12 Months and then some!

30 in tall, 23.4 lbs, and 48cm head

Happy Birthday baby girl!

This month has been so full of so many things that it's taken me a while to write this.

You have 3.5 teeth
Still like to drink your bath water
Let me do you hair
Pester your brother at any given chance
You grab Dina's tail and chase her around and giggle while doing it
You are working on being a better communicator
Meal time is still fairly easy and you eat most things
Bottles are for night time only now
You run from us now when you grab stuff you not suppose to have
My house is destroyed by the end of the day
Naps are down to one per day
You still cry when people leave
Bouncy Bouncy is a favorite thing right now
You gave kisses for a while and have now stopped but you now give hugs
You are still a great share baby and share everything
"Ow" is your favorite word right now
You have the silliest most demented laugh that makes everyone else laugh

We had to take you for an MRI for your too big head and everything came back normal

**I will work on video uploads later.  I have them for Ethan's football and more from Gabrielle's birthday.

Gabrielle 11 Months

 Before we get started...Happy Halloween!!  This was your first...

 Your so close to walking and getting braver by the day.  You've started taking multiple steps at a time before falling down.  As of 11.5.10 you are now walking more than crawling.  You can make it from the living room into the kitchen.  You still have the wobbly walk and I love it.  It's so adorable to see you hands up and you teeter back and forth. ** Update as of 11/8/2010 you are now walking more than crawling and prefer to walk.**

Bath time is still one of your favorites; you like to eat the bubbles in the bath tub and to stick your face in the tub and drink your bath water.  It's all fun and games until you suck water up your nose and you start sneezing.  But it is pretty cute when you come up with a face full of bubbles and start laughing.

You are into EVERYTHING!  My kitchen is a disaster by the time you are done.  Every cabinet, closet, and the refrigerator are cleaned out and the books on our shelf are scattered on the floor.

So far you have your two bottom teeth and that is all for now.  You have your own toothbrush and toothpaste and try to copycat me and brush your teeth.  I try and brush them and your mouth closes up and you poke out your lips so there is no getting in there.

Temper...Temper..Boy have you got a temper!  You throw yourself back, yell, pinch, smack, and grunt when you don't like something.  It's not so fun when we are holding you or are the one who made you mad because who ever is closest is going to get your wrath.  Depending on what it is and your mood at the moment depends on how fast you get over it.  If your super mad, tired, or got hurt then it goes on for a bit.  If no one sees it and its just a little oops then you'll move on with out a peep.

There is only one month left (Ok, 5 days) and then your first year with us is over.  We move on to the second.  You have brought so much joy into our hearts and I can't wait to see what comes next.  We love you...

Ethan Bradley 10.5 years old

For your last check up you were 5'1/2" tall and 105 lbs.  You are still in the 95th+ percentile in all areas.  When you stand next to me the top of your head reaches my eyebrows.  We wear the same size shoe right now which is pretty funny when you goof off and try and wear my heals...(Don't worry, I won't tell anyone!  Haha...oops!)

You hate when I use your middle name and get so embarrassed.  But that is why you were given one, so you know when you are pushing your luck.
 

You are in a phase of trying to make everyone laugh but don't always pick the right time to do it.  About half the time you end up in trouble for saying something or doing something at the wrong time...like in class or when your suppose to be doing chores.  But when you do pick the right time we all end up laughing.  You are my silly little/big man.

You still love to snuggle up on my lap, or your head at least when we get a few minutes to watch a show.  You still ask for hugs when your insecure or scared.  By the way, you still get scared but really try to hide it.  You told me the other day that boys don't get scared.....boys are always the ones in the movies going after the monster/evil-dooer to save the scared girls...ahhh...too funny!  You watched The Wolfman with us and a few days later there was a full moon.  You ended up with a flashlight in your room and howling at the moon on the way home from football practice for a week to overcome your fear.  Silly boy!!  Now you want to go to your first haunted house.  You don't know this yet but your Dad is taking you this week and I can't wait to see how you do.  I was hesitant to let you go but you insisted that you were "Man" enough to go.  And just knew that I would hold the whole Wolf-man thing against you..."Mom, I'm 10 years old...I can handle it!"  Ok, we'll see then won't we....

I know you don't get much time on this blog so I thought I'd write something special just for you.
Love you buddy and until next time!

Gabrielle 10 months and counting

As usual I'm a bit late on your post; but not to late, you're technically still 10 months.

Oh my how you are growing and coming into your own little person.  With in the past month you've gotten your two bottom teeth and I think are working on the upper ones.  You're a climber, a runner, a yeller, a talker, a fit thrower, a copycat, and most of all.... a sweet snugly little girl with all of the squish to go with it. 

Your almost walking and standing for longer periods unassisted.  You are still very sensitive and have tantrums over little things that hurt your feelings.

If you can hike your knee over it you are going over.  Now that your getting taller the list of things you can climb is getting longer. 

     

In your walker you run after anything that moves.  I've started taking it to the football field so you could play instead of being held.  You LOVE it!!  It enables you to do your own thing and talk to people, which is tooo cute!!!!

Ok, well kind of running...I didn't get the camera going fast enough.  And trying to record you and your brother isn't as easy as it sounds.

You copy cat anything you can figure out.  Burping, coughing, laughing, panting (the dogs), chewing, clicking your tongue, clapping your hands.  You've figured out how to open the cabinets, the toilet lid, and dresser drawers with minimal finger pinching.

And of course you clean them all out.  When you know your doing something your not suppose to you hand everything to us...like everything in my purse!  When we take things from you, you have a huge fit and cry like you've been pinched. 

Love you munchkin...until next month!!!

The Jamboree...WEEEEEEE

Ethan's football Jamboree!!! They played six different teams and kicked butt!  I don't remember what the scores were but my baby did awesome! As fun as it was to watch him I was so done by the time it was over, it was 100 degrees and little to no wind. 

This coming Saturday will be his first official game.  I believe it is at 10:45 on the Sierra Vista field.  I will send out the info to who ever wants to go.  We should get schedules this week to confirm everything. I've also found that DYFLS has a listing of all of the teams in the league, the standings, and the schedules. Ethan is on the Sierra Vista Lions Collegiate team.  GO LIONS!!!


#62 with the Black Helmet!

Gabrielle Pictures for your 8th & 9th Month

8 Months

9 Months

 

Ethan's First Game

 I'm apologizing in advance because I know that the quality is horrible and the coaches always seem to be in the way, but the pictures came out ok.  Next weeks will be better I promise ;)  For now you get to enjoy a bunch of kids running around chasing a football!

Ethan is #62 with the black helmet.

Gabrielle 8 & 9 months

9 month stats:  23 1/2 lbs  28 3/4 in and
                       46 1/2 cm head circumference
                       Your in the 95th percentile or above in all areas.

  So I'm a big time slacker and missed your 8 month post so this will be a combined post that will include your 8 and 9 month.  Since I last wrote you, you were learning how to scoot across the floor and now you are a full time crawler on your hands and knees.  You are also walking along the furniture but won't reach to anything if it's not touching.  You have a weird obsession with shoes (mainly flip-flops) and paper.  You dig through the shoe basket just to get to my flip flops and try to eat them, which is really gross!  Your paper thing is pretty weird too, but not as dirty as the shoes.
  You still eat everything that passes your mouth, which works out pretty well for meal time.  Fruits, veggies, meats, noodles, puffy treats....you eat them all.  You prefer to feed yourself and usually fight me when I try to feed you.  I get to sneak a few bites in occasionally but only a few.
  We have your nap times on a schedule now; two per day, and bedtime on your own.  Now all we have to do is lie you down with your bottle, turn your music and fan on then you are out.  Your back to only waking up about once per night.  Next on our list is to get you out of the bedtime/bottle habit.
  Your personality is huge.  I love it!  You are so expressive in everything you do.  From your body language to your voice, you are so fun to watch.  You dance and bounce up and down on pillows, Dina or Ethan.  You are getting to be a good copy cat and mimic noises or actions we do.  George is still afraid of you and Dina just puts up with you.  Everyone you meet just adores you.  You will visit with most people and are getting very independent.  At the football fields I have to either sit in the car with you or chase you on the field.  You are just getting into doing your own thing.....already!

***Pictures to come soon.****

New Videos

Gabrielle and her new dorky laugh!




Ethan @ Practice 1 of 2 (He is #62 in the black helmet)



Ethan @ Practice 2 of 2


For all of our family and friends to enjoy!

My LITTLE big 5th grader

4th grade is almost over....only today, tomorrow, then a half day on Thursday and Ethan is officially a 5th grader.  He made A/B honor roll, perfect attendance and a pin for making his goal in Accelerated Reader.  He was in the top for checking out books from the school library, #6 in the Top Earners of 4th grade and #21 Overall Top Earner for his school in AR scores.  He rocked the end of this year!!
  This doesn't include the reading contests and awards he received from the public library.  He got a gold medal for reading 20 hours.  He was trying to win their summer reading program where children have a chance to win a gift card to Boarders.  For every two hours they get a raffle ticket, he didn't win but really enjoyed participating.  Needless to say, Ethan LOVES books and we are at the library quite often!

 







  We have now started football and he loves it.  He bugs me to get there early and gets upset when I don't let him stay late.  The coach told his wife the other day how well Ethan was doing and that he "is" a football player.  I know I'm getting it from his wife, but it still makes me happy.  I sneak up there early sometimes to watch him practice and he is very much into it!  I can't wait to get some pictures of him in his gear.

JumBLe XII

  So in the past 3 weeks that Ethan has had off for track break we have completed his list of "To Do's".  I got tired of him saying.....
We never do anything.
Why can't we go here?
When are we gonna _________?
I never get to do ______________. 
So this time I had him make a list of the places he wanted to go and the things he wanted to do.  Thank goodness I have a son who treasures the little things!
  His list was:  Go to Library, Wal-Mart, Target, and Glaziers for Ice Cream.  For 3 whole weeks and that is all he could think of!  I love it :)
  I added the going to the water park, the museum, Sonic for a slush, out for breakfast.  And if he wanted to do these things he had to help me around the house.  Boy did he ever.  Our garage is cleaned out, the office is almost transformed into Gabrielle's room, and we've kept everything else clean!

Ethan's school had a father daughter dance around a few months ago and this past month they had a mother son dance.  I opted out and let Lani go in my place.  I thought she would enjoy some time out with him. 

We were able to paint the office and get it ready for Gabrielle.

Jalyn's birthday party fell while he was out and we had a wonderful time.  There was swimming, eating, and family.  Doesn't get much better than that.

 Then we decided to go out of town for fireworks this year.  I'm much to chicken to bring the good ones into town and shoot them off, although it doesn't stop everyone else in my neighbor hood from doing it.  There is still litter from them over by Ethan's school.  I wish I could have gotten pictures of them going off but it was hectic.  Definitely something I want to do again.