the cutest skunk ever!

Gabe will probably kill us later for making him dress up like a skunk! The picture I saw online was just so cute, we couldn't resist. Jeff picked Gabe up from daycare early and took him to see Mimi at work and then to get his picture taken at the local newspaper and then to some of the businesses who are chamber members. By the time I got home from work, Gabe had enough. We waited for Corbin and Eli to come to the house and show off their Boxer and Captain America costumes. It's so fun to have the three boys around the same ages. Corbin is 2.5 and Eli is 7 months. Here are some pictures of our cute little skunk:

more 1st birthday pictures

gabe is 1!

My Beautiful Baby Gabe,

Happy 1st Birthday Bubbies! God has truly blessed me! I have been given the most amazing baby boy ever! You have this amazing ability to light up a room and just bring smiles to everyone's face. In fact, your Great Aunt Barbara thinks they should make a doll after you and call it the "Feel Good Doll" because you just warm everyone's heart. I haven't done such a good job writing to you every month like I said that I would. Ever since I went back to work, it's really hard to face the fact that I'm not the one who's with you all day. It makes me really sad. I wish so bad that I could be with you! I better stop writing about it or I'm going to cry.

You are starting to walk more and more. As you take each step, you have the cutest smile on your face and you're so proud of yourself. It's so cute when you clap for yourself after you've made it across the room or even after you fall. You have started saying "ball", "bi" (for bite), "buh buh" (for bye-bye), and the other night, you said "heh wo" (hello, when you picked up the phone). You have four teeth; two on top, two on bottom. You LOVE every kind of food you've tasted. We're giving you more and more table foods. You're still getting used to the idea of picking up the food and putting it in your mouth instead of squeezing it between your index finger and thumb. I know you'll get the hang of it. You're just so curious about everything, if you get something that feels different, you have to check it out. You're so good about sharing toys. If you're playing on the floor and Corbin comes and takes something from you, you don't get upset, you just hand him the other things you were playing with too. I can already see that you're going to be a giver. You are so cute when you're taking a bath. You will kill me later for this, but I have to share...you have discovered new areas of your body. The cutest thing is when you are looking for "it" and your buddah belly is poking out so far that you can't see it so you try to scoot back, then look behind you, then beside you and you can't seem to figure out where it's gone. Haha! Sooooo cute! I sit there and laugh and then you look up at me like "where'd it go!?". You love giving hugs and getting kisses. You're loving books...you like to read each one two to three times before getting another one. Well Bubbies, I better go back to work. Lunch break is almost over. I miss you so much during the day but I know that you're having a lot of fun. You're also learning important social skills at daycare so will try really hard to believe it's the best thing for you.

I LOVE YOU SWEET BABY BOY!!!
xoxo
Mommy

Here are some pictures from your small celebration for your birthday. We will be having a big party for you on Saturday and I'll post those next week.

gabe's 9.5 month pics

Okay, so I know Jeff said he was going to post pictures of Gabe on his blog, but I couldn't let him beat me to it! We didn't even buy all of these, there just some of the ones I liked. I will write more later. Hope everyone is doing well!!!

my first mother's day...

Little Bubbas, I had such a great first Mother's Day! I can't wait for more of them! We spent the day at Meme and Pop's and all your Aunts, and most of your cousins were there. Everyone couldn't believe how big you've gotten! I love you so much!

I got this as an email and thought it said everything perfectly:

Before I was a Mom...

Before I was a Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom

I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Pottied on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

I love you Sweet Heart!!!
xoxo
-Mommy-

growing like a weed!

I can’t believe how quick Gabe got the hang of sleeping all night. That first night was hard, but a lot better than we had expected, the second night was even better and the third night, HE DID IT!!! He slept from 8:00pm to 7:00am!

Sweet Blue Eyed Baby Boy,
I can’t believe how quick you have grown! You are almost 7 months old! It seems like you were just in 3-6 month clothes and now you’re wearing 6-12 months!!! For your six month check up, you weighed 19.12 and were 27.5 inches long! You are in the 83% for both weight and height! You sit up all by yourself and it wouldn’t surprise me if you pull-up before you crawl. Every time we put you on your tummy, you roll over...little bugger! :o) You love gibber jabbering. Daddy says that’s what you do ALL day long! You say “Aaaaaaah” when you see Ali, “Baba” when you see Daddy and you have said “MaMa” when you see me. It’s soooooo sweet! Daddy and I are pretty sure “Ali” is going to be your first word. You love her so much and stop everything you’re doing...including eating...to see what she’s doing.


Mother’s Day is coming up. I just can’t even tell you how thankful I am to have you! You have been an amazing little baby and I love you with all my heart! I can’t even imagine life with out you! You bring such joy to Daddy and I. I’m pretty sure Ali loves you as much as you love her too! :o)

I really wish I could be at home with you during the day and I must say that getting home to see you is my main priority. The sweet smile I get from you when I walk in the door is breathtaking! You reach out for me and I don’t think I can give you enough kisses! It actually makes working not as bad. I’m so happy that you are getting to spend the days with Daddy. I know he loves being with you. You two are going to be buddies forever! I’m thankful that he has gotten the chance to be so close to you!

Well Bubbas, I need to get busy!
I love you!
xoxo

let the crying begin...

For all of you out there who have babies, I pray that they will learn to sleep through the night on their own. We are approaching the 7-month mark and Gabe is still waking up 2-3 times a night. After listening to his poor little…or big cries makes me think that I really wouldn’t mind getting up with him 5 times a night until he’s 12 years if that’s what it took. Poor baby! I’m pretty sure he thinks we hate him! It absolutely breaks my heart to hear my sweet little baby so sad! I kept praying that one night he would just do this on his own, but no such luck. Everything we’ve read has told us that the sooner we do this, the easier on him and us it will be. So, we’ve taken the leap and it is harder than I EVER imagined! I know in the end it will be best for him but it’s a killer! It’s Jeff’s turn right now and he’s been crying for basically an hour. We are trying to break him of having a bottle when he wakes up at night…WAIT…I think he might be done. Yep, I think he’s finally fallen asleep. We have read soooooo many different methods of helping babies sleep through the night. One that suggests sleep sharing (where the baby sleeps in the parents bed) does not believe in any crying at all. It said that letting them cry is so wrong. It said that they finally give up because they know no one is going to come and help them!!! How sad is that!? I can’t get that out of my mind! My Mom has told me that babies don’t have the ability to think like that. I sure hope not! Well, now that sweet baby boy has fallen asleep, I’ll move on. So, Jeff writes his blog and I was just going to add this to his. He didn’t like that idea and wants me to start my own. I guess I could but he’s a better writer than me! I suppose I could write one dedicated to Gabe. I think that’s what I’ll do. I had planned on writing a letter to Gabe every month. I have been horrible about that! The first letter I wrote him was before we even knew that he was a boy!

I wrote it on May 22, 2006:

Our little peanut,
I have wanted to start a journal since I found out that you were going to be coming into this world. I don't know what took me so long! You'll find out for yourself that mommy is a bit of a procrastinator. Daddy and I have loved you from the second we found out you were in my tummy. We were soooo excited to find out! We pray for you every day. I know that God is taking care of you in there and you're growing healthy and strong. I never knew that I could have so much love for someone I haven't met yet, but I love you with all my heart. I can't wait to see your sweet little face. Pregnancy emotions have won me over as I sit here and tears stream down my face as I'm writing to you. You just wait and see...when you're all grown and your own flesh and blood is only months away from coming into this world, emotions can't be contained!!! It's just an amazing feeling! God has truly blessed your dad and I. We couldn't be more thrilled! We will soon be able to find out what sex you are. We don't care either way...just want you to be healthy. You are going to have such an amazing family to love you! Everyone can't wait to meet you! Today is your Daddy's birthday...28! He is going to be an amazing dad for you! He's such a loving and caring man. If you are a girl, I hope that one day you search for a man who is just like your father when you're looking for your husband. And if you're a boy, I pray that you will take after your dad and be the amazing husband that he is. Well, Sweet Baby, I should probably get some things done around the house. I'll write more later. Keep growing strong in there! I love you soooooooo much!
xoxoxo ~Mom

More to come later…..