3 1/2 Year Letter

Dear Gabriel,

Oh my son. You are smack in the middle of 3 years old and every day is a testament to it. You are hilarious and interesting and frustrating. Three. Years. Old.

You really are so fun to be with sometimes. You are smart and clever, and you say some of the funniest things. You make some of the funniest facial expressions that a person just does not expect from a preschooler. Lately, when you don't want to get ready to go to school, you tell me your back doesn't feel good. You picked that up from me this summer when I was doing physical therapy for my back. Way to adapt it to your own needs!

You love to play. You love to figure things out. You've always been a thinker. We still see you analyze and dissect the world as you figure out how to interact with it.

You're pretty convinced that you can do just about anything you want. Reach something that's 6 feet in the air when the tallest stool you have is only about 14 inches off the ground? Sure...just stand on your tippy-toes. Wait...that didn't work? Let me try stacking this other stool on top! Good thing we're still around to catch you when you're about to fall.

You've learned to use the Keurig so you can make "coffee" in the morning. You've learned to get into the refrigerator doors to get snacks. You've learned to buckle yourself in your carseat! That one is actually really good for mama. Makes getting in the car and getting going so much easier.

Though lately you make sure that I don't buckle myself until you're done...everything lately is about you being the winner or the leader. Sometimes it's annoying. Sometimes we use it to our advantage. When it's bedtime, we just threaten that mom or dad is going to be the first one up the stairs and you're sure to move quickly to your bedroom.

When you get there, you climb onto your bed, throw the blanket over you and tell me to find you. We need to work a little on the idea of hiding. You've not quite put it together that just because something is obscuring our view of you is not quite the same as "hiding" in a way that would make it hard to "find" you. We'll keep working on that.

We'll have to keep working on using your listening ears, too. You're at a stage when you would much rather do what you want to do at any given moment. You get a lot of reminders that you have an instruction and you need to listen and follow directions. It's a whole other level of parenting challenge now.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything. All those tough moments make the sweet moments sweeter.

My sweet, sweet boy, you are loved beyond measure. Love, mama

What a Wonderful World

There are so many moments when I really wish I had a camera crew following me around all the time. Like for all of Gabriel's "firsts" or when Justin slid across the floor in his socks and almost fell on his face. Hee hee. Or today in the car with Gabriel.

When I picked him up from school today, I helped him get into the car, and when I came around to get in the driver's seat, he was singing "What a Wonderful World."

I see trees of breeve
Red roses too
I see them blue
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world....


He kept going (with his own lyrics), and I thought he might like to listen to it in the car, so I downloaded from iTunes and hooked it up to the MP3 player. He listened for a few moments, and then told me that it was a different version of the song than the one they listen to at school. The one at school has a girl singing. And by the way, why is he singing like that?

And then he tried to sing like Louis Armstrong. Oh. Em. Gee. Where was my camera crew?!!!!!! That was one of the funniest things ever. :)

I'm sure you'll agree that they look alike and therefore must sound alike:

For your listening pleasure:

Christmas List 2014

For family-type people who might be thinking soon about Christmas gifts...
Here are things Gabriel has specifically asked for (*) and other ideas I have for him.
Most of these are simply examples of what I think he would like...not specific items I expect someone to buy.

**Updated 12/01/14: strikethrough on items that I know have been purchased for him; additional items listed**

A real guitar (*)
Something like this: Acoustic Guitar

A camera (*)
Nothing expensive, for instance: Digital Camera

A watch (*)
Something with a character on it, such as Mickey Mouse, a Paw Patrol character, or Lightning McQueen from Cars

An umbrella (*)
One made for kids with a character on it, such as Mickey Mouse, a Paw Patrol character, or Lightning McQueen from Cars

Building toys
Magformers
Lite-Brite
Stacker Pegs Set
Legos

Puzzles
USA
Continents
Pattern Blocks

Writing/Art
Magnatab board (not necessarily the lower case letters one)
Paint with Water books

Toys
Take-A-Part Airplane
Magnetic Dress Up Doll
Swtich N Go Dinos (he has Horns the Triceratops (blue) and Silver the T-Rex (green))
Paw Patrol figures with car:  Rubble, Rocky, Zuma, Ryder, Skye (he has Marshall and Chase)

Games
My Little Pony
Shelby's Snack Shack
Dino Meal
The Ladybug Game
Go Fish
Hiss

Outdoor
Ring Toss
Balance Board
Kick Croquet
Disc Golf goal

Boots and Cats

We had fun dancing after dinner tonight. :)

Do you know the Boots and Cats song? If not, you should check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlL7urX56g8

School Pictures Fall 2014

If I asked you who the cutest kid in the world is, you might answer that it is your kid. But you would be SO wrong. And I have photographic proof.

See? Told ya.

Halloween 2014

Gabriel decided he wanted to be a fireman for Halloween sometime around the beginning of September. He gave the same answer several times over a couple of weeks, so it seemed like a safe bet. And once his costume came in (thank you, Grammaw), he LOVED it. And continued to love it straight through Halloween.

First he practiced at Grammaw's to make sure it fit.

Then he and Will wore their costumes together.

And then we enjoyed trick-or-treating with two neighbor families. Here's Gabriel's fireman, Ruby's princess, Reno's Marshall (from Paw Patrol), and Ryla's cheetah. (Also, a young kitten followed our group around for a good portion of the night, so it's nice that he/she is in the picture, too.)

I wanted to get a better group shot of all the kids, but it turns out that 1 seven year old and 3 three year olds do not stand still very well. Especially when there is candy to be retrieved from houses!

It was SO much fun to go trick-or-treating this year since Gabriel understood the whole thing and we were with friends. Yay!

Happy Halloween!

Writing Songs

"Put your booty in the air and shake it all around. Shake it all around. Put your booty up and shake it in the air."

??

Don't know where this "song" came from...

Terms of Endearment

Me: Gabriel, do you want some dinner?

G: No, I'm not hungry, babe. 

The Voice

This is how we watch The Voice at our house. 

Mom Let Me Eat This in the Car

You know you want some. 

Mom's 90th Birthday

My grandmother, Kathryn Rodgers, turns 90 years old later this month. Perhaps one is not supposed to talk about a lady's age, but this is a milestone that should not be ignored. As many of us who could come gathered at my aunt Beth's house to celebrate with Mom. I know she loved having all of us together. We even got my cousin Christina (who lives in England) on the phone.

Lydia's family was able to come from New Mexico which means Gabriel got to play with his cousins Hunter and Easton. I can't believe that we didn't get a picture of all 3 of them!! But I did get Easton and Gabriel.

Gabriel was willing to let me take just a couple of extra pics also.

A Collection of Things Said and Done

I'm taking this moment to make notes about some of the funny or cute things Gabriel has said or done lately. I wouldn't want to forget!!!

 When Gabriel sings Happy Birthday, he says,
"Hat-tee Birfday to you..."


When he says his name, he says,
"Gabriel Cope-wand Ro  jo!"
(There is always a space in the middle of Rojo.)


G to Daddy: Can I touch your penis?
Daddy to G: No.
<couple weeks later>
G to Mommy: Can I touch your penis?
Mommy to G: No.


 One night G and I were sitting together on the couch watching something on television.
G: Mom?
M: Yes, baby.
G: Sometimes I don't like you, but sometimes I like you.
M: Ok...


One day when I picked him up from school, his teacher said that he had told several people that he had new brothers. They were wondering if I was pregnant.
M: Gabriel, you have new brothers?
G: Yeah
M: Who are your new brothers?
G: Conrad, Charlie, Brylie, and Paisley (classmates)


G decided a while back that a certain baby doll was my baby. The doll has always just been called baby or 'the baby.'
G: Here's your baby, Mom.
M: Oh, thank you.
G: What's his name called?
M: He needs a name. What name should he have?
G: Ira
<of all the names...Ira?>
M: Ok, come here, baby Ira.

Music is In His Blood

I love this picture of Gabriel playing guitar. This was taken at his preschool's spring carnival. They had a petting zoo, snow cones, jumpy houses, clowns making balloon animals, and a teacher from the guitar school next door. Gabriel's favorite part, by far, was the guitar. :)

Pearly Whites

Gabriel had his first visit to the dentist this morning. We saw Dr. Singleton at Groovy Molar. The goody bag was groovy. :)

We told Gabriel last night while he was brushing his teeth before bedtime that he would be going to the dentist so the dentist could look at all his teeth. He told us no.

As we got ready for school, I told him again that we were going to go to the dentist and then I would take him to school. He said he wanted to go to school first.

When we got closer to the dentist's office, he told me the dentist needed to look at my teeth first.
I could tell he was feeling a bit anxious about the idea, so I wasn't sure how well the whole visit was going to go.

However, once we got there, he opened big and wide for the assistant and the doctor and he didn't fuss AT ALL. I mean, not even a little bit. He was completely happy and completely cooperative.

And the very best part is that there is no evidence of cavities and no problems related to the fact that he sucks on his finger quite a bit.

Whew!

Good job, little monkey!!

Visit from Sarah's Family

My sister Sarah moved her posse up to Colorado just after Gabriel's first birthday and I'm not sure he's seen them in person since his party that year.

Luckily, Sarah, Casey, Blake (8), and Caleb (4.5) made a tour of family and friends in Texas and New Mexico and we were lucky enough to be their first stop.

Let me tell you, three boys in the house is a LOT louder than just one.

3rd Birthday Party

We held Gabriel's birthday party at The Little Gym of Round Rock this year. He and his friends got to run around and climb and tumble just like they're never allowed to do at home on the couch.

Here's all but two of the guests who came to celebrate with us.

Aunt Jordan made cupcakes for us. A few too many cupcakes. I was expecting parents to eat some, but they didn't.

I tried to continue the grumpy clown tradition of getting a picture of Gabriel with the rainbow wig on. He didn't really want any part of it.

But Will, Ruby, and uncle Matt humored me. :)

*Credit to Matt's family for the pic of him dressed as Bozo.

Matching Manicures

Gabriel saw that I was painting my fingernails recently and wanted to paint his, too. We had a trial run a couple of times where we'd paint one or two nails and then he would immediately want me to take it off.

Then we were at Target one day, and I was looking for the perfect silver polish. Gabriel decided he needed a color he liked, so I let him pick one out.

Then we went home and got matching manicures...
I haven't managed to get a picture of his hands painted, but here's mine.

2014 Ramirez Family Reunion

Last weekend, Grammaw, Aunt Jordan, cousin Will, Aunt Joanah, Gabriel, and I drove up to the Dallas area for a family reunion of Justin's grandmother's family. It wasn't quite as large a crowd as two years ago, but we still had a great time visiting with the family.

Last time Gabriel had just turned one year old and wasn't too mobile or interactive with folks. This year, he and Will were running around like they owned the place. They made quick friends of other cousins and had a blast.

I didn't take a bunch of pictures, but here are a couple to commemorate the day.

This is Justin's grandmother's sister Lily doing a soft shoe routine as part of the talent show. So great to watch her living life to its fullest.

Hide and Seek

When Gabriel wants to play hide and seek (which is poor hiding accompanied by pretend seeking), he tells me, "Mommy, say 'Gabriel, where are me?' Ok?"

3 Year Letter

Dear Gabriel,

My sweet little baby, how on earth did you get to be a small boy? You're so big now. You can do so much for yourself...most of getting dressed (still need help with socks), most of getting undressed (it's hard to take a shirt off), toileting, eating, you can even buckle yourself into your car seat now. So big.

Your imagination has bloomed so much in the past few months. You interact with your toys as though they have personalities. Sometimes they are sad because you've been away from them. Sometimes they are angry because another toy/friend has done something. It's really cool to see you processing your world through play.

You sing your ABCs--well, a few parts are a little mushy--but you've pretty much got it. You can do Bah, Bah, Black Sheep and parts of other songs, too. So cute. You count to 11...and then it's 14, 18, 19, 18, 19. :) You recently moved up to the big kids' classroom at preschool; you've graduated from Doodlebug to Firefly! I can't wait to see what else you learn.

Every morning you put on your two flower bracelets, your American flag sunglasses, and your Superman ball cap as essential parts of your ensemble. Recently you picked out blue nail polish at the store and had me paint your fingernails. You just mentioned tonight that it's time to repaint. Your personality is definitely developing. And it's as strong as ever.

We've made friends with kids next door, so we get to spend lots of time out playing in the cul de sac. That has been one of the best things about moving to this neighborhood. You like to ride on the firetruck ride-on toy and Ruby's tricycle. You're starting to try out your balance bike. We spend a lot of time kicking and throwing and chasing balls.

You're getting so grown up, and yet you still want mommy when you're upset. You keep your little monkey with you for comfort, and you still suck on that index finger. Someday you'll grow out of those comforts, but I sure hope you hang on to me for as long as possible.

Two and a half to three has been a lot of fun, sweet boy. I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

I love you so much,
Mommy

Things of Late

When Gabriel hasn't been playing with his little monkey (his go-nowhere-without-it-item), and then sees monkey, he picks monkey up, holds him to his face, and says, "I missed you monkey." in a tender quiet voice.

He's also been explaining things to monkey. For example,
"Monkey, diapers and pullups are only for sleeping, ok?"
"Monkey, supposed to put pee pee and poop in the toilet, ok?"
"Monkey, have to take shoes off for upstairs."
"Monkey, hold the rail. Be safe."

Bluebonnets Photos 2014

We took the boys (Gabriel and cousin Will) out to the campus of St. Edward's University to get some bluebonnet pictures. We met up with Justin's dad and Hannah for a few pictures as well.

The bluebonnets are so dense and tall and fragrant!

Thank you, Joanah, for bringing your camera and capturing these moments.

Feel free to vote for the one that best captures this little Monkey's personality. ;)