Recent visit with the Vogel Family

Abby's cousin Joe - what a ham!!

Abby and her Aunt Terri

Cousin Karen and her little one - Lydia

Cousin Cassie and Abby

Shark sighted in N KY - Oh No!!

So, we have a new addition to our household - a Sienna mini-van, aka The Great White. Most of you know, I've (Steph's writing today) been adamant about not driving a mini-van, and Bob has been contemplating his next car buy; A tundra or mini-van?? So, the mini-van won. We really had not planned to buy a car until next spring, but a fleet sale came up for employees at Toyota and a mini-van happened to be in mix, so Bob put his name in for the drawing to test drive the car and he was pulled in the first slot. We test drove it and I guess you could say it was love at first sight. And no, I'm not driving it - Bob is. He swears up and down he has a flock of women beating on his window and following him around now that he drives The Great White. Bob describes a scene very similar to the new commercial for Cinti Bell with Nick Lachey. The Great White is very nice, with lots of bells and whistles (my favorite part), a bizillion cup holders; it even has a fin (or a spoiler, as some call it), so it can go really fast. Abby loves her new ride - it's no longer bumpy like the Jeep.

Events of this past week

Abby - being cute in the morning before school.

Abby being grumpy as we are putting her back in the crib to take a nap. She kept pulling her arm out of her sleeve! She didn't like it when we stopped her and put her arm back in.

Abby had her first adventure in a big pool - she loved it. She got in and started kicking her legs. Later she splashed everyone but herself.

It's hard work swimming! Abby was really tired after swimming for 20 or so minutes. She got to snuggle with Grandma and Grandpa and get them all wet! We thought she might sleep if she rode in the stroller back to the grandparents' house, but nope! Wide awake even though she could barely keep her eyes open!


And... the big news of the week - she finally started crawling... appropriately. For those of you that have had the pleasure to witness the army and downward facing dog crawls Abby's been so famous for at school during the past 2 months, we hope those crawls are things of the past and gone for good. No more rug burns on her head and arms. Oh yea! Almost forgot - she's pulling herself up and standing, and walking a couple of steps while assisted too. Aunt Patti - we might have to suck it up and buy gates instead of using yours - we'll see!

More Swimming

We were able to get Abby some pool time again this past weekend. Seems she's taking to water quite well. We won't go so far as to project Olympic-caliber performance from Abigail...but I think she'll definitely like going to the pool.

Mom Wins the First Battle

I'm not a big fan of bikini's, but we received an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, pink polka-dot bikini from a co-worker....to cute to pass up.




On a related note, this will be the last bikini our daughter ever owns.










She got to swim in for the first time today, but seemed more interested in the grass around our rather grand pool. Giving everybody two tickets to the gun show....

Dad, It's Pronounced "Luh-ville"...

On our great nation's birthday, we were offered an opportunity to take Abigail to visit Great-Grandma Joan. Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and Baby loaded up in Grandpa's SUV and made a road trip.

During the 90 minute drive, 45 minutes Abby did her best Ethel Merman - just a bit off key. The next 45 minutes she slept peacefully. She offered her approval of Louisville with a nice, stinky diaper upon arrival (with her, that's a good thing).

Abby got to meet Great-Grandma Joan for the first time. The two hit it off..

It was Abby's first exposure to a more pronounced Kentucky accent, and Abby showed off her ability to forcefully plow her head into the carpet, yet (impressively) have no rug-burn.

We stayed a short while...had dinner, played some more, then came back home. It was a very nice trip.

Joke I'll give to Abby when she's a bit older:

Question: "How do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky: Louie-ville, or Louis-ville?"
Answer: "Frankfort"

Hey-oh!!! Get it? Louisville isn't the capital! Hah!! Hello? This thing on?

I'm here all week!!! Tip your waitresses...