My Little Girl is Growing Up

ZANE AND ABBIE HELPING MAKE LASAGNA FILLING
Unfortunately, these were the best pics...the rest were more blurry!

A BIG SMILE FROM MY LITTLE GIRL! SHE LOVES COOKING!

HERE SHE IS AGAIN!

I just wanted to jot some things down about Abigail, today! She has become quite the little home-maker, mini-mommy, cleaner/organizer and definitely a big joy in my life and our home! It's a little hard watching her grow up. She's only three but has always been very mature for her age, so she helps me a lot and really surprises me with the things she knows and can do! Of course, she would not normally be this way, to this degree if I had not diligently trained her and taught her how to do things and made her a part of my everyday life (every part of it). She has finally stopped disobeying all the time and that is mostly because I have worked one on one time into our schedule and she isn't restless during school time!

This morning and yesterday morning she made her bed all by herself, beautifully! :) I didn't have to ask her, spank her or force her to do it, like I have had to in the past 6 months. She understands why she has to do it. I have explained to her, that I do not have time to make it for her because I make Sheldon's bed and my own. She understands that Katie (our cat) might sleep on her bed during the day and if the bed is not made that cat hair might get in her bed and I will have to waste time and energy washing it. My cat is very clean, and doesn't shed hair much. In the fall she does and it's fall right now, so I explained this to her.

The other day Abbie totally amazed me! She asked if she could put a new bag in the bathroom trash can. I have never taught her this...I guess she just watches me, a lot. Anyway, she left and brought me the bathroom trash. I threw it away and then she proceeded to get a big trash bag out from under the sink. I didn't realize what she was doing with it. I was on the phone with my husband. She took it upstairs and came back with the Diaper-pail trash bag (it is just a trash can, not really a diaper pail, but we use it for one). She had taken the upstairs diaper trash out and brought the full bag downstairs to me. I just stood there with my mouth open! :) You guys, she is three years old! I told my husband and then I went to check in the bathroom and upstairs to see how well she had put the new bags in. I was amazed, again. The bathroom trash can had a new bag in it and the diaper pail upstairs was perfect, as well. I told my husband that I couldn't believe it! :) I had never taught her this... my boys would never be coordinated enough to do something like that, at her age.

Abbie has also learned very quickly, recently how to fold every type of laundry...that is pretty detailed for a little girl to know! :) I do the big bath towels and my clothes. She knows how to do it, but they are just bigger than she is, so I don't think she should do them, yet.

As far as cooking goes, she always cuts the butter in little pieces for me, for pie crust, graham cracker crust, or biscuits. She stirs everything and really does a good job helping me. A lot of times, her or Zane, keep the scrambled eggs moving for me in the morning, while I am doing other stuff, so they don't burn. They get cereal bowls, spoons, the cereal and milk out when they know we are going to have cereal.

This morning Abbie unloaded the dish washer, and then fed the cat, while Zane was playing upstairs. She thinks helping is more fun than playing in the playroom! Can you believe that?

Why am I writing all this about her? Just to show you that 2 and 3 year olds CAN and SHOULD be trained to do everything adults have to do. I see so many kids who cannot do anything and don't do anything, but make huge messes in the house. My kids clean their own messes up. I WILL NOT help them clean it up. Sheldon makes messes and I do help them by going through the house and putting things on the stairway, to go upstairs later. I will not clean the playroom for them. Our playroom is completely organized, meaning that every toy has it's place. Even Sheldon knows where they go. I will sometimes guide Sheldon through the playroom cleaning-up process. That's how he knows where things go. But, I will not help the older two to clean it up. When they tell me they are done, I go check it and make sure everything is put away right. If there are things in the wrong places, I remind them where they go, and I will usually put it away for them, while they watch me....or they do it.

Why do I go to the trouble of teaching them? It's so they become efficient in everything. It's so our home runs smoothly. It's so our home is orderly and thus glorifies God. God is a God of order! Look at the seasons, sun and moon, animal patterns and everything else that He has created. It is orderly....we know that winter is coming every year. In the winter we know and are comforted by the knowledge that spring WILL come! It will be warm again. It is the same for kids. They need order. It is one form of security that is tangible for them. They do not yet have the security that the Lord provides to believers. Kids need to know that they will eat, bathe, brush their teeth, clean/help/do chores, be a part of their parents life and not just a cute little accessory! That they will have shelter, and a kiss and hug from their mother and father. That they will be loved for who they are and trained to be useful, efficient, competent and prompt adults. Whatever you are, is what your kids will be. Train them to be better than you!!! Do the things that your mother didn't do for you. Teach boys and girls to cook, clean, organize, work with their hands, be creative and resourceful. To be frugal, selfless, loving, giving and kind. To minister to others, and to love serving the Living God. No parent is perfect but we can all strive to do things better for the next generation! If you lack order and organization skills, work on them...if you don't have time, make time. What are your idols? They are standing in your way. Don't bow down to them. I like my computer time. When I was in the camper, I didn't have a computer, so it was nice when we moved here, to have it. Sometimes, it is my idol, and that is so terrible. So, I have limited my time on here, and it works great. What are your idols? Are they television, trashy novels, the computer, shopping, eating and being a slob on the couch, scrap-booking, talking on the phone (for crying out loud....get off of it)...your kids are drifting away while you share the latest gossip, tidbits or whatever, and they feel like you ignore them. Why do you think they act up when you are on it? I know....I am on the phone quite a bit, but it is mostly with my husband. I really don't talk to my friends much on the phone, these days. I wish with all my heart that I didn't have to talk to my husband on the phone, but I have to. It sucks and I hate it. I really hate being on the phone. I know my kids hate it, too. I like talking to friends occasionally, but really, I have my life to live and I refuse to waste it away on the phone! :)

Well, that's my speal for the week, you guys! :) I love you all...........and now it is getting cold in the house and I need to build a fire..... :( Ugh, I really don't like when it gets cold. Spring comes every year, though, right? :) And dear friends, your kids grow every year, too....please re-evaluate how your time is spent. I have been doing that all summer and I can see good results in my life and my kids! :) Well, I hope this was encouraging to someone out there! Love Rachelle

Abigail Virginia's Birth Story

"FOR YOU CREATED MY INMOST BEING; YOU KNIT ME TOGETHER IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB. I PRAISE YOU BECAUSE I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE."
PSALM 139:13-14

ME PREGNANT WITH ABBIE
SPRING 2005

ABIGAIL VIRGINIA
APRIL 19th 2005
With Daddy and Mommy

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BABY!

ZANE ENTHRALLED WITH HIS
BABY SISTER!

ZANE KISSES ABBIE ON HER
BIRTHDAY!

When Zane was 10 months old I became pregnant for the second time with a baby that I miscarried, at 8 weeks. It was a very hard time, and sometime I would like to write about that, but not now! After miscarrying we tried again, hoping to get pregnant fairly quickly and when Zane was 13 months, we did! :) We were still living in the single wide, and by January 2005, James was deployed to Iraq, and due home in March. I was due with the new baby on April 28th 2005.

I found a house to buy in LaFayette, KY in February, and when James returned from Iraq in March, we signed the papers and moved to a newer manufactured home (a double-wide) with 10 acres and lots of outbuildings. We moved in on March 13th. The rest of my pregnancy, I spent moving in, getting organized and doing some major nesting! We loved our new house and were so happy to be able to do what we wanted. Zane had a big backyard with a pool, sandbox and sometime later, his trampoline. He loved it there a lot!

This pregnancy was the best one out of the three. I was hardly sick at all and I didn't do much, so I was able to gain 31 pounds. James was in Iraq when I went in for my ultrasound, so he was not able to be there and "see" the news that we were possibly having a little girl, this time. The doctor said he was pretty sure it was a girl, but not 100%. I felt like it was a girl, but we never really knew for certain until she was born! :)

This time I had the same doctor the whole time! Another humongous baby boom had occurred on Ft. Campbell and many expectant mom's ended up being "farmed-out" to civilian hospitals, and I was one of them. I was very pleased with everything and had a wonderful and caring OB/GYN. Though it was a male, he did a good job! :)

While I was pregnant with Abigail, I couldn't stand to eat Yogurt, and to this day, I cannot finish a little carton, where I used to eat a whole one, before. Weird. She likes yogurt, though! My main craving was anything lemon! I loved and had to have lemon-water, and lemon cakes, muffins and pancakes. She does love lemon, and even eats Lemon-Heads and slices of Lemon, and doesn't make a face! :)

With Abigail, I woke up one morning, (the 18th of April) and as soon as I started the day I felt very hard, painless contractions, and more intense (though not painful) Braxton Hicks. I wasn't too sure if I was in labor since I wasn't due until the 28th, but decided that it very well could be and did the "flight of the honey bee" through the house, getting things ready and organized. When I lost my mucus plug in the middle of the day, we knew it was real labor and called my in-laws to come down, so Sherri could go with us to the hospital and Jim could watch Zane at the house, for us. We stayed around the house until the contractions were painful, which was not until midnight. We thought it was neat that it was very likely I would deliver on the 19th (the same day of the month that Zane was born).

So, off we went to Gateway Medical Center in Clarksville, TN. My contractions were very close together but definitely not as painful as with Zane (we think this is due to the "natural" labor occurrence, instead of what I experienced with Zane). We stopped at Dairy Queen (I think) to get me a vanilla milkshake....I don't know why, but that is what I wanted, even though it was not very healthy!

When the doctors checked me, I was already at 4 cm! I was ecstatic!...and thought to myself, that maybe I could have a natural birth this time! It didn't last long, and my contractions were so close together and so painful that I gave up yet again and got another epidural at 6 cm. My labor was very fast with Abigail. I got to the hospital at midnight and she was ready to be delivered at 5:00 am on the 19th. I stayed in the same room for my labor and delivery which was nice. When it came time to push, I think I pushed 4 or 5 times and she was out. I was so happy to hear her cry that I didn't even think about whether or not she was really a girl. I guess James was interested though, and since he had seen her come out but she was face down (like normal), he did not see whether it was a girl or not!...They had taken her to clean her off and do all they do, and so he went over there to see for himself if he had gotten his little girl! He came over to me and whispered in my ear, that it really was a girl! :) I was like..."oh, yeah.....I forgot about that!" And we were so happy. About a minute later, they brought her to us and she nursed on both sides for 15 min per side and I was the happiest mommy, ever! :) She eventually weaned at 17 months and has never had formula! I am big on breastfeeding, and always have this nagging worry that I will not make milk or the baby will not nurse, and she did wonderfully.

The name Abigail is Hebrew for "my father's joy", and that she was and still is! :) She is definitely a daddy's girl! She was born at 5:01 am and weighed 7 lbs, 11 oz and was 19 inches long! She had a ton of dark brown hair and my awesome friend, LaNette brought barrettes for her hair when she came to visit us in the hospital.

When Zane came to see us, he was enthralled! He was 22 months old and was not talking very well at this point. But he was very adamant that this was "His BEE-BEE"! Oh, it was so cute to see his reactions when he held and kissed his new little sister! And she has worshiped him as her older brother, ever since! :) But not over her Daddy! :)