outdoors

we have been spending time outdoors again now that i have recovered from a brief allergy-related illness. it is nice to be outside again, and it is becoming clear that gabe really enjoys it.

he has a real love for animals of all types, and responds to them each with the same sugary-sweet "hi". at cross park, the squirrels, ducks and even the crab that steve found all got gabe's full attention, sweetest voice, and chubby-handed wave.

also, his portrait for that day was of him crying. not nice, you say? well too bad, because i want to remember EVERYTHING about how he is right now, especially that pouty, dramatic cry that he uses when he can't have his way.

:: day 175 ::

a toddler?

not sure when this happened, but i am the mother of a toddler. a grown-up looking, independence seeking toddler who runs everywhere he goes, takes his own food out of the pantry, drinks out of water bottles without spilling, sweeps the floor, feeds the dogs, reads books to himself and knows how to use the keys. just thought you all should know.

:: day 172 ::

jumper

gabe's newest favorite wake-up game is jumping. i always know he is up when i hear the sound of his mattress springs squeaking. he is just so proud that his little feet leave the ground. and everytime i go in there and catch him at it, i can't help but laugh out loud. he so clearly loves it; it makes my heart well up to see him having such a great time.

a side note. many of you have met my unbelieveably, out of control, ridiculious dog and know that there was never one more mischevious or pigheaded than him, and thus you will appreciate this. last night, mordy's face started swelling. this has happened once before, a couple of years ago. at the time, we thought that it could have been a snake bite and took him to the emergency vet who declared that it was just some kind of allergic reaction. it took super benadryl injections as well as steroids to get it down. this time, we knew that it was likely just something that he ate in the yard. over the course of the night, his face got bigger and bigger (until his usually floppy lips were hard as rocks) and he developed raised bumps on his chest and legs. never was there a more comical (or pathetic) looking dog! it is much better this morning, as the now four doses of benadryl that we gave him seem to be working, but i am sure that it will take a few weeks for his ego to recover.

i took a picture, but it hardly does it justice.

beautifully ordinary

a perfectly ordinary night. it was beautiful.

:: day 169 ::

in the shower

today i love...

:: this infant bathtub. it is so cute, and i think that it is so cozy looking.

:: this new obsession with finding his own place in the grass to sit. far away from anyone else is just right for this boy.

:: this stuffed slug. weird i know, but i really think it is the cutest thing, and i amnow seriously considering a slug themed easter next spring. if you have no idea what i am talking about, see here.

:: this summer's signature fruit, the MANGO! an annual tradition announced just this evening by the lovely sarah and kicked off with mango slushies for all. (again, no idea what i am talking about, see here)

:: this post on making a compostable compost bin. i hate getting a large bowl dirty every day for the compost, and i can't run out to the compost pile a hundred times a day. what better solution than a compost bowl made out of newspaper (which is, in fact, compostable!)

:: this boy's new love of watermelon. i think over the course of the evening, he must have eaten at least four slices!

:: day 163::

beach baby

we officially have a beach baby. tonight, we went to the beach with some friends and gabe spent most of the time we were there in the water. he couldn't get enough. i'd brought him a bathing suit, but it was cloudy, so i figured he would just play in the sand. i couldn't have been more wrong. we all had to take turns watching him in the water, because he was not happy to just stay up on the beach. the best part was how his shorts were so weighed down by water that they were falling to his knees the whole time. he could barely walk, but he had such a great time, we will have to go again soon.

:: day 159 ::

savoring the sunshine

i feel like it has been raining for weeks. in a way it has. we have gotten so much rain lately that my vegetables are all showing signs of overwatering. so tonight when the sun peeked out for the first time since lunch, we rushed to the fort to let gabe roll around in the grass. i am so glad that we have rediscovered this spot. it is ideal for us, as there is so much space that gabe, though he try, can't go too far away. he is the kind of child that likes to push the limits, but at the fort there is so much space that this is okay. one of the most incredible things about being a mother, i have found, is the amount of enjoyment i get out of watching gabe have a great time. his joy makes me happy. and tonight, i was very happy.

:: day 156 ::

tomato sauce, perhaps?

it just might be time for me to try my hand at making tomato sauce. i think i will try this recipe to begin and see how i like it. as much as i like the idea of canning some, freezing might be a better choice for us, as we have plenty of freezer space right now and not much pantry space. we will see.

steve's cousins, denise and martin, along awith their kids have been in crescent beach this week on vacation. last night we went to hang out and gabe got his first real swim of the year. he enjoyed being in the water, but it is obvious that he will need a lot of work to be a pool baby. i believe some form of swim lessons are in order.

:: day 154 ::

:: day 155 ::

slowing down

this weekend, we headed to tallahassee.  steve and gabe spent saturday and sunday helping john and ofie put a new lining in their pool while i ran off to the beach with some amazing friends from high school (although, i guess, technically, you would say middle school, as this is how far back we go).

it was such a sweet time of reconnection to be with the girls again.  we spent two days relaxing on the beach, talking about the past and getting to know one another all over again.  i feel so blessed to still have megan, katy, rachel and ginny in my life (it was also super fun talking pregnancy and motherhood with ginny, who is due to have her first a week before our second arrives).

and a little catch up on gabe's daily portrait.  still not as consistent as i would like to be, but i think that after this trimester ends, i will have much more luck.

:: day 148 ::

:: day 150 ::

(courtesy of mimi and papa)

:: day 152 ::

:: day 153 ::