Just doing a quick note for my sweet baby:  You turned TWO YEARS old today.  I can’t believe it!  You’re our greatest joy.  We love you sooooo much.  I’ll do another post with pictures and memories of the event.  You were great!

Here are some of the things you’ve done this past month:

• Before I put you in your crib for a nap, we sing a few songs, unless you say, “Get in bed.”  Well, for the last few days, you’ve been requesting songs.  Like today, I said, “Do you want to sing a song?”  You said, “Yes, Blue Skies [and] Rainbows.”  So we sang that.  You help fill in the words when I pause.  Your other requests were: “Twinkle, Twinkle,” “B-I-B-L-E,” “Book of the Bible,” “Sunshine (You are my Sunshine),” and “A B Cs.”
• You can count to eight and then, you stop.
• If we ask you, “What color is this?”  You normally answer “Pink” to everything.  But if we say, “Bring me the red (or blue or yellow or green or pink or purple) cup, you do that!
• You always recognize these letters when I point to them, and you say: A, B, C, F, O, P, T, W, and you know a lot of the others, too.  I’m pretty sure W is your favorite letter.
• You don’t say your ABCs by yourself, but if we say A, you’ll say B, then we say C and you’ll say D on down to Z.  So you know them well.  (There’s a clip of this in the video below.)
• Same with the books of the New Testament.  It’s so cute to hear you say “Thessalonians” or Philippians” because they have so many syllables, but you pronounce them so well.  (There’s a clip of this in the video below.)
• In the mornings when I come to get you out of bed, I’ll say, “Is Abi awake?”  You say, “Yes.  Sleep sack off; humidifier off; get out of the bed.”
• You’re still not so great in the eating department, but we always make sure to get you out of your high chair on a happy note.  We taught you to say, “Thank you for the food.  Please may I get down” (which is what my parents made me and my siblings say when we were in elementary school).  When you say it, you can’t help but smile and bounce around.
• You help Daddy make and eat pancakes every Saturday while Momma tries to get a few extra minutes of sleep.
• Instead of saying, “You want the book/cup/toy,” etc like you used to do.  Now, you say, “May I have the book, please?”  I love teaching you good grammar so young!
• You’re starting to do imaginative playing: you’ll “squirt” us with your water faucet from your play kitchen.  You’ll let Mr Bear drink your milk.  You tell me you’re cooking pancakes in the morning.

Here’s your Monthly Video:

Every month we’re amazed at how much you learn and change.  We love watching you grow.

Here are some things you did in your 20th Month:

• Besides talking about family members and friends, here are some cute, random things you have thanked God for in your prayers: Mr. Bear, the big ball, rabbit, humidifier, the turkey, Santa Claus, towel, bed . . .
• You love stairs, which you call “big steps.”  We can’t keep you away from them.
• You have your pronouns mixed up when you say things like, “Mommy, hold you please.” or “You want the big ball, please.”  We do correct you, but we do kinda like it.  Other than that, you’re still amazingly advanced with speech.  Strangers can understand you and carry on conversations with you.
• For the past two Sundays and a Wednesday night, you have cried when we left you in the nursery at church.  This is confusing to me because you love going to bible class, and they say that soon after we leave, you do great.  I guess you’re getting attached to Momma again.
• Also, two times during this past month, you have woken up early from your nap crying.  I’ve gone in there and done something I’ve never done before: gotten you out of bed, sat in the rocker with you, and you actually cuddled me and stayed still for more than 30 seconds.  I’m not sure how much of these times you were asleep, but you held onto me for about an hour each time, and I loved every second of it.
• Your canines on top have poked through, but they’re not fully grown yet.
• You have been fussier lately when we’re out in public.  You had never cried or pouted in public until a couple of weeks ago.  So, that hasn’t been much fun lately.
• You’ve been better with eating this last month.  Hopefully that will continue.

As always, we love you tremendously.  Here’s your 20th Month Video . . .

You are acting like such a big girl these days, and you’re so much fun.

• You’ve almost got 16 teeth; your top canines are coming in a little bit.  But you’re a trooper through it all.  You never even wake up at night from pain.  Thank you!  I hope your baby sibling will sleep as well as you always have.
• You know words to songs, and you’ll sing them, if we pause during a song.
• Sabra is playing with you a little more (as you’ll see in your video).  She actually goes and gets her toys when you throw them now.  You think she’s the greatest thing on earth.
• You say your own prayers every night or whenever prompted.  I love them!
• You can say up to eight word sentences.  Here are some sentences that stick out:

-”Just look at that pumpkin flashlight!”

-”I want to get in bed.” (I sing you a few songs while rocking you before your nap time.  Before I sing you a new song, I ask, “Do you want to sing ____ or get in bed?”  It’s so cute when you say you want to get in bed.  Awesome.)

-”Shhhh. quiet; ______ is sleeping.”  We act like we’re sleeping, and you come give us a kiss to wake us up.  You even kiss Momma’s belly to wake up baby.

-”I see you later, Alligator.”

-”The girl is eating a bite of [an] orange orange.”

-”Ooopsy Daisy, Elbows.”  You have this thing about touching your elbows, especially at night when you’re going to bed.  Now that it’s winter, a lot of your night time shirts have long sleeves, and sometimes you get frustrated when you can’t pull your sleeves up to touch your elbows.

-”[Abi cough] Bless you Abi.  [fake Abi cough] Bless you Abi.  [fake Abi cough] Bless you Abi. [repeat process about 20 times].”

• You are learning to obey really well.  Most times, I’ll tell you to come here, or stop doing something, and you will!
• You got your first real hair cut.  And we’re trying to grow out your hair, but it’s an annoying process because it’s as straight, thin, and whispy as your daddy’s, and it doesn’t want to go anywhere except for hanging in your eyes.  But you’re better about wearing bows to keep your top hair from getting into your eyes.
• You’re still afraid of the vacuum cleaner.  I think it’s the only thing you fear.  We kinda like it though, because you’ll cuddle with whomever is not vacuuming.  And this is the only time you cuddle.  And by cuddle, I mean sit still on our laps.
• In big church, you say, “Amen” really loudly after prayers.  Yesterday, you also saw one of your friends, and YELLED “Maddison!”  All those around laughed.

Here’s your video:

So I’m a little slow these days getting posts up; sorry.  You might be slow, too, if you spent 100% of the day being nauseated and throwing up about 3x a day.  So, in case you didn’t get Abigail’s hint on Friday, I’m pregnant.  But I’ll talk about that later in many other posts, I’m sure.  It’s Abby time . . .

Here are some changes we’ve seen in Abigail over the past month:

• She loves to spin around.  She twirls in circles probably 10 different times during the day.  It’s fun to watch her get dizzy; she laughs at herself.
• She also likes to jump, and she’s getting better with throwing balls.  Sabra is finally playing fetch with her.  She’s already really precise with kicking a soccer ball (YEA!).
• She’s got at least 14 teeth.
• She’s becoming more of a Daddy’s Girl (yea!).  Because I’m not able to do much these days, Jonathan does 100% of her diaper changes, baths, etc when he’s home.  So, Abi’s going to him more when she wants a book read or wants a song played.
• She says pretty much every word we say.  She puts together 4-5 word sentences.
• She doesn’t want to get her picture taken much anymore because she wants to “watch” the digital screen on the camera instead.  You’ll see this in two of the video clips I put in her 18th Month Movie.
• She’s getting into stickers.  She’ll point to the one she wants and say, “Want this a one please”, and I’ll get it off for her.
• When she wants us to chase her, she’ll say, “I got you . . . bah, bah, bah, . . .”
• She’s wanting to be more independent: like in her eating (not wanting us to spoon/fork the food and give it to her).  And yet, she also wants to still be the baby: like in the last few weeks, she wants to be held more instead of her walking by herself.
• She sees friends–not just family– and calls them by name, without us having to say their name.

Well, here’s her 18th Month Movie below:

This past month has been so fun, watching Abigail change in so many ways.

• If she gets something she’s not supposed to, we tell her to put it back . . .  and she’ll do it!
• She’s really into reading lately.  She’ll grab books all day and say, “read, read”.  So, we’ll read them to her, and then, she’ll say, “gen, gen (Again)”
• When we read books, we ask her to point to the dog, stars, Noah, or flowers, etc, and she does!
• She has a few “lift a flap” books, and she already knows (and I don’t!) by memory what’s under the flaps because she’ll say, “meow or bauck bauck” before she lifts the rock or gate up.
• Abigail will hide under or behind something and she’ll say, “Where is Abby, Where is Abby, Where is Abby?”  And she takes a ball or something and hides it under a couch cushion  or blanket, and says, “Where is the ball?  Where is the ball?” until you says, “I don’t know, can you find it?”  And then, she’ll reveal the object with pride.
• She has at least 12 teeth.
• I haven’t gotten her weighed lately, but she probably weighs around 21 lbs.
• She’s learned at least 47 words this month: again, alright, big girl, bird, blocks, box, boy, bracelet, cat, chicken, cow, doggie, egg, elephant, fish, giraffe, hippo, horse, hot, hurry, i love you, meow, milk, mouse, off, on, pants, pig, push it, rabbit, see you, shake, shirt, strawberry, thank you, this ‘a way, tweet, what ‘cha doin’.
• So, she has around 150 words that she says on a regular basis.  Wow.

Sorry about the choppiness of the video (I told you I had so many problems, but this is the best you’re gonna get).

Happy Birthday to my older brother Joshua.  Abigail has a message for him in this video:

Proud of his baby sister (ME!)

In Brasil on my Bday

On his Wedding Day

If you’ve ever left your camera around Joshua, I’m sure you’ve gotten this picture

Meeting Abigail for the first time

Being a Good Daddy

Loving being an Uncle and Daddy

Dear Joshua,

We are sad that you moved so far away!  Maybe we’ll see each other again someday.  Anyway, I appreciate the brother you’ve been over the years.  Thanks for being joyful, patient, and friendly.  We love those qualities.  Hope your day is special.  Happy Birthday!!

We love you,

Jonathan, Lori, Abigail, & Sabra

**Today is the last day to enter the Giveaway.**

Happy Birthday to my favorite friend and husband Jonathan!  I have loved you 7 years and liked you for almost 9 years.  I thank God every day for blessing me with the best man.  Wow, how did I get to be so blessed to have a husband that does all these  wonderful things for me and others . . .

1. You make me laugh multiple times a day.
2. You say you’re sorry first most of the time.
3. You make allowances for my bad days.
4. You are the best Daddy to Abigail.  I love watching you read to her, tickle her, “hide and seek” her, and help her.
5. You are extremely helpful to me: you give Sabra and Abigail their baths, feed Abby, do the dishes, take out the trash, sweep and mop floors, vacuum, etc without being asked.
6. You are a servant to others and you do it with a joyful spirit.
7. You pray for Abigail and me every night.
8. You always tell me you love me before you leave or we get off the phone.
9. You’re not afraid to be goofy.
10. You are very smart: book smart and common sense smart.
11. You work hard at your job.
12. You’re always trying to improve yourself and learn new things.
13. I can trust you with every thing.
14. You aren’t wrapped up in sinful activities that a lot of men are.  I’m so grateful for this.
15. You like me and want to spend time with me and consider me your best friend.

Dating Days

After we got Sabra

Pregnant Days

Modeling Days (hahaha)

Daddy Days

Our new Family

I love you.  Thank you for all you do for our family.  I hope your day is as special as you are.  Happy Birthday Husband!  You are my #1!

Love you,

Lori

Have you heard of Hot Prints?  If you haven’t signed up with them through facebook, then, you can get a FREE photo book with FREE shipping!!  Go to this site, and add Hot Prints app on Facebook.  Then, they’ll credit you with one free photo book with free shipping– IF you’re one of the first 10,000 people to “check out”.

Also, the photobook will only grab pictures from your facebook account.  I’m not sure how great the quality is of this book.  It didn’t say whether is was a hardback, glossy, or paper cover.  And I didn’t really care for the designs.  But hey, free is FREE!

I just finished doing it, and I was impressed with how fast it was. They also let you alert your facebook friends that they can view the photobook, and then they can download a PDF copy for free and print it out themselves, if they want.  I think if you want to order additional photo books, it’s only $3 (not sure about s&h).

So, if you wanna get this book for completely free, start making it now.

**Happy Birthday to the best cousin Emily!!  Love you!**

Happy Birthday to my younger brother, Daniel.  Here’s a message from Abigail (excuse the yogurt on her face):

When we were kids.  First pic= in Brasil; Second= First day of school

Sabra loves him

On his Wedding Day

He and his wife drove 12 hours to be there for Abigail’s birth

At Thanksgiving ‘08

The day after his Graduation from College

Dear Daniel,

We are sad that we’ve lived so far away from each other for the past 3 years, but we hope you’ll be moving closer :).  We’re praying that you and Maggie will have direction on where to live.  You’ll do great!  Proverbs 3:5-6.  Thanks for being cheerful, helpful, generous, and kind.  We love those things.  Hope your day is special.  Happy Birthday!!

We love you,

Jonathan, Lori, Abigail, & Sabra