Seven Months Old

Gabriella was 7 months old on Monday!  Her biggest milestone of this month is sitting up which has opened up a lot of fun opportunities for her…sitting in the shopping cart, sitting in a high chair at restaurants, and having a full view of her toys while she’s playing on the floor.  She loves being able to be out of her car seat and able to look around at all the people and objects that surround her.

Gabriella is chewing on everything.  It feels like she’s been teething for 6 months now, but we still haven’t seen or felt any teeth pop through.

In the last month, she has hit a growth spurt which has caused her to go from sleeping 10-11 hours at night to waking up every 4-5 hours to eat.  I imagine that adding baby food into her diet would really help to tide her over for longer, but she does not enjoy eating off a spoon at all.  When I try to give her a bite, she closes her lips as tight as she can, makes two fists, and growls at me.  I think this is our first glimpse of a little stubbornness.  We’re doing good to get 4-5 bites down her each night.  I’m trusting that she will do better with time, and thankful for all the wonderful nutrients she receives from nursing.

Gabriella has never really been one to cuddle.  When she is tired, she likes to be put down in her bed with her blankie and left alone.  While this makes it very easy on me at naptime and bedtime, I do miss rocking her and cuddling her.  Well, since she’s been getting up more in the night, she’s also wanted to cuddle more.  I. Am. Loving. It.

Gabriella is babbling a lot and humming.  She is very content to play on her own, but also interacts really well when we play with her.  She loves her big brother and her face lights up when he walks in the room.

Prepare to be amazed by my technical ability AND my stunning little girl…

Thanks to www.picmonkey.com, I was able to edit my photo quickly, easily, and for free!  Yahoo!

Showing off a new outfit from Cammie.

Cammie watches Brynlee on Fridays, so we’ve enjoyed stopping by for a visit on Friday mornings.

Playing at the park.

Getting a flower from her big brother

Playing with Paw Paw.

Sharing the changing table with Reuben…one of many moments when Reuben wants to make sure that Gabriella doesn’t steal all of our attention.

Swinging with Daddy.  Melt.My.Heart!

Instagram Pics

Sitting in the high chair like a big girl!

LOVING being outside and walking to the park.

Gabriella loves it when Reuben comes to get her from her nap or in the morning when she wakes up.

Stylin’ at the park.

Sitting up like a big girl!

Tight lipped while Mommy is trying to feed her.

Snuggle time with Mommy in the middle of the night.

A crazy hair day…a more regular occurrence than we prefer.

Sewing class with Mommy.

My Little Gymnast

Reuben has been going to the Little Gym for almost a year now.  One of the perks of signing him up for a full session is four free weeks in the Bugs (4-10 months old) class for a sibling.  The Bugs class happens to be on Tuesday while Reuben is at school, so it worked out perfect for me to start taking Gabriella.  Yesterday was her first class.  She seemed to really enjoy herself AND she must of worn herself out because she took an extra long nap afterward.  The whole class was just too precious so I took a bunch of pictures.  Enjoy!

Six Months Old

My sweet little girl celebrated her half birthday on Saturday.  I can’t believe it!  I think she is looking more and more like a McNamara everyday.  There are days when I feel like I’m staring at myself when I look at her.  When we chose Gabriella’s name, we talked about calling her Ella Kate or Ella for short.  We may still end up calling her that, but for now, Reuben’s original name for her–Belle Ella–has stuck.  We also call her Punkin or Punky

Gabriella loves to play on the floor and in her exersaucer.  She seems to be a little more independent than Reuben is, in that she enjoys being put down to play on her own.  She doesn’t mind being held, but she doesn’t really like to rock.  If she’s tired, she just wants to be laid down.  Gabriella continues to be really chill.  The other day, one of my friends asked if she is really this chill all the time…the answer is yes…except when she’s tired.  She is easy-going, go with the flow, sweet, lovable, happy, and peaceful.

Gabriella has started to babble more this month and interact with us.  She loves “talking” to Reuben in the car.  She thinks he is pretty funny.  Just last night Reuben had her giggling.  I love watching them interact!

I still have moments, at least once a day, when I find myself holding onto her extra tight or savoring a moment extra long and being filled with so much gratitude that she is ours and we get to experience all of these special days with her.

Big smile at the zoo.

Sunday morning picture with Reuben.

First ponytail

Relaxing and talking with Mommy.

Playing on the floor with Reuben and loving every minute.

This picture was snapped on a Tuesday morning while Reuben was at school and Gabriella and I were sharing a really sweet moment together.  I grabbed my phone and wanted to take a quick picture to commemorate this moment for myself.  The picture turned out a lot better than I expected and has quickly become one of my most treasured possessions.  And…she’s signing “Mommy” on my chin (not on purpose, but it’s still cool)!

This is how my baby looks 99.9% of the time…sweet and happy.

She’s been loving all the walks we’ve been taking in this beautiful weather lately!

We put her in this car at a birthday party on Saturday.  She loved it!  She looks like she was blazing quite a trail with her hair whipping in the wind like that

Gabriella’s First Cereal

We gave Gabriella her first taste of cereal last night.  She was far less excited about eating it than we were about giving it to her.  She ate it pretty well, but didn’t really seem to be too thrilled.  Through the power of technology, we were able to Skype/Facetime with my parents and sister and Nick’s parents so they could watch her reaction.

I can’t believe my little girl will be 6 months tomorrow and is already eating her first cereal.  Every milestone we get to experience with her is both a miracle and a blessing.  She is just too precious for words

Gabriella’s First Haircut

I waited as long as I possibly could, hoping that Gabriella’s hair would magically even out.  But…this was her reality…

…long wisps on the top and sides and almost bald on the back where she had rubbed almost all her hair off while sleeping on her back.  She was starting to look like an Hasidic Jew with side curls.

I sent this picture to our hairdresser and asked if she could squeeze Gabriella in on Saturday when we went for Reuben’s and Nick’s haircuts.  She graciously agreed.

A few PRECIOUS pics of my sweet girl’s ADORABLE little face…

The short hair in the back with this wispy sides.

Daddy and Miss Liz are both taking this haircut very seriously.

Let’s please take a moment of silence to appreciate Gabriella’s abundance of rolls…makes me want to kiss her up!

Gabriella had a little bit of a panic at the thought of losing her precious side curls…

…but she bounced back quickly and was really happy with the end result!

Five Months Old

Gabriella is 5 months old today!

There haven’t been many changes this month.  Nick and I were talking just the other day about how the months of January and February just felt like one big blur to us!

 Gabriella continues to be very easy going and mild mannered.  She is SO laid back and content.  She will just sit and take in her surroundings for long periods of time.  She doesn’t feel the need to move yet…so she just stays…in one spot…until you move her.  We’ve been doing lots of floor exercises to get her to try to roll over.  She’ll do it if you get her started, but if you don’t make her move, she’s content to just stay put.

She is happy and sociable.  She doesn’t mind being passed around to different people and will usually smile at anyone who talks to her.

When she’s tired or hungry, she will fuss and cry, though.  Nick and I left her for the first time this month and she decided she wouldn’t take a bottle.  This is really the first time she’s thrown a big fuss about anything.

We fall in love with her more and more each day and are really enjoying getting to know her better now that she’s awake for extended periods of time during the day.  I still haven’t figured out her routine for daytime, but she does sleep through the night (most nights) so I’ll take it!

Enjoying some tummy time!

Gabriella loved her first bath in the tub with Reuben.  They both got a big kick out of each other.  We will definitely only be doing this when Nick and I are both home…it’s too much work for one person!

iPhone Pics

I was feeling all sorts of guilty when I looked through my files for pictures to post this month because I didn’t have many to choose from.  Then I started going through my phone.  There are no shortages of pictures of my sweet girl…I’m just not grabbing the camera as often as I am using my phone.  Need to work on that…

Gabriella has a great time playing in the nursery with her friends at church.  Mommy still hasn’t been brave enough to leave her there, but I’m working up the courage!

She enjoyed a nice walk to the park on a warm day.  When I put her sunglasses on her, she didn’t stop smiling!

This dress was a gift from Pastor Renae.  I love dressing her up for church!

Gabriella has started playing in the exersaucer this month.  She loves it!

Reuben has rekindled his passion for the exersaucer now that Gabriella is playing in it

This dress was a gift from our friend, Vivi.  Again…all dressed up for church!

Gabriella had RSV this month  I had NO idea she had it, though, because she didn’t run a fever at all, it didn’t disrupt her sleep, and she never lost her happy and content personality.  I took her in because of her congestion and she tested positive for RSV.  We did several days of breathing treatments and steroids, and I’m happy to say, she’s all better now.  I took this picture when she was in the middle of her bout with RSV to document how content she was despite feeling sick!

The sweetest picture EVER of my little boy and girl

I just loved Gabriella in this outfit because it’s very similar to something I would wear…jeans, hoodie, and Toms!

I had the brilliant idea to put a night cap on her for bedtime because she’s rubbing the hair completely off the back of her head resulting in major bald spots and mats in her hair every morning.  Well, this brilliant idea was short lived when she woke up at 1:30 crying because she had pulled the cap down over half her face.  So, we’re embracing the baldness for now. Oh well!

4 Months Old

Our precious daughter is four months old today!  The time is flying by even though we keep begging it to slow down.  Gabriella continues to be a very laid back, easy going baby.  She is growing really fast!  I’m already having to bust out the 6 month clothes because all of her pants are getting too short.  She’s also moved up to a size 3 diaper.  The rolls on her legs go on for miles and I just couldn’t possibly love them anymore.  She’s just a chubby little piece of goodness!  Her eyes still fluctuate in color…right now they are a greenish/light brown color.  Her hair is getting longer in the front, but she’s rubbed the back of her head almost completely bald…just like her brother did.  We’re definitely at an awkward hair stage :0/  Gabriella has found her voice.  She loves to speak her mind especially between 9-11 p.m.  She also gets really talkative when we lay her down to play on her floor mat.  She enjoys sitting in her bumbo and being able to watch what’s going on around her.  I find myself thanking God several times a day for blessing us with this special gift!

And now for the random pics that haven’t showed up in blogs this month…

Gabriella got to meet “Mama Sonia,” a very dear family friend who was visiting from Peru.

Me and my girl at her baby dedication.

Gabriella and her Cammie.  Isn’t my mom gorgeous?!?  I hope I look this good as a grandma!

During her dedication…

All snuggled up for the coldest day of winter so far.

Gabriella did so great at her very first craft show!  We went to OKC Affair of the Heart this weekend and she survived 6+ hours of shopping!

After the craft show, we went back to Neal and Shannon’s house for dinner.  Rachel wasn’t able to come…it wasn’t the same without her

Hanging out with her buddy Ezekiel

And a few Instagram pics…

Reuben baked some apple pie in his kitchen and enjoyed feeding it to Gabriella.

Reuben LOVES to help with Gabriella’s baths.

These eyes melt my heart!

This is the face she made when we told her it was snowing outside.

Gabriella’s Baby Dedication

Saturday night was the Baby Dedication service at our church.  We were honored to have several of our family members and friends in attendance to celebrate our dedication of Gabriella to the Lord.  This service is a special time to commit Gabriella’s future to God in the presence of our church family and have them pray a special blessing over our baby girl.  God has done great things already in the life of our little girl in the past 3.5 months and we know He has great things in store for her future!

Direct your children onto the right path, 
      and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Proverbs 22:6

Here are a few of the pictures we managed to get.  I’ll probably do another post later when I receive the pictures from our church and our parents

Gabriella and I are so blessed to have these two HANDSOME men in our lives!

We love serving alongside our pastors, Mike and Renae Goolsbay!

Pastor Mike did his best to get us all in a shot while he held the camera…didn’t work out so great, but it’s a cute pic of Gabriella!

One of SEVERAL attempts to get both kids looking at the camera at the same time…

P.S. Gabriella’s adorable outfit is from Baby Gap.  Her Uncle Chris bought it for her for Christmas, and cousin Shera topped the outfit off with the adorable ballet flats  I made her bow using this tutorial.

After the dedication service, Nick’s parents hosted a nice dinner with family and friends.  I was busy taking care of Gabriella most of the night, but when I got home and was looking at Facebook, I saw these hilarious pictures that cousins, Jarred and Joel, took with Reuben.  I’m so thankful for the way they love our boy!

Briana and Chris joined in the fun on this one…

And…my FAVORITE…

3 Months Old

Tomorrow marks 3 months since our precious Gabriella entered our world.  As I’m sure everyone is now well aware, I’m SO thankful for the blessing of my daughter.  She has already taught me so much and I’m looking forward to lifetime of a mother/daughter bond that can’t be matched.

Gabriella is peaceful, happy, and very content.  She SLEEPS.  Oh my goodness, the girl sleeps.  Last night, she pulled a 9.5 hour stretch.  I don’t want to brag…believe me…I know how TERRIBLE it is to be on the other side reading about a sleeping baby when yours wakes up approximately 19 times each night (REUBEN MAC).  I’m just so SO thankful.  I know I’m a better mom (and I still have MUCH room for improvement) because I’m getting several hours of uninterrupted sleep…besides the occasional, wake up, PANIC, check for breathing, RELIEF, go back to sleep.  And by that statement, it’s clear that GK is still camping out in our room.  Nick and I talked last night about when we’ll move her out of our room.  We decided 18 is a great age for that

Gabriella is smiling and cooing.  I just love it.  She looks me right in the eye and grins from ear to ear showing her beautiful, one-sided dimple.  Her eyelashes are coming in so full.  She is just the most precious thing.

She’s smart, too.  She’s figured out when Reuben goes to bed, she can demand Mommy and Daddy’s full attention.  She is SO chill all day, but during nap time and after Reuben’s bed time, she finds her voice.  She likes to be walked around the house, perched high on my shoulder, and patted on the back.  You would think that after awhile she would relax and lay her head down.  Nope.  Girl has some major head control and she’s got to know what’s going on around her.

Gabriella loves to hear Daddy sing.  When we’re at church, she is a perfect little angel while Daddy is singing.  Once the music stops and the preaching starts, she gets cranky and likes to make some noise.  Needless to say, we enjoy most sermons via TV in the nursing mom’s hangout.

And…now for the pictures…most of them blurry and taken on my phone.  Maybe one day I’ll figure out how to effectively use our DSLR camera…

This little girl is growing like a weed!  I’ve been saving this dress because it’s size 3 months, but I’m thankful I tried it on her when I did because it was almost too small!

Can you see those eyelashes???

Gabriella went on her first road trip this month.  We took a day trip to Edmond for a girls’ craft day at Shannon’s house.  She did a great job relaxing while we crafted!

She got a bit cranky towards the end so we swaddled her up and handed her to Uncle Neal

I decided to embrace her fro one day instead of trying to tame it after a bath.  It lasted for over 2 days!

I just love the way she sticks her tongue out when she smiles

How cute is she in her poncho?!?

It’s exhausting being so cute.

Our families hooked both kids up with some pretty sweet clothes for Christmas!

The eyes…they kill me…

Just a little snuggle bug.

She got all dressed in her track suit to go watch Reuben’s soccer practice.

I. LOVE. THIS. PICTURE.  How GQ is Reuben? How adorable and happy is Gabriella?!?

My sweet angel.