Singing Happy Birthday: Video

Happy Birthday Gabriel!

Today Gabriel is one year old. I can't believe how fast it all has gone. This time last year, I was going to hospital wondering if I were actually in labor, and indeed I was! He was born at 2pm. It's been a awesome year, and we're looking forward to the coming year. Right now, Gabe is walking around his Play center while holding on to it. I imagine he'll be walking within several weeks.

We had a small birthday party for him on Sunday. Here are some photos. Enjoy!


Gabe with Dad.



Blowing out the candles.



Close-up of Gabe's cake, from the Bakery Bar.



The goodies and decor.



Approaching the cake cautiously...



Not liking it too much!


Playing with some new toys.

Interview with Heidi Durrow

I just completed posting an interview I did with writer Heidi Durrow. She is a biracial writer who lives in L.A., but is from Portland. Click here. Thanks!!!

Play Center

Here some some pics of Gabriel playing with his newer playcenter, where he can stand or kneel to play with it. He's getting sturdier on his feet, but hasn't taken any steps alone yet.

Oh, and I think the solids strike is over...don't want to speak too soon, but he ate some apples yesterday and this morning.

Let's play "Name that smell"!

Gabe has taken to smelling almost everything. Our faces, hands, his hands, clothing, food, whatever finds it's way under his nose. For those of you that don't know, Craig has a Wolverine-like sense of smell. I really think he knows and recognizes people by their smells! Fortunately, Craig isn't grumpy like the infamous Marvel hero!

Craig tells me his birth dad, Larry, also had a strong sense of smell. So, I am wondering if Gabe has inherited this amazing trait? I say amazing, but it isn't always good to smell things so intently. I mean, people don't smell good all the time!



He sniffed my hand just before I took the pic.



Resting his foot on the table, while NOT eating. LOL



Meddling a little.



Intrigued by the hamper.



Intrigued by what's IN the hamper.

Part 2 of hair care article

I wrote part 2 of my hair care article today. It is pretty hard to concentrate on writing while looking after a 11 month old! I do almost everything while he is napping.

Click right here for the story. Thanks!

Look at mom's new Post

Read my new post on Examiner. Thanks!

First Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

This morning we woke up early to go out for my Mother's Day breakfast. It is still hard to think of myself as someone's mother. Craig gave me a card and it had "Carisa and Mommy" on it. I'm like, who is mommy? Oh, yeah, that's me! We left the house at 8am and went to this place called Genie's in Southeast Portland. We had a wait of about 30 minutes. Gabe laughed at people and looked out the window during that time.

When we were seated we ordered our meals. I had a chicken apple sausage scramble, roasted potatoes, one pancake and decaf coffee. It was all very good; however, midway into the meal, Gabe got really fussy. During the last few days, he's been refusing solids, though still nursing like a champ and drinking juice and water. We think he may be teething (perhaps a dreaded molar coming in??). Or just asserting his newly discovered independence. So, as usual, he refused some fruit mixed with cereal, but drank some water from his sippy cup. Then he went slightly bonkers. So Craig, who eats faster than me anyway, ate his food and took him outside for a walk while I finished my meal.

I nursed him in the car, then we went home. Thankfully, he fell asleep on the way home.

In addition to my card, I got some Godiva chocolate covered dried strawberries. They are pretty good!

It seemed like Mother's Day just snuck up on me; I was late sending out cards to people. They'll be getting them late, but at least they are getting them, :)