Monterey - Excitement of the Sea!

We took Gabrielle to the Monterey Bay Aquarium on January 17. She absolutely loved it (& that's putting it mildly)! She couldn't get enough of all the fish, sharks, otters, penguins, and other sea life. It was non-stop excitement. Grandma put it well when she said that Gabrielle seems to have a kinship with the animals. They actually would come right up to her at the window.

I just can't get close enough! (1/17)
Daddy, look at the rays!
There it is!

Enjoying the water with Grandma and Grandpa:

Under a wave with Grandma:

Wow, I get to touch a seastar!

Gotta love everything about the ocean!

Watching the playful otters:

In the beautiful Monterey weather:

Our baby penguin in her egg:

Unpacking the suitcase at our stopover at Grandma and Grandpa's (1/18):

Enjoying Grandpa's guitar skills (1/18):

For the PA relatives, Gabrielle did catch some of the Steelers playoff game (1/18):

Wildlife in Grandma and Grandpa's yard (1/19):

Back home (1/21):

Watching the otters and playing with Grandma (1/17):

Having fun with Grandpa (1/18):

Our big girl at Mike's Roadhouse Cafe on I-5 on the way home (1/19):

Cute Collection

With Lily at her first birthday party (1/10):

Cooking with Daddy (1/11):Our little baby (1/12):

Our doll and her dolly:

So cute!

What fun to empty the bookshelves! (1/12)

Our little explorer (1/14):

On the move (1/14):

At the Zimmer Children's Museum (1/14):

Checking out the dog at my friend Luc's house for Playgroup (1/14):

Daddy had to put my mattress at the lowest level in my crib (1/14):

Our Crawler!

Gabrielle took her first crawl on Dec. 23. Now she is a pro! She loves to explore, especially if it involves animals! (Orka, of course, is her favorite!) Orka is very patient with her and will usually let Gabrielle get a few pets in before she moves to safer ground. She is also able to sit up on her knees and pull books off shelves and things off the coffee table and chairs. She is so inquisitive!

12/30/08:

12/31/08:

1/6/09:

Save Gabrielle's Elephant!

A few mis-guided people on the LA city council are trying to stop the LA Zoo's project of building a new exhibit for their elephant, Billy. The exhibit is already about 30% completed. The exhibit will be a practical club-med resort for the elephant, whose relatives are being poached in the wild. As many of you know, we take Gabrielle to the zoo frequently and she loves the animals. Please go to this link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/01/jack-hanna-anno.html and vote to keep the elephant at the zoo. Thanks!

Sounds of an Angel!

Santa Comes! (And I'm crawling!)

Me and Santa (12/13 at the zoo):
The reindeer fueling up for the big flight (12/13):

What good is Gerard's Christmas party unless you can ride on Maggie? (12/14)

Helping Mommy wrap presents (12/17):

In my Santa hat (12/18):

At the Leonard's Christmas party (12/20):

Daddy reading me my bedtime story "Guess How Much I Love You" (12/20):

I got to play my first duet with my friend Ashley (boy, does she sure have a lot of energy! I loved watching her!) (12/21):

Ready for Christmas Eve mass (making one of my silly faces!):

After mass and celebrating the birth of Jesus:

My letter and milk and chocolate covered pretzels (from Beaver, PA) for Santa (I've been a VERY good girl in my seven and a half months!):

I got to the presents even before breakfast was served and was starting to take the bows and ribbons off:

With Grandma in my cute shirt from Auntie Kathleen and Uncle Chad:

With my Godfather Gerard:

Auntie Kathleen is so silly:

Opening my stocking presents (notice my cute stocking Mommy and Grandma made):

Practicing my crawl to get Daddy's shoes (I did my first crawl on 12/23!):

Orka gave me this cat which I really like:

Santa brought me my first dolly:

Now I can chew on her fingers!

Merry Christmas!

Oh Christmas Tree

What's a Christmas tree farm unless you have zebras (12/7)?

Picking out our tree in Santa Paula:

Daddy and his girl sawing down the tree:

Daddy at work:

Timber!

And the tree Shakee:

Me and my tree in the car:

Tree installation:

Me and my special ornament and Mommy and Daddy (12/9):

Giving the ornament a taste test:

Putting on the first ornament (an angel that says "Teenie Weenie 2008):

Helping Pat with the ornaments:

Our little angel putting the angel on top of the tree:

The three of us:

The finished tree:

Thanks Pat, Megan, and Gerard for helping!
And we can't leave Orka out of the fun:

Ta Da!