Abby is 3!

Nicknames: Abs, ab, abi-ka-dabigal

Weight: 32 pounds

Height: 39 inches

Favorite color: I like pink! 

Favorite animal: a bunny <3 

Favorite book: numbers, knuffle bunny
TV show: spirit, pj masks (not sure where this came from hah)

Movie: despicable me (bad boy)
Song:  When peace, Jesus loves me, twinkle twinkle, found in you 

Food: Thank goodness you were testing and NOT allergic to anything anymore. Praise the Lord!  Your favorite food right now is hot dog, mac n cheese & chick fil a - pretty much thats it!  Even fruit lately is hard.  You will still eat apples.

Drink: Water all day every day - and apple juice.  You even like to get chocolate milk sometimes from chick fil a!

Breakfast food: Pancakes with chocolate chips when we go out & eggs.  Most days you eat a waffle & sausage.

Snack: Apples, apple sauce, goldfish & pouches 

Outfit: You are super into dresses right now with a skirt.  The dress has to have enough of a "skirt" for you to like it.  You also like to match your colored tops and bottoms.  

Game:  hide & seek or chase on the pony.  You ride spirit around and we chase you!  You also like to play old maid with Mackenzie.

Toy: You like to play with your bunny and babies -taking care of them with blankets and doctor things.  You like to color and do crafts now too! 

Best Friend: Mackenzie (you answered kids you barely see lol still working on this concept).

Thing to do: Go to marching class (church), gymnastics, color, go to the park & chick fil a to play! 

Your "skills":  You know all your colors & shapes (triangle is hard) and SOME letters.  We are a little more behind on these skills and just play a lot - something we will work on soon! You are very social, use big words and complete sentences.  You can color, cut, and glue.  You started riding a bike in January and are very good at it.  

Favorite things to do outside: Parks, riding you bike, driving in the car to look for horses, chalk, swings at the park! 

Favorite holiday: Your still so young but this year you really understood it was your birthday - all about you!  The concept of age is still not understood since sometimes you think your 2, but most of the time you say 3 and are  "big girl now".  Christmas will be special this year - as long as we have a good attitude. 

What does she take to bed with her at night?: You are in big girl pajamas - mostly night gowns.  You sleep with your bunny, a clock and a bunch of random other things.  You usually have about 5 other animals, random objects (last night was barbie & a ball).  You sleep with 4 blankets on you in very specific order too! 

Where is your favorite place to go?: Restaurants! Walker brothers (have pancakes you said) and chick fil a, Parks, friends houses, Nanas and Memas! Also the library! 

Favorite Restaurant: Chick-fil-a - every time we pass it you point it out!

What do you want to be when you grow up? : You don't really get this yet - you thought I asked if you wanted to "be" a BEE like the bug hah!  We have noticed this last year that you are very compassionate.  You notice sick kiddos or babies a lot.  You like to make sure people are ok - when your sister and you can't agree you usually say "its ok Kenzie you can have _____".  Possibly a nurse? Or doctor? A teacher? 

Our Prayer for you:  Our prayers last year were answered! We prayed for your allergies to be gone and THEY ARE!  Praise God - even peanuts! This year we pray for you to learn to obey with a happy heart on the first time, to be able to understand when we say no thats not an option (its really not an option lol) and be OK with it.  For you to share with kids and not have it be all about you - which at 3 it IS about you so thats hard.  Pray of you to love Jesus at an early age & have an understanding of the Bible.  That you would begin to understand the idea of God & Jesus dying on the cross, that you would continue to have a spirit that is friendly and loving (you love people and always want to be by friends), that you would have hope in hard time and joy in the sad time too!

What did you do on your birthday?:

Mommy woke up at 6:15 to get the day going and you slept till about 7:-5, your clock turned green at 7:30 but you stayed in your room. Mommy got Mackenzie and we came into your room with balloons and sang happy birthday. You were happy! After a few minutes & a tantrum about not wanting to change your diaper / outfit we came downstairs. You were a bit moody so we turned on frozen while I made breakfast. We had chocolate chip pancake & sausage! After breakfast we got ready - you picked out your own dress (you don’t wear anything other than dresses with skirts!) we headed to the library to meet some friends for the morning. We headed home and made a favorite lunch A mac & cheese + raspberries. We still watch a show eithlunch snd you let Mackenzie lick. You were very kind to do that! We watched the ending of a Christmas movie. Barb stopped by with your birthday gift! You took a really good nap (after some fighting). You have been napping every other day and staying up a bit later at night. After nap daddy was home!! He showed up with a teddy Bear & ballons! You were happy to see him :) 

We played together as a family & painted little wood Christmas houses. Then you opened your horse barn gift & cowgirl book from mommy & daddy. We let you pick dinner and you decided on chick fil a. You still enjoy the chicken nuggets & playing in the play place. 

We then came home and sang happy birthday and watched willy wanka and the chocolate factory. You did a good job going to bed - which is about 50/50 these days!

You believe 100% in Santa, and are very kind to you sister allowing her to get her way more times than not!  You love to run around naked & say potty words (why?). 

Abigail late 2.5 year blog ;)

Its been on my to do list for months..
three to be exact!  I meant to get ahead of it but instead I am a month late!

There have been many times these past couple months when Abby does something and I say to myself "I never want to forget this moment".  Id make a mental note to write it down but of course forget & not remember till the next cute moment!  So here area a bunch of random moments over the last six months that I hope to remember better with them written down ;)

*You started to do this cute little dance...  you close your eyes and "twinkle" your fingers around slowly.

*You are SILLY.  Just all the time.  The way you move, laugh, talk, giggle..make a funny face - all of them are just so darn cute.

*In May you passed your food allergy challenges and now can eat milk, eggs and even peanuts!!! Praise the Lord this was a huge answer to prayer!!!! You weighed 31 pounds and are 36.5 inches tall!

*At night we have started to say goodnight out the window to houses, trees, grass.. and it just so happens one man who wears an orange hat walks by almost every night at that time! We just sit and laugh together as we say goodnight to the world without him knowing ;)

*In July you went through a sleep regression / crying tantrum phase!  No idea why.. thankful it looks to be about over!  You are still sleeping 7:45-7 and taking a hour to two hour nap.  Most days you nap 1-2:30 well!

You are potty trained!! Woohoo! We just did it one day because you finally went poop on the potty - at our family reunion of all places.  yay abby!

*July also marks you passing your swim lessons and now you go into your class without mommy!! I am so proud of you <3

August -we went to a cubs game together all four of us!  We know for you girls the cubs game is about the food & fun - not necessarily the game.  So we go down early, got lunch.. let you play in the grass area.  We watched the first inning and you wanted to get up & go!  So we went back outside to play with a ball.  On the way home (we left early) we decided to see a movie on a hot summer afternoon - the Incredibles 2.  I really liked it!  With about 30 minutes left in the movie I smelled something... I look over at you and you say I have to go potty - which means you already went! A pile of pee on the floor Mike and I decided to take you to the bathroom (why I am not sure - since I had no diaper bag, no wipes.. nothing).  We get there & you do not have to go anymore but you do want your undies & shorts OFF.  My mistake.  Once they were off - they were NOT going back on.  So we had a 15 minute melt down in the bathroom about mommy carrying you - to hide you butt or you can put the clothes back on (i rinsed & tried to dry).  Suddenly a movie gets out and people start coming into the bathroom.. most everyone said awww long day or so sweet or poor baby.  A few people turned around and walked back on.  My saving grace was two 70 year olds who asked more questions to find out Mike was in the theatre with my older daughter- your sister Mackenzie.  Well one of them walked right into that theater and got your daddy out.  Praise God.  He was the one you let pick you up and take you to the car naked butt & all <3

You also moved into a bed (well conversion crib!) you have done great minus a handful of times you came into our room. Mackenzie never did this so we were shocked & figured it was time for something like that to happen!

September- Gymnastics has started & you love it! Your very attentive to the teacher & love to try your best.
Mommy & daddy went on vacation and you spent a whole week with nana & mema! You had s great time playing at the library going to the carousel and lots of crafts!
 You & Mackenzie love to exercise (play on her bed and make up routines of jumping / kicking). It’s somehow started to be this “game” you girls do together! You started to yell mommmmmmy in the middle of the night and go right back to sleep when I fix whatever was wrong! Let’s hope this is the turning point to freaking me out bedside.

October- you were Cinderella for Halloween! You enjoyed dressing up with your sister and even went IN to the first house we went to. Forgot to teach you the rules ;)

November- your almost 3! This month we’re counting down the days for your birthday and remembering how thankful we are. We had Friendsgiving at our house as well as yhanksgiving ya nana & papas. You played very well with your cousins! This was the first holiday we felt like real adults again :)
We love you!

Mackenzies 4th birthday

Mackenzie - today you are 4 years old!! I can hardly believe it.  Another year has come & gone and you seem like such a big girl!  You were looking forward to your birthday for months now and these past three weeks we had a countdown every day.  You enjoyed having your birthday party at gymnastics & your family party at home.  You have asked for a minions birthday party since about December (and we finally got around to watching the movie).

You were pretty specific about who you wanted at your party and it was so fun to have your preschool friends there!  You have made some better friendships this past year - its fun to see you grow and want to be with kids your age.  We pray you continue to learn to be compassionate, kind and joyful with others!  You also were excited for the family to come over - you were concerned and wanted everyone to be with you on your birthday!! The best part is watching people sing to you and the little grin you get ;)

This past year you got glasses & they are now apart of who you are!  Its hard to imagine you without them even though we had three years of no glasses.  You do amazing with them and are very good about taking them on & off.  This summer we have prescription sunglasses - at 4 years old how crazy is that?! I just got mine at 28!

Your routine has been pretty much the same this whole last year - you stopped taking naps around 3 and just never returned.  For a while we tried to do quiet time in your room and somedays you would fall asleep.  But most days you just stay up!  We had a few months where you would play anywhere in the house (mostly coloring & building with magnatiles) and then somehow we slowly ended up just relaxing & watching movies/tv together.  We all need that down time still - but thankfully these past 2 weeks you are now having a true quiet time in your room for a solid hour!  You have done VERY good at this and only really ask for something 1-2x.  This allows mommy to get things done for an hour & then the last hour of abby nap we watch a show & play together.  I am very thankful for this new change!!

You wake up at 7 still and do a decent job staying in your room till your clock is green.  We are out the door every morning around 8:30 (was gymnastics, now swim), preschool & church.  Fridays we have nothing and that was fun to relax & play outside!! You did gymnastics from August - April and just started swim a few weeks ago.  This year mommy & daddy had a babysitter come on Tuesdays during small group - you have come used to this and its nice for mommy & daddy to have one night with other adults!  We are thankful that she can keep coming this summer too! This year you also did Awana on Wednesday nights every week from September till April and LOVED it.  This is by far your favorite activity and the nights you couldn't go because you were sick you cried.. You memorized bible verses each week and just had a blast during game time.  We pray these verses are remembered in times of need as you grow older and you rely on Gods word to ground you and what you believe.  You were so lucky to have abby in your Wednesday morning church time - she looks up to you a lot & copies everything you say and do.  I am glad you had this year together!  Church you are memorizing verses & enjoy going on the weekends.  Your bedtime is 7:30 and most days you are asleep by 7:45.  With no nap and a small quiet time you are exhausted - especially on longer days.  During the summer you would always fall asleep in the car from fun trips to the zoo / pool.  Mema & Barbara have come almost every Thursday this year.  They get to be with abby a little bit and then once your home from preschool we eat lunch & play.

We have seen you grow up a lot this year - preschool has helped with that.  You get to play with friends 2x a week and learn about God.  You have learned to write your name *sometimes you need help with the e's still :)   You have worked on your 'people' drawings and gotten better at including more details like hair & a belly.  You love to ask how to spell peoples names & write cards.  You LOVE crafts - i don't know if there is a day that goes by without crafting something.  This morning you glued water balloons to a paper and made a rainbow.  You like to make people cards for their birthdays too! Glue & scissors provide a lot of entertainment.


Nicknames: Kenzie, Kenzie-gail, sometimes people still call you MJ

Weight: 38 pounds - right at 50%

Height: 41.5 inches!! 75% 

Favorite color: Um, purple (i don't know why she said this because its always pink)
Favorite animal: Lion (she has a stuffed animal she sleeps with)
Book: The Color Book *Michelle gave it to her for her birthday
TV show: Minions, Pinkalicious, really anything :)
Song: When Peace (and rock a bye baby)
Food: Tomatoes & watermelons & cupcakes
Drink: Milk & Juice
Breakfast food: Waffles most days, cinnamon rolls (when we go out she gets chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and bacon)
Snack: cheddar bunnies
Outfit: Pink dress with flowers on it from Target
Game: MR. FOX (at awana)
Toy: stuffed animal, magnatiles, pieces
Best Friend: She said ahana from down the street (she played with her yesterday lol!) Also, Karmin (next door neighbor) and RJ (church).  She sees Nate & Lainey the most.
Thing to do: color, cut, ride her bike, draw with chalk, any different arts & crafts with paint..
Your "skills":  Writing your name & letters, almost can do monkey bars on your own, preschool has confirmed you know all your numbers, letters, and shapes haha you do still miss 15-18 at times when counting but understand the concept of counting to 100.
Favorite things to do outside: Chalk, ride bike, Sweep, swinging at the park
Favorite holiday:  You really enjoy the smaller holidays like valentines day & st. Patricks day - of cours easter was really fun to hunt for eggs!
What does she take to bed with her at night?:  She still sleeps with her animals but they are less specific - she does like to have her lion and her blankets on top of her (she has 3).
Where is your favorite place to go?:
Favorite Restaurant: Walker brothers, La Hacienda & Chick-fil a

What do you want to be when you grow up?: A superhero and a mommy (aren't mommies superhero's?! :) )
What you do on your birthday?: Your birthday started with us coming into your room and singing happy birthday.  You then had some time with just us as abby was sleeping in :)  We made cinnamon rolls for breakfast & then it was time to go to preschool.  Your day at preschool was super fun because your class was going on a field trip to clean up the park & then play! You got to bring in cookies for your class and they sang you happy birthday.  Mrs. Lori gave you a book & you wore a crown (so fun for you - you love dressing up!).  After preschool we came home and had lunch with daddy outside.  the weather is finally nice!  Then you had some quiet time and craft time with mommy.  The three of us (daddy was home on your birthday) looked at pictures of all your birthdays leading up to this one.  Abby woke up & we gave you your dress up outfit as your gift and had cake.  You had a pink funfetti cake with sprinkles.  You also got to pick what or where you wanted to eat for dinner - la hacienda! It was a beautiful day filled with your favorite things - friends, outside at the park, family & cake <3

A Year In Review

Its that time of year when everyone wants to jump into the new year and come up with resolutions and things to change (including me) but I also find looking back upon the year to help me be grateful - so much of what happened I honestly forget until I see the picture. Here is a short summary below :)

January 
*No big travels or plans.  We played and stayed home!  Abby took her first steps!!!
*Mike and I went to our first movie premier ;)

February
*More time at home and thankfully we had a few days where we could even go outside to the park!
*Mike and I took a trip downtown overnight around Valentines Day <3

March
*Alisha attended the Much More women conference
*Lots of play date with friends + more time outside!
*Went to timber ridge lodge for a one night stay at a water park :)
*Our family + the grandparents all went to Arizona on a large family vacation!
*We attended the final four basketball tournament in Arizona!! Once in a lifetime experience.

April
*Mackenzie took a trip to visit her cousins in Kansas
*We hosted our first Easter
*Mackenzie turned 3!!!! She got her parents to herself for a night downtown to celebrate! (Her birthday party was sofia the first).

May
*Saw Aladdin downtown for Alisha's Birthday
*Basement construction started
*Abby received 3 stitches in her lip after falling and biting it open :(

June
*the girls had lots of fun outings (lambs farm, morton arboretum, brookfield zoo)
*Mike attended ALM up at Camp harvest
*We celebrated our 7th anniversary!!! <3
*Mackenzie went to Camp High 5 for the first time and loved it.

July
*July 6th Mackenzie got her glasses and has done wonderful with them!!!
*We celebrated out anniversary with trunk club (shopping), Hamilton & a night downtown!
*Mike left us for 10 days to go to Ireland + he had an amazing time!
*We had his annual meeting + a weekend away in Michigan for a wedding <3

August
*Basement finally "complete" and construction noise done!!!!
*The girls saw their first movie in theaters - sing!
*flying kits this month was super fun as well as just being outside!

September
*Mackenzie had her first day of PRESCHOOL! (She loves it!)
*We went on a reward trip to Cabo, Mexico and it was a blast!
*Kyla got engaged <3 <3 and we had a party at Mema & Pepa's house with all her favorite people.
*Did our annual trip to Stades and had so much fun, picked pumpkins out on the tractor in a field - will do again.

October
*Mike turned 29!  Celebrated with a night out :)
*Family Photos for my parents anniversary happened and we got some decent ones!
*We took the girls to a Cubs playoff game that was rained out - they knew NO different and I think they enjoyed playing around the stadium.
*Halloween events @ Ivanhoe & the girls gymnastics were fun!
*Carved Pumpkins & made pumpkin seeds as a family
*The girls were Anna & Elsa for Halloween <3

November
*Forum trip to San Diego <3 <3 We spent the weekend before on Coronado Island and had an amazing time.
*Friendgiving at our home with all of our friends was a blast - we had 10 kids four and under which was comical and a blessing!
*Mackenzie and I had a hot chocolate date :)
*Abby turned 2!!!

December
*Celebrated abby with a trolls themed birthday party!
*The Girls saw santa at Ivanhoe and abby REFUSED - whenever we mentioned Santa she says "Santa - no lap!"
*Polar Express Weekend in the city - ate donuts in bed and it was a fantastic time!
*Celebrating Christmas this year was so great to see through the girls eyes - we had Oeffling Christmas the weekend before, Christmas Eve with Mikes family + Christmas day with Alisha's Family.  It was a really fun week and we are so thankful!