A Series of FORTUNATE Events

It was our 11 month anniversary. Keep in mind we had been dating off and on for 9 years at this point, so 11 monthes was a BIG deal! Plus 11:11 is special to us. We hadn't been on a date in a while because he was going to UT and I was teaching in PA, so he was home for break.

I got a new outfit for this special date and at the mall I ran into a friend, Jeff Grasso , who said, "I bet you are getting engaged tonight." I thought NO WAY!

Anyway he picked me up about 4:30pm and said he had forgotten something at his house. When we got there he told me to come in, but I told him I'd wait because I had to finish up something on his gift. So then he told me to come in when I was done. I went in and he called me to their living room. When I sat down on the couch he handed me a book he had made. It was called, "The Story of Us". As I read through it I really had no idea what was coming I was just thinking this was a great anniversary/Christmas present.

At the end there was a page about how being away from me he realized he wanted to spend all of his time with me (I started to possibly think it was what it was) and on the next page was a pink packet with a string coming out. I pulled the string and the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen was on the end of it! I had NEVER showed him a ring or told him what I wanted. My belief was he would know me so well he would know what I would like and still to this day my ring is the prettiest that I've ever seen...at least to me!

Side note about the ring: The night before I was out with Kristi Walker and I saw a ring just like mine on a billboard and I said, "I love that ring!" Kristi said she thought I knew and couldn't believe that I had just pointed to a ring that was just like the one Josh had gotten me!

I, of course, said YES and I didn't cry through the whole thing because I was so SHOCKED! Josh however did tear up when he asked me and it was the sweetest thing!

Sorry for the poor quality. I had to scan them.

We went to the Dietrich theather, and old theather and saw of A Series of Unfortunate Events...quite the opposite title of our life together ;-)

Monthly Milestones - 7 mos

 

Gabby turns 7 months! 

In Gabby's 6th month she....

 Had her first Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Wilson's house. Here are most of the grandkids on the Mosher side of the family

She likes to have what her sister has! Check this out!

Started wearing her hair in pigtails! 

Went on her first Christmas tree hunt and was so good even thought it took us like 45 minutes in the freezing cold. She never made a sound!

 

 She started to crawl, but backwards.  One day at daycare they said she crawled underneath all the cribs and made her way down the room and when she got there she laid down to fall asleep!

She still loves her sister! Annie can get her really laughing and she just want to be near her. They are so precious together.

She started licking her lips to show us she was hungry! This video is too funny!

She continues to be joyful and happy unless she needs something and has such a calm personality. She loves clapping. She eats three meals a day with 3 6oz bottles and at all of her fruits and veggies and likes them all.

Monthly Milestones - 6 Mos

Today Gabby turns 6 months!

It is hard to believe that Gabby is 6 months old already! She has grown so much this month and brings such joy to our household! I continue to be amazed at the connection I see growing between Annie and Gabby and pray that it will continue as they grow older.

She now eats 3 meals a day. Her meals consist of rice cereal, fruits and veggies. She back down to 6 oz bottles of milk and only gets 3 a day. She continues to sleep through the night although every now and then will wake up at around 4 am talking to herself. As soon as I put her in bed with me she falls back asleep.

Here are some things she did in her 5th month:

1. Started sitting up, although for very short periods of time until today!
2. Started Veggies and Fruits (sweet peas, green beens, squash, bananna, sweet potatoes, applesauces -in that order).
3. She likes to reach out for us to pick her up and likes to touch our faces.
4. She likes to wide open mouth kiss us!
5. She is very responsive to us, people and objects. She babbles, coos and screams as demonstrated in the video above to show excitement and happiness!
6. She can grab objects and bring them to her mouth. Her motions are much more purposeful this month.
7. She will follow you around the room with her eyes and if Josh or I leave the room she stretches out her neck to try and see us! It is the funniest thing!
8. She does not like to be left alone anymore! She will scream or shout if I put her in her bouncer and she can't see me!
9. She likes to try and pull the spoon up to her mouth, especially when Daddy is feeding her.
10. At dinner when we are eating she wants to eat. She reaches and grabs for every thing! She likes to sit and be apart of the dinner table.
11. Easily entertained, especially by her sister!

Sunday Sermon

 

Some people had asked about hearing Josh's sermon from this past Sunday; I thought this was the best way to make it available.. enjoy!

Monthly Milestones - 5 Mos

Today Gabby turns 5 months!

The girls at Kapnick Apple Orchard Festival

10-9-10

The Family at Kapnick Apple Orchard Festival

She is still so happy! Her smile brightens everyone's day and she does it so easily! She has started to really giggle and it is very easy to get her laughing!  She now eats 8 oz every 4 hours and has cereal once or twice a day. She weighs 16 lbs and 5oz and is 25 1/2 inches long and continues to be in the 90th and 95th percentiles! She is still sleeping though the night which is a huge praise!

Here are some things she did in her 4th month...

1. She knows her name - I was calling her "sissy and she wasn't looking at me, so I called her Gabby and she immediately turned!
2. Started cereal
3. She found her toes and likes to touch and pull at them
4. She reaches and grabs for everything!
5. She can put her pacifier in and out of her mouth...except at night.
6. Went to her first Circus even though she won't remember it
7. She tires to pull her self up to a sitting position, but isn't successful
8. She coos and imitates sounds that we make to her

I just realized that I didn't take very many pictures this month! I need to do a better job of taking pics. The weeks just fly by for us!

Rolling A-Round

Gabby woke up this morning on her belly! Last month, one morning she woke up on her back! So I knew she could roll over, but after many, many, many attempts to catch it on video I finally caught it today! Enjoy! I am so proud of her and she is growing so fast!

Salon Sweety

This wasn't Annabelle's first haircut. My mom gave her first haircut last November. However it was her first haircut at a Salon and second ever cut. I told her I'd get mine cut too because you could tell she was nervous. Even though I was doing it with her she still cried. As they were washing her hair she calmed down and the rest of the time she did GREAT! She was smiling for the camera by the end!

Monthly Milestones - 4 months

Gabby turned 4 months old! She continues to be the happiest, most content baby! She ate 6 oz every 4 hours and continues to sleep through the night. She weighed 15lbs and 9 oz when we went to the doctors.

Here are some things she did in her 3rd Month....

• rolled over from her tummy to her back
• started trying to hold her bottle
• started to giggle, although hasn't done a full blown giggle
• complete control of her head and I can now hold her on my hip
• sit up in her bumbo without slouching over
• swats at toys
• loves jumping in her jumperoo
• first ER visit. I got shingles this month and we thought she had the chicken pox. She did not have the chicken pox thankfully!
• started daycare this month. She is always so happy when we pick her up. We are also so blessed because they are continuing to cloth diaper her and keep her on her schedule, which has made for a very smooth transition.
• went to her first wedding that her dad performed! Hence the pictures above.

First Day of Preschool / Daycare

Digital Scapbooking done by my Mom this time! Thanks for helping me stay caught up on blogging!

Monthly Milestones - 3 Mos.

Gabrielle is now 3 months old

Here are some things she did this past month....

• she is now eating 6 oz every 4 hours and started sleeping 7 hours and now is up to 10 hours a night!
• She is becoming a better listener. She looks at you intently when you are talking to her and she smiles and coo's back at you as she is trying to have a conversation with you
• She can lift her head, chest and shoulders off the ground and enjoys being in her play gym. She also was introduced to the Bumbo this month since her neck muscles are stronger
• When she is on her tummy she has learned to scoot herself around her pack n play
• When laying down flat I've noticed she'll try to lift herself toward me
• She likes to hold onto things, a blanket, a toy or our hands
• Whoever she is focused on she'll follow them around the room with her eyes
• She likes her hands and especially sucking on them

Extolling Etsy

Have you been to etsy.com?  It is one of my favorite NEW websites! I started off just buying bows for the girls. One of my favorite sellers is Fray Baby Bibs and More. Look at these adorable matching outfits she made for my girls!!

Also, below the outfits are two pacifier clips for the Soothie pacifiers. If you've ever use those pacifiers you know it is next to impossible to find a pacifier clip for them because of the way they are made. Here is what she created to fit mine!

This seller has made me 2 wet bags and cloth diapers for Annabelle's Baby Alive. If you like her you should check out her facebook page. She has albums and albums of her creations!
 

Darling Drawing

(Click on the picture to view it larger)

So our precious 3 1/2 year old drew me in church one Sunday.  I absolutely LOVED this picture! It reminded me of what I learned in my Art Education class, which is that kids draw your head large because that is what stands out to them and then they give you legs.  I also learned in that class that kids do not naturally draw stick figures, they learn from the adults how to draw stick figures. If a child never saw a stick figure they wouldn't draw one!

Marriage Challenge

I just found this today! I wish I could have found it earlier in the summer, but better late than Never! Anyone want to join me in the challenge? Check out...Completing Him Summer Challenge

This is a picture from our dating days.....

Pretty Piercing!

Today Gabrielle got her ears pierced! I've been wanting to get Annabelle's done, but Josh wants her to be able to decide when she gets her ears pierced. So we made a deal before I was pregnant with Gabby that the next child I would be able to decide when they got their ears pierced. I knew when we found out it was a girl that I wanted to get them pierced when she was 2 months old because that is how old I was when I got mine pierced.

(Click on the pictures to view them larger)

Fair Festivities

Last week was the Lenawee County Fair. I really enjoy the fair every year! Even though you may pay $7 for a polish sausage and $3 for a lemonade...nothing beats fair food!

Annie got to do a lot. She rode a pony, pet a cow, held a cat, and rode a ton of rides! She enjoyed sugar and cinnamon coated almonds and cotton candy! Enjoy our pics!

Family Fun with Kovlaks

The week Josh went on the missions trip with the teens I spent with the Kovlak side of the family. I have lots of pics from my time with Karen and Jen, but forgot to take pics when I was at my mom's. She is always taking pics so I need to get some from her to post.

Monthly Milestones-2mos

This month Gabby really started cooing, grunting, and smiling to get people's attention. She seems to hold a conversation with you. When talking to me she makes movements toward me like she wants me to pick her up.

At her 2 month appointment she weighed 12 lbs 14 oz and was in the 80% for weight. She was 24 1/2 inches long which puts her in the 95% for height. Annie measured real big too as a baby, but now as evened out, so I am guessing Gabby will too!

On July 4th she slept from 12am - 7:15 am! She was on a 3 hour eat, awake, sleep schedule. She is drinking 4oz every 3 hours.

I started putting her in her play gym to get tummy time and learn how to use her arms and legs. 

She continues to be an EXCELLENT traveler. We drove to Duck, North Carolina and Indian Lake, NY for family vacations and Detroit and Cederville to visit friends.

Family Fun with the Wilsons

After the lake, Josh had VBS at the church so Annie and I decided to stay in PA for the week and visit with the Wilsons. We had such a great time. We spent every day that we could at the pool which is literally right behind their backyard! I had a ton of fun with my sister-in-law putting together a 1,000 piece Twilight Eclipse puzzles! We made many fun memories together!

I was also able to get together with a few close friends. I was so happy to introduce them to Gabby. Some of them had not seen Annabelle since she was a baby!

(Click on the pics to view them larger)