Abigail Quinn Bennett

     On the eve of your first birthday, and all the guests have gone home. I sit surrounded by birthday cake and torn wrapping paper, while wondering where this year has gone.
     A full year has passed and I honestly can't believe it is thru. I remember going to bed a year ago anxious to meet you. Daddy and I wondered if you would look like your big sister Anna Grace; a bald one or with any hair? You came out with a full head of hair, our dark raven beauty With the deepest blue eyes I have ever seen. My teeny tiny princess or twiddle buggie as I call you.

     Your first Halloween you were dressed as Boots the monkey and your sister was Dora. This may be the start of us dressing you 2 in outfits as a pair of special friends. You had such fun; but we had to pass on the candy that year. Then over Thanksgiving weekend you were baptized at the Cathedral of Christ the King. All of our family was there to be part of your day and watch as God washed over you.

Halloween 2011

Your baptism

   Then came Christmas time! You had a fun first Christmas - spending it with both sides of our families and sharing the "first" title with your cousin Isabel. You got to participate in the Quinn Christmas day non-traditional dinner for the first time too; hibachi dinner! It is a fun relaxing time had by the family. At the end of the month, we headed down to Gatlinburg TN to ring in the New Year.  It was your first "road trip".  You got to meet your "family" that lives far away and also see some really wonderful fish at one of the coolest aquariums in the country (who would have thought that Gatlinburg TN would have such and exquisite aquarium.

Christmas 2011

     The new year started out with a bang!  You got to go to the Newport aquarium for Anna Grace and mommy's annual birthday trip, and eat for the first time at Johnny Rockets (well you had a nice meal of the Gerber variety), in February you went to your first Valentine's Day party and in March you got to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the Irish Rover in Louisville KY for the first time.  Before we left Louisville that day you got to meet baby Molly Gregory who was born in the wee hours of St. Patrick's Day (I have a feeling that in about 20 years you girls will love using Molly's birthday as an excuse to celebrate that day).  In April you got to celebrate your first Easter and the bunny brought you and AGB a pink wagon which has been so much fun all summer - it has been great on our evening walks to the park and to Orange Leaf.  In May you went to the beach for the first time and LOVED the sand, the ocean...well not so much.  We spent many of days at the pool in June, trying to stay cool and survive the many days of 100 degree weather.  In July you got to experience your first 4th of July; and needless to say the fireworks did not faze you.  You laid back on my lap and watched the show in awe.  And here we are back to August, one year later.  You started to crawl and you are fast as lightening, you pull yourself up on the Fisher Price shopping cart but have yet to try to walk with it.  I am thinking walking is just a matter of time in your near future.

Summer 2012

Orange Leaf

   
     You, Abigail, are our quiet laid back child.  You take things in and observe what is going on around you.  You do have moments that you let us know when something is making you mad but not in crying or yelling.  It is this blowing raspberries type thing; the madder you get the faster you blow them.  You love your sister so much it is such a joy to see how excited you get when we get Anna out of her room in the morning, I wonder how much you will miss her when she is in school...and your Charlie dog, boy do you love him!  It is so sweet to watch you to silently play together, you sit there and pat him and he loves to lick your feet.  And your obsession with dumping his water bowl may drive me batty, but boy is that area of the kitchen floor clean.  And your daddy, when he comes home you love to lean over to have him hold you as you coo "dada" and yes I guess this will get listed as your first word, because "gee" is more of an expression that you use for every thing.  You have added a part to our family that we did not know was empty until you came and filled it.  We are so blessed to have you in our family and I look forward to all the milestones and memories we have to come.  Happy Birthday sweet girl!  We love you!

August 26, 2012