Finally!

Finally!
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Finally, Abigail has her own room, decorated! When we had to move from Concord to Marion, one of the hardest things for me, Allison, was that we had the nursery already made up, and the baby would never see it. After over a year of living in either a room at our apartment shared with the computer, or this room at our house that used to have funny wallpaper and scuff marks all over the wall, she has her room. Curtains and all! We also finally got to hang up one of our favorite presents we received when Abigail was born, an awesome cross-stich from Aunt MaryAnn and Uncle Tom. We love it so much and are so excited to proudly display it, up in the top right corner of the photo. Thanks Mary Ann and Tom!!! I spent the last 2 weeks scraping wallpaper, and painting. Let it be on the record, I hate wallpaper! But today we moved her back in, and she sure is happy. As you see her, she is running toward the camera. While she has walked for months now, she has always crawled when she wanted to do something fast, but the last few days she has been walking way more than crawling, and running some as well. Yeah for the new room! Better late than never!

Abby/Daddy breakfast

Abby/Daddy breakfast
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Ok, so it was really just supposed to be Daddy's breakfast, however, Abigail finds it almost impossible to leave anyone alone when they are eating. Even if she has just eaten herself. I thought it was too cute not to capture. She had crawled over to John, between the couch and the table, then poked her little head up between his legs hoping to get some waffles. Sorry kiddo, that's Daddy's grub.

Woo Hoo, Shoes!!!

Woo Hoo, Shoes!!!
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Abigail and I were playing on the floor, hense the mess, and she crawled over to her new shoes and started to cry and put out her foot. So I put them on her, and she just grinned and held onto them, as the photo shows. She hadn't ever worn shoes before this past weekend, but we figured that now that she is walking more, she needed them, so we bought some for her birthday. She cried with almost every pair we tried on her, but these she loved, the sandles we got for her she liked so well that she wore them out of the store. After the picture was taken she proceeded to roll around and enjoy her shoes. I had actually originally wanted to get a picture of her in the sweet outfit her Grandma Prysock sent her, can't see it too well in this, but it is too cute. But she definetly loves her shoes.

I love my new bear

I love my new bear
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Here is Abigail keeping a close tab on her new bear from Aunt Patty and Uncle Mike after she opened it the other day. I think this picture is too precious. Let me tell you though, when she first ripped open the package and pulled out that bear she was so excited, she just smiled and made some silly noises, didn't get that on film though. So thanks for the bear, she loves it!!!

Purple monster

Purple monster
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

This is when Abigail was all finished with her cake. She actually didn't really care for the cake part at all. Only a little bit made it in her mouth and stayed in. The icing was the way to go for Miss Abigail. I particularly like the big chunk in her hair. I am so glad that I chose to get purple icing, it shows up better in the pics. Needless to say the next stop after this was the bathtub.

All of this...for me?

All of this...for me?
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Nothing too extravagant for her first birthday, just a few things from Mommy, and Daddy, and Grandma's and Aunt Patty and Uncle Mike, oh and Nana Terri. Thanks everybody! She looks as though she isn't quite sure what to do, but she figured out the wonder of wrapping paper quickly. And soon our living room was covered.

Pretty princess

Pretty princess
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Here is Abigail sitting on her throne, like the princess that she is. We bought her some big foam letters that fit together like a puzzle, and she really loved climbing up on the box. Check out those lips, so cute!

Mommy and her birthday girl

Mommy and her birthday girl
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

I still can't believe she's a year old, but here we are posing in front of the balloons. It was such a fun "party." Just the three of us, but lots of wrapping paper and icing. I'm looking a little rough, but hey, you're not looking at me anyway. I sure do love my girl!

1st Birthday Cake

1st Birthday Cake
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

This is Abigail's first birthday cake. This is what it looked like before Abigail tore into it with a mission to cover our entire house with icing. More photos to come.

1st Birthday

1st Birthday
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

5:30pm on July 23rd, 2004 Abigail Marie Reilly joined us on the outside. Today we celebrated her first birthday with presents, music, and cake on everything. As you can see she did not waste time with silly manners. She went for the full one-handed face stuff. That cake never knew what was coming. More photos to come.

Abigail's birthday

Abigail's birthday
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Here is Abigail's first picture ever, a year ago today she was born at 5:30 pm. She sure does look different, laying there all bundled up. As Mommy I am amazed that my little girl is a year old, I can still vividly remember how it felt to hold her for the first time, those first sleepless nights, and how she changed our world forever, and how she still is changing it every second of her life. She is truly a miracle in every way!

It's official

It's official
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

So we went to the doctor yesterday for Abigail's one year checkup. She had to get shots, but most importantly she got to get weighed. And it's official, she now weighs 20 lbs. and 2 ozs. Still pretty thin, about average for her age, but big enough to turn around in her car seat. So here is a picture of her first ride facing forward. She had just gotten some shots earlier in the day, so granted she isn't smiling, but she really did enjoy it. She just kept looking around and trying to see out the front window. I can't imagine always looking at the back of the seat, i'm sure this will be much more exciting for her. We also learned that she is 29 1/4 inches long, very tall for her age. Tall and slim is what the doctor said, he is very pleased with her. He says she is doing great! She'll be 1 tomorrow, unbelievable. Check back soon for pictures of her birthday.

Yeah, Daddy's home

Yeah, Daddy's home
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

So i've got the digital camera back, so here is a pic of Abigail looking oh so cute in the bandana I got while working at our church's Bible school. We're doing a survivor theme, but that is beside the point, I just couldn't resist putting it on her. She is also being held by her Daddy, who she missed so much last week. Doesn't she look so happy he is home? I think so, i'm pretty excited too, a week is too long!

Bath time

Bath time
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

How funny bath time used to be. Actually, how hard it used to be, she's a month old in this picture, before her cord fell off. And wow, baths were tough, she's cute, but she hated it. Now she loves bath time, its only gettting out she hates.

Golden girl

Golden girl
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Who could forget this classic Abigail photo. It was taken at Grandma Lowmiller's at Christmas time last year, so she was 5 months old. It is still one of my favs.

Classic Abigail

Classic Abigail
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Here is a picture of Abigail when she is about 2 1/2 months old. John is away at camp this week, and took the camera with him, so there will not be any new pictures. But I thought it might be fun to randomly choose a month's CD and pick a picture from then and share it.

Crawl softly, carry a big stick

Crawl softly, carry a big stick
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Ok, so she doesn't crawl softly, no where near it, but doesn't she look intimidating? She sure does love that stick. It's the stick that we put in the track of our sliding glass door, and if we take it out to go outside and leave it laying around she snatches it up right away. She generally swings it around and gets really excited, just another thing she does that makes me laugh. We were stuck inside all day due to the rain from Cindy, but we made the most of it.

Ode to Pappy Dave

Ode to Pappy Dave
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Grilling. Allison's Dad was the master of the grill. The wielder of the flame if you will. Like a mailman determined to get you your mail Dave would grill through rain, sleet, and snow. Steak must reach its finish line come any obstacle.

Here is Allison paying tribute to her Dad. He passed away in January 2004, but the grill master lives on. Much like the Olympic Torch, the flame has been passed. An umbrella, a fork, and a good eye for meat done right is all she needs.

I write this after I ate the steak you see and holy crap it was good.

What a life!

What a life!
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Isn't this just the life? I went in to get Abigail up from her nap, (i've been having to cut them short because she's been getting up so early in the mornings), and saw this too cute photo op. I mean the belly hanging out, the arm behind her head, and the hand on Lamby just to be sure she's still there. How precious is she? I'm still in awe!

Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

That doesn't go in there

That doesn't go in there
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

The other day as Abigail was eating breakfast I think she was about finished and getting a little bored. So she started to scoot down in her seat and bend and play with her feet, until as you see here she was putting her toe in her ear. She is so goofy sometimes, and quite bendy. I didn't capture the cute smile that went along with most of her antics in the picture, but believe me she thought what she was doing was hilarious.

Best toy yet

Best toy yet
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

We were at Wal-Mart today (what's new?), and as we were checking out Abigail was working her charm on one of the girls working at customer service. She was just smiling and being so silly, the girl said, "You really make a bad day bright." So as we were leaving Abigail was pointing and cooing at the balloons tied by the door, the girl asked if she could have one, and we said sure. When we got home Abigail drug that balloon all over the house, she played with her other toys some, but still had a tight grip on the balloon. She'd stop and get up on her knees all excited like she does and pull on the string until the balloon was bouncing repeatedly off her face. She was having such a good time. We were a little concerned about the string though, so sadly the balloon "mysteriously" disappeared during dinner.

Cousin Cole

Cousin Cole
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Here is a picture of Abigail's cousin Cole, John's sister Beckie's baby. John's mom just emailed it to me, and I thought it just had to go on the blog so everyone could see how cute he is. I know some of you got the email from Becky too, but some of you haven't so either way, enjoy!

Laundry Helper

Laundry Helper
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

We now have a tradition on laundry day. I will sort all the laundry into piles, then when I load whatever it is i'm going to was into the basket, I also load Abigail up with it. Then we're off I push the basket from our room to the laundry room as fast as possible, which is pretty fast once we hit the hardwood. Abigail loves it, she just sits there smiling, and what hair she does have flies up into the hair, once we stop at the washer she just smiles up at me. Here she is getting impatient for the ride as I stopped to take the pic, a moment later she began to climb out and come get me. Man, I love her!

Happy to see Daddy

Happy to see Daddy
Originally uploaded by abigail0723.

Abigail and I were out in the yard the other evening when John came home in his Jeep. We had been just sitting there picking at the grass as usual, but when Abigail spotted her Daddy she got up on her knees and started flapping her little arms and smiling and yelling in excitement. If you've ever seen her do this, it's hilarious, i've never seen a kid get up on their knees like she does. This picture doesn't even capture it, by this point she had sat back down and was just smiling as her Daddy was heading toward us.