Gaby is 1!

Well! Gaby is now 1!!!!!! Her birthday was on Friday, and she got absolutely spoilt! I think the most awesome present was the rocking-motorbike that my Dad made for her - it's sooooo neat! Though she thinks that normal riding is toooooo simple for her, she prefers to attempt to stand up on the bike! She got lots of clothes, and lots of other toys - she seems to reallllllly like the ball pit that I bought her - which I'm pleased about!

Gaby's rocking-motorbike

Her birthday party was on Saturday, and I think it was a success! There were absolutely no tears at all during the entire party, no fighting (by Jas & Alice), not even any mean words! Gabs had a sleep at 1pm, so she was up around 2pm - when the party 'officially' started.

Gaby & Josh

As with her birthday day, she got lots of new clothes (fantastic!), and a couple of toys. I don't think I'm going to need to buy her any clothes for awhile (doh!). She didn't like her cake one bit, but I didn't expect that she would - yet I just HAD to make her one, because well.. it was her birthday - she needed a cake!

Gaby's cake!

Her guests were:

• Sue, Jasmine & Alice
• Serena & Josh
• Terri & Evan
• Kai
• Sharlene
• Me
• Nan

I can't believe that my baby is 1!!! It feels like only y/day I brought her home from the hospital, and then here she is now - 1 year old!!!!!!!!! I never really imagined that her 1st b/day would arrive, but it's now been and gone. It's amazing...

last blog with an under-1-year-old!

Well tomorrow my baby girl turns 1!!!!! I can't believe the time has come already, that this time tomorrow my daughter will be 1. That this time a year ago, I was getting pretty close to having her in my arms!!!!!!

It's been a crazy, whirlwind year - more amazing than I imagined it would be... more confusing than I imagined it would be. But Gaby makes every single minute of it more than worth while. I love that little chicken so so much, my heart would shatter into a million little pieces if she was not here!!!!!

Tonight I'm going to spend some time wrapping presents, and no doubt remembering the past 12 months... And specifically the 25th & 26th October 2006!!!!

Here is a photo from last year & this year to compare!

Mama's little helper!

Today Gaby helped me to empty the dishwasher. She has been trying to 'help' for a few weeks now, and it really gets me irritated, because i'm so scared she's going to cut herself or hurt herself somehow. Today I finally realised she wouldn't NOT try to help, so I let her get the bottles out, and made sure the knives/forks/cups/plates were all out before I let her at it. It was pretty cute though, she seemed to have a ball!

mummy's little helper

9 days and Gaby will be ONE! I cannot wait for her birthday, I'm going to spoil her rotten. Infact, I'm sure that EVERYONE is going to spoil her rotten... but she deserves it! Her birthday party is going to be on the Saturday, and so far it's just a few family members & Serena/Josh coming, but that'll be more than enough. I think Stu & his family are having her on Saturday morning, so who knows, maybe she'll have two parties!

This time last year, I guess I was feeling pretty anxious & 'over' the whole thing. I was beginning to have a lot of anxiety issues, and was barely sleeping, because I was so terrified of losing her.. of her for some reason dying.. inside me... I don't think I could have handled that. I often wonder what'd have happened if I hadn't gone in to be induced. When I would have actually gone into 'proper' labour etc. I guess I'll never know, but at the same time, I have no reason to really care because she made it safe & sound!

long time no update!

I've not updated in a long time, due to switching all my blog entries from my old account, to this new one! But now that that is all (finally) finished, I can get back to updating a bit more regularly.

Gaby took her first step on Friday night! October 12th - which was my original EDD with her! She hasn't taken a step since, and sadly I missed it, BUT at least Mum/Dad/Terri got to see it! She is getting very clever standing up by herself, and her balance seems to be increasing with each day that passes. It is all very scary & exciting at the same time! My infant is going to be a toddler in a matter of days I think!!!

In 12 days Gaby will be 1!!! That is so exciting, and I can't wait to be able to wake up on the morning of the 26th & say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to her! I feel a bit stink because I've only gotten her two b/day presents yet, but I guess at her age it's not important to get a lot of presents? I'm sure that this week I'll splash out and buy her something else! I'm having a little party for her, I think it will just be Me, Gab, Terri, Mum, Dad, Serena, Josh, Sue, Jasmine & Alice - but that's probably more than enough for a 1st birthday!

It is highly possible that mid-May next year, Gaby will be a big sister! I got a couple of positive tests back around my b/day, but then my period arrived. However around 10 days later I got ANOTHER positive test, and ended up with 6 positives over the space of 3 days. My hcg levels are increasing, but we haven't been able to see anything via u/s yet. It is very frustrating, but going by the fact my hcg is increasing, I am hoping that things are just a bit earlier on than I thought. I have two more beta hcg tests this week & then probably another scan later in the week - and HOPEFULLY then we'll know for sure what's happening!!!!

Gaby is just adorable... and I am excited that she's going to be a big sister... But even if it turns out I am not pregnant, or that it's ectopic or a blighted ovum, then I am still more than happy with & am totally in love with Gaby..

Can't believe she's almost one...

sleep & other disasters

For pretty much the first time since Gaby was around 6 weeks old, we are having issues with sleep. SOME nights she is just fine, perfect really. Other nights, she will be awake on and off between 7-10.30, she'll be awake 2-5 times during the night. It is such a shock to the system after all of this time of GOOD sleeping!

Yesterday I decided to cut out one of her sleeps, and she slept fairly well last night, there was no waking before 4am. So maybe that is the key to it all. Maybe she's been sleeping TOO much during the day. I'm also going to make sure she is up by 4pm, and I won't put her down AFTER 3.30pm... So I guess we'll try to have a sleep around 9.30am & then a sleep around 1.30-2.00pm. See how that goes!

Gaby is 11 months old tomorrow! Time has gone somewhere, i'm not sure where!!!!! She seems to just be growing like a weed - I am really interested to see what she weighs now - and how long she is, because I think she's had a bit of a growth spurt lately.her say "Mum Mum"......

6 weeks until Gaby is 1!

I have been feeling a little funny lately - Gaby is going to be one in less than 6 weeks now. 6 weeks? Wow. I absolutely love & adore & cherish the toddler that Gaby is turning into, but I'm finding that I'm also beginning to miss my tiny little baby that I had not so long ago. I am picking this is a somewhat normal reaction to a baby reaching his/her first birthday. But I can't say that I expected it!

I was going through some photos of Gaby this morning, and she has grown so much, in such a small space of time. It really did bring tears to my eyes, seeing this small, 'fresh' newborn - and then comparing it to this funny, crawling, laughing, cheeky 11 month old that she (almost) is now.

I feel at times as though I'm too protective of Gaby, being so paranoid about SIDS, about her choking, about her getting into something dangerous, however I know that it is better to be a little paranoid, rather than not giving a damn what she does or what she gets into. I think it's going to be hard to let go more and more as she gets older, and DOES start to become independent. Once again, maybe this is a natural reaction/response?

All I know is that I love this little girl with all my heart - and more. I love her so much it does truly physically hurt. There is nothing lovelier than her smile, than her giggle, than a cuddle, than hearing

she seems to grow overnight!

The past few days whenever I have gotten Gaby up in the morning, she appears to be more grown up than she was the day beforehand. She is making new noises, pulling new faces, getting into more and more. It is like she really is growing right before my eyes - and I guess technically she is! It's quite amazing. A little sad, but mostly amazing!!!!

Still no more teeth, I don't THINK I should be worried about it at this stage, but if they aren't up by the time she turns 1, I will talk to the Plunket Nurse about it.

1st birthday... I don't know how much of a 'party' I should give her. I would LIKE to invite Ter & Gav, Sue & the girls, Serena & Josh, maybe Mel & Raph (depending on them having to travel) - I should probably invite Stu & his sisters too, so maybe that is getting too messy & too many people? I want to make her a birthday cake, but I don't know that it is NECESSARY for her 1st birthday. Well, OF COURSE she needs a cake! Who am I kidding? I should probably try & find recipes for kid-friendly-cakes. I was thinking of just doing a banana cake.... maybe i'll stick to that plan!