These 2 continue to make each other laugh which in turn keeps us smiling. Happy kids and happy parents are a good thing! (And the blog readers who want to believe it can picture a world where everyone is ALWAYS happy and no one is ever out of control or fussy.)
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Sally and me | 
Gabi and Bear work together to push Ethan on the car. |
fun times with Daddy |
We had a fun month with music. First we went to Austin Symphony Children's Day Art Park. We were late due to our morning nap schedule, but that didn't stop us from enjoying some lovely horn instruments.
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Then, we found live music at the Domain on a Saturday evening, and these 2 kiddos really loved rockin' to the beat!
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This happy boy turned 10 months on July 4th! Ethan is cruising around furniture more but not at all interested in taking steps otherwise. He continues to be a busy active guy, though, always on the move! He has mastered the high pitch pterodactyl shriek, and it's even more fun when Gabi joins in to encourage him. When he's hungry or tired, he can turn on you in a flash, but he is usually a very smiley, snuggly, laughable, and super fun baby! He plays independently more now than he ever used to. While he remains a Mommy's boy, he has gotten less clingy, and he is very friendly and social too.
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Some other developmental accomplishments from this month include:
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silly boy at the playground |
Thankfully, Ethan and Gabi take an afternoon nap at the same time every day. It allows me some brief moments without kids so I can attempt to relax or spend money online or get this blog updated, etc. And every day, my little man wakes up before his sister and we get to spend some Mommy-Ethan time alone together. Good thing he's so yummy!
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I'm 2/2 for quirky kids so far:
 His preferred bottle-feeding method, named "the baby goat." |  what our face looks like after most meals |  that day I fed him thawed breast milk from a straw Capri Sun style |
Big girl Gabi turned 2.5 years this month! While she gets frustrated in a developmentally appropriate way, she is getting better at using her words to communicate what she needs and wants and problem solving. The most powerful words that we use with her are "What should we do about it?" Gabi can usually think for herself, come up with a solution, and often find a way to solve the problem differently than I would have. Gabi uses excellent and polite manners often unprompted, using 'may I please', 'yes please', 'thank you', 'no thank you', 'excuse me', 'bless you' (after sneezing)...etc etc... Gabi is shy with strangers for a full 2 minutes until she becomes their best friend, but she'll run up to new kids on the playground and want to play with them immediately. Before going to bed each night, you must give her a kiss, hug, high five, fist bump, I love you (signing it), and 'peace out'. (This newest addition brought on by Jon this month). She loves singing and dancing still, and now puts other words in place of a song's traditional words - usually to the tune of her go-to song "ABCs/Baa Baa Black Sheep/Twinkle Twinkle." Gabi has her stubborn toddler moments (who doesn't?), but she really is a sweet, helpful, friendly, amazing girl with great personality.
In 2.5 years, we have enjoyed several phases of goofball Gabi's pictures. We've had the tongue of 2013:
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The blank stare of 2014:
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In 2015, it seems we are full throttle into the CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!!!!!! pictures, and her goal is to yell as long and as loud as possible until I think I have a worthy shot. (You'll notice the pattern as the blog post continues...)
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I get my special Mommy-Gabi time in the mornings while Ethan sleeps. |
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You wish that you could be like the cool kids too. |
I've had some conversations with folks who ask when Gabi will start preschool, and in these conversations I explain that she'll start 'eventually' but for now I try to think of what she would be missing from a school environment that she's not already getting and supplement for that as best as I can. I explain that I will want her to get the "school" experience before Kindergarten to learn skills like sharing an adult's attention, learning about walking in a line, listening to a teacher, orienting yourself to a classroom etc etc...The followup statement I get most often is, "Yeah, and she'll need the socialization to learn sharing and taking turns...." ...I think she's good there:
Gabi and Erin snuggle together on the couch. |
Kemper and Gabi have a history of some sassy looking pictures. They can share a box together, but Gabi will stare Kemper and her snack down as long as it takes. | 
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Nora and Gabi enjoy their spaghetti dinner together. |
Don't try finding Jon; he's hiding. | 
Nora has learned the CHEEEEESE face too! |
bathtime for spaghetti sauce babies | 
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It's always nice when we can get the whole neighborhood group together! % mommas and 9 babies, all in our backyard water fun! | 
Gabi with 2 Allisons |
Gabi playes with Allison and sister Annabelle at the playground |
And last but not least - your Team Cohen moments of zen for the month:
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