The Brannon Family
established July 2005

Saturday, January 22, 2011

To My Sweet Gabbie Grace

Gabbie, I cannot believe you are two years old! I am not sure where the time has gone, but it is going by all too fast! It is almost hard for me to remember what it was like getting up with you at night for your 2am feedings. I do remember consciously thinking that I needed to enjoy every second of this because each stage would be over before I knew it. I was right.

You are such a joy! Each and everyday you bring something new and exciting to my life. You are sweet and loving, compassionate and caring. When you saw me crying over Dallas dying, you got very sad and told me not to cry. Then you climbed into my arms and just gave your mom a hug. You have such a sweet heart and show so much love to those around you.
You are a mini-me of your dad. Other than your hair and your toes, everything about your physical appearance is your father. But you do have some of your mom in you. At 2, you can already recite movie lines, you like to pretend you are sleeping and you can be a little dramatic at times. As much as I deny it, there is a possibility you get that from me.

As I think about how much you have changed my life, I am amazed at the impact you have had in your 2 years. Snuggling with you, no matter how crazy the world gets, you ground me. You remind me of what is truly important and anything other our family seems small. Your laugh and smile can instantly make me happy. You have not only changed my life, but so many of those around you. You are a little girl who is so incredibly loved by so many people.

I love our weekends and when I hear your sweet little voice calling for your mom to come and get you out of bed. I love snuggling with you on the couch while you drink your juice. I love when I see you after work and you run up to me, give me a hug and tell me you missed me.

Of everything I have done in my life, nothing makes me as proud as being your mom.

Happy Birthday to my gorgeous girl... I love you, Gabbie Grace!

-Mom


Gabbie at 2 -

She loves Little Mermaid (especially the Witch), Beauty & the Beast, Nemo, and Monsters
She also loves Dora, Diego and Yo Gabba Gabba
Her favorite foods are chicken & ranch, hot dogs, blueberries and pineapple
Still loves her snugs and binky (although you have to "wash it" before bedtime)
Has to take her Nemo, 2 snugs, and baby with her to the babysitter everyday
Loves Frosty the Snowman
Loves to sing - favorites being Arial, Frosty, ABC's, and Moon
Hides under the kitchen table when she needs to poop
Mimics everything you do, from repeating what you say to clicking the toothbrush on the side of the sink
Gets very shy around strangers - you still have to earn the right to see her personality
Will tell you when she is sad
Notices the facial expressions of others and will tell you when they are sad
Has really started to play with the dogs - Although I am not sure Stella likes this
Talks up a storm - and can get quite bossy
Very polite, says please, thank you, no thank you and sorry without being que'd. My favorite is when you ask her to do something she doesn't want to do and she responds, "No thank you!"
Occasionally has to go to time-out and yells for mom the entire 2 minutes she is there
One time added, "KIM - I am talking to you!"
Loves to play in the bath tub, no water & fully dressed
Adores her daddy - she is a total daddy's girl (and has him wrapped around her finger)
She loves to shampoo and brush his hair (I don't let her brush mine as it gets tangled & pulled, we don't have that problem with dads! Works perfect!)
Loves to dance
Loves her mom & dad, grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins, dogs, Jodi (her babysitter) and her friends

Gabbie Turns 2!

Our little Gabbie is 2! I cannot believe how fast the time has flown.

We were able to celebrate at my mom and dad's the weekend prior to her actual birthday. We started off with Chic-fil-a nuggets (her favorite!) with Kelsey.

And then had a small gathering to have cake and ice cream. Gabbie had a great time opening presents. After telling me for months that she didn't want a birthday or to be two, I think she decided birthdays are okay!


On January 21, her actual birthday, we took cupcakes to her babysitter to celebrate with all her friends there. The theme for the birthday was Little Mermaid!
This is Gabbie and her best buddy Tristyn. They play all day and absolutely adore each other!
After cake and singing, Gabbie played with her friends for a little bit...

Then on the night of her birthday, we had Papa Larry and Joyce over for pizza and presents! One of her favorites was her Little Mermaid with long beautiful hair she can comb.

She sure had a fun day!
I had to add this picture to show off her cute Birthday outfit!
Here is some video from both parties!

Happy Birthday to our special girl!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

We were thrilled to have my sister Amy and her family come down from Boise and join us for Thanksgiving this year. It was so much fun having them here!

Gabbie absolutely loved playing with her cousins, Jake & Paige. Both of them were great to her and she had a ball with them!

I love how Gabbie is looking at Paige in the picture below!
In addition to a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, we also decorated a gingerbread house and sugar cookies.
Once again, you can see Gabbie looking up to her cousins and trying to be like them in making her funny face! I love it!
Paige has always taken a real interest in Gabbie and been so good to her. She was so happy that Gabbie would finally sit on her lap!
Below is the final result for Gabbie in decorating cookies. She was covered in frosting and sparkles. But she sure had fun getting that way!
Check it out below... warning... it is a long video, but I know the grandma's will love it.


Thanks, Amy & Tyler, for making the trip to visit us! We loved having you and appreciate so much you including us in your Thanksgiving plans!

Since they left, Gabbie has surely missed them. She still loves the gingerbread house and talks about decorating it with Paige and Jake. She has to look at it all the time! Whenever she eats, she has to have it right in front of her so she can continue to admire their fine work.

(See the tongue? Totally reminds me of my sister Steph!)


Now she is just left with the dogs to play with. Not quite as much fun as her cousins,
but I guess they will have to do!

Frosty the Snowman

(The poop she is referring to on the gingerbread house is really just some crumbs she broke off the other day. You can't see it real great in the video. She was looking at the gingerbread house the other day and all of a sudden cried, "Oh, no! There is poop in the snow! Oh, she makes me laugh!)

Gabbie has really enjoyed this holiday season. She is so much fun! She made a gingerbread house with her cousins, Jake & Paige, over Thanksgiving. She still loves it and looks at it everyday.

She is also obsessed with Frosty the Snowman! She isn't really all that interested in Santa, but cannot get enough of Frosty!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

DONE! D-O-N-E!! DONE!

I am DONE! Just turned in my last paper and completed all my discussion posts for my last class... I am DONE!


Today, my thoughts are not so deep, just absolutely thrilled to be DONE!

Yep, stick a fork in me... I AM DONE!
(see, not so deep!)


Next goal - PHR (Professional in Human Resources) exam in January!
But I think I will take a week off before worrying about that...