Halloween!

The pumpkin G decorated at our playgroup. I did the glasses, she did the rest- alone!

Our own Ariel the little Mermaid, complete with Red hair she LOVED!
I wasn't very good about taking or getting the right pictures this holiday... may have something to do with Elliot having an ear infection, teething and being extra fussy at times. Gabby has also decided that going to bed is a battle, but we are working on it.

We carved pumpkins, and the night we picked to do it wasn't a bright idea on our part. No nap, after Clay's championship flag football game (yes they won!), late and all of those things together don't work. Gabby insisted she wanted Ariel carved in her little pumpkin. I printed out a stencil (yes they have pumpkin stencils for EVERYTHING!) and Clay being a super dad carved it out for his little princess. No picture, my camera was in the car and then the pumpkin oozed all over the table and got thrown out.

Elliot has started standing! Well he pulls himself up to standing. He is now officially 6 months old and eager to do everything, except sleep and eat baby food (big kid food he wants it seems). He uses toys, furniture, G's bike, the crib.... EVERYTHING can be used to hang on to while he stands up! This is much more work for me, I worry about him falling and getting hurt, plus things like the bike are not good and sturdy and he could very well pull it down on himself. He loves to do it though! Every time I put him in his crib I go back in to find him standing there smiling.

Last week on a particularly fussy morning he refused to nap. I put him in his crib and he was quiet for a few minutes. I got dressed, find the bedroom door of the kids room closed. I open it and see Gabby standing on her trundle, face to the crib, singing lullabies (with made up words) to Elliot who is kneeling on the other side, face right to hers! It was the sweetest thing.

No real pictures of Elliot on halloween. I tried on the costume he was going to wear, G's old cheetah one. First it was a bit too small, second it was 80* out on Halloween (what? yes it was) and he would have roasted in it. For our short trick or treat outing he was a cowboy.. with a crooked eyeliner mustache. Gabby was so anxious for trick or treating, all day she said "it is so hard to wait!" Her purse full of candy was just the right amount plus she said she had plenty to share, we didn't want to get a ton- for none of us need it.

Today she woke up and asked me if Santa was coming?!?!! NO more Christmas talk or movies until at least Thanksgiving!

Punkins!

Yesterday we headed out of the house early, car loaded with snacks and clothes. Richmond was our meeting spot, half way for us and our friends. The Reed family are good friends from our Japan days, though we haven't seen them for over 3 years! We ate a nice lunch together, then made our way to the pumpkin patch near by. It was the coldest day yet, there was rain on our drive up and it rained the past three days. Long sleeves, plus jackets (first real time this year too) and rain boots on we made our way to the big field scattered with pumpkins. The pumpkin patch was not the ideal but it really didn't matter since the main goal of the day was visiting with friends! Elliot slept in the Ergo so it was not easy for me to take that many pictures, plus I am just not adjusted to the cold! We now have gone from using A/C to having the heat on.

6 years!

G's new line "without you or me there wouldn't be a family!"
Best buddies in their carseats.
Do you see those SHARP teeth?
Big guy trying out the swings.
E's first solo slide!
Blast Off!
Today Clayton and I are celebrating 6 years of marriage! It has been wonderful so far, and we are looking forward to so many more years to come. We have an amazing family, are so happy! Thank You Clayton for being the love of my life and providing me with so much!

5 months and 32 months.

My "little" boy is going to be 5 months old tomorrow! That means Gabby will be 32 months old tomorrow! Time flies, especially when you are busy having such a wonderful life with two great kids and a terrific husband. I am really trying to make it a point to cherish all the special moments and sweet time with Gabby and Elliot, Clayton too. They grow so fast! We had two of Clay's work friends over last night, plus the women in their lives. Gabby was by far the best entertainment we could have asked for. She is so charming and funny and welcoming. She told her two jokes, brushed Marella's hair (long and gorgeous), used her balloon animal dog (that i made) to kiss Shaun's boo boo all better (he was just in a car accident and has a "funny hat" bandage on), she was in a tickle war with Jessica and complimented AJ on his watch! Besides running around the living room quickly yelling "i'm naked girl" when it was bath time, when it was time for bed she gave everyone a hug goodnight and a kiss on the cheek! Elliot was charming too, he let Marella and Jessica hold him, then cried when Clayton did. He gave lots of smiles and drool, even a little nibble on a finger and went to sleep in his crib (shocker!).

We awoke this morning to our two nice patio chairs stolen! We had a set, 4 chairs and a table. With no room for that here we gave it to our friends who live in Richmond. Only two chairs and the table fit in the van at once so we have had the other two chairs on our porch. Tomorrow we were going to take the chairs up to them..... until they were stolen! UGH. Needless to say we would really enjoy finding a new place to live, a house, in a good neighborhood with a yard, oh and that is within our BAH (money the Navy gives us for housing).

Gabrielle Jean, the BICYCLE Queen!

Gabby got her first big kid bike this week. She is not quite a bicycle queen yet, as she hasn't mastered peddling it- she likes to try to peddle backwards..... also known as putting on the brakes! She is fabulous at ringing her bell, and likes to do it ALL the time! Rain today, so we put on our rain boots and did some stomping around.

Growing, continued...

I have not blogged in too long, just busy it seems. We are back in VA and back to our schedule, plus Clayton is on his 96 hrs off so I have a moment! What has been going on for us lately, lots of growing! Elliot had his 4 month check up two weeks ago and went back last week for his shots. He is a whopping 19 lbs and 26 inches long. He is strong as all get out too. Currently he is trying to crawl, it started as getting on his hands and toes then lunging forward. It has now progressed to stretching out his arms and pulling himself forward. He is mobile on his back as well, scooting around (sometimes in a circle). He doesn't sit up unassisted yet, but when he is done nursing pulls himself to almost sitting. Other big news, he has a tooth! The sharpest little tooth poked through on Thursday, and continues to make him gnaw and drool on everything. It is the bottom front tooth, on the right side. I also think that the second left side tooth may be trying to make an appearance!

Gabby is on a growing spree too! Once she got settled into East coast time she started sleeping excellent! She has been going to bed without a fight, in her own bed at 8pm and sleeping almost 12 hours each night! Yesterday she didn't get a nap, but then at 4pm fell fast asleep laying across Clayton's lap. Her appetite is giving mine a run too! The girl needs food like I have never seen her before. She will eat dinner (6pm or so) eat a snack or two! before bed (8pm) and has awoken during the night asking for something to eat twice this week. Two night ago she ate half a turkey sandwich at 3:45 am! Needless to say I tried packing her full of food last night before bed so she wouldn't wake with a growling stomach during the night.

Our house has become a swamp- also known as we play Shrek constantly! Gabby has become obsessed with Shrek the movie, which she watched the day we flew home to WA. She always wants to pretend she is Shrek, I get to be Fiona, Elliot is usually Donkey and if Clayton is home he gets to be Puss in Boots the cat. We even play Shrek at the park (with a few strange looks from the other kids). Shrek told me the other day "you are a stinky ogre you need a shower in the swamp. " Our water and apple juice is now called swamp water too!

The sweetest thing with my two growing babies is the love they have for each other! Elliot smiles and giggles for Gabby, she doesn't even have to do anything to make him laugh or grin. She really is wanting to pick him up (he is a tad too big for her to do that, she only outweighs him by 10 lbs) and she doesn't even cry or complain when he pulls her hair (he tried to pull himself up to sitting by pulling on her hair, no tears or whining even). Gabby was keeping Elliot company in his crib (this week I plan to try to move him into it at night b/c he is too big for the bassinet) while I was making her bed. I hear lots of giggles and ask what is going on- she was teaching him to wrestle she said! When we are in the car and Elliot cries (he is now in a big boy carseat, but rear facing still) Gabby reaches over and holds his hand, even singing to him sometimes! He often will stop crying, when he did the other day she said "that was all he needed to make him happy, I hold his hand."

growing kids!