Gobble, Gobble Part 2

Gabe had a great first Thanksgiving! He started off his day with a little tickle fun with Mommy and Daddy!

Since the Lanoux gathering didn't start until 4 PM we were on our own for lunch. David and I enjoyed steaks while Gabe enjoyed green beans.

After lunch and a quick nap we all headed to David's sister, Sandra's house. Gabe got to play with and love on tons of aunts, uncles and cousins not to mention Maw Maw and Paw Paw!

We are thankful for so very many things this Thanksgiving... wonderful family, amazing friends, good health and abundant happiness but most of all we are oh so thankful for our little man!

Rubber Duckie, umm Maybe You're Not the One

Because Gabe hasn't quit mastered sitting up we still bathe him in his baby tub but the poor guy can barely fit in it anymore. We didn't think he was ready for the bath tub but I remembered that our friends Hillary and Michael bought Gabe a rubber duck tub and thought that we had found the solution to our bath woes.


Let me tell you blowing up the thing was an adventure in itself. David and I laughed so hard as I tried to inflate the duck. We decided to put Gabe in it on our bed so he could get a feel for it. He seemed to really enjoy it.


After his fun on "dry land" David and I assumed our normal bath duties. David undresses him and brings him to the bath tub and then I bathe him. So while David was getting him ready I put the duck in the tub and filled it with water. Well once we were ready and David put Gabe in the duck a look of panic came over Gabe's face...he was so scared. We calmed him down a bit but once I went to wash his hair "the I'm scared Mommy" look came back so we quickly finished the bath before he broke out in tears. Needless to say we've retired the duck from bath duties for a while. He now resides in our living room so Gabe can play with him on dry land!

We did manage to get a pic when he calmed down a bit.

Gobble, Gobble

David, Gabe and I headed down to my parents house yesterday to celebrate Thanksgiving a bit early with Monie, Pappy, Godfather, Ciji, Cousin Olivia and Uncle Marty (we missed Honey). We had such fun! First we went a bit "old school" and Mom had us draw and decorate turkeys as our place mats. Liv took home the prize for most authentic looking turkey. Next came a lunch....turkey, rice dressing, corn bread and my favorite brown and serve rolls! It was so good! Gabe was a super sweet boy and played in the exersaucer while we all ate. Then came the board games. We are quite the board game family! I remember Marty and I playing games for hours (sometimes days) when we were kids. We played a rather cut throat game of Sorry and then Olivia's favorites (Old Maid, Crazy 8 and Fish). Unfortunately next we watched the LSU game. Well I should say the guys watched the game- me, Mom and Liv played with Gabe-personally I think we had the better time! Sadly soon after it was time to leave but will hope to see everyone again soon.

I think my favorite part of the day was seeing Liv play with Gabe. She was so sweet with him, and he just loves her!

We are so thankful to be part of such a wonderful family!!!

Liv's award winning turkey!

Gabe trying on my dad's LSU helmet. Love that he has his "mouth guard" in!

The air mattress was a huge hit with Gabe. He loved rolling around on it!


Gabe wearing Olivia's glasses. I think he looks like a crazy librarian!

Okay are these not two of the cutest kids you have ever seen!

Happy early Thanksgiving everyone!!!

"I Believe in the Power of Love"

Happy 7 month birthday sweet boy! Daddy and I just can't get enough of you these days! It's getting so hard to leave you. I can hardly wait until 4 o'clock during the week so I can race across town and pick you up from Ms. Tammy's house. I want to spend every possible moment I can with you because you are just changing so much.

It's so funny how your personality is such a mix of both me and Daddy. You can be very serious like your daddy but then the next minute your laughing and carrying on just like me. You are just too much!

Here's what you've been up to...

• You're getting much better at sitting up! You're not quite a pro yet but you're getting there.
• You're not crawling yet but I'm amazed how quickly you move around. You scoot and roll like a champ and if something is in your sights (like one of your toys) you will find a way to get to it.
• You're still a wonderful sleeper. Daylight savings was a bit tough but you're back to waking up between 6:30 and 7.
• You have moved on to stage 2 baby food and you love it!
• Daddy is by FAR your favorite person. He walks in the room and your face lights up....so sweet!
• You are getting quite good at taking your paci out of your mouth and putting it back in.
• You love any time you think we're going to "get you!"
• You love people! You love any time we take you out in public.
• You continue to babble all the time. It's so funny how sometimes your voice is very high and then other times it's so deep.
• You are so ticklish especially on your sides.
• You have the best belly laugh! Oh I could just listen to it all day!
• You now turn when we call your name. You also respond to Pookie and Pooks which we still call you quite a bit.

Gabe, thank you for such an amazing 7 months! You are absolutely the best baby we could have ever asked for!

Love you bunches and bunches, Momma and Daddy

Reading the paper with Daddy

Since you were born you have constantly made this face! You are always hiding your bottom lip.

So cute! I could just eat you up!

* Blog title from Cowboy Mouth's song "I Believe." This is my absolute favorite song right now. Gabe and I listen to it everyday on our drive home.

Dare Devil

So David and I typically feed Gabe while he's sitting in his Boppy seat and until today Gabe leans back in it and eats without a problem. Well today Gabe realized that he can lean forward and sit up in the thing.... as Mitch would say "not cool!"

Here's Gabe leaning forward to grab a baby wipe and falling forward. What do I do? Do I try and keep him from falling .... no of course I grab my camera instead!

Again here's Gabe trying to crawl out of the seat...he's still buckled in so he can't go very far. I think it's time for a high chair!

Video of Gabe chillin' in his pack and play....

I have never seen Gabe laugh so hard... he and David laughed like this for about 10 minutes!

Weekend Update

Lately it seems the blog has become a "weekend update." The week just goes by so quickly between work and psending time with Gabe there's just not much time for blogging. I hope to get back on track soon but in the meantime here's out weekend re-cap...


Last Friday night we babysat for our friends, Monique and Ace, daughters. We've done this a number of times before but this was our first time sitting for them since Gabe. Boy did he love the extra attention! And let me just say that Maddie and Gabby are the sweetest, most well mannered children you could ever hope to have! We started out the night with yummy Pappa Murphy's pizza and Disney channel... kinda have a feeling this will be a typical night in the Lanoux home in few years. Next came baths and bed for Gabe. Then the girls and I made and decorated sugar cookies... our tradition. And finally capped off the night with board games and the movie Hairspray. Let me just tell you I was exhausted!

Maddie, Gabby and Gabe

Cookies!

I don't think I've mentioned before that David and I take turns on the weekends getting up with Gabe so the other one can sleep in. David gets up with Gabe on Saturday and I take Sundays. David and Gabe usually spend Saturday morning watching Sports Center and Game Day. He loves the opening song on Game Day!

I think he looks just like David in this picture!

Gabe's Monie came visit Saturday afternoon! We headed out to get some Christmas shopping done but we mostly just bought clothes for Gabe. He is growing like a weed! We had to buy 18 month pajamas!

Gabe trying on a hat before our shopping outing... so cute!

Then Sunday David and Gabe headed over to his parents house to watch the Saints game and visit. I stayed home and did the two C's that come with being a wife and mom... cooking and cleaning!

We are so looking forward to these next few weeks.... early Thanksgiving with my family, Thanksgiving with David's family, the Reine Christmas party, Breakfast with Santa! I just love this time of year!!! Hope everyone has a great week!

Farmers Market

My two BFF's were in town last weekend to celebrate Michelle's upcoming wedding. We headed out to the Farmer's Market first with Gabe and then (after we dropped Gabe off to David) we spent the rest of the day searching for graphite colored shoes and jewelry. Sadly we found neither but we sure had tons of fun looking!

But back to the Farmer's Market...Gabe had such a fun time! He's quite the little people watcher! He was in desperate need of a nap but of course would not sleep because there was just way too much to see. And as an added bonus we ran into my cousin Alexis. She was actually selling her handmade mobiles. She's due in February so Gabe will soon have a new cousin!

Getting ready to head out....

Nearly out...love the finger in his mouth!

Trick or Treat!

My goodness did we have a fun Halloween! We started out the day with a little pumpkin carving. David carved our "family" pumpkin, and I carved a small one that I needed for the dish I was bringing to a party. Gabe seemed to really enjoy watching us.

I don't think he knew what to think of the inside of the pumpkin!

Practicing his gymnastics moves...he loves pulling his leg out like this!

David's finished product.

After all of the pumpkin carving fun it was time to get his costume on. You guessed it- he was an LSU football player. Big thanks to my Aunt Frannie for loaning us the uniform and to Pappy for the LSU helmet.


David and I dressed up in LSU gear and wore the signs below..."Geaux Gabe" and "Gabe for Heisman"

Our friends Monique and Ace invited us over to their house. We had such a fun time! Below is Gay as the Snaggle Tooth Fairy trying to remove one of Gabby's teeth. You can't really tell from the picture but she's wearing a tiara and her jacket is covered in tooth brushes. All night long Gay kept asking kids if they had any loose teeth and telling them not to brush their teeth!

David and Gabe just before we headed out to Trick or Treat.

I actually forgot my camera while we were out trick or treating but trust me Gabe had a great time. We just went around the block with him but he seemed to really enjoy looking at everyone! Below is a pic of him once we returned back to Monique and Ace's.

It was so strange trick or treating in daylight. Growing up we never had set hours... you just went when the sun went down but here in the "big city" we do. They are normally from 6-8 but because of the LSU game they were moved up to 5-7.

Gabe was wiped from the day and all of the excitement and promptly passed out on me after he ate his cereal at 6. He slept through all the noise of trick or treating!

Here's a better shot of Gay's costume...too funny!

McKenzie, Maddy, Katherine and Jolie in their costumes.

Gabe eventually woke up and even let us put Gabby's wig on him. Doesn't he look like he should be on the cover of a romance novel!

Oh and here's a pic of my "Puking Pumpkin Veggie Tray."

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!