July 1st, 2009 Our 3rd wedding anniversary, and my first entry to our family journal!!! I’ve really been meaning to start this for months, so I’m very excited to finally be sitting down and actually doing it! My main reason for this journal was to be able to go back and read my entries and remember all the fun “littler” memories we get to share with the kids, not just the big moments I write about in their baby books. This also gives us a great opportunity to share our memories or any news as it happens with our family and friends.

Today was Gabriella’s 9 month doctors appt. She is doing wonderfully. She almost weighs 18 pounds, 28 inches long, and has 6 teeth! She has recently learned to wave, clap, and can cruise around the furniture a bit. She got one shot at the dr. today and had to get blood drawn (routine for 9 months for anemia and lead), so she’s had a pretty rough day poor thing. However, she didn’t go down without a fight! The nurses couldn’t believe how strong she is, I was practically laying on top of her while they drew her blood and she still managed to nearly make it off of the table! She says dada all of the time, and is constantly babbling to anyone that will listen. She has said good, car, ball…but those are only on occasion. She loves to wrestle with Jase, she gets this look in her eyes and just pounces him and laughs and laughs.

Jase is 25 months old now and learning something new everyday! He has been using the big boy potty, and hasn’t had ANY accidents since he started last week. I am just amazed at how easy it’s been so far. We pretty much let him run around “nakie” at the house and he knows when he has to go, runs to his potty, and it makes a fun song when he goes. He LOVES to take it to the big potty and flush it and wash his hands just like a big boy. He claps the whole time. He wears pull ups to bed and when we go out still. He is really making progress with his speech. Today, my mom watched him while I took Gabby to the dr. and when I came home, he rushed to the door with a huge smile, laughed, and clapped. “mommy!” I picked him up “hi, mommy” me: “hi, buddy” Jase: “ove you” me: “awe, buddy, I love you too!” He is and always has been such a sweetheart. When he wakes up he can not wait to get Gabby and give her a kissy. He’s always making sure I don’t forget her when we go outside/downstairs.

They both love to mimic each other, it's like having two little monkeys around the house :) Rob and I love to eat dinner as a family and then go for a walk every night. We've been staying outside after our walks and letting the kids play with the neighbors and they love it. There have been lots of fireworks going off this week, and they kids have done okay with it. Jase actually shot his own first little firework this week, it sprayed confetti everywhere.