ollie...

i love this picture!!

this is ollie...

when i was a little girl i had an ollie too...

mine has wheels, and this one rocks...

but the love is the same...

love you abbi...

3 binky baby...

ya... abbi can't just have one binky...

she needs to have 3!!!

one in her mouth...

and one in each hand!!

silly girl!!

love her!!

pinterest!!

this is...

 my new hobby

my new obsession

my new past time

my new downtime

my new love!!

vote for abbi!!

vote for sweet little abbi!!

you can vote once a day for the rest of the month!!

the link can be slow... but keep trying!!

thanks!! :)

benefit dinner

yup... we have a walker...

this is the second time she walked this route in the bedroom!!

sooooo big!!

we are in sooooo much trouble!!

:) sure love her!!

amen...

1. If walking/cycling is good for your health, the postman would be immortal.
2. A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water and is fat.
3. A rabbit runs and hops and only lives 15 years.
4. A tortoise doesn't run, does nothing ..yet lives for 450 years.

AND YOU TELL ME TO EXERCISE!

walking!!

that is right...

my little girl has taken her first steps!!

yikes!!

father's day...

yesterday was kevin's first father's day!!

abbi and decorated a little bit to help him celebrate!!

abbi is one lucky girl!!!

she has the best daddy in the world!!

400 posts!!

boo!! she loves to jump out and surprise me!!

well learning that this is my 400th post sure surprised me too!!

happy 400th post!!

crazy!!

let's see what the next 400 posts hold!! :)

11 months old...

 11 months.... really? 

where has the time gone!! 

here are some of abbi's best moments in her 10th to 11th month!!

*  abbi loves loves loves her daddy!!  and his hats!!

*  abbi is soooo close to waving bye bye...

*  she got kinda sick - her temp was sitting at 101-103 for a day of so.  i took her to the dr and it was down to 99.  they did test for a UTI and it was negative.  whew!!

*  i am wondering if abbi is gonna be a thrill seeker... she loves to hang off the edge of the bed!!  silly kid!!

*  she is quite the chatter box!  we are hearing lots more sounds!  NNANANANA - we think is nanny.  LALALALALALA.  giah gloo giah.

*   if you put your hands out and ask for something, she is starting to hand it to you!! 

*  we flew to oregon for the soucy family reunion.  abbi was soooooo good!!  seriously.  the best little girl!!
 she did very well on both flights too! 
she was voted "miss congeniality". 
she was scared of rick (my oldest brother) .  i think it was because of his facial hair... we will work on that so she isn't as scared next time we see him.
 she loved uncle don and marcus ( my youngest brother) !  they made her laugh! 
abbi warmed right up to papa!  even let him feed her a few times!!
but the hit of the reunion, was aunt michele!  she went right to her and snuggled.  she never does that!!  very cool. 
she played with lori (rick's wife) and loved the kitty she bought her.
 she even played with seth (my cousin mikes son) and his dog!
 this trip included lots of firsts for her: 
5 winery's !  HA!! 
playing golf- or riding in the cart!
 bowling- which she didn't really like.  she was tired and it was loud.
 she rode on a speed boat!!  which she loved!  just was upset when momma covered her up cuz it was cold!! 
and she got to go to a toy store and got spoiled by papa!! and michele! 
fun fun fun!!

*  abbi is such happy little girl!! lots of giggles and smiles!

*  she loves to watch the remote control car with daddy!!  she is still scared of the remote control big truck he has though. 

*  what a beautiful smile!!  she is such a tease too!  :)

*  abbi still loves momma and daddy's toes!! 

*  she has started "dancing" to music!!  love it!!  she started with the book that plays music.  she makes a "one" with her finger, pushes the button and then sways back and forth in a rocking motion while sitting down.  :)  :)  :)  so dang cute!!

*  such a big helper!  :)  wants to get into everything!!

*  abbi will peek a boo around corners or out from behind anything!!  it is so cute!!

*  she enjoys growling as well... i think it is her version of a yell.  :)

*  abbi sure loves her books!!  she will go into her room several times in a day and just sit and read books!!  i love it!! 

*  the dropping stage has arrived!!  abbi will drop things as a game-  off of the changing table, couch, high chair... fun. 

*  have a mentioned she is a big helper?  she loves to help unload the dish washer!!  i have her help with the silverware (minus the knives)  . she hands them to me one at a time, as i say thank you with each one.  she smiles and hands me the next one. 

*  she loves to play with momma's phone!  she dials papa (speed dial) all of the time!  she has changed contact information, set alarms and even did a 3 way call!!  -which i don't even know how to do!!  ha!! 

*  the remotes are off limits for her because she does all kinds of crazy things with those too!!  turns tv or dvr on and off.  sets things to record.  etc...

* one of abbi's favorite toys is the easter basket that annie gave her and the princess eggs i got on clearance. she will play with them forever!!

*  busy busy girl!!  into everything!

*  abbi loves grandma maryann!! 

* abbi loves to help daddy unload his cooler of soda when he gets home from work! she even puts most of them in the fridge!! :) 

*  she can be a wild sleeper sometimes!!  ha!!  she loves to move her bumper pads all over the place!

*  finally she is sleeping all through the night!!  8pm ish to 7am!!  wahoo!

*  even though she is sleeping through the night, her going to sleep for naps and nighttime is not too consistent.  sometimes she will go right to sleep, other times it takes alot of work! 

*  she is a tummy sleeper like momma and daddy.  it is cute with her little bummy is stuck up in the air.

*  we moved her to size 4 diapers for nighttime since she was waking up wet in the mornings.  that seems to be helping. 

*  abbi loves to climb and test her limits.  by doing so she has lots of bumps and bruises!  bonks her head on everything!!. 

*  she makes a cute little fish lip smooching noise.  very cute!

*  abbi is eating lots of big people food now too!!  cheese, loves veggies! if i put down peas, carrots and corn- she will eat all of the peas first!  they are her favorite!  which is funny, because she didn't like the jarred peas for awhile.  i dont blame her... they aren't nearly as good as fresh or frozen!   

*  abbi really enjoys being in her walker. she will play "crash up derby" (as kevin calls it)  by running into anything she can! 

*  we were getting ready to go get our bountiful basket one saturday morning and she wanted to get in!!  i think my basket was very bountiful that week! 

*  i think she is teething again... 

 *  abbi is such a lovey girl!!  she gives loves to her dolls, bear, toys and diaper boxes!!  hee hee!!  the dolls can be upside down or sideways.  it doesn't matter...   she will sometimes give them a little pat on their bum too.  she usually will then toss the doll behind her!  love them and leave them!  ha!

*  we are lucky to be able to get some loves from her too.  she gives us a little pat when she gives loves or hugs to us too!! 

we love you abbi girl!!  you are truly the greatest thing in our lives!!

momma and daddy... 

my little girl...

wow!! i sure love her!!

we spent the entire day together and i loved it!!

we played

we laughed

we cried

we ate together

we slept

we cleaned

we had fun!!!

love you abbi! thanks for spending such a fun day with you momma!

a whole new family...

what a life changing experience for me...

it all started with these 6 siblings...

my dad is the oldest of 6 kids and i met them all for the first time this weekend!!

what an amazing experience!!

left to right: front row: evelyn, michele and sue. back row: roland, don and my dad, rick.

i just have to say that i was extremely nervous going into this weekend... but each one of my aunts and uncles made me feel so welcome and loved. they were incredibly kind to abbi and i! they were each amazing!!

this was everyone!! in our cool reunion shirts!!

lori was amazing to help with abbi so much!!

we loved riding on the hellgate speed boat excursion! even though the first half of the trip was raining and cold...

aunt michele with all of her nieces and nephews that were at the reunion... loved her!!

proud papa with abbi!

we went golfing!! i even golfed one hole!! :)

the whole group at the hellgate brunch!!

it begins and ends with family! i am so honored to call these 3 men family!

my youngest brother, marcus. my dad, rick. me and my older brother, rick jr. and little miss abbs.... voted miss congeniality of the whole weekend!! :)

my older brother...

this is rick jr... my older brother!!

i met him for the first time last weekend! what a wonderful experience!! he is an incredible man and i am so excited to met him face to face!!

this is his beautiful wife lori! she is awesome!! so kind and sweet!

and this... is my dad and my 2 brothers...

first time we have all been together!!

this was a life changing weekend!!

loved loved loved it!!

farewell oprah...

i have always loved oprah! she is a true example of humilty, honor and honestly. i will miss her show very much! but i am excited for her next journey on OWN.

let me share a fun story about the oprah show...

when i started college, my mom moved away. so i moved in with my best friend and her family. it was amazing! loved it! well, my bf has 3 younger sisters and i found myself with them alot in the afternoons watching oprah!

i thought they weren't really paying attention to what i was watching... just playing with their toys and stuff... well, i was wrong!

one day after turning on oprah, kristine, the middle girl, asked me ...

"do we have to watch that black lady again?!"

ha! i have laughed many times over that comment over the years!

let me just say... that i cried during the 2 surprise shows ...

and during the final show... i felt her "love letter" for us, her viewers, was amazing! i plan on watching it again and making notes of her message. it touched me that much!

here is an article i found online that highlighted a few pieces of her show...

(CBS/AP) CHICAGO - After 25 years on the air, Oprah Winfrey ended her famous talk show on Wednesday by sharing memories, reflecting on life lessons and thanking fans for coming along on the journey with her.

The episode featured no guests - just Winfrey herself, standing alone on stage. It opened with a clip from her first show, and she then spent the hour showing favorite clips from throughout the years and recounting what she's learned during the show's quarter-century run.

She told viewers that sometimes she was a teacher - calling her show "the world's biggest classroom" - but more often her viewers instructed her. She called Wednesday's episode her "last class."

Among the life lessons she shared was, "You are responsible for the energy you create for yourself, and the energy you bring to others. Don't wait for somebody else to save you, to complete you, to fix you."

"Each one of you has your own platform. You can help somebody, you can listen, you can forgive," she said. "My greatest wish for all of you ... is that you carry whatever you are supposed to be doing and don't waste any more time."

She also thanked viewers for watching throughout the show's 25 years.

"Twenty-five years and I'm still saying, 'Thank you America,'" Winfrey said. "Thank you so much. There are no words to match this moment."

The taping came a week after Hollywood A-listers and 13,000 fans bid Winfrey farewell in a double-episode extravaganza at Chicago's United Center. The shows that aired Monday and Tuesday included Aretha Franklin, Tom Cruise, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jordan and Madonna, among other stars of television, music and movies. They were just a few of the approximately 30,000 guests who have appeared on the show over 25 years.

On Wednesday, Winfrey called the event "a love intervention on steroids."

Winfrey ended Wednesday's show by saying she felt "all sweet, no bitter."

"I won't say goodbye," she told fans. "I'll just say until we meet again."

Winfrey then stepped off the stage and through the audience and hugged and kissed longtime partner Stedman Graham before walking through the halls of Harpo Studios in Chicago, hugging, crying and high-fiving members of her staff.

She shouted "We did it!" The last shot of the finale showed Winfrey walking away with her cocker spaniel, Sadie

until we meet again, my friend, until we meet again...

a royal comparison...

i love this!!!

10 months...

Abbi Little is 10 months old!!

wow...

here are some of her wonderful highlights of her 9-10 month!!

* abbi loves to go barefoot! ...just like her momma!

* she has combined her bahbahbahbah (bouncing her hand onto her mouth) with rolling her arms! it is so cute!! she bumps her mouth to make the sound as she rolls her little arms!!

* she kicks/rubs her little feet around like a lightning bug! so cute...

* her little feet are always crossed!! such a lady!

* abbi throws stuff behind her! stuff in the laundry basket, off of the bookshelf, out of the toy chest... she will then turn around, see the mess she made and then proceed to chuck that pile behind her!! funny!!

* she loves books! her favorites right now are: musical kisses, hugs, soft foam lady bug and the bubble bedtime book by seasame street.

* her favorite toys are: all of them!! :) we did tie some yarn to on of her rattles and she thought that was pretty fun too!

* abbi will sit very still on my lap when i trim her fingernails. she has for several months!! now her toes... not so much!! :)

*  abbi had her first hotel stay when we went down to mesquite for jeff and heidi's wedding.  she did really well!  she woke up only once a night, so i just tucked her in bed with me and she went right back to sleep.  i guess that is one of the priveledges of going on vacation... you get to sleep with momma... :) 

*  we are now ignoring the night time crying- trying to get her to sleep through the night.

* naps are crazy right now!! she either falls asleep #1- sitting up or slumped over from cying so much. #2- or when she is laying down i can keep my hand on her chest to help her calm down. i have noticed that singing to her helps calm her down too.

*  abbi started clapping her hands!!  we were out to dinner with the gang and she just did it!!  so cute!!
*  she just cruises around the room holding on to the couch, hope chest, bookshelf, tv cabinet or wall... whatever she is around!  yikes!!

* abbi loves to get into things!! boxes, laundry baskets...

* her new passion is what we call "paperwork"... she tears and shreds all of our junk mail and magazines!! anything paper!! rip rip rip!!

*  this little "magic" lotion works wonders!!  not only for her skin, but for her temperment!  :)  she can be super fussy when we lay her on the changing table... give her the tube of "magic lotion ... and wahla!  happy baby!!  :)  this pic was right after her bath, so she is a little wet still! 

*  her schedule right now is:  7am: breakfast- cerial and fruit plus 4 oz bottle.  9-9:30am:  snack and 4 oz bottle.  10-10:30am:  naptime.  11-11:30am:  lunch:  cereal with veggie and 4 oz bottle.  1-1:30pm:  snack and 4 oz bottle.  2-2:30pm:  naptime.  3:30-4pm:  7 oz bottle.  5:30-6pm:  dinner- baby food meal or jar veggies plus 4 oz bottle.  7:30-7:45pm:  bath/jammies.  7:45-8pm:  nurse or 4oz bottle and bed.

* we have added a 3rd "meal" at lunch time. more of the stage 3 food.

* she has started eating dairy!! yogurt and cheese are ok!

* abbi loves snack time!! she eats baby puffs, yogurt melts, cinnamon crunchies and some small pieces of arrowroot cookies.

* she is also eating off of momma's plate as much as possible. she loves that!!

* she is very independent! she wants to get her food herself! finger food from my hand or from her tray.

* abbi loves her daddy!! and his race car! they will sit on the floor at least 20-30 mins and play with the remote control car that was kevin's when he was little.

* she enjoys "walking" around! she will hold our hands or hold onto the walls!! cruising is her thing!

* abbi still loves to play peek-a-boo! she will cover her head with a blanket, shirt or toy so that she can play too!! darling!!

* when i came back from getting my hair cut short, abbi didn't recognize me!! :( she whimpered when nanny left her alone with me in the room!! made me sad! it did take a day or so until she was convinced it was me...

* abbi loves to be in her stroller!! anytime she is out and about, she is happy!

* she loves other little kids/babies!

* sometimes abbi is shy around other people, or when she first gets around someone. and she will duck her head into my shoulder.

*  abbi loves to "help" daddy put his sodas away when he comes home from work!!  it is so cute!!

*  she is starting to sit up a little at bathtime- she sits on her bath sponge.  getting so big!

*  abbi gets very very excited when momma or daddy comes home from work!! 

*  abbi attended her very first parade!!  the girls all went to the smithfield days parade!!  she loved it!!  didn't keep her hat or sunglasses on very long... but was sure cute while they lasted...!

*   i am pretty sure the days of the headbands are coming to an end... she won't keep them on.. at all!!

we love this little girl more and more everyday!!  she is such a wonderful kid!! 

 

love you abbi,

momma and daddy