Happy First Decade Abigail!

My baby girl and the bunny rabbit that Great Grandma and Grandpa Mullikin gave her

Those days, Sandra Boynton....These days, C.S. Lewis

Looking fabulous on your birthday date with daddy!

Serious fun at Abigail's aquatic center birthday party!

My little Abigail reached her first decade yesterday. It's been an amazing 10 years...watching her develop into her own person. She does her own hair, paints her own nails and has her own sense of style. She reads books and likes to cook. She loves to draw and sing and already has received instruction on how to play several instruments! She loves lemon poppy seed bread and pomegranates (individually that is) and she runs screaming if she thinks someone is going to throw up. She gets all A's in school and doesn't have a hard time making friends. She is organized and tidy (and has lots of fights with Chloe about keeping the room clean). I think her temperament is more like Bob...she can be a little melancholy at times, my little Eeyore with a cloud over her head. But she has her happy, playful side too. :) As I think about all the little things that make Abigail Abigail, I am excited to see what the next decade holds for my beautiful daughter. My prayer is that whatever she does, she does it to the glory of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Happy 10th Birthday sweet Abigail!

So this is the story of the day I became a mom, which is also your birthday! :)
It was a Thursday and I was teaching at Northwood Elementary. I headed in to school like any other day. I remember starting to feel contractions but didn't think too much about it; it was still a week before your due date. However it was during the spelling review that I started to realize that the contractions were getting stronger. My classroom aide told me I should go home. I waited until lunch time and then went down to the principle's office. I peeked in the door and said, "Good-bye. I'm going to go have my baby!"
Providentially it was raining that day. Bob was working construction at the time and they weren't able to work so he was home when I got there. We started timing the contractions, took a walk, I stood in the shower for a while...finally we decided to go to the hospital. Grammie was in Grand Rapids so she drove down and went with us. When we got to the hospital I was dilated to 4 cm and they admitted us. After a while the contractions weren't getting any stronger so the doc said he was going to break my water or send me home. I said, "Break the water, I'm not going home!". I immediately had a crazy, intense contraction. I was hyperventilating and waving my hands because they were tingling. I decided to get in the tub to labor for a bit in the water but as soon as I got in I felt the urge to push so they got me right out. The nurse said they were just going to get me right back into the bed so they didn't bother putting my gown back on. I walked out of the bathroom into a room full of people. The mid-wife said, "My, that's a lovely outfit you've chosen." If I wasn't in the middle of labor with no drugs I might have punched her but now it's just funny. Within minutes I was back in bed pushing and after 15 minutes of pushing you were born! We were all amazed at how quickly you arrived. Daddy cut the cord and they cleaned you up and we held you. Then we read a Pslam and thanked God for our precious baby girl! A short time later Bob looked at me and said, "Honey, I think you have a rash." I was thinking a rash from what??? Later when I got up and went to the bathroom I realized I had pushed so hard I had broken blood vessels all over my face, neck and shoulders; I was covered with little red spots. Thank goodness for Cover Girl! We took you home to your blue, Peter Rabbit nursery (which is the only bedroom that you'll ever have to yourself) and you were the BEST baby. It's been my joy and pleasure to be your mama ever since!