Happy Halloween!

Well, it didn't take long at all for Abby to get her "sea legs." She is now moving all over the place and I think is really enjoying her new found freedom for roaming about.

Mom and dad still need to nail down a few things in the baby proofing department. I think we are both in a little shock over how quickly she has progressed.

In addition to her crawling, Abby is also trying her hand at a little bit of walking. While she enjoys the freedom of crawling, she would prefer to get up and walk. She pulls herself up on anything and everything she can reach and then she cruises along holding on to things.

Dad lowered the crib to the lowest setting the other night. We set her in the crib for a few minutes to "check it out" and she immediately had herself standing up and walking along the back edge. She even did a transfer from the side to the back. It was amazing. She knew she needed to reach over and grab the other rail or she wouldn't make it. AMAZING!

Now for some exciting news........drum roll please.......

Mom is going to start working Part-time!! Probably some time at the beginning of the year. It has been the most difficult decision that we have ever had to make but we have decided that I would be crazy not to take this opportunity. I will still be working at the same place just doing a different job and working about 2 days a week.

Grandma Marsha has also started helping out with the babysitting duties and is watching Abby 2 days a week. So once mom starts working PT, Grandma Marsha will do 2 days one week and Gramma 2 days the other week.

Daddy thinks its funny to tease mommy about coming home to a home cooked meal and a clean house! I keep telling him he better be careful or I might start poisoning his food!

It will be an interesting transition for mom. I told Matt the other day that I really don't know what its like to work PT, I can't remember the last time I worked PT, I think it was in High School, which was a lovely 10 years ago! Daddy thinks mom is gonna start having play dates and sit around drinking martini's all day. Wouldn't that be the life!

Abigail has been doing such amazing things in the last month. Something amazes us everyday. The other day she noticed her pacifier on the ottoman so she crawled over, stood up, grabbed the pacifier and put it right in her mouth.

She loves following Jack around the living room, Jack is not such a fan of this but he tolerates it as best he can. We have recently started giving abby some "puffs," at first she did not like them but now she LOVES them. She has mastered the art of picking them up and putting them in her mouth.

We are looking forward to a busy holiday season! Halloween seems to have kicked things off! We even had some snow this past weekend. It wasn't anything that accumulated so we really couldn't get any good pictures of Abby in the snow but hopefully this winter!

Happy Halloween!

Abigail's first attempt at puffs

It was not entirely successful but the grown ups had fun watching

Another attempt at puffs....this one looked like a lovely bow in her hair!

I'm so dang cute!

Look at me... I'm a bee!!!

So dang cute!

Happy Halloween!

Abby & Mommy

Mommy's bumble bee is so adorable!

Crawling!

Well its hard to believe that its happening already but the real fun has begun! Abby has spent the last few weeks pondering her mobility and trying to figure out just which way she wants to go. This weekend just after she turned 7 months old we have begun to crawl!! It is just short bursts right now but I think we will be gaining speed very soon.

I am still surprised that she has started to crawl as I was beginning to get convinced that she was going to skip crawling altogether and go straight into walking. She has developed a real love for standing recently and would rather be standing than sitting or being on her tummy. Her crawling has also been slowed by the fact that she keeps trying to stand up when on all fours instead of moving her knees and crawling ahead.

This weekend we celebrated Gramma's 50th Birthday! Abby was a party girl for sure! She didn't want to miss a thing so she stayed up all day! It was spectacular! ;-) We hoped that Abby would sleep all night and she did fairly well but it wasn't the long stretch that Mom and Dad were hoping for.

Abby sporting a mohawk. Hopefully the first and last time!

Abby loves her new toy.

Abby and Grandpa

Happy Birthday Gramma!

Its been way too long!

I know, I know its been a while. Even my wonderful husband asked me when I was going to update the blog.

So what's new in the life of Abigail Mauriello...hmmm where to start

We are pushing 7 months old and we are amazing mom and dad each and every day. Abigail had been doing a stellar job at sleeping through the night but we had a slight regression due to a minor cold and what mom and dad believe is more teething! Knock on wood, we had a good night last night so maybe we can start again!

Abigail's personality has been showing its colors lately. She has developed a certain "scream" that let's you know she needs some attention. She is learning that those "screams" will get her what she wants and when you look at her or go to her she smiles and gives you the look that says "gotcha!"

Abigail is barreling head first into the world of mobility. I don't know how much closer she can get to crawling without actually taking off! She learned the other day how to sit herself up from laying on her tummy, which is a huge step towards crawling.

Abigail is also learning to love climbing....all over everything! She loves to get herself standing up on anything and everything. We have already lowered the crib once and as of last night, mom is contemplating the final move to the lowest spot.

Mommy's jailbird!

Abigail loves her stuffed animals and she is finally bigger than the bear!

This would be why mom is thinking its time to lower the crib again!

Abigail got a new play area at gramma's house to hopefully give her a little more freedom and help keep her happy and content during the day!

Abby practicing her new trick of climbing over things.

I can stand myself up now!

I LOVE MY MUMMY!! :-)

Abby has learned that she loves to chew on her foam letters

Abby loves Simba. Simba is not quite sure how she feels but she was very tolerant with Abby climbing all over him the other day.

Abby & Simba. We are hoping that Abby won't be allergic to cats like daddy!

Simba is mommy's old kitty who of course lives with gramma and grandpa.

Everyday I'm shuffling.....

Some of you may know the song, others won't but Matt and I have decided that this is Abby's new theme song since her mode of transportation is more like a shuffle along the floor than a crawl. I am just waiting for her to take off crawling, I think it may still be a little bit but she is certainly thinking about it.

When she is down on the floor trying to move about she gets extremely mad that she can't get where she wants fast enough. She has mastered the backwards (without purpose) crawl but that usually doesn't get her where or what she wants.

She has put together that if she wants to get somewhere she has to be in the crawling position i.e. lying on the floor. So if she is sitting up she will "throw" herself down to get on her stomach. This of course has ended in several crying sessions because she lands on a toy or some other hard object that was in her path. She is usually easily distracted but very unhappy for a moment or two.

Abby has recently learned to scream for "fun." She thinks its fun. Those watching her haven't quite discovered the fun part yet.

Abby has learned to make a few new faces.

Abby and daddy's phone.

Abby learning to play the piano on daddy's iPhone.

This is her "AUGH" now what face.

So cute!

Daddy's iPhone is for chewing right?

More faces of Abigail.

I'll figure it out soon! I promise!

Note the completely miss matched outfit....mom and dad were exhausted after the MD game and didn't bother to get her in a matching outfit but Abby (since she napped!) was ready to go!

LET'S GO TERPS!!

Abigail went to her very first Maryland TERPS football game on Saturday. She did remarkably well. She was even able to nap through part of the tailgate AND football game. Go figure! Here are a few pictures from the day.

Abby was trying to tell Mommy that it was tooooo early to be going to a football game.

All bundled up. It was rather cold for a September game.

Daddy was so excited that Abby was at the game.

Abby and Daddy played flip cup...well Daddy played and Abby watched.

Go Daddy!!

Wohooo!!