Monticello

Sorry for the delay, Gabi Fans, but while Daddy is taking a break from studying for his big test, here's pictures from the rest of our trip up to scenic Charlottesville, VA. We spent a day at historic Monticello (you know, Thomas Jefferson's house) and learned lots of neat things. Normally, we'd spend time sharing some interesting back stories about the slaves who lived there and all of Jefferson's cool inventions lying around his house, but since I'm pressed for time (and since you're probably just here to see pictures anyway), let's go to the pics:

Daddy and Gabi getting ready for our tour.

Gabi stands on some stones marking where a slave house used to be.

The tour guide thought she was being distracting. She can't help it.

Some cute pictures with Mommy in the lovely garden behind the house.

Jefferson liked to collect flowers from all over. Gabi liked to smell them.

If you look behind the cute little girl, you can see the actual house.

To see what the house looks like sans-Gabi... go look at a nickel.

The stables were right underneath the house.

No horses here, so Gabi wasn't too interested.

Gabi found a funny tree next to the house.

She's decided to say "pizza" for these pictures.

You know, because cheese goes on pizza.

Gabi wanted to sit on the grass, so we did.

Gabi finds a leaf and shares with Daddy. Whoa. Deja vu.

Gabi finds a leaf and shares with Daddy. Whoa. Deja vu.

Gabi does some exploring on her own and finds some pretty flowers.

Gabi was starting to get tired after a big day of exploring.

That didn't stop her from walking on this wall with Daddy.

Taking a nap on the ride back to Charlottesville.

Charlottesville Historic Downtown Mall

Where we returned again for some yummy dinner and a couple more photo opportunities.

And that's all I have to say about that. Good night everybody.

UVa and Charlottesville, VA

We took a roadtrip to Virginia so Daddy could interview at UVa in Charlottesville. Gabi and Mommy explored the campus during the day.

Gabi found balloons in UVa colors.
You can see a small lake in the background.


Gabi in front of some white azaleas on the UVa campus.
When Gabi sees that picture, she makes note of the bow in her hair. Gabi is a very girly-girl. I have no idea where she picked that up, as I certainly didn't cultivate it in her. As you can probably tell from many of the pictures on this blog, Gabi loves to feed and rock her baby dolls. She also loves to put bows or pigtails in her hair, and after she is all ready for the day, she will proclaim, "Gabi is pretty!" I agree; she certainly is a very pretty girl.

A couple weeks ago, Gabi went to her friend Kira's house to play, and Kira was talking about her mom's pink fingernails (as she just had a manicure). The next week, we playgroup moms had a "pampering" Moms' Night Out as a baby shower for Lisa, and one of the moms (who is a Mary Kay consultant) brought pedicure kits for everyone. Since Daddy was working, I took Gabi with me to the evening-time baby shower. Gabi insisted on having a toenail painted when some of the other moms did, and although she would only let us paint a single nail that night, she never got tired of talking about it afterwards. In fact, she later insisted that we paint all of her nails. I dug out my old fingernail polish (that was probably only used on my prom night) and painted all 20 of her nails a bright, sparkly cobalt blue. (What was I thinking when I got that, even if it did match my prom dress?!?) I told this story to one of my college friends, and now Gabi has her very own light pink nail polish. She loves it! (Of course, Gabi didn't mind the deep blue, either... but the pink is better.)


Thomas Jefferson designed the buildings and landscaping of the
Academical Village (what was initially the entire UVa campus).
Even new buildings on campus maintain the same architectural style.


These dorm buildings are called "hotels."


Gabi in front of the undergraduate admissions building.


A gate to one of the gardens behind the dorms on the Lawn.
These formal gardens are called Pavillions.
When we first entered, Gabi exclaimed, "What a pretty garden!"


Gabi found many colored leaves in the gardens.


Gabi peeking in a dorm window to see a little sitting area.


One of the serpentine garden walls
(although this part of the wall is straight).


Gabi has fun running around on the grass.


Gabi enjoyed meeting Noble, who lives in Pavillion III.


Poor Gabi is very tired,
and her allergies are bothering her.


Gabi proudly balances on a tree root growing across the path.


Gabi likes the pockets in this dress.
She tries to point at the purple iris
without taking her hands out of her pockets.


Gabi in another pretty little flower garden.


Gabi running in front of Monroe Hill House.


Gabi walking along a stairwell wall.


Gabi reading a campus map in front of the Rotunda.
The Rotunda is the architectural landmark of the UVa campus
as well as the main administration building.
Gabi and I headed back to the hotel for naptime. After Daddy's interview, our college friend Katie drove in from D.C. to explore Charlottesville with us. We walked to the UVa campus and caught the free trolley to the Downtown Mall.

A family portrait on a tree in front of the Rotunda.


Gabi wants more of Katie's ice cream!


Gabi found where Daddy wrote her name on the Free Speech Wall.


Katie and Gabi making faces at each other.

Eastertime

When we tell Gabi, "no," often she will respond with an exaggerated pout. Somehow she is able to make her eyes all red immediately and just start crying, but it is all for show. Her face can look so pitiful, though; we find it amusing. Rather than retract our "no," we have to stifle a laugh.

Gabi's face after being told not to bang her fork on the table.
Gabi started to give up naptime shortly after Christmas. Now she only needs a nap about once a week, but she does still need "quiet time." (Apparently it is still called quiet time even if she isn't quiet at all -- often she will sit in her room and read books to herself or talk to her dolls and animals or sing songs as she plays.) Sometimes she does need to rest a bit, so she'll lay herself down for a short time (usually about 5 or 10 minutes). Other times I can tell she is tired because she puts all her stuffed animals down for a nap.

When it is bedtime, we have a set routine (as is helpful with toddlers): diaper change, pajamas on, brush teeth, read a book, turn out the lights, lie down, sing songs, put up the baby gate (to lock her in her room). Gabi always asks for "one more song" after you finish singing, no matter how many songs you have sung (and no matter how many times that evening she has said "one more"). That's our girl -- she loves music. (Well, that AND she's getting good at the delay tactics at bedtime.)

Gabi taking a rest break from playing.
Georgia Aquarium

Daddy and Gabi at the petting tank at the GA Aquarium.


Mommy and Gabi pet the cownose rays and bonnethead sharks.


We stop by Olympic Park after visiting the GA Aquarium.
Easter!

Gabi smelling the flowers at church on Easter Sunday.


Gabi posing on the altar on Easter Sunday.
Easter Egg Hunt

Gabi reaching for an egg in the window.


Gabi found an egg in her play kitchen microwave.


Gabi opening an Easter egg to get the candy.


There's chocolate in the eggs!
Friends
As usual, Martin and Sienna come over the play on Thursdays.

Sienna and Gabi getting out all the stuffed animals.
With the weather so nice outside, we met our friends Kate and Luke and baby Caleb at Glenlake Park for a picnic lunch one day.

Luke drives Gabi in the school bus.


Caleb is happy teething on his mom's fingers.


Luke throwing rocks in the creek.


Gabi decided that she likes the swings now.
She used to be scared of them, but today she laughed and smiled.
For playgroup one week, we tried out a new playground: Avondale Park.

Gabi singing "I'm a Little Tea Pot" before she goes down the slide.


Gabi found a caterpillar.
And, of course, Gabi's baby dolls are always well taken care of.

Gabi holding two babies, Ella and Asha.