More show-offy stuff

 

Although pulling herself to standing is already pretty advanced for a seven month old, note that her feet are in fifth position on her second try. I don't mean to brag, but c'mon...

In some circles, they call this the "Tintin"

My whole family came to visit last weekend for my neverending birthday celebrations (photos will be posted once everyone sends them to me - hint hint). Gigi had an awesome time with her cousins, who seemed never to tire of her. Amelia demonstrated that Gabrielle now has hairstyling options. For example, the faux hawk.

It makes her look angsty, no?

Uncle Am finally visits

Amos and Gabrielle re-enact their pose from our trip to Halifax when she was 6 weeks old (see Feb. 12 posting, below). Nice to see them both looking so happy.

Fun with quinoa

I think a few even managed to make it into her mouth.

Boathouse beats the birthday blahs

Maureen and Wendy took Gigi and I out for my birthday to that hidden gem, the Boathouse. Maureen, in that subtle way of hers, immediately announced to everyone there that it was my birthday, and led them in a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday." I can't tell you how I felt about that.  ;-)  Thanks M & W for spoiling me with flowers and gifts... (and the spectacular stripey sweater I'm wearing is courtesy of the wondrous Angie).

Mmmm... baby licks clean the french fry box.

Fab at forty

Today is my 40th birthday, and Gabrielle surprised me by wearing her "My mom is a triathlete" onesie (do they have my mom *was* a triathlete onesies, I wonder?), and with this awesome "FAB MUM" card and a gorgeous Moleskine New York City guide. She has the same love of Moleskine products as her father. Who knew these things were genetic?

Who's the play group bully?

Gabrielle and I have really been enjoying going to a City of Ottawa baby playgroup every Tuesday afternoon. She gets to try out a bunch of fresh toys, and I get to chat with other mothers, and we even occasionally talk about non-mothering stuff (not very often). This week, she and this little boy were having a sweet moment, holding hands and touching each other's faces. I reached for my camera, but I guess things went sour while I was looking away.

He's cute, well-behaved, and check out that hair...

Vicky, my colleague from the Competition Bureau, and I were pregnant at the same time last year, and met for coffee recently to show off our kids and catch up on grown-up talk. Again, the kid with all the hair looks so much more grown-up, even though Gabrielle has at least a couple of weeks on him. Why do all the boys we know get all the nice hair??

First word: Dad

 

Dad dad dad and check out the two lower teeth.

First Bluesfest!

I guess this is technically her second Bluesfest, as she was 4 months in utero at last year's festival. Mark and I were just remembering that last year we talked about bringing her to Bluesfest this year. Wow, we actually did something we said we were going to do. A rare feat.

Anyways, Gabrielle got lots of smiles for her cute get-up and headphone ensemble. For a change, I didn't feel like a bad parent. And yes, we slathered her in SPF 50. 

This shows how far we were from the main stage, although it was still pretty loud. She seemed fine with it all, although I wouldn't go so far as to say she enjoyed it, she certainly didn't hate it. She even fell asleep on me a little later in the afternoon. 

She got to see Les Breastfeeders (a punk bad from Montreal, and yes, I did do some breastfeeding during the show, although I resisted for obvious reasons), Infected Mushroom (electronica/live band from Israel), and a bit of Snoop Dogg, which is pretty much when she dozed off. I 'm already picturing her telling her friends when she's older that she saw Snoop Dogg "back in the day". 

Day at the beach

This past weekend, the family made an outing to a local beach, Mooney's Bay. The e. coli levels weren't terrible, so we figured it would be safe for Gigi, as long as we dunked her in bleach immediately afterwards. 

She enjoyed the sand and sun (SPF 50 liberally applied all over her lily white skin). Then it was time to go in the lake.

Plopped down in the shallowest part, she seemed OK.

A little deeper and she was less OK, probably because it was still pretty cold in there. I didn't much like the water temperature either. Mark did eventually coax her to join him deep in the water, but she pretty much had a furrowed brow throughout.

Canada Day in the capital

Canadian girls are scrumptious.

We've started transporting Gabrielle around in this awesome backpack. Gabrielle really seems to enjoy being up at our level, hangin' with her folks.

And who should we happen to run into at the mobbed Canada Day celebrations? Why, it's Maureen and Wendy, givers of the abovementioned awesome backpack! 

Uh, nice hat...? (be nice, Gigi)

...and more Lennoxville hijinks...

Gabrielle horsing around with Grandad.

Heather doing a very silly dance, which made Gabrielle forget she was being held by Mike.

Gabrielle with The Draper Sibs - all with the same beautiful blue eyes. Even Mike has them, hidden behind his *too cool for the room* shades.

Gigi with her Aunt Katharine and Cousin Maggie. Maggie's not so much into sharing her mother's attentions, giving Gigi a bit of the evil eye.

No, this is not baby's first Coke (that special moment has already been reserved by Mark). Gabrielle suffered with her first serious bout of constipation, and this is baby's first prune juice. Delish, I'm sure, and worked like a charm...

Happy 40th wedding anniversary, Nana and Grandad!

We went to Lennoxville last weekend to celebrate Mark's parents' 40th wedding anniversary. We had a big party, complete with tent, caterer, and rented glasses, tables, and chairs. It was a bit like planning a wedding. Not that I'd know anything about that...

Mark and Gabrielle, chilling out in the unbearable heat. She was a trooper all day.

Gigi and her cousin Maggie, cuddling on the big chair before the party. Note how Gabrielle is fingering the fabric of Maggie's dress, imagining herself wearing it in 2 years or so....

 

I carried Gabrielle around in this sling for most of the party. She's really been enjoying drinking out of a glass, and as it was such a hot day, I carried around a glass of water for her. As you can see, I also carried around a glass of beer for myself. See below - I hope I didn't mix up the glasses...