MSA Playgroup!

Abby checking out some animal!

All the ladies and all the strollers.

Today we had our first of many MSA (Medical School Alliance AKA, the spouses club) playgroup.

I was so great to go and meet with a bunch of other women who understand what it is like to have a husband in Medical school. I met a lot of new friends, got to spend time with some old friends - Miss Natalie Demill - and got reacquainted with friends I haven't seen for a long time that I didn't know were even in MSA - Megan Lindsey, sorry Meg I don't know your married name. Abby had a great time watching all the kids, she could care less about the animals. I thinks we were the only people at the zoo to day. It was quite cold! I am so excited to be a part of MSA for the next four years. I just wish we had playgroup more than once a month.

White Coat Ceremony

Last Friday was Stuart's White Coat Ceremony. It was really neat. All the speakers were excellent and thanks to grandpa Mark who played with Abby in the back of the theater, I got to actually sit and enjoy it. Stu looked to professional in his new white coat. This year thanks to a very generous donor they gave all of the students a Littmann Stethoscope. So, the long road has started. Stu started school on Monday and has enjoyed it so far. He got to go and visit patients at Primary Children's the first day, he really enjoyed that. He is now Student Dr. Curtis. I miss just hanging out and watching movies after Abby goes to bed, but I will get used to it. As you can see it is giving me a lot of time to catch up on my blogging. Congratulations Sweetheart!
We are so proud of you!

Our new Suby!

We got a new car about a month ago I just keep forgetting to post about it. This is exactly what ours looks like, but this is not ours. I took some pictures at the dealership of it and us the day we picked it up but they were on the camera when it got stolen the second time. Now it is dirty and I just keep forgetting to take pictures of it. We love it! It is even better than our last one. It is the same color (White Satin Pearl), with tan leather interior, it is a lot bigger and has some great new features. My favorite is the blue tooth and backup camera. Actually the puddle lights might be my favorite. My mom thinks the puddle light make the car look like it is going to lift off. So the whole brake in was a pain, but it has all work out in the end. The puddle lights!

Lagoon

We decided that it was time to let Abby experience Lagoon for the first time and... she loved it. Her favorite ride was the little cars that go around on a track. She kicked and screamed when we took her out of the car. We had to put her on it again. She was pretty funny on the little boat ride. She didn't know quite what to think of it when it started moving. She turned around and looked off the back of the boat terrified. Everyone watching was very entertained. There was a lot of laughing going on. After about an hour she pooped and it got on her pants so most of the pictures she is just in a diaper. We actually wanted to take her on a ride and they wouldn't let her on because she didn't have pants on. Whatever! We are excited to take her again in a couple years when she can ride even more rides and enjoy it even more. Check out the movie at the end. Abby had a wild the ride! (She is in the Elephant)

I missed the terrified face.

Walking with Grandma!

We got a little wet.

Abby's favorite ride!

Before and After...

Yahoo! No more Braces! Look at those beautiful teeth.
Stu, sorry that I took both of these pictures right before bed when we were both exhausted.

Our first experience with IcE cReAm!

Well... Soy Dream (Soy Ice Cream). Abby loved it. I fed her a couple of bites right out of the container then tried to put some in a bowl for her. She thought I was trying to trick her. She would not eat what was in the bowl she wanted it straight from the source. We fed her a few more bites from the container and I just put it on her tray because it was cold. Then she started licking it out of the container. Last off all her new thing is feeding herself so I would but some on her spoon and she would feed herself.

THANKS AUNT MAISY!

Seattle

Last week we went to visit my sister in Washington State. Thanks to my mom and sister, Stu and I were able to spend a couple of days with out our little munchkin. We flew in on Wednesday and rented a car for the day so we could go do a little sight seeing. We started our trip by eating at a Jack in the Box, it is our favorite fast food restaurant when we are on vacation, all because we don't have one here and the Sourdough Jack. Then we drove to see the Freemont Troll which is a huge statue of a troll under a freeway bridge. Our Anniversary was Thursday but we wanted to celebrate it Wednesday because we didn't know if we would have time to celebrate with all the stuff we would be doing with my parents and sister's family. We dropped Abby off at my sister's and drove back into Seattle to do the Underground Tour. We both enjoyed that, other than the street vendor that took a dump in the corner of the ally we were in on the tour. He was pulling up his pants right as we came out of the building and there was a big pile of *@*@. Disgusting! Then we encountered three more crazy bums and we decided to find another part of town to eat in. We drove to Belleveue, which is closer to my sisters and enjoyed a nice quite dinner at Maggiano's. This years anniversary was a lot less exciting than last years with out Abby around. I am not complaining! Thursday my mom and sister took all the little children to a farm and Stu and I had the chance to enjoy another day with our Abby. Stu, me, Eric and the older boys all went to the Boeing Plant in Everett, WA. It was really cool. They are building this new plane called the Dreamliner that will be awesome when it is done. We also went into Seattle and enjoyed the view from the Columbia Center's observation deck and had lunch. Friday we took a ferry to Bainbridge island then drove to Poulsbo, a little Norwegian town. There we did a little shopping, and ate lunch. Abby ate fish and chips for the first time and enjoyed them. That night we celebrated my niece Cate's 2nd Birthday. She got a Cozy Coupe and Abby REALLY like it! Saturday we drove to Leavenworth, a little German town a few hours outside of Seattle. More shopping for the women and miniature golfing for the men. Then for dinner that night we went to PF Chang's to celebrate my nephew Gregory's 12th birthday. Sunday we went to church to see Gregory receive the priesthood. After church we played a couple of games and had a very YUMMY dinner - thanks Steph - then off the the airport where the women that checked us in demanded that we show her some kind of identity stating that Abby was under two. I have flown with Abby many, many times and NEVER been ask for this, including the way up. We had nothing with us. I think this women was determined that Abby was two and that we needed to buy a ticket for her. Thank goodness in the end she let it slide this time but note to self, my one year old looks like a two year old to some people so bring her birth certificate next next time. We had a wonderful time, but are happy to be home so Abby can be back on her normal schedule.

The Troll The Underground Tour

Us at Maggiano's

The Columbia Center

Abby Enjoying the ferry ride.

The crew on the ferry.

A view of Seattle from the ferry.

CHURCH...

Church with children is sometimes such a joke! Today it was pretty funny! Abby was super hyper today. She was all over the place jumping from me to Stu to Grandma and back. Then during the sacrament Abby was being extremely loud during the sacrament and she threw one of her toys out into the isle and it made a big bang. Stu climbed out to get the toy that was in the middle of the isle and accidentally threw it under the bench in front of us and it made the same big bang. We couldn't stop laughing. As usual I spent the rest of sacrament out in the hall. We actually made it through all three meetings today with Abby. That is Amazing. During Relief Society Abby crawled half way down the isle and just stopped, sprawled out, and started rolling around, many were staring at her and giggling. I had to laugh myself. Church is always entertaining.

Memories

Over the last few months Stu and I have been digitizing all of our old home videos. It has been quite the project.  So many memories!

What happened to honest people!

I don't think there are any honest people in the world anymore. First, having my house broken in to and my car stolen, then yesterday I left my camera at Payless Shoe store. When I went back in a couple hours later I looked around then asked if they had found a camera, they said they had not found one, so I left my name and number and ask them to call if they found it. I called this morning and they said they found it right after I left yesterday but now they couldn't find it. Why didn't they call me when they found it!!! They said they left it by the register and someone must have taken it. That's great so which one of their employees took it. Why didn't they put it in a drawer. Grrrrrrr!

One year old!

Abby and Daddy playing with the fridge farm.

I know she has a funny face, but I had to catch her in the act of giving her daddy loves.

Where Abby got her shots, and on the other side the little yellow thing is her drain.

We went to Abby's one year appointment last week. Dr. Cramer says she is doing great. Other than she has a runny nose and a cough that will not go away she is very healthy. He gave her another book and explained the importance of reading to her child. He also made me feel like a million bucks at this appointment. He just kept telling me what a great job I am doing, I am sure he tells that to all of the moms, but it is still nice to hear it. She got three shots this appointment. I hate shots, it makes me so sad.

Her weight: 22 lb 1 oz, 60th percentile
Her height: 31.5 in, over 100th percentile
Her head circumference: 45 cm, 40th percentile
Her weight to length ratio, she is in the 25th percentile because she is so tall.

At one year old Abby says Quack, quack, not only when she sees ducks she says it all the time. sometimes it sound like she says other words, but she is not consistent. Sometimes when we say woof, woof she will copy us and say Fffff, Ffffff. She knows where noses are and will point them out, sometimes she will point out mouth too. She lets us know what she wants or where she wants to go by pointing! She can stand on her own but is still not walking. She is not sleeping as much as she used too lately. She goes to bed around 8:00pm and gets up between 8:30 and 9:00am. Napping is kind of sporadic. Sometimes, it is an hour nap at home other times 30 mins in the car here and there.

Things Abby like at one year:

• being outside
• water
• bathtime
• pooping in the bath as of late
• pulling things out of cupboards and drawers
• her blankie and binky
• she likes to play with her her fridge farm and stand and play at her little Fisher Price table she got for her birthday.
• MUSIC - she loves to dance to music
• Mickey Mouse Club House
• Still Loves Eating
• tossing a ball back and forth
  

Some of her favorite foods right now:

• canned green beans, fresh cooked broccoli, hot dogs, chicken, watermelon, grapes, french fries, potato and tortilla chips, corn, peas, beans, frosted flakes, marshmallow mateys, raisins and still loves baby food when we give it to her.
  

• Oreos, Oreo sticks, cupcakes and any candy we will give her.