Grandma and Grandpa visit

Gabi welcomed her FIRST sleepover play-date visitors this weekend!  Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for bravely getting on your first flight in over 6 years to spend this precious time with her.  While there may have been some playful competition over who got to hold the baby for longer periods of time, it was most certainly love at first sight and a great visit for everyone!  There are so many GREAT pictures to share, and you might feel that I've shared too many, but then, you're not quite as obsessed with Gabi as you should be...

Grandma and Grandpa in their first moments with their newest grandchild!

Grandpa reads a classic book to Gabi.

Grandma enthusiastically offers to feed Gabi.

Grandma reads Mommy's favorite adoption book, one that Gabi will hear many times.

We welcomed Gabi's SECOND Shabbat together and we gave Gabi her FIRST tub bath...She didn't like it... :/

No babies were harmed (permanently) in the making of her first bath.

Throughout the weekend, Gabi acquired more tricks, such as superior dance moves, amazing reading skills and the talent of being awake longer than 10 minutes. Enjoy the video and rest of the pictures!

Learning about opposites in The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss.

staring straight at Grandpa

snuggle time with Grandma

snuggle time with Grandpa

Ready for dinner!

In the Clear!

As of Wednesday night at midnight, aka Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 12:01 am, Birthmom Annette's period to revoke her decision ended, and we are in the clear! While our adoption will not be "finalized" in court for 6-12 months, there is nothing anyone can do to take our precious daughter away!

Where do you go in the middle of the night to celebrate? (The only place open!) Welcome to Denny's!

Daddy hangs out with Gabi at our mid-night Denny's celebration!

Mommy gets an Oreo milkshake with TWO straws to share!

Beautifully happy family celebrating our forever togetherness!

Goodbyes and Hellos

GOODBYE umbilical cord means HELLO tummy time!

First tummy time!

Good thing we have Tani there for supervision!

Tuesday afternoon (February 5th), we got the call from our attorney, telling us we had legal clearance to leave the state.  This made Nana and Zayde sad, so we at least joined them and let them cook one more dinner for us.  Nana pointed out that Gabi was ready, dressed in her "traveling" outfit, being the same outfit she traveled in a week earlier. (see link)

We left late Tuesday night to return home to North Carolina to introduce Gabi to her 3 big sisters (who look QUITE big compared with her).  We now had the task to get our house organized for Gabriella (in a way that Mommy is comfortable with of course).

GOODBYE Nana and Zayde means HELLO kittens!

Nana and Zayde were super glad to offer Gabi her first home!

...but they were sad to say "See you later."

sandwich kiss!

Nana, Zayde, Gabi, and Mommy

Team Cohen at their first home together

The kitties were more concerned with all the stuff than this weird, helpless "thing."

Nikki checks out the car seat.

Brook inspects this new "thing."

Maggie also needs to sniff her approval.

curious kittens

Brook is ready for her diaper change.

Nikki is ready for her bottle.

first night in Gabi's home

Some kittens adjusted quicker than others!

New home means HELLO new visitors! Thanks for coming over to be her first Fletcher friend, Ms. Stacia!

One Week Old

Gabi welcomed her first visitor!  Thanks for coming over, Rayna! We usually only allow ourselves to visit on Passover, but we decided to make an exception this one time.

As of 1:44 pm on Monday afternoon, February 4, Gabi celebrated her 1-Week Birthday with an ice cream party, pink candle and all! Happy Birthday, big girl!

Mommy, Gabi, and Ms. Rayna

Everyone is all smiles at the ice cream birthday party!

We have LIFT-OFF! Before Gabi's 7th full day ended on Monday night, her umbilical cord fell off, revealing the world's cutest belly button!

Bye bye, cord! (cord pictured on her tummy)

Zoom in on that belly button!

Hanging around Nana and Zayde's house

You may have started noticing a theme - no part of this story could have been better! Along that theme, we couldn't ask for better hosts as we were stranded nomads in a strange land, waiting to return to our homeland in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.  We have had warm, home cooked meals each day and lots of extra Gabi love!

Gabi continues to be PERFECT! She sleeps so peacefully.  She plays so nicely.  She wakes a little more each day.  There were about 24 hours when Gabi went without any poops, and Nana and Daddy got pretty worried...but the digestive system kicked in, and all systems GO!  She does enjoy the fresh air on her tush, and it's especially fun for Gabi to aim pee and poop at Mommy when changing her diaper. (And I thought that was a baby boy thing...)

Gabi doesn't fuss AT ALL! The only time she gets the LEAST bit upset is when you wake her, change her diaper, and stare at her for waaaay too long without giving her the darn milk.

Here are some images of our time spent at home with my parents:

Zayde snuggle time

Nana snuggle time

Gotta love Gabi-Daddy time!

Friday, February 1, Gabi's first stroller walk!

Gabi was there too, all bundled up!

Mommy and baby nap time

And of course, it wouldn't be my parents' house without some other special friends:

Nana, Gabi, and Uncle Tani

Nana, Gabi, and Uncle Yofi

Nana, Gabi, and Uncle Dudley

sweet moment with Gabi and Uncle Tani

Thank you, cousin Sharon, for our new friend, "Jasper"!! (named after Gabi's birthplace) Gabi LOVES sleeping and resting in him!