Happy Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Gabriel slept "late" until 5:45 am.

Gabriel and I left the house early and headed to the NH Sheep and Wool Festival at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds. I've wanted to go for years and finally made it. Though, Gabriel turned out to have a crabby morning, and it was rather brisk in temperature and windy. So I can't say I loved my trip. But I did buy some fancy colored wood sock needles, and some red and grey sock yarn. Maybe I can make matching socks for Gabriel and #2. I found a little stuffed llama for Gabriel, which he clung to tightly- probably because he was freezing. And I found a little sheep rattle for #2. Oh... and I got a little felted sheep kit too. Maybe I can make a few for the Christmas tree this year.

I've been wanting to go to Buy Buy Baby in Nashua, so Gabriel and I went for a ride to Nashua this afternoon. It was too cold to be outside any more, but I enjoyed the sun from the car. Gabriel napped on the whole ride down. We saw a huge Elmo at Buy Buy Baby. We also found an Elmo Learning Curve sippy cup. It's almost impossible to miss anything Elmo with Gabriel around to point him out. I bought a nightgown for #2 and a matching soft cotton blanket. Today was the first day I actually bought things specifically for #2. Gabriel got a Darth Vader T-shirt. The newborn clothes are looking really small again in comparison to Gabriel. I also bought Gabriel a booster seat, which he used for the first time tonight. Time to put his high chair away. He's getting to be such a big boy! He seems proud of himself sitting up at the table with Mommy and Daddy and reaching up over the edge of the table with his fork.

Yesterday I got a basket of pink and white cut flowers and a Mother's Day balloon from Gabriel. And on Friday he brought home from The Learning Center the cutest purple and white dragon fly for me. The kind made with nylon and wire. I think Gabriel painted the white nylon purple himself.

And today I got a card from Gabriel. And a card from Elleigh and Lucas with a gift card to the Elegant Ewe. And Daddy and #2 got me a card and another gift certificate to Motherhood so I can buy some more prego clothing.

And I most enjoyed that Michael cooked dinner, start to finish. Marinated steak tips, garlic and asiago focaccia, butternut squash ravioli with a maple cream sauce, and salad. And then two chocolate dessert pieces that we all shared on the couch while watching a family movie.

Gave my Mom a call this morning, but we did our annual Mother Day flower shopping trip a week early this year. So that happened last Saturday and then tonight I had to bring in all of those new flowers because we are to get down to 33 degrees tonight. Burr!

Gabriel and I drove to West Lebanon to visit with Nana, Papa and Angus on Saturday after swim class. We met at Friendly's and had lunch. We even enjoyed sundaes despite the bitter cold temperatures outside. Gabriel is definitely a fan of sundaes. He would moan and nod his head while eating the bites of sundae. After a good lunch, we went shopping at Kohl's. Gabriel got a new palm pilot toy (just like Mommy's) and he seems to really enjoy it. It looked like a good car toy and it seemed to keep Gabriel's interest. Then we went to K-Mart where Gabriel and Papa tried out a wheelbarrow from the toy section. I find it interesting that Gabriel still isn't walking much without holding on to something. He certainly can walk, but just doesn't. Crawling seems to be his fastest mode of transport. We saw his first steps back just before Christmas and thought for sure he would walk by the new year. He instead went on a walking hiatus, just to surprise us with 5-8 step walking episodes at his January 10th birthday party at Grammy and Grampy's house. And though we encourage him to hold our hands and walk, he doesn't like it. And he walks around the house holding onto his play gate, or the wall, or the fridge. So in K-Mart, Nana showed him a wheelbarrow. Gabriel has to lift the handles up, balance, and push- and he can seem to do all of that while balancing Papa's soap and seeds in the bucket area. He later tried out a toy lawnmower too. His teachers are telling me that this is consistent with what Gabriel is doing at school too. He uses pushing toys to walk all over, but he certainly isn't needing them for balance.

Chuck E Cheese

Gabriel took his first trip to Chuck E Cheese's on Wednesday night. We met our friends Shaelyn and Karen there for some pizza and fun. Karen and Shae gave Gabriel a new Tupperware sorter toy. I remember having one of these as a kid, or at least having access to play with one. I apparently really liked it since I can still remember it. I certainly hope it becomes a favorite for Gabriel too. Gabriel helped me play a game of Whack-a-Gator and he took a ride on a fire truck and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Shaelyn showed Gabriel how to climb on the toddler play structure. He wasn't too sure about it, but then he saw the steering wheel mounted on the wall and he was much more willing to climb in. He also took a couple trips down the exit slide.

Where Did My Baby Go?!

On Sunday afternoon, Gabriel took his first steps that we witnessed.  Gabriel took his hand off the side of his hexagon gated play area and then fell towards Daddy, making 3-4 stumbling steps in the process.  He repeated it for Mommy, and then he moved onto other activities.  He's been pulling himself up for so long now, and cruising well, that in some ways I am surprised he hasn't started walking sooner.  And I certainly hadn't been encouraging it.

 

When I told Roberta and Melissa about it at The Learning Center this morning when dropping Gabriel off, they were excited for him.  They denied having seen any steps at school already, but then again, they are so kind they wouldn't tell me and burst that bubble even if they had seen him walk already.

 

And our big boy also slept through the night in his own crib Sunday night.  When I awoke this morning and Gabriel wasn't nestled next to me, there was a bit of panic as I made it into his room to check on him.  I thought for sure something must be wrong.  But he was sleeping with his bottom up in the air and his pacifier in his mouth.  He's always been a good boy about sleeping through the night, but I think the whole family prefers it when he is nestled in the bed with Mommy and Daddy.  I hope that he will occasionally still come and sleep with us in the early mornings, as I am not sure Mommy is ready for the separation.

 

It was quite a lot of big boy firsts for Mommy and Daddy yesterday!

Gabriel Finally Said It!

After much asking, we finally heard it for the first time tonight!

Gabriel's First Christmas Card

Gabriel received his first Christmas card today. He bounced happily in his jumper while holding it. Thank You Grammy and Grandpa Abberton! You can see one of Gabriel's first top teeth glistening in the photo.

First Bundle Up of the Season

Mommy had to wrestle Gabriel into his snow gear for the first time on Monday morning. Thankfully, we only had to go to the car and then into The Learning Center, so we got to skip the snow pants. Gabriel seems to understand that he needs to push his hands into his mittens and his feet into his boots, so I think that makes it a bit easier to dress him. I think Gabriel looks a lot like Cousin Angus in this photo.

SNOW!

As we were leaving the children's Christmas party on Saturday afternoon, snowflakes were starting to fly- big, white, fluffy ones. Gabriel noticed them right away and was excited and delighted by the flakes. I suppose these are the first snowflakes that he remembers seeing.

Uh Oh!

Gabriel has been saying "Uh Oh" a couple of weeks now. He likes to knock things over and then innocently say, "Uh Oh!" We have been trying to explain that "uh oh's" should be accidents. What he is doing is a little too deliberate to be an accident. I don't think we are getting through to him. Gabriel has enjoyed knocking things off the edge of the tub for a while now too. He will sometimes throw his pacifier down and say "uh oh," and then point at it because he wants it back.