Abby says "Hello", sings, hides herself, and gets a leg up

7-31-09

Ok, so I haven’t been doing very well keeping up my journal writing lately. I’m going to do better!

Abby is so cute and funny! It seems like she’s always doing something new that is just so sweet and endearing! For example, about a week ago, she started doing this adorable thing whenever she nurses on the right side. Not only will she reach up with her little hand to try to feel around in my mouth (usually I let her), but also she’ll swing up her right leg under my jaw so her pudgy size 4 foot can get as close as possible to my face, too! It’s so funny and sweet! She’ll get into position to nurse (we like the cradle position), swing her right little foot up there (with her left food resting on the arm of the chair, so she’s doing the splits), and latch on to get her yummy mommy’s milk! All with this satisfied look on her face like, “Ahh, this is the good life.” She seems to enjoy it how I stroke her little arm and leg and give her a foot massage while she nurses.

About three days ago, Abby started playing Peek-a-Boo all by herself! While sitting on the floor in the bathroom, next to the bathtub, she pulls the shower curtain around herself, so I can’t see her upper body. “Where’s Abby?” I say. “Where’d she go?” I continue wondering out loud where she went until she pulls the curtain away to uncover herself and smile sweetly up at me. “There she is!” I exclaim enthusiastically. Quickly, she hides herself again to continue the game. She is so smart! I am amazed that she can already hide herself to play Peek-a-boo at 9 months old!

Abby has eight teeth now! The four front bottom, and the four front top. No canines or molars yet.

Last week, Abby said “Hello” very clearly to Papi (Dan Hargrave, my dad) on the phone! He could even understand her without me translating! It was so amazing! She’s already been saying “Hi” very clearly, for quite some time, and now she can say “Hello”, too! Wow! I was so surprised that she could already make the “L” sound so clearly. I guess I shouldn’t be, because she often sings, “La, la, la” in her tiny little soprano voice. It’s so cute when Papa Ken sings with her. He’ll hold her in front of his torso, with her facing around and bounce her up and down while he sings songs that he makes up. She’ll sing right along with her sweet little “Aaaaah”, “La, la” or other baby singing sounds while she waves her hands in the air like she’s conducting music! It’s so dang cute! We should get a video of it.

Abby is getting faster at crawling. We have to be very vigilant when she's exploring because she has a tendency to be interested in all the things she's not supposed to have. For example, she is drawn to paper (she likes the crinkly noise). I sometimes let her play with it as long as I am right there hovering over her to stop her from putting it in her mouth. She also loves to pull on electrical cords and tries to put them in her mouth. This is a big "No-no" of course. I've arranged all the furniture so that the electrical cords are blocked. But we still have a hard time when we use the lap top computer to keep her from grabbing the cord. She also loves plastic bags. Again, I think she likes the feel and sound of the crinkly-ness. She knows garbage cans have plastic bag liners, and will crawl quickly for them, so we have to put garbage cans out of her reach. Whenever she goes to the child watch at the YMCA (while I work out), they have to put the garbage up on the window sill. Everyone at the Y thinks she's so cute! They always greet us with "Hi Abby! Oh she's so cute!" Of course, everywhere we go, strangers always tell us how beautiful and cute she is, but it's just kinda funny being a parent, because people always greet your child, and don't pay much attention to the parent! That's just fine with me, though! I do the same thing! Adorable little babies need the extra attention as they learn to be social! Abby is a very socialable little girl. She usually has a happy little grin for everyone who greets her! Sometimes she waves, too! Once in a while she is shy, which she shows by putting her downy head on my chest, and smiling up shyly at them like, "Hello, I just want to stay with my mommy."