Another Level of Responsibility

In the first 6 months of being parents, we learned a great deal about responsibility and putting another life ahead of ours. Any parent can tell you the pitfalls of the Greatest Life Experience: less sleep, worrying, frustration, more worrying, and even less sleep. (Benefits far outweigh these pitfalls...and we know it just gets better with time.)

Mid-July, Abby presented us with another level of worry. Where in the first 6 months we could set Abigail on the floor and have a minute or two before we knew she could get herself into trouble - she eliminated that margin of comfort when she began crawling. I don't want to use the term "prisoner" because of negative connotation - but it is safe to say we now have entered a new realm of responsibility.




Its made changing diapers a heck of a time!




Since she is crawling relatively early (and I continue to preach how advanced our daughter is) - I am very confident she will be potty-trained within the next 7 weeks.

She already has a sound relationship with toilet paper.




We just need to educate her that it is not an accessory.

New Happenings.

Abby has impeccable taste already - um... it's a Coach!!


Two days after we lowered Abby's crib because she was sitting up, we had to lower it again because she started standing. The crib railing is a mighty fine teething ring! She's had her fair share of bumps and bruises from falling and hitting various things. She fell at day care a couple of weeks ago trying to pull herself up on the wall - we had to sign our first incident report.

Abby and Great Grandma Jenkins

Abby and Grandma and Grandpa Turner

You probably know who these people are!

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.