Gabriel: Month 6

My baby is half a year old! How did this happen? (and you aren't over looking month 5.  I pulled a slacker mom and forgot to take the pictures)  He's such a big guy and I love his personality.  He loves to squeal and yell and carry on along with his brothers.  I guess when you have noisy big brothers to keep up with you have to make sure your voice is heard too.  He is still obsessed with Landon.  Landon doesn't even have to be doing anything and Gabriel is smiling at him.  Landon is equally as obsessed with him.  At least it's a mutual infatuation, right?  Will is less enthused by his baby brother.  He will play with him sometimes and will help me with him, but he is not okay with sharing space with him.  We are still dealing with the constant puke fountain that is Gabriel.  The hope was that solids were going to change things, but since he started them two months ago there has been no change.  He even spits up that.  But the Dr said they aren't worried about his reflux.  We are just waiting for his muscles to strengthen up.  So we get to keep doing wash every night to keep up with the blankies and bibs.  It's a good thing he's so cute!  His new favorite thing is to play with his feet.  He rarely keeps his socks on and if he does they are wet because he has drooly hands when he grabs them.  I love it when babies grab their feet,so I am loving this stage! He is also big into talking. Lots of momomom's and babababa's.  And he has just learned to effectively blow raspberries with his tongue out.  He was blowing them, but mostly with his lips.  The addition of the tongue is extra cute and extra spitty.  On top of that he has found out that the sensation is even better when food is in your mouth.  Meal time has turned into a very messy adventure for both of us.  Bath time has also taken a messy turn for Mommy.  Gabriel loves to splash...very hard.  Mommy ends up soaked by the time bath is over.  He also kicks so hard he pushes the baby tub backwards in the tub until he's out of my reach.  This boy knows how to keep us smiling and keep us in the snuggle and kisses business.

Now enjoy a million pictures of him.  I took a ton and I loved pretty much every single one.  For once he was a ham for the camera instead of staring at it blankly.

 I love this one.  He was getting ready to talk to me.  It's the best face.

He is happy nearly all the time, and for that I am grateful!  His smiles and boisterous laughter are contagious.  Seriously, he's the best baby.  

Brotherly love

Landon wanted pictures of he and Gabriel together since they have matching shirts.  These two love each other so much.  I love love love my boys.  And it's crazy how big Gabriel looks in these!  

Valentine's Day in NYC

We have been trying to get to NYC with our friends to see a show together for what seems like forever.  We finally managed it.  She's about to have their first baby so we decided we better get while the getting's good. The choice of going on Valentine's Day was just a coincidence.  We really have trouble getting together sometimes on weekends.  My parents took the boys for the weekend and we were set.  We left at 6:30am and drove to Hoboken, NJ.  It was the first time any of us had done that, but after a little confusion we were able to purchase our subway tickets and head into NYC. The subway took us straight to the World Trade Center, right where we wanted to go.  It was supposed to be freezing cold and windy that weekend. We bundled up and went prepared.  The prep was perfect, although it was cold we were warm enough.  Going to the new World Trade Center and the 911 memorials was touching.  It was a change to the hustle and bustle and loud atmosphere of the rest of the city.  There was a hush and a reverence to the site, as there should be.  

 Going the wrong way when we got off the subway gave us this perfect view of the new World Trade Center

 At the base looking up.  

Then two memorials.  Notice the bottom one has better water flow happening.  They are beautiful and simplistic.  

It's guy love....

Chilly.

Becky and I were excited to go see this show.  The two of us have been wanting to see it and it goes off Broadway in March.  We made it just in time!  The men were kind enough to let us go see what we wanted to.  We got to see Idina Menzel, in person!  She and I both got shivers when she walked on stage.  

Our view of the stage.  We were able to get front row mezzanine and had a great view.

Pre-show.  It wouldn't have been the same without my theater buddy.

The only time it snowed was while we were waiting outside the stage door. We waited for a long time even though the door guy said Idina would not come out and no one else probably would either.  We stood our ground, and I even got up where there was no barrier, just in case I got lucky.

It's Mark!  Or as he he actually named, Anthony Rapp.  We were also really excited to see him too.  He will always be Mark from "Rent" for us, but I enjoyed seeing him in another role.  He was not personable out there.  Was it the cold, or is he just a jerk? I don't know, but I have his autograph and my face is nearly on his shoulder here.  Win.

Look, it's us with Idina!  We are totally besties....

I think it's written that I must put something strange on my face or head every time I visit a NYC toy store and take a picture making a weird face. 

I love St. Patrick's Cathedral.  I have to stop and take a picture every time I visit.  It holds a very special place in my heart.

NYC with some of the best friends anyone could ask for. 

Notice the extreme bundling.

We picked a random place to eat dinner and weren't let down.  We spotted an Irish Pub near Time Square, Langans, and it was great.  I had lobster ravioli in a vodka sauce.  It's a food I might dream about now and again.  

Our dinner dates.  

Attack of the T-rex!  It was animatronic and moving and roaring.

Tedd was in his glory

Optimus Prime!  Landon was thrilled to see these.

So many huge things in Toys 'R Us!

I've always wanted to get a picture of the giant button in the garment district.  This was the first time I was not running somewhere and could stop.  The button is white because it has snow on it.  

When we left the city it was not snowing or windy.  We crossed the river and magically it was windy and snowing and sticking.  The drive home was a little tough.  It took us a lot longer than it should have, but we survived!  I didn't get to bed until 5:30 in the morning.  I was definitely happy that my parents still had the boys and I could sleep in!  Next time I go to NYC it will be warm, I have to stop scheduling trips in the winter.