Big Boy

Only a few new things to report...

Gabe has a couple of new tricks! He can sign "more" at mealtime. He can also fold his hands to pray at mealtime. It is the most precious sight. I definitely need to get a picture of that. It just seems like lately there just haven't been enough hours in the day!

One of his newest facinations is playing in his room. It's very sweet. He's just so curious about everything. He saw his little table and chairs and he wanted in them. One more room to baby proof though! He also loves the CD player in his room... I turned it on and he started to dance. I was cracking up.

At least the little man likes country music! He was jammin'! Oh, man, he's just getting to be so big. I love seeing all of these new "tricks" and I love watching him try to figure things out. He's just so smart. He continues to amaze me every day. Oh, he also walks around tilting his head back and forth saying "Hahahahaha". Very cute. People at work must think I'm crazy... I talk about Gabe all the time. I'm sure no one else thinks the "hahaha" thing is very impressive, but dang do I think it's cute!

Then & Now

Then & Now

I had very good intentions of taking a picture of Gabe each month with his duck pillow (from me) and his puppy/bear (from his birthmom). It just didn't go so well! I made a few of the months, but some months I forgot. With all the scrapping (& blogging!) I've done, I doubt Gabe will be too scarred by it when he's older.

This little guy has grown up so much. I couldn't really get him to sit still long enough to get a smiling picture, but hey, that's ok! This is what life is now - toddler life. We run at Gabe's pace. We take pics when he wants to. He's a good boy... but man, he's getting to be a handful. Last night we went to a shower for a friend of ours and he was all over the place. It was like undiscovered territory! The hostess had marbles out on their coffee table... what do you think the first thing was that Gabe went for? It's just a lot easier to watch your child at your own home. We survived though. Gabe had some ice cream and life was good.

Have a great weekend everyone!

From Us

As an adoptive mom, there are few things I'm certain of in raising our son, Gabe. One of them is he will never have my eyes, or Greg's hands. He won't inherit the things we both like and dislike about our appearances. He won't inherit our medical histories. I'm really fine with all of that. But, I have learned that he does have traits and qualities from us that he will pass down to his children, if he decides to become a parent, no matter if they're genetic or not.

See what he's doing in the above picture? This duckie watering can also doubles as a horn. He learned that from me. Let me say that again... he learned that from ME. He laughs all the time - you know what Greg and I always tease eachother? "We laugh everyday" - you know, like those match.com commercials. Our house is a home filled with laughter, that's for sure. We're giving him that. We're passing that on. We're giving him traditions and memories, just like any other parent would do. Wow. Being a parent is such an amazing thing when you stop to think about it. As Dr. Phil says, (I'm paraphrasing here) "When you raise your children, you are writing on the slate of their lives forever". Wow. Again, Wow. What a responsibility. What an honor. What a gift. To be there - for everything. First smiles, first teeth, first friend, first car, first girlfriend, first child.

So, maybe we won't look the same, or have the same physical conditions. Maybe we don't have the same blood. But, we do have eachother. We are family. My hope is that Gabe will always know that we are a family, no matter how we got together, we are a family.

Products of a Busy Weekend

1. Scrapped. A LOT. It was a great time. I arrived at Marya's at 2:00 in the afternoon and I left at 10:30. She is too fun to scrap with - had a blast.

2. Found out that Greg and I are TOO old to go to the bars. Lindsey turned 21 and we thought we'd at least to go the first bar with the "kids" and we found out very soon that we are not very cool. We ended up playing electronic Baggo - yes, we really are that lame.

3. Shot my first engagement session of photos! I had a blast. I'm not a professional by any means, but DANG was it fun. Immediately when we got home, I started playing with all of the photoshop actions I have. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Oh, it was so much fun. I was so honored that they asked me to do it. They actually asked me to do their wedding too! I had to turn them down. There is just NO way I'm ready for that. I always said I just wanted to do this for fun, and I really don't think a wedding would be that fun for me...I know I would stress out - Big Time. But, man, what an honor to be asked. Someone trusting you with one of the most precious days of their life! WOW! I am going to be making their save the dates too.

Gabe sure is doing well. He got to meet a couple of dogs with Dad today while I was taking pictures... those poor pups are probably worn out tonight! He kept chasing them and trying to give them a kiss. One of them was a greyhound. Can you imagine!?

Gabe's learned how to sign "more", he's learning to say his prayers (folding his hands), and we're working on getting rid of the bottle. He can show you he's one and he also can tell you what a monster (or a lion) says! Rarrrrr! My little boy is growing ... too quickly!

I Scream, You Scream, We all Hate Teething!

Yes. Yes, it really stinks. Gabe hates it, we hate it, man it just stinks. The first 8 teeth that came in arrived with minimal problems (of course, that may have to do with the fact that he was at Grandma & Papa's house when those came...). These have been tough. Fevers, waking up during the night, arching his back, kicking his legs, baby tylenol, baby motrin, ice cold bottles, etc...

I think we're over the worst of it. I think I'm starting to get my baby back!

I talked with Gabe's birthmom last night and again, I felt like we had a great conversation. I feel like we're developing a friendship. Last night she said something like "Oh, my gosh, I gotta tell you this..." and "I almost called you when we were talking about this..." It just feels great to know that we're forming a good relationship for Gabe. And for us too... I think since this experience has been so positive, we are encouraged to maybe adopt again in the future, God willing.

Well, we've got a busy weekend coming up, so I probably won't be blogging again until Monday. Tomorrow night, Gabe's mom is scrapbooking, Saturday we're having lunch with Lyonses, Saturday night is my sister's 21st birthday and my other sister's birthday as well (but they are not twins), and Sunday I am taking engagement pictures for a friend's sister. Busy busy! But, it will be fun. I'm excited and I'm thankful to have a busy weekend.

A Dog's Life

Do you ever think about what a dog thinks about when there's a baby in the house? Not just any baby, but a Gabey baby? A baby that likes to "ride" Jinx when ever she's sitting. A baby that likes to pull on her ears. A baby that doesn't ever let her just sleep?

I feel bad. Guilty is more like it. We have not been good about giving Jinxi some undivided attention. She used to be "it". I mean, before we had a child, while we were going through infertility, she was really a comfort to us. She filled a void that we felt. I remember one night after our miscarriage, Greg didn't know it, but I went in the nursery, laid on the floor and just cried. I cried and cried. Jinxi came in there and laid right next to me. Just thinking about her loyalty and her empathy, well, it makes me feel guilty.

This poor dog has had her world turned upside down. For the most part, she is handling it very well, with only the occasional snip, but it has to be hard.

I love this dog. She has been a part of our family. She has comforted us, she has brought us laughter, and she has loved us, unconditionally. Maybe we need to remember that more often.

Gasp/Hmphf (Momma pout)

Love this little man. This is the best we can do as far

as mohawks go at this time. The boy's hair will not grow.

Daddy - aka Bob - is home! I have never seen Gabe smile as big as he did when he saw Daddy walk in the door! Seriously... He even gasped! I'm sad to admit it... he's never gasped for me! Wow Gabe's Dad - you should feel special, very special. Daddy and Gabe sat down to read/sing Snuggle Puppy.

Gabe's Dad is catching some z's now, glad to be back from his trip. Gabe' s Mom is tired and going to bed.

Have a great weekend, everyone!