Greetings!  September was a pretty relaxed month for the Abdalla family.  We spent many days enjoying the beautiful pre-Fall weather.  We took a trip to the zoo, we went to an orchard and picked our own apples and spent many evenings at a local playground to get the girls nice and tired before bath and bed.

The girls continue to amaze us with their charm, love and milestones.  This month (on September 19^th to be exact) Emma decided to give away her beloved nini’s (pacifier).  She was very attached to these things at night.  We would broach the subject of retiring them very gingerly and every now and then, but would be met with much resistance and lots of tears.  One day she made the declaration that she was ready to give them to little babies who need them.  Steve and I were worried about Emma’s next few nights without her nini’s, but much to our delight, she never looked back!

Ruthie is our free spirit who is always trying to keep up with her big sister (and doing a mighty fine job of it!).  "EH-ma" is the first word that comes out of Ruthie's mouth when she wakes up from her night’s sleep or her nap.  She is always looking for her sister.  She is saying more words and signing so well.  We are so grateful we learned about teaching babies sign language!!  Ruthie has been clearly communicating her needs with us since she was 8 months old through sign language.  When she begins to whine or show frustration, we just say, “Ruthie, use your words,” and she will sign exactly what she wants!  The other evening Steve, Ruthie and I were having dinner and Ruthie had food all over the place.  We got the camera out to take her picture and we said, “Ruthie, say cheese!”  We weren’t paying very close attention to her gesturing because it took a few minutes for us to look at her hands and realize she was signing the word “cheese.”  We laughed and laughed.   Ruthie has a favorite blanket “nighnigh” and often calls for it when she is ready to take a rest. Ruthie is obsessed with shoes.  She carries them around, she puts them in kitchen cabinets, and she walks around in them. 

Some Emmaisms for September:

I told Emma that I had to go to the dentist to get a crown.  She really wanted to come with me.  I couldn’t figure out why she was so enthusiastic to accompany me to the dentist until she said, “Mom, I want to come see you get your crown.  What color will it be?  Will it sparkle?”  I then realized I had to clarify exactly what kind of crown I would be receiving.  She looked a little disappointed, needless to say, and preferred to stay home and play instead.

She used the word, “inexpressibly” in a sentence the other day and cracked us up!

Instead of Na-na na-na boo-boo, Emma says, “Na na na na na na, I’ve got a boo boo.”

One day when Steve invited Emma to have breakfast with him I said, “Emma, do you know how lucky you are to have a daddy who makes breakfast for you every morning?  Lots of kids don’t have that opportunity.”  She replied, “I know, Mom, those poor, poor children!”

Last week, Emma fell off a merry-go-round and split her eyebrow open.  When the doctor entered the room of the emergency room, Emma said in a very shaky voice and trying to be giggly, “Doctor, you do know that I am too little for stitches, ok?” Then she burst in to tears because she was so afraid she would get them.  He said, “Ok.  How old do you have to be to get stitches, Emma?”  Emma replied, “Just older than me.” “Doctor, I think I just need a butterfly band aid on my eyebrow and I’ll be fine.”  After he checked her out and decided against stitches, he told me that even if she had a cut all the way across her forehead, he didn’t think he could put one stitch in her.  The nurses’ station was right next to our little curtain and the doctor was there filling out paperwork.  Emma said (really loudly), “Mom, this is taking a really long time.  Holy mackerel!  Do you think he is still looking for my band aid?”  You could hear snickers in the hallway.

What a trip it is with these girls!! What we will we do with #3? Oh my!