Thanksgiving Point

I love Thanksgiving Point!! The entire place is so neat but the gardens are my favorite... they are incredible! We had a pass to the gardens last year but I didn't end up using it much after Gabe was born. I picked up again in the fall and Gabe and I would visit three to four times a week. I would strap him on my tummy in one of those carriers and off we would go! I really learned to love and appreciate the time spent walking among all those gorgeous plants and trees with the beautiful streams and waterfalls. It is just so soothing and uplifting. Needless to say, we got another garden pass this year. The flowers have been awesome this spring! The tulips bloomed a bit later than usual but when they did... WOW, they were pretty! My favorite place is the secret garden - at least if you can time it right to be in there alone. (It's just not the same if there is a big group of people already there making a racket!) If you are alone, it is so peaceful. Actually the whole place is! Is this great free advertising for them or what? :) Last year we actually saw a FOX! It was so cool! I followed it around watching him pounce on grasshoppers and taking lots of pictures. Unfortunately I didn't have my real camera with me and so all those great pictures are on my phone - what a waste! This year I haven't seen him back yet but I did get a picture of a little, yellow bird (don't ask me what it is exactly)! There were a bunch of them flying around - it was so pretty to watch.

There is a great little restaurant called Trellis Cafe that overlooks the gardens too. Eric met Gabe and I at the gardens last week and we decided to try it out... it was so good! It's simple but elegant and the food is delicious as well as a good price. So....if anyone wants to take a walk with me and my little man or meet us for lunch, give me a call!

A Year with Gabe

The past 12 months have been an adventure of a lifetime. All you parents can understand! Eric and I feel so blessed to have such a happy, healthy boy in our little Gabe. There is no way to prepare for the coming of a baby into your life...it's so much more than anyone tells you or what you can imagine. More joy, more smiles and laughter, more tears, more kisses and hugs, more love, more everything...well, except for sleep!! :) It's been magical. We love you, Gabe, higher than the sky!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABE!!!

My little bear is a year old! I can hardly believe it has been that long since he came home with us on Mother's day a year ago...time sure flies. Since his b-day landed on Mother's Day this year, we decided to have his big family party on Saturday. We had a bbq at a park near our house and luckily the weather was beautiful. It was so fun with all the cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Gabe loved all that attention...almost as much as he enjoyed playing with the balloons and gleefully stuffing his face with chocolate cake! :) What a great day! Here are some of my favorite pictures...including Gabe covered in chocolate frosting (what 1st b-day would be without a messy cake-face?!) Check out the picture of Gabe's cousin Cannon with Amy...he's really hamming it up for the camera! And also there is Gabe in his new "ride" and a cute pic of him and his cousins with Grandma and Grandpa Sterzer.

I know I posted a million pictures but there were so many others that I didn't! :) The first picture is with the sign my Dad made for Gabe for his b-day. Traditionally in my family my Dad will make his signature birthday banner and then everyone writes little messages of love on it, kind of like a card. I still have some of mine from growing up - it's a tradition I have always loved and wanted Gabe to be a part of. The other pictures are just a few of the many wonderful family members that joined us to celebrate Gabe...thanks everyone!

Lunch time!

...for everyone, including the dog apparently! Gabe is such a sharing boy, he even shares his lunch with his dog. Denali, opportunist that she is, has learned to lurk beneath the highchair at lunch time with her eyes on the floor...waiting. He thinks it is so funny to toss tidbits over the side and watch Nali rush in like a preying shark to feed on the crumbs! He laughs and laughs - so do I! Gabe is really cementing in the dogs mind that He Is Her Pal! She still plops herself down next to him while he plays and despite the beating she takes from toys, often right on her tender nose, she remains. Yes, he has won her loyalty...and I can see why! :)

Gabe's YA-YA face

Yes, Gabe has learned to communicate. No, he isn't talking yet. Not even a single Mama, Dada or Hi. What he does say is "YA-YA-YA-YA-YA" as loud as he can, usually just when he is hungry or tired and wants me to hold him! I'm thinking "oh, great", I've got a yeller on my hands. The sad thing is, it works and he knows it! I try really hard to at least get him to stop yelling long enough for me verbalize what I assume he wants before I then quickly do it before he starts yelling again! :) (It's really cute when he realizes I understand- he gets this big smile and acts all excited.) I'm sure he'll grow out of it as soon as he can get his tongue around some real words. Here is a picture of mid- YAYAYA yell! I was taking pictures of him one morning before he realized how hungry he was for his breakfast...poor starving child!!Gabe is such a funny little guy - I hate to make it sound like he is high-maintenance or annoying - NEVER!! He is usually so laid back and sweet with a big, toothy smile for just about everyone! Every where I go, people adore him. We went and got his passport this week and the people from Costco, the postoffice, and Public Health building all said what a friendly, cute baby he was!

Play time at the park

Gabe had his first experience at a jungle gym last Saturday. I don't know if he was that impressed but I had a lot of fun! :) He looked so cute and little in the swing and propped up on the play equipment, I had to get a few funny pictures. (Our little friend is Lilly - one of the kids Eric and I tended for a week while their parents traveled to Korea. Now that experience is one that we won't soon forget... suffice to say, we learned a LOT in one week!!) Anyway, I think Gabe really liked to be out looking at everything and being around other kids - there was so much to look at! He did NOT like the slide, however. The first time down he looked kind of unsure but after the second time he let me know loud and clear he did not appreciate it! We'll have to wait awhile before we try that again.

I couldn't resist putting this picture on. Gabe is completely absorbed with this piece of bark he found...his facial expression is just so funny. It's like he can't decide if it's gross or yummy looking although I can tell you that yummy won in the end and it went straight into the mouth! I really am a good, attentive mom usually but sometimes you just can't get there fast enough! :)

one WILD afternoon!

Yesterday was Gabe's first time at the zoo! We went with Melanie and her 5 boys...what a troop we made! Luckily Mel has a double stroller which Gabe got to ride in like a big boy with his cousin Bridger. One more stroller with little Cannon and 3 boys running around completed the picture! It was a perfect day - warm and cloudy...we had a blast!! Gabe really enjoyed it too - he was craning his neck around to see some of the animals, especially the leopard behind the glass...it was pacing back and forth right in front of us. Cool! I love the zoo - particulary the elephants. They have to be the most fascinating animal with those enormous bodies and long, funny trunks. It wasn't quite the same as seeing them wild in Africa but someday we'll give Gabe that adventure I hope. For now, the zoo is as wild as we get! Can't wait to go again with Eric soon. Here are some of the best pictures...

Not the best picture of the elephants...oh well!

Look at the baby giraffe - it was so cute!!

Here we are on the train - yahoo! :) I never noticed how tiny those benches are...definitely made for little people!

Our sleep monster

Gabe is a great sleeper....but obviously not a peaceful one! When I went in the other morning to get him I discovered him like this...
That leg sticking out really startled me! Eric and I had to snap a few pictures, quietly chuckling the whole time. How he was getting adequate oxygen under there, we couldn't figure out but he seemed to be doing just fine. Since he was still sleeping (probably from having that nice dark turban over his head) we left him there to finish up dreaming. Babies are so fun! There is always something to make us laugh every day.

Snapshots of Gabe

The other day I fooled around taking pictures of Gabe(pre-haircut) and I think a few turned out pretty cute. Look at how beautiful my baby's eyes are! (It's so fun exercising my parental right to brag! Haha!) I was trying to capture him in different moods - it seems like he is always smiling in the pictures I take. I can't complain!! BUT he does have such a precious, little face even when he is serious. During our little photo shoot he slid over on his side and since he was sick at the time, it was enough to make him cry a little...I got a great picture though, right before I jumped to comfort him! :) Poor little guy - there is nothing that pulls on the heart strings like seeing your baby sick and miserable.






I just had to top it off with a smile anyway!

Dang, I'm handsome!

Here is Gabe trying to get a better look at his new 'do'!! Just kidding but he sure is getting a close-up with that mirror! :) That mirror was sitting on the counter and Gabe was being so funny with it, I had to take a few pics.