That cute face

saves her every time.

Here is the latest on Abby....

Abby is officially potty trained. I have learned a lot about her over the course of doing this...she is one stubborn girl!  After picking out new undies, Hello Kitty, she didn't want a diaper of pull up on when she slept. She hasn't had one accident during naps or bed time! Amazing girl!

She is a very interesting toddler! Her first major OWIE occurred on a warm day, the very first time I put her in a cute sun dress. She fell down while running/bouncing on the sidewalk and totally skinned up her knee. Her reaction to getting hurt is so different than Jake or Tess. She immediately covered her knee with her skirt not wanting me to look at it let alone her. I picked her up not knowing how bad it was and got blood on my shirt, which totally freaked her out. When I went to clean the cut and put a band aid on it she was hysterical. Then any time we needed to take her pants off, or underwear, over the owie she would get all upset about it (which led to some potty accidents and fun clean ups for me). Her owie is completely healed now, though we still have to have bandaids covering the site. And this is what I get to deal with when I give her a bath...

She stands in the tub crying while I quickly clean her and get her out....she won't calm down until a band aid is back on the site. There is a tiny scab now that has to be covered! WOW!

My sister Emily has a child that when she was Abby's age she would leave instructions for babysitters that said something to the effect of, if it is quiet or you don't see her go running!  I am finding that the exact same is true of Abby. For example:

After feeding Abby lunch and putting her down for a nap on Sunday I found her playing in the bathroom with the blunger, then she emptied her sippy cup of water in her toddler bed, next she pooped her pants (because of said owie above) and while I was cleaning up her mess she found Tess coloring with markers and did this....

All this within about a ten minute time frame! I gave up on getting her to nap that day.

I have discovered that I have to be oh' so creative with how I discipline Abby. Honestly, I"m at a bit of a loss. She isn't phased by time-outs, losing toy privileges and most recently being spanked. Dan and I only spank when the kids put their lives in danger. Abby knows she can not cross the street without holding my hand. Most of the time I am gripping for dear life because she fights me every time. Last week Tess wanted to walk Jake to school, something we don't do anymore because of how long it takes her to walk. I decided we'd give it a try. We left 20 minutes before the final bell and were still late. (We live 2 blocks from the school, that is slowly we had to go.) On our way home Abby got out of my reach, stopped at the end of a side walk right before a street and just looked back at me with that daring look that all Mom's know.... I'm testing you MOM!... and she darted out into the street. I took off running. Luckily no cars were coming and she was fine, just grinning up at me! I spanked her. I hit her potty-trained toosh and she didn't care one bit! What to do? Any advice readers would be oh so welcome!

Though I am exhausted at the end of every day dealing with her sassy, button-pushing, curious ways I can sit and laugh with Dan about something funny she recently did or said.

For example:
Dan was in our bathroom getting ready with Abby under his feet playing with our scale. At one point Dan put her on the scale to see how much she weighed. Abby's reaction was hilarious. Dan told her that she weighed 30lbs to which she hollered at the scale over and over "NO, I NOT THIRTY, I TWO!"

Her latest phrase of affection is  "Mommy, I love your face!" (She can also say the exact opposite but I still think it is funny!)

Before turning out the lights at night I let the kids feel/watch the baby move as I lay down on the floor. A couple days ago Abby was giving the baby a kiss and then the next moment she gave me a zurber,  it totally took me by surprise. We were all laughing as she continued over and over to "zurber the baby".

I took the next picture at the doctors office today when Abby was pretending to be my doctor.

On our way through the parking lot Abby was actually letting me hold her hand. I noticed how cute and small her little fingers were since she wasn't fighting my grip! I told her " Abby, you have such a cute little hand!" to which she responded, " I know. I got it for Christmas!" And then continued singing the chorus of  I'm Walking On Sunshine....it must have been one of the songs that was playing in the office! Funny girl.

Abby is in a toddler bed now. Most nights I put her back in bed at least 3 to a zillion times! She doesn't nap every day which makes home schooling Tess a bit more difficult. But I do have to mention that on the days she doesn't nap she is still a happy curious little girl all day long! Occasionally she'll fall asleep on the couch in the late afternoon.

 Yes, that is a pacifier in her mouth. It's a battle I'm not up for fighting right now!

Abby is soooooo independent.  She dresses herself. Unfortunately that also means she changes her cloths about 4 times a day (adding to my loads of laundry!)

Also, for several weeks now she has been doing her own seat belt in the car. Heaven help me and everyone within ear shot if I so much as un-twist her buckle.

She has taken to helping me do my cleaning! I have learned to expect it plan for it and enjoy it. She vacuums with me, dusts, Clorox's the bathrooms, and unfolds my folded laundry. It's great!

Abby is the only child who inherited Dan's ability to roll his tongue! 

Isn't that face just so kissable!