Tuesday, September 13, 2011

5 years ago we received our referral of a tiny baby girl

And here she is now!








Hard to believe 5 years ago to the day we received the call that we had a baby girl and now that girl is 5 years old and amazing! Gabbie's birthday was September 1st. For the first time she had a birthday party with friends from her class and had a blast. The theme was Barbie. She wanted Ju$tin Bie-ber but I talked her out of it.


Some facts about Gabbie:

1. Ju$tin Bie-ber - She loves him. We listen to his CD's, watch his movies, and now even have a poster that will be hanging in her room shortly.


2. High School Musical - She loves these movies and the characters. Gabbie happens to look a little like the main girl Gabriella and they share a name so it became an instant hit.


3. Barbie is still one of her favorites. For her birthday she got the Barbie Dream House and it has made her one happy girl since then.


4. At her 5 year visit she weighed a whopping 37.5lbs (she is normally more on our home scale though) and was 41.25 inches. She is in the 25th percentile for height and weight. Consistent and petite!

5. Gabbie wears a size 10 shoe and a 5 in pants, dresses, and 5/6 in shirts.


6. Gabbie loves fish sticks, mini waffles, bacon, carrots(if she is eating a veggie), and popsicles. She also loves chocolate chip cookies and chocolate milk.


7. Gabbie loves school. She is in pre-k at her school. She missed the cutoff to go to kindergarten by a little over a month but that is totally okay with me because she is my baby. There is no rush! We are still debating and researching schools for next year. That decision makes me nervous.


8. Gabbie loves to watch icar-ly, victor-ious, Fre$h Beat Band, $hake it up, $o Random, and Go0d Luck Charlie. She still likes cartoons too but these are her favorites.


9. She has a puppy named Twinkie. He is 18 months old and they are best friends.


10. Gabbie is full of attitude. She is a total girly girl asking if her hair looks okay over and over again. She loves lip gloss and purses.


11. Gabbie loves to go shopping. We do girls days at the mall. It makes me so happy!


12. Gabbie has her mommy and daddy wrapped around her finger. Yikes!!!! I dread the teenage years if the 5's are any indication of how things are to come!


13. She is so sensitive and smart. She catches on to everything.

14. Gabbie does gymnastics and takes private swim lessons.


15. She loves to swim and loves the beach. We recently took a vacation to Captiva Fl0rida and she wanted to swim the whole time. At the beach she constantly made sand castles. She loved Fl0rida!


Hard to believe it has been 5 years since she was born in our hearts. I think about her first mom or belly mommy as we call her, all of the time. Gabbie is amazing. I am so sad she is missing out on this wonderful, perfect girl. I know she would be proud of the little girl she has become. I hope for now she somehow realizes how much we love Gabbie and she has peace in her heart as that is what she asked for. Hopefully one day we will have the chance to meet her.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Coming out of retirement on a special day

Four years ago tonight we received the call that changed our lives forever. Our daughter to be was born. We waited for what seemed like an eternity to get pictures from our agency director. I stared at my email for nearly an hour straight. I will never forget that moment opening the first picture and seeing her there. It truly was such a special moment. I absolutely cannot believe it has been four years. I feel like she has been with us forever yet it seems like just yesterday. There is no doubt she was meant to be our child. I truly wish her first mom in Guatemala didn't have to make the decision she did but I thank God every day that I was chosen to be her mommy forever.


One of the first photos we received of Gabbie. 9/13/2006

9/13/2007 - 1 year old


9/13/2008 - 2 years old


9/13/2009 - 3 years old


9/13/2010 - 4 years old


I love you Gabbie.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Update post for Thanksgiving, first movie, and Santa pictures

It has been well over a month since my last post. We have been very busy. Thanksgiving came and went in a flash. In December we took Gabbie to see her first movie - The Princess and the Frog. It was a really cute movie and she had so much fun! We went to see Santa twice. The first time she refused to sit on his lap but the second time she actually did and we got pictures!!!!

Just a week ago a parent at Gabbie's school drove her car into the building and it happened to hit right where Gabbie was sleeping on her cot. The wall broke and knocked her a few feet still sleeping on her cot. Her teacher apparently ran up to her and had to wake her up. It just so happens that we arrived 3 minutes after it happened for the Christmas party for her class. Nothing like pulling up to your child's school to see a car has hit the building at your daughter's room and finding out she was sleeping right there where it hit. Fortunately no one was hurt. Gabbie slept through it all so she doesn't remember! I think the staff was a little more shook up but hopefully this long break will help! Now for pictures.

My gorgeous baby girl

Thanksgiving before Maw Maw's house.

Thanksgiving at Maw Maw's

My princess with her princesses

Gabbie with her super cute PJ's from Maw Maw!

Gabbie before her very first movie with her Tiana shirt on
Gabbie and Peyton before the movie

One of Gabbie's lovely faces - She has some good ones!

After the movie. I couldn't get her to turn around for a picture for anything! Little stinker!

Another lovely Gabbie face
Gabbie before Santa pictures

Hard to believe but here it is!!! An actual picture with Gabbie alone and not screaming on Santa's lap!!

And another one! They aren't the best but we will take them!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

A party for Jack and random photos

Today we went to Jack's 3rd birthday party. It is hard to believe Gabbie and Jack are now 3. It seems like just yesterday they were both like this.


And this....

Look at them now. Where has the time gone? Crazy!

I think a great time was had by all at the party today, especially the kids! Seriously there were enough kids there for a daycare center! I know Gabbie had a blast! Happy Birthday Jack! Here are a few party pictures.


Here are the adorable Green twins. This was the best photo I could get of the two of them together. They are both walking and constantly on the go! They are too sweet.

Gabbie and Jacob playing with the dragon toy.

This was taken on Steve's birthday. She looks like such a big girl!

Two photos of my happy girl with that gorgeous smile!



Gabbie on Halloween 2009 as Snow White.

Gabbie and the dwarfs


Finally my birthday was on November 12th. Look at the awesome cake Gabbie picked out for me! Daddy let her pick one and she selected a princess one. How shocking!!!! I loved the cake and my princess balloon:)

Sunday, October 11, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY



Today Daddy is 34 years old. Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you.


Sunday, October 4, 2009

Apple picking

Yesterday we went apple picking. It was my first time ever going as well as Gabbie's first. We took a ferry across the river from MO to IL. That was a first for us too. It was somewhat scary to be sitting in your car floating across the river. On the way there Gabbie wanted nothing to do with it. She refused to get out of the car even though Steve, Peyton, and some of our friends were out looking. She sat on my lap clinging on to me. Fortunately on the way back she had a change of heart and we got the full experience! Apple picking was fun. We even went pumpkin picking too. The girls had a blast!

Gabbie picking her very first apple.

Here it is! She was so proud!

She started to get in the swing of things and was throwing apple after apple into the bag.

Here is Steve giving his friend Dave a lift to the top of the apple tree. Silly men!

I love this picture! Mia and Peyton were carrying their bags over their shoulders and Gabbie had to do the same thing. Her bag was heavy but nothing was going to stop her from being like the big girls!

Mia, Gabbie, and Peyton with the huge pumpkin

Here is Gabbie riding Peppermint the pony.

My strong man holding Peyton and Gabbie

I love this one too. She had such determination when jumping!

The girls again

Gabbie and Peyton with their pumpkins
Silly boys again! I do like this picture though!

Here we are on the way back on the ferry. Not the best picture but it works!

Peyton came over after apple picking to play a while.

My happy girl

I love her beautiful hair! Her hair is so long and her curls are so pretty.

Gosh I love this child!