Thursday, September 24, 2009

"Dancin' in the.... CAR

Seth is off this week and we went to DC the other day and saw a lot of the monuments. It really does make you "proud to be an American" when you go and visit! We plan on going back soon and seeing many of the museums and tour the White House.
On our way to DC Seth put on some rock music and Gabe just went to town dancing. I got the end of it so he isn't as dramatic, but you get the point of how stinkin' cute he was!
We have plenty of great pics... but I'm not sure how to get them on the computer from the camera so we have to wait for Seth for that (and this time I was watch and learn!)
Hope you enjoyed the video! Keep and eye out for the pictures

Monday, September 21, 2009

Gabe walking

Like I promised- here he is!

Renaissance Festival!

This weekend we took Gabe to the Renaissance Festival here in Maryland and he loved it! I was amazed at how much people got "into" it... EVERYONE was dressed up! Gabe loved to stare at everyone and there was music everywhere and he loves music. I have a video of him dancing in the stroller listening to a couple play and sing. He just starting swaying when we were passing so I stopped and he just stared and listened! He was so stinkin' cute!
We went with a friend, Ben, and he and Seth are just too funny together! I have two pictures to share of the two of them being silly with props and then with some ladies dressed up at the festival. We all really had a great time and can't wait to go back for October Fest in a few weeks!


Gabe has really starting walking recently. He really started last week just standing up by himself and taking off for a few steps. As of yesterday he makes it quite a ways and I just get so tickled! To  be honest, the first few times that he actually made it across the living room and into the computer room to Seth I teared up! I don't know if it was pure happiness or just thankfulness that he actually is doing it!!
I have videos that I need to upload of him doing that also (will have next blog... or even tonight!)


Seth has taken off for the week so we can try and get some site-seeing in since we still haven't. Today we got shopping for diapers in! Hey, one outing is enough for big man in between naps unless you plan to make it a REALLY long day! We went to the mall and ate at a new favorite of mine- Chevy's (Mexican) and went to Costco to buy our diapers and wipes in bulk... Seth is like a kid in Costco, there really is so much to see and WANT there, but you out Gabe on his shoulders and Gabe leads the way! He loves to ride on Daddy's shoulders- guess he likes to be the one to look down on us for once.
Well that's it for now... I'll try and get a video of Gabe up walking before he wakes from his nap.
Much love!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Outside play

I didn't write yesterday and totally meant to, so this one will be a 2 day catch up.

On Tues. and Thurs. nights Seth plays football (flag) and it is a lot of fun. He has a good time playing and having "guy time" and I catch up with some wives and the kids play. Gabe LOVES it because he loves to be outside. There is a little girl named Abby who is really likes. She is 3 and always brings a ball or something to play with. She really wants to play with me, but she lets Gabe in on it! I got some cute pics of the 2 together that I would like to share.(ok one picture will turn counterclockwise so I don't want you turning your head sideways! I'll try and get it up later...) Gabe also got his first scrapped knee... he really took it like a champ! He didn't cry much and I was cringing ready for him to scream because I saw him fall- but he just whimpered and I picked him up and he was fine! I know there will be worse times... just don't like them!
Since we have gotten the playhouse/climber outside, I have tried to take Gabe out every day to play on it. Yesterday was such a pretty day and wasn't hot at all so we took a blanket and laid out and read books and played for awhile. Mac even enjoyed the time and did laps around the yard... Gabe laughs the whole time! He like to see Mac get excited! I've got some pics to share from our "outing". Gabe, of course did his funny face in one when I was trying to get him to smile- he is a hoot!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

...Over and Over...

I know this may seem bad, but I couldn't wait to get Gabe down for his nap so I could get on here and type away! You see, I can't type while he is awake... he is constantly wanting to see what is going on, what I'm doing... he wants to touch EVERYTHING... he is very curious and I LOVE this about him- until it comes to me getting on the computer!
I wanted to "vent" I guess and what better place than my own blog... that's what people use them for usually; although mine started just so I could upload pics and videos much easier and faster than facebook (plus I could talk about my little man more!) So anyways, here it goes:

Yesterday I ended my blog to clean house and made a comment that "it never ends"... today has hit me like a ton of bricks that THIS IS MY LIFE
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my life. I couldn't ask for anything better than to be able to stay at home with my child and we still live comfortably with all the things we need, plus we get little extras. My husband supports us wonderfully and I must say he is an amazing father. I'm not 'complaining' really... just (sigh) I guess telling myself this is it! haha! I dont know! Ok, so yesterday morning I write a list of things I would like to get done that day- did them all. I like this list thing because I see it there and know "You need to do this Merideth" rather than just saying it in the morning and then having the excuse that no one knows that I wanted to do that, but didn't and sat around instead. Alright, list done. What I didn't put on the list was all the other things that I do everyday. You know, the playing with Gabe (I love this so its not a chore), bathing Gabe, feeding Gabe, taking care of Mac... can be a chore sometimes!, cooking supper- let me stop right here. Supper last night was AWFUL! I guess this is what set it off- the list done, supper and everything else not on it, and yet I screw it up... major. It was one of the most simple recipes you can do, chicken pot pie... somehow, mine was a runny mess of just yuck! I was ill to begin with because Gabe hadn't eaten much lunch and with the Dr saying he is under weight when he doesn't eat I get nervous (I know I shouldn't, he's not going to starve himself and he's teething... I know these things, but it still gets the best of me). So Gabe not eating... try to get him to eat the chicken "slime" pie... of course no. I must stop and say though, that my wonderful husband did eat a whole helping and tried to compliment me by saying "Once you get past the runny it isn't so bad"... he is great! (he usually eats most of what I cook and last tonight he ate just that one helping! that's how bad it was!) So I threw the rest away... while I was doing this I was thinking, "gosh all those people with no food and I'm throwing it out because its runny"... yeah well at that point I didn't care!
So the day is over, I take a break... finally. This morning, same as always, alarm goes off at 6:30... then again at 6:40 (Seth never gets up the first time... always wants the 10 min. snooze) ... I lay awake most days, trying to get back to sleep until he leaves at 7:15... most of the time Gabe gets up around this time, sometimes I'm lucky and get another hour before he does- today was not my lucky day! So we do our usual routine in the morning with getting up, getting fed (and sometimes like this morning a bath because he's wet from the night; he likes these!) Today, top of my list was grocery shopping, as I'm sure every other military family because today was payday... so we go early in the morning. I need to go to the bank first so we run by and what do you know, they're closed! What kind of bank doesn't open til 10... maybe all of them don't, but I think thats crazy! This isn't just a bank, its in a shopping center so I can't pull up to the front and there are other cars for other stores (not that I knew this) so I get Gabe out of the carseat walk close to it and I see the sign... grrr, now we go back to the car, fight the carseat and off to the store. No complaints about the shopping trip, Gabe was wonderful and we got through fine without any delay. When we get home its the job of carrying everything in. I've learned to keep Gabe in the car (doors open of course and I"m just leaving the bags at the front door) and Mac in his cage so I can get everything indoors and then start the process of fighting kid for bags and groceries! (kinda funny at times) I put Gabe to bed, look around at the house and check in my head what all needs to be picked up or cleaned and I get overwhelmed!! Isn't this exactly what I did yesterday???? Didn't I just vacuum and sweep? Gosh, the dishes in the sink... I just loaded the dishwasher... clothes ... didn't I just wash the other day? This is my life now. Dishes, clothes, dirt!, shoes... TOYS... over and over again. How do you mothers who work all day come home and do this?? I respect you all and wonder what in the world I'm going to do when I start school in January... is the house going to be a mess? Are we going to have clothes clean at all? I sat down on the couch, in the picked up living room, quiet living room! and thought... what needs to be done next?....
Like I said at the beginning, I do love my life. I love my husband and my child. I love the house and I love staying home, but it just hit me that I'm grown... I"m the one that has to clean and cook and take care of EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING! I've always wanted this... I prayed for it. I got it.

Monday, September 14, 2009


We finally got Gabe's "treehouse" climber in and put together. We both couldn't wait to see how he would play with it and like it so we put it together in the living room~ where it stayed until this morning! Of course he loves the slide and loves to climb. He will climb up the step in the back and go straight to the slide, head first! Last night he got his 1st black eye by doing this! (like I"ve told Seth it isn't the last and he took it pretty well) The first video was the first night we put it up and he was a little scared of things, but now there is no stopping him! When I moved it outside he decided to just sit in the top and look around; he just loves being outside!

This weekend we drove to Quantico to visit friends from California, and to go to her baby shower. Gabe went with me to the shower while Seth went with the guys to play golf. We had a very nice visit with everyone. Gabe, no doubt, was the "life of the party"! He wanted the presents and since it was just his birthday (and he is still getting presents like the climber) he showed no hesitation when the presents were brought out! He wanted to rip into them!

Since we have spent time outside today (it has finally warmed back up too) Gabe seems to be back to his napping schedule. While he is down I'm going to try and catch up on house work... seems like that never ends and I know it won't. Thanks for catching up!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Check-up

Gabe is now 13 months and we still hadn't gotten his 12 month shots and last checkup, so I called on Tuesday and the Dr. could see him that day... I wasn't ready for shots (it really does hurt me just as much!) so I asked if there was another day- there wasn't until October, so Tuesday afternoon we spent 3 hours at the hospital getting shots! He had to get 4 and he was a trooper! He was cussing that man the whole time he was giving the shots and sure enough afterwards! I couldn't believe it, but the Dr. said that Gabe was on the low side of weight... my son hasn't been that EVER! Not even the day he was born! He is just tall and slender... no doubt taking Seth's path when he was little, because anyone that knows me knows that I was a CHUNK!
So Gabe took the shots like a champ and the rest of the night was fine, yesterday was fine, but this morning has been a terror! He has done nothing but whine and want me to hold him... of course I haven't minded it much so far because I haven't gotten one of these days in a long time! All morning he just wanted me to read him books while he sat in my lap and when that wasn't good enough (books were flying!) we turned on CMT and danced to whatever song came on. He really likes this, but only if I hold him... he hasn't gotten to where I can hold his hands and we dance... at least not for long.
He has a molar coming in on the Right side and the left side just a little more to break through, so we're getting a mouth FULL of teeth! He uses all of them great too- I don't believe there is anything of ours that he doesn't eat!

Seth is liking his new job so far... he has had a few days this week where he is losing things and just getting unorganized, but he'll catch up and everything will be fine. He plays intramural football and really likes it. Gabe loves to go to the games too. He likes to just be outside and not suprisingly likes the football!

I guess that has caught us all up for now... I'm sure there will be more very soon!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

I believe I may have found a way to put video on here... we shall see

We had a very nice weekend... we had friends from California visit (they moved to Virginia so they're close!) We also had more people from Seth's new job come over for the game Saturday night, and I must throw in a "Roll Tide!" here!! Speaking of that, Gabe now says his version of "Roll Tide!" We were trying to get him to say it and then all of a sudden he said "TIII" (I put it like that because he doesn't put the last "d" sound to it and he sounds so country when he does say Ti! Too cute and we love it! He won't say Roll though, we're working on it!
Yesterday we had him walking pretty good... he really can do it, he is just the most stubborn little man and would rather crawl I guess...  I've decided that today I will NOT make him walk at all and we'll do that today and tomorrow try again, and I guess off and on we'll go until he decides that he can do it.
We have to make his appt with the Dr for his one year checkup... yes, he just turned 13 months, but with the move we're just now in the system here. Not looking forward to shots... makes me cry with him!
Well, I guess that's it for now. More updates when they come!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

My little reader!

Yesterday morning, just like every morning, is eat and then play. We were playing and Gabe decides that he wants to read books instead. He grabs one and crawls to me (yes, we're STILL not walking!) and crawls in my lap and we read... book after book! He loves books! He found one of his birthday cards that plays music (the boy loves music too!) and he keeps opening and closing it just to listen. I got it on video (can't seem to figure out how to get it on here now...) and he just dances!I pray that Gabe stays into books the way he is now.



After we played awhile, he still didn't seem to be sleepy, so we went shopping for his backyard play climber. We went to Wal-Mart and Costco with no luck (we ended up buying it off line from Wal-Mart). Gabe was wonderful through the whole trip! We also visited the HUGE mall here and ate lunch. Gabe got up that morning at 6:45 and went down for his one and only nap around 2... I guess my baby is showing me that he is a big boy now and doesn't need 2 naps... (sigh)
This weekend we are having some old friends from Camp Pendleton visit. They moved to the East coast also and are expecting a baby in less than 2 months! I guess I'll just play with their baby and fend off the baby fever for a little longer!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

New Shoes!

It's only lunch time and Gabe is crabby with no nap... he just doesn't wanna take one, yet needs one BAD! Anyway, after a 30 min. crying bout in his room I get him out because we got a package from Gram (Seth's mom). I knew that she was sending my one shoe that I forgot in Bama, but she sent Gabe a pair of shoes too! He still has them on now. (well scratch that... one on!) He does like them though. Thanks Gram!

1st PB&J

Last night for supper Gabe had his 1st PB&J and did wonderful! Of course he made a mess, but that's half the fun, right?! He is eating "big people food" more and more for each meal now and seems to be adjusting really well.


Since he made such a mess we had to have a bath (2nd for the day, but he loves them!) and while he was in the bath he points to my nose and laughs! I have been trying to teach him "nose, eyes, mouth and ears" and apparently he really likes "nose"! He kept doing it, getting me soaking wet in the process because he had to TOUCH my nose like I do his! I loved it! He makes my day so much better doing little things like that... blesses me with his smile and he contagious laugh. I love that little man!

Just getting started...

Hello everyone!

There are so many reasons why I thought it would be great to start a blog... of course the main one being so our family can keep up with our little man Gabe and all the new things that he is doing EVERYDAY! I also have tried to keep a journal for Gabe, so that once he is older he can look back and see what all he has done... I enjoyed looking at my baby book and I know that he is a boy and probably won't like it like I did, but all the same I wanted to do something like it. (since I haven't touched his baby book... yeah, we won't go there!) I started a journal when Gabe was 4 months old and was really doing great until this last move from California to Maryland... and now I can't find it!

So we're going to start it off:


WELCOME TO OUR BLOG!!