G

Besides being a new big sister, Gabby is loving being a Grandpa's girl! The two of them have so much fun together, they play on the balcony even when it is raining out.  They take their daily walks to the store, share some 7-up, read lots of stories, stretch like cats in the morning and talk.  My dad has told me a few times how constant Gabby talks! Yes, I know she is GABBY!  One day this past week we tried to go to the beach, it ended up being too hot (92*) and way too windy (the sand is no fun in the wind).  While we were there it was fun, Grandpa and Gabby walked in the Atlantic Ocean and she wasn't afraid at all, but it was cold!  I got a quiet day at home with just me and Elliot while Clay, Grandpa and Gabby ventured to the beach again.  Clay fished, and caught his first fish here- make that 6 little ones that he used to catch 6 "big" ones.  He also got bit by one of them.  Gabby and Grandpa walked the beach and played in the water.  I lounged at home in a quiet house!  

   We have been trying to show my dad some of Virginia Beach.  We took him to one of our favorite parks, Mt Trashmore on Mother's Day and had fun flying the kite and playing on the toys.  We went back one day and walked the almost 2 mile loop around the park and lake.  Norfolk Zoo was our destination on Thursday.  Besides the million class field trips there with us it was fun.  Elliot slept the entire time!  This weekend we are dealing with rain storms and thunder, so will be sticking close to inside.

2 weeks

Elliot is now two weeks old.  We had his two week check up yesterday, at our civilian Dr (who is a wee little man and wears cowboy boots).  Elliot gained back his birth weight- plus two ounces! Yes that means he is one ounce shy of 9 lbs.  We have a good little eater on our hands, it couldn't have anything to do with him wanting to eat EVERY hour and a half for three days straight!  Sleeping is good some days, other days not so much.  He really is a pretty good sleeper, not too much fussing and crying.  Clay and I do call him our little dinosaur due to the sound effects he makes when he is half asleep in his bassinet.  Still have the umbilical cord stump, ready for that to come off!  Elliot is pretty spoiled with all the attention and kisses he gets between Clayton, Grandpa, Big Sister Gabrielle, and I.   We are finally starting to see him more alert, with his eyes wide open.  I swear he looks like a different kid with his eyes open!  I have been looking back at pictures of Gabby as a newborn and I must say they look very much alike!  Side by side a few pictures you can get the two of them confused.

1 week

Elliot is now 1 week old (well last night technically).  Things are going great!  We took him for his weight check up today, still a big boy but not quite back up to birth weight (expected).  Nursing is going pretty well, although I am sore and he gets gassy (one end always has something to say!).  I am excited to let him sleep longer than 3 hours during the night starting next week... the first two weeks he needs to eat every 2-3 hours, after that he can go longer.  That means the past few nights I have HAD to wake him up to eat! So different than his big sister!  Clay thinks Elliot is starting to look more like Gabby,  I agree. You will for sure be able to tell they are siblings!  Gabrielle is loving having her Grandpa here, they walk to the store daily to get a newspaper and play out on the balcony most of the day!  

In Love!

I must say, we are all very much in love with Elliot!  Grandpa aka "the baby hog" is here (his name when my nephew Josh was born) and would let Elliot sleep on his chest all the time if I let him.  Grandpa and Gabby are also doing some major bonding.  I am not allowed to read some of her books, ONLY Grandpa can!  The two of them sit out on the balcony all day long, my dad trying to adjust to the "heat" and Gabby playing.  Right now as I type this I hear them singing and playing on the keyboard!  

   Gabrielle is  very much into being a BIG sister!  She gives Elliot Kisses whenever possible, and is very gentle with him.  Today she held him on her lap all by herself, then didn't want to give him back! She has been finding toys to show him and share with him.

   *As of right now both my sweet babies are asleep in their room! Elliot nursed and fell asleep, I put him in his crib, then I read Gabby two stories and now she is in her bed asleep! WOW! I am not counting on this being an everyday thing, but I can always hope! In addition to them sleeping, I think it is time for me to take a nap too (especially considering Elliot likes to be cranky for a good 3 hour stretch in the middle of the night). 

   Oh and on the note of love, Clayton and I are more in love with these two wonderful children than is even imaginable! What a wonderful life!

Elliot James

SUN

The past two weeks have been FULL of sun, except for two days that were thunder, lightening and rain.  We have been taking advantage of the nice weather and getting outside.  At least once a week we head to Sandbridge so Clay can fish.  That means Gabby and I set up our blanket on the sand and we bring lunch and our castle making tools (shovels and buckets).  Our girl loves the water, and isn't afraid of jumping right into a pool- but the ocean is another story.  I think it is the waves, but she tells us she is scared of it and doesn't even want to get her toes wet.  The past few trips have shown improvement, and today she even asked to go in the water!

   With the heat this weekend being in the 90's it is hard to be outside too long, but then again who wants to sit in the house.  We skipped church and spent two hours at the beach, in our bathing suits (first time wearing them to the beach).  Clay attempted to fish, but quickly decided it wasn't going to happen today.  Gabby and I frolicked in the sand and surf (yes, just imagine me two weeks from giving birth frolicking, quite a sight).  Clay joined us and we had our picnic lunch.  I kept saying I was going to go in the water, like swim... then I would get to my knees and be frozen.  I did try a few times though, it is only April so the water is not quite warm enough!  We used the foot showers to wash off the sand and salt water, Gabby did not want to leave them she was having so much fun splashing and squealing playing in it.  By the way, she knows the phrase and uses it " I have sand in my clam!" Classy!

   Other things we have been doing with the sun include buying a little soccer ball and kicking it around between the three of us.  It is so simple yet so fun.  Finding new parks to visit, some are duds and others are great.  Yesterday we went to an Indian Pow Wow that was at our new favorite park.  Lots of people but quite a small event.  The costumes were beautiful, but must have been HOT.  The drumming made Gabby continue her dancing ways! We watched a tribute dance they did and at this point of the pregnancy I have no control over my emotions and just cried!  We tried out our new stroller at the Pow Wow too, pretty nice even if Gabby didn't want to ride in it much.

   Yesterday we also went to the library to watch and listen to four members of the Symphony play Peter and the Wolf, and the Three Little Pigs. The look on Gabby's face was great to watch when she first heard the noises coming out of the instruments.  Yes, she danced there too!

Silly!

As of this moment, Gabby is naked except for a hair bow and dancing around in the closet!  The girl has had the wiggles like crazy the past few days.  She can't sit still, it is always dancing time in land of Gabby.  She also will break into song at any given moment!  *The nekked-ness is due to it being about 90* out and also her using the potty.  She will go all by herself as long as she doesn't have a diaper on, she just runs in the bathroom climbs up on the toilet (or sits on her potty chair) and comes out to tell us she went pee!  I am not pushing the potty training to much since all the books we just returned to the library said that it is not a good time to potty train when a new sibling is being added to the mix.