Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween from our Punkin'! Can you tell his Dad is a computer geek? (and I mean that in the most loving way possible!)

Halloween Is Near!

Here's the Gabers getting ready to carve a pumpkin with Daddy!

Gabe really doesn't like the pumpkin goop... We thought he'd love playing in it!


Remember this little fellow from last year???

Eh Hem.......

We have a big boy bed!! After many, many (yes, many) nights of struggling in getting this big boy to bed, we broke down and purchased a big boy bed for him. Gabe was not liking his crib at all any more and always wanted to sleep in the spare bedroom ("daddy's bed!" as Gabe would say). Well, Mommy and Daddy sleep upstairs and the spare bedroom is downstairs. So, we'd let him fall asleep there, and then ever so carefully, I'd carry him upstairs to his crib. Most of the time I was successful in keeping him asleep. The nights I wasn't, he slept with me.

So, tonight is the first night in the big boy bed. Greg was gone when I put him to bed, so I took a few photos. When I showed them to Greg, he said, "That looks like a blog post to me!"... he knows me so well. Oh and guess what?! That bedspread is from Pottery Barn! I found it at a garage sale for $22 and it's in fabulous condition. And, it washes up great!

Also, I wanted to share a few "dactur" photos of my big boy. Notice here, he has the "bue dactor"... Ok, so it's really red, but all colors are blue, all numbers are 2's, and all letters are b's. I don't argue with him...

Anywho, this kid loves tractors. Loves them. My mom got him a small set from Big R and he seriously won't even put them down when he eats. He hates putting them up when he has to nap. We literally have to kiss them goodnight and put them up. Each one of them. It's too funny.

See these two little guys? One time, I pretended they were PaPa & Russell (Grandpa Smith and his hired hand Russell) while Gabe and I were playing. Now, he doesn't part with these either. At any given time during the day, he can be seen holding a mini pickup truck, a mini anhydrous tank, and these two guys. He calls them PaPa and Ussell. Can't wait for PaPa to hear that.

Well, better get to bed... Not sure if we're going to have a long night or not!

Playtime

Today, we watched Gabe's friend Will for a few hours. Usually, when Gabe sees Will, he's with Greg doing Daddy/Son stuff, so I don't get to see them play together. It was too cute to watch them play. Will acts just like a big brother to Gabe and loves on him when Gabe gets mad about sharing toys. I got out the camera to try and get the two of them in a couple of pictures. They were hamming it up.

Sunday Randomness...

• Took Jenny & Rene's engagement pictures today... you can see more of them here.


• When we ask Gabe to say Gabe Douglas, he says "Baby Dud-das"


• I have a super wonderful husband that watched Gabe while I went to take the photos today.


• In April my parents will be married for 30 years. crazy.


• Gabe can say Hakuna Matata (HaKuKu Atata)


• Gabe calls any figures (Care Bears, Lion King figures, etc) his "guys"


• Do not ask Gabe to say "clock" or "chalk". You might be offended.


• Today is Tamilamadingdong's birthday - Shout out, friend!


• Had Baby Bull's cream of chicken soup tonight for supper... yum.


• Had french fries thrown at my head tonight by my son.


• I love Facebook.


• Gabe has decided just recently that he doesn't like to sleep in the crib anymore... I think our next purchase is a twin bed.

Seriously, I gotta go to bed...

But, wait... I would like to share a photo of Gabers:

This is what happens when little boys think they're big boys and don't go to sleep... :o)

Good Night!

Ahhhh... I can breathe...

Oh, little Gabers. It's been quite the week. You haven't been the best behaved little boy. You have tested my patience a lot. However, look at you in your Mommy's arms. You're happy. I'm happy. It seems like the rest of the week just melts away.

Gabe, I want to tell you, that if you choose to have children someday, it is the most wonderful, challenging, amazing thing a person can do with their lives. To be your parent, your Mommy, has been all of those things. Sure, there are bad days. But, the next morning, when you wake up and I come into your room to greet you, your smile and happy mood just erases the frustration that was the day before. I forget that you knocked me one with a toy tractor (right in the head!) when I wouldn't let you stand up in the cart. I forget that you pulled my hair because I picked you up to keep you from running away from me. I forget that I could barely stay awake the night before while you cried about having to go to bed.

God does an amazing thing for parents. No matter how challenging of a day you may have had, you can wake up the next day refreshed, thankful, and moved to tears at how much you love your child. We have so many more good days than bad ones, Gabe. It was just a rough week this week. Daddy was gone, you've been kinda sick and not sleeping well, of course you're cranky!

I just want you to know that you could never do anything that would change my love for you. I may get angry, I may get frustrated, you'll get angry and frustrated with me too. I'll always be your Mommy. You are my son, the child I prayed for, the child God brought into our family. You are so very loved by so many.

Good night little one, Mommy loves you and is looking forward to another great day with you tomorrow.

You Been Farmin' Long?

This has to be one of my all time favorite pictures. I love love love that Caleb's Mommy wanted to come out to the farm with us to take photos of the boys. They were SO photogenic (for toddlers!!) and we got some AMAZING pictures. I am absolutely thrilled with how they turned out. This season has been one that I've been waiting for. From the time Gabe was really little, I knew he was going to be into trucks and tractors - he's always been a true boy. So, I knew when he was old enough to be walking and talking, that harvest was going to be a fun one. And it sure has been. Thursday night, we surprised Papa and stopped by the field to ride a couple of rounds in the combine. Gabe didn't want to leave! Then, Friday, we took Caleb and Darci out to the farm to get some pictures. Here are a few more:

Hey, Papa's down here... maybe if we keep walking, we can hitch a ride back in the combine!

See, Caleb, when I'm bigger, I'm going to be a farmer like my Papa.

Couldn't resist trying to get a picture of the boys' feet in overalls. I was hoping to get one with them walking in the grass, but that didn't work out so well. I'm happy with this one! And, it's gotten the most Flickr views! That's kinda cool! If you want to see even more of these pics, you can visit my Flickr photos here.

Darci and I are so blessed to have these two awesome boys. These boys were prayed for together. Darci felt Caleb move for the first time on the day we brought Gabe home from the hospital. When Darci held Gabe for the first time, Caleb kicked. God has truly blessed us with having boys that can grow up together.