Gabe: 2.5

Well the ole' blog has once again turned into my online baby book. Snicker if you will, but how many well-intentioned moms out there have baby books that are complete through about baby's first month, and sparse or even blank after that?  At least this online space keeps me on the ball when it comes to my babies growing up.

With all of the attention my littlest is getting these days, it's easy to forget about my big boy. But today my little man is two-and-a-half!  I thought this momentous day deserved a post. 

These days, Gabe is a little boy. No baby left here!  He is a walking, talking, jumping, playing, racing, zooming, climbing boy. 

It's only been in the past few weeks that my quiet boy has begun speaking in relatively full sentences. For example, if he sees a toy that he hasn't played with in awhile, he'll say "Look Mommy, I found!" as he shows me what he's found. Or he'll call me to come upstairs to the play room: "Mama!  Come up here!"  And when I respond that I'll be up in a minute, he says "K!" and carries on with his play.  And in ultimate big-kid language, today when I asked him to pick up his toys, he said "five mo minutes!" 

Play consists of his old stand-by: CARS. He still loves them. He's started to recognize specific models, and can point out cars that family members have. Uncle Jeffrey's mustang is certainly his favorite. Sometimes he just likes to cruise Google Images for pictures of Mustangs or police cars. When he comes across one that is particularly cool, he'll say slowly and in awe "Yook at dat one."  Even when he's asleep, you can find car paraphernalia nearby.

Precious. 

He also still loves books. His favorite of the moment is "Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site."  (Or as Gabe says, "Goonight Goonight 'struction site".)  We read this one every night. He has a bevy of others that he loves, as well, and will pretty much sit and listen to anything anyone will read to him. 

He has exactly four favorite movies: Cars (of course), Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and Tangled. He loves to watch them on the TV or on his iPad. And yes, he has completely mastered the iPad, and even added the word "app" to his vocabulary. 

He's a boy.  Of course he watches TV with his hands in his pants.

Gabe loves his Daddy. He wants to be where J is and do what J does. Case in point:

Only when the chips are really down, like a bad dream or an injury, does he call for me. I'm okay with this. Gabe's personality is 100% J- they're two peas in a pod, really. Melts my heart. 

My boy is finally starting to accept his role as big brother. He now not only acknowledges his sister's presence, but he'll sometimes give her a toy to play with, or put her pacifier in her mouth!  The other day we went to wake her from a nap, and he so sweetly said- wait for it- "Hi pretty Margot. How you doing?"

Oh. Em. Gee. 

Gabe is a sweet and quiet boy, and for the most part, so well behaved. He has his two year old moments (being told no isn't his favorite thing), but in the grand scheme of two year olds, he's a dream come true. 

Who am I kidding?  In the grand scheme of all children of all ages the world over, he's my dream come true. 

Nugget, you make this mama a happy one. Happy half-birthday, my sweet boy!