The Big One!

Here are some pictures from Gabi's first birthday! The first celebration of the day was at Teresa's house this morning after I got off of work. Octavia & Peyton helped Gabi celebrate by eating cupcakes and singing Happy Birthday to her! Octavia even helped Gabi blow out her candle!

Yumm!

Octavia & Gabi

Joe & I helped her celebrate again this evening with another round of cupcakes and singing. Even Grandma Mary and Grandpa Gary got in on the celebrations thanks to Skype! We are meeting up with Grandma Joyce, Grandpa Dave, Uncle Greer, Aunt Amanda, & Gio in Laramie for a football game and some more birthday celebrations on Saturday!

Joe thought these blocks would encourage her to become an engineer someday! :)

Our Silly Girl

It is hard to celebrate Gabi's birthday without thinking about her birthmother in Guatemala and what she must be feeling today. Words cannot express our appreciation for her for giving us our daughter. We're sure her decision was not an easy one a year ago. This little girl has brought such joy to our lives and a kind of love that only parents must know. Please pray for Gabi's birthmother, that she may be comforted to know that Gabi is healthy, happy, and thriving in our family.

Gabi went to see Dr. Julia today (whose birthday is today too!) and came out with the following stats and 4 shots (ouch!):

• 23lbs. 1.5oz (85th %ile)
• 31.25inches (100th %ile)
• Healthy as can be!
  

Thank you all for helping us celebrate our Gabi and her first year of life. The support we have received this year has been amazing and we are so lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful friends and family!

Love, Joe, Tara, & Gabi

Dancing to Her Own Beat!

Hi Everyone! Thanks for stopping by for a Gabi update! She's been busy learning new things! I think going to Teresa's house (our babysitter) a couple of mornings a week has really helped her with walking, talking, and her new favorite thing to do, dancing! She is doing really well and didn't even cry when I dropped her off last Thursday, which is good, but I was kind of sad too!

Here is a video of her dancing to her favorite artist, Stevie Ray Vaughn! Grandpa Gary is so proud!

Gabi has started "cruising" around the furniture and with her walker. She also loves to do squats, which makes my legs burn just watching her!

Gabi has always been a good eater, but we've found a new favorite...spaghetti! Yum! She wasn't too big on the peas, though.

I think I tried too hard to get these pigtails to work, but I thought they were cute, nonetheless. Someday!

Gabi really likes Cowboy football, even though Mom & Dad are a little frustrated with them this year. She loves the music and when everyone claps (even though there have been more boos than claps this season!) ;-)

Gabi and I went to visit our friends, Char and Jason who had a baby girl yesterday! Morgan McKinnon Delaney is such a cutie! Her and Gabi will be good buddies once she gets big enough to defend herself! Congratulations you guys!

It's hard to believe that Gabi will be 1 year old next week (the 25th)! Tune back then for some birthday pics!

Love to you all!

Joe, Tara, & Gabi

Gabi's First Photo Shoot...

...Okay, professional photo shoot! ;-) If you're a regular reader of our blog, you know that Gabi has had her picture taken many, many times and does actually pose on request! ha!

Our awesome photographer, Tanja, put Gabi's photos into a gallery ready to view. Click HERE to create an account. Then, click on Gabriela's gallery and enter the password "hall" to view. E-mail me at tmlamay@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend everyone! Tara

Go Pokes!

Gabi enjoyed her first Wyoming Cowboys football game on Saturday! She loved it, but due to the heat she was only able to watch the first half. Gabi, Jackson, and I headed over to Washington Park to play, while Joe watched the rest of the game. It was a beautiful day in Laramie and the Pokes won 21-20!

Dressed in Game Day Gold!

At Jen & Jerad's Tailgate party

Gabi also had her first camping experience this weekend. We set up camp near the Happy Jack area outside of Laramie. She loved looking at all of the stars, playing in the dirt (and trying every once in awhile to sneak a taste), and crawling over all of the sleeping bags and us in the tent. She slept great (who wouldn't with all that wonderful Wyoming fresh air?!)

Playing peek-a-boo at the campsite while Daddy sets up the tent.

We hope you all had a fun Labor Day weekend! Thanks to all that commented on Gabi's photos at www.contemporaryexpressions.net/blog. We should have the entire collection to view by Tuesday, so check back then for directions to that site.

Love to you all,

Joe, Tara, & Gabi