Recent Gabriel Happenings...


Well...again the little man is growing much too fast. (As usual.) Currently we are pulling into a kneel. He has attempted the full pull up a couple of times but gets nervous and decides he's content with a kneel.
Here our happy little farmer notices that his cow is on the loose. (The cow being Grace.) He shoved the barn door open and took off after her in a rapid pace crawl. I'm really enjoying the crawling thing! :) He follows me to different rooms and can keep himself entertained much longer.
We also gave up on the idea of a sippy and tried a straw cup. He figured it out in a matter of seconds! Go, Gabriel!!! :)

Cloth Diapers - Take 2

Remember that post I wrote about how cloth diapers just aren't for me? Well, scratch that. Not that you want to know this, but as babies eat solid foods their poops have more "form" to them. (Gabriel is going to kill me when he gets older.)

This is going to solve my diaper dilemma! Poop was my big issue. But, a friend has given me some pointers on the poop situation. They're so good for the environment, and the disposables are so...not. Also, I feel if I'm home it's not going to kill me to do a little extra laundry.

We'll still use the disposables for day trips and longer trips, but for just running around...why not, right? I'm actually really excited about it, and have ordered some more diapers so I have at least a days worth for now. :) Woo!!!

Finished Crafts


So, I've been setting aside one nap a day for me time. I figure I can clean during nap #2. The house isn't a disaster zone or anything so I think doing something for myself is fair. Especially with Brian being so busy at work right now. And evenings with a baby seem even busier with a baby than the daytime. As I always tell Brian, "It's a race to the finish every day."

I finished stitching Gabriel's Christmas stocking, but it still needs to be sewn together. Here is a coloring book tote that I finished today.



My baby boy is growing up so fast...

He sat up on his own today for the very first time!!!! Brian was even home to see it!!!! What a perfect family moment it was. :) We were a little too enthusiastic for our tired munchkin when he did it, so a few tears were shed on his part. But, what a big milestone. He also did his first little crawl today. What a big day in the life of Gabriel, and how thrilling to be a part of it.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

Hey...pumpkins and grass...I've never sat it grass before. How neat!
Yeah...I don't think I like pumpkins or grass.
Well, a bench isn't too bad. Just keep me away from those pumpkins.
I told you to keep me away from the pumpkins. Why won't you listen to me?!
The funny thing...about 2 seconds before this Kennedy was crying, but when she heard Gabriel she stopped and was fine the rest of the outing.



7 months old!!!

Our little munchkin turned 7 months old today!!! I can hardly believe it. I know I say that every month, but seriously...where does the time go??? We have tooth #2 now and we are still working on the crawling. I hope he gets it soon as his practicing in his sleep is causing him to wake up frequently at night. Lately he's been loved on by many a mosquito. Poor little guy. Good thing I have a lot of bananas. He is a pro at sitting and is practicing grabbing items by using the opposite arm and leaning as far over as he can go and then sitting upright again. I think he'll be sitting up on his own soon as well. He still squeals a lot and makes zerbit noises. No babbling happening. But, he has the sweetest little laugh and we hear it a lot more these days. :)

Happy Birthday, Brian! The Big 29!

Wow, only one more year until 30 for Brian! I personally don't find it to be that big of a deal, but it's freaking Brian out a little bit. He really did enjoy celebrating with Gabriel though. "Holidays" are so much more fun with kids for sure!!! Brian even got the day off from his turnaround. Yay! I can't wait for that to be over, and I know he is looking forward to it too! Anyway, he opened presents and we went out for dinner at El Toro. Gabriel did awesome at the restaurant. He ate his dinner and had some Puffs, we brought his own high chair as it folds up and hangs over the shoulder. Perfect!

Mosquito Bites


I'm not sure everyone understands how ready I am to move away from this area. Here is just another example of why. We have a mosquito problem, and I don't want to hear anyone else say how bad they are at their house. Nope...not unless you live in this area. They are itty bitty, hard to catch/kill, and they are abundant. And they live from about March - December. So, we do get a nice 3 month break from them (sometimes). Well, the other day was the last straw. They attacked my son. Three bites in about 1 minute and I couldn't even swat them all away. Well, one got him on the eyebrow...that night his eyelid was swollen shut. Poor little guy. They itched him so badly and Benadryl wasn't helping at all. I read online that you could rub the inside of a banana peel on it and that will stop itching and reduce swelling. It worked!!! This is about 45 min. after applying the banana peel.

This is later in the afternoon:
I still want to move though. I've already begun looking at houses closer to Pearland...now if the housing market will improve so it's easier to sell our house...oh yeah, and to convince Brian that moving is a good idea...and, oh who am I kidding...I'm stuck here.

Gabriel's First Trip to New Jersey

Gabriel took his very first trip to New Jersey this past week. We were minus Brian as he is in the middle of turnaround at work and couldn't get away. This at times made for a very exhausting trip doing it "on my own." Gabriel didn't take well to being out of his normal environment. But, we had such a great time. Gabriel really enjoyed getting to re-know his grandparents, and I always enjoy quality time with my parents.

When you have a baby planning and preparing for the trip begins a loooong time before you actually go anywhere. Cherlyn was a HUGE help the week before we left.
While there Gabriel had the opportunity to meet his other Great Granparent, Pop-pop. My mom's dad. Pop-pop really seemed to enjoy meeting Gabriel.
Here we are in the car on the way to the aquarium. I love the little train hat from Janie and Jack that my mom got him. Look at that smile! He can't wait to see some hippos.
These had to be the "friendliest" hippos we've ever seen. They would swim right up to the glass. And the place was fairly empty so Gabriel got a good look at everything.

Smile everyone!!!
We enjoyed the shark tunnel. The divers were in there and they swam right up to the glass and waved at Gabriel. He got a kick out of that.

Silly, Grandpa!
Sealions...
I think this is my favorite picture from the trip. Even the stuffed hippo from his Grandparents got into the fun. ;)
Quality Grandpa time.
At the park. This was Gabriel's first time in a real swing. He wasn't quite sure what to think of it.
This is a great picture of Gabriel and my mom. Love it!
Grandpa is getting them started early. Gabriel really enjoyed the putting. He was really good about tracking the ball too. I was impressed. Grandpa may have a golfing buddy before he knows it.
So, sad that we were leaving, but also ready to get home. Thanks, Mom and Dad for making our trip as easy on us as possible. We look forward to visiting again (when he's a little older). ;)

I can't believe he's 6 months old!!!

Current Stats:
Weight: 18 lbs. 8.5 oz.
Height: 26 1/4"

Our precious boy turned 6 months old today. He's a 1/2 a year old!!!! I can't get over it. On one hand it seems like time has flown by, and on the other it feels as though there was never a life without him in it. He's such a happy baby. He always has a smile for you.

Taking this photo was no easy task. As you can see his birthday sign is mysteriously missing from the vertical photo. Scroll down for video evidence as to why....

Teething is in full swing. Fingers crossed they'll come in any day, week, month...something! lol He still likes to study and analyze. He's a pro at sitting now and crawling is just around the corner. It's going too fast little munchkin. Slow down for Mommy.

Dad, I love you!

Dad - I love you so much! I can't tell you how wonderful it was to see you with my son, your grandchild, back in March. I know I always wished I had met my Grandpa Wood, and I am so thankful that Gabriel has his wonderful Grandpa Wood in his life. Thank you for being an amazing, loving, and supporting Dad (and now Grandpa). We both can't wait to see you in just a couple of weeks.
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Everyone - Please take a second to let a loved one know how much they mean to you on this very special day in our country. Send them an e-mail, give them an extra hug, or maybe give them a call out of the blue. Don't take them for granted for one second longer. :)