The Cuteness

Confused But Interested

No Hesitation

Birthday Boy

This post is LONG overdue, since our sweet Gib turned one on March 17. There were mitigating factors ... the poor dude was teething and got a stomach virus on his birthday. So he wasn't really in the mood for cake and cacophony.

However, Gib did get to see "his" parade (the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade) for the first time.

And he celebrated with proper frosting face several days later.

And did I mention the teething? He got his first tooth right before his first birthday and his second soon after. For the record: bottom right incisor on Friday, March 14 and top right incisor on Friday, March 21.

Gib's one-year checkup followed shortly thereafter, with stunning results:
Length: 30.75 inches, in the 85th percentile
Weight: 22.5 pounds, in the 50th percentile
Head circumference: 19 inches, in the 90th percentile

Also, he's a cutie.

Happy birthday, Little Man.

True (Carolina) Blue

Mike, who is our friend despite being a Dookie: Hey Roxi, tell your dad, "Go Duke" for me, OK?

Roxi: Well, I don't think I can do that.

(Pause)

Roxi, clearly thinking this will make Mike feel better: But I could tell him, "Go Tarheels!"

Spring

Here is one of Roxi's recent masterpieces from preschool, entitled Garden Scene, and complete with grass, flowers, sun and lots of bees.

Dancing Queen

How to Be a Benevolent Ruler

How to Look Happy

Talking the Talk

This post is long overdue, but there was some controversy involved. I will now state, for The Record, that Rob was 100 percent right about Gib's first word. It was ball. And he's been saying it for months. I was skeptical at first because "ba!" applied to everything from balls to spatulas to Roxi. However, upon further reflection (and intense scrutiny), it is clear that "BAW!" definitely means ball. Whereas "ba!" means anything else worth mentioning.

And so. First word: ball.

Second word: puff, which sounds like "pfft!" and refers to the baby cereal he likes best.

Third word: balloon, which sounds like "boon!" or "baroooo!" and even occasionally "baroon!"

Gib also says "mama" whenever he's grumpy or wants something ... and "dada" when he's laughing.

Splish Splash

Walking the Walk

Comin Atcha

Happy Valentine's Day

"Hey, guys. Guys! Stop smooching please!"

Just Another Day at the Office

Roxi's first dance class was Wednesday.

She was just a LITTLE excited.

Truth in Advertising

Sibs

Groove Is In The Heart

Banner Weekend

On Saturday, we had a family outing at Roxi's favorite coffee shop, the one with all the games. We get out Scrabble to goof around with the tiles. I'm putting together letters to make words for fun. And Roxi is reading them. Sounding them out and then using them in sentences. With no urging or help from Rob or myself. She's reading, people. Reading. Granted, these are small words with predictable vowel sounds, but still. Here's what it sounded like: "P-E-T. Pet! Like you pet a cat!"

And today, Gib took his first steps - toddling from Rob to me and back again. He's walking, people. Walking.

Good stuff.

Danger Boy

Yes, Danger Boy. If there's a sharp object, electrified appliance, choking hazard or toxic substance to be had, Gib will find it. Power cords? Yes. Clumps of used cat litter? Sure. Deflated balloons? Absolutely. Every single toy of Roxi's that has small pieces or can be torn into small pieces? You know it. And you better believe if you try to take the scrap of tissue paper he's trying to inhale away, he'll get mad. And loud. Loudly mad and madly loud.

But just look at that face. Who could be upset at that face?

Gib is as solid as a tank and 100 percent boy. He's got a Buddha belly and tree trunk legs. He started sitting up and practicing artful dragging in October. He became an expert crawler in November. By December, he was pulling up on anything that would stand still long enough (including the cats), crawling with wild abandon and developing walking skills while holding our hands. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he started walking by himself tomorrow. He's a man of action.

The Gib-man is also a chow hound. He used to complain loudly at every meal, to the point that Rob and I had no idea when he wanted more food or was full, liked a particular vegetable or wanted it banished off the earth. It was constant moaning from the boy. Then one day we gave him Cheerios, and mealtimes became ever so much sweeter. The more finger foods we gave him, the happier he was. So now he eats little pieces of everything - banana, sweet potato, green beans, tofu, pears, bread, cheese, etc. - despite the fact that he's still toothless.

He's a wonderfully cheerful kiddo - quick to smile, incredibly ticklish and possessing a deliciously silly laugh. Roxi still gets the biggest chuckles from him. May it always be so. We have all kinds of fun. Even if we have to physically restrain our Danger Boy from climbing the bookshelves every five minutes.

Cute Hats

Holiday Cheer

Stating the Obvious

"You know what? These cookies are really tasty."

Thesaurus

"Know why I'm doing all this violin-ing?"
"No, why?"
"I'm doing it for my nexiation."
"Your initiation?"
"No, my nexiation."
"Your nexiation?"
"Yes."
"I don't know what that means."
"It means the same thing, Mommy. It means candy."

Vroomin It Up

Happy Halloween!

Princess Roxi

Royalty has its privileges. Like getting to go trick-or-treating four separate times.

A Fashion Forward Halloween

So many outfits, so little time.

In the Swing of Things

So Happy Together

Healthy Stats

Gib sailed through his 6-month checkup with flying colors. He also skillfully dodged getting shots by having a cold (slick move there, bud). And so, here are the numbers:

27.5 inches long - 70th percentile
18-inch head circumference - 85th percentile
17.9 pounds - 45th percentile

He's trending almost exactly the same as Roxi did as a peanut, which means he'll be in 5-year-old hats soon just like his big sister.

Introducing

Roxi and Gib's new Colorado cousin, Connor James Stone. CJ was born September 17, exactly 6 months after Gib. Mom Jen, dad Mike and brother Levi are all doing well. And CJ, as you can see, is The Cuteness.

6 Months

Happy half birthday, Gibbers!

Strategic Gaming

Rob and Roxi have Daddy/Daughter nights fairly often. She gets to pick what they do, and sometimes she chooses to go to a coffee shop. They bike to the shop - Rob biking, Roxi in the bike trailer - share a smoothie and a brownie and play board games together. They'll use the Scrabble tiles to spell out very basic words, play with the cars from Life, etc. And here's what Roxi had to say about the game Stratego the other night: "I don't like this game, Daddy. It's too unusual. This game is for boys."