18 Month Old - Combining Words More & More

When Abby speaks, it is rarely just a single word these days.  She combines at least two words and sometimes many more words when she is talking.  She is really getting good at communicating and I think by two she will never be frustrated because she will be able to communicate 100 percent of the time.  She is a growing little girl that is just so, so smart!  Words can't explain how much I love Miss Abbygale Kate Helford.

Abby's 1st Sentence

Abby is so in love with hay.  Round bales.  Square Bales. And Just Hay.  I guess it has a lot to do with every weekend we are feeding the cows, delivering hay to the stores, selling and/or moving hay, etc.  She has been talking about hay for a long time now and I love that her first sentence is:

Hay.  Cows.  Moo.  Chomp/Chomp/Smack/Smack (with her mouth).

Just in case you need help, this translates to:

Hay for the cows (Moo) to eat!!  I consider this a full sentence!

I just love it!

18 Month Check-Up (2/27/13)

Abby had her 18 month check-up with Dr. Hughes on Wednesday, 2/27/13.  She weighed approximately 26 ½ pounds and was 32 ½ inches long.  She was in the 80^th percentile for both weight and height.  Dr. Hughes said she is very well proportioned, which is good. 

It was just Mommy and Abby at the doctor’s office.  Mommy was a little nervous because sometimes Abby isn’t on her best behavior at the doctor’s.  However, Abby was so, so good this time. We watched Doc McStuffin, watched the fish swim, played in the sink with a cup, and laughed at the kitten picture.  There were tears when the nurses came in to weigh her and give her a shot but besides that she was so good!

We went through her development and speech with Dr. Hughes and he was impressed.  He thinks she does NOT have autism (based on a Q&A session) and is developing perfectly. This is just the routine check-up that checks for this type of stuff.   I already knew this but hearing it from the doctor is very, very nice.

Abbygale got one shot – her second Hep A.  I believe she will not have to have any shots at her next appointment, which will be at 2 years old.  Yippee!

The only couple of things to work on is a) getting her to sleep through the night since she is still up a couple of times each night and b) getting her to drink less milk (she is only suppose to have about 16 ounces of milk each day and she is WAY over this amount).

18 Month Photo Shoot - February 2013

Miss Abbygale is 1 1/2 years old.  Taking pictures of Abby at 18 months old is hard because she doesn't want to stay still AT ALL!  I know this is just a phase in life so we still try very hard to snap a few pictures all dressed up at each of her major milestones.  It is always a success because we get pictures of beautiful Abby but sometimes the pictures are not of her smiling!

We got a lot of these pictures at 1 1/2 years old...

 

 

And some of these....

 

And these really, really cute ones (especially when cropped)....

 



 

 

I call this a successful 18 month photo shoot!!  Our beautiful, funny, smart, and happy girl is just so precious!!

Abby is 1 1/2 Years Old (02/23/13)!!

Abby is now 1 ½ years old! I sit here typing that in amazement. Wow – time really does fly by. I have tried to cherish every moment with Miss Abbygale and make as many fun and loving memories as we possibly can together as a family. Abby is everything to us. She’s our world!

Abby is a busy bee at 18 months. She stays outside just as much as you will let her. She loves picking up rocks and sand, walking to the barn, feeding the cows, playing with George & Matty, and really just about anything outside. She is an outside country girl for sure!

Miss Abbygale is so very gentle and sweet. She gives the most precious hugs, kisses, and pats. She loves to cuddle with her Mommy (but I am pretty sure Mommy loves it more)!

During the month Abby went to the Sesame Street concert and really enjoyed it! She got front row parking, great seats, and even got to shake some of the characters hands. She enjoyed the music and dancing. It was a fun family day that I think Abby really enjoyed!

At 1 ½ Abby is….
• In size 18 and 24 month clothing, size 5 diapers, and a size 5-6 shoe.
• Has long dirty blond curly hair and hazel eyes.
• Is talking up a storm and putting more and more words together. She is our little chatter box but I love the sounds and stories she tells.
• Loves water (which she calls humble). Water outside, water in the sink, water in a bowl, water in the tub, water in the shower. If there is water Abby is loving it!
• Has a great imagination and loves her babies/stuffed animals!
• Loves to be rowdy and throw things like blocks and toys. Making messes is so much fun!
• Abbygale is also getting good at helping pick up things. She helps to pick up her toys, throw things in the trash, and/or put odds and ends back in their places.
• Abby loves money. Lose silver change is her favorite to put in the big Coke piggy bank in her Daddy’s closet.
• Abby’s attention span is just a few seconds to a few minutes these days. She likes to be on the go and doing many different things.
• Abby likes to cook with her pots and pans with pasta & beans. She spends ample time doing this.
• Abby takes one nap a day (most days) for about 1-2 hours. She then goes to sleep around 9 pm (earlier if no nap during the day) but still wakes up briefly every 3-4 hours for a sippy cup of milk.
• Abby likes to drive the truck with her Daddy and ride on the 4-wheeler.
• Abby right now loves her Minnie Mouse hair brush and Sesame Street bracelet. She asks for these daily!
• Abbygale is one smart girl. She picks up on things daily, is expanding her knowledge and vocabulary. It’s amazing everything she knows and understands.
• We are starting Abby on the very beginning stages of potty training. When she is sitting on the big girl potty she smiles so big and thinks it is so funny. However, she is only interested in sitting there for about 10-20 seconds.
• Abby is getting much better at playing with other children around her age. She has started laughing and copying her cousin Colton and slowly coming around with other kids. She hasn’t been around too many children so it takes her awhile to adjust and warm up.
• Abby might be athletic unlike her Mommy. She kicks balls, throws balls, hits balls, and everything in between. She has a good arm on her and understands the basic of soccer, tball, and just ball throwing. We might have a sports player in the family :)
• Abby is a country girl and loves the outdoors but she is also a girly-girl. She loves to get dressed up in dresses/skirts, put on bows (yes she asks for them now), loves shoes, loves jewelry, and loves to act like she is putting on Mommy’s make-up. She is a great mixture of tom-boy and girly-girly.
• Abby loves BUBBLES! Bubbles are just so cool these days. She also likes to draw with markers and crayons. She is getting better with finger paint and/or getting paint on her hands and feet. Abby also loves stickers!
• Abby doesn’t really like to get dirty. If she gets something on her she says “Uh-oh” and wants it cleaned immediately. She is just too darn cute!
• Abby loves her Daddy to pieces. Their bond is amazing to me and makes me fall in love with both of them more than I could ever imagine. They are so sweet together playing, wrestling, hugging, and just being silly. Abby has one amazing father that spoils her beyond words and loves her to the moon and back and more.
• Abby loves the playground/park. She loves to slide, swing, and play with rocks. She gets mad when you try and leave the playground if she isn’t ready so beware!
• Abbygale’s fake laugh is so cute. If you say “that is silly or funny” she laughs and smiles. It is just precious!
• Abby loves going to her Grandpa and Nana’s house during the day when Mommy and Daddy are working. She has so much fun and loves to play outside most of the day!
• Abby now loves to chase George & Matty around the backyard playing with them. It’s cute!
• Abby is eating better and better each month. She still isn’t a big eater but she is definitely doing much better. Her favorites are still chips, ice cream, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, ham, cheese, toast, pasta, and dipping sauce. She loves dipping sauce. She even sticks her finger in ketchup and licks it and says “Mmmm….Mmmm.” It’s adorable!
• Abby is becoming more and more independent. She wants to hold her own cup and do certain things all by herself. However, she still loves to hold Mommy’s hand when playing and walking and runs to me when there is an unusual or load noise. Mommy always makes things so much better.
• Abby makes the sweetest and funniest faces.  She defintely talks with her facial expressions and it is oh-so-adorable.
• Do we even need to stay Miss Abbygale Kate Helford is perfect and the love of our life? I’m sure that is assumed and the assumption stands true! :)

Abbygale – you are so beautiful inside and out. When we are in a public place you turn so many heads and everyone says how darn cute and pretty you are. You are a beauty and your heart is so lovable. Mommy loves you more than you can ever imagine and we are so lucky to have such an awesome family. Daddy and I can’t wait to watch you grow and develop and become a top-notch, remarkable person. We hope to give you every opportunity you dream of and hope to help you make all your dreams come true. We love you to the moon and back and more! The past year and a half has just been amazing and so full of love and joy. We have so many beautiful memories together already that we will cherish forever but we have a whole future full of fun, love, and happiness together as a family. It’s hard to explain how much love you feel for someone when you have a child. You have been and will always be the best thing in our lives. We love you! Happy 18 month birthday beautiful! XOXO!

 

 

First Steps of Potty Training - 17 Months Old

Abbygale is in the very first steps of potty training.  Do I think she will be potty trained soon?  No, but she is starting to recognize and get the concept.  When she uses the bathroom in her diaper, she will now say "Poo Poo" and pat her butt or say "Abby Poo Poo."  She has done this a couple of times now.

Also, before and after Abby takes a bath I set her on the big girl potty.  She smiles so big and thinks it is just the coolest thing ever.  She will sit there a few seconds and then say "Done."  We clap and say "Yay Abby" even though she hasn't done anything.

At Nana's house when Mommy and Daddy are working, she will sit on the little potty in the bathroom that Colton uses.

These to me are the very first steps of potty training.  She is getting familiar with the process and learning the basic concept of using the big girl potty.

Good job Abbygale!  You are too smart for just being 17 months old!!

Abby's Been Sick

Poor Abbygale.  She hasn't been sick much at all since her birth 17 months ago.  She gets sick after her shots but besides that she has been fine.  However, the past few weeks has been a roller coaster ride.  Abby fell and hit her head on the coffee table and had a huge bump and bruise for a couple of weeks (including a black eye).  She then got an eye infection that traveled to the other eye and back to the original right eye.  Now she has a cough and congestion (cold).  Poor baby girl.  She is one brave girl that tries to stay happy and tough but she has had a rough month of January 2013.  She hasn't been a sick girl very much so I sure hope this phase is passing quickly.  I think the changes in weather from cold to warm and beautiful and back to cold the next day/week is doing it to her. 

Here's to going back to normal and having a healthy, happy February 2013....