Tag: Milestones

Happy 5th Birthday to Our Sweet Abby!

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Happy Birthday to our little Abby. Our smart, funny, creative, imaginative and caring little girl with a heart of gold. Happy 5th Birthday to the little girl who can be as stubborn as a mule and so independent but knows how to make you smile and laugh in an instant with her witty comments and her love of singing just about any song that comes on the radio. Happy Birthday to the little girl who makes her Mommy and Daddy so proud!

Five years old. Can it really be? I know that your daddy and I say it every year, but where has the time gone? So much has happened in five years but it feels like just yesterday I was holding my little 7 pound 7 ounce baby in my arms, sitting in my hospital bed, tears of joy in our eyes and the amazing thought that we were now parents.

Abby we have watched you grow so much in the last five years. From crawling and babbling to walking and speaking in words and sentences that are clear as day. We have watched you learn and discover from feeding yourself and clumsily flipping through board books to knowing your colors, shapes and ABC’s and reading your first books with only a little help from Daddy and I. I cant say that it doesn’t make our hearts ache to know that you are growing up by leaps and bounds, because it does. Don’t take that personally though, I think every mother and father feels that way about their children as they grow. But, that ache is a tiny one, or it seems that way because when we see you write a new word or how you light up with so much pride when you read another new word without our help, our hearts soar.

Daddy and I look forward to the years ahead and everything they will bring. Learning and growing at a whole new level. Pretty soon Pre-K will be over and as you near your sixth birthday Kindergarten will begin. You will start your big journey into grade school, of learning and growing and homework and school activities. There is so much that lies ahead of you and we are excited to be a part of each and every moment. We might ache for what was but our excitement for what might be is far greater.

Our hope for you is that you always embrace the kindhearted and loving kid that you are. That the love and understanding you had for the new little boy in your class this year continues on the rest of your life. That you help and stand up for those who are in need of it and show them kindness when they are scared or being mistreated. We hope that your never ending curiosity stays with you and helps you continue learning, even when your days in school are finished. We hope that your creativity and imagination is never limited and stays with you no matter what you decide to do in life. All too often we lost those abilities as adults and too many of us are afraid to be a kid at heart.

The future is something we are all excited to see but please take your time and enjoy each step of the way. We will remember to do the same. Don’t grow up too fast and love being a kid as long as you can. There is plenty of time to be a grown up, so enjoy your childhood and embrace it. We will do our best to make sure you do and will embrace every moment, even if they are tough ones.

Mommy and Daddy cant wait to be a part of the journey ahead and we love you so much. Happy Birthday Punkin!

Abby, on the day she was born.
Abby on her First Birthday
Abby on her Second Birthday
Abby on her Third Birthday
Abby on her Fourth Birthday
Happy Birthday Abby! We love you so very very much!

Abby’s First Trip to the Movies

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Today we took Abby to see her very first movie in a movie theater! We had waited long enough and we knew it was time to test it out. Since showing her a trailer quite some time ago, Abby hasn’t stopped talking about the movie Brave. So when the movie hit theaters several weekends ago, Shaun and I decided we would take her.

So today we dropped Ellie off at Grandpa and Nana’s house and headed to the theater. Abby was so excited. When we got there we headed to the concessions and let Abby pick out some special snacks for the movie. She chose popcorn and a box of Red Vines to share with mommy. When we got into the theater, Abby chose our seats and we got settled in. Abby looked like a pro and was ready for the movie to start. We only had one potty break and that was a quick one. It came at the right time too! There were a few parts of the movie that were a bit dark and intense and Abby decided she had to go potty right at the scariest moment. Potential crisis averted! Abby loved Brave and even more then the movie, she loved the theater experience. She hasn’t stopped talking about it.We cant wait to take her back again soon!

ABout to head over to concessions to pick out a few snacks. Abby is thinking about what she wants!

All settled into her seat, snacks in hand and cozy under her blanky!

Ellie’s Two Year Check Up

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Ellie went in to see Dr. Calig today for her two year check up. It was a longer wait then normal but the girls were great! Abby made a new friend in the waiting room and Ellie found a few magazines to look at and of course attempt to tear apart.

Her check up went well and everything, according to Dr. Calig is great! She is very happy, healthy and doing a great job when it comes to growing. Just to show you how well she is growing, here are her stats:

Ellie’s Two Year Stats
Weight: 30 Pounds
Height: 36 Inches Tall
Ellie has grown a lot in 6 months. She is in the 98th percentile for both height and weight and doesn’t show any signs of changing. She is my skinny girl but we think she will be tall too! Ellie lucked out with this appointment as well. No vaccines today just a prick of her finger for some blood work and a poke on the arm for the TB test. She still wasn’t happy about it but it could have been worse. It wasn’t anything a few stickers couldn’t fix! Always glad to see that my girls are happy and healthy. No more doctor for another six months unless we get sick, but maybe we can make it a goal to stay away until then!

Ellie’s First Pair of Glasses

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About a month ago Shaun and I noticed that Ellie has having some trouble with her eyes. Out of the blue she started crossing or turning her left eye in and as parents this had us a bit concerned. After a trip to the our pediatrician and then to see a pediatric ophthalmologist we discovered that Ellie is extremely farsighted and has an astigmatism. As a note, most children up to age ten are farsighted. Its a natural part of eye development. They range between a 1 and a 2 and can correct their sight automatically without any issues or without any awareness of it. Ellie on the other hand sits between a 5 and 6. In order to see properly when looking at certain things she has to cross her eye or eyes to focus. The brain quickly adjusts to this, so the sooner you catch it the better. 
Well we caught it right away so hopefully this will benefit her in the long run. Ellie now gets to wear glasses in order to strengthen her eye muscles and correct the issue. So today after a bit of waiting and a lot of patience we picked up her glasses! She looks adorable in them. We chose a light purple color mainly because they looked the best on her but also to match her blankie! Now the challenge will be getting her to adjust to wearing them and keeping them on. But until then, she looks adorable!

Abby’s First Haircut…

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Today was the day we cut Abby’s hair for the very first time. Yep, shes three and a half years old and we are just getting her first haircut! I wasn’t sure how I would feel, knowing that I have put this moment off for a long time. I know she needs the cut to keep her hair healthy, but I didn’t want to see those baby curls go! Oh the things we hold on to as long as we can as parents.
When we arrived, Abby seemed a little apprehensive of what we were about to do. But, she relaxed when she got to sit in her very own rocket ship chair and pick out a movie to watch. She chose Finding Nemo. Being a pro at this sort of thing, the lady who cut Abby’s hair got right to it. She wet down her hair and before I knew it… SNIP! The first cut had happened! I felt myself getting emotional but I knew tears would upset Abby, who was worried it would hurt, so I kept it all in. Her little curly locks were now in an envelope for me to keep and all over the floor. The stylist snipped and shaped and Abby sat perfectly still. She kept her head tilted when asked and didnt argue one bit. Quickly it was over and Abby’s hair was about 9 inches shorter then when we first walked in. With a lollipop in hand she was as happy as a clam and already telling people she got her hair cut. Ellie got a little trim too, but that was mostly because the stylist wanted her to feel included.
One last shot of her long baby curls before Abby gets her first haircut.

Ready but a little unsure about this whole “cutting the hair thing”.

Getting ready and watching Finding Nemo

About to cut those curls off!

The cut is done! Now its time to style it, but only a little.

All done!

Ellie gets a little trim too! (Not a real cut, just a few trimmed spots)

Where it all happened!

After we finished up it was on to the playground. We promised Abby that if she listened and let the lady cut her hair we would take her.  She was so good, so when all was said and done we headed to the playground as promised. As we sat there watching the girls play, I looked at Abby and it was like the new haircut had already changed her and she grew up the minute those baby curls came off. She made a new little friend on the playground and she played with her until it was time to leave. She looked so grown up. It was at that moment my heart ached a little and I wanted desperately to glue those little curls back on to her head. This is the part about being a parent that really sucks, watching your children grow up right before your eyes. I will try and enjoy every moment of it but I also know my heart will ache a few more times.

Ellie is 21 Months Old!

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Ellie turns 21 months old and I think time has officially accelerated. OK, I know that isn’t possible but it feels like that. We only have three more months until Ellie turns two, until I no longer count her age in months and she officially stops being a toddler and starts heading into preschool years. Boy its all happening so fast.  Until then I will savor all that I can about her. In the last few weeks she has really started to talk… a lot. I would tell you all of her new words but there are so many that I cant keep up!

Ellie loves being just like her sister and despite fighting, they are joined at the hip. Ellie has grown into such a happy go lucky little girl. She loves to snuggle and cuddle with mommy and daddy but she also has a very independent and stubborn side.  She likes to do everything on her own just like her big sister and she isn’t afraid to show you when she is unhappy. I have a feeling age two will be a bit challenging but I look forward to all of it.

 

Ellie is 20 Months Old! The Countdown to Two Begins!

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Yup, that cute little bathtub Gnome is now 20 months old! Seriously? Now we count down the last four months until she turns… two. Yikes. I promise, however, not to count too fast. Ellie is talking up a storm these days. I swear her vocabulary has tripled in the last week or so. It almost makes me sad to hear her becoming so verbal. I loved all of her baby coos and noises. Being able to talk just means she is getting bigger and older.



Ellie follows her sister a lot and is learning fast. She is even showing some interest in the potty too! The prospect of cutting down to just night time pull ups excites me. The thought that it wont be long until we are diaper and pull up free excites me even more! Ill be interested to see what the next month brings.

18 Months and A Check Up

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Its a little belated, but I wanted to give Ellie an official Happy 18 months! Ellie was lucky and got to spend the mid year mark celebrating the new year in Montana with the family. We went to the doctor today for her check up and Ellie looks wonderful! Her stats are as follows:

Ellie’s 18 Month Stats:
Weight: 27 Pounds 4 ounces
Length: 33 Inches

Ellie received a few vaccines today and boy is this kid smart. The minute we sat her up and the nurse cleaned her arm off with the rubbing alcohol, she knew what was about to happen and was not thrilled with me. Poor kiddo. She cried but was still a good little trooper. Abby was with us and when Ellie was all dressed, Abby came up and gave her a big hug. She told Ellie that everything was ok and that she was a very brave little girl. Talk about tugging on my heartstrings! If only they were this nice to each other all of the time!

Ellie is growing and changing everyday. With every week that passes, Ellie is talking more and more. Her vocabualry has grown considerably and we can actually understand more of what she says. She is starting to form three to four words sentences but also seems to understand more of what we say to her. Ellie is still working on getting her teeth those first molars and her little canines just seem to be taking their time to grow in. Ellie is also starting to show some interest in the potty! Good Lord I cannot wait to start potty training her. Thanks to her sister, I have a feeling this time around will be quick. Ellie looks up to Abby and wants to do everything she does. Lets hope this applies to using the potty as well!

Christmas Vacation in Montana…. Happy New Year and Happy 18 Months to Ellie!

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Happy New Year! Goodbye 2011 and Hello 2012! The girls both made it to midnight and rang in the New Year with all of us. I cant believe it, but then again these girls would stay up all night if they could. They are experts at the “do anything you can to stay awake” tactic. Also, not only is it the start to a new year but a milestone for Ellie. Once we hit midnight Ellie turns 18 months! She is now only six months away from turning two! Like I have said before, where does all the time go? Happy 18 months to you Ellie!

After we celebrated the passing of the old and bringing in the new, we packed up the girls into the car and headed back to the condo. We ended up taking a drive around town in order to get them to fall asleep and that was quite the adventure. Main Street and the Downtown area of Bozeman was crawling with party-goers and plenty of guys and girls who needed a few extra hands to help them home. Oh how I do not miss those days…then again, I don’t think I ever celebrated like that on New Year’s Eve.





In the morning we gathered together with Great Aunt Diane, Uncle Barry and Great Grandma Prueter for our traditional Eggs Benedict Brunch. We were missing two other important people from this lovely tradition, one we have done since I was old enough to remember it, but I ate some Eggs Benedict in their honor. Missed you David and Mike!




The remainder of the day we visited with family, watched some hockey and football and relaxed (something that vacation is all about). The girls have grown a lot since our last visit, so we decided to take another picture with the four generations of Prueter family girls. Its amazing to have these photos. I feel blessed that my girls have had the chance to meet and get to know their Great Grandmas.

Shaun and I left that evening and the girls stayed behind with Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Jillian. We had decided that during our time in Montana we would take a few days for the two us and give the girls some one on one time with their Aunt and Grandparents. We didnt know exactly what we wanted to do but we were excited to have some time alone.

Ellie is 17 Months!

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Ellie is 17 months today and still refuses to stop growing! I wish I could keep her little forever but unfortunately that just not how life works. Despite my wish to keep her at a certain age, she grows and changes every day. She is starting to talk even more and put sentences together. I have a feeling that once she is really talking, I wont be able to get her to stop.

Ellie is now obsessed with cheese, to the point that when I cut her off we have full blown meltdowns. I do remember this phase with Abby as well. Ellie also loves blocks. She can sit for hours putting things together with her blocks and then taking them apart. Maybe we have an architect or an engineer in our future? I guess we will see! Ellie also follows Abby around everywhere and wants to do whatever she is doing. As a big sister I know this can get to be a bit much, but for the most part they are very loving to one another and Ellie is learning to do a lot because of her big sister and she is learning it fast too! Time flies and continues to march on. I look forward to the changes another month will bring.

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Happy 16 Months Ellie!

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Ellie is 16 months today! Its hard to believe that its been 4 months already since she turned a year old, but time marches on. We didn’t have a doctors appointment this month but I can tell she has grown since the last. Boy is she getting tall!

Ellie has been learning to much. She watches Abby like a hawk and tries to do everything that she does. Most of the time Abby seems to enjoy it, but like most sisters it does cause some trouble. Ellie is our little spitfire though and has no problem causing trouble on her own. She has to test out everything she sees, from drawers and cabinets to every button she can push. She tests everything and has developed some adorable yet stubborn looks. Her vocbulary has also expanded, she can now say the following…

Mama
Dada
Shoes
Down
Dog
Jack
She can Meow like a kitty
Nana (like the fruit and like Nana Fiona)
Cheese
Up
Drink
Bye, Bye
Hi
Moon
Coco (which we think means color)

So much has changed in a month, I cant wait to see what lies in store for us in the next month. Cant wait and because this time of year seems to blow by fast, Im sure next month will come in no time. Until the next!