China for Abby: April 2009

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Easter Pictures

Happy Easter Everyone From the O'Quins

Abby Our Little Model

She Loves Dress Up and being a Girly Girl

Abby enjoying her Bunny Rabbit

This smile is not only Gorgeous but contagious as well

How Ya like my bunny ears

Looking all Grown Up

Did Ya see my Bracelet?

Easter 2009 Love Y'all Abby!!!!!

"photo by my Aunt Carla Carter"

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

HORSE THERAPY

Eating breakfast before a hard day of work with my new horse.

At the Buckaroo Barn being evaluated by Ms Krystie before I saddle up.

This helps her determine which horse I should ride. Each horse has a different gait that helps different muscles in the body. Horse therapy (hippotherapy) can improve muscle function and balance in all sorts of medical conditions, including spina bifida, which is what I was born with.

And here is Traveler, my new buddy and therapist.

I got scared so Ms Krystie let me play with her cell phone and that made it all better.

A horse's gait is the only thing that actually mimics the gait of a human being. So this forces me to use the same muscles and improve my balance as if I were walking.

Okay, now I'm really having fun.

We played a few little games that helped me use some new muscles I have never used before. Here I am taking a plastic ring and trying to put it on a pole while Traveler is walking. I have to lean over to reach the pole but still hold myself up.

And now Ms Krystie puts me on Traveler backwards so I can work even more new muscles.

Daddy helps by throwing a colorful ball to me and I have to lean over to catch it but not fall off Traveler while I'm doing it.

By the time my therapy session was over, I was totally in love with Traveler.

I think I'll give him some sugar.

And he thinks he'll give me some sugar back:0)

Thank you, Jesus, for a successful day!

Monday, April 6, 2009

My 2nd Birthday March 4, 2009

photo courtesy of Carla Carter Photography....thanks Aunt Carla!

We have a lot of pictures to share from Abby's 2nd Birthday Party. Actually, it was her first birthday party because she probably didn't have a first one when she was still in China. It's a very sad thought for us. But now we're overjoyed now that she's a part of our family and will always be celebrated for the special daughter she is to us. We planned her party for weeks and had such a blast buying her presents. We gave Abby a new swing set, a gold ring with a little diamond in it, pierced ears (she's finally not mad at me anymore about that! ha ha), a pretty silk blanket from China, and a bunch of new Miss Patty Cake DVD's. Enjoy the pics!

A beautiful birthday girl!

Meeting Cousin Caylen for the first time.

Just me and my Paw-Paw Freddy

I love my Mama

Playing with Chan-Man

Two pretty Princesses.

Eating some dinner before diving into my first birthday cake.

Alan-Michael is making sure I have plenty to eat.

My new swing set.

"Earl and Little Earl" (You have to be family to understand that joke)

This is Abby's "Miss Patty Cake" birthday cake.

I don't know what to think about having this big ole' cake all to myself.

Blowing out the candle with some help from Daddy.

Yeaaaa! I did it!

What?! This is ALL I get of that big cake?

Oh, well, here goes.

Mmmmmmm......

Is this legal?!

Ugh! I think I'm gonna be sick now.

Seth-Christopher about to take the plunge.

Laughing it up with my Maw-Maw Sonja.

"The Girls"

The kids think Uncle Huck is just one of them.

The siblings....Jeremy (Bo), Jawanna (Jana), Julie (just Julie) and Jason (Hunk). Yes, our family is famous for nicknames. We don't know how Little Miss Julie got past that.

A group shot of the guys.

Jana and Nano

Abby loves new clothes. And jewelry. And makeup. She's definitely our girly-girl.

This is my special blanket Daddy & Mama bought for me in China. I have a "China gift" for every birthday until I'm 18 years old.