Daddy's Day Out

July 29, 2007

Age 5 months, one week

I had a lot of work to do this weekend, so Stew decided to take Gabriella out for the day, so that I could be more productive. It was good (I got a lot of work done) but not good because I soooo wanted to be with them!!

Such a good Daddy...

Gabriella is developing in leaps and bounds, it seems. She now easily rolls over from tummy to back and ALMOST rolls over from back to tummy (mostly just rolls from back to side.) She reaches for things and grasps them. She sits up and can hold herself steady for brief periods of time. This last developmental piece is wild to me. It's almost like she's a little kid already! And of course she loves standing. It cracks me up to see this two foot little monkey standing upright!

She has started sucking her thumb more. I'm not sure if this is going to become a habit, or if it's just exploration at this point. Either way, it's pretty darn cute. She has also become attached to her blankets and stuffed animals. She has to have one or the other next to her when she goes to sleep. Last night she was crying like a crazed baby when I put her down. I grabbed her bedtime bear and put it next to her cheek. Like a light switch her tears turned off and she closed her eyes. I included a link on the right to her favorite bear blanket. I swear - this thing is great! If anyone is struggling with what to buy someone with a baby.. these are fabulous. And, they come in different themes (lambs, frogs, etc.)

It stinks having a cold

July 26, 2007

Birthday Wine

July 23, 2007

Today is Gabriella's 5 month birthday. After a long and draining day at work, we celebrated in the backyard with a glass of wine and fetch with the dogs. It was one of those days.

Gabby Delicious

Daddy's Proudest Moment (Don't call CPS)

July 15, 2007

These three pictures tell the tale of how our "blank slate" was lured into the land of carnivores by her father....

Don't worry, her hands were washed thoroughly after this event. Dad couldn't have been prouder.

Taste of Buffalo

July 8, 2007

Yesterday we ventured to the Taste of Buffalo. Gabriella had a great time, and, consequently, we paid for it that night. (A couple of hours of feeling overtired before bedtime = lots of crying.)


On a funny note, our doctor the other day said that Gabriella may start expressing interest in food. We're not going to introduce any food until after 6 months, but we're keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of interest. Well, they came for the first time at the Taste of Buffalo (appropriate.) We had eaten a lot of great things - chick peas with spinach, tortellini, rice balls, ice cream -- good stuff! Gabriella could have cared less. She was more interested in the people walking by... until the Stew's final indulgence.

A Chimichunga. Loaded with that fake cheese stuff.

Although she's not showing any interest YET, in this picture. A few moments later she was all over it - staring at it, screaming at it, reaching for it. A chimichunga?? Stew had to eat it a few steps away -- and she STILL screamed at it. (FYI, screaming is a favorite way of communicating. Probably because it's so effective - both Mom and Dad jump.)

All in all, it was a good day. The only hard parts were finding a place to feed her, because it was so crowded. I ended up walking into a hotel lobby and feeding her there. I felt a bit like a vagrant. Nonetheless, we had a great time!

The Case of the Missing Walnut-Headed Niece

July 5, 2007

Uncle Josh is going to be looking for a long time if he wants to find his Walnut-Headed niece.

Let me explain the story.

Gabriella went to the doctor today. We thought we were taking the Walnut-Headed Niece.



Don't get us wrong, we still love her. Walnuts or not.




And she loves her Dad. He's actually probably where she got her melon from anyway.

Dr. Denise, our favorite doctor, checked her out. At this point, we didn't know she was missing.

Dr. Denise took all of Gabriella's measurements and did a full exam. Dr. Denise is smart. She doesn't give the vaccinations. She leaves the room and has one of the nurses administer the cruelty.

Right before the vaccinations we realized we had lost her. The Walnut-Head was gone! That's right, Gabriella's melon is now in the 50th percentile. Uncle Josh can't call anyone Walnut-Headed anymore. (Gabriella's head size was initially in the 10th percentile, and then she moved to the 25th percentile...now her head is the real deal.)

Her height and weight were in the 75th percentile. Everything checked out okay. She took the vaccinations like a trooper (who am I kidding? She screamed bloody murder and looked at Stew and I like WE were the ones inflicting the torture!)

This time we were prepared. We gave her Tylenol when we got home, because we knew her legs would start hurting (like they did last time.) I just hope that I get a little better at giving her the Tylenol. I'm not even sure that she got half of the dose, based on the amount that landed on her face and bib.

All in all, we were glad that she was doing well. No longer will I have to hear head-jokes from my brother. I'm 32 and still dealing with big-brother ridicule.

Week in Review

July 2, 2007

Gabriella continues to love life with her Dad at home. She starts daycare this Thursday. On both Thursday and Friday, she will be there for 4 hours. Next week she will be a full time day care babe.

So, last night I checked out the camera and noticed that Stew has been taking some pictures of G while I'm at work. As an aside, his new nicknames for her are, "Muffin-Stuffin," and "Monkey Breath." Poor kid.

At any rate, here is the week in review, according to the pics I found on the camera:

Apparently Gabriella starts the day off with her Dad by watching CNBC. Lessons in business and finance can never be too early.


She really loves this entertainer! (Notice that the dress is on backwards. Sigh.)

Then there is time for a quick change into her NY Jets jammies before she crashes in her high chair. It's hard work entertaining Dad.

The nightly bath in the kitchen sink. (Although she's clearly beginning to out grow it.) Her daily

ab crunches with Dad seem to be paying off.

Then, quick like a flash, "Put on your grumpy face, Mom's coming home!" Gabriella tends to "unwind" a little when the evening approaches. She's still too young for a beer after work.