Gabriel Update



(Waiting for popcorn to pop)



We have one cute, smart, opinionated, sassy little 3 1/2 year old who keeps us laughing and flustered all at the same time.

Gabriel is going through his very independent, "Big Boy" stage right now. He insists on doing EVERYTHING himself. I've learned not to offer help, because I get dirty looks and the irritated response of, "I can do it!" So, I just let him try to do it on his own first, and then he is more likely to ask me for help if he can't get it figured out.
 

(listening to popcorn popping)



His pretend play has really developed over the past 6 months. We just love it! Sometimes we will hide around the corner from his room to listen to the little pretend world he has going. It's amazing the places his imagination takes him.


He also really tries to mimic our attitudes, habits, behaviors and language now...down to the smallest details. For instance, tonight we were having family scripture reading and I was biting my nails while reading. So, next thing I know I see my son pretending to bite his nails while he reads his scriptures. Even the tones in his voice and his body language often mimic our own, and it's so stinkin' funny!

(Getting "first dibbs" on the popcorn)

-Some Gabrielisms-

-We are trying to teach Gabriel not to interrupt us while we are talking to someone else, so he will often hear, "I'm talking to someone, please don't interrupt." The other day Gabriel was talking to me about his school day and Patrick came into the room, and started asking me a question. Gabriel immediately puts his hands on his hips and says, "DADDY, I'm talking to Mommy. Stop "interbupting." (that's not a spelling error...that's how her pronounced it)

-We got Gabriel a little Donald Duck kids cologne, because he always sees Patrick putting on cologne and wants to follow suit. The other day he forgot to put on his cologne and didn't realize it until we were heading out the door, and demanded to go upstairs to put it on. Patrick told him that we didn't have time and he didn't really need to put the cologne on that day. To which he replied, "DADDY, I don't smell good that's why I HAVE to put on my cologne."

-While I was at Young Women's on Wednesday evening Patrick was home trying to put Gabriel to bed. Part of the bedtime routine is to brush teeth, and Patrick was trying to skip the teeth brushing, because it was getting late. Patrick was put in his place that night: "NO, DADDY! Look at these teeth (pointing to his teeth). The germs are hurting my teeth, so I have to brush them!"

-Gabriel had to REALLY use the bathroom and was making his way there when he farted. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to say, "Did you hear something? What's that smell?" and then proceeded to laugh at himself hysterically.

-We were watching the Anderson kids, and the two boys (Justin-3yr & Wade-2yr) were eating Butter Puffs (kind of like cheese puffs/cheese balls). Eating the puffs can be a pretty messy ordeal for a 2-3yr old, so they were all over the place. When here comes Gabriel (covered from nose to belly button in butter puffs) picking up the pieces/crumbs from the floor and saying, "Guys, c'mon, you are too messy. Just look at this mess."

-I was working on some homework when Gabriel came over to give me a hug. After I hugged him he stuck around and I got engrossed in my homework again. But, it wasn't long before I noticed he was staring at me, and I asked him what he was looking at. He said, "I'm looking at you, Mama, because you are so beautiful. I love you, Mama!"

-Looking at his baby pictures on the wall in his room he says, "I was a cute baby, but why am I naked in all the pictures?"