Abby can ride a bike!!!!

This is kind of a big deal.  On May 3, 2014, Abby officially learned how to ride her bike.  We've been calling her bike "the expensive chair" for the longest time because, well, that's what it was.  But no more.  This is literally the most we've seen Abby exert herself, ever.  She's a low energy kinda kid and that's what makes this so special to us.  I also learned I needed to work on my patience (or lack of) with her, not in just riding a bike but any aspect of learning with her.  I watched my dad help Abby along in the beginning and he has infinitely more patience than I do.  Then I thought, well, he did teach all 3 of us how to ride a bike AND drive a car.  I even had to buy Abby a new helmet because by the time she learned to ride, she'd already out grown her helmet!!!  Oh well, it's Lilly's now.  And Lilly is just scootin' along on her 3 wheel scooter now too!  She's got my great sense of balance and physical coordination.

 

Look at her!!!

My baby scootin' along.

This was our maiden voyage around the block.  I actually had to fast-walk/slow-run to catch up!  We were sooo proud of Abby on this day.  And you could see the excitement and pride in Abby's face too.  :)

And I'm just going to take the opportunity to tack on a bunch of random pictures from this month right here.  There's no rhyme or reason for these pictures besides "I like them" so here goes.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Like mother, like daughter.  There are pictures of me pretending to model next to manniquins when I was her age.  :)

Monkey see, monkey do.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Abby is our cuddler and there are NUMEROUS pictures of her sleeping on either Bryce or me like this.  It's definitely one of my favorite pictures and things to do.  I really wish Lilly did the same.

Someone wasn't happy about me putting her hair up in a pony tail.  All I wanted to do was see how it looked on her!  And then take a few hundred pictures!  >:P

It's gettin' there!

Lilly rarely cuddles up on anyone so this was a super sweet, super rare moment of tenderness on her part.  Abby was so sweet - she didn't want to move because she didn't know how long it was going to last and she wanted it to last forever!!!

Abby's been sick on and off lately and Lilly really wanted to help out.

She's actually pretty good at it!

Here's a typical picture of Lilly tolerating Abby's affection.

I took Lilly to the park one day - just the two of us - so I was able to take a bunch of pictures.

She let me know that she has out grown the baby swing.

There are pictures of Ruby and me on similar things in Hermann Park.  :)

R&R at Grandma & Grandpa's house.  That's the life!

Trip #1 to TCBY this summer.

My new favorite picture of me and the girls.

Dancing duo at Toddler Time at our local library.

Both girls temporary tattooing each other one morning.

Just like when the Baldwin's were here, they built a tent again.  It never gets old!

Abby wanted a tattoo just like her daddy.  UH-OH!  :o

Proof that I can't sit on the couch without both girls wanting to sit in my lap.

My mom reading Abby's first journal at school!

Abby kept asking my dad to dip her while they danced - haha!  She wanted her hair to fall backwards and swing her free arm out.  How specific!  :)

Both pretend sleeping.  I wish it would happen for real!

Preschool Graduation!!!!

Whew!  I can't believe summer has already started for us!!!  Abby had so many fun activities at school to mark the end of preschool.  *Sniff, sniff*  I'm still in denial that a child of mine is going to Kindergarten next year.  It just blows my mind.  My only solace is that I know deep down in my heart that this little girl of mine is SO READY for Kindergarten.  We're lucky in that she is over the moon excited about riding the bus and more importantly, learning new things!  A lot of her same friends from MDO will be at her same elementary so she's excited about seeing familiar faces too.

Let's see, Abby had her End of the Year Program called Spacin' Out at school where they learned and sang about planets and all things related to the solar system.  Each class even built a robot out of household products.  Then her class had a pizza party on the last day of school and she came home with her preschool graduation certificate *sniff*.  Then a mom hosted a graduation party for the kids at her house - so she got to wear a medal, a hat and get her diploma!  It was such a fun party too because they got to sing karaoke too!  Abby sang Let It Go and Lilly sang Do You Want to Build a Snowman....obviously.  Then yet another mom hosted a End of Year party at the park and that was also lots of fun for the kiddos!  And lastly, we went to a Memorial Day party at a local pool on Sunday and by then, the girls had their fill of go-go-go.  We've just been chilling at the house, recovering from our non-stop plans.  And coincidentally, it's been raining cats and dogs so we had to stay inside anyhow.  We're 6 days into summer and I've already taken them out for ice cream for no reason.  

Bryce and I CRACKED UP when we saw this picture!!  That's our Abby!  I love every inch of her, especially those hands.

Me and my mini-me.  ♥

The Eagle Class robot.

The last drop-off at preschool.  :*)

My proud grad!

This girl is so ready to put preschool behind her and MOVE ON!  Glad one of us is!

Graduation Party time!!

So proud of these 5 year olds!

Class of 2014, plus some little siblings.

Alphabetically with her first or last name, she's usually the first in line.

Better get used to it!  :P

Thank you!

Eeeek!!!  Glimpse into my future!  I don't want to see it....yet!

Abby was so sweet to share the mike with her sis.  ♥

Water balloon fight at the EOY class party!

This was Abby's first time to play with silly string.

She wasn't too thrilled - didn't like how it was getting her all dirty.

I agree, Abby, I agree.

I'm bummed because unfortunately we didn't get a picture with Abby's other teacher but at least we got one with Mrs. R!  She's always telling me that talking to Abby is like talking to a small adult.  She couldn't have said it better.

And lastly, ready for the Memorial Day pool party!

Now we're looking forward to continuing Abby's swim lessons at YMCA and both girls are signed up for gymnastics this summer!  They are both also going to attend a few Summer Camps at school so we're super excited and ready for the summer to start!  Lilly starts MDO in September so this is a big year of change for both my girls...and me!  What will I do with all my new found free time this fall???  Work on getting myself back to my pre-pregnancy self, that's what I'm finally going to be able to do!  

Abby's 5th Birthday Party!

Three Saturdays ago, Abby had her 5th birthday party at Build-A-Bear.  Our goal this year was to keep the party smaller, more intimate and of course, pick something both boys and girls would enjoy.  Seconds after the excitement of her first sleep over with Elliott was over, she was fully focused and non-stop talking about and/or planning her party.  She had grandiose ideas of her and her sister performing a scene out of Frozen at the end of the party.  She wanted me to wear a blue dress (like Elsa) and for her and Lilly to wear a green dress (like Anna).  She wanted to read aloud to everyone the picture book of Frozen that she drew by herself.  The list went on and on.  I dutifully nodded in agreement and sometimes gently lowered her expectations.  And by the time the party date arrived, all was forgotten and it was off to Build-A-Bear to see her friends!  Whew!  We dodged a bullet there.  Abby helped me decorate the cupcakes I made for party favors and I prepared coloring sheets with crayons and stickers for the kids to take home too.  I have to admit, with our April schedule the way it was, I intentionally kept this party sweet and simple.  Then after the party, the family came back to our house to have the Frozen cake I made for Abby.  It did not turn out looking ANYTHING like I had envisioned but again, Abby was thrilled with what she got so I wasn't worried at all.  I tried to top the Hello Kitty cake I made for Lilly's birthday but it didn't happen.  There's always next year!

Build-A-Bear party time!

Tillie found a cute seat right next to Abby.  :)

Lilly wanted to watch Abby get her Rarity doll stuffed in the stuffing machine.

Then she tried stuffing her little puppy doll by herself!

My and my sweet niece.  ♥

Lao Nian and Tillie.  :)

Because it was her birthday, Rarity got to go home with some new threads too.  :P

Fruits of my labor: party favors.

The paper cut out of the Frozen characters was suppose to be the plastic figurines that were impossible to buy, the white frosting got bits of chocolate cake crumb mixed in when I was icing it and the blue rock candy I tried to make to emulate "frozen fractiles" was a bust so there is it.  Abby's Frozen birthday cake - which she thought was the most beautiful and yummy cake ever.  :)

Then it was gift opening chaos time at home.  We were so glad to have been able to spend Abby's birthday with the Baldwins this year.  We were only missing Kirk, Lucy & Willow because they were sick.

I'm contemplating letting Abby have a sleep over for her 6th birthday party - we'll see how brave I feel next year!