12 Years Ago...

Abby - 2nd grade

(Jeez, my girls don't look anything alike do they??? Emily looks just like her at this age!)

I became a mother. Abby was born on a Friday night, later in the evening and weighed in at 7 lbs. 10 oz. She was a dark purple color upon arrival and had to be whisked away to the NICU before I hardly caught a glimpse of her. She spent several days there on antibiotics and oxygen. She had gulped down a mouthful of amniotic fluid and then developed pneumonia. She came home healthy and happy about 4 days later, still had an IV in her arm and had 2 frantic, scared parents who had no idea how to care for her. Luckily, Grandma Lueck felt sorry for us and made a mad dash to Utah to help with her care. She recovered quickly and became the center of our very existence. She had a head full of dark hair and poor girl looked just like her daddy....
Abby turns 12 tomorrow. I can't believe that she is on the verge of being a teenager! She is already showing us her new "attitude" and testing our patience just about everyday. She is a graduate of elementary school and Primary, headed into the YW program at church, and off to her first year of Girls Camp on Monday! She is an official wearer of makeup (minimally, according to dad's discretion) and is getting taller everyday. She is just about my height, and can wear my shoes. She is, and has been, our official babysitter and even gets out to tend the neighbor's kids some weekends. Where has the time gone, Abby????
We're off to the Scera Pool tomorrow to celebrate with her friends - girls and BOYS....(I really thought Kim would object, but he didn't - I'm sure that he will be watching closely, though!) We hope that she won't be too embarrassed that her family is there with her in all our beauty: swimming suits, chubby legs and farmer tans. Poor Girl.

Happy Birthday #12,

Abigail Kate Brooksby!!