Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Party and Goodbye

Kate's birthday party
Gabi's classmate, Kate, had her 4th birthday party at The Wonder Place, which is a fantastic indoor play area with every sort of station you can imagine -- theater stage, water table, climbing gym, pretend area (house, grocery, and deli), an air machine that blows balls and scarfs through a maze of clear tunnels, even a toddler section just perfect for Annabelle.


Gabi and Grant singing Happy Birthday to Kate


Two of Kate's cousins (Grant and Ben) are also in the PreK3 class at Anthony School, one in each of the three classrooms. Wouldn't it be fun to grow up so close to cousins! Grant is the one in Gabi's class, and he only lives a couple blocks from us.


Kate and Gabi (with a Queen's crown) in the grocery store


Gabi scooping ice cream while Wesley and Veda fix sandwiches in the deli


Gabi and Louise at the Playdoh table


Bella drinking Daddy's water


Reflection of Bella walking through the door


Bella in the mirror


Sliding


It is hard to tell which Bella liked more: climbing the stairs to slide down the slide, or crawling through the tunnel. She would do both repeatedly and never get tired.


Crawling through a tunnel


Rolling and Laughing


Gabi has since been asking when her birthday is (she knows it's in February, but the time interval between now and then eludes her) and why she can't have a party [today]. We called to wish Grampa a happy birthday last week, and Gabi's first question was "Is he coming here, or are we going to visit him?" Her second question was "Why don't I get to have a birthday?" She's also already starting to ask when Christmas is...

Pajama Playdate
A couple weeks ago, we visited some old friends before their family headed to Honduras for a two-year mission trip. We parents were friends before we had kids; here's a picture of Cinthya and me at my baby shower six weeks before Gabi was born:


Cinthya at my baby shower 1/15/2005


Linda is a month younger than Gabi, and Lisa is five months younger than Bella. Nine-month-old Lisa napped most of our visit, so I don't have pictures of her here. Since Gabi was wearing her pajamas that day for "pajama day" at school, Linda wore hers as well. Linda and Gabi were both very shy at first, but they soon became great playmates. Too bad they will not be around for the girls to get to know each other well!


Coloring: a good parallel-play ice-breaker activity


Coloring and laughing


Linda helping her mom knit


Bella found some beads


Bella walking too fast (and too close) for a good picture


Linda and Gabi hugging


Once Gabi and Linda warmed up to each other, they began really interacting and making up games together. They started with tumbling activities, which eventually morphed into running back and forth. They hid behind a chair and then ran out laughing and screaming, just to run back and hide together again.


Gabi and Linda running


Ready for a calmer activity


Gabi and Linda taking turns talking on the phone


Talking to "dumberone"

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