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05 September My first day at daycareToday is my first official day at daycare so I started with a half day. Mommy and Daddy came with me for the first hour and then I stayed on my own from 1:30-4:30. For snack we all had fresh mango slices and crackers. Afterwards, I took a nap for over an hour! I couldn't believe it myself - it's kind of loud with those other babies in there but I guess I was tired from our fun-filled weekend in Port Townsend. I had my favorite luvvie's with me for naptime - ducky and bear - that helped.
This is a difficult day for our family, there's no way around that...but, we are going to give daycare a trial period of 2 months and see how it goes. I actually like it there, being the social, adaptable kid that I am but mom and dad are feeling pretty awful about it! I will be going 2 days per week. My teachers are really nice: Ms. Holly and Ms. Bouka...and I like the other babies in my class. They also have really great toys and lots of space to play, crawl and work on that whole walking thing...in a few months (if I am still there) I will graduate to the toddler room where we'll do more organized activites like arts -n-crafts and music time with a guitar and singing teacher. My daycare is across the street from Daddy's office and 10 minutes from Mommy's office (Y.E.S.) where she starts in a few weeks (www.youtheastsideservices.org). She'll get to help lots of kids and that's good for the world but she's going to REALLY miss being with me everyday.
Starting this fall, the rest of my week's will be filled with activities in Seattle from Gymboree to an infant/parent co-op at Seattle Central Community College with other babies my age and their mommy's or daddy's too. Watch for updates and photo's from our fun-filled summer - coming soon!
30 January Our first visit to the photographerWe all went to the mall yesterday so that we could get a set of professional photos of our new family. Yes, it took quite a while, with diaper changes, feedings, and costume changes. I wasn't super thrilled with the finished product but it will do. This is convenient for sending hard copies to family. Next time we need to find a photographer who is good at getting Gabriella to actually look at the camera.
When I get a chance I will post the candid shots I took during the whole process.
17 December My first vacation......but definitely not my last. I am with mommy and daddy in Florida for 3 weeks! I am visiting my family in in the West Palm Beach area. In addition to seeing family (cousins Matthew (7) and Ryan (4), Grandpa Irwin, Bubbe Rose, Uncle Fred, Aunt Tina, Uncle Dave, Uncle Paul and Aunt Arielle), and spending quality time playing and cooing, I also got some photo opps with my extended family (Uncle Si and Aunt Ninette, cousins Andrea, Sarah and Deborah, plus lots more people who seemed really happy to meet me). We got together at Bubbe Rose' 89th birthday bash at Jonathan's Landing Golf Club. I lost my first dress to a diaper failure but, like the prepared girl I am, I had a back-up.
Florida suits me - particularly because it allows me to hang out in my diaper for hours on end. I've been to a turtle infirmary and farm, Epcot at Disney Land, the Hobe Nature Preserve, and Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach - it's hoppin'.
Here are a few (63) pictures from our trip:
Love ya,
Baby Gabi
02 December Gabriella is on the road to financial independenceThanks to some generous gifts we just deposited $2655 in Gabriella's name! This is her first step toward financial independence. We will be very curious how (with our guidance) she uses this money. My bar-mitzvah money ($1000) invested over some number of years helped me buy my first house. 28 November Copy of paper birth announcementHere's a digital copy of the paper birth announcement we sent out. These are from a company called Naptime Productions. They really did a tremendous job. Parental Covenant for GabriellaSome people have asked for a copy of the covenant we publicaly made for Gabriella at her naming ceremony. Here are a few parts of the service:
Covenant ActGabriella has been blessed with many resources. Loving parents, generous friends, involved neighbors, and the cradling arms of her grandparents are only a few of the gifts she was given without needing to ask. Not all children are given this kind of welcome into the world. While Gabriella will grow up in a warm and open home, unfortunately there are many children, even here in Seattle, who are not so fortunate.
To acknowledge Gabriella’s blessed beginnings while not taking them for granted we choose to make a donation to Childhaven as a covenant act between Gabriella and the people Israel. This local organization’s mission is to prevent and stop the cycle of abuse and neglect through scientifically-supported programs that protect and treat children ages one month through five years, and their families.
Extended (Parental) CovenantWe choose to affirm our commitment to nurture Gabriella’s physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being.Gabriella now becomes part of the Jewish community and part of the larger world. Our community is wonderful and generous and we will encourage Gabriella to always feel free to reach out for the love and support of family, friends, and the community. We will strive to teach Gabriella the importance of personal responsibility for her family, community and the greater world. We will do our best as parents and as a loving couple to raise Gabriella deliberately and consciously while encouraging spontaneity and joy. While neither we nor Gabriella will always reach our goals, we will strive to always be more loving, understanding, and compassionate parents. We will share our true selves with Gabriella and show her the rewards that come from the hard work of relationship building. Our love for Gabriella and each other is unconditional. We are committed to being equal parents. We will give each other the space to express our individual gifts as parents and individuals. We are a team both as a couple and as parents. We will provide Gabriella with a rich and stimulating environment where she can learn in whatever styles work best for her. We will meet her accomplishments with excitement and her disappointments with tenderness. We will urge Gabriella to be true to herself and to be the best Gabriella she can be. Our home will be a spring-board for Gabriella to find her own independence. Judaism is important to us and has offered each of us a framework for living with justice in the world. Likewise, we will provide a Jewish environment for Gabriella where she too can wrestle with the complexities and revel in the rich history of our people. We will be proud of our Judaism and encourage Gabriella to be proud of her own encounter with Judaism. Shabbat will be a time for all of us to relax and renew our appreciation of the world and each other. We will teach the Jewish values of tzedakah, tikun-olam, and honor of family and help Gabriella to find her own way of expressing these values. Our families will always be vitally important to us. Because of that we choose to devote significant resources to frequent visits and communication with extended family. We each have learned so much from our families and felt so much love. We will make sure that Gabriella also is a beneficiary of that love and wisdom. Gabriella, we will talk to you and listen to you every dayGabriella, you can always come to us and “tell us like it is.”Gabriella, we will hug you, nurture you, and answer your cries and needs.Gabriella, we will always be there for you.Part III: The name, readings and conclusionOur daughter’s full name is Gabriella Malka Robbins. Her first name, from the Hebrew, means “God is my strength,” and comes from the angel Gabriel. We have chosen a middle name for our daughter in loving remembrance of great aunt Malka Blaustein, our grandmother Rose’s sister. May her spirit and love of laughter continue through Gabriella. Let her life make Malka Blaustein known to all who see her. Malka was a very loving, kind, and sometimes private person. In the words of Stefanie’s grandmother and her father: Malka always had a nice word to say about others, she was warm toward everyone, showed a strong interest in those around her, was funny, loved to smile, and was quick to laugh. We know these wonderful qualities will live on through Gabriella and that she will also shine with her own personality, gifts, and individual character. Ordering photosIf you want to order hard-copy (prints) of the photos of Gabriella, your best bet is to visit my Kodak Gallery site. Here are the albums that I currently have shared:
14 November Gabriella's first walk in the arboretum We had the perfect fall weather for Gabriella's first walk in amongst the trees.
View all the pictures here. 04 November Gabriella's Brit Bat (Naming ceremony)We held Gabriella's naming ceremony on the 9th day. We would have done it on the 8th day but Stef's dad, Irwin, had to stay in New Jersey to help is mom after an operation. The ceremony was held at University of Washington Hillel and Rabbi Michael Latz from our synagouge officiated. We wrote the primary parts of the ceremony specifically for Gabriella.
I also uploaded pictures from the event. 27 October Gabriella is here!She is here!
We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our daughter Gabriella Malka Robbins. Her first name, Gabriella, means God is my Strength. Malka means Queen. Gabi’s middle name is in honor of her great-great-Aunt Malka, sister of Stef’s Grandma Rose.
Gabriella was born on Friday, October 21st at 11:48am. She was born 7lbs and 3 ounces. She was 19.5 inches long. She came into the world with a full head of dark hair! The stats are over in the right hand. Pictures are here too. |
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