Happy 18 Months!

Gabriel is at a fun and lovable stage right now. He likes to hug, give kisses and sing songs with "I love you" in them like Louis' favorite son "Skidamarink." He has started to play pretend. He will "cook" and serve us cake. He likes to put stuffed animals and baby dolls to bed.

He has started to talk a lot more and say more two word phrases. Today after finishing his yogurt he said "No more" and he continues to master all the phrases that help him assert himself like "go away". He has started to ask me to identify things for him. He'll point to our letter posters on the wall and ask me to tell him what the pictures are and the letters that go with them. He also likes to point at body parts and have me name them. Depending on his mood if asked he can identify his belly, nose, ears, mouth, feet and eyes.

He continues to be curious about everything around him and I've noticed over the past few weeks this has increased. He wants to investigate (usually by finding a way to climb) and figure things out for himself. As Louis has become more independent Gabriel has tried to do the same even if his abilities aren't where Louis' are. He is a total copy cat. Will copy your movements in games or any face his siblings make. He tries to say what they say with the same inflection and tone.  He knows the names of many more things than I realized. When we read books together I will ask him to point out objects for me and he knows them. It has given us another activity to do together.

Physically Gabriel continues to strengthen his skills. He is bold and there are very few activities he isn't willing to try. If it looks like you can climb it? He's on it. He loves to run, jump and hop. Lately he has been stacking whatever he can in order to balance and walk across it. We have a balance beam type curb outside our house and he likes to balance on it as much as possible. He walks up and down the stairs with ease but still prefers to scoot down the stairs.

Gabriel likes to help. He wants to vacuum and clean. He wants to get things for you. I often forget this and go to do things myself and he becomes upset. I am trying to give him opportunities to help out more.

Just getting over the flu here...about a week being sick but all better now. 

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Will "read" board books on his own - loves to read and will sit with books multiple times a day and read them on his own
Scribbles well - enjoys scribbling alongside Louis for short periods of time

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Strings two words together in phrases - Says "No More", "More please", "Go away" and few other phrases
Brushes teeth with help - will brush his teeth every morning and evening with Leah and Louis--and any other time he's in the bathroom.
Stacks four blocks

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Throws a ball overhand - at the moment throwing balls is his favorite activity--overhand and underhand
Takes toys apart and puts them back together - loves to take apart the Melissa & Doug Cutting Food and put it back together.
Shows signs of toilet training readiness - I've noticed a few signs he is starting to do more than just go on the potty when I take him. He has no interest in going independently but if he's wearing a diaper he will bring me one to change him before he goes. Right now this typically means I take him over to the potty to go. He does follow Louis in and sits on the small one every now and then while Louis sits on the toilet. He'll be ready when he's ready. 

Grumpy G

Gabriel was a bit on the grumpy side today, not feeling his best. But still cute as ever.

2Brothers 2gether

Had baths together, followed by band time.

Then naps together!

Late night snacks

Having a ball

Gabriel is always on the move. Climbing, playing, running---nearly nonstop. He will occasionally stop to eat, hydrate and play with blocks.

He also enjoys people watching. Our next door neighbors moved out this week and Gabriel spent most of the day watching the moving guys. Then proceeded to stalk the door for the new neighbors.

Lately he has enjoyed playing catch. He has a good arm and aims well. He has also enjoyed kicking around the balls.

While Louis and Leah hated the vacuum cleaner (and still are not big fans) Gabriel loves to help me vacuum. He will sometimes take his mower and pretend to vacuum too. 

Happy 17 Months!

Almost 1 1/2 years old!

The months go by so quickly and Gabriel continues to learn new things every day. It's happening faster than I can up with these days. I try to jot down notes when I can to remember for later.

He loves to make you laugh and then he says "That's silly" or "That's funny" afterward. He has the best sense of humor. He is constantly trying to "tickle tickle". He likes knock knock jokes or when you mess up nursery rhymes.

He continues to follow Leah and Louis around and tries to be just like his big sis and big bro. He wants to be where they are and do everything they do. Louis copies Leah, Gabriel copies Louis. One after the other. It amazes me they all don't fight more but they just tolerate and love one another.

We're working on showing Gabriel how to be more gentle. He is definitely the roughest of our three kids. He is physically over the top with the things he does. Nothing is safe around him. If he wants it? He will get it. Whether it means moving a box, stool, chair, stacking toys one on top of another--he will get what he wants. He climbs what I would think is unclimbable but he proves me wrong.

The past month he has shown his more assertive side. Most of his phrases and the words he uses tend to be descriptive of his assertiveness, what he wants, what he needs. He does not take well to being told no. He will get upset and his face will pout up in one of the cutest pouts I have ever seen. It is hard not to just hug him and do whatever he wants. He will throw a tantrum like I've never seen. It usually happens when it is someone unfamiliar to him telling him he cannot have or do something. It doesn't happen often but when it does, he is nearly inconsolable. Knowing that he reacts this way has led us to be more sensitive to his needs and help him try to navigate his feelings a little better.

I often hear from others concerns that Gabriel is too attached to me. I tend to brush those comments off. I'm his mom. He spends all day with me. All night with me. Kind of expected but overall in the entire day? Really not the way people see it in those few moments they are around.  He will go to me first when he is tired or upset but outside of that and his need to nurse/for comfort? He is typically on his own, running off and rarely looking back for me. He's very independent. He can go hours being in the house with people, with me around and never so much as look for me. It's an interesting growth to see in him--where as months ago I couldn't leave his sight without him freaking out.

He's very headstrong. And can be stubborn. But always sweet. He keeps me on my toes.


Developmental Milestones (via BabyCenter)

Mastered Skills (Most kids can do)
Uses six words regularly - Gabriel has about 4 or 5 words he uses regularly. A few phrases he uses more often like "Go Away" "That's mine" "I don't wanna."
Enjoys pretend games - Gabriel and Louis play pretend all day long. Pretend pirates, pretend kitchen, pretend daddy. They pretend to talk to one another on the phone.
Likes riding toys - He enjoys riding toys, usually sits backwards on them and pushed back on them.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Feeds doll - Gabriel loves to play with the "bebes" and he often brings them cups or has Louis nurse them. Or brings them to me to feed them.
Speaks more clearly - I've noticed over the past few weeks that the words he does say are more clearly understandable to others but overall it's still mostly the family at home that understands him best.
Throws a ball underhand - He loves to throw balls, well anything really.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Dances to music - Our favorite past time is our daily dance party. We have a few a day and Gabriel is the first to get up to dance.
Sorts toys by color, shape, or size - I've noticed that he likes to sort big and little things together but nothing specific to color or shape.
Kicks ball forward - Gabriel is a soccer fan in training. He loves to kick balls around, forward, to the side. He has taken to aiming his kicks too. 

Oh Santa...

We were up early today and all ready to head out to our friend Jen's son's C's birthday party when she met us outside to let us know poor C was sick :( so no party. All dressed up with nowhere to go we decided to hit up the mall for a visit with Santa and breakfast at Ikea.

I wasn't too sure how Gabriel would handle the visit to Santa. We got there just shortly before 10 am and waited in line with a few other families. Santa arrived promptly at 10. Gabriel kept having me hold his hand and walk over to the photo area and then run away. He didn't seem upset and he did seem a bit excited about it. When the time came to head into the photo op area he wasn't clinging to me at all. Louis chose to sit on Santa's lap, Leah next to him and I put Gabriel in her lap. He wasn't crying or upset. I could tell he was a bit anxious as he has his hand in his mouth but he didn't try to run off. I walked away and he sat for a few shots.

The photographer tried her hardest to get a pic of him without his hands in his mouth so we could see his face.

Happy 16 Months!

The last month has been a lot of fun with Gabriel. He has developed a great sense of humor. He says "tickle tickle" and tries to tickle himself then you. He pretends he's sleeping and when he sees you glance away will open his eyes and stick his tongue out at you. He loves to play with Leah and Louis, they make him laugh so much.

He's also taken to asserting himself more in our family. Newest words and phrases in his vocabulary are mine, me, no me alone and go away. He used to toss his food off his plate when he was done eating. Now he'll tell you he wants to 'get down' at least once and tries to hand you his plate before tossing it. I'd say that's progress. :P

He has also added the words Melmo (or other variations of Elmo), says grandma (which may sound a bit like mama but there's definitely a difference). He still doesn't really say mama to me but when he does it's super sweet to hear. He is very lovable and gives kisses and hugs. If you kiss him or he hears/sees you get a kiss from someone else he can't help but give kisses to everyone. He also blows them.

He still isn't the best sleeper but a lot of that has to do with all the teeth he's been cutting and his teeth seem to take four times longer than Leah and Louis' ever did. I can deal with the lack of sleep but I feel bad he's so miserable.

He loves to dance, sing and listen to music. Lately drums have been a favorite of his. Abuelo has quite the collection and Gabriel enjoyed them on Thanksgiving. Gabriel also enjoys looking through books. A few times during the day he'll bring me over a book or two and crawl into my lap.

Mastered Skills (Most kids can do)
Turns the pages of a book
Has temper tantrums when frustrated
Becomes attached to a soft toy or other object
Sing

Emerging Skills (Some kids can do)
Discovers the joy of climbing
Stacks three blocks
Uses spoon or fork
Learns the correct way to use common objects (e.g., the telephone)
Help around the house
Say up to 10 or 15 words - Not quite there yet but I see he's made a leap over the past month.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Takes off one piece of clothing by himself - He detests socks & shoes and lately has started to take off his pants.
Gets finicky about food
Switches from two naps to one
Experience less separation anxiety
Dance to music