Happy Birthday, Mommy!

A Happy Birthday note from Gabriel

Dear Mommy,

Happy Birthday! I am so happy that I am going to clap many times for you today.

I love you very much, which is why I start to miss you in the middle of the night! It's also why, since I learned to crawl, I like helping you organize the kitchen! I don't know if you knew this, but there's a lot of space to put stuff on the floor. You don't need to keep everything in the cupboards and drawers. Also, your paper bags are much too dry; but I've got some drool to help you remedy that problem.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to voice some concerns to you: First, I do not like other babies being up in my space, especially in my own house. There's one little girl who comes over who is especially abusive. Please fix that. Second, you keep closing the doors to the bathrooms. I want to help you organize the toilets in there, but I can't if you don't give me access.

Most of all, I want to let you know how happy you make me. You're my best friend, by far. Sometimes I take issue with always smelling like your perfume or deodorant, but most of the time it gives me comfort in knowing you are always close by.

Love, your son,

Gabriel

PS: More rice puffs.

PPS: Please teach Rose the proper way to feed a baby.

Days with Rosie and Gabey

Time spent at home with Rosie and Gabriel is a joy. I love our weekly routines, and occasionally happening in on a sweet moment between the two of them. Rose is at an age when she's putting her thoughts to words, and the outcome is often hysterical and precious. I try to write down her Rosie-isms when they come. There's been a lot of questions about sin, heaven, hell, the devil and Jesus lately (you know, light topics). After one such discussion she was alone, playing with her toys, and I heard her whispering to herself, "Jesus, please forgive us our sins, and the resurrection of our bodies..."

Another day:
Rose: "You know, Santa, Jesus and Rocky remind me of friends."
Me: "Hm, what do you mean?"
Rose: "You know, they seem like they would be friends."

It's actually not off the wall that for Rose, Rocky's status is up there with Jesus. David went through a season of asking to play "Training Montage" from Rocky IV over and over and over. I got a lot of questions like "Is Rocky good?" "Why is he good?" "Why is Drago bad?" "Are the devil and Drago bad?" You can see the progression of reasoning...

Rose helps me reign in Gabriel, who rolls and scoots everywhere now.

"Mom, can you take over?"

A bike ride with friends on a warm day.

Real food for real babies, Mom.

It's alive!

Yes, this blog still exists.  For those who haven't been 'splained to about why this blog stands so neglected, it's the fault of all our Apple devices. Pretty much every photo around here is shot with an iPhone or iPad, and transferring those pictures to the blog is too much for my old Apple laptop, which can take 10 seconds to load for each click it receives. That, plus Blogger seems to be outdated. There aren't any options for directly transferring photos from Apple devices to Blogger, that I know of. If I'm wrong, please tell me! I'd love to keep this blog going instead of solely posting photos to iPhoto photo sharing (which the Cooks can see, but the Farrs can't!). Anyway, on to some pics taken with my good old-fashioned camera.

Maria cuddling St. Gabriel on his baptism day!

What not to do with a Spanish omelet.

Jumping forward six months to Christmas, which was absolutely lovely. Aunt Nat and Uncle George, Lola and Lolo all joined the fun Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Happy birthday baby Jesus!

Lil' Irish. Thanks Uncle George!

Princess Rose, thanks to Aunt Hilary!

Our new 16-person tent, which we're planning on taking outside eventually :) Thanks Lolo and Lola!

Beautiful Christmas morning, waiting to go to Mass.

A surprise from a neighbor Christmas morning. So sweet!

Peep-eye!

Aunt Kate and Uncle Jeff's "Fairy Garden" is a success!

Visit to Train Exhibit at U.S. Botanical Gardens (where Grandmommy's art is hanging!) A couple days after Thanksgiving, when Teresa broke her thumb. Ah, memories :)

Merry Christmas!