Toesies

....are officially in the mouth! Gabby has been trying all week. She also loves to pull our hands/any objects to her mouth! Little stinker ;)

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First Mall Outing!

Today I was feeling brave (after Gabs 3 hour nap) and decided to venture literally across the street to the mall. Very imtimidating ;) With lights it takes 8 minutes and no lights about 2 minutes. Front the time we left the house until the time we got back there was not a fuss or tear. Success! I am sure this had to do with the billion distractions there were like.. The Christmas Section at Belk!! Yayy! Her eyes lit up so big when she saw the Christmas tree & loved watching the train go round and round in the picture. I even found an ornament with 'Gabrielle' on it, how cool is that?! Our next mall adventure WILL include Macy's Christmas section.. So much fun!

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Daddy love.

Gabby has been more managable during the day, hallelujah! She still fights sleep but I came home to this from work the other day. Melted my heart. He said she started to lose it and just kept pacing with her. After 10 minutes he felt her head lay on his shoulder and she fell asleep. Sweet little baby. Feels so good to know that someone else can put her to sleep after losing it of course.. But thats not the point ;)

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Happy Halloween!

We dressed Gabrielle as a puppy & spent the night at my Mom's. It was a bit on the stressful side getting out with a 3 month old but it was nice to let Gabrielle see her Mormor (my Mom) & Aunt (my Aunt.. A very wondeful Aunt & would like G to consider her an Aunt ((not Great Aunt)) & her Grandma (Dan's Mom.) They made a delicious swedish dish & we had about 20 trick or treaters. Dan & I even dressed up for the heck if it! After being put in a situation that G was fussy & tired.. & driving home would result in a scream fest & having a dentist appt near my Moms while my Aunt watched the baby.. We decided to stay. The ride home the next day was tear free after a long nap. Totally worth the other night stay IMO :)

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Tiny & Mighty!

You can see her dimple a little here

October (my favorite month) is here! The beautiful blue skies, cool breeze & sunshine are just what I needed after a long summer being hot and pregnant. I haven't blogged in a few weeks & wanted to share a few new things Gabrielle has been doing. She is 2 months now! How time flies. It is starting to really sink in that I am a Mom & we have a daughter & we are a real family now. The days are long, sleep is becoming less frequent, unfortunately. But we hope to start developing better sleep habits as soon as we can figure out a solution to Gabby only being able to fall asleep while nursing.


We went to her 2 month check-up last week & she is topping the charts at 9 lbs 6 ounces & 22 1/2 inches! Not the biggest baby on the block but the doctor says she is slow gaining and nothing to worry about. I'm not much for bragging but I am just so proud of the way Gabrielle is developing & how much she has done way before the suggested age frame. Her doctor says she is ahead for development, which we were thrilled to hear. She may be tiny but she sure is mighty!

Reaching for those toes!

Last week, Gabs shocked us by reaching down and touching her toes!! She has been so amazed by them we can barely get her to look at us anymore. I give her a few weeks and those little feet will be in her mouth ;)


Today we tried the bumbo seat. It's not recommended until the baby has good head control & I thought she has been lifting her head & looking around well enough to give it a whirl. She loved it! We can't get her to hang out in anything for more than 10 minutes & she gave us a whopping 20 in the bumbo! I think she found her new best friend (next to Ink of course!)

Bumbo win.

Gabrielle's first crush.. Ink

Not actual writing ink, but her octopus.. Ink! The first thing other than Mommy and Daddy that she cracked a huge smile at & held a 'conversation' with. It is our go-to when things get out of control & the what keeps her busy for a short while. Ink doesn't have the warmth of Mommy so it doesn't last too long, but it gets a quick chore done :) We can't forget her other two friends, Bacon, the pig and Gilbert, the duck. Dan and I find entertainment in coming up with creative/humorous names for her toys. Gabrielle has the most fun on her mat first thing in the morning, her happiest time! She is cooing all the time now, it's THE cutest thing I have ever seen.. Daddy, & Grandparents agree! 

Gabby with Gilbert, Ink & Bacon!!

Gabrielle is also a huge fan of the flower & hummingbird mobile in her crib. The crib that we haven't yet ventured to for what it's purpose is.. sleeping. Unfortunately she thinks her crib is for playtime. I've dug myself a hole. :( 

^A little coughing, cooing and angry yells ;)^
And...

Our vocal little girl :)

My days with a newborn

Being a first time Mom I always wonder if what I do now with Gabrielle will haunt me in a few months. Multiple sources (pediatrician, happiest baby on the block book) say there is absolutely no way to spoil a baby before 3 months. Let's hope! I totally get that newborns need their Mommy's warmth, touch, smell but I had no idea it would be a 24 hour thing.. No complaining here, I love when her body is next to mine! Just exhausting that it lasts all day with no breaks. :/ This is our daily routine, it's the same every day.

10 AM- Baby & I wake up while she is being held in my arms. I love it. Just as I've loved it since day one. I love just opening my eyes to see that she is breathing. She is completely safe. I don't move an inch while she sleeps but boy, do I miss stomach & back sleeping.


I am able at this point to set her down for approximately 10 minutes before she cries to be held, slug a glass of juice & scarf a quick breakfast. 


10:15 AM-6 PM It depends here whether I have business to tend to on the internet & I will plop on the couch, grab the boppy & let Gabs chill on me while I Facebook, Twitter, Blog, look for houses or random nifty deals on craigslist. 

If I decide there are more important things to do like be a  decent stay-at-home Mom, I will strap Gabby on my chest in her carrier and clean, organize & possibly go outside to get the mail. These 8 hours the baby will still only let me put her down for 10 minutes at a time, just a couple times.


6- DAN!!!!! You are home from a long day at work, now take the baby so I can shower, or cook or do a task I cannot do with a cute little baby attached to me. Sorry, love. 10 minutes pass before she is fussy again & only I can console her. She will learn to let Daddy soothe her one day, I promise!


6:30-10 repeat of 10:15 except now I show off my mad trivial skills watching Jeopardy at 7 (wink, wink.) Dinner is somewhere in here making mac and cheese or throwing together a quick dish that we will have to scarf & in between the scarfing pop the paci back in the baby's mouth, two times or more. 

Clearly transferring her to the bassinet did not work.

10- Bedtime :)) Where Dan, Gabby and I all hop in bed for a nice, couple times interrupted night sleep.


Spending every minute with a newborn are indeed trying & exhausting but I want to cherish this time before its gone. I still gaze all day at the beautiful little girl Dan and I made. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to spend the days with her. It is still so surreal that I am a MOM & I have a daughter. Sounds so sweet. 

Long days with a newborn has its rewards too :)