The Garcia's

Sweet Grass Dairy Farm

2011-05-10T14:21:00.003-04:00

We went on a playgroup field trip to Sweet Grass Dairy Farm. We watched the milking of the goats, learned how they made cheese and sampled some! Gabe's favorite part was probably feeding the baby goats leaves!

Lake Ella

2011-05-02T14:32:00.002-04:00

Family Pics

2011-04-26T14:10:00.003-04:00

My dear friend Brooke took some family pictures for us which were long overdue...sadly we don't have many pictures of the four of us so I'm very happy to have some now! She was wonderful with getting the kids to look at her and I'm so thankful for her and these pictures!!

Easter

2011-04-26T13:49:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately this is the only picture we have from Easter and since EJ took it he's not in it. Gabe was battling a fever on and off all weekend but it didn't seem to keep him down. We started the morning off with a clue hunt for their baskets...since they can't read yet we used pictures for the clue's and they loved it! It was a very busy day with 3 egg hunts and 2 gatherings.

PC Beach

2011-04-25T13:27:00.005-04:00

EJ had some business to take care of in Panama City on Friday so I suggested myself and the kids tag along! He was only away from us for an hour and then we got to have lunch and visit the beach. Unfortunately I failed to pack the bathing suits (not sure what I was thinking) but who needs those anyways..these little water babies had a blast! The water was perfect and beautiful!!

The People Pleaser of the House!

2011-04-15T13:49:00.003-04:00

This little man is sooo sweet...it's funny because when we found out we were having a girl I thought girls are so sweet and loving but in our case it's our little boy that is. Gabe loves to snuggle and give hugs throughout the day. The other day EJ and I were talking about their personalities and how they compared to ours..not sure if he would completely agree with me but I think Gabe takes after me more and Hannah takes after him (help me lol!) Gabe is definitely a people pleaser...he likes to make sure everyones happy, he'll say "u happy?" If I happen to get a scratch or injure myself in some way he's always right there to give it/me a kiss.

He is struggling a little bit right now with listening or obeying as EJ likes to say (he always says he's listening he's just deciding not to obey us) so we have been working on that.

20 Months 20 pounds

2011-03-16T13:31:00.006-04:00

That's right..she has finally hit the big 20 (I actually love how tiny and petite she is..so girly)!

Thankfully I still put notes in her baby book because I have been TERRIBLE about updating the blog with her milestones!

This little girl is something!! I can not even count how many times a day Ej and I are both commenting on how cute she is. She has so much personality..she's spunky, feisty and sweet all at the same time! From what she has shown us so far she will have no problem standing up for herself when she gets older.

Definitely later than I would have guessed (judging by how much she liked to babble as a baby) but she is now building her vocabulary. She says mom, dada, more (mo), cheese, please (ease), yogurt (which sounds like wo-wurt) wa wa (water), bowl, me, no, yes (es), ball, doggie...I can't think of the others right now but I'm sure there are a few more. Since Gabe wasn't talking until he was much older we didn't experience this with him so it's neat going through this with her.

She is still just as clumsy as ever although I think she is starting to realize that she can't fly which means she needs to pay attention when approaching stairs/steps. I love watching her run or when she tries to imitate Gabe jumping...she looks like she is skipping.

I see such a special relationship growing already between Gabe and Hannah and it makes my heart happy!! Of course they don't always get along, but when they do it's so sweet and Gabe can be so gentle with her and truly takes on the role of big brother, he'll even let me know when she is getting into something she's not supposed to...imagine that ;-) I have always had a great relationship with my brother and I pray that will always be able to count on each other through life!

She has been dropping her nap a couple times a week, and still isn't completely sleeping through the night. A couple weeks ago for the first time she slept through the night 2 nights in a row...but has gone back to waking a couple times.

Hannah at 20 months and Gabe at 20 months seems so different to me....not sure if it's a second child thing, but Hannah still seems so little to me and Gabe seemed like such a big boy when he was her age. Regardless I'm happy I still look at her as a "baby" because they do grow up so fast so I just want to cherish all these moments!

Jacksonville Zoo

2011-02-25T15:09:00.002-05:00

Daddy surprised us with a trip to the Jacksonville Zoo and the kids loved it (especially Gabe). He was able to feed the giraffe and we recorded it and he loves watching it, Hannah fed the birds which Gabe wanted no part in doing. It's a really nice zoo and I love that all the extra kid activities they had (train ride, carousel, playground, maze and a little water park area for the warmer months)!

Farewell 2010

2011-01-05T14:21:00.011-05:00

Since I have not blogged in what seems like forever...I have a lot of catching up to do so I can start 2011 off right!

September:
Gabe started soccer and although he seemed to enjoy practice for the most part, the games were another story. I'm glad we did it though, if not for anything else it was good socializing!

Here we are at his last game!

His team

Sitting with Coach Mark

Hannah turned 14 months in September

October:

Fall Festival with Wildwood Preschool

EJ and I celebrated our 5th anniversary

Wonderful weekend trip to the beach

November and December were such a blur and went by so fast, I guess the holidays will do that! Unfortunately my camera broke (which has me heartbroken every time I want to take a picture of the kids...I may not post a lot of pictures but I take a TON so I feel lost without it)

We headed up to NY for Christmas this year and had a blast, the weather was good and the kids loved the snow! On our way there and back we stopped at EJ's dad's house in VA where we also had a good visit!
Despite the long drive the kids did amazing and we couldn't have asked for a better vacation

I'm back...

2010-09-26T15:16:00.006-04:00

Hannah on Gabe's first day of school!

Our little man looking not so little!

Gabe started PK3 and he goes Tues/Thurs mornings, it's only been a few weeks but so far he seems to enjoy it. He's also in soccer now, it started up a couple weeks ago unfortunately poor little man had some nasty virus that had him down and out for almost 10 days, he's had his share of illnesses and none have affected him like this one did so I'm glad to see that it is finally out the door. We should be starting back up with his speech in the next few weeks so he will be a busy little man! We are praying that he will continue to make progress...we've noticed over the past few months that he seems to act self-conscious around other kids and we think he may realize that he's not talking as well which breaks my heart, as a mom you never want to see your child struggle with things and this has definitely been one for him. It's been weighing heavy on my heart as well....I keep wondering if I'm doing something wrong and trying to figure out ways that I can help him through this.

Hannah had croup around the same time Gabe came down with his virus so we had two little sick ones but she recovered pretty quickly. Her little personality has really started to come out especially since she has either EJ or myself all to herself while Gabe is in school Tues/Thurs. She is feisty and stubborn and loves to laugh (which quite often sounds like a cackle) She is getting 2 front molars right now which has affected her sleep but hopefully it won't be too long before she is back on schedule! Although she doesn't eat a lot she is probably one of the healthiest eaters I have ever met...her favorites right now are carrots, ALL fruit, beans, peas, zucchini, tomoatoes.

Week 2, 3 and 4

2010-08-20T08:54:00.010-04:00

Wow since I am so far behind in my blogging I'm going to sum up the rest of our summer trip to NY in one post (mostly pictures since it's been so long I don't even remember everything)

We went blueberry picking several times which the kids thoroughly enjoyed...I had a hard time getting Hannah to eat while we were there but she never turned down a blueberry, I swear most of the time we were there her main source of nutrition was nursing and blueberries.

My mom and I did some canning which was fun, I remember my mom doing this when I was younger but I hadn't done too much of it myself. We made jam (blueberry, peach and blackberry), salsa and pickles. I have to say the salsa was by far the best salsa I have ever had, EJ loves the salsa at certain mexican restaurants and he thought it was just as good if not better! We brought back 3 jars and we already went through 2 of them.

Delicious blueberry jam!

With Uncle Eric on his birthday!!

Other things we did:

Family reunion for my Dad's side of the family (I believe those pictures are on my brother's camera)

Uncle Eric's Birthday

Cousins graduation party

Sew (more like my mom sewed and I tried to keep the kids away)

Roasting marshmallows with Mommy at his first bonfire!

Week 1

2010-07-25T20:33:00.004-04:00

We had a busy first week in NY getting ready for Gabe and Hannah's birthday party which was on the 17th. Gabe had a lot of fun playing with his 2nd cousins, Hannah was too overwhelmed with all the people to leave Mommy's hip! The next day Uncle Eric and my soon to be sister-in-law went with myself and the kids to Sylvan Beach, my favorite maid of honor went with us and Gabe had a great time hanging out with Zach, they couldn't get enough of all the rides!

Hannah was having a hard time adjusting to say the least, she started waking up several times a night and one of those times would be for a couple hours. I honestly felt like I was getting ready to lose my mind, I was running on very little sleep and because she was not getting enough sleep she was cranky during the day and only Mommy could hold her! She's very lucky she's so darn cute!!

The pictures from the Birthday Party are on Uncle Erics camera so I don't have many from our first week

Our little baby turns 1!

2010-07-07T21:17:00.005-04:00

To our baby girl

I can hardly believe you turn one today! And rest assured, I will be saying this for every birthday you and your brother have for the rest of your life.

You are a gift, a jewel, a precious girl. I pray you will be good and kind to others and bring joy to others. Serve HIM with all your heart and love HIM above all else. Know you can talk to me. I will listen. I will pray. There is nothing you could tell me that would change my love for you. I pray for you and your brother every day. I'm even praying for your future husband. Save yourself for him. Many boys will come along, but don't be clouded by their words...there is only one who is truly yours. Wait for him. Smile. Be Polite. Say hello. Be gracious. Be the light God created you to be. I love you and I'm so proud to be your mommy.

And she walks.....

2010-06-26T20:48:00.006-04:00

She took her first step a few days after turning 11 months and then on June 13th was able to take 4 steps at a time. Still not doing it 100% of the time but I'd say we are about 80/20. I think watching a baby learn to walk, their arms out to the side trying to keep balance is sooo adorable!! I've been trying to upload video for months but for some reason can't so hopefully I can get it working soon!

Happy Fathers Day!

2010-06-26T20:23:00.002-04:00

We love you!!!

3 Years Ago Today....

2010-06-14T19:56:00.007-04:00

I gave birth to this precious boy...

And here he is today!

To our Sweet Little Man,

Your Daddy and I can not believe you are 3 today! It seems like just yesterday when I surprised Daddy with the news that we were expecting, we were overcome with such excitement and although we had some struggles and bumps in the road prior, we knew God was in control. Every day I am amazed by you, from the moment you entered my life you have made me better. From the sporadic hugs and kisses that you sprinkle throughout every day to the excitement you show in the little things, I am charmed by you! You are such a great big brother to Hannah, you've already taken on the role of her little protector. It just melts my heart watching the relationship between the two of you blossom. Although it's hard for me to admit you are a Daddy's boy, the two of you have such a great time together, you have a wonderful Daddy! God has truly blessed us with you as our son and words cannot express how much we love you!!

Gabe at 3:

Is starting to try and imitate more words..he had his verbal evaluation with Mrs Rachel (his speech therapist) where he had to repeat 75 words or so (I can't remember the exact amount just know it was a lot) he completely shut down but then in the weeks to follow it seems like he has attempted to copy words we say more!!!
Tested high in receptive (he finished off at the 6/7 yr old level)
Sometimes Hannah does not like to ride in the car so she'll cry/scream and Gabe says Boo (his nickname for her) top (aka stop) and covers his ears
Loves cuddling up with Mommy or Daddy for his bedtime story
Rambunctious high energy boy who apparently doesn't need much sleep (Very rarely naps..which started shortly after turning 2)
Loves to be Mommy/Daddy's little helper
Likes cars, trucks, Curious George, Pooh, trains and is all into "fixing things" even if that means he has to take it apart first

11 months

2010-06-06T21:02:00.005-04:00

These next four weeks will probably be the last time I refer to Hannah's age in months..she will soon be a 1 yr old! Exciting but yet oh so sad for Mommy, at the end of the day when I'm putting the kids to bed after they are asleep I watch them for a little bit and just wonder where the time has gone and then the tears start filling up in my eyes. I love being a Mom and although there are definitely days where I'm so exhausted that I don't think I can make it through the day..there really is nothing I'd rather be.

Hannah at 11 months:

still just moving along furniture and using her push walker, she can go from sitting to standing without holding on to anything and will stand for several minutes thinking about taking the plunge but then decides to get on all fours and crawl to her destination!
In the process of sleep training which is definitely taking a lot longer than it did with Gabe but Gabe loved his paci and Hannah not so much
Is learning to hold her own with Gabe....she never used to care when Gabe would take a toy away, now she will grab his arm and take it back from him which 8 times out of 10 turns into somewhat of a sibling battle (it sure does start early)
Nursing about 6 times and eating 3 meals a day

The Beach House!!

2010-05-17T21:03:00.007-04:00

Last week we were able to go to St George Plantation to the beach house with some friends for a couple days..the kids had a wonderful time and so did we!! It was very relaxing and the beach house was really nice (which definitely helps!) Gabe loved hanging out with Ally, Nicholas and Jonathan but he couldn't get enough of Ally and she was so helpful with him!

Gabe and Ally playing in the water

Gabe loves the beach, Hannah however preferred the pool!

Hannah was able to catch up on her reading

It was only fitting to have Gabe take his picture next to this sign since we have the hardest time keeping clothes on him sometimes!!

10 months

2010-05-15T20:52:00.004-04:00

Still in shock that in 2 short months she will be 1 already and this time last year when we were awaiting the arrival of this little girl 2 months seemed like so long...funny how that works.

Hannah at 10 months:

Says Dada, down and when she points to things it sounds like she is saying dis (this)
Really good at pushing around her walker
Can stand by herself without holding on to anything for long period of time but has not taking any steps yet....she still seems unsure
She is going to be one tough cookie...Gabe has been getting pretty rough with her, he usually ends up in time out because he's too rough
Does not get much one on one time with Mommy or Daddy but when she does she loves it!
Much like her brother has been challenging me with solid foods...she started off so well but has regressed
Still waking up several times a night
Has 4 teeth and is working on 3 more
Several times a day she will just crawl over to me and lay her head on me to snuggle..it's really cute!

We just started sleep training so hopefully Mommy will start to get more sleep!!

She loves the swing!

Just like Mommy she is going to blind someone with those legs!! :-)

NY Trip

2010-05-07T13:35:00.004-04:00

A couple weeks ago we drove up to NY to spend some time with my parents and extended family! The drive up went okay, I had to sit in the back in between the kids most of the way otherwise Hannah wasn't very happy. Unfortunately for me it made me feel a bit carsick which is no fun on a long car ride.
We did stop at EJ's dads house in VA which helped break up the drive and it gave them some time to hang out with the kids. Gabe couldn't get enough of the 4 wheeler!
There wasn't much down time once we got to NY, but we had a great time. I was able to spend some quality time with family and EJ and I had a date night and Gabe loved spending time his Nana and Papa. I was really bad about taking pictures but here are a couple from the zoo. The penguins were definitely Gabe's favorite!

Hannah enjoying the beautiful weather

And this is what EJ did when the kids started fussing in the car (listening to pandora on his phone)!! Can't blame him, I'm not a big fan of driving long distances but I have to say when I was sitting between 2 little ones that were over the car ride I was wishing I was driving!!

9 months!

2010-04-30T20:12:00.003-04:00

This beautiful little girl turned 9 months on 4/7/10, she is so precious and such a blessing to our family!
What is little Miss Hannah up to:

Has figured out how to climb up the 4 steps that we have in the house
Can stand without holding on to anything for a few seconds
Is back to being little miss talkative
Favorite food is bananas
LOVES Mommy as in I usually can't leave the room love, but there ~~may~~ will come a time when she won't want me around so I'm enjoying this time while I can
I'm absolutely amazed at how little she really sleeps and is still waking up 3 times (minimum) a night

NY trip update coming soon.....

Easter

2010-04-30T19:35:00.005-04:00

I just realized yesterday how far behind I am with my blogging and since I pretty much consider this a baby book I have some catching up to do!

We had a very relaxing Easter weekend, Saturday was the Wildwood Easter Egg Hunt, the weather was beautiful and it was a good opportunity to hang out with some great friends and celebrate Jesus!

After church on Sunday, the kids played in the pool and then we headed to our neighbors for some desert (before dinner) My whole easter dinner went out the window when woke up and realized I forgot to take the ham out of the freezer...oops! Well at least we weren't having company for dinner, we settled for some hamburgers and I made the ham the next night!

Hannah isn't looking and Gabe doesn't look very happy but at least EJ and I do!

The boys patiently waiting for the egg hunt

And they're off!

Pony Ride

And this was our photographer :-) !! Such a handsome little man!

Family Pics!

2010-03-22T12:04:00.007-04:00

So these are a couple months old but I keep forgetting to put them up! My Lauren was gracious enough to take the pictures for us, which we are so thankful for (professional ones are just not in the budget right now, besides hers look professional enough for me!) I think she has done pretty much all of our family ones thus far so why stop :-) Thanks again Lauren you are truly like a sister to me and I'm so blessed with your friendship!!!

I've been contemplating...

2010-03-15T22:37:00.002-04:00

a double stroller but who needs one when I've got this....

I was going to take the kids for a walk this afternoon and Gabe decided he wanted to take his bike so I stepped inside to grab it and turned around to see this. As much as he wanted to, I didn't let him go on the walk like this.

For me...

2010-03-09T20:48:00.003-05:00

it doesn't get any cuter than these two!

My favorite outfit...white polo, jeans and flip flops, he looks like such a little man!

Seriously...crawling already!

2010-03-05T10:11:00.004-05:00

Well it's true..Hannah is now mobile, I just can't believe we are already to this stage! She started the army crawl 3-4 weeks ago and has moved on to the on all fours crawling. And truth be told I'm not a huge fan of the crawling stage, mainly because of my own issues, I'm a germaphobe and everything is in the mouth and floors just seem dirty. Thanks to my husband though my floors are as clean as they are going to get, he bought me a steam mop awhile ago and I love it!! I have been trying to upload video's for awhile now and I'm not quite sure what the issue is ( I never used to have a problem) but as soon as I figure it out I'll post one of the crawling!

Hannah 8 months

Crawling
Can go from laying down to sitting up
Has used her crib, table, toys to pull herself up into standing position (doesn't stay up for very long yet)
waves to herself (so cute, she actually started this at 7 months but she's doing it more often now)
Sleeps with Mommy most of the night
Still makes mostly vowel sounds but have heard an occasional m and h sound (just not often)
Definitely biased but I think she has the best smile and she definitely spends most of her day showing it to me
Plays with Gabe more
Not a picky eater so far!

Gabe is doing good as well, he is starting to eat more fruits and veggies (he loves all our fresh organic fruits and veggies!!!) but still loves his smoothies and it's a great way to get those veggies that he doesn't really care for in there such as kale. He is POTTY TRAINED!!! we still do a diaper at night which we probably could switch to underwear, he usually wakes up dry and has woke us in the middle of the night to go potty, but not ready to risk the chance of having to get up in the middle of the night to change bedding so we'll probably wait until Hannah is sleeping better. Gabe has started to say "I want" and has added a few more words to his vocab like me, hide, banana, and fast. It's been a slow progression but I feel like in 2 weeks he has made more progress than in the past 7 months!

Valentines Day!

2010-02-16T13:48:00.002-05:00

Like Father like son....

2010-02-09T13:56:00.002-05:00

EJ got a flat tire last week, so Saturday after work he took Gabe outside with him "to help" change his tire. He loves to watch Daddy and he's great at staying out of the way. So this morning I walked into the living room and found him doing this to his Home Depot truck!!

He used his blocks to prop up his truck so he could change his tire, as EJ would say "Kids are so cool"

I'm a big boy now...

2010-02-07T15:35:00.002-05:00

So potty training started this past Monday...something I was not looking forward to at all. Mainly because I have such a fear of public bathrooms especially when it comes to taking my kids into them.... kids touch everything and lets face it I'm a germaphobe!! All week I've been trying to decide how I'm going to tackle it, haven't come up with anything yet but I'm sure I will in the meantime all my trips out of the house have been limited to 1-2 hours at a time. With all that being said, he has done wonderful, the potty dance has become something we are all familiar with (We have the Pull-Ups commercial bookmarked on the computer!)

My little helpers helped me clean out the kitchen cabinets this week, a majority of this tupperware just served as something to place in "Gabe's cabinet" so I decided to toss most of it since he rarely goes in there anymore

She is lucky she is so darn cute!!! because this little angel is not much of a sleeper, I've never been much of a coffee person but my wonderful husband bought me a soy vanilla latte one day this week and I can't tell you how happy it made me. Too bad for me Starbucks is a bit expensive, and not being able to have dairy limits my options.

I Love IKEA

2010-01-30T20:34:00.003-05:00

Thanks to my husbands great find at IKEA our playroom is much more organized!! He found this bookshelf in the scratch and dent section (it has a tiny dent on the back corner) it was $30 marked down from $70 and EJ got them to go to $20!!!

Her hair is a little crazy these days so I've had to start putting it in pigtails! Her and brother have been playing catch with this ball, she loves it and she's pretty good at catching it when he rolls it to her!

Catching up!

2010-01-22T21:27:00.003-05:00

Ok so I've decided I really need to get better at blogging....so my goal is once a week at least, lets see if I can do it!

Well Hannah is doing great, she has two bottom teeth that have poked through...the first was Jan 7 and the second one was Jan 20 ( I know most people could care less about the dates but it helps me to keep record LOL) A few days before Christmas she started sitting unassisted, which was exciting and heartbreaking at the same time...I just can't believe in a couple weeks she will be 7 months! She started clapping today...she does it with one hand still in a fist which is really cute. She still has blue eyes YAY!! She is waking up a couple times during the night...I blame it on the teething. She has started solids..it's been a slow process, mainly because I keep forgetting to give it to her but what she has had she seems to like.

Eating her banana

On to the monkey...he just got over ther stomach bug, it's very difficult for me to watch my 2yr old vomit, I felt so bad for him. Luckily it only lasted 24 hours and inbetween he was acting like his usual self. He is definitely starting to be more vocal, his actual vocab is still low but the fact that he's vocalizing more is good! He still loves his trains, and he loves to ride his tricycle...he refuses to try and pedal he would rather use his feet to manuever around. Doesn't enjoy sleeping, he'll find any excuse not to sleep. He probably only takes a nap a couple times a week.

Carousel at Seaworld

We have been traveling quite a bit the past couple months...we had our trip to Myrtle Beach for Thanksgiving, then we spent Christmas at St. George Island and we just got back from Orlando. My maid of honor was visiting Orlando from NY so we met her and her family down there. We were able to stay with some good friends which was awesome! Gabe had his first trip to Seaworld and he loved the Shamu show! I think we are staying put until we make our trip up to NY in April, little miss Hannah is not a fan of the car so she need a little break!

Just some pics!

2009-12-13T15:00:00.003-05:00

I don't have too much time to write but I wanted to at least put up some pics!

Gabe on the carousel in Myrtle Beach

Hannah napping with her dolly

Gabe and Hannah in their matching PJ's....whenever I get Gabe's out he runs to get Hannah's and he won't wear his unless she's wearing hers!! She really likes her big brother, she's pulling him to come back to her in the picture above

Hannah is 5 months now!

Loves big brother and nobody can make her laugh like him
I would almost say she's down to 1 nap a day but she occasionally takes one in the am for about 30min
weighs about 14lbs
Is well aware that she doesn't have to be left alone now so Mommy wears her during the day
Does not want to miss out on anything, is easily distracted while eating and has a hard time sleeping anywhere but home (and it has to be pretty quiet..which can be tough with Gabe) she didn't even nap in Myrtle Beach, luckily she was still as happy as could be!

Gabe found the baby powder and decided to shake it all over the living room

Gabe at 2.5 yrs

Still doesn't talk a whole lot but has made progress! Has speech once a week and she says he's just going to be a late talker
Loves his sister and has become pretty gentle with her
Loves trains and cars!!
His favorite thing to eat (actually drink) right now is his morning smoothie and I've been sneaking veggies into it and he still likes them
Loves to play outside with Kai and Daddy

4 months...

2009-11-10T15:58:00.005-05:00

Hannah at 4 months.....

Dr's appt isn't until next week so I'm not sure of her current weight but I would guess around 14lbs (she's long and petite..although she does have some rolls in the thigh area!)
I could listen to her coo all day...such a sweet sound!
Has a "real" laugh now and is pretty ticklish under her arm ( I was taking off her onesie one day when she started cracking up everytime I touched under her arm)
Loves to stare at her daddy!
She slept better a month ago LOL....she only eats once from 7pm -630am but she does wake up an additional one or two times not sure why but honestly it doesn't bother me too much because I know this time will not last forever and I want to take advantage of the snuggle time even if it leaves me a little sleep deprived!
Due to her length wears mostly 6 months clothes
Doesn't like the car (which should make for an interesting trip to SC in a couple weeks)
Rolls from tummy to back
Has beautiful blue eyes
likes to play with her feet
is growing up too fast

And what's a post without a picture of Gabe (and his new haircut courtesy of Daddy)

Mommy and her Sous Chefs

2009-11-06T09:35:00.005-05:00

I decided to make more pumpkin cookies the other day since I can't have dairy products, these delicious little treats help with the sweet tooth (although they are more like a bread)

Gabe was very excited about helping, he took his job very seriously!

This little girl just supervised and chatted up a storm, it won't be long before she's trying to boss her big brother around.

Finished product....DELICIOUS..and yes they are already gone but in my defense I did send a good amount to the office with EJ

The Lamb and the Soldier!

2009-11-06T08:34:00.004-05:00

Here are our little munchkins in their costumes! Gabe was a little soldier boy, however it was 85 degrees out so we didn't put him in the fleece lined shirt regardless he was a cutie!

I swear this child is always smiling, and yet I still can't get enough! She's laughing now, especially when we play peek-a-boo!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-27T21:19:00.003-04:00

Playgroup met at the pumpkin patch and I was able to get a couple cute shots of Hannah and Gabe!

Time sure does fly!

2009-10-07T15:42:00.009-04:00

Hannah is 3 months today, today also happens to be my mom's birthday....Happy Birthday Mom/Nana!!
It seemed like only yesterday I gave birth to this precious little girl.

She loves to talk/coo especially when she's getting her diaper changed
Today is her first full day in cloth diapers...so far we love them
Poor thing is also struggling with her first cold :-(
I've discovered over the past few days, at the courtesy of the pumpkin bars I made, that although not nearly as bad as her brother she does have a little issue w/dairy
She is trying so hard to laugh, and the sound that comes out instead is adorable
Smiles at everyone and everything
She is grasping at her toys
She finds her brother very entertaining
She has narrowed her naps down to 3x a day

Gabe is also sick, which is probably how Hannah got sick, he does like to share with his sister :-)
Last week Gabe had his first official appointment with his speech therapist, he has had several tests and most say he's just a late talker but they recommend speech to help get him started so we'll see :-) The good thing is that he has scored above average on his auditory comprehension so they think once he starts really talking he'll pick it up quickly. She comes to the house once a week for an hour and he seems to enjoy it especially since she brings new games for him to play

My two little sicklings

Hannah in her cute little diaper!

Gabe hanging out with his sister in her bumbo

Gabe and Daddy!

I was just looking at my last post and Gabe was sick then too...poor thing :-(

2009-09-17T14:53:00.007-04:00

Poor little man is not feeling too good today

and little miss Hannah is having a fussy day

probably due to what is under this pink camo band-aid

Yesterday was Hannah's two month check up and the doc said she looks great and is beautiful! She was 12lbs even and has grown 3.5 inches already!

Look at those feet!

2009-09-07T08:51:00.003-04:00

One of the first things the nurse said when Hannah was born was "Wow she's got some long feet" and since then many people have commented the same.
She hasn't but her feet have already outgrown her 3 month footed PJ's, looks like she's going to have Woolridge feet!

I don't think they look much alike but some do, here is a picture of Gabe when he was about the same age.

Back from NY

2009-09-04T08:39:00.004-04:00

We are back in Tally after 3 weeks in NY, we had a great time and I'm happy to report that the kids did GREAT on the drive back. We drove about 9 hours one day and 12 the next, I honestly thought it was going to take us forever with me having to stop and feed little miss Hannah every couple hours but luckily she is a very sufficient eater so we still made great time!!
A couple days before we left the Fall weather was starting to set in (low 70's) and I'm hoping it won't be too long before the same happens here!!! I'm definitely a T-shirt and jeans kinda girl so summertime in FL is not for me :-)

I haven't had a chance to go through all the pics yet but here is one I took yesterday that I think is too cute! Hannah just loves to smile so it's not hard to get her to smile for the camera and Gabe loves an opportunity to say cheese!

This is for the Johnsons....

2009-08-23T20:31:00.004-04:00

Well it's no secret that I'm a Yankees fan but my dear dear friends the Johnsons are Red Sox fans so these next two pics are for you guys Go Yankees....love ya!!!

And I couldn't resist adding this pic because I thought she looked adorable!!

Sooo Big!

2009-08-21T21:31:00.004-04:00

It's amazing how quickly they grow, I remember feeling like Gabe was getting big fast but it somehow feels even quicker with Hannah. I'm sure the fact that she's the second child could have a lot to do with it, with Gabe I could spend all day holding him if I wanted (which I often did) but it's not as easy to do that the second time around, however we still make sure we get our snuggle time in!! She is a great baby, the poor girl does have some stomach issues which can cause her to get fussy but who can blame her I would be too.

We have been in NY for a week and a half now and Gabe has really enjoyed being able to spend as much time as he wants outside (since I hibernate in the summer in FL LOL) He even went to work with Papa for a couple hours one day..he's all about trucks right now so the fact that Papa has access to all the big tractors and bulldozers is very exciting for him!

Getting ready for bath time...which she loves!!

Riding on the bulldozer with Papa

Going to visit Papa at work

Long story, let's just say it took longer to calm mommy down than Gabe! but with a butterfly and scooby doo band-aid everything is OK!

This girl does not like her tummy time...this seems to be the only way I can sneak it in

Our "new normal"

2009-08-02T20:46:00.007-04:00

We are adjusting pretty well as a family of four! Gabe has definitely had his moments, mostly with being defiant which is probably a combination of the transition and the terrible 2's but I feel as each day goes by that he's getting used to the "new normal" and I'm so proud of him. Hannah loves to sleep (a girl after my own heart!) but she is awake more and more each day so I guess my true test of how I'm handling two kids will start when she spends most of her day awake! The good news is that I don't feel too sleep deprived, don't get me wrong I'm definitely tired but she's doing great at night so I'm only waking up a few times.

It's funny how different Hannah already is from Gabe:

she likes to sleep, Gabe not so much!
she's content (for the most part) being held while I'm sitting on the couch, with Gabe you had to be moving while you were holding him - which is so funny because even to this day he hates to sit still :-)

Although he can be rough, I can tell that Gabe is going to be a very protective and loving big brother. He loves to hold her hand and wants to give her a kiss first thing in the morning!

I realize I'm missing a picture of Hannah and Daddy (except for Daddy's hands in the second picture), as soon as I upload them I'll post one!

Hannah Grace!

2009-07-20T09:19:00.005-04:00

This beautiful baby girl made her grand entrance into the world on 7/7 weighing in at 7lbs7oz and ironically enough her hospital ID # was 707!

She came just a few days early, at my Dr appt that day they did a non-stress test and decided that she was showing some signs of distress during contractions so since I was already 4cm they wanted to go ahead and admit me and break my water. Thankfully the labor was 12 hours shorter than Gabe's, after 3.5 hours of labor she was here!

We are so thankful to Ashley, Kai, Mark and Karen for helping out with Gabe while we were in the hospital, we could never have done it without you guys (well I guess we wouldn't have had a choice because she was coming one way or another :-) but it definitely put our mind at ease knowing he was in good hands)

Gabe meeting Hannah for the first time!

My Lauren gave birth to her little Blakey the day before Hannah arrived so we were in the hospital together! Here the two are meeting for the first time :-)

Happy Fathers Day!!!!

2009-06-21T08:05:00.002-04:00

Your such a wonderful father to Gabe and I know you will be just as wonderful with Hannah! Thank You for being such a great husband...We Love You!

Two years ago today.......

2009-06-14T20:53:00.005-04:00

we welcomed this beautiful baby boy into our lives!!!!

and in less than 4 weeks he will become a big brother!

2009-05-24T21:17:00.006-04:00

I can't believe I'm 33.5 weeks already, little Hannah is going to be here before we know it! Gabe keeps telling me he wants her out (in sign language..it's really cute) hopefully he is just as excited when she actually is out!!
Gabe has been such a joy and we are soaking up all the time we have with him until he's no longer the only child and look forward to watching him be a big brother to his little sister!!! He's completely in his big boy bed and has been for about a month now, I love being able to lay down with him and read to him before bed. He really loves when mommy and daddy lay with him!
With the exception of being extremely exhausted all the time I've been doing pretty well through this pregnancy. This weekend is my very dear friend Lauren's baby shower, she is due just 6 days after me! I'm so excited to help celebrate her little boy and can't wait to meet him, it will be fun watching the two of them grow up together!!

Kisses

2009-04-26T19:29:00.004-04:00

We haven't been up to much, I've been car-less for the past couple weeks but hopefully this week I'll have a vehicle! It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be but it will sure be nice to be able to take Gabe to the park or to play with his friends!

Here we are almost 30 weeks!!

Giving Hannah Kisses :-)

Final Stretch..

2009-04-07T09:00:00.003-04:00

The third trimester is here! It's hard to believe we will be meeting a very special baby girl in about 13 weeks. The things I'm nervous about this time are very different than the first time around. If my mom is able to make it in time for the birth that would alleviate my worry about Gabe!!
Three weeks from now I was placed on bedrest w/Gabe so hopefully that doesn't happen this time around (especially since it's almost impossible to do so w/a toddler LOL)

Most already know but we have decided on a name (amazing since Gabe wasn't decided until the way to the hospital!!)

HANNAH GRACE GARCIA

Gabe's newest little buddy!

2009-03-17T12:35:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I was FINALLY able to meet adorable little Cade (our friends Ryan and Ashley's newest little one). Gabe was sick w/the stomach bug when this little man decided to make a very unexpected entrance into the world, we are just happy that he is home and healthy! It will be fun to see the 3 little boys playing together once Cade is old enough!

Gabe always seems pretty interested in little ones so I'm curious to see how he is when his little sister joins us in a few months!!

Update

2009-03-15T08:07:00.003-04:00

I have not been very good about taking pregnancy pics this time around but I plan on getting better! Here is a pic at 23 weeks and a few days.

We went to alligator point this past weekend, it was perfect weather - 75, cloudy and a breeze (perfect for me anyways!) Gabe had a blast and I just loved watching him smile and laugh all day!

Now this is a bubble bath....

2009-02-13T20:11:00.003-05:00

Gabe loves his bubble baths....they usually aren't like this but he hit the button for the jets and this is what he ended up with!!!

Orlando Trip

2009-02-13T19:51:00.003-05:00

As most know EJ is a big basketball fan and lucky for him I have connections LOL! One of my friends from college is the athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets and they played Orlando Magic (EJ's team) on Wednesday night so I was able to get some tickets. What made the trip even better was that we were able to stay w/some friends Nate and Joy and their adorable little girl Laila. Although it was very quick trip we really enjoyed being able to hang out and catch up with them!!

Gabe was anxious to get out the door (if he only knew he was about to sit in the car for 4 hours LOL)
He even packed his own bag and carried it out to the car!

Gabe did very well sharing toys w/Laila (for the most part!)

Before we left, he went to give Laila a hug I told him he had to be gentle so he just layed his head on her chest..it was really cute

Thanks again Nate and Joy!!! Hopefully we can take the kids to Disney together someday :-)

In 5 short months.....

2009-02-09T11:35:00.006-05:00

we will go from a family of 3 to a family of 4!! We will be welcoming our baby girl on or around July 11th. We are very excited for Gabe to have a little sister to watch over. Everything is going good, we've had to see a specialist a few times because there is a fold in the placenta but the Dr said this morning that it was looking better so we just feel truly blessed to be able to have this opportunity again! I will post a picture soon!

Till then here's a picture of the big brother

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-02T19:55:00.006-05:00

Wow it has been a really long time since I've actually blogged (w/the exception of my Kinley blog) I guess things just got busy around the Garcia household. We stayed in town for Thanksgiving and we headed up to New York for Christmas! Flying is never fun w/a toddler but this flying experience was the worst and not because of Gabe but because of the service and all the extra fee's. Although it would take us 19 hours to drive we have decided to start driving more often (we spent 12 hours in the airport and on the airplane just on the way back) that way we can take our time and it will cost us half as much, especially since we'll have to start paying for a seat for Gabe.
We had a wonderful Christmas, Gabe had so much fun, he loved opening up all his gifts. He was very excited about the tricycle from Nana and Papa! This was his first time in the snow, he wasn't to sure about walking around in it at first but he got the hang of it and he LOVED sledding which I don't blame him I love it too.

Gabe w/his Papa at the airport!!

Daddy pulling him on the sled

Gabe and Mommy on the sled

Kinley Reese!!

2008-12-19T12:35:00.004-05:00

Our dear friends David and Kailee just welcomed their beautiful baby girl into the world this morning!! I couldn't wait to get up to the hospital this morning to meet Kinley, she is adorable and Kailee did an awesome job!!! We are so excited and look forward to watching her grow up with big sister Avery!
We love you guys!!!

Kinley Reese
8lbs

2008-10-26T15:57:00.000-04:00

As snuggly as a Teddy Bear

2008-10-25T20:52:00.009-04:00

Last night we went to the Fall Festival at church...we all had a great time! I realized last night that it is almost impossible for us to socialize at an event like this because we spend a majority of the time chasing after the little monkey, (or in the case of last night, bear!). I'm really not quite sure where he gets all the energy ( too bad there isn't a way to transfer some of that energy my way LOL). Needless to say we have a very active child, we are always saying how he will probably have to be involved in a sport all year round (which is exciting ...I love going to sporting events)! As much energy as he takes from us we wouldn't want it any other way...we love it and he's so entertaining!!

He did sit for about 45 seconds while playing w/the crayons!

He won a prize at the coin toss...such good aim!

Earlier this week we went to the pumpkin patch, Gabe was very excited over all these pumpkins. He was trying to pick them all up ( I was surprised at some of the ones he did pick up) It was a great activity for us to do after dinner so he could get out all that energy!

Gabe and Addie

The finished product!!!!

2008-10-04T19:13:00.003-04:00

Well I finally finished my first sewing project.....a grocery cart cover. Every time we went to the store I would complain about how it didn't really cover the cart so I thought maybe I'll make one. Lauren and myself who knew nothing about sewing ( which is really sad since my mom is so great at it....too bad she's not here to teach us) deciding to take on the task. We probably should have started w/something a little easier but I'm glad we didn't because I love it and we had fun!! I got to use it today and it worked great, it has two pockets and a tote to carry it in.

I went in to check on Gabe the other night and I thought he looked too precious sleeping on his pillow so I had to take a picture

I only hope he is able to get this comfortable tonight....the poor thing is sick. He hasn't slept all day, he tried but just as he would nod off he'd wake up coughing or sneezing. Hopefully tonight goes better

Just a few pics!

2008-09-12T12:41:00.003-04:00

Gabe decided to help me pick out meals this week!

Gabe with one of his best friends Avery!! Gabe loves her (he gave her several hugs that day) and she is very good with him. She'll be a great big sister!

Labor Day

2008-09-01T20:13:00.003-04:00

Today we went over to our friends Lauren and Krayton's for a cookout.....I love cookouts!! We are waiting on a part for our grill so we haven't been able to grill out in a month or so and we were used to doing it once a week so it was nice eating grilled food today :-) Here are a couple pics. Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!!

2008-08-27T12:50:00.003-04:00

To our wonderful friends Lauren and Krayton......we Love you guys!!!!

and I thought you'd appreciate this one Lauren....he still won't let me brush them though

One step forward...two steps back...

2008-08-25T09:29:00.008-04:00

It could be worse.....that is what I was telling myself on Saturday. This New Yorker has not endured too many tropical storms......snow storms yes, but the snow never came in the house, and that is what the rain did on Saturday. As most of you may know we have this wonderful master suite that we basically designed when purchasing our new house, we hadn't yet moved into it (we've been using the closet and bathroom but we're not sleeping in it) because we still had some things that needed to be done first that were expensive so we were waiting (we have the old master that we've been staying in so we weren't really in a rush). Anyways EJ had plans Saturday morning so he was up bright and early only to discover that our closet was soaked...no biggie we just pulled up the carpet, pulled out the shop vac and sucked up the water. I thought that was the end of it until I went to do laundry and saw two inches of water in the laundry room which was then running under the wall into the bathroom. Once again we just sucked it up, but the rain didn't stop, it kept pouring in. The real trouble started when the power went out because then we couldn't use the shop vac so we were manually scooping up water, we were filling a 5 gallon bucket in less than 5 minutes, this went on for several hours. Luckily EJ didn't give up because I definitely did a few times. What we are even more grateful for is the great friends that God has surrounded us with: David was running all over town (in the storm) looking for a generator and water pump, Mark and Carl were helping EJ scoop water and Kim was watching Gabe so I could help clean up and Kailee cooked for us on Sunday. It was a hectic weekend and we never would have been able to do it on our own. So needless to say we have a little more work to do now before we can move into the master suite.

I don't have pictures of our flooding incident but I do have this picture of Gabe eating one of his new fav's!

I've been wanting to be more crafty so while I was in NY my mom and I went to Jo Anns and I found this fabric that I loved so decided to make some pillows with it, well actually my mom made these pillows, which doesn't make me very crafty if my mom does it :-) I really wanted to do it but I ran out to time up there. So for my first real project I want to make a shower curtain....should be easy I just have to find some fabric that I like!

We're Back

2008-08-16T19:53:00.003-04:00

We're back in Tally. EJ joined us the last 5 days and the week seemed to fly by, I didn't really get to do all that I wanted while he was there but nonetheless we had a good time. We had a EJ and Shannon day which was fun, we went to the zoo walked around downtown and enjoyed some very yummy restaraunts, if you are ever in the Syracuse area, Bangkok Thai is delicious (I've been craving it ever since we ate there) I either forgot or just never realized how many restaraunts are in the Syracuse area and such a variety...I think we could eat at a different place every day for 3 or 4 yrs. Our last day we took EJ blueberry picking, he had never been and I wanted some blueberries to bring home w/us, I think EJ was a fan.....I'm not sure who ate more while we were there Gabe or EJ.

We also were able to spend a little time w/EJ's dad and Katherine who were in the area for a reunion. We had breakfast then walked along the beach and watched Gabe chase the birds, it was a nice visit.

I also was able to see Audrey and meet her little bundle of joy Zachary....he was so tiny and cute! It will be fun watching the two of them play together when Zachary is older

Audrey, Rich and the little man

Gabe wasn't cooperating for the family pic, this was the best of the bunch

Tractors and Blueberries!

2008-08-05T20:09:00.004-04:00

What a busy day for the little man, we started off the morning blueberry picking which I was very excited about and Gabe loved running all over the place! Then me, my mom and Gabe went to the beach for a little bit...he didn't go in far but he had fun in the water. I think Gabes favorite part of the day might have been going to visit Papa at work because he got to ride in the big tractor and if there is one thing I have learned from this trip it is that Gabe loves the big trucks, tractors and the golf cart!! Every morning when we go outside he runs right to the golf cart, not sure what I'm going to do when we get home...we might have to invest in one :-) Well I just thought I would share some of the cute pics I got from the day!!

On his way out to pick those blueberries!

I emptied his bucket into the larger bucket we had...he's wondering where they all went :-)

He was hired for the day...we're just waiting on his paycheck!

This picture didn't come out so good because of the reflectors on my dads vest but I love the look on Gabe's face (very excited to be in the truck)

Week One

2008-08-04T14:34:00.003-04:00

We have already been in NY a week, time has gone by fast but we have really enjoyed our visit so far! The weather has been great....Gabe can't get enough, I swear he would live outside if I'd let him. He's probably not going to be too happy w/me when we get back to FL because it's too hot to be outside as much. Here are a couple pictures from last week

Leavin on a jet plane........

2008-07-27T19:44:00.002-04:00

Well tomorrow morning Gabe and I head up to NY, today I have been driving myself crazy packing. I always tell myself that I'm not going to wait until the last minute but I ALWAYS do! Hopefully I'll get some sleep tonight because it will be an early morning.

Last night was Jessica's wedding and we had alot of fun...Gabe did so much better than I thought especially considering he didn't get a nap all day. He was on the dance floor w/all the girls!! I'm sure the photographer snapped some cute pictures.

Congrats again Sam and Jessica!!!

Mommy's little helper

2008-07-15T19:50:00.003-04:00

Gabe really enjoys helping me vacuum and sweep....I have a feeling this won't last as long as I'd like :-) but I'll definitely take the help for now!

We're not big on letting Gabe watch too much TV but there are a couple shows that if he's interested we let him watch and his favorite would have to be Curious George. It's on in the morning right after breakfast and he likes to sit on Kai while he watches.....it's amazing she just lays there as if he wasn't sitting on her.

Fun in the Sprinkler!!

2008-07-13T20:34:00.007-04:00

Since it has been so HOT (of course being from NY I get uncomfortable once it hits 86) I've been filling Gabe's kiddie pool up a couple times a week so we can play outside and be cool, today EJ and I decided to get out the sprinkler. He loved it!! Here are a few pics:

Getting sprayed in the face.....he thought it was funny!

In two weeks Gabe and I head up to NY for a couple weeks and EJ will join us the last 5 days. We are very excited and I'm looking forward to some cooler weather (hopefully that works in my favor and NY doesn't go through a heatwave while I'm there). In these next two weeks before we leave we have two weddings to go to....which I'm looking forward to, I love weddings!! Now all I have to do is find something to wear for myself and Gabe.

Feeding the Ducks!!

2008-07-09T13:14:00.004-04:00

EJ and I took Gabe to feed the ducks at Lake Ella, he loved throwing the bread (the only problem is now he thinks it's okay to throw his food!). Gabe did end up scaring them away because when we ran out of bread.....he started throwing little pebbles at them, I guess he thought they would eat anything he threw at them :-)

Congratulations Rich and Audrey!!!

2008-06-30T08:34:00.005-04:00

Last night one of my oldest and dearest friends Audrey gave birth to a healthy baby boy Zachary Jason, he was 6lbs 14oz. They weren't expecting him for 2 more weeks but are very excited he's finally here! Congrats again guys, I can't wait to meet him next month.

He seems so teeny tiny but I guess compared to Gabe's 8lbs 2oz he is LOL!

Happy Birthday Papa!!

2008-06-24T09:51:00.004-04:00

Happy Birthday!! We miss you and can't wait to see you next month.

Playtime!

2008-06-24T09:20:00.005-04:00

Today I had the pleasure of watching our friends Ashley and Ryan's little boy Reed. Gabe and Reed are two weeks apart so it's alot of fun watching them play together. They did so well and I actually was able to get more done around the house than usual because they were so content playing with each other. The whole time I was thinking this is what it would be like to have twins. Not that they run in my family but I think it would be fun to have twins....of course I know the first several months would be tough.

Here are some pics from the morning

They really enjoyed bubble time....

they both started crying when the bubbles ran out

Gabe had fun pushing Reed around on his truck

And here is the big boy is his new big boy car seat!

2008-06-21T15:25:00.002-04:00

A few days ago Gabe had his 12 month check up...of course more shots but he handled it pretty well, better than I would!

I thought these pictures were cute so I wanted to share.

bIrtHdAy fUn aNd fAtHeRs dAy!!

2008-06-15T21:07:00.010-04:00

Gabe really enjoyed himself on his birhtday and so did we. He started off the morning on the webcam with Nana, Papa, and Uncle Eric then Grandma Barcio and Jerry came by to see the birthday boy and he unwrapped his gifts all by himself - he loved ripping the wrapping paper. At lunch time we gave him his cupcake and he loved it (it was carrot cake). In the afternoon our good friends Lauren and Krayton came over! Here are just a few of the pics we took on the big day.

The next day was EJ's second fathers day...we just brought Gabe home from the hospital last fathers day. EJ is such a wonderful Daddy, he loves every moment he spends with the little man and Gabe does too. Thank-you for all you do for our family, Happy Fathers Day!!

Happy Birthday to Our Sweet Little Boy!!!

2008-06-14T07:02:00.008-04:00

June 14, 2007

June 14, 2008

Gabe,

Your dad and I cannot believe that it has been an entire year since you blessed us with your little presence. Every day I look at you and see this little miracle that God has given us on loan for a little while and am in awe. Until you were born I had never known the love that happens between a mother and her child. It is the most powerful love I have ever felt. It is like loving you with my whole being. You will always be loved and taken care of because no matter how much we love you, God loves you more.

Thank you for a great 1st year...

A Boy's Best Friend!

2008-06-08T20:18:00.010-04:00

Here are some pics of Gabe with one of his best friends...Kai! When we first brought Gabe home from the hospital, I don't think Kai was to sure about him - mostly because she was used to being the baby of the house. From time to time though we would find her laying next to his crib or wherever he happened to fall asleep, she was always keeping an eye out for him. Well as Gabe gets older and plays with her more they have become the best of pals, it's so cute watching them play together. I tried getting some cute pictures but you know how it is when you see them doing something cute, by the time you get the camera the moment has passed. Boxers are really great with kids!

Our friends Nate and Joy recently had their little baby girl on June 2 (Congratulations guys she's beautiful!!) we went over to see them the other day and Nate gave the guys a cigar and EJ
decided to have his the other night...Gabe looks like he wanted to try but mommy said no way!

All Better!

2008-06-02T15:13:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it's been a month since I blogged. The past two weeks Gabe has been a bit under the weather. I thought he had an ear infection so I took him to the Dr., no ear infection but the next night he started vomiting ALOT and it went on for about 4 days. Anyone who knows Gabe knows he smiles all the time and he went 3 days without a single smile, it was so sad. He had a stomach virus and I have a feeling he got it from that little trip to the Dr office. Then of course mommy got the virus, but we are all better now!! Now Gabe just has to put back on the weight he lost....sounds easy enough however this child is still not big on the solid foods - I'm open to suggestions if anyone has any.

I finally found unsalted pretzels..who knew they would be so hard to find. Gabe gets very excited when I ask him if he wants one, you would think he would eat more than 2 :-)

This would have to be one of his favorite times of the day....BATH TIME!!

Riding on daddy's shoulders

What a big boy!

2008-05-01T13:46:00.005-04:00

I was taking some pictures of Gabe the other day and when I uploaded them to the computer and looked at them I realized he was no longer a baby, he has transitioned from looking like a baby to looking like a toddler. It literally brought tears to my eyes....my little boy is becoming a big boy. Although it makes me sad, at the same time it brings great joy to my heart to watch him grow - he has been such a blessing to our lives!

It looks like he's doing an advertisement for cheerios LOL!

Last night EJ and I took Gabe to the park - he had such a good time and now that he's a big boy he can go down the slide all by himself! Here are a couple of pictures.

Catching Up!

2008-04-26T13:47:00.010-04:00

We got back from our trip to NY about a week ago now, we had a really good time but we are happy to see Daddy again!. It was really nice for Gabe to spend that quality time with his Nana and Papa. He had his first trip to the zoo, his favorite animal I would have to say was a toss up between the lion and the monkey, which is kinda of funny because you have one that's pretty entertaining (the monkey's) and then the lion which just lays there.

Two things he really enjoyed while we were up there were 1. Stairs he loved to climb these stairs which kept everyone in the house on their toes, he became extremely quick at climbing them. The second thing was chicken...I cooked him chicken one night because he hadn't tried it yet and he loved it (YAY!!) He seems to be a pretty picky eater thus far so I was very happy to find something that he enjoyed so much. While we were there he also had two more teeth pop through so now he has 4 on top and 2 on the bottom.

The next few pictures are from the park that's down the street from my parents house.

And here's a picture of my little Yankee fan!!

A couple days ago Grandpa Garcia came into town so Gabe has been able to spend some time with him and show off all his new skills he's acquired since the last time he's seen him.

Last Sunday 4/20 we went to the hospital to see our good friends Micah and Danielle and welcome their little girl Sophie into the world....Congratulations guys, she's beautiful!!!!!!!!! We look forward to watching her and Gabe play together when she gets older.

The Beach!

2008-03-30T13:08:00.010-04:00

We took our first little mini vacation as a family (outside of visiting family) we went to Daytona Beach for a few days. It was Gabe's first time, he really enjoyed the sand as for the ocean he's a little unsure - I think the waves were overwhelming (it was pretty chilly too). He did however enjoy the pool! It would be nice to live closer to the beach, it's difficult to go often when it takes a couple hours to get to it.
Gabe and I are getting ready to go to NY next week, I'm a little nervous flying with him by myself since he is such a busy body. I flew with him by myself when he was 4 months old but that was easy because he just slept. I'm just praying that it wont be that bad especially if I get a few new toys- the way back is what will be tough since they have us flying all over the US (we have 2 or 3 layovers yuck!) We will definitely miss Daddy while we are gone, this will be the first time away from him for this long (we are sad that he can't come with us)

Here are some pics from the beach.

He loves his baths so I imagined he would love the pool, it's like an enormous bath tub. He did try to dive out of his float though.

This is a short video clip of him playing in the sand!

9 months!!

2008-03-18T15:38:00.003-04:00

I can't believe Gabe is 9 months already the time goes by so fast....he had his check up the other day and he is doing great, he weighs 20.5 lbs now (which according to the charts is still above average). He has been working hard on two things lately: Walking and Teething, the walking is going well (which I've attached a very brief video of his progress) with the exception of all the bumps and scratches we've come across, but the teething has just been causing some restless nights but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel because one has pierced the skin! (which will be his 3rd tooth).

Look....No Hands!!

2008-03-05T10:26:00.002-05:00

Last night Gabe seemed pretty determined to walk so I finally caught him on video taking some steps!

2008-03-05T09:59:00.004-05:00

Here's a clip of him playing catch with Daddy!

On our way to recovery!

2008-02-27T10:41:00.006-05:00

Half of the Garcia household has been under the weather the past couple weeks. While my mom and brother were here, we had to make our first trip to urgent care for Gabe, it was a friday evening and we didn't think it would be good to wait until Monday to take him to his pediatrician. Poor thing had bronchitis and an ear infection with the exception of how he was sleeping (and of course the coughing) you never would have known he was sick, he was still going like the energizer bunny. Shortly after my mom and brother left I came down with it (at least it waited for them to leave) it was rough but I'm feeling much better and we are very thankful that EJ didn't get it.

Some exciting news..Gabe's baptized!! Two weeks ago in front of our friends and family Pastor Bob baptized Gabe, it was a very exciting day for us. Everyday is a true reminder of this awesome gift that God gave us.

On Feb. 7, Gabe took 3 steps without assistance from us or furniture (I didn't witness it so I wasn't sure if I believed it really happened :-) but then a week later I saw him take a few steps! So I guess we are on our way to walking....he's just taking a few steps here and there, he's had a couple hard falls so I think he's a little nervous but he is becoming quite a pro at standing on his own for long periods of time.

I think we have the future Yankees pitcher living with us...he can really throw a ball - I was surprised at how far he can throw it. His favorite game is for us to roll the ball to him and then he throws it back to us, it's amazing how well he can throw in our direction too.

2008-01-29T09:33:00.001-05:00

We are all doing very well, the past few weeks have been pretty busy. We celebrated EJ's birthday on the 19th...we went to a Brazilian steakhouse which we really enjoyed. It was nice to casual eat the whole time we were there instead of your food coming out all at once. Gabe stood on his own for a few seconds without assistance and he's starting make more sounds when he talks, he said da da yesterday. He tried some applesauce today, it's hard to tell but I think he liked it, lets just say he didn't fight it as much. He's not to fond of sweet potatoes and he seems to tolerate cereal.The house is still coming along....as I write the plumber is actually here right now so by the end of the day we could have all of our bathrooms functioning (as long as we don't come across anymore missing parts LOL) Well that's all the news I have for now.

Mom what is this stuff??

2008-01-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

Well a few days ago Gabe had his first taste of solids, it was banana and as you can tell from his face he didn't like it too much :-) When I tried to give him some more he backed his head away and shut his mouth....it was pretty funny. He hasn't shown much interest in starting solids but we are going to try some sweet potato tomorrow morning so we'll see how that goes! I'm making his baby food which I enjoy doing and it doesn't take any time at all, I made sweet potato and carrots yesterday, we will probably try the carrots some time next week.

Here are some pics I took of Gabe which I forgot to upload under family photos but I had to add them because I think he looks too cute!!

Family Photos

2008-01-13T16:18:00.001-05:00

Here are some Family photos that our friend Eric took for us! Gabe missed his nap so he was pretty tired but overall I think he did well. It was however difficult to get a picture with all three of us looking :-) We are very satisfied with how they came out though, Eric did a great job!!
Well Gabe is all over the place, he's been pulling up on the furniture for a few weeks and he's becoming a pro at moving along it, walking is just around the corner. He also cut two teeth, the first was on Jan. 3 and the second was on Jan. 7. With the exception of some interrupted sleep it didn't seem to bother him too much and actually I think it was the congestion that was causing him to wake up. I have also started the baby sign language, it will of course be awhile before he starts using it but it seems like he's starting to understand what some of them mean.

Gabe's First Christmas

2008-01-03T18:00:00.001-05:00

I'm definitely a little delayed on getting some pictures up from Christmas. Gabe has been keeping me very busy. We really enjoyed his first Christmas, and he did very well opening his gifts! I think he was a little overwhelmed...not sure what to play with first. We had a very relaxed morning, EJ made breakfast and then Gabe took his morning nap. Once he woke up we opened presents and then headed to his mom's house for dinner. Here are a few of the pictures we took of him with his new toys!

And he's off......

2007-12-14T13:48:00.000-05:00

Here is a video of him crawling.....so I thought it would take him a little bit to get the hang of it, boy was I wrong he made his first little scoot last monday and by wednesday he was moving right along. Now he's even started trying to pull himself up on things, everything is happening so fast. He goes for his 6 month check up on Monday...more shots (yuck) .

Time to Babyproof!

2007-12-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

Well Gabe has been getting up on all fours and rocking for over a month now but yesterday he actually moved forward a couple of times. My first thought was he's mobile now, I'm in trouble :-) , but it's so amazing to watch them grow and learn new things. Whats funny is I was watching him when he did it and I said.. Yay good job and he just looked at me and smiled but I don't think he had any idea what he just did!! So anyways I'm thinking I still have a couple weeks (maybe ) until he's really good at it, which hopefully by then the house will finally be put back together because babyproofing now would definitely be difficult. I was going to post a video however I ran out of tape so as soon as I transfer everything to a DVD I will try and catch him in the act!

That time of year!!!

2007-11-30T22:04:00.000-05:00

Not much new is going on but I did do Gabe's Christmas pictures and I wanted to post some of them. I have some decorative Christmas boxes and decided to place him in one of them for some pictures and he loved it....it definitely wasn't hard to get a smile out of him :-) Hopefully this weekend we will be getting our Christmas tree, we are still not completely settled into our new house so it's a little difficult for me to decorate for the holidays so hopefully the tree will help.

okay this pic didn't come out very well but I loved the look on his face so I had to post it:-)

Happy Turkey Day!!

2007-11-23T21:02:00.001-05:00

Wow it's been awhile since I've posted anything, things have definitely been hectic in the Garcia household. We moved into our new house about a week and a half ago....we had it completely renovated however it's not quite finished. As soon as it's complete I'll post some pics! We had a good Thanksgiving in VA with EJ's dad and Catherine, they enjoyed their time with Gabe! Gabe is doing great, about a month ago he started to get up on all fours and now he's rocking.....he's very determined to crawl - it's unbelievable how fast they grow. He's getting better at holding his balance while sitting, it won't be long before he's a pro. He loves to smile and laugh and is quite the flirt :-) I've attached a couple videos and just a few pics (haven't had much time to take any the past few weeks) The first video is of Gabe getting on all fours and the second is just a cute video of him at the park...we have been enjoying taking walks to the park which is right down the street from our new house

Here he is sitting by himself..such a big boy!

Playing at Grandpa and Grandma Garcia's

All smiles!!

My little duckling!!

2007-10-22T12:53:00.000-04:00

Gabe had his 4 month check up the other day, he weighs 16 lbs - he's definitely not lacking!!! We just got back from NY and once again he did very well with the flight - I was a little nervous on the way up because I was by myself but it went well. While we were up there we took some pics of him in his costume...so cute!! I know he's not smiling but he wasn't cranky at all, I think he was just trying to figure out what he was wearing :-) Things are going very well except I'm battling a sinus infection (yuck) Today me and EJ have been married 2 yrs!!! The time has flown by - not sure yet how we are going to celebrate, we may hold off until I feel a little better. I don't think we we were able to celebrate last yr either because I had such bad morning sickness...so we have two to make up for LOL!

3 months!

2007-09-21T13:49:00.001-04:00

Well I finally figured out how to put the video clip on here...it's a couple weeks old but here is a quick clip of him rolling over. This past week he's become quite efficient at it, I place him on his play gym and next thing I know he's rolled and scooted completely off it.

He likes to help with the laundry!

All done Mommy!

Playing with Daddy!!

What a week!

2007-09-04T20:28:00.000-04:00

Gabe had his first flight a couple weeks ago and he did very well!! When he wasn't nursing he slept....I was so proud of him. We all had a great time in NY, the weekend went by very fast though. Alot of my family was able to see Gabe for the first time which was nice. Nana and Papa bought Gabe a new toy which he loves...his play gym. This past week has been very exciting for Gabe, he was on his play gym and a rattle was lying next to him and he picked it up on his own and started shaking it (Daddy was very excited that he witnessed this before me :-) ) and then the other day he rolled over from his front to back so now he rolls both ways. It was very exciting but also made me realize how quickly they really do grow up, I can't believe he'll be 3months on Friday. I did capture it on video so as soon as I can figure out how to place a video clip on here I will post it!!

I had to put this picture on here...the look on Gabe's face is priceless. Great Grandpa apparently speaks Gabe's language very well, the two of them were going back and forth with each other! I think Gabe is telling him to pay attention to the camera :-)

He loves his play gym!!

His first Golf Cart ride

2 month check up

2007-08-16T18:14:00.000-04:00

Gabe had his 2 month check up and he did very well...he weighed 12lbs and was 23 inches long. He had 4 shots (mommy cried more than he did) Daddy had to help with the shots because I don't do so well with those things, he cried for a few seconds and then stopped once EJ picked him up. He was a little fussy the rest of the day but that's only to be expected.
We are getting ready to take Gabe on his first trip to NY to see Nana & Papa and his Uncle too! I'm a little nervous about flying with him only because he tends to get fussy when we are not up walking him around (he gets bored quick just sitting on our laps :-) ) so it should be interesting to see how he does.
Well I finally put pics of the nursery up....little late. I still haven't finished putting some things on the wall but other than that it's complete!

Mommy's little Angel :-)

Gabe is 8 weeks

2007-08-10T10:41:00.000-04:00

Wow we cant believe he is 8 weeks old now, time is really going by fast. Gabe is doing very well, he's approaching 12lbs. Not sleeping through the night yet but we "usually" get 2 - 4 hour stretches so I cant complain. Gabe is cooing and smiling alot, a couple weeks ago he actually rolled over from his front to his back!! He's such a joy and I'm so blessed to be able to be a stay at home mom.

He loves his Daddy & his bath time

Naked Time :-)

Can I help you?

Smile!!

I love this picture!

2007-07-25T17:38:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to add this pic I thought it was too cute!! Our little chunker is up to 10lbs 14oz already, they say he's gaining weight pretty fast I'm not quite sure where it's going because he doesn't look chunky but it's good to know that he's eating well!

5 Weeks Old Already

2007-07-21T15:22:00.000-04:00

Here are some recent pics of the little bundle of joy!! I promise I will get better at updating the blog. He loves to cuddle so I spend most of my days doing just that with him, I'm taking advantage of it while I can because I'm sure as he gets bigger he won't enjoy it quite as much.