in a month

  

 Gabi 23 months

Gabi 12 months (below)

 In a month our "baby girl", our youngest, our little monkey turns Two Years Old. Unbelievable.  Today she is 23 months and blooming!  I was able to a get a mini photo-shoot of her and she sure knows how to crack us up. 
 Gabi is still the cuddliest of our kids.  She loves being held, being on your lap, and being close to you.  However, don't let that fool you... if her siblings are off doing something she is right there with them!  One of the cutest things she is currently doing is reaching her hand out and with the cutest voice says "a hold a hand".  She loves holding our hand going down stairs (even though she doesn't need us to) and sometimes just to walk around with us.  We also love the way Gabi shakes her head "yes".  She nods up and down but her eyebrows go up and down too... it's so funny!
Her favorite songs remain Ring-Around-the-Rosie (which she thinks is named for her), her A B C's, Itsy-Bitsy, Happu Birthday, Tomorrow (from Annie) and of course 5 Little Monkeys.  She loves the show Bubble Guppies (or Bubble Buppies to her) and loves all the kids music we play in the car.  She is sweet with giving with hugs and smiles.  She adores the males in her life... her Daddy, her Bapa, Jona, Evan, Paul and of course Will!
I think it's adorable that she gets so excited and waits for Isa and Will to come home from school.  If she is up from her nap before they arrive she will look and me and ask "where Isa go?" or "where Will go?".  She asks for them often when they aren't around.  She is consistent about giving them a HUGE hug when they wake up in the morning and as soon as they get home from school.
Gabi has been vocalizing more.  I have noticed some of her frustrations are being relieved now that she can show me, get, or tell me what she wants.  I am sometimes amazed at the words she know... many I didn't even know she knew!  Though she is getting better at communicating... she is still starting to have a bit of the terrible two's kicking in.  Although she is still our sweet little baby girl... she has been a little bit more temperamental (especially at meal times).  She had been crying alot more too.  With that being said, she is also getting several teeth and molars right now!
She has also starting showing some interest in the potty.  She has gone in the potty several times (mostly right before her bath).  However, nothing too consistent.  We will really work on this when we come back from Texas next month.
Gabi has been doing well in her Big Girl Bed, but we have had to put a gate up at her door since she now knows how to open them.  She still takes one nap a day around 1pm for maybe 2 hours and is asleep by 8pm.  Gabi's smile is contagious (she smiles with her eyes too)!  We are in awe of our little girl and really wish we could slow this time down...she can't really be turning 2 next month, can she?

creative kid

Will never ceases to amaze us.  When you think that the last thing he did is so creative...bam, he comes up with something new to blow us away!  Will has been working diligently on his daily Trio Block creations.  Some he completes based on the Trio Instruction books and others from his imagination.  Both equally great.
For the last 2 days, however, Will did something new.  Something amazing.  Something I would never have expected a 5 year old to do.   He was sitting at the table coloring something.  I looked over and asked "what are you drawing?"  His response "making my instructions for my creation of the day."  OK.  I looked over... and in fact, he was drawing the individual pieces and the numbers of each needed to make a new creation.  He then took his "instructions" and made a creation using only the pieces he had allocated for them.  What is neat, is that he actually drew the pieces before making it.  AMAZING.  Yesterday he made a building.  Today, a helicopter.   He then asked me to take a picture of the creation to print it on the back of his instructions.... just like in his book!  How could you not SMILE and be so proud of him.  We love this little guy!
 

 

Helicopter Instruction pieces and a picture for reference when making it =)

He made me take a picture of the front and back (just like in his Trio Instruction book).

 

Building instructions and picture.

Here is what his Trio book looks like...

Just for fun... here a few more of his recent creations.

Beauty and the Beast ... and sledding

Will, Isa, Aunt Jen and I went to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D today!.  First of all... this is one of my favorite Disney movies (second to Little Mermaid).  The experience was AMAZING!  If you haven't seen a movie in 3D yet... do it.  The colors are so vibrant and the detail is awesome.  Even though we have seen this movie many times before, it was as if we were watching it for the first time.  There were so many details that I never noticed before.  Watching a classic movie with a new generation in a totally new way was breathtaking.   So loving these little adventures!

 After the movie, aunt Jen came over to do something she hasn't done... well... in a LONG time.  We took her sledding!  The girls and I had a blast with her... and I think Jen had a pretty good time too =).

 Will has been faithful to his TRIO creations, making 1 (or more) every day.  It will be so fun at the end of the year when we put all the pictures together in one book!

Family, Friends, Fun

2012 has started off with a bang!  We have already had many play-dates, a few sleepovers, and fun times with family and friends.  We couldn't ask for more.  Our little family has also managed to still have several low-key relaxing weekends together.  Perfect.
Over the last 2 weeks we have hung out with several of our favorite families!  The Schilens, the Cecils, the Avarellos, the Millers, The Viers and of course Family!  We also had a special dinner with our former neighbor Mrs Fox.  It was great catching up and sharing pictures of the kids with her.  We miss her (and we could tell the feeling was mutual).  Isa had her 1st sleepover of the year with Gramma, complete with mani, pedis, and bubble bath!  Will had his buddy Sam over for a basement Camp-out sleepover... too fun!  The Schilens girls and our girls dressed up and were princesses on a great afternoon.  Cousin Chloe played in the snow with the kids and has been a frequent visitor already! The kids have also enjoyed special one on one time with Aunt Jenny and Uncle Tim.  Tobin, the kids and I also got a chance to go see Grandma Thomas together.   Like we said... what a great way to start the year.  We can't wait to share and make more memories with the rest of the family!

 

SnOw much FUN!

For the past couple of days we finally had true Winter days here.  Although many people aren't happy with the snow... our kids prefer it any day over the dreary skied rainy days.  The snow accumulated enough for the kids to play outside for hours and today we even got out on a couple of hills for some sledding.  Our kids were in paradise!  They literally spent over an hour outside each time out.
Particularly great about this season was Gabi's experience.  Even though she played in the snow last year, this year she really loves it.  She kept up the kids with everything they did and even sled on her own!  Our little girl is growing up.
Today we also had little cousin Chloe join us sledding.  At first she didn't want to go out... but when she did get out there she didn't want to come back in!  Oh what fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream

 Tonight the girls went out to see Disney on Ice.  I can't even begin to put into words how excited Isa was on Friday when she got her tickets for Little Christmas.  She couldn't stop smiling and even slept with the flyer! 
 Tonight the girls became princesses and headed out with Queen Gramma and Queen Mommy =).  The show consisted of 3 mini shows which featured Tiana, Cinderella and Rapunzel.  During our intermission Queen Gramma treated the little princesses to some royal cotton candy (complete with a tiara!).
The Tangled portion of the show was amazing and the girls' eyes were wide open and they were speechless as they watched!  The skaters did an amazing job!  The finale had all the Disney Princesses come out for a final farewell dance and it was so cute seeing the girls wave. Gabi was so attentive during the whole show and did a great job clapping.    Isa was especially excited when she saw the end as she called out "Hi Snow White, HI!"   What a magical night out!

 

 The Princess and the Frog

Cinderella

 Tangled

 grand finale (see Snow White!)

a few videos for your enjoyment!