THE PUMPKIN PATCH

We visited the pumpkin patch today. It was a perfect day here in Tulsa. 70 degrees and sunny. There were tons of families out enjoying fall break. Each child was dressed in her best fall attire and parents were clicking away. Stay tuned for pictures of the Halloween costume. It is a hoot! To see the rest of the pictures from today, you can go to share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8KZtWzhy3YTc

More pumpkin patch

 

The Pumpkin Patch continued...

 

Look what else I am into....

 

Disobeying

Well, around this age, the boundaries for a child are basically focused on safety. We have 3 big ones. No climbing on the gate to the stairs, no touching the oven, and no climbing on the fireplace. And lo and behold, EVERY day, Miss Abby Kate must test the boundaries to see if they still stand. I firmly say 'No Ma'am' and she just grins as big as it gets. Hmmmm.... 

Our first Baby...

This is Belle. Many of you have met her. She is our beloved yellow lab mix that we adopted the first Valentines Day we were married. She has been through it ALL with us. I truly would not have made it through our first job in the wilderness if not for this constant friend. Eariler this week, we noticed that she and our other lab Callie had been eating the hose in our backyard. We threw the hose away and thought that was that. They normally do not chew but I had been gone for the day and they were punishing me. The next morning, there was throw up ALL over my house....(they are inside half the time). Now those of you that know me, I am a neat freak and LOVE my house to be clean...I try very hard to keep my house that no one knows dogs live inside. I vaccum almost daily (and have been known to do it twice a day...there is this weird complusion my family has of loving freshly vaccumed carpet (right Hal?), I sometimes even get mad at Bobby for walking on it...how stupid is that? Anway, I digress...) all that to say, I was mortified that my carpet was dirty. I instantly went into offensive mode, demanding they become outside dogs (this is not my usual self I promise) but was torn at being a good steward of our largest investment (our home) and also taking care of the precious animals that have been so loyal to us.
I woke up the next morning to Belle throwing up blood. I was petrified. I threw Abby Kate in the car and rushed her to the vet, only to be told she would need surgery and it would cost a bundle (after some costly x-rays!). Now with one income, a bundle we do not have....so I cried and told the vet we could not afford the surgery and asked if she would die if we left it and he simply replied yes. So in an answer to prayer, he shared he had a student with him that could do it and would be good practice for her and we could work out payments with her. She was in surgery for 5 hours and they removed 8 inches!!!! (holy moly I know....) of reinforced hose from her stomach, intestines and colon. We picked her up today. She is not out of the woods yet so we ask you to please pray for her. I know many would say it was sacreligious, a waste of God's time, ect...praying for a dog but I believe God cares about what we care about. And this precious dog is something our family deeply cares about... 

Eating Big Girl Food!

Well, the first birthday is looming and I am attempting to introduce table foods. She proves she is REALLY my child through her obsession with bread. She begs whenever I am eating anything with bread and can literally eat a whole biscuit or roll if I let her (I am serious!). We are limiting her intake to wheat toast at the moment. No need to introduce vices THIS young no? She also had yummy steamed carrots too! She basically was fascinated by their squashing between her fingers. 

Catching her unaware...10 month update

I know, I know...I haven't posted many new pictures lately. The problem being my 10 month old busy-body cannot stand to sit still while I aim a shiny, metal object at her and talk in a high pitch tone trying to coax a smile. We have 3 new teeth as of this week. She will not let me near close enough to get a good peek but I know there are at least 3. The bottom 2 beside the 2 middle and one of her middle upper teeth. She really has been a trouper.
In terms of an update, we met with our parents as teacher's consultant again this month, only to conclude what I had already begun to suspect ...my child really ISN'T strong-willed! YEAH! She is assertive, aggressive (do those words mean the same thing?) and attention-seeking but she stops and listens when told the word NO! She 9 times out of 10 stops the offensive action and comes right to me. My sweet Nannie after reading the post regarding the strong willed label reminded me not to label her....only affirming what was in my heart. As her Momma, I am desperate to understand her. I so want to not only be a Godly, authentic example but want to affirm and nuture who SHE is....I am learning that who she is really is a fun mixture of both her Daddy's adventurous, risk-taking, sit back and soak it all in nature and my "Hey look at me!", sensitive, people pleasing, observer topped off with those things that are exclusively and beautifully Abby Kate.
I have been really meditating on Proverbs 31 this week. The verse that calls to me each day is "Her children arise and call her blessed, her husband also praises her...." Oh may it me so. I also would love for those of you who check this regularly to join me in praying for baby Eliot. I sent many of you his blog site through email but wanted to post it in case some of you did not receive it. He is the child of the most amazing parents (we worked with them through K-Life). Talk about the life of a child blessing your socks off. Thanks! www.mattandginny.blogspot.com 

Praise Jesus!

You can see this at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjoxx48DHrU. I am still getting messages that you can't see this so you can sign up as me...username snqualls and password his.

Abby Kate and Joce

This was at the picnic as well! We love our Aunt Joce! 

My 10 year Reunion

This is just a picture from my reunion picnic. It really was SUCH a fun weekend. Still surreal it has been that long.  

Tea Anyone?

As you can see, the lamb is waiting patiently for her tea and scones. Aunt Beth and Uncle Tony, Lauren and Haylee bought Abby Kate this tea set when she was born. It is now her favorite thing to play with. Where is this beautiful tea set you ask? See picture below. 

Here I am!

That is because I LOVE to pull every single piece of my tea set into the floor with me and clink every piece together (thanks Aunt Beth for reminding me this is to USE!) However, Momma often adds an English accent when we are taking our tea, just to class it up a bit. She is not going to let me grow up to be a complete Hooligan.

Chefs Abby Kate and Isabella

Isabella just turned 4 and got a chef's set for her birthday and let Abby Kate play with her.  

Chasing the Light

We were in the office the other day just playing (I am finding a simple room change will often do the trick and hedge her boredom) and she was mesmerized by the light coming in through the window. She played with it for about 20 minutes....oh how I pray she stays fascinated with the light. One of my all time favorite verses...."Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven..." 

Buddies!

Just wanted to share these pics of Abby Kate and her buddy Adi. We have had SO much fun playing with her! They are peas in a pod! Just like her Mommy and I were (my sweet childhood friend Rachel). We were cracking up b/c Abby Kate climbed on the back of the walker and was basically riding it, as Rachel said, like a sleigh. So funny! Thanks to Adi's Dad Rob for the smiles (his vocal stylings got these girls to smiling). 

And more....

 

More....

 

Abby Kate and Her Daddy

There truly is nothing, I mean nothing, that causes love to swell in my heart for my precious husband than watching him with our daughter. They are mesmerizing to watch. She squeals in delight each night he comes home and his smile is always big enough to crack his face. He normally hides and then pops out so she is not only excited but startled...which she loves (not at all my child in that respect). He is always so gracious to take her for the hour before she goes to bed so I can finish dinner, clean the kitchen, get stuff ready for her bath and bedtime. Last night, the house got quiet and I went looking for them. I finally looked out the front door and there they were...both with their shoes and socks off playing in the grass. The lighting was perfect....as if illuminating such a simple but beautiful time between Daddy and daughter. Isn't that the beauty of true fatherhood? Watching them come up with adventures for their children that a mother (or at least this mother) would not think of? I even got my feelings hurt for a few weeks at her attachment to her Daddy. I never get to leave her thus not experiencing that sheer delight at my return. But then I realized what a blessing she had...a true Daddy...not a mere father, that loves her unconditionally, passionately and fully. There is nothing in this life that can bring you closer to your spouse, if you will let it, than sharing such a blinding, deep, crazy love for a child that no one else will feel quite as greatly as the both of you. What a blessing my sweet husband is to both of us! 

Daddy's 4-Wheeler

Abby Kate got to go on her first ride on Daddy's 4-wheeler this weekend (before all the women in my family have heart attacks...it was very SLOWLY around the block). She LOVED it. I think she definitely has her Daddy's love of all things thrilling (aka fast!). 

Sweet Baby!

This was just a fun pic taken outside. Don't look to closely....she has had a REALLY runny nose and will not let me near it (I think it about raw). She has 4 teeth coming in so I guess it is to be expected. Please pray she feels better soon though! It breaks my heart to see her have to take breaths as she eats. 

Clapping!

This is one of Abby Kate's new favorite skills. She LOVES to clap. She expects you to say "YEA!" when she does. So fun! 

Playing with Nannie and Grumpies

We got to have lunch with Nannie and Grumpies today. As always, we had so much fun! 

Our 9 month old!

 

9 months old!

Though this is a bit late, thought I would update you all on our 9 month life. Many of you that do not get to be around Abby Kate often have asked about her personality. Though she is attacking several developmental milestones (like crawling, pulling up, crusing, talking, feeding herself, standing without help) I thought I would focus this post on who Abby Kate is. We are enrolled in a program called Parents as Teachers that is a free program offered through our school system. We were put on a waiting list (it is in high demand) and are now officially enrolled until she turns 3. They have a specialist come into your home and bring developmental appropriate toys and observe and can help in getting your child ready for school. Our first visit was yesterday and after her assessment was complete, I was told many things. First, I was told Abby Kate is very developementally advanced. Fine and gross motor skills and language are all observed and she is ahead of the curve for her age. Now onto the funny stuff....our specialist is VERY nice...spoke in very affirming, kind words (a woman after my heart) and in her nice way, she said "Abby Kate is VERY assertive. She knows what she wants and will not stop until she gets it. She will more than likely be a high acheiveing adult. She will likely be a leader. The aspects of her personality that will be hard for you will be the parts that make her an extraordinary adult. However, there are going to be some hard parts in parenting her. You will have to set definite boundaries. I hate to label children as strong-willed but..."
Ummmm HUH? Yes....finally it has been said out loud and I was forced to see it. I know you all know me and I am as authentic as they come (a bit too transparent at times) so there is nothing in me that is that parent that thinks her child is perfect. I just couldn't put a finger on why things had been hard these past few months. Then it all became clear....the fits, the boredom, the persistance. Yep, thats our baby.
So, she went on to share that part of why she is so advanced is likely because she is not content to just sit and wait to get what she wants. She just crawled early in order to get it (instant gratifier just like me:)) Now I was a child development major so I know this personality can change (I have a brother that was the strong willed poster child but is now as pleasing and compliant as can be), but as a result of the current behavior, I am learning a dear lesson in patience.
So in a nutshell, our Abby Kate is persistant, serious, curious, funny, smart and aware. These are the parts of her that are standing out most right now. She gets bored quickly so I scouring the internet for developmentally appropriate acivities (if you have any, PLEASE share). I was advised to keep her challenged which is a bit hard for me but I can talk to a wall so at least we know her language will keep developing.
Above all, I rock and feed her before bed and DAILY thank the Lord for entrusting her to us. I pray He parents her through us, because He knows we will never get it right. I thank Him for her health, her beauty and her sweet spirit. And above all, I pray she comes to know Him and lives a life worthy of the calling He has placed on her. What a gift she is and I am amazed daily at how much she is changing me.

Abby Kate and Ella at Little Gym today

Hi everyone....we are attempting to get over a really sore throat (first time she has been sick but I am sure it can be attributed to the fact she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth). Though not in true form today, Abby Kate had a blast again at Little Gym. She seemed more laid back today and was content to watch the other kiddos. For those of you that know Matt and Jen Wells, does Ella not look just like them?!