Well my precious Abbey-bird turned 1 on September 5th and she gave us a birthday present by taking her first (unassisted) steps that day too. Within a week and a half she was running around. It's like something just clicked like "I think I'll walk today" and off she went. We had a wonderful party for her with a "Wizard of Oz" theme because she is our Rainbow baby. We hired Dorothy to come and entertain and sign for the kids. I think everyone had a good time and it was such a happy day full of love and gratefulness.
October was lots of fun planning for Halloween. Abbey had two costumes, Minnie Mouse (whom she is absolutely obsessed with) and Dorothy (of course!). She'll point to the TV or hold her stuffed Minnie up and say "Meme" and will dance to the hot dog song at the end of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She has become quite verbal in her old age; and she's like a parrot. We have to watch what we say all the time now. ;-)
November was wonderful. We went down to visit Andrew's family in St. Louis for Thanksgiving and then spent Christmas here in Dallas. Abbey got the equivalent of an entire Toys R Us store including an electric Mercedes Benz which she still can't operate on her own yet but she'll say "car, car" then "more more" after she climbs into it....which means that we must push her from one side of the house to the other over and over again! LOL.
Miss thing has also entered the terrible twos....a full nine months early! She'll throw herself on the floor and scream and cry if she doesn't get her way. She'll look you in the eyes as she repeatedly does something that she has already been called down about. She is an absolute mess....and I love every bit of her! I love that she has attitude (or Abbey-tude as we call it). I love that she knows what she wants and lets you know it. I hope that she always has that fight, that drive, because you never know what life will throw your way and its that fight that makes a survivor.
This Christmas was a little bit easier than last year, although I would be lying if I said I didn't think about Aidan every single day and wish he was here with us. We weren't able to visit him on Christmas day because it snowed and iced that day, but we were able to visit him on New Years. His grave as well as all of his friends graves were decorated for Christmas. It's really sweet to see that the Moms and Dads are still remembering their babies....especially the ones who have been gone for several years. It boggles my mind to know that there are so many people who have lost babies that pretend they were never born. I just don't get that at all. How can you push down that kind of hurt? How can you pretend that your child (your flesh) never existed? How can you turn your back on your child like that? I don't think I'll ever understand that.
Andrew and I between Christmas and New Years (27th - 31st) went to Napa Valley, CA. It was AMAZING!! I now know where I want to retire. We missed our girl terribly (even though she was in good hands with Mimi and Poppi in Dallas) but had an amazing time full of good food and good wine.
I am looking forward to 2013 to see what it may bring. 2012 was very good to our family. Or perhaps I am just so grateful for everyday that I have with my family that the little annoyances of life just don't seem to matter? Either way, I am excited to find out what 2013 has in store for our family; and I know that good or bad God will be with us we'll get through it, together.
Happy 2013 Everyone!
Love, Me.
