1st weekend without Mum & 16 months old!

Josh & Gaby - the terrible two!

This past weekend me & Kai went to Hanmer Springs, and Gaby stayed at home with my friend Serena, and her son Josh - who is about 3 or 4 months older than Gab. They had a TONNE of fun, and got into lots of cheeky trouble, but that is what children their age should do!!!!! I was glad that Gaby was okay for Serena, and didn't miss me.... although, that also makes me a little sad! I guess she was just having way too much fun to miss me. I know she DID miss me, but it's nice to know she can be left with someone she knows, and she'll be okay.

The latest 'milestone' Gaby has reached, is letting me know when she wants her nappy changed! So I'm thinking that we'll start introducing the potty into her routine soon. She starts tugging at her nappy & looking at me as if to say "ew, this is so gross", sometimes she'll even go into her room to try & get a nappy. Very precious. She had a bit of nasty nappy rash last week, but it seems to have gone now. I think it was related to a lot of fruit she'd been eating - particularly Pineapple - I know that can make little one's bums a bit sore. Gaby had her first day of preschool yesterday, with me at Uni - I was a little worried that she wouldn't cope with it for some reason - which is silly, because she's been going since November! I guess there was just more stress on me, so I presumed anything that could go wrong, would! Makes sense I think...

16 months ago today...
.. the baby has grown...
... the love has grown...

16 months old today!!!!!! I can't believe that this time, 16 months ago... we were in hospital, getting to know each other... aw, it really brings tears to my eyes, to think of her so tiny & vulnerable, 100% reliant on me for EVERYTHING, and now she's feeding herself, giving herself drinks, running, saying "no", saying "more", getting grumpy when she doesn't get her own way... and so so so much more!!!!!

looking forward to...

Gaby is looking forward to her Aunty Terri looking after her for 1 or 2 nights in March!!!!! How exciting for both of them. Gaby is going for her first proper meal out with her Aunty - I hear that chicken nuggets are on the menu!!!!

gorgeous.. simply gorgeous

Gaby is now 15 1/2 months old, and she is turning into such an amazing, gorgeous, wonderful little girl!!!! Her language is developing at a rate I can't even measure, everyday she says something to me, that she couldn't say the day before. "Boba" has recently turned into "Bobye", and all of a sudden she is saying "nonight" when I say it to her when I put her down at night! It's so cute, she sounds more like a child now, than an infant/toddler learning how to speak!!!

She has a very cute sense of humour, and knows when she is doing something she shouldn't be - and laughs, or pulls a funny face, so that I cannot bring myself to tell her off. I know that isn't a great thing, and I do try to keep a straight face - but it's very hard at times! She laughs a lot, and I love tickling her belly and making her laugh uncontrollably - it makes me laugh just as hard! I've also noticed she is beginning to listen to & follow commands - when I ask her to turn the tv back on (after she turns it off, knowing she shouldn't!) she does so. When I ask her to show me what she wants, she will lead me to whatever it is. I thought the baby/infant stage would be the cutest - but the toddler stage is just as cute - if not cuter!!!

Preschool seems to have been a really positive thing for Gaby too, she enjoys it, and never seems to get upset when I take her. She has now started having full days on Wednesday's, due to my university schedule - this week was her first full day, and she coped brilliantly! I was worried about her being too hyped up to sleep, but she had a decent 75 minute sleep - I was really happy to hear that!!!!

almost 15 months!

Gaby has been so fun lately, it's amazing how different she is now, than when she was 12, 13 months. I think she's getting to the point where she does some things & KNOWS that she isn't allowed to - so she does them to see how I'll react. It makes it very hard to stick to my guns & maintain consistency with what I will let her do, or not do - when she gives me the biggest, cheesiest, toothiest grin ever, as she does the 'naughty' thing in question. Lately it's been pulling out the cord for the tv arial. Or getting things out of the junk draw. And as usual, putting things in the toilet.

Pre school seems to have been a really good thing for Gaby - she's so much more social now, although that could also be an age thing I guess? When we get to preschool in the mornings, Gaby goes straight to playing with whatever toy she feels like. I'm lucky if she'll wave goodbye to me! I don't think she really notices any difference on the days that she doesn't have preschool, but I've noticed she's not quite as settled on those days. Although one could view being 'settled' as being tired! She certainly sleeps well on preschool days!!!!

Josh & Serena have been coming over a lot lately, so Gaby gets to play with Josh, and they seem to have a tonne of fun together! It reminds me of Terri & Aaron when they were little kids. It makes me feel old! I'm sure it won't be long before they start 'fighting' - but I know that is all a normal part of social development, so I'm not dreading it... So long as she doesn't become some sort of bully!!!!

I'm not sure if I've posted, but Alison won a trip to Hong Kong & she is taking me & Gaby with her! I'm looking really forward to it, but am a bit worried about how Gaby is going to handle all the flying, the change in timezone - and the heat. I guess she'll be 18 months old by then, so hopefully it won't be too bad. With any luck our flight in to Hong Kong will be during the night & she will sleep most of the time. Wishful thinking huh!

Gaby will be 15 months old in 4 days! Time has gone super fast. It's scary to think that in 3 months she'll be 18 months old - and then only 6 months after that she'll be the big 2!!!!!!!!!

Amazing....... she's grown so much....

Some recent photos!

Gaby got in trouble at pre-school!

When I went to pick Gaby up today, she'd been crying. Janna told me that she had been trying to eat the other children's lunches, so she had told her "No we don't eat other peoples lunches", and moved her over to play with a puzzle or something. Gaby wasn't very impressed by this & started crying! Hmmm I think my princess is getting a bit of a reputation at preschool for being a lunch stealer! She eats ALL her lunch - and I pack more than enough for her, so obviously she thinks what other people have is way cooler/nicer, and wants a part of the action.

I think Gaby tried to chomp my finger off today! Now that she has molars, she is enjoying chomping down on whatever is in her mouth - especially my finger! I was putting some Bonjela on her, and she took great joy in chomping down on my finger! Little monkey. I know some people would bite her so she can see how much it hurts, but I just can't bring myself to do that to her.

Lately Gaby has been ready for bed at 6.30pm - as opposed to 7.00pm. I'm not too bothered though, because she doesn't seem to be waking up any earlier in the morning, so obviously she needs the extra sleep during the night - I guess that makes sense now that she's walking everywhere, and is always on the go!

teeth, attitude & chattering!

The past few weeks Gaby has changed so much, it really is spectacular!

Everyday she seems to have a new 'word', new facial expressions, new ways to communicate how she is feeling - and that includes a little bit of an attitude! If she doesn't get her own way she SQUEALS and SCREAMS, clenches her fists & goes bright red. I ignore when she is doing this, because I don't want her to get into the habit of doing things like that to get attention.

Since she begun pre-school she's really come out of her shell, and is a different kid! The teachers at pre-school are always mentioning how 'sociable' she is & how she just 'goes with the flow' - they make it sound as though they REALLY enjoy having her at the pre-school, and that makes *me* feel good, and it makes me feel proud of Gaby.

I can no longer put my fingers in Gaby's mouth - she seems to be getting a new tooth every day - and she is learning how to chomp down on fingers! Her poor little mouth looks very sore, so I try to keep on top of the ibuprofen/pamol/bonjela, usually it works, but sometimes she's just inconsolable. It must bloody hurt!!!!

Gaby is 14 months now - it's weird to think that in 4 months time she'll be 18 months old!!!! 1 & 1/2!!!! Where does the time go?!