Tips and a Wiggle

Calling all parents.......

We are at the stage of beginning to think about potty training. I am not sure that Abby is ready just yet and with a baby on the way I am not sure the time is right but I am trying to gather information and at least start taking about "the potty" and what it is used for. It would be great to not have the cost of nappies/diapers (we have taught Abby both terms) for much longer and I am considering cloth nappies for our newest arrival. Anyway enough tangents........ My post is to ask any of you that have been there and done that for tips, advice, signals that it is the right time and how you go about starting. Also tips for cleaning up those wee (pun intended) and not so wee accidents.

I also thought I would include more pictures and a special video. She is just so cute it is hard to resist! I also have to say that I was so proud of her this morning. I was brushing her hair (yes she finally has some) and when she thought it was time for me to stop she said "no ta". This was the first time that she used her manors unprompted, except when she says "plea" (please) to get something she wants! There is hope yet!


She likes to flick through my "In the eye of the storm" book.

Taking her babies out for a walk.


Abby's Chair


Colouring is such fun


Artist at work


By special request a video of the WIGGLE!

Who's cute?

I had my first midwife appointment on Sunday afternoon. Everything seems to be as is should and we got to hear the heart beat. I am booked in to deliver at Peterhead maternity unit but as it is a small unit with only midwives if there are any complications I will have to go to Aberdeen. My parents came up to watch Abby while we were at the appointment. They left on Monday after we HAD to go to the shoe store..........................

Okay, so I am going to admit to one of those guilty terrible parent moments! We got Abby new shoes in mid September and they were great, now I know they say get kids feet checked every 6-8 weeks but there really seemed no need her shoes still fit fine. Then a couple of weeks ago it suddenly seemed as if we were cramming her feet into the shoes. We kept try to find a time to go but life always got in the way. Finally a few days ago she started walking funny in her shoes so we knew that we HAD to go. The last time her feet were a size 3 but the shoes she fit were a 2 1/2. This time she was a 4 1/2! No wonder she was walking funny her toes must have been curled under her feet. I felt terrible but I have to say in my defence her feet don't seem to grow that quick then they seem to sprout over night.

Cuddles with mama


New shoes!






She was given a snow suit at Christmas and it was so cold today I thought she should wear it while we went on our wee walk. Cozy!

Brag

It has been implied that we do not brag about our wee "sweet pie" (as she likes to call herself) enough so here I go...........

Since she was about a year old she has been able to count up to 6 and up to 10 with some help. Since about Christmas she has been counting to 10 all by herself and can recognise the numbers 1-10 (she was able to do that since she was about 9 months).

For Christmas she got the Fisher Price ABC animal zoo and can already name almost every animal. I think there is only about 2 that she is not sure of. Her favourite is the "nigh-gale" (Nightingale) and she loves the sound that the Ostrich makes and always tries to make the "ooooo ooooo" sound while wiggling her shoulders front to back.

If it is cold (ie getting in and out the bath) she says cold and then makes a brrr brrr type noise while wrapping her arms around her and shaking her body.

So far she is great at sharing but often misses out because of it. She will share with another child who does not return the favour and runs off with the toys Abby was playing with. I just hope that it does not put her off sharing.

For most of the time she behaves very well. I was so proud of her yesterday. I took a wee walk to a local wool mill outlet shop and Abby behaved beautifully she listened well and was obedient. The worse thing that I had to do was refold a sweater a few times that she kept picking up. Then later that night I was drying and brushing my hair and she was playing with balls that her Dada had brought up stairs to keep her busy. I had no idea if he had brought up the basket to put them in so I called for Abigail who dutifully came and I asked if the basket for the balls was upstairs, the best I was hoping for was that if it was she would bring it to me to see. When she didn't return with it I thought, it either wasn't there or she had no idea what I wanted. Once I had finished I went to see which of the possible answers it was................. to my complete surprise she had put the ball that she had been holding into the basket (she always helps to tidy her toys after much asking). I was amazed that she had connected the fact that I was asking about the basket so I could tell her to put the ball away! She also had upstairs a small bucket that we keep some of her little people in. I asked her to put the rest of the balls into the basket and then put the little people into the bucket, as I was going to get something, thinking that upon my return I would have to repeat the instructions at least 3 more times before they were completed. Yet again I was stunned to find that in the short space of time it had taken my to do my task she had finished what I had asked her! What a star! She got big cuddles and praise for a wonderful day.

I was proud again today when we took our trip to the local library (we have to go regularly because she loves books so much she gets bored with the same ones. This way she gets new books to read without us having to go bankrupt buying books and building a library to house them!). A few of the mothers in the village go on a Tuesday morning as it is coffee morning and while their kids (about the same age as Abby) were running all over the place throwing books and pull things off the shelves Abby was happy to stand about and play with the toys that are provided or look at some of the kids books or dance to the music they had playing. At one point she even asked me if she could play with the beads (one of those tables with the wiggly wires and wooden beads on them). Okay not in so many words but she did say "See beads" to which I replied "Okay, you can go play with the beads". And she did! There were times that as the other children tore past her she would have an almost shocked look on her face and I wondered if she new that their behaviour was wrong!

Here is wee pictures, she often puts things on her head and calls it a hat. Don't worry it was a clean one!

Prayers

I am sorry to have to blog bad news but we really need your prayers. As most of you know my dad has been undergoing various treatments for cancer for a couple of years now. We thought after some surgery that everything was under control and taken care of. However, after a few months and scans my dad had a negative report, below is the email that he sent out which explains it better than I could.

Dear family & friends

The result of my PET scan done in December was not as good as we had hoped. It showed that the cancer has returned. Two years ago the primary was in the colon with secondaries in the liver. There are still two secondaries on the liver (one we knew about that showed up on a CT Scan and MRI Scan) and four more specks have shown up in my abdomen. My oncologist said that PET scans have improved so much that two years ago these would not even have showed so they are very small specks. That means we have some time before we have to make our next decisions. Right now I am feeling good and able to do everything. My oncologist’s opinion is that he cannot cure this and in view of side-effects of a second lot of chemotherapy we postpone any treatment. According to him it would be a matter of managing symptoms and controlling pain. We are thinking about all of this carefully before we meet with him later this month to give him my decision. I am finding it very hard right now as after surgery things were looking good. It has taken me a few days before I could even write this but we wanted you to know. We need your encouragement more than ever and again we ask for your prayers.

With our love & appreciation and best regards for 2009.

John & Irene

Again I am sorry for the bad news. We will keep you updated as things progress.

New Year!

Over Christmas Abby loved saying "Mea Chri" to everyone.

We have been working on Happy New Year but so far have only managed to get.......
"Neu ear"

Not bad for a start I guess.
I do have video of Christmas but the files are to big to download so I will have to do something about that before I can post them.

Happy neu ear to you all!