Gabby finishes Kindergarten!

 
 

It's official. Our big girl has completed Kindergarten. Check out first and last day photos... She's growig like a weed!

Skiing at Keystone Colorado

Last weekend, Gabby went skiing in Colorado with Babci, Papa, Yaneev, Jay, Donna, and her dad. We had a great time, and here are some photos!

2011 02 - Keystone Ski Trip

83rd Annual Zilker Kite Festival

Well, the wind came 1 day early, but the sun came right on time. I know these photos don't look like a "Kite" festival, but trust me - it was.

2011 03 - 83rd Annual Zilker Kite Festival

Gabby & Ellie's Party!

We had a great time at the party today...enjoy the photos!

Gabby & Ellie's Party 2011

Auntie Rae strikes again!!!

After a great visit with Auntie Rae, she hit us again with 2 more Bilibos. Craziness ensues.

Gabby in 15 words

Basia and I were asked by her teacher to describe why Gabby is a gift to us. We brainstormed these words...

bright/confident
witty
loving
sweet
thoughtful
generous
leader
mature
stylish
identity
sensitive
strong-willed
motivated/driven

Gabby's a Kindergartener

Special thanks to Jennifer for sharing these photos so fast (ours are still on the camera).

Congrats to Luke and Gabby!

It was a good day

Today was a good day. We both showered, in the morning. We all ate breakfast, together, at the table. We hustled and got out the door in time for portraits, with Chris too. See photos below. We all napped. Awesome. Later, while I had the girls with me at Gabby's last soccer game of the season, Basia was doing an HEB run, and the babies cooperarted with her. Then tonight, we had a frined come by and help us put the kids to bed. And we went out on a date/shopping trip.

It was a good day. I like good days.

Pictures from portraits, and soccer.

Enjoy!

Gabby's 1st Soccer Game

Last Sunday, Gabby had her first organized sports activity - Soccer! She had a great time, and played really well for someone who's never played or watched a game. There were a few injuries, though. She got a headbutt with a boy on the field, and after the game she tumbled down the big hill... It's at the end of the photo album. The tumble gave her some burrs in her clothes. We ended up driving home with Gabby in her panties, shinguards and sneakers...quite the event!

Gabby's 1st Soccer Game - 2009.10.18

Gabby knows things about roles

Let me start with some context. We have the flu. It started with Gabby last Thursday, Ellie on Saturday, Basia on Tuesday, and me on Thursday. Anyway, I've been craving and needing a little bit extra sleep. Well, Gabby hasn't been too keen on the idea of NOT waking us up with a request at 6am.

Tonight, I reiterated to her that I am sick, and I am tired, and for me to have the energy to take care of her and the rest of the brood tomorrow, I need rest. So please do not wake me up early.

Her reply:

"Dad, you're a grown-up and I'm a kid. Deal with it."

"Good night, Gabby."

Ugh.

How do you get bitten by a snake?

Gabby's teacher distributed a piece of paper with the words, "I want to know..."

Gabby drew a few snakes, then on her own wrote this...

"HAW DOO YU BITN BY SYNACHE"

From Bitten by a snake

From Bitten by a snake

Awesome, I tell you. This was the day after her teacher tells us that she's the only one in her class that thinks to draw on the back of a piece of paper, before asking for more paper. It's the little things...

Oh, I've ogt one more recent Gabby story. Now, I wasn't there, but to have her tell it...it goes like this...

I asked, "How'd you get one of Lukey's birthday cupcakes, when you aren't even in his class?"

Gabby's answer: "Well, I heard from Miss Haley, Lukey's teacher, that he was having cupcakes, so I asked her if she could save me one. Then later I got the cupcake from her class, and went to Ellie's class to eat it. I sat next to Ellie and Kyla."

"Gabby, why'd you go to Ellie's class?"

"If I went back to my class, my firends would've wanted one."

"Didn't Ellie want one?"

Ellie says, "I ate a crumb!"

I think my girls run that school.

UH OH!!!

Click below to see an interesting video...

The collage incident

...boy did Gabby get a lecture that day!

The Cohen Kids - July 7th to 14th

Click the photo below for more pictures!

7-7 to 7-15-09

3 Weeks Old

The twins are 3 weeks... photos coming.

Last night we overheard Gabby and Ellie chatting after bedtime.

Gabby: Do you want a cookie?
Ellie: ya.
G: A really big cookie?
E: ya.
G: Well, you know what happens if you eat too much food, right?
E: I get a tummy ache.
G: A really really bad tummyache. Then you need to go to the hospital. There they will cut open your tummy with scissors, then give you 100 shots.

It was at that point, we intervened. Gabby is going to scare that little munchkin.

More Pictures - July 2nd to 6th

Sorry the blog updates are not regular or consistent, but we've got our hands full around here these days!!!

Babci and Papa came to visit this Fourth of July weekend. Rochelle and Bob also came to Austin (from Boston) to visit Marta and Sara and came up to our place to hang out on the 4th as well.

Enjoy some more pictures...click on the picture below to see the album!

7-2 to 7-6-09

Pictures - June 27 - 30

Some pictures. Click the picture below for the full album:

Pictures 6-27 to 6-30-09

Happy Independence Day

My parents are in town for the weekend. This morning my Mom, "Babci" asked Gabby if she knew what Independence Day was all about. Joe and I were in the other room, and I figured she'd have no idea since we hadn't talked about it at all. Instead, she boldly answered, "It's about freedom." Then Babci asked Gabby, and what does that mean, to which Gabby responded, "Well, the King and Queen were in charge, and people couldn't do what they wanted to do, so when they got freedom, they could do what they wanted, and that's what we're celebrating."

Pretty astute response for a four-year-old! Joe and I looked at each other in shock...I guess they're actually teaching her something at daycare!

We're Home

Well, we finally got discharged from the hospital at 3PM yesterday, and it's been quite a whirlwind ever since. We got home, unpacked the babies and our bags, then it was time for Joe to pick Gabby and Ellie up from daycare. The big sisters were very excited to see Maggie and Ben again, but Ellie was maybe a bit too eager, given that she's come down with a summer cold, with a very runny nose and nasty cough. Not great for sharing with your newborn preemie baby sister and brother. So...we did our best to temper her enthusiasm, for the time being, until she's back to 100%.

The big girls did well last night with the minor adjustments to their routine. For example, Mommy couldn't walk up the stairs to tuck them in, so we read stories downstairs on the couch, (until Maggie was wailing so loud, that her cries for feeding could no longer be ignored. For such a little munchkin, Maggie's got quite a set of lungs)!

The big girls slept through the night, but the babies apparently aren't quite acclimated to their new environment yet. We're hoping that Maggie's attempts to prove to us that she has colic will be unfounded after a few more nights, but last night was a rough one. Ben's a bit quieter, and calmed a bit sooner, but the 8PM -1AM stretch, was no picnic, and I'm pretty sure that Gabby and Ellie were the only people that got any sleep during that 5 hour period! After 1AM, we did better, thankfully.

Right now Joe's taking the babies on their first stroll. They were a bit jaundiced when we were discharged yesterday (although totally in the safe zone), so our pedi advised some time outside in the mornings, with some indirect sunlight, to help with that.

Tomorrow we head back to the pediatrician (and to the lactation consultant) for our first post-hospital doctor visit. Today, we're just trying to unpack, and figure out some sort of semblance of a routine! Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and congratulations!

Night 3... Going strong

Well, this morning the girls slept til about 6:30am. Not too shabby.

At bedtime tonight, I had the two of them in their beds by 7:05 and they were quiet by 7:30. Ahh...success. Should I be knocking on wood?

Night 2... Not too bad

Basia had a book club event tonight, so I put the girls to bed solo. Not bad. After a lot of dancing to the Beatles, hairbrushing (with B before she left), and pajamas, I read a couple of books to the girls in G's bed.

Ellie didn't sit still, as usual. She ran around and decided to show us her new skill...jumping. She grabbed her 5-6 in. stool and proceeded to continually launch herself to the narration of, "Look!! Ellie jumpin'!"

Anyway, after the books I rocked Ellie while rubbing Gabby's back, while singing them 4 songs. Then I placed Ellie in the crib, and Gabby in the bed. Gabby wanted to feel the fan, so I sprinkled some water on her legs. That was 7:05pm. By 7:25pm, they had stopped chatting, and have been silent since. Let's see how tomorrow morning goes. I'll keep y'all posted.