Giggle Wiggle

The sweetest sound we've ever heard.....

4 Months Old!

Look who's 4 months old!!!  We can't believe 4 months have already passed since that amazing day this little angel came into our lives. 

This past month, Gemma is a smiling machine!  She also started laughing which is like music to our ears.

She also was baptized this month!  She was such a good baby for the whole ceremony.  Even when we stripped her down, dipped her in a bowl of warm water, poured water over head in front of a bunch of our family and friends.

 She is lucky to have her Great Uncle Danny and Great Aunt Amy for her Godparents, too.

 We had a barbecue at our house afterwards, which was lots of fun.  My mom ordered chocolate truffles as favors and they were wrapped with pretty pink ribbons.  Brian picked the cake flavor - vanilla chiffon cake, lemon mousse, lemon curd and fresh raspberries, yum!

 Brian barbecued chicken and tri-tip for some of our family and friends.  I made orzo salad and fruit salad and ordered dinner rolls.  My mom made potato salad and Debbie made green salad - it was quite a feast!

 This pretty baby wore a very special baptismal gown, too.  My grandmother's grandmother made this gown in Italy many, many years ago.  My dad wore it (with blue ribbon), I wore it, my brothers wore it and now it was Gemma's turn.  I had it restored just for the occasion and it looked beautiful.

Anywho, onto more month 4 updates...she loves to stand and push off her legs, but she's not quite steady enough yet for her jump-aroo, so we got her an exersaucer which she LOVES.

 We went on our first date night and Uncle Gabriel and Auntie Lindsay baby sat.

 This naughty baby was at it again - shopping spree central on her 4 month birthday!  Now that she's in 3-6 months clothes some of the time, she wanted some new outfits and Carter's was having a HUGE sale. 

 She is a grabber!  She particularly loves her Little Giraffe blankie with the silky edge and her star blanket that has different textured edges for some good chewing.

 Here she is at 4 months old!  What a ham!  She's a talkative little baby these days, too.  Also, she rolled over from back to front this month!

Apple Hill

Last weekend, Brian, Gemma and I drove up to Apple Hill for the day.  We figured it was a great way to spend a fall "family day".  After almost three hours in the car, this baby was very pleased to move to her stroller:

 We had a bbq lunch, looked around the craft booths, shared an apple fritter and enjoyed ourselves at High Hill Ranch.  Then we walked to a pumpkin patch....on the way, we passed really pretty vineyards:

 At the pumpkin patch, this 'lil pumpkin looked so cute!

 Look at those smiling eyes peaking over daddy's shoulder:

 Family photo at the pumpkin patch after a big bottle and a diaper change:

 We walked by a tree farm, too...took this picture of silvertips for my mom:

 After I had the most delicious caramel apple ever, we each had an apple beer then we headed out to Bodhaine Apple Ranch to buy frozen pies for Thanksgiving....Harvest Pie (cream cheese - pumpkin) and a Raspberry Apple Cream Cheese Pie...both blue ribbon winners at the state fair...yum!

We had a great day...next year, we'll go during the week AND when the weather has cooled down a little more.  Gemma was so good all day - even in the car! We ended the night by stopping in Vacaville for dinner with Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Mitch.

Welcome, Savannah Joline!

Welcome to the world, Savannah Joline Robbins!  I've only seen you twice and have yet to hold you, but I love you so, so much!  You are beautiful!  Congratulations, Alia and Dave on your precious baby girl.  I'm so thankful I was visiting when she came into your lives.

Baby Long Legs

Gemma had her 4 month check up today, even though she still has a week to go before she's 4 months old.  She is healthy as can be (for which we are so thankful!).  She weighed in at 13 pounds, 0.8 ounce which is the 44th percentile, and she's a long, long baby at 25 inches, which is the 87th percentile.

 On Sunday, she got to visit with her Great Grandpa and her Great Auntie Sue.  She was a tired baby after a crazy night partying with Grammy and Nonno while Mommy and Daddy had their own crazy night at a wedding...more photos to come!

Swim Lesson #1: Meltdown Central

Gemma started swim lessons last week. It was a beautiful, hot day.  She loves the water so far so we were super excited for our first lesson.  We had to wake her up from her nap to get to the pool on time (mistake #1).  She wasn't all that hungry because she was pretty drowsy (mistake #2) and then she slept in the car on the way to the pool (mistake #3).

Here we are all suited up ready to jump in (I sat out this week).

 Here we are in the pool - Brian with the other moms.  Her classmates are named Emma and Aidan.  Happy baby at this point. 

 And then it was meltdown time.  Screaming bloody murder, getting the stink eye from her classmates, just not having it.  Clearly, neither is Brian.

 Then she was the awkward baby at "school" with her paci.  But that didn't last long.  So she had to leave her lesson for a feeding.  After that, it was all smiles, coos, and water loving baby.

 What lesson did we learn?  Nap earlier, feed right before swim time.

All in all, it was a fun day.  Looking forward to lesson #2 this Wednesday...my turn to get in the pool with this water baby!