2009 in review

I am sitting here trying to make a list of all that Abigail has accomplished in 2009 like I did last year and I am struggling. 2009 has been an amazing year for Abigail and she has grown into a very nice caring sweet young lady who thinks of others first, can do anything she sets her mind too and is OBSESSED with learning new things, and trying to figure out how things work.

In January:

• Abigail started talking back. If I tried to rush her she would tell me to "not use my mean voice" and "stop being mean"
• Abigail continued her interest in shadows, echoes and reflections. She describes an echo as "a shadow for your ear"
• She watched President Obama's innaugaration address with rapt interest and adoration and then ran out to play in a random snowstorm that we had
• She read for the first time on camera
• She began her obsession with word play
• She continues to share her love of knowledge and specifically science with us.
• She begins to enjoy 3- D creativity. We made a bridge of marshmallows and many many animals and shapes out of salt dough

In February

• Abigail gave up the paci! This was a HUGE change for us.
• Discovered a love of cooking. Our first recipe: 3 bear bread!
• Abigail learned that no matter what she can get her way. One day she was grounded from TV so she took her bears, and a portable table easel and made her own tv show.

In March

• Abigail got sick. This was the beginning of her struggle with strep throat and she never really got better. Looking back at these pictures makes me realize how ill she really was during those months!
• She also went to see Laurie Berkner again! She loved it. Abigail loves music in general and really enjoyed this concert.
• Continued to cook and cook and cook.
• Learned to write her name, and the names of her friends.
  
• Confronted that age old question that bothers us all...what came first, the chicken or the egg
  

In April

• Abigail was a kid.
• Abigail still had strep
  
• We hung out and played and went to the earth day festival.
• We enjoyed the warm weather that came back to Wilmington
  
• We died eggs and went to egg hunts
• We lost a 75 foot tree in our backyard. If it had fallen a different way we would have lost our home. We were very lucky

In May

• Abigail still had strep
  
• Friends came to visit and we spent a lovely weekend hanging out at the beach
• We spent Mothers Day celebrating with other friends
• Abigail discovered knock knock jokes
  
• Abigail got a real big girl bed

In June

• Abigail still had strep
• She started to learn hot to swim again- it as a long winter
• She went to the ENT and we scheduled an appt to get her tonsils out
• Her and Grandma grew some mega vegetables in the Garden
  
• We traveled and traveled and traveled. We went to Charlotte, DC, Philly, back to DC, back to Charlotte, and then to New York.
  
• We met Carolina Klear for the first time as she joined her family in North Carolina

In July

• Abigail did not have strep. She also did not have tonsils. Her surgery was a completely and total success
• She is a knew child. She wants to see, know, here, smell explore, EVERYTHING. Mommy can see the difference and realize how much the strep actually did affect her.
• Abigail si starting to read about a kindergarten level. She still will not let me to video tape her.
• Abigail can swim with her head under the water! It is a big step and something she would not even try before her tonsils came out

In August

• Abigail discovered the mail system adn wants to spend her days writing letters to people and mailing them and most importantly getting responces
• Abigail starts to draw scenes and families. She learns to write her last name
• She discovers soccer and wants to play constantly- too bad it is 110 degrees out most days
• She has her first days of school. She is in school 5 days a week now and loving what being with the big kids has to offer!
• She has been healthy all month!

In September

• September was full out art. Clay, crayons, painting any type of art available
• It was a month of story telling. Abigail learned to tell (and type) stories
• It was a month of boogey boarding as Abigail learned to ride the waves
• Abigail discovered simple machines, loves levers, pulleys, inclined planes
  
• It was a month of Soccer. Abigail joined her first YMCA soccer team, and had a great time!

In October

• Abigail turned 3!!!
• She is 36 lbs and 39 inches.
  
• She knows all her information, can read, add subtraction, tell time, and just be a wonderufl and loving child!
• She wrote her first letter to Santa
• She was a zinnia fairy for halloween
  

In November

• Abigail became more introspective
• There are not as many why questions. More how, or what do you call it. She is thinking things out a lot more. She is a more solid kid. Of course she is still a kid:)
• Abigail made a list of what she is thankful for friends, family, pets are on there...but so are clocks, grilled cheese sandwhiches and her little people
• It was a month filled with parties for stuffed animals, cooking and playing
  
• Abigail is writing more songs, she is getting creative in what she writes. She is making her own tunes. She is constantly thinking planning and creating

In December

• Abigail is full of word play. Riddles, puns, songs, stories, plays, etc. if it is made of words, she is doing it.
• Abigail is buidling, drawing creating constantly. She is explaining her drawings more and more. She can make an entire story about a picture that starts with a random squiggle that she draws on a paper.
• Abigail has decided that Santa does not exist. At least she did until Christmas morning. Now I am not sure. She liked getting all the presents she asked for
  
• Abigail has decided that God does exist. Has questions about the Bible, going to church and God. I am doing my best to answer those questions and letting her explore the information I give her
  
• Abigail no longer wants to become a doctor (last month) or a princess (last year) she now wants to be a balloon blower upper.
  

Abigail is a wonderful creative and introspective child. She has grown so much this year. She is a reader, a thinker and a questioner. She is smart, beautiful, nice polite and a dream to raise. I am very lucky that she has blessed my life and I am so proud of who she is now and what she will become in the future.