Happy Birthday, Abby!

It's time for another trip down Memory Lane, this time remembering Abby's early years.  I've been thinking a lot today about that day 28 years ago when Abby was born.  Two things kind of stand out in my memory--that car accident that I had the day before (which is not a good memory) and then the memory of picking Dad up at school and heading to the hospital for a C-section. This was quite different from our previous birth experiences--they had all involved  middle-of-the-night drives to the hospital while in labor.

Just home from the hospital at 6 days of age, with her adoring siblings. 

Baptism, about 6 weeks old

About 3 months old

Right around the time of her 1st birthday

She always did think that her Dad was hilarious. :)

(Doesn't he look young there??)

At Grandpa and Grandma's apartment in Grand Rapids, sitting in Grandpa's old chair. And I think that's "Marlo" with her. 

Her favorite feature of her new kitchen---the phone!

One of my very favorite pictures! 

You can't really talk about Abby's early childhood without talking about her blankie.  Or maybe I should say blankies.  She had a bit of an obsession with silky-feeling  fabrics. (Actually she called it "sucky" since she liked to feel the fabric while sucking her thumb.) I think the first blanket she adopted was the green one that she stole from Matt. Then I got a new pink one for her that even had a silky pillow with it. And then there was the bunny blanket that had ears and binding that were silky.  The pink blanket and pillow were both loved to shreds, literally, and the green one ended up being cut in small pieces, a few of which still remain.  And the bunny blanket is also still with us, somewhere. :) 

She never liked it when the blanket had to be washed. She would sometimes stand out by the clothesline with one hand on the blanket and her thumb in her mouth. :)

Abby, Bunny Blanket, and Snickers

Flower girl for Maria and Kevin's wedding

And I had to include a few pictures from the "short hair" era.  I'm sure that I will forever be blamed for the fact that Abby was once given the boy toy at McDonald's because of her short hair.  Oh well, she was cute even in short hair, and it sure was a lot easier.  And the way I remember it is that she requested a short haircut. 

I always like those "missing-tooth" smiles.

I could go on to the years of glasses and braces, but I think I'll stop with this one. 

Happy Birthday, Abby!  You were the best 40th birthday present in the world!