. So needless to say, I am not holding her when putting up Christmas decorations so she gets a little upset with me. Therefore, I barely got the tree up and half-way decorated. Next year, our little girl will be walking around so ALL the decorations will be up and our house will be glowing inside and outside! I’m satisfied with the little bit of decorations we have this year but the following years will be so much more and Abby should be excited about it too! Santa told me our decorations this year are okay. Our house is still in the Christmas spirit so we are good! We get a little pass until next year :)

The month of December is here, which is one of my favorite months of the year. Abby is counting down the days until Santa Claus makes his very first visit. She still is thinking of what she is asking Santa for. It’s still a secret at the moment but she better decide quickly because Santa is coming to visit her real soon. He’s going to take a quick break from the North Pole so Abby can meet him for the first time and get a picture to remember for years to come! Of course, other good boys and girls will be visiting him too including Abby’s besties Ashlyn and Kailei!

December has arrived. It’s the holiday season. Abby is ready to hear, “Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!”
Where's Abby?
She decided to take a nap instead of taking a picture with her Christmas tree!






 Watching the lights on her Christmas tree!



I want to get those lights!!