Summer in the city

We decided it was time to let Gabrielle roam free in the great outdoors, so we brought her to this park right behind our house and plopped her down on the grass. Nice sitting, Gigi.

Then I made this dandelion crown for her, which she didn't like at first...

...but I think it grew on her...

...and then Mark introduced her to grass and weeds, close up....

...but her expression let us know she wasn't so into it. Maybe she's just not the outdoorsy type. Next field trip: New York City!

Sasha returns

Steph and Shannon were here for a visit this week and it's amazing to see how much Sasha has changed. He really looks like a little boy, unlike Gigi, who still looks very much like a baby, all cheeks and scalp. He's a very handsome guy with his Euro hairstyle and whatnot - in these photos, Gabrielle looks a little smitten while he seems quite blasé. 

Floating good, swimming bad

Mark took Gabrielle swimming at Derek and Angie's pool. She still wasn't crazy about it until she discovered...

...this big floaty crab!!

Safta is 70!

To celebrate my mother's birthday, the clan went up to Mont Tremblant for the long weekend. That's my brother in the background - hard to believe he's almost 50. That makes me *gulp* 40.

Although we were all supposed to be celebrating my mother's birthday, Gigi still did get alot of the attention, and there was alot of "I wanna hold her" from Ben and Amelia.

Safta and Gigi having a huggy feel good moment. 

Gabrielle's first trip on a mountain gondola. She seemed unimpressed.

Amelia took a big interest in Gabrielle's wardrobe, and made sure Gigi always looked "edgy."

Curly and Tennielle (not to be confused with the Captain and Tennille)

My father came to visit a couple of days ago and had a great time with Gabrielle. He decided that she needed a nickname, opted for a combination of her first and second names, and thus Tennielle was born. Then I decided that *he* needed a new nickname, because Grandpa Shalom never really had much pizzazz, in my humble opinion. In a moment of inspiration, he came up with Curly, which I thought was perfect. 

He seemed to enjoy feeding Gigi her rice cereal, much of which drooled out of her mouth, but we got some to stay down. Curly admitted that it's not as much fun as playing tennis with her, but that'll come, I'm sure...

Wheeee!!!!

New skills and bad parenting

I wasn't around for this, but Mark tells me (and supplied me with photographic proof thereof) that Gigi can now hold a bottle on her own, at least for a limited amount of time. It makes for a cute picture anyways.

By the way, those scratches all over her face are her own doing. I'm trying to keep her nails short, but they're really really small and hard to cut without trimming off the end of her fingertips (which I kinda did the other day - sorry, Gigi). 

Our first Mother's Day

Mother's Day takes on a whole new meaning when *you're* the one being celebrated. Mark did an awesome job, shouldering Gigi's responsibilities until she's old enough to make pancakes for me on her own. However, I hear she did have a hand in choosing the very cool card. 

Top: Gigi and I reading the Saturday Globe and Mail, waiting for breakfast; Bottom: seriously, I only get this once a year?

Ready for festival season

We got Gabrielle these noise-muffling headphones, in preparation for Bluesfest this summer. All the rock stars' kids are wearing them, dontcha know.

Biker bab[i]es

Mark's work friend, Suzanne, and I did the 35k Tour Nortel this past Sunday, and took a 25k ride home afterwards, giving me a 60k day, which isn't bad for this early in the season. Happily, I felt great on the bike, even though I'm looking a bit thick in this photo. Anyways, enough about me... Suzanne came over afterwards to meet the future female winner of the Tour de France, who seemed to enjoy hanging with the ladies in lycra.

Chowin' down

We decided to start Gabrielle on solids, even though the current recommendation is to wait until six months. My doctor explained that this recommendation is based on studies that have indicated that starting food later may lead to reduced incidences of food allergies, but she also conceded that those studies have recently been contradicted by other studies, so it was really up to us as to whether we thought Gigi was ready for solids. One reason we wanted to try giving her food is because Gigi is no longer sleeping through the night and feeds every couple of hours day and night. She's a big baby, so I thought maybe she's just hungry. Or maybe that's just my inner Jewish mama coming out. Anyways, the picture above is just before her first spoonful of organic brown rice cereal. Look at the excitement in her eyes!

And here she is, taking her first few spoonfuls. It went amazingly smoothly, as if she'd been eating out of a spoon her whole life. The books all say that you should be happy if you can get a teaspoon of cereal in her mouth the first time. More like five or six tablespoons, I would say - she ate the whole bowl we had prepared for her. Little Ms. Piggy.

Four months old

Gigi had her four month check-up and immunizations today. All went well, as expected, although she cried like crazy after the shots. I wish they wouldn't tell me each time how much the shot "burns" when it goes in. It breaks my heart. 

This is also a good opportunity to update you on her growth progress. Here are her stats, for those interested (or competitive) in such things:

Birth weight: 8 lbs. 15 ozs.

Birth length: 21.25"

5 week weight: 13 lbs. 1 oz.

5 week length: 23.13"

10 week weight: 14 lbs. 15 ozs.

10 week length: 23.6"

4 month weight: 16 lbs. 13 ozs.

4 month length: 25.2"

She's been in the 95th percentile for weight since birth and is currently in the 90th for height. 

Frogs!

How cute is this frog suit from Mark's aunt Kitty?

Unbelievable feats of athleticism

Lifting her head!...

Sitting up!!...

..Even standing!!!

Bring your child to work day

Angie and I brought our kids to Nortel for a visit last week. It was pretty cute getting a little "escort required" badge for Gabrielle and Logan. We were also warned by security to keep them away from chemical baths, live wiring and loading docks. Thanks for the heads up.

I think Gabrielle was really upset by the idea of her father working in a cubicle, but Mark thinks she just had a wet diaper.

Pop!

 

Sorry for the manic quality of my voice. We'd been at it for awhile.

Someone's got a foot fetish

...and I think it's me. But look at these cuties! 

This chair's too nice to eat on

I assembled the amazing Svan High Chair this weekend, bought for us by Amos & Carolyn. The thing is gorgeous, well-designed, and not made in China. Now we only have to wait until Gabrielle can sit up well on her own to put it to use. Grow, Gigi, grow!! On second thought, don't. 

Shoes!

I noticed that children in Gigi's age group always seem to have shoes on their feet when we see them at playgroups. I have no idea why they need shoes, and their parents don't seem to either, but I've decided to conform and put shoes on her feet when we leave the house. These are my faves because they have cats on them - Banshee and Rutger, I call them, named after my dearly departed. 

A girl after my own heart

Mmm.... I just love the CBC. Mmmmm.. I just love my fingers.

Last time I saw you guys, you were bumps

 Gigi tries out a jolly jumper for the first time ever today. I think I'm ready to put a slow-down  on this whole growing up thing. 

Gigi and I went over to visit with two woman from our prenatal class and their babies. Very cool to see the moms all fit and trim and the babies out of their mothers' bellies. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the mothers - but the babies all got along famously. Well actually, they mostly just ignored each other, but that's about as good as you get at this age. Oliver (left) and Jaeden (centre) are both a month older than Gabrielle, but you'd never know it. She's gonna be a big bruiser, she is.

Little Miss High Maintenance

Nana visited recently, bringing with her a gorgeous sweater she knit for Ms. Gabrielle. It's handwash only, but I'll just do it when I handwash her cashmere blanket. Nothing's too good for our little one, it would seem...

Ready to roll

In our free time, Gabrielle and I have been working on her rolling skills. As you can see, it's a promising start. 

More friends visit...

Brucifer checks out Gabrielle on a recent visit. She thinks he's standing too close.

Look ma, I'm holding a baby.

John came over and showed off his progeny, Charlotte, and his New York City Marathon t-shirt from a long long time ago. Still fits!

First swim!

Angie and Logan, Dan and Naya, and Gigi and I took the plunge at Angie's pool this week. This was the first time in anything other than a bath or amniotic fluid for the little ones. Note that a baby makes an excellent tummy cover.

Logan and Naya enjoyed the experience far more than Gabrielle, who only got wet up to her bellybutton before losing it. We'll try again soon.

But she did seem to enjoy lounging around the pool afterwards.

Ahhh... that mellow feeling after a swim....