Christmas 2014

Yes, it is the middle of January, so it's time to post some Christmas memories.  Over the Christmas season I actually put a few little things in my phone that I wanted to remember about Gabriel's experience, so I really just want to get them down here so I don't forget that.  So, it will be random, but it's my attempt to remember certain things that were important to me.

It snowed a couple days before Thanksgiving.  He wasn't a big fan of being out in the wet cold.  I don't blame him

Gabriel really enjoyed Christmas this year, as I think it was the first time he could really understand that there was something "different" going on.  He loved the music especially.  He wanted to hear/sing over and over and over again Angels We Have Heard on High (especially the Piano Guys version), Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and sometimes Away in a Manger.  One time he got a little mixed up and wanted me to sing "Jesus loves the Red Nosed Reindeer."  His favorite Christmas album was the Piano Guys Christmas though.  He often wanted to hear "Piano Guys Angels Heard on High," "Number 3," and "Number 6".  He didn't know all the names but he knew what songs he liked the best.

He had fun decorating the tree and also in the weeks after playing with the ornaments.  We tried to only let him have 1 ornament at a time, but sometime he got too excited about them and ended up with a couple

We tried to do some fun holiday things around here.  One night we went to the Inn at Virginia Tech and we looked at all of their decorated trees.  He had a good time running around pointing things out on each tree.  However, amid all of the pretty trees he ran up to a gold pole holding a restaurant menu and proclaimed "It's beautiful!"  Apparently to him that's just as pretty as a decorated and lit up tree.

Ho Ho Ho

One Sunday at church we lit the Advent candle.  As Taylor was reading the passage I was holding Gabriel and lighting the candle.  We don't really light candles in our house (for obvious reasons), so I wasn't really even sure if he knew what a candle was, but when he saw me reaching out to light it he said in a very serious voice, "It's hot! Don't touch it!"  For anyone in church that day I apologize that I don't remember the passage that was read or anything but trying not to laugh loudly.

Cupcake!

Hannah Kate's first birthday was the day before Christmas and Gabriel had so much fun at her party.  He really didn't understand though why all of the cupcakes had to sit on the table and wait to be eaten.  He kept saying "I need a cupcake!".  It was worth the wait.  He also actually sang "Happy Birthday" for the first time and he was still singing "Happy Birthday Hannah Kate" days later.  He randomly sang it again the other day.  It's apparently a great song.

Look at Hannah's presents!

Side note: I may call Hannah Kate "sweetie" too often because now when we Facetime with her Gabriel says "Hi Sweetie!" to her.

Gabriel has hot chocolate for the first time on Christmas Eve while watching "A Muppet Christmas Carol."  He had recently seen an episode of "Bear in the Big Blue House" where they have hot cocoa and seems fascinated.  I guess he didn't realize that cocoa and chocolate were the same thing because he said many times "I drink hot cocoa.  It's chocolate!"

Pop Pop is a funny guy

Every year since Taylor and I have been married we have eaten on Christmas Eve or Christmas at Waffle House.  This year when we told Gabriel that we were going to Waffle House he said "Go Waffles House?  Go Bacons House?  I eat them."

This memory has nothing to do with Christmas in particular but it happened while we were in Atlanta for Christmas.  We were eating at Panda Express (yummy) and Gabriel kept asking us about various animals.  He would say "what does the dog say?" We would respond with, "I don't know Gabriel, what does the dog say?" He would say "Ruff!"  This continued with many different animals and noises.  He finally said "what does the mommy say?"  I was scared as to what would come out of his mouth, but when I said "I don't know, what does the mommy say" he responded with "I love you!"  So sweet and such a relief that he didn't choose one of the less than ideal things that I sometimes say.

Grandma Cheryl!

While I have to say our trip to Atlanta at Christmas was one of the best trips we've had down there as a family, we could have done without Gabriel's first ER visit.  On 12/23 he tripped on a step and minorly bonked his head.  This kid hits his head on a regular basis climbing on things and I was not in the slightest concerned over this one.  However, he threw a major fit afterwards and then fell asleep on me.  When he woke up he proceeded to start with some serious vomiting (I again apologize to John and Sue for their carpet).  We started driving towards the ER and he got so pale and groggy.  He scared us.  Apparently he got a little stomach virus with some bad timing.  Part of me is glad we were in Atlanta though because CHOA is awesome.  They took good care of him and we're so thankful that he was fine by the next day.

I can almost fit this in my mouth

Gabriel thought that opening presents was super fun.  At one point he had been ripping so much paper (opening his presents and other people's who offered to let him help) that he stood up and yelled "more presents!"  He was in a ripping coma it seemed.

You can never go wrong with a book containing Jessie and Woody

I'm so glad that he had a fun time with family and didn't want to come back home (sometimes when we're gone he frequently asks to go back home).  He still talks about seeing everyone, especially the babies.  I have to say though, one of my favorite things of all was when we did my family Christmas he pulled a bell off of Stephanie's Christmas tree and led everyone in singing "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman."  He looked so happy and proud of himself.  He's becoming such a sweet big boy.

I love my new kitchen!