Oh the silly things he says

I don't have anything too specific to share, but I was thinking today about all of the cute and random things that Gabriel says and I don't want to forget them.  Also, sorry that none of these pictures are "still" shots.  We don't spend too much time being still around here. . .

When Gabriel wants to run he can't simply do it.  He yells "Run Run!" as he darts through the kitchen (or through a bunch of ducks as he did this morning)

Often when we're leaving the house to go somewhere Gabriel says "Let's go! Come on!" in a really excited voice and runs for the door.

For some reason Gabriel thinks that saying something is "funny" is the same as saying "I like it."  Therefore, as of this morning, the following things are funny:

"Mommy funny"

"Duckie pond funny"

"Rabbit funny"

"Jesse funny" (Toy Story)

"Shorts funny" (Pixar short videos)

"Kelsey so funny" (his babysitter from last night.  I'm not sure what 

she did to earn the "so" part but I'm glad that he had fun)

This bed is in a local toy store.  If anyone would like to build
him one please do.  He was a big fan :)

Other random things that Gabriel likes to talk about:

"Romp and ROLL" - which he suddenly wants to go to every day

"Hannah Kate" - he may be just slightly obsessed with his cousin.  He would Facetime with her every day if he could.  He pretends to call her often.

"Nursery" at church - I think that it's so cute that when we're going to church he talks about the nursery and names people that he knows that he'll see there.

"Kroger" and getting "groceries" - I told him on Wednesday and we were going to stop at Kroger and get some groceries and then we'd go to class at Romp and Roll.  He kept repeating "Stop at Kroger.  Groceries.  Sticker.  Romp and Roll class."  He had the whole thing all pieced together in his head

Playing at the Children's Museum.  He got
very upset when we had to take the hat off

 One of the cutest things that he started doing the other day is praying.  We were sitting outside yesterday and he randomly folded his hands, bowed his head and said "Corn. Beans. Amen" (the boy still loves his vegetables).  He's done that some other random times too although I'm not always entirely sure what he's praying about.  I'm pretty sure that it usually involves food or eating.

 On another note related to talking, I still can't understand more than half of what he's talking about, and sometimes that really breaks my heart.  Sometimes whatever he has to say seems so important to him and you can tell that he just really wants to make me understand and I just don't get it.  Equally frustrating for him is when he communicates clearly and can't have whatever it is that he wants ("You understood what I asked, so why can't I have a cookie!?!").  As much as I want to understand him and be able to have actual conversations I'm really going to miss the rambling and babbling though.  Everything is so exciting that it's hard for his mouth the keep up with his brain.

Bathtub fun

Summer Fun

Time for an update in pictures.  I wish that I had more energy to write more, but oh well.  I feel that I have many thoughts about the state of life with a toddler, so maybe one day I'll type it up.  But let's be honest, that might not happen ;)  

Summer has brought with it many chances to get outside and do fun things.  Our typical weekly activities include the pool, the park, story time at the library, class at Romp and Roll and playing the the yard.  It has been nice to explore some other things too though like the duck pond, the fair, the zoo, and berry picking.  While I'm not going to write a whole lot, for my own memories sake I have to note that Gabriel loves BEANS (green and edamame).  The other night he had the choice between a bite of a brownie and a cup of beans and he chose the beans.  He also loves "Old McDonald" and "BINGO", books, his bed, making a pretend "shocked" face, Loki, putting the groceries on the conveyor belt, and of course anything Toy Story.  He's a funny guy.  

Here he is with one of Mommy's headbands.  I call this photo "I want to be in a 80's workout video."  Move over Jane Fonda.

Play Doh is fun

And so is feeding Rice Krispies to a stuffed dog

He loves to play in the kiddie pool.  And by "play" I mean throw Sulley, Mike, Woody, and Buzz into the pool, climb in and throw them out, then climb out and throw them in.  The process continues until he decides that it's time to climb on the patio furniture.

Gabriel loves his Daddy.

He also loves berries

Gabriel loved having his cousin for a visit.  He still occasionally wanders around the house saying her name and looking for her.  If only she lived closer. . .

Feeding the ducks.  While we have gone a couple times I sadly have no good pictures.  To note, however, Gabriel would much rather feed the very large squirrels than the ducks.  And when he does feed the ducks he prefers the say "Hey duck!" and then throw a whole piece of bread and watch them all fight over it.

Gabriel started doing a couple things while his cousin was here.  The first was really getting into giving a "hug" and a "kiss."  He smothered that girl in kisses.  He also kisses his toys and random furniture.  The new habit that I'm not so fond of is his wanting to suck his thumb all the time.  He's always sucked it when falling asleep, which has never really bothered me.  Honestly, if he'd always had this habit during the day it wouldn't bother me so much, but it's too late now to start this habit if you ask me.  We're trying to discourage him from doing it, but what do you do when multiple times every hour he flops down and sticks in it his mouth?  Not sure what the outcome of this will be.

Building tall towers

I found this little Toy Story bag at a consignment store.  He loves having his own bag with pictures of his friends on it.  And while part of me is loving not having the diaper bag anymore, another part of me isn't ready to have a child with a backpack.

Another shot of the "pack pack."  Apparently when he was just with Taylor the other day he was showing random people his "bag."

We saw lots of new things at the zoo!  And rode a train!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

The local fair had a petting zoo and Gabriel liked seeing the animals and feeding them carrots.

Big boy on the swings.  I thought he would get scared but he seemed to enjoy it  And when we rode the ferris wheel every time it was going down he said "Whheeeee."  So cute.  Getting way too big.