Happy Blog Anniversary

Well it's the 1 year anniversary of when we started this blog. That is totally crazy to me. One year has just blown right by. The best year I can remember though!

So here's hoping that the next year brings as much joy and peace!

Life lessons

Today was an exhausting day (they all are now that Gabe is getting around so much). Gabe was all over the place, naps didn't happen like they should, and Gabe was VERY opinionated as to what he wanted to eat (and not eat).

At one point I was trying to get something done in my office. Gabe was in playing on the floor right by me, and then in one instant he wasn't anymore. I ran out to see where he had army-crawled off to (he's super fast!) He had started to climb up the stairs. Most of the time he will pull himself up on the bottom stair. But this time he had climbed the bottom stair and was almost done with the 2nd one. He turned around to look at me and looked so proud. So I decided to see how he'd do with the stairs. I positioned myself behind him and let him try to make it up the next one. I was right behind him in case anything happened, but I let him take charge and maneuver up the stairs himself. Well in a very short couple of minutes he had climbed up all 14 stairs - almost flawlessly. I stood behind him each time - just in case there was a stumble. But he did suprisingly well!

Here comes the lesson - or what I hope to teach Gabe (and myself) from this experience someday. There will be times as a mother when the safest and smartest thing will be to pull my child down from the stairs, and occupy him with something different. But there will also be times as a mother when I need to let Gabe experience new things, and be adventureous. These things may be slightly dangerous and even kind of crazy. However, I can stand behind him and support him up each of those steps in case he falls.

So Gabe - know I'll always be just one step behind, and I will always catch you if you fall! I sure do love you punkin!

Messes

Thought I'd share pictures of Gabe's mess from lunch-time today. Don't know what posessed me to give him the bowl of yogurt to eat himself, but he was reaching for it, wanted it - and I gave in.

I didn't even get a good picture of the final result. By that time I too had yogurt all over me, and Cory wasn't around to snap our pictures. The worst was when I was cleaning it all up and I said, "Hold your hands up so I can clean you off" and he did just that - held his hands up. But right after that he started to rub his hands all over in his hair...yogurt and hair - not the best combo.

Well I hope you all have a great weekend.

So stinkin' tired!

I am so stinkin' tired I can't even see straight. Gabe has been getting up in the night the last couple of nights, and deciding that he doesn't need to sleep. He wants to be held, rocked and fed. And he wants all of that from mommy - no daddy for this boy. He's been staying up for around 2 hours each night. Monday night it was from 1-3, and last night from 3:45-5:45. Since I've been getting up and exercising at 6:15 that doesn't leave a lot of extra time for sleep.

On the flip side, he's been taking decent naps. He should - he's probably exhausted too! I guess I just might have to join him this afternoon.

What I'm looking forward to most is this weekend (can you hear the sarcasm?) We have a family reunion - which I am looking forward to seeing family. But we're all staying at the same place, and I can only imagine 50 people being thrilled that Gabe's screaming for those lovely 2 hours at night. I'm thinking we might have to stay somewhere else so the family can get some sleep.

Well I'm off to face the day.....

11 months!

This is probably the last "month birthday" that we'll celebrate with Gabe since he's almost a year old. If anyone has great ideas for 1st birthday parties - I'd love to hear them!

This paper pack is a free download from here.

Edited: I went back and re-read my journaling and realize there is a grammar error...oops.

Big Boy!

4th of July

More Family Reunion Pics

The Merthan and Vonnie Ellis Family. They have 7 children and they were all there with their spouses. Pretty exciting when they live all over the place! We sure love Grandma and Grandpa Ellis - such great people with such great family!

Ellis 1st cousins. I think there are about 50 1st cousins in the family. Not all were there for this reunion - but a bunch were!


Gabe's legs are getting pretty strong. He'll be walking before we know it. Here he is with cousin Logan and Aunt Kori practicing how to stand up. Thanks Aunt Kori and Uncle Chase - Gabe had a GREAT time with you guys!

Gabe and Grandma. Thanks for the fun books Grandma, and for sharing fun treats like strawberries with me!

Gabe has become quite the daddy's boy lately. He fusses and lunges towards him whenever I'm holding him and Cory comes into the room. It's fun to see Gabe get excited for his daddy.

Kim Ellis Family - Ashley's family couldn't be there, but Logan got to come up with Grandma and Grandpa.

Gabe and Grandpa - contrary to how it looks Gabe did enjoy spending time with his grandparents. It's just hard when mom or dad takes a picture and he wants to go to us....

Family Reunion

We got home last night from Cory’s family reunion up in Island Park, Idaho (close to West Yellowstone). There were around 80 people there, and it was fun to see people we haven’t seen in years. It’s amazing how things have changed since the last reunion we went to. The last one we went to there weren’t any great grandkids yet. This reunion I was talking to Grandma Ellis and she said that by the end of the year she’ll have (I think) 23 GREAT-grandkids. WOW! It was great to hear everyone honor Cory’s grandparents (they’re celebrating their 60th anniversary this year). I feel blessed to be a part of that family! Grandma and Grandpa Ellis are some of my very favorite people, and have passed such an amazing heritage onto their children, grandchildren, and now great grandchildren!

The reunion was fun. One of the big events was that they held a "Redneck Rodeo" - using 4-wheelers. I was really apprehensive about it because I have only been on a 4-wheeler a couple of times, and knowing me I was sure that my uncordinated self would get hurt. However - not only did I escape unhurt - Cory's aunt Lynette and I WON our event :). It wasn't a big deal - but it made me smile. Gabe also spent time on the 4-wheelers with Daddy and Uncle Chase. He LOVED them and would scream when we'd take him off. Some of the little cousins had some small (battery powered) toy 4-wheelers and we already talked about getting him one for Christmas. I think he'd love it!

So here are a few pictures from the weekend.