Sunday, March 21, 2010

We're Too Excited to Sleep!

We just got back from a week in Southern California. It was spring break here and we decided to meet up with our good friends, Amanda and Tyler, and go to the beach and Disneyland. One of my favorite commercials is a Disney commercial. SO cute. Anywho, we had a very packed and very fun week. WARNING lots and lots of pictures. Just for you Susan. :)
We left early(5am) Sunday morning.
In our jammies
We gave him a Red Vine to entertain him. Wow. He was COVERED in red sticky.
We arrived at my aunt's house to spend the day and night. Made friends with their horses.
Have I mentioned Gabe hates the feeling of grass?
Keeping a close eye on the horses.
Just enjoying the sun and the grass.
Jumping on the trampoline.
My aunt and uncle were hosting two Japanese girls that week and Monday, Yuna, Moe, Gabe, Nate and I went out to see the sights of La Canada Flintridge.
The Descanso Botanical Gardens. Lovely! Would do it again!
Yuna, Gabe and Moe by the pond.
They had a miniature train that ran around the garden. Wasn't running that day :(
Let me take a minute and talk about Moe and Yuna. They were THE sweetest girls I have ever met. We became instant friends. They didn't speak a whole lot of English but we managed just fine all day. And they LOVED Gabe. They fed him, carried him, took him out of his car seat, buckled him up, took about a million pictures of/with him, etc. We were sad to say goodbye to them.
A big treat for Nate was getting a private tour of JPL- Jet Propulsion Laboratories. Sum it up, they work with NASA. I didn't understand much and I speak English. I couldn't imagine what the girls were thinking! But they were so polite and just smiled about everything. Nate had so much fun. My aunt and uncle were friends with a woman who worked there so we got security clearance to take a tour! I felt cool getting to have a security clearance card and a background check.
This is the clean room they are building the new generation of Mars rovers in. Under that foil tent, a rover.
Tuesday, we met up with Amanda and Tyler in Brea and we went to the beach.
Gabe and their daughter Nora.
"She wants me for my body...."
Little private beach we went to. Jealous?
Poor guy got sunscreen in his eye. He couldn't stop crying for hours and it was bright red and tearing up for a day or two.
Wednesday: Disneyland!
Loving my baby on the Jungle Cruise
"You talkin' to ME?!"
Nora, Lillian and Gabe in the teacup. No, we didn't take our babies on the real tea cups. Just the Kodak moment stationary one.
We bought this spiffy backpack for the trip and Gabe loved it.
We love Disneyland!
His first carousel ride at California Adventure.
Have I mentioned we love this backpack?
The rest of the week we just relaxed. Friday morning we left and drove to Tucson for our friend Derek's surprise birthday party. His birthday and his baby girl Haley's birthday are on the same day so his party was Friday and hers was Saturday. We got to go to both! Haley and Gabe are 2 weeks apart and have been good friends since they were born. Before the party Saturday, we went to the Titan Missile Silo. It was built during the Cold War and it is the only one still existing. Non-functional of course!
At the Missile Silo!
Hard hats are required
Gabe and I next to a tiny part of the actual missile.
Then on to the party.
The happy birthday girl!
The party girl and guests.
Gabe lovin' him some pumpkin-apple cupcakes!
And stealing the guests as well!
Opening presents!

Then we drove up to Mesa and spent the night with Nate's family before rushing up to Flagstaff Sunday morning so I could play the piano at church! Whew! What a week. Nate and I don't want to go to bed because that means a new week will be starting. Thanks to everyone who hosted us and put up with us this week!


Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Laundry

What is this?
This is a year of my life.

I am very good about once Gabe grows out of something to put it away. After doing laundry yesterday, the plastic zipper bag our comforter came in, became too full. We had to move on to an XL vacuum bag. I, of course, went through all the clothes, getting teary eyed. "Ohhhh Nate! Remember when he was this small??" Every outfit had a memory and a story. It sounds weird but I get very attached to clothes. I can remember the exact clothes I was wearing for any event in my life. I remember when and where I bought that Beatles tube top that I couldn't ever wear. I remember the Atlanta '96 t shirt my mom's friend gave me, and when you unfocus your eyes, the confetti on it looks like it's dancing. I am sentimental about clothes. I can't get rid of said Atlanta shirt that is a child's small or the Beatles tube top. I can't get rid of the very '80's pink and purple flower shirt that when you breathe hot air onto it, the flowers change colors. My cousin gave it to me when I was little. I have stacks of shirts like this. That I'll never wear, but I can't get rid of. They mean too much to me. I'm finding that I'm doing the same to my son. "But Nate, he wore this outfit the last time he ever saw Rachel." or "His 'Baby's First Easter' bunny outfit? Are you crazy?!" and so on. Nate tried to help me justify it all by saying "Well, I guess we might have another boy... don't want to have to buy new clothes..." That's what he thinks. :)

Completely unrelated, but while still doing laundry, Gabe was "helping" me fold and got a little stuck. The progression:
Before you call CPS on me, it's mesh ok? He could breathe. He looks really creepy like that doesn't he?

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Birthday Party

Gabe's actual birthday was pretty uneventful. Nate had work and school until really late so Gabriel and I just hung out. But Saturday, was the actual party. It was small with only a few hiccups and overall, went pretty well. It was Pat the Bunny themed, so we shaved Daddy's scratchy face, played Mummy's ring toss, and put cotton balls on Pat the Bunny. We had bunny shaped mac n cheese and had cake. Fun day!

Shaving Daddy's face
"Shaving cream" tastes pretty good!
Coloring/ stuffing Pat the Bunny
Bunny mac
Nate decorated our bunny birthday cake
Opening birthday presents