I can't decide which is funnier...

...Gabe laughing at Bret's antics, or the antics themselves. Bret will make the funniest faces and noises to get Gabe laughing...and Gabe laughs and squeals up a storm. I finally went and got the camera after watching this for about ten minutes (I know, smart as a whip, that's me), and by that time Gabe was starting to get a bit fussy. Hopefully next time I will think to grab the camera sooner!

Not a fan of the green bean.

Yesterday we decided that carrots had passed the test and so we moved on to green beans.

Ever so trusting, Gabe allowed us the first bite.  After all, he liked the carrots...so why shouldn't he expect good things at mealtime?

I believe this is where he started to realize something was amiss.

He then considers the situation:

"Seriously Mom?  This is what you're planning on feeding me for the next week?"

"I don't think so."

And true to his word (whining/crying), today's feedings were met with much whimpering and lips zipped tightly shut.  It's really a shame because it's highly likely he'll be eating green beans a LOT in the future (both Bret and I like them and they are a dinner vegetable regular).

I did get one good picture, taken yesterday after the first fateful bean feeding...probably because he didn't realize that green beans would be on the menu again today (and tomorrow, and the day after...).  Poor kid.  Maybe he'll get lucky and the next couple of days will reveal an allergy to green beans!   

Summer Hat

And Gabe didn't even try to pull the hat off (we'll see how long that lasts)!

Tooting My Own Horn

Did all the air whoosh away from around you when you arrived at this post?  It should have...from wherever you are on over to me to fill my head that just keeps getting bigger every time I look at the project I just finished.

You see, I try to be crafty, but often feel like I fall short.  Projects are only somewhat creative, glue spots on homemade cards are sometimes visible, and sewn seams are often not straight.

But this one, I'm so proud of I'm glowing.  And I keep thinking of ways to bring up the project in conversation.  "Oh, you already got your Census form in the mail?  What a coincidence, because I just finished this ribboned mini-blankie that turned out really cool...let me show you a picture!"  And then instead of whipping out pictures of my kid, I will pull out one of those accordian wallet inserts full of pictures of the blankie.

It's a gift for a friend of mine who just had a sweet baby boy.  They decorated his room in a monkey theme, so when I found this fabric at Joann's I thought it too cute to pass up.  And then I went a little crazy finding fun patterned and textured ribbons to match.  Here's the front (and because I'm being so proud of myself, I made the pictures EXTRA LARGE):

And the back:

What's that?  You want to see another view?  Okay...

What??  You want to see ANOTHER one??  Well twist my arm...

Okay, I'm done now, I promise.  But don't be surprised if you see another picture again in a totally unrelated post.  I might need to show it off just a little bit more.

Is there such thing as a NOT happy baby, anymore?

The other day I was blog surfing and I came across three different blogs of moms w/babies, all describing their child with variations of "So-and-so is such a happy baby!"

And I got to thinking of how funny it would be to actually come across a blog with something more along the lines of "So-and-so is a taciturn, melancholy child."  Well, funny to me but probably really depressing for the parent that wrote it. 

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to inform you that (you'll be so shocked, surprised, and blown away by this unusual announcement) Gabriel is such a happy baby!

Here's the proof:

Today we were in the checkout line at Fred Meyer, and I was busy getting my card out of my wallet and running it through the reader.  I look up at Gabe, and he's looking at the checkout clerk with a huge smile on his face.  I assumed the clerk must be smiling at him, causing Gabe to smile back.  But - upon turning toward the clerk I see that he is busily scanning groceries, not paying attention to Gabe at all.  Putting aside my momentary shock that anyone could be within a 10-foot radius of Gabe and not be completely focused on him (What was that?  It sounded like you said "No one finds your child as interesting and adorable as you do", and though I understood the words I can't comprehend your meaning.  You may as well have said "Turtle calculus fly-fishing.") I looked back at Gabe and he was still just staring at the checkout clerk, smiling away.  Perhaps Gabe was also in shock that someone could be in a 10-foot radius of him and not be completely focused on him.  Wow.  The ego this kid has already!

For your viewing pleasure, here is a recent picture of said happy baby:

Zumba means never having to say you're sorry you don't know the moves and aren't always sure what foot to be on.

Laura and I went to Zumba for the first time tonight.

In my head I was a sassy dancing queen.

And then I noticed that I could see my reflection in the window behind the instructor.

I fear that in reality, I looked more like Elaine from Seinfeld rather than a sassy dancing queen.

What is it about IKEA?

How does IKEA do this to me, every single time?

I go there with one or two specific things I'm looking for. But once I'm there I end up browsing the various areas, spending minutes at a time considering this CD storage system or that salad bowl that I COMPLETELY DON'T NEED.

For example, consider this table lamp:Cute, right? And it's only $8.99! Ohmygoodness I could totally use an $8.99 cute table lamp!!

Except, no I couldn't. I have enough lamps, and not even enough table surfaces to put a lamp, should I need one (which, as previously noted, I don't). But still, I stopped and looked at it and picked it up and went through the house in my head, trying to find a place for it.

Or what about this children's step stool:

So simple! Subtle colors, really cute. And it's only $3.99! WOW! We totally need a step stool for Gabe to reach the sink...in 2 years. But I actually considered buying it - because apparently I think it's important for me to store the thing for 2 years, rather than let IKEA do it. And apparently I also think that in 2 years when we'll need a step stool for Gabe, no one will be selling them anymore.

Today I spent 2 1/2 hours at IKEA.
Two and a half hours.
Granted, 1/2 hour was spent feeding Gabe and chillin' in the cafe. Oh that's right, I said chillin' in the cafe. Because, when you go to IKEA and spend 2 1/2 hours there, you deserve half an hour just relaxing in the cafe.
Gabe was a trooper. He helped me look at pillow cases for some squishy feather pillows I saw, considered, walked away from, saw again further on, and then put in my cart. IKEA's brilliant like that. Little displays and bins of the same thing over and over as you follow that little path through the store, so that any self-control you exerted at the beginning of the trek is tested again and again until you give in.
I'm proud to say, though, that in the end I put the pillows back. Two things contributed.
1) IKEA's insistance on selling only weird Swedish designs. Sorry Sweden. It's not that I don't like you. It's that I'm a simple girl, and I don't seem to be drawn to the ultra-modern:
or the ultra-flowery:

and 2) I could hear Bret's voice in my head, lamenting about the number of pillows we already have and how he just can't understand why on earth I would ever think we'd need more. (Of course we don't need more...it's just that squishing into a bunch of pillows to read or watch TV is something I adore. However, I agree with Bret that the process of tossing the pillows off the bed when it's time to sleep and putting them back on the bed in the morning is a definite drawback.)

I did end up with hand towels, a storage basket, drawer organizers, and a bag of frozen IKEA meatballs that were not on my shopping list.

Interestingly enough, even though we have a freezer full of various types of meatballs, both store bought and homemade (Bret has been on a kick), he did not question why on earth I would ever think we'd need more. Funny, eh?

Journey

Nope, not a journey that I've been on or am embarking on. I mean THE Journey. You know, 80's power rock? That's the one.

Gabe likes Journey. I think (know) I am to thank (blame) for this. When he was a few weeks old and having a crying spell, I reached into the recesses of my mind for a song to soothe him and out came "Faithfully" by Journey.

That's right. Given the infinite number of song choices available, I chose...Journey.

It's just that Journey songs are so singable.

I don't recall which one of my sisters (or me?) is the originator, but years ago we started belting out Journey tunes in the car. There's nothing quite like a sister (or two), a turned-up stereo, an understanding that there will be sharing of air guitar solos, and singing at the top of your lungs.

After a recent fussy-Gabe-Journey-singing event, I've had a few of their songs stuck in my head. And, I was reminded of this:

Awhile ago Laura was over and showed me a remake of the Separate Ways video that someone had put on YouTube. I had no idea that people actually did this. But in trying to find it again today, I came across A LOT of videos people have done. It blows my mind.

Do you have 9 minutes and 5 seconds? I know it sounds like a big investment of time to spend on Journey, but I promise you, it's worth it. First you have to watch the original video by Journey, and then the remake. I am willing* to bet big money that you smile at least once, and I'm actually pretty confident you will smile quite a bit, laugh/guffaw out loud a handful of times, and possibly even make a snorting/choking sound. I wish I was there to hear it.

Enjoy the Journey!





*Please note that I said I am "willing" to bet. My conscience will not let me actually wager on responses to Journey videos.**

**Paul, the employment of asterisks is for you.***

***I like it so much that I feel like I might start doing it a lot in blog posts.****

****It's possible you've created a monster.

Evolution of an Eater

He spent the meal grabbing at our hands when we'd give him a bite, the same way he grabs at his bottle. He wants it, but he doesn't understand that he'd get it faster if he'd keep his hands out of the way. So we ended up with a significant amount of rice cereal on his hands and bib.

Can't wait until we give him veggies...the smiles and accompanying mess should be quite amusing!