Abby's Autumn Break

So, I often do this. I uploaded the photos backwards and am too lazy to reorder them, so bear with me. I threw some pictures up here of Abby's Autumn Break, some pretty faces she made for me when she got back after smearing soap on her face, and then some pictures of the house. We're still making lots of changes, but haven't hit the finish line yet. (More pictures as we finish more projects.) I've been sick for what seems like forever, so I am finally getting better and am able to play with Abby and hang out with Rick without crashing out on the couch. I had something like bronchitis and then four days later got hit with a flu bug. I still have a cough, but I am getting better each day and have the energy to play with Abby now. Some of the funny new things she does: tells her hands not to do bad thing "no hands, don't do it", pretends to read books, talks about a magical land far, far away, likes to rub soap on her clothes, loves to hold her breath and put her face under water for LONG periods of time, etc. I can't list everything here or you'd be bored to death. She's becoming a good helper when she LISTENS. That's the problem we have with her is her focus and her listening skills. Other than that, she's a happy normal kid, with an incredible imagination. She told me about a dream she had the other night too, where a bear was in her room. She woke me up to ask me if I saw something moving in the corner of her room. She's going through all of the growing pains, even nightmares.

A paper towel (and cookie) holder and shelf above the stove for spices.

Decorative (and utilitarian) shelf, might be swapped out with a stainless steel version.

The same old living room, with a few new pillows.

A new bookshelf and no, those are not curtains. We had a painter work on the living, dining and kitchen area, and he did such a crappy job, we have to paint it again. So those are paint drip catching papers. We have plastic everywhere and the outlet plates are all off too, which is just great with a curious toddler. Dang that painter!

I told her to smile.

This one's even worse, like Frankenstein's smile.
She has soap smeared on and around her mouth.

On the beach in Florida, a new swimsuit from Grandma.

Posing. She looks like a little mermaid to me.

Playing with grandpa in the water.

Planning to run.

Trying not to spill.

Cautious.

On a turtle with mama at a park in Austin.
Nice how she put the sand shovel in my face, huh?

Turtle solo.

On the Riverwalk canal boat in San Antonio. She liked the tunnels.

Little model. We dressed her up in a new outfit grandma bought,
but she wouldn't pose with grandma. We got this shot instead.

Riverwalk balance near a waterfall.

Dada was not happy because she was being stubborn and wanted to get in the water.

Big ice cream cone. This was a child's size!

Very protective of her ice cream cone.

In grandma and grandpa's backyard in the pool with her giraffe.

She loved the slide so much she broke it!

Nope, not drowning. She loved to stick her face under water.

Grandpa and Abby, good pals!