A Close One...

Eeeeeeek.
So today's nap Brooklynn keeps playing. I keep hearing her Little People guys clinking on the house. Once I went in and I found two of them all the way down her pajamas near the feet. Another time there were about 10 of them lined up on the window. I think she is slowly phasing out of her nap, especially when all we do in the morning is go to the Doctor's office...not much opportunity to blow off energy there so she's just not tired.
She's gone to the bathroom twice on the potty (I've gone in there and she says "potty".)
Mostly I'm just letting her have some down time and play quietly. And then all of a sudden through the monitor I heard the distinct sound of velcro tabs from her diaper opening. Uh-oh.
Sure enough, I went in, feety pajamas with safety pin through the zipper are OFF bundled up on the bed, and her diaper is about 1 second away from being thrown off her body. (This was the second time she went on the potty, actually.) I'm not sure where she was hoping to GO to the bathroom, but at least we're making grounds in the potty-training department. One of these days I'll be brave enough to put her in underwear and skip the feety pajamas and throw a potty seat in there or take the child lock off her doorknob so she can go to the bathroom by herself. But am I setting myself up for disaster? I just have no idea when to switch. I guess one of the days it will just happen. Maybe I'll have to cover everything in saran wrap or something and then just go with it. I'm just not ready to risk it.
So now that she's figured out the safety pin...I will be putting masking tape around the pin so she can't take it off. Not sure what else to do.
**Note: The masking tape only worked for one nap. I had to switch to duct tape.

Dr. Visits

So it was time for Brooklynn's 2 1/2 year appointment and Gabby's 6 month appointment so I decided to schedule them at the same time again, although I swore I never would again. It went much better this time...except I think I'm the only one who thought so. I think the nurses and the doctor were scared of us...they looked all frantic in the midst of everything. I think I'm just used to the insanity and screaming.
The good news is that Brooklynn didn't have to get any shots this time! And she is still (after about a month...since that is how far behind I am in blog world I am) saying, "no shots! no shots!"
The bad news is: we let it slip to the doctor that Brooklynn still drinks milk out of a bottle. He said he would rather her not have any more milk at all than have a bottle...NO MORE BOTTLES! I've been trying to switch her off forever...it's been rough. When she doesn't drink her milk she breaks down, but when I've given her anything besides a bottle she takes one sip and spits it everywhere. It does not go well.
I've been trying to substitute other dairy products and she doesn't really do that, either....or at least not very much. It's been hard.
So we stopped...and ever since then she stopped taking naps.
Brooklynn is 37 1/4" tall and weighs 28 pounds.
Gabriella is 27 7/8" tall and weighs 19 pounds, 11 ounces. Pretty soon she'll weigh more than Brooklynn.

My View from the Kitchen Sink

I sometimes fantasize about having an amazing view out a window while I wash dishes. My old apartment it was a WALL. You know how some people have windows they get to look out of? And some of those people it's this gorgeous view? I sometimes wish I was one of those people. 

Our apartment now has an open kitchen and you can look right into it...and so basically you can always see that it's messy. But it was also one of the selling points for this place for me...I HATED feeling trapped in the kitchen, left out of everything. I wanted to feel part of what was going on, even if I had to be cooking or cleaning.

And really...I get to look at THIS. I wouldn't trade this for anything. I love my view.

I also really like that Gabby is fairly safe with just Brooklynn in the room now. I couldn't do this for several months...for fear of her actual life. I'm not even exaggerating. Now Brooklynn is actually helping Gabby sometimes, without my prompting...just because she's aware that she needs help sometimes with her play. It's so sweet.

Silly Gabby

Josh's Half-Birthday

Happy 32 1/2 Birthday, Josh! 

 I tried to have the girls cute and happy for you when you came home. :)

Brooklynn was very nice to you when you got home from work.

The nice thing about Gabby's half-birthday being the day before yours is we can use the other half of her cake for YOUR cake! Isn't that glorious? I tried to plan it that way.

After cake we put the kids to bed and then watched a movie....which I forget which one it was. But I had fun celebrating your getting a half a year older.

Gabby's 1/2 Birthday

6 Months Old!

Gabby, I can't believe you are 6 months already.
We love you so much. I can't imagine life without you. You are such a joy. I love your smile and your laugh. Brooklynn loves to make you laugh and giggle and it's so much nicer than when she used to like to make you cry. Poor Gabby.
I can't believe how big you are. You are 20 pounds at 6 months. I'm quite impressed. Although...you are HEAVY. When Brooklynn weighed that much she was walking so it was a lot easier to carry her around because she kind of helped us carry her. You still arch your back and so it is a lot of work. And don't even get me started on changing your diapers. You legs are so chubby I can't lift both of them with one of my hands anymore because I physically can't wrap my hand around them both at the same time. So I need one hand for each leg but then how do I get the diaper under there? It's a puzzle.
I do love how chubby you are. I LOVE chubby babies. I have an overflowing sense of pride and joy when I think about how chubby you are...especially since you have been strictly breastfed until this point and it makes me feel like all of my work has paid off (and you, too--you get points for being such a good eater).
Sadly, though, I think your chubby days are numbered. You are getting more and more active and I think you will slowly thin out and become a little string bean like your sister. Hopefully it will be SLOWLY, I'm going to miss those chubby arms and thighs.
You have two teeth. And I'm pretty sure you're working on several more the way you continue to chew on EVERYTHING. You can sit up now, all by yourself. I don't even need to put pillows around you in fear that you'll fall and hit your head. You REALLY want to crawl. And you're close, little lady. One of these days you will get it.
You love your sister, Brooklynn. She makes you laugh more than anybody in the world. You also LOVE Daddy and Mommy. And pretty much everybody else, as long as they are paying attention to you. Somethings you are babbling to yourself so LOUDLY it's almost like you're convinced we can understand you and you're just so shocked we're not paying attention to you. And we do a lot of the time, but since you talk every single second you're awake, it's hard to be 100% focused on trying to figure out what  you're saying, especially when you have to fight for my attention from your sister. Yup...your birth order traits are completely flipped. Brooklynn acts more like a second born and Gabby acts more like a first born.
Your favorite toy is still Sillytown, but you also always want to be on your tummy, practicing your crawling/spinning.
Gabby is SPINNING! I have to put toys all around her like a clock because she keeps turning and then cries when she can't find a toy. This way she always has something to play with and is much happier.

Pajama Time!

 Ok, so I can't believe these yellow pajamas fit Gabby already. It seems like Brooklynn was just wearing them. 

Just Another Night at the Park

So we had a nice evening at the park...

Brooklynn played a little,

 Gabby took a nap on Josh...

 Brooklynn braved the monkey bars (sort of)...

and then we had to leave early due to a potty training incident. 

Following in Brookie's Footsteps

So Brooklynn is and continues to be the messiest kid on the planet. Gabby is attempting to be just as messy. (Although I don't think she is even close.)

Either way, she's having lots of fun playing with her baby food.