January & February 2009

Abby is constantly having "firsts".  It seems that every day brings at least one thing that is new.  I will try to catch up on the last couple of months and not leave anything out.  

Abby's Gramma and Poppa in Virginia came down and spent a week at Christmas with us.  We loved having them here.  (And Gypsy, too!)  I think they liked the warmer weather down here! And she said "Gramma" for the first time while they were here to Sandy.

New Years was quiet for us and pretty uneventful...we stayed at home.

January finally brought colder temperatures here.  That didn't stop Abby from staying naked 24/7 though.  I can dress her and 5 minutes later she is naked again.  Sometimes she will wear her diaper, sometimes she won't.  She rips her earrings out when I put them in so I stopped putting them in, but I still push earrings through to make sure the holes don't close up.

She now whistles, imitates people, and fake sneezes so that you will say "God Bless You" to her. She constantly cracks me up with her hilarious antics.  If she is not climbing in the kitty carrier or giving kisses to Mr Boots, she has the potty chair bucket on her head or the hamper, or anything else she thinks would make a great hat.  Her shoe fetish is in full swing, and she likes to wear shoes, although they rarely are on the correct foot or are a matching pair of shoes.  She doesn't seem to mind at all.  She also follows directions now when I give them to her...like help me clean up the toys or help Mommy find your sippy cup.  Her most favorite activities take place in the bathroom...she LOVES to take baths, and she LOVES to brush her teeth.  If I let her, she would brush them all day every day.

Her hair is finally coming in thicker, but she will not let me put a bow or a barrette or a pony tail thing in her hair.  She has 16 teeth now, with 2 more coming in.  Yesterday I measured her at 32 inches tall and 29 pounds.  She has had a huge growth spurt since the fall when Grubby was home.  (She was a size 5 shoe, 18-24 month pants, and 2T top....now she is a size 6 shoe, 3T pants and 5T shirt)  

She still loves Elmo, but her new favorite TV show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and likes to do "the Hot Dog Dance".  She also has a computer program that she loves to play, made for toddlers, and she has a fit over her Leap Pad books.  Books and balls are her favorite play toys.   She really loves dogs and cats and ducks.  Mr Boots will allow her to brush him...even though she brushes him the wrong direction, and he will play with her and let her roll all over him and wrestle him.  Buddy is not so interested in her, although he has let her pet him a few times. 

I can now finally put her to bed in her own room without her freaking out.  (We started in December when Gramma and Poppa came down.)  She will even sleep part of the night in her own bed, but she gets up in the middle of the night and climbs in bed with me.  But we are making progress.   

I tried finger painting with her, and she did great!  She loved the blue and green but wouldn't have anything to do with the yellow or red.  :o)  And she will color pictures now instead of just eating the crayons.  She still eats the crayons, but she does pause to color once in a while.  Silly child!  

My favorite new thing she does is that she will give kisses.  She will pucker up and make the "mmmm" sound and run to me from across the room.  She even told my mom "I love you", but she has not said it to me yet.  

We are very excited about the end of February...a trip to Norfolk where we will see Meridie, Mike, Maddie, Mackenzie, and Peggy...and then on to Crete, Greece for three whole months with Daddy!   YAY!!!  Grandma Havens is coming with us for the first 2 weeks and then will fly back home.  I am so excited for Abby to spend so much time with her Daddy.  She loves him dearly and misses him so very much!  It will be good for both of them to have that time together.  (Not to mention I miss him terribly, too!!!)  

And while we are there, Abby will get to see Uncle Craigy when he transfers in to Greece!  She hasn't seen him in almost a full year!  

So we are really excited to go on this trip....well, I am, and she would be too, if she fully understood! 

November & December 2008

WOW!!!  My munchkin sure is growing fast!  Seems like everyday there is something new and exciting for her.  :o)  She speaks all the time...some of it I can understand.  Grubby says we need to take her back to the store and exchange her for an English speaking baby.  He says she speaks Chinese...sounds more Hebrew to me...LOL.  She is an active little funny daredevil, a thrill seeker who is not afraid of anything.  She definately keeps me hopping!  She was extremely happy to have Daddy home for a little over a week in November!  She is such a Daddy's girl!  

It was a little hectic while Grubby was home...Sat night (very late) he came in and then Tuesday we had to take his Jeep to New Orleans to be shipped to Greece.  We celebrated his birthday a month early and also Christmas here on Thursday, then Friday drove to Danville to see Mom, Pop, and Michael.  We were able to spend Thanksgiving with the entire Grubbs clan at Aunt Sheila's house outside of Richmond.  There was a TON of delicious food, a hay ride, and a white elephant/dirty santa game that we really enjoy.  While at Mom and Pop's house, we  also celebrated Michael's birthday, Pop's birthday, and Grubby's again...and also had Christmas with the family there.  In the midst of all of this...we all got a terrible virus and wound up sick...puking and the whole deal...Then the day after Thanksgiving we drove back to Florida, celebrated Thanksgiving with my family on Saturday, and Grubby got presents from Chuck, Tiffany, Taylor, and Jordan for his birthday and Christmas.  Monday we met Eva and Will at La Hacienda for lunch and Tuesday Grubby was off to Greece.  Whew!  It took him 2 days to get there.  

So now Grubby is stationed in Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, for 12 months unaccompanied as a criminal investigator, and he will extend for his final 6 months in the Navy...unless of course, he picks up Chief next time and then all the plans are up in the air again.  Abby and I are planning to go over to visit as soon as he gets settled in a house off base.  We can stay up to 90 days, and we have several family members who are wanting to get their passports so they can come, too!  We are hoping to take Michael this summer so he can spend some time with his Daddy.

Abby at 17 months

She sure is a handful!  She goes full speed ahead until she suddenly drops off to sleep.  She loves music and likes to dance and "sing".  I think her favorite activity though, is climbing.  My little monkey!!!  She also chases the cats and yells at them when they are being "bad" by running through the house chasing each other.  She loves bath time, and is very friendly with strangers...makes friends every time we go into a store.  

Grubby has orders to Souda Bay, Crete, Greece.  He will fly home on Nov 15th and needs to be in Greece by Dec 1st.  We will celebrate Christmas early with Daddy.  We are going to Virginia to see Michael, Gramma, and Poppa.  Abby will be in 7th heaven!  :oD

Dragon Tales Dancing