Hummmmmmmmmm

Abigail likes to hum to herself. While she's walking around (with or without assistance) or eating (though Jonathan was delighted to hear her say "yum" while she was eating something he cooked for her) or really just any part of the day she is content. The sound just makes the world seem right.

When she stands on her own to challenge herself to walk one step forward and then go down to the floor for safety she has a very proud look that she's done such a daring feat.

She tried scallops and mussels--eh! She still loves her carbs and especially her fruit. Plums now are a big hit.

In other words, she's having a grand ol' time being one:


And congratulations to Papa for a terrific gala last night!

Gimme Three Steps...

Gimme Three Steps, Gimme Three Steps Miss, and you'll walk right to your Mama.

Abigail took three steps this evening, going from Papa to Mama. Her first real unsupported steps too, and we were both here to see it. She was even more proud of her accomplishment than we were, if that was at all possible.

Hooray, Walker!

A Budding Independence

Our little lady loves to dance, especially to Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five. But she keeps to her own rhythm too, even when there's no music. She bounced up and down when we put her on a bouncy horse at the Underhill Playground. She was pushed on a tricycle too--she loved it!

She's also trying to do many things for herself. While on her changing table she reached for her shoe and tried to put it on her foot, she maneuvers her walker now to get it out of the way of any obstructions and can pull herself into a standing position on a stool that stands in front of her crib.

She recognizes and anticipates the page in the book, Spring is Here, that has a dog on it. She points to it saying, "da!"

She likes to leans in for Eskimo kisses--which she thinks are hysterical.

She visited Mama's school and was the belle of the ball. She walked up and down the halls (holding Mama's hands), entering classrooms, saying hello to the students, she's ready for school already. (not yet little lady!)

Happy, happy birthday Daphne!

Our puppy dog is 3 years old today!

She had the best chicken and rice dinner of her life and a delicious bath too! Happy birthday baby! We love you!!!!!!!!! (even Fink)

Hello second year of fun...

Our little one year old has been living it up! We've had two birthday shin-digs and Passover! And if that weren't enough...


She ate her birthday cake (so-so), mashed potatoes (yum!), beets (yum, yum!), matzah (uh-huh), peanut butter (pass-for now), and she's been swimming, splashing and laughing up a storm in the big tub. No longer a little, ity-bity sink tub, but the real deal bathroom tub. She has a glorious time each night laying back and letting her hair float while she moves her head from side to side. Never has a better time been had!

She's now been riding on top of mama and papa's shoulders in a new back pack carrier--none of us are quite sure how we feel about it. It's a new experience for sure.

She loves twiddling her fingers in front of her face--it's like she's been wearing mittens this whole time and now she sees the individualized digits.

We've gone out to eat at a couple of restaurants that have had crayons to color with. While Abigail likes to hold them and put them in her mouth, she also happens to think that when papa or mama make big swirls or lines, showing her how to use a crayon, she thinks it's hilarious that such a thing could happen.

She loves when someone holds her hands above her head and together walk around. She is thrilled her body can do this. She also pushes off a wall and stands for long periods of time; the time increases each and every day. Today she even pushed herself up from a sitting position to stand for about 20 seconds! When she sat down again, she definitely had a proud look on her face.

There's so much to be excited about!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY ABIGAIL!

Here's our one year old:
We went out to eat at Cheryl's, a comfy local restaurant, and then played around in the NY City Explorers playspace. She crawled through a tunnel for the first time!

And we got a nice family photo there:


It's been a wonderful year! Looking forward to this new one!

A year ago

A year ago today Amanda felt something. She wasn't sure what the sensation was, but, in the 40 or so weeks of being pregnant, she knew something new was happening. We went to our midwife, Elizabeth, around 5pm, and the prognosis from that was, "you're not going over your due date." (which happened to be Tax Day). Elizabeth was so right. Around 9pm Amanda went into serious labor, which surprised us both, "aren't contractions supposed to be slow at first?!" And we were off to the birthing center around 1am with our doula. Amanda arrived 9cm dilated, though Abigail decided to go back up at some point but, then, she arrived into the world at 8:15 in the morning! But that's tomorrow. Today, let's just relish in the fact that our girl is healthy on this last day of her first year of life.