February Update

So we made the first part of our big move and have been enjoying a week in Pittsburgh without having to pack or unpack a suitcase or box. It has been great getting settled here and we're really looking forward to spending the next few months. It's such a blessing to be with my family and seeing old friends once again. I certainly still miss family and friends back in Detroit and we look forward to a visit soon when we can see them once again.

For those of you interested in any Gabby updates, here are a few highlights. For those of you who are not, please humor the first-time Mom. :-)

• Gabby has turned 7 months old. She got to celebrate in our nation's capital with her Aunt Ashley and Uncle Nate. We did take some pictures on my camera which I'd love to post, but I just realized that the USB connector cord is in a box somewhere in the garage. Great planning, Leah. :-( Maybe I'll post them sometime in July. :-( She had a great time and was often really tired out by the end of the day. If you'd like to see proof, check out this video on Brad's blog. (It's a wonder that we haven't traumatized her from cereal entirely!)
• She also took her first trip to her new home of Philadelphia. She seemed intrigued by the history, motivated to start a new church, and enraptured by the cheesesteaks (pictured below). Mothers can tell these things through the babbles, spitups, and naps.
• Gabs sits really well on her own now, so I'm planning on getting some more formal pictures of her soon. It's probably one of those first-born baby things that gets skipped over as you add more kids to the family, but I think I want to go ahead with it anyway. :-) The sitting skill has made playing with toys a lot more fun.
• She's using rolling as a form of transportation right now which can prove to be surprisingly effective. She also seems to be doing a very primitive backwards scoot. This has already resulted in her eating a dead leaf from a hibiscus plant that was lying on the floor (which thankfully was not poisonous) and has taught mommy that it's a whole new ballgame.
• Gabby is certainly living up to her name. Her speech has become a lot more syllabic over the past few weeks and we have caught many "mama's" and "dada's" (even though I don't think she attributes them to us just yet). And, I'm pretty sure I've heard her singing the chorus to "Mmmbop." Who knew she liked Hanson? :-) I never knew that "cuteness" actually had a sound, but when I listen to her talking and singing, it is most certainly the quintessence of cute.

I think those are the major highlights. I'll try and find some pictures from my phone that don't require a plug to upload. Thanks for all your prayers! We're doing great!