Grumpy Clown Compendium

1 Year

2 Years

3 Years

4 Years

5 Years

6 Years

Paisley's Birthday Party

I took Gabriel to a classmate's birthday party today. It was at Pump It Up where the kids can climb and bounce on large inflated bounce houses and slides. 

Gabriel went straight up the ladder and down the big slide as his first thing. It was pretty difficult for him to climb that ladder at first, but he was not giving up, even when bigger kids went right past him and made him feel unsure of his footing. 

After the first time down, he still wanted to climb up, but wasn't so sure about going down that long, fast slide again. So the second and third times he ended up needing help from an employee to come down the slide. 

He liked going in the bounce houses, too. I thought he might get overwhelmed by all the bigger kids bouncing near him and knocking him down, but he really had fun. He went back and forth and back and forth between different activities and smiled the whole time. 

 

He was definitely the smallest/youngest one there, but he was by no means the most timid. 

Brave Mr. G. 

He's a Dancin' Fool!

Gabriel was getting his groove on last night during the credits of Shrek Forever After.

Eighteen Month Letter

Dear Gabriel,

You are 18 months old! The past three months have been a time of great development for you. You are asserting your personality and teaching us who you are. You crave independence and control. You know exactly what you want and when you want it, and when things don’t go exactly as you like, you are quick to total frustration. We’re working on communicating your needs without shooting straight to the full-blown fit. You can point to what you want and shake your head no when the item offered isn’t what you want. You still wave your arms across your body to mean no, also.

Though there does seem to be a lot of whining lately, you are also a playful little boy who loves to laugh. You laugh so hard sometimes that you get hiccups. Still. You’ve been doing this since you were a baby. The way your face lights up makes me so happy. To see that joy in your face makes me feel like bringing you into the world was so absolutely right.

You are mama’s little helper by taking things to the trashcan or the sink. In the morning, you usually go to both sides of mama and daddy’s bed, get the cups we have in there, and take them to the sink for me. You also help us unload the dishwasher, though it does end up taking longer with your help.

Though language development has been a bit of a concern for me, you have recently picked up several new words. I may be the only one who understands you, but you are definitely using words to communicate. You say up, help, juice, cheese, yes, mama, dada, papa (food), car, hat, eyes, hi, quack, and make a monkey sound. One time I swear you repeated goldfish when I asked if you wanted the crackers. You say mama and dada, but you haven’t completely assigned one name to each of us. Dada seems to mean daddy most of the time, but sometimes means me. And mama seems to mostly mean that you want something. We’ll keep working on that.

You feed yourself very well with your fingers, but using a spoon or fork is a pretty messy and inefficient way to get food into your mouth. Sometimes you stuff WAY too much in your mouth, which leads to gagging and spitting it all out. For a while, if we asked you what was in your mouth, you would open your mouth and push it out. I’ve caught lots of chewed up junk in my hand. But that’s ok, it’s one of my jobs.

You are growing and growing. You’re running around and chasing the cat or your daddy. You have been practicing jumping, but your feet don’t leave the ground. It is incredibly adorably the way you crouch and swing your arms and then look so proud of what you just accomplished. I’m sure you’ll take flight soon. You have no sense of danger at this point. You love to climb on anything that sits still long enough. All of this activity means you get tons of bruises. I keep noticing how my little baby is slipping away as you become a kid.

Of course, you still hate having your hair washed at bath time. You throw a screaming fit about water being poured over your head. You basically hate getting your head and face wet at all. After bath time, we put on pajamas, and you suddenly turn back into my baby. After we read books, you curl up on my shoulder while we sing a couple songs. I love how you snuggle up and throw your arms around my neck. Holding you there against me fills up the hole that I often feel inside me.

Watching you explore and learn new things everyday is so completely amazing. Watching how you problem solve makes me so proud. Watching you grow up is both happy and a little bit sad. But no matter what, you are the best thing I ever did.

I love you,

mama

Halloween Dress Rehearsal

We dressed G up in his costume a couple of days early so I could snap some pics. He really didn't want to wear the hat and was not cooperating in general, so I only got a few good ones.

First Serious Injury

Gabriel bumped his head pretty good a couple weeks ago. It was a very scary moment for me as I watched him fall but could not get to him fast enough. You can tell that it swelled up pretty big. He cried a good deal, but after some hugs and kisses, he was smiling again.

And you can tell that it's healing up just fine. Just a little mark where the scab was. And a slight bruising still around his eye. Certainly has not stopped him from doing anything.

Forks are Just Accessories

Bobble Head

At G's 15 month well-check appointment, he was:
weight: 25 pounds 4 ounces (50%)
height: 32.5 inches (85%)
head circ: 48.7 cm (90%)

The numbers make it seem like my child has the approximate build of a lollipop.

Fifteen Month Letter

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Dear Gabriel,

You turned 15 months old yesterday. You are well over a year old now.

Watching you develop is an amazing experience. Right now I am sitting at the kitchen table watching you drink some milk, eat some fruit and peanut butter crackers, and try to feed yourself macaroni and cheese. Those noodles are slippery.

You are the type of kid who knows what he wants and when he wants it. Sometimes you tell me you want food while you’re eating food. And I am to understand that you mean the options before you are no longer acceptable. So we try to find something else, which you also refuse, before you return to the first thing and eat it happily. I’m not always sure of the point of those little treasure hunts. Probably just telling me that you’re in charge.

You’re walking like a semi-pro now. You still stumble occasionally, but you are right back on your feet. Crawling is no longer your mode of choice. You’re gaining other motor skills, too. You’re great at taking things out of containers and putting them back in. You’re starting to stack things and then knock them over. And you love to ride your little car and push your little cart. You are basically all over the place these days. Nothing is safe.

You’re not talking yet. You use a few signs pretty routinely: You can ask to be picked up, you can tell me you’re hungry, you can tell me no/stop it/I don’t want that, you can signal that you’re done eating and want to get down, and you sometimes use the sign for more. You point at things and can generally get your message across through some combination of gestures and sounds, but it will be really nice as we add more words or signs to your vocabulary.

You still love music. You don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the television when it’s on unless you hear a song. I often turn on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while we get ready in the morning, and you light up when they start the hotdog dance. Sometimes when you get fussy in the car, I turn on a kids’ music CD. That usually calms you down quickly. I suppose your love of music was inevitable, but it still makes me and your daddy happy.

We found out a couple of weeks ago that you break out in hives when given amoxicillin. And we were giving you amoxicillin because when you get mosquito bites, they get big blisters on them. And then they pop. And some of them get infected. So now your legs are covered in scabs.

But even scabby legs don’t change how wonderful you are. You are the main thing that keeps me going, baby boy. Your beautiful smile and joyous laughter are the fuel I function on. So keep smiling and laughing, my love.

I love you,

mama

Freckles and Moles

Gabriel has sprouted a brand new freckle/mole. It is a strange thing to know for certain that there was no little brown mark on his leg one day and then find a permanent speck on him the next.

Of course, with the number of freckles and moles on each of his parents, it's no surprise that he would have them, too. But the way they just pop up out of the blue (brown?) is very weird.

I just spent 10 minutes reading about freckles and moles to make sure I categorize the spot correctly. I guess it's really a non-raised mole. And I suppose that's what most of my spots are, too, though I've spent my entire life calling them freckles.

I'm never too old to learn something!

Yum!

This is the face of a very, very happy kid.

Donut holes are AWESOME!

Gaining Independence through Yogurt

Gabriel has started grabbing the spoon or fork from me to try feeding himself. He's not usually terribly successful when we're eating rice or peas...but this time he tried doing the yogurt by himself. A surprising amount actually made it into his mouth. But as you can see, a good deal was also on his face, arms, hands, and really just everywhere.

At least he cooperates when it's time
to wash hands after dinner.

Swingin'

Daddy hung a swing outside for monkey. Monkey loves it!

Olympics

Gabriel got to see a tiny glimpse of the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. We had a special shirt for him to wear. And as you can see, he practiced some important moves.

Top left: shot put practice?
Top right: Disgusted with the judges' scores
Bottom left: Looking to coaches for advice
Bottom right: Appealing the scores...(learned that from the gymnasts!)

Walking Practice

Gabriel has been practicing walking behind a push cart for a while. He just recently took interest in doing it for more than 3 or 4 steps at a time.


This has sound, but it's just the background television noise. There is nothing important to hear.

Catching Up

I have a bunch of stuff I've been meaning to post, so I'm going to play catch-up this week.

Here are some recent photos.

Black beans are the bomb.

Running away with the circus

Already driving

Bonham and Dallas

Gabriel, Grammaw, and I went to visit lots of our extended family in July. Our first stop was Bonham where I lived when I was little. Gabriel got to meet his Great Grandmother "Mom" while there. Mom is called Mom by all of her grandchildren. There a story of how the name originated, but at this point, I just like to think of it as a way to honor the matriarch of the family. She's sort of the original Mommy from whom the rest of us received life and love.

Gabriel and Mom
You can see Jim's name embroidered
on the blanket thrown over
the back of the chair.
I like that he is in this picture, too.

While visiting Mom, Gabriel also met my Aunt Beth, my cousin Kelley, and Kelley's daughter Lily. Lily was a big, big help in entertaining and caring for Gabriel while the big people visited.

After our visit in Bonham, we left for the Dallas area. We visited with Grammaw's brother and his wife for a little while. Gabriel was lucky enough to get a few little gifts from them, but the highlight of that visit was climbing the staircase!

So glad we don't have stairs at home.

We had to come back down the stairs in order to make it to the family reunion of all kinds of cousins on Justin's side of Gabriel's family tree. There were too many people there to name, but it was fun to see cousin Easton who is just 9 days older than Gabriel.

I was reminded that trying to sleep with Gabriel in my bed is not a good plan. We tried that for a few hours one early morning while in Hobbs, and I tried it again in Dallas. He was really upset and couldn't get back to sleep in his playpen, so I tried to cuddle with him and get him to settle down next to me. But mostly I got kicked and flopped on while he fussed and cried for about 3 hours each time. He hasn't slept in my bed with me since he was 4 months old, and even then he was on my chest, not next to me. I won't soon try that again.

Gabriel was a very good traveler. We were in and out of the car quite a bit, going to a lot of different places, and sometimes driving for a long time. By the end of this trip, he had pretty much mastered drinking from a straw.

Raised on decaf non-fat mocha fraps with whip
and cherry limeades, all because of straws.

New Mexico

Gabriel racked up a whole set of firsts last week when we went to New Mexico to visit Aunt Lydia's family.

First trip out of state
(I barely caught the New Mexico sign.)

First long car ride
(About 8 hours each way.)

First stay in a hotel
(We had all this plus J's golf clubs, a stroller, a backpack full of toys, and my purse.)
(For a three night trip)

First time to meet cousin Hunter, cousin Easton, and uncle Ryan
(Easton was born 6 days after Gabriel.)

I think it was also his first Wendy's chicken nugget, his first McDonald's chicken nugget, and his first Dairy Queen blizzard, but I didn't get pictures of those.

It was definitely his first trip to a zoo when we visited the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park in Carlsbad. I can't be trusted to get the camera out, apparently, but we saw a bald eagle, prairie dogs, a sleeping bobcat, bison, and elk as well as various snakes and native plants. Hunter's favorite part was the "bomb cat." Gabriel's favorite part was the Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers.

One Year Letter

Dear Gabriel,

We just celebrated your birthday. You are officially 1 year old. How on earth did this happen?!

Your dad and I have watched you grow so much over the past year. We have loved every smile and every laugh. We’ve listened to every coo, cry, and babble. We’ve encouraged you to wiggle, roll over, crawl, and now stand up and cruise along the furniture.

I remember standing over your tiny body and craving the day when you would reach for me to pick you up. And after that, I anxiously awaited the time that you would throw your arms around my neck to hug me and hold me. Now that I have those moments to treasure, I look forward to hearing you call me mama, to you telling me you love me, and to you running from across the room to jump into my arms. I won’t wish your life away, but know that I look forward to every milestone, big and small.

You are an observant little boy. You watch everything, soak it in, and dissect it. Then you apply what you’ve just learned and practice it until it’s right. You will be the child who takes apart the DVR or the microwave just to understand how it works. You’re not really interested in walking yet, but I’m convinced it’s because you won’t try it until you know you’ll be successful. That’s pretty much how you started rolling and crawling.

You are smart and curious. You put small things inside bigger things, you understand how to open and shut drawers and doors, and you try to put your socks and shoes on your feet. You play peek-a-boo with blankets and with your hands. You like us to take turns putting on sunglasses or hats. You laugh when dada throws a ball up in the air. If you want to give me something, you grab my hand, turn it palm up, open my fingers out, and put the thing in my hand.

You are opinionated. You know what you want, what you don’t want, and when you do or do not want it. You learned early on how to push something away from you when you didn’t care for it. And you completely understand and exercise the connection between crying and getting someone to pay attention to you. (Your dad says I give in too much…)

You are a blessing in so many, many ways. But a big one for this mama is that you let me sleep every night. I give you your last bottle and rock you and sing to you, and then it’s into bed. You sit up for a bit and listen to your glowworm play a song, and then you go to sleep for 10-11 hours. I do not miss the days of listening to you cry when we put you in your crib for bedtime. It is glorious to kiss your sweet head, tell you goodnight, and leave the room without any fussing. But I do miss the extra long cuddles we used to have in the rocking chair. These days you are more comfortable in your crib than on my chest. So for those few moments when you lay your head on my shoulder, close your eyes, and get your body settled for the night, I drink in your smell and your existence. I think that’s what fuels me for another day.

There are so many signs that you are growing up…that you are not the tiny newborn baby we brought home from the hospital. That you are growing to be strong and smart and healthy. That’s what I want for you. You make me happy and proud. Your smile brightens my world.

You are beautiful.

You are my baby.

I love you,

mama

Happy Birthday!

At G's 12 month well-check appointment, he was:
weight: 23 pounds 4 ounces (60%)
height: 31 inches (80%)
head circ: 47.2 cm (70%)

Gabriel's first birthday party had a rainbow theme. I made various rainbow-colored decorations for the inside of Grammaw's house, and Grammaw hung up twirling sparkly decorations from the ceiling of the deck. Aunt Jordan made THE most AWESOME birthday cake ever to top it all off.

Here are a few pictures of the big day.

Obligatory birthday hat

Grumpy clown

Hesitantly testing the smash cake

Enjoying the cake once he figured out what it was

The awesome 7 layer rainbow cake made by Jordan

Inside of the rainbow cake

A slobbery birthday kiss from cousin Easton Graves (9 days older than Gabriel)