Gabe's First Birthday

On May 20th, Gabe turned one year old! Time sure has gone by quickly. We had a great turn out for his birthday becuase it was also Adam's graduation. So Gabe got to see both sets of grandparents!

I had planned to make a really fun train cake - but that ended in disaster. Here's what happened: I cooked the cake the night before and then put it in the freezer for over night (cake is supposed to ice better when it is frozen, or at least cold). The morning of Gabe's birthday, I took the cake out of the freezer and set it on the counter. I was about to ice it then realized I needed something at the store right away. So, away I went leaving the cake to thaw. When I get back, the cake is totally thawed, and not even cold anymore. Oh well, I'll give it a go. The thing is, when cake is frozen, and then thawed, it goes all crumbly. So I cut out the pieces and start to make an engine and some train cars. It's going all right so far. I start to put the first layer of icing on the engine and cake crumbs get everywhere! This cake is so crumbly that the icing is too heavy for it and pieces start breaking off, pulling the icing down getting crumbs everywhere. It looked absolutely horrible. As Adam said, my train cake was a complete train wreck. Ha ha.

Here it is.

Gabe couldn't have this horrible piece of mess for his first cake! So I quickly make another. Nothing fancy this time, just plain old cake in a glass pan, lightly frosted with sprinkles. It wasn't very exciting, and no one said, "Ooh! What a neat cake!" but it worked.

Well, Gabe sure liked it!

Yumm!

After cake Gabe opened a few presents. He got some stacking blocks, some cars and a really fun car ramp.

He loves cars. He even makes vroom-vroom sounds to make them go. It is so cute. He is such a boy.

Adam put together the ramp, so he gets to play with it too, right?

All in all, it was a fun day.

Graduation

Now it's been a long time since I have blogged anything and lots of important things have happened. I'm going to try and space things out and get a few good blogs in about the changes in our lives.

The first major thing is Adam's gradutation!! Hooray!! Adam is now officially Dr. Gorner. Grad weekend was realyl busy and so rainy. The Friday (May 21, 2010) was the banquet and awards ceremony. Adam was awarded a scholarship for leadership and excellence in clinic and I am so proud of him. He is an excellent clinician and so good with his patients. He's going to make a wonderful optometrist.

The next morning was the hooding ceremony with the Optometry class of 2010. This is where all the graduates received their doctoral hoods in the optometry colour (seafoam green). There were some good speeches and of course Adam looked so handsome.

Later on Saturday was the actual graduation with the receiving of diplomas. It was outside in the pouring rain and the diplomas had to be wrapped in plastic to protect them. The school even gave the graduates plastic rain covers to protect their robes and hoods.

This is Adam (on the right) with some friends after receiving their diplomas (and coming inside).

Adam and his best friend Andy - proving they are doctors!

Congratulations Adam!

Mo Willems

I have a new favourite children's author: Mo Willems.

He writes the Pigeon books,

Elephant and Piggie books,

and Knuffle Bunny (to name a few). They are witty, fun and easy to read, but best of all, Lizzy loves them. I put Mo Willems right up there with Robert Munsch (also a definite favourite).

I first discovered Mo Willems when I was working in the Edmonton Public Library before Lizzy was born. I used the Pigeon stories in preschool story time, and the kids loved them. Later, when Lizzy got more interested in books, I looked for the Pigeon books again and was delighted to find more of his work.

Lizzy absolutely loves Elephant and Piggie and looks for them every time we are at the library.

So if you have little kids, or even if you don't, check these out and let me know what you think!

Gabe the Babe loves the bathroom.

So, I posted some fun pictures of Lizzy a couple days ago, now some of Gabe are needed.

He's growing so fast and is already 23 lbs! He is so solid! The other day he was sitting next to a baby boy a month younger than him, but Gabe was twice the size. It was so funny. I love my roly-poly boy.

In his new Canada sweater (thanks Uncle Travis!).

Gabe loves the water and having a bath. If just Lizzy is in the tub, Gabe will find his way into the bathroom and watch. He will also try to reach into the tub and splash the water. Why do babies love the bathroom so much? I have to be extra careful to keep the bathroom door closed, and if not the door, at least the toilet seat. Gabe will reach into the toilet to splash the water. Eww! He has also figured out how to flush the toilet. I think he saw me do it, then just gave it a try. He's so smart.

Again, at the tub.

Okay, I have this super cute video of Lizzy making Gabe laugh (again in the bathroom). Now I just need to figure out how to post a video in this new posting format. Do you know how?

Lizzy the Model

Lizzy loves to pose for pictures and act pretty. I think she got the idea for some of the poses from America''s Next Top Model (ANTM) that we were watching one day. Well, since we watched that, her poses have gotten crazier. Here are some of my favourite poses.

The classic curtsey. (pre- ANTM)

I don't know what she's doing here.

Lizzy informed me that this was her "best pose."

This one really makes me laugh.

Lizzy also loves to wear makeup. For Christmas she got some play makeup that she is allowed to wear at home while playing dress up. She loves to put it on herself and then declares herself to be beautiful.

Makeup and a pose. Hilarious combination.

"Am I beautiful Mommy?"

Random Old Picture Update

Again, these pictures are from my phone, and that's why some of them are so old.

New haircut and highlights from the beginning of February.

First day of preschool in September.

She wanted to tie her straps together. I don't know why.

Adam went to an optometry conference and was gone for a few days. This is the kids reactions to him coming home. They sure missed their daddy!

First time on the swing. He loved it!

Canada vs USA

We were so excited to watch the gold medal Olympic hockey game the other week. The pressure was on to deliver after the previous loss to the USA. Also, we were getting some unpleasant comments from some American friends about losing, so we needed to win.

Luckily we had some good luck charms. My brother Travis loves us so much and sent us some official Canadian Olympic clothes. A t-shirt for Adam, myself, and Lizzy, and a super cute sweater for Gabe. Also an awesome, super soft scarf (ooh nice alliteration if I say so myself). They came just in time, a day before the game. We donned the clothes and skated to gold-medal victory! Woo-hoo!

After the game.

Lizzy shouting, "we're number one!" (at our promptings... of course)

Here's a stunning play by play for those of you unfortunate to miss it.

The fight was fierce...

We were up 2-0...

Then we we were tied at the very last second...

It goes to over time...

Crosby shoots...

He scores!!

And we win the Gold, 3-2 in OT.