Sesame Place 2012

We headed to Sesame Place this weekend. This was our first trip there as a family. We packed up and got on the road in the early morning. Made great time and the boys slept through most of the ride there. Leah was as excited as Louis and Gabriel freaked out pointing at all the characters as soon as we got there. It was an overcast day with storms in the forecast so I expected it wouldn't be as busy as other weekends. It isn't a large place so it was nice that it wasn't packed.

We weren't sure what rides Gabriel would be able to go on. As a walking baby but not quite a toddler he met some requirements but not others. He isn't really a handheld infant as he does walk independently but he isn't the size of most kids who do the same thing. Fortunately there were still plenty of options for him. Eventually we did do a few rides together. He wasn't really into them so we stuck to the water sprinklers.

Let's Celebrate!

Even though birthdays have never been a big deal to me, it is a very different case when it comes to our family and with the kids. It doesn't take much though, a few decorations, a dinner out, some cake? A few gifts? And they couldn't be happier.

Louis and Leah wanted to make Gabriel's 1st birthday extra special. Louis asked for rainbow poms poms. We stuck with a rainbow theme for the day.

Grandma Ruth & Grandpa George joined us before we went out for Gabriel's birthday. Leah assisted him in opening his gifts...as Gabriel's method of stomping on everything wasn't nearly as effective.

Leah and Louis decorated Gabriel's birthday cake. 

We find we are limited on places we can go out to eat these days with the boys. They have a very short attention span and limited patience with sitting in one place for too long. We try to avoid situations where we are forcing them to be miserable so we headed out to Chuck E Cheese's.

Enjoying some pizza.

 Big sister shows some love.

 Louis playing a Spongebob game with Matt.

Gabriel enjoyed going up and down the slide in the tot playground.

Went for a drive with Chuck E. Cheese.

 He loves making phonecalls.

After Chuck E. Cheese's went back home for cake and more gifts!

Cake Time!

Gabriel's not waiting for his cake. 

 Yummy!

 Louis digging right into his piece.

 When Gabriel is done with something? You know.

Our happy, beautiful Gabriel. 

Photo Taken by Leah

Photo taken by Leah

I'd say this is a good sign of a good birthday. Out cold. 

Happy 1st Birthday!

Here we are, it has been one year since Gabriel joined our family and we went from just the 4 of us to the 5 of us!

Shortly after birth

There was no way of knowing how as a family we would adjust to growing our family by not one but two children in less than 2 years but I think looking back on the past year? We've handled the transition well, for the most part. 

Gabriel has been well loved by his big sister and big brother from day one. Gabriel certainly loves them. As Gabriel grows and becomes stronger I've noticed he is much more physical when playing with Leah and Louis. He loves to wrestle and be tickled. He likes to piles pillows on top of one another and jump on them. He'll climb up on anything within his reach and pull.

He's just a joy to have around. His personality is so very different from his older siblings and I've really enjoyed this past year, getting to know him. Sometimes it is bittersweet because I feel like he went from baby to tot overnight but we still have our cuddle sessions where I feel like he's still my baby. I'll be enjoying those for as long as I have them.

He loves to be worn. He'll go over to the closet, open it, take out a mei tai or ring sling and bring it over to me. He continues to nurse throughout the day but he has cut back on his nighttime feedings. I suspect he'll be sleeping through the night soon. He gestures and signs (we're learning sign language) more than he verbalizes but I've noticed more words as of late.

Gabriel LOVES water. There isn't anything that a bath doesn't fix in our house. If Gabriel is cranky or the boys are driving each other mad? Setting them up in the bath to play or putting out the water table are instant fixes.
 

Our birthday boy!

 

PHYSICAL AND MOTOR SKILLS
A 12-month-old child is expected to:

• Pull to stand
• Walk with help or alone
• Sit down without help
• Bang two blocks together
• Turn through the pages of a book by flipping many pages at a time
• Have a pincer grasp
• Sleep 8 - 10 hours a night and take one to two naps
• Crawls forward on belly by pulling with arms and pushing with legs
• Assumes hands-and-knees position
• Creeps on hands and knees supporting trunk on hands and knees
• Gets from sitting to crawling or prone (lying on stomach) position
• Walks holding on to furniture
• Stands momentarily without support
• May walk two or three steps without support
• Puts objects into container - Gabriel will entertain himself off and on throughout the day packing items up into lunch boxes or buckets, emptying them out and repacking them. Over and over again.
• Takes objects out of container
• Lets objects go voluntarily - While he does not like to have to let go of things he will do so if asked or on his own.
• Tries to imitate scribbling - One of Gabriel's favorite things to do is mimic his big brother. Louis will sit and color, while Gabriel sits next to him and attempts to scribble too. He also tried to draw with chalk outside on the sidewalk. 

SENSORY AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
The typical 12-month-old:

• Follows a fast moving object
• Can respond to sounds
• Responds to his or her name
• Understands several words
• Can say mamma, papa, and at least one or two other words - He says dada, hi, bye, cat, his own versions of Leah and Louis and he points to things and says "what's that" <--something he surely copies from Louis
• Understands simple commands
• Tries to imitate animal sounds - I haven't noticed too much of this.
• Tries to imitate words - He tries to repeat body part names and the names of animals.
• Connects names with objects - If I ask for the phone or the ball he goes over to them to give to me.
• Understands that objects continue to exist, even when they are not seen (object constancy)
• Points to objects with index finger - He loves to point at everything and have me name it.
• Waves bye
• May develop attachment to a toy or object - Just like Leah and Louis I haven't noticed a particular attachment to any object or toy.
• Experiences separation anxiety and may cling to parents - He tends to have moments of anxiety when first meeting someone or if he is tired or teething. Overall though he warms up pretty quickly.
• May make brief journeys away from parents to explore in familiar settings - Gabriel is fast and even though everyone always points out how 'attached' he is to me? He will quickly run off to check out where ever we are and usually he doesn't care to look back.
• Responds to “no”
• Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for “no” - He shakes his head no and nods yes and sometimes says "uh uh" along with "no".
• Babbles with inflection - You can tell when he is excited or sad or mad when he is babbling away.
• Uses exclamations, such as “oh-oh!” -  He says "Uh uh" or "Oh!"
• Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from cup, brushing hair, dialing phone, listening to receiver) - like most children his age he LOVES to pretend to be on the phone.  He also drinks from a small cup regularly now throughout the day. 

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL MILESTONES

• Shy or anxious with strangers
• Cries when mother or father leaves
• Enjoys imitating people in play
• Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
• Tests parental responses to his actions during feedings (What do you do when he refuses a food?)
• Tests parental responses to his behavior (What do you do if he cries after you leave the room?)
• May be fearful in some situations
• Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others
• Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
• Finger-feeds himself
• Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed

Be Happy

Gabriel has these moments where he is just happy. Not a care in the world. Such a joy to be around.