Watching Cowboy Shows with Grandpa

Abby spent last night with Grandpa and Grandma Engelhardt. I was putting her to bed tonight and she said she wanted to tell me about her day. We proceeded to have the following conversation:

Mommy: "How was your day?"

Abby: "Good."

Mommy: "What did you do?"

Abby: "I played a little bit and then watched cowboy shows with Grandpa."

Mommy: "You watched cowboy shows with Grandpa?" (Scowling)

Abby: "Yeah. A cowboy fell off his horse. Another cowboy got tied up by a bad guy, but a good cowboy helped him get away. Cowboys were shootin and fallin off their horses. But they got back up and kept shootin."

Mommy: "The cowboys were shooting at each other?"

Abby: "Yeah, cowboys have guns. They do."

So, needless to say I was laughing hysterically while at the same time marveling at her detailed description of the cowboy show. I'd probably scold grandpa for letting Abby watch TV, but the conversation was so great I'm actually glad for it! And, I did have some warning. Earlier in the day I thanked my parents for watching Abby and my dad said he likes it because he now has "a little partner to watch cowboy shows with!"

Carousel Ride at the County Fair

Lisa, Abby and I went to the county fair this afternoon. Abby got a butterfly painted on her arm. We saw fantastic draft horses, pigs, and cows. Abby, Carissa the Timber Wolf, and I rode the carousel.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

I think Abby got more jelly on her face than in her belly!

Hello, Hello, Hello!

Sorry for the blurry photo, but I had to move fast to catch Abby in the act of using our tongs as a telephone. I was talking to Mom on the phone and Abby picked up the tongs and said, "Hello, hello, hello!"

Chapter Books

Abby loves "chapter books." It all started with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- Abby was fascinated by the caterpillar sitting on the top of the mushrooms smoking the hookah! Then we moved on to Wind in the Willows. I started reading Huckleberry Finn to Abby, but Noni and I agreed our then two-year-old was not ready for it -- although Abby was enjoying it!

Noni sent the Boxcar Children and Grandma recommended the Little House on the Prairie Series (we're currently on book two). Lisa found more Boxcar Children books at a garage sale and we'll start the third one next. Yesterday at the library we checked out Ramona the Brave and the Wizard of Oz. Abby wants to read them all at once, but I've imposed the "only two chapter books at a time" rule. We are currently reading Little House on the Prairie and Ramona the Brave.

Sleeping with the Animals

Abby LOVES her animals. Some nights she picks one or two special animals to sleep with, but last night she picked out many and arranged them just so before falling asleep. The group included:

Mommy and Baby Giraffe, Huge Giant Elephant, Kitty, Bunny, Timber Wolf (who is celebrating her birthday today -- Abby's wants to get her chocolate, but "not the pretend kind"), Harbor Seal, Emperor Penguin, Zebra, Giant Panda, Red Panda and Cotton Candy (a cat)