Showing Thankful (a lesson from abi)

Teaching thankfulness is hard work.  Mommas and poppas have a hard task in that area!  I think it is learned through modeling.  But, probably a bit comes through sweet hearts too.  This thanksgiving season I have been desperate to try and teach abi thankfulness.  Wanting to interact with her on levels that are a bit over where baby girl is developmentally right now.  Loving when her little “ankssss” comes after a gentle reminder of “what do we say to show we’re thankful to someone?”  So, I had to have yet another lesson to cherish where she is right now.  To not long for days when abi and I have can have conversations about being thankful and living that daily.  And then – I just watched.  Abi shows she’s thankful.  It does sometimes take prodding (wink, wink), and it comes through observing (reminder to myself and donald!), but she shows it.  Through hugs, via smiles, in quiet content moments.

Sweet baby, we are so thankful for you.

The Dallas Zoo…again…and again…and again!

Sometimes I feel as though we should just set up camp there.  I mean really.  Abi will look back on this blog and feel like she spent her childhood at the zoo.  Actually, I think I might be OK with that!  We love the Zoo.  No surprise there!  I can’t even tell you how happy I am that little lovebug loves animals and all things nature.  It makes me smile and hope that she, too, will recognize all of this beauty as an extension of her loving creator. 

Some glimpses into our journeys:

Driving down to the zoo, aren’t they cute??

All of the pals checking out the kangaroos and wallabies!  Poor Zach, he was on the other side of Abi and she cut his head out of the picture!

Abi loves the penguins and totally gets excited when they swim past her! (as I’m re-reading this sentence, it sounds very valley-girl, but I’m going to leave it as-is)

One of my top five zoo-memories with abi to date.  We were up there, just the two of us, and we were at the gorilla exhibit (a favorite of both of ours) – and we were waiting for Timbo to come.  (Timbo is one of our female gorillas – about 45 years old!), and when we got there, Timbo was nowhere to be found.  But, this did not defeat abi’s gorilla-watching spirit – she grabbed her snack trap, and just sat and waited.  AHHH!  SO, I just sat down with her, and looked silly as I took this pic with my timer.  Oh well.  It was precious, and I will remember it.

And Timbo delivered:

 

It’s getting colder!  At the Zoo with Emmy – we now love wagons! 

Seriously, how cute??  It’s better to head into the Children’s Zoo with your buddy.

Katelyn, who used to work in Education, let us go behind the scenes to meet Leia up close:

First time on the carousel!  “She” chose the gorilla to ride!

Check back soon – you know there will be more to come!

Oh, thank heaven for poppas!!

Because, sometimes poppas are just more fun…

 

(Um, YES, we are obsessed with stickers)

 

 

(sticker-foot)

Digging through the archives is just such fun; what wonderful dads!

Missing Nanny & Grandpa…

As our beloved Nanny & Grandpa have spent the past few weeks in Europe – we’ve been driving up to Richardson to check in the house and their sweet kitty.  I’m saying sweet only because I hear she is that way.  For whatever reason, Tupince doesn’t like me!  Animals always like me!  It has been a shot to my pride.

When we arrive, each time abi is always so confused why she doesn’t get her normal greeting of big hugs and kisses.  It is so sweet.  She’ll put her hands up in the air as if to say “WHAT is going on??”

We walked down the park close by:

Jenny and Brian – this picture is for you, remember the days?  Many a memory on this tennis court.

Baby girl shows no fear.  She walked right up to “it” – evaluated the risk – and proceeded to climb.  I had a mini heart-attack as I scrambled to catch up to her (but not without trying to document how tall the slide was in comparison!)  She loved going down “it”, I have a bruise on my back after slamming into the bar over the top of the slide.  Ouch.

Just playin’

Much loved toy of Abi & Josh

Being goofy (sorry, horrible lighting)

(are those legs not just the CUTEST!)

Nanny & Grandpa – we can’t wait until you’re home again!

Love this girl

“There will be others to lead and to guide you girl
But only one you'll call Mother, the honor is all mine
To show you what a woman's like
I'm so glad you're mine”

-“Elliana’s Song”, Watermark-

The spork is helpful…

And here I thought that the only useful spork was from Taco Bell in their cheesy fiesta potatoes (I know, GROSS, but it is a guilty pleasure of both mine and donald).  Turns out.  Sporks are great for little ones while they’re learning to eat “like a grown-up.” 

We think Abi may be a bit behind in this area – different places say different things.  But, regardless, we would like for abi to be doing a bit better at eating on her own with colorful, plastic silverware.  I will be honest – this is somewhat motivated by my dislike of having to clean the floor under abi’s chair after every meal.

So, this week I am REALLY trying to encourage abi to eat all of her food on her own.  Also being honest – it is much faster for me to just feed her the yogurt, so it is a patience exercise for me too!  So look out – we just might have a mini Emily Post on our hands soon!

Abi and Donald signing “It’s time to Eat!”

This morning at breakfast – she’s never had cereal AND milk – so here we go!  I never really use bibs in the morning (gonna put her PJ’s in the hamper in next few minutes!) or at night (unless I really love the outfit – as it will also go in the hamper in the next few minutes!) or unless it’s something that can stain.

We’ll let you know how it goes!

Quiet Time Box

The other morning, Abi and I were just having a slow morning around the house.  Depending on the calmness of “inner-me” – I either love or hate these kind of mornings.  Sometimes I am foolishly antsy, always wanting something to do.  Gracefully, and thankfully, I was relishing in the quiet of the day.  I got out my old quiet time box that my parents had brought down for Abi, and we had fun looking at everything.  My “quiet time box” was an ingenious idea that my mom and her friends had to teach us little ones to be still and have some time each day where we thought about the Lord and his love for us.  I really remember using it preschool/early-elementary years.  Sweet time.  She really didn’t quite understand – but, this is OK.  Reliving memories that I had working on the box, and smiling as I watched abi explore something that was new to her, yet precious to me.

Abi really tried to thread the string through the holes of the little “bible houses” – she did great with some help!

A note from my parents that I had saved in the box– so sweet.  Thought it would make you smile.  It did for me!  (Don’t know what babies I was helping to keep happy??!!)