The Year of the 3 Halloween Costumes

This year Abigail will be sporting 3 costumes to her Halloween festivities.  

The first costume: A Butterfly

She decided (rather last minute) that she wanted to be a butterfly for her Halloween dance at school this year.  Luckily we already had a set of pink butterfly wings in the house and I fashioned some antennae out of a headband, some pom poms, and a couple pipe cleaners.  She made an adorable butterfly and had such a fun time at the dance- so did Leif and I.  Abby was quite shy when we arrived at the dance- there were a couple kindergarten age girls (two of them dressed as Elsa and one dressed as The Little Mermaid) who were dancing.  Abby did not feel comfortable joining them.  A fellow parent noticed her hesitance and asked his daughter (dressed as The Little Mermaid) if she would dance with Abby.  She was absolutely wonderful and not only danced with Abby, but gave Abby a dance pep talk.  Abby's best friend Sarah Claire arrived later (dressed as Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony).  Sarah Claire just became a big sister- her little sister Laura was born a week and a half ago.  Abby followed Sarah Claire everywhere and really enjoyed herself.  They played a game similar to musical chairs that used ghosts on the dance floor.  The ghosts were removed as the kids danced, and then they scrambled to step on one as the music stopped- though DJ Nancy, who is also their kindergarten teacher- explained that they would play the "Nancy way"- if a child couldn't find a ghost, they didn't have to sit down or leave the game, they just shared a ghost with a friend.  The kids loved it.  Abby also did the limbo, and they had a dance off with the boys dancing to one song and the girls dancing to their a different song.  Ms Nancy had all sorts of wonderful games she suggested each time she noticed kids climbing chairs or crawling under tables.  ;)  At the very end of the night, Ms Nancy hosted a karaoke "Let it Go" and the girls belted out the song.  Abby watched from her seat- she was starving and eating a TON of chicken nuggets at the time.

The second costume: Elsa

Abby decided extremely last minute (are you noticing the trend?) that she wanted to be Elsa for the Halloween parade we attend each year in Woburn.  Luckily I had purchased a Frozen dress up set that was going to be a Christmas gift.  Abby made a wonderful Elsa and was very proud that her nails even matched her costume.  :)  The parade was so much fun.  My friend Danielle's mom lives right on the parade route and is always so nice to host us all.  Abby was quite proud of the amount of candy she acquired and was particularly impressed that the parade Elsa threw some candy to her.  She also high-fived Blue from Blues Clues; it was sort of a big deal.  :)  The weather was a bit nippy at first but warmed quickly.  Leif and I got to see UNH's marching band, and Abby danced to every piece of music she heard.

The third costume: Rainbow Dash

When Abby decided she wanted to be Rainbow Dash for Halloween, she didn't even know what that was.  Sarah Claire had told Abby her costume for the season, and Abby immediately wanted to be the same thing.  We learned quickly about the sensation that is My Little Pony and caught up on a couple episodes of the tv show to see what this Rainbow Dash character is all about.  Sarah Claire's mother made the most adorable costume- it is cute cute cute.  I, in turn, went to this wonderful website amazon.com and purchased a costume (I am no longer ashamed to say, I'm a Purchase-A-Costume kind of mom).  I will say, it is also quite cute- and in response to Sarah Claire's concern, we did purchase the correct pony costume.  ;)  Abby has told us that she wants to trick-or-treat in her Rainbow Dash costume- we reconfirmed yesterday so we will see what happens in the 11th hour.  I really do hope she wears the Rainbow Dash costume.  It is darling and warm and a mother's dream.  :)  

This year we'll have the whole family over for Halloween!  Grandma, Grammy, Papa, and Auntie Mandy will be joining us and we're really excited to share the holiday with them.

Here is a picture of the pumpkin Abby designed herself.  When we told her she had complete control of the pumpkin this year, she decided on a tree and fashioned a beautiful one on her pumpkin.  :)  She is so proud of it.

Happy Halloween everyone!  I'll be sure to post a picture of Abby in her Rainbow Dash costume (or other acceptable costume if it happens that way) as soon as possible.

Love to all!!! 

Our big girl

Miss Abigail is potty trained.  I can't believe I'm typing this but it's true.  Leif and I have had a difficult time with this, mostly in part to crazy commutes on top of long work hours that make it nearly impossible to dedicate enough time to potty training and keeping our lives in some sort of order.  This is ok; it's just the way things are right now, but we were getting pretty tired of diapers.  And then, we went to the Lake, and Abby slept in the bunk bed room in her own bed for the first time and she loved it- really, really loved it.

We quickly learned that the promise of her own big girl bed would outshine any promise of toys, candy, etc when it came to potty training.  We explained to Abby that once she could poop in the potty, for four consecutive days in a row, she would get her big girl bed.  And that's just what she did.  We explained to her that if she stopped using the potty, we'd have to switch back to the crib.  She hasn't had an accident since earning her big girl bed.  She wears "big girl underwear" every day.  She won a prize from the prize bucket at school yesterday for using the potty at school.  I never thought potty training could be as exciting as it is in my life right now.  We are so proud of our girl.  :)

Abby also earned her first pet yesterday- a white beta fish named "Mint the Fish".  She has been gentle with Orion lately and we wanted to encourage that behavior.  We went to the pet store last night and Abby picked out her own fish, gravel, and aquarium decor.  Mint the Fish's name was originally Pooda but Abby explained that Pooda is a girl's name and when we explained to her that Mint the Fish was definitely a male fish, she changed his name.  It stuck.  :)

Our girl is getting so big.  :)

 The bed that sealed the deal ;)

A recent pic of Abby and our new cherry tree :)

Some pictures

Finally downloaded some pictures from my camera this morning.  :)  Here are some from Abby's 3rd birthday- held happily at our house.  <3  The cuteness level of the attendees was quite astounding.  ;)

It's hard to imagine winter coats now with temperatures up in the 90's today.  We've been enjoying our free time together immensely- gardening, bike rides, walks, and small adventures.  Here are some pics :)

 Leif and dad smoking some meat for mother's day

 The lake for Memorial Day weekend

 a rainbow!

 Essex River Cruise

This weekend we're headed to Willard Brook State park to camp for the long holiday weekend with some friends.  It will be our first time staying in a yurt!!!!  The yurt evidently fits 16 people and comes equipped with beds (easy campsite set up!!)  

Happy summer, everyone!  Enjoy the warm breezes, sweet smells, lightning bugs, bright evenings, and campfire nights.  Here's where we'll be in our free time (our new gazebo!!):

Sending lots of love!!!!

Almost Three

Abby turns three on Monday and it's hard to believe.  :)  We're having a little mermaid birthday party for her at the house on Sunday and will post party pics next week.  :)  Here are some past bday party pics:

On the day Abby was born.  :)

Abby's 1st Birthday

Abby's 2nd Birthday

We are more grateful every day for our precious almost-three-years-old daughter and all of the love and laughter she's added to our lives.  :) :) :)

Canada or BUST! :)

11 days until we leave for Quebec City.  I have been talking Abby's ear off about our vacation for months now, or at least since she accompanied me to the post office to apply for my passport.  At first she thought we were going to Canada any time we got in the car.  This resulted in a lot of tearful car rides for a week or so.  Then she understood that we ARE going to Canada, but not for a while.  Now when I talk about Canada, she explains to me, "We're going to Canada but not yet."  We are very to get away for a week and explore what Leif describes as the most European place to go without getting in a plane.  :)  We will be driving to Quebec- a 7 hour ride total.  Though that's certainly a long drive, it's much shorter than our trip to St Augustine FL or Virginia Beach- it'll feel like a walk in the park in comparison.  ;)

We have had a lovely winter.  We went away for Grandma Carol's birthday to Lake Winnipesaukee.  It was a lovely weekend where Grandma got to see Abby ski in person and daddy enjoyed taking Abby down her first bunny hill (Abby loved it too of course.)  We even saw fireworks and a chinese lantern released in to the air on the night of Grandma's birthday thanks to the ice fisherman right outside of our rooms.

The snow has finally died down but the cold has ramped up.  It's been freezing and we're ready for spring.  Ok, ok, I should be more honest here- I am ready for spring- Leif could live in the winter conditions year-round.  ;)

A couple weeks ago Abby and I were able to meet up with my friend Caressa and her daughter Izzy and son Gavin.  Caressa is part of my mommy group and her daughter Izzy is the same age as Abby.  We had a "baby board" for April babies when pregnant and a lot of us have remained close friends since then.  Caressa lives in VA but was in the Boston area for her husband's work.  We met at faneuil hall for dinner one night and Abby and Izzy really hit it off.  They danced and sang and raced and soaked each other up.  It was so magical for me to meet Caressa in person.  Our group has been through a lot together.  Here are a couple videos from our meeting.  :)

Abby and Izzy Dancing

Abby and Izzy

Preschool

Abby is in preschool.  WHAT?!?!?!  BUT SHE'S STILL A BABY!  I know, I know.  I said the same thing.  ;)  The truth is, our girl is growing up too quickly but she is growing in to the most wonderful girl ever.  Abby started in her her class full-time a couple weeks ago.  Her new best is Sarah, two cubbies down from her cubby, and about 2 weeks older than Abby.  Evidently from the back, the teachers can barely tell the two apart.  :)  Abby loves her new class though admittedly misses Miss Cheryl, her toddler II teacher, from time to time.  She tells me though, "It's ok.  I can still give Miss Cheryl big hugs."  If I haven't mentioned this before, I love our daycare center.  I mean, I really really love it.  :)

We enjoyed some lovely snow in our lovely yard in our lovely town recently and built a snow fort and HUGE snowman for Abby before the cold weather turned it all to ice.  We'll probably have both snow structures on our yard until March now thanks to this cold snap.  ;) :)

We are planning a trip to Quebec City in March!  Leif wants to share this special place with his girls.  We can't wait.  I think it'll be neat for Abby to be around a little French too since she owes the language her very existence...  ;)  And check this out, we're staying HERE:

We are anxiously anticipating our vacation- an entire week without the hustle and bustle that is our lives right now.  We love our house and our town so much and wouldn't change it for the world but our work schedules coupled with our long commutes leads to pretty frantic weeks.  Good thing we have the sweetest and most hilarious girl in the world to keep our heads above water.  ;)

Next weekend we're heading to Lanconia, NH, right on lake Winnipesaukee with Grandma for a ski weekend (and Grandma's birthday on Saturday!)  It'll be nice to get away, do some swimming, and watch Leif and Abby ski Gunstock Mountain.  :)

Sending lots of love!!!

Prayer Request for Alexa

I have been unbelievably blessed with some friends whom I've never met in person.  We were all part of a expectant mom website when pregnant with our April babies and we have become so tight since.  We talk daily and confide and support and love and I am so grateful for these mamas.  My dear friend Carla is a member of this group.  She is the mother of twins- Evan and Alexa.  Alexa was born with a heart defect and today went in for her third open heart surgery.  The surgery went well but now is the difficult part for Miss Alexa as she recovers.  Please please say a little prayer for this strong girl and her strong mama and family:  Carla, Carl, Evan & Alexa.

Happy New Year!

Happy new year!! :)  We had a wonderful holiday season and hope everyone else did as well!

I just wanted to share a couple pics of Abby during our break.  I will write more and upload some videos once work has calmed down a bit.  :)

Sending lots of love!!!

 Auntie and Abby making snow angels!

 some super fun glasses Abby got at her friend George's 1st birthday party!

 Shopping with her new shopping cart

snow angel in full action :)