The Luckey Family: .11.and.12.months

Sorry it's been so long since the last post! Things have obviously been a little too busy around here. We aren't slowing down either! My Abby Grace is over 13 months old now, but I am going to catch everyone up on the past 2 months.

Since our last post Abby has done a TREMENDOUS amount of new things! We finally got on whole milk right before she turned 11 months old. After starting table food a little before 10 months, we have now gone ALL table food. She pretty much eats anything I eat. Of course at day care she gets pizza and BBQ sandwiches, but I am still pretty terrified of the choking so she gets mushy stuff when she is with me. If it's not mushy it is cut into the tiniest pieces you can imagine. :)

We are also in her big girl car seat too. We are still facing backwards and will do this as long as possible. Our doctor told us this is much safer because research now states that just because they are a year old doesn't mean you turn their seat forward. So we will play it safe and face backwards as long as we can - hopefully till she is two!

We have also started swimming lessons at Maley's swim school. We are taking them with cousin Emily and they are both having a blast!! Abby absolutely LOVES the water and she just cannot get enough of it! She has done so good with swimming and I couldn't be more proud of her!! We take this once a week on Monday nights and these will last through the summer. We are so thankful that we get to do this as a family - as we sometimes don't get too much time together. Bo and I will rotate on who gets in the water with her. She is a little hard to handle in the water because she gets so excited so it's easier for her daddy to get in with her. :)

I also had my first Mother's Day with my baby girl!! Abby and Maggie got me the sweetest little card!! :) My big present was my new back patio - which I LOVE!!!!! This Mother's Day took on a whole new meaning. I just never knew how my mama TRULY felt about me until now. You never understand a mother's love until you become a mother. It is unfortunate that I never got to experience this feeling while my mama was still here. I'd give anything to be able to share this experience with her!!!

Abby also went on her SECOND family vacation to Destin, Florida!! This is our annual family beach vacation. The last time we went Abby was only 8 weeks old and couldn't enjoy herself. But this year she had a pretty good time. She had a slight ear infection while we were there so she wasn't in the best of moods. But overall she had a good time. She LOVED swimming in the pool and watching the waves in the ocean. Wasn't too fond of the sand this year - maybe next time!

A week after Abby turned eleven months old she stood by herself without holding anything. After she mastered the balance thing you could tell she REALLY wanted to walk. She was very cautious when balancing. I guess she just didn't want to fall.

A few days before Abby's first birthday, she transfered to the Toddler Room at her daycare. This was a very hard transition for her. She cried pretty bad every single morning we would go to drop her off. She would be a little fussy during the day too. In the Toddler Room they nap on little mats on the floor instead of the crib, which Abby had NEVER done before. BIG ADJUSTMENT! The first few days should wouldn't nap very well - if at all. This made for fussy girl!! After about a week and half she got the hang of it and really enjoys the toddler room and LOVES her teachers!!

Abby has a total of six teeth in her little mouth!! Speaking of teeth. . . About a week after going into the Toddler Room at daycare, I went to pick her up from daycare as I normally do after work only to get there and fine a huge bite mark on my baby girl's FACE!!! Talk about upset!! I couldn't help but cry when I saw it!! How horrified my baby must have been to have been bitten on the face. I knew it would eventually happen at daycare, but didn't realize it would be so soon and on her FACE!!! I eventually got over it because the mark disappeared over the next two days. She has even been bit again but only on the arm.

The biggest thing that has happened in these past few months has been Abby's 1st Birthday!!! I cannot tell you how incredibly bittersweet this day was for me!! To think how fast her first year of life went by makes me very sad. I miss my little newborn baby so very much but I am so excited to see my girl learn new things each day. I look at her now and think back to when she couldn't even hold her little head up! On her actual birthday (June 17th) the family went out to eat to Sal n Mookie's. I had her party the following Saturday at home. I had a vision of what I wanted for her party and it turned out pretty good for the most part. I really, really worked hard planning her party because I wanted it to be perfect! There will always be birthday parties, but never again the FIRST one!! I wanted it simple - but perfect!! I wanted it small - but wanted EVERYONE to celebrate with us! It turned out PERFECT and I couldn't have done it any differently. :)

Exactly ONE WEEK after she turned a year old she took her first little step! :) She was so excited for herself! She had been wanting to do it for some time - trying every single day. She would get in such a hurry and just leap into your arms instead of walking to you. But she finally did it. Took her time and literally "walked" to me. It was only a step or two, but I knew she would soon TAKE OFF!!

She also spent the night away from her mommy and daddy for the very first time a week after her 1st birthday. She stayed with her Aunt Jenn, Uncle Mike, and Emily while her mommy and daddy had a fun night out with friends. We weren't sure if she would stay the night but prepared for it anyway. It came time for her to go to sleep and off she went. I missed her SO badly, but was proud that she could manage without us - at least for one night. It's so hard to leave her!!

These past two months Abby waves bye-bye and says "da da." She is pretty vocal as far as baby babbling is concerned. She loves to give kisses and will even blow kisses. She does her "indian" sound which is done by patting her mouth while making a noise. She has quiet the temper on her - Bo keeps saying she gets that from me. :) She is going through the "mine" phase where she doesn't want to share her toys. She has also started swatting at people and I am trying to learn the best discipline method for her.

I love my baby girl with all my heart. I cannot imagine my life without her. I literally feel like I have a piece of my mama here with me through Abby. I know that sounds crazy, but it's just a feeling I have. EVERY time I look at Abby, I see and think about my mama. I miss my mama like you wouldn't believe and I sometimes wonder how I have made it through this year without her. There are days when I want to pick up the phone to call her and tell her what my baby just did. Then reality hits me like a ton of bricks! But I know things have happened this way for a reason. I believe in my heart that I wouldn't have Abby if my mama was still here.

Here are just a few pics of what we've been up to. I hope to have the 13th month posted soon!!

Swimming Lessons: