Gael Elysio de Felipe

Bedtime Stories

2010-05-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

Little man, Big adventures!

2010-05-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

A little bit of warm weather had us heading out to local parks and the zoo! Gael has a passion for cars but does not mind helping with chores like yard work and picking new colors for his room and the nursery. We are going with eclectic green for him and petal pink for baby girl! I should also mention that the whole family is taking up a little more road these days, cruising in our Certified Pre-owned Toyota Sienna, it seats eight!

Happy Birthday!

2010-02-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

Back from Brazil just in time to celebrate!

Lions and Tigers and Cowboys...and CANDY!

2009-11-16T08:35:00.001-08:00

A fun and happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Season!

2009-10-13T07:18:00.001-07:00

With so many to choose from he finally found one just his size.

He did it!

2009-09-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Gael went pee in the potty at daycare today! I'm so proud, now lets see if I can follow up at home.

Missouri vs. Kansas

2009-09-17T08:13:00.001-07:00

I don't usually get into rivalries, but...

Kansas started it!

Good times in the kitchen!

2009-09-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

Seriously!

2009-08-19T17:13:00.000-07:00

No sooner had the words, "it's not like I'm on a medication or something so Gael has to stop nursing" that a full blown kidney infection landed me in the doc's office and with a prescription for cipro. Now, Gael and I are both in for a few rough days. Wish us luck! Here are a few cute pics to enjoy while your feeling sorry for us.

quick pics

2009-07-12T19:07:00.001-07:00

We had a great Independence Day out at my mom's, but first we participated in our first Crestwood parade with Gael sporting Spiderman red white and blue (Rodrigo slipped in a little of his own nationalism with the Havaianas).

I thought I was letting Gael over do it on the brownies he loves so much because his face was getting really chubby but on closer examination it turns out he has swollen lymph glands, but two blood tests later the doc says not to worry.

Easy for him to say he did not have the masochistic nurse that went poking around in both arms!!!

Oh well, when life gives him lemons, or limes, Gael is happy!

June?

2009-07-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a strange month.
First, a moment for MJ...

Thanks friends for the fun times (man, there were a lot of babies)!

Sadly, it may be the last house party for awhile or at least until we get some home repairs done which I hope to get started soon and safely now that I have read up on all there is to know about renovating old homes (pre-1978) that probably contain lead paint (SOB!). If anyone has had to deal with this I would love to hear your words of wisdom.

Tuckered Tike

2009-06-07T17:14:00.001-07:00

One minute Gael was excitedly jabbering over his cracker while I made dinner, then it was unusually quite...........except for the faintest snore.

Summertime, Swimming Pools and Prairie Dogs

2009-06-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Something is not quite natural about this picture...

Oh, that's it!

More weird behavior

As big as a giant Prairie dog!

Rodrigo, Gael and Jackson on Harley.JPG

2009-06-03T08:25:00.001-07:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Does my right arm taste good or something?

2009-05-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

Gael was twice bitten this week and the second time he just kept looking at his arm like he was wondering what is going on? The first time was at daycare where he and his best friend fought over a truck. He returned the bite with a slap and the two boys forgot about the whole thing. I on the other hand have no idea if I should scold him or put him in boxing lessons (slapping is so not manly).

an old friend and new neighbor

2009-05-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Happy 30th birthday Fabricio (and Fabio)!!!

More fun with balls

2009-04-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

Fun things to do in SP, Brazil

2009-04-30T08:49:00.001-07:00

Visit family,

drink coconut water,

play with cousins,

play in the shower,

play with rice,

play with keys,

play with chocolate easter eggs,

look at race cars,

look at art,

visit the tropic of capricorn,

visit friends,

climb trees,

and go to the beach!

Whoohoo!

2009-04-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who helped, prayed, and encouraged me........I passed the Mo Bar Exam (now start praying I can find a job)

April

2009-04-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

I was going to wait to until the end of the month to post because we are going to Brazil for two weeks to visit family. But, I started thinking about how much Gael has developed since they saw him last October and decided that vacation pics alone will be a separate post.
Gael's weight has remained the same for several months, but he has gotten much taller and almost slender. We had to go back down a size in diapers and he's getting alot of wear out of his clothes. He is not shy about his likes and dislikes, although he is starting to warm up to balloons. He thinks everything is a drum, including puppies (sorry Lola). He will feed himself provided the food is sugar coated or made from chocolate. I'm trying out some "sneaky chef" recipes, but I've considered just drizzling Hershys syrup over broccoli.
At school, Gael's has two best friends and he cries when they leave before he does.
Yesterday, Gael started walking and today he is playing futebol (soccer)! The video below is long, but oh so impressive, at least I think so. Actually, about a month ago he took three steps and then showed no further interest. I think it was a confidence thing.
Today, I let Gael play with my cell phone (never a good idea) and its whereabout remained unknown for the rest of the day, even after I moved every piece of furniture (at least the house got a good and much needed sweeping). I kept fighting the urge to blame the lost phone on Gael, since I gave him the phone and I vaguely remembered seeing it on the floor when Gael pushed the power button which is why calling it did not disclose its misterious whereabouts. Finally, when Gael got home it was only amatter of time before he went to check on his stash in the bottom drawer of the bathroom vanity and voila!
Well, I hope you enjoy the pictures and video! And, I'll post more when we get back from our trip.

2009-03-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the sideways video, but it's still too cute! Our friends had this wonderful garage sale find. Gael rocked out all night and our ears are still ringing from the "music."

March

2009-03-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

Friends of the zoo

Party, Party, Party!

Baby hangover or the flu?

Time Warp!

2009-02-27T12:17:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I posted. But, thankfully the bar exam has come and hopefully gone forever, except for the regular nightmares that I have had every night since (PTSS?). Here are some recent pics of Gael preped for his 1 year booster shots (everything got pushed back until after the exam) and later that afternoon we had a stress free playdate with Pierce.

Happy Birthday, Boys!

2009-02-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

I just want to say thank you to everyone, near and far, who wished our boys a happy birthday this weekend. Everyone had a great time at the party (sorry about the detours getting there). I'm in a little bit of denial that a year has actually gone by, but I'll save the reflections and more photos for later because I can already feel the tears coming on.
We love you all!

Mamma's Boys:

With Flashbacks:

All grown up (but, not quite).

2009-02-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

Gael and I are feeling all grown up this week. He got his first haircut and I got my first blackberry.
Unfortunately, both endeavors proved more complex than I expected.
You can absolutely tell Gael's haircut was a home job! And, how are you supposed to save the hair. I tried to sweep up the little buggers and got mostly crumbs from the kitchen floor.
Anyway, stay tuned for birthday pictures (hopefully it will grow and even out a little by saturday)!
Oh, and the blackberry just looks cool, so who cares if I never figure it out.

A Day at the Zoo with Dad (and Mom)!

2009-02-01T10:00:00.001-08:00

A sunny day at the zoo was the perfect study break! And, having Rodrigo there to carry/wear Gael was even better (with Gael now weighing 22 lbs. Rodrigo was doing a pretty good pregnancy waddle).

Ready for a snow day!

2009-01-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

Friday I was hoping for school cancellations, but no such luck. I was an hour late to my class because of traffic on the highway, but Gael looked excited and adorable in his bear suit.

TGIF

2009-01-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

We made it through the first week! The day care warned me that mondays are always hard for everybody,even the veteran kids, so I should be prepared for more tears. But, today the sun is shinning, it's 60 degrees in January and I don't have class in the morning so we headed to the park for some fun with the cousins who are also making the daycare adjustment and missing there time with Gael too. Looking at the bar prep schedule, I'll often have class on Saturdays, but at least Gael can be with his dad, and they love their boy time.

A very sweet 6 year old offered to help us get a group shot, scrunch in he said................................but as you can see those are hard to get.

A WONDERFUL DAY!

2009-01-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

Gael's daily preschool report described today as a wonderful day! Progress is being made as he looks around at the toys and the other kids instead of lunging for me while depratley mumbling mom, mama. See photo below of Gael and one of his teachers.
I'm not visiting during the day because it seemed to set off the separation cycle. He is eating baby food fine and nursing when I drop off and pick up. So, maybe there will be more wonderful days ahead!

So Sad!

Countdown's on!

2009-01-06T10:17:00.000-08:00

Immediately into the new year I started stressing...thinking about getting Gael started in preschool and starting my bar prep. Two days in and we are both surviving, but only now can I really understand how hard everyone told me it was going to be. The first day I fought back tears and from the red in Gael's eyes when I picked him up, I believe the feelings were mutual. I physically miss my little guy when away and had to keep reminding myself how to do things, even breathe. I'm very confident in the daycare facility and I'm sure Gael and I will soon be in a routine that will get us trough the next 8 weeks before the bar exam. Ready or not, we are doing this!
Sorry no pictures yet, but I'll try to get one of Gael and his new buddies at daycare posted soon.

A Very Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T10:29:00.001-08:00

Gael has his dad's hair!

Our Hawaiian Vacation

2008-12-18T12:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early this year as we headed to Oahu. Almost all of us, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandma and poppy, were up to the adventure. We all took turns having a cold. but we still had a great time. The airport transfers made me feel a little like the Griswald's, but I find if I ask "What would Jon and Kate do?" it makes me laugh through it. Gael came home with new skills. He now pulls up to standing and can go up stairs! Yikes! He loves the sand, even in his mouth, but the ocean was way too scary. We saw surfers, sleeping seals and our friends the Ahuna's and Saulter's. We did not get a family picture with a Hawaiian Santa, but we did get a snapshot at a luau and a very cute first ornament for the christmas tree at home. Here are some pics to enjoy.

Happy Holidays with Friends and Family

2008-11-28T10:26:00.000-08:00

Look Who's Crawling, sort of...

2008-11-16T12:38:00.001-08:00

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Favorite Things

2008-11-16T12:23:00.000-08:00

Park Swings and bath/splash time!

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Walker Mayhem

2008-11-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

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Costume Madness!

2008-11-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

Just clowning around with mom.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-30T17:09:00.001-07:00

New Friends

2008-10-30T17:04:00.001-07:00

Old Friends

2008-10-30T16:27:00.001-07:00

Vovo

2008-10-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

Primos

2008-10-30T16:24:00.001-07:00

Tias & Tios

2008-10-30T16:17:00.001-07:00

Smiles from across the miles

2008-10-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Our usual activities took on a new twist.

We're Back!

2008-10-21T15:15:00.001-07:00

Well, it was really great while it lasted. Now, it's back to doing my own cooking and cleaning. But, not grocery shopping thanks to my sister's welcome home present consisting of a full fridge. You're awsome MeeGyeong!
The next post will be all the great pictures of friends and family in Brazil. We miss you already! Beijos!

Baby Auditions

2008-09-24T10:14:00.001-07:00

Coming soon to a theatre near you......Baby on a Wire.

Got Milk?

A little Wedding Crasher

2008-09-21T16:08:00.001-07:00

Thanks for the great time and congratulations Mike and Brandy!

Playtime

2008-09-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

Gael was very happy playing with the string until the big scary balloon came along. Ro and I found the whole situation hilarious!

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Defying gravity!

2008-09-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

The hair I love...

the circus tricks? Not so much. But, Gael and Ro think it's great fun terrifying mommy!

Comedy Central

2008-09-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

Poppy, do I look punny in this hat?

Man, I crack myself up (and it's safe for hardwood floors).

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Mother and Son Look-A-Likes, Yieks!

2008-09-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

New Video

2008-09-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

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Nursery rhyme fortune telling fun

2008-08-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Monday's child is fair of face.
Tuesday's child is full of grace.
Wednesday's child will fear no woe.
Thursday's child has far to go.
Friday's child is loving and giving.
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day
Is bonny and blithe and good in every way.

Gael was a Thursday baby, I'm a Tuesday, and poor Rodrigo was born on a hard working Saturday.
You can calculate your day of week at
http://www.ababysworld.com/site/620910/page/917401

What a good boy am I!

2008-08-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

After a busy day of bee keeping, Gael likes to eat a hearty vegetable dinner and brush his teeth.

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FYI: His new carseat is a Graco safe seat with hopefully lots of growing room. It fits infants up to 30 lbs and 32 inches (97th percentile for a 1 year old) and costs under $150. So, far I'm very happy but keeping my fingers crossed that we do not have to buy another one until he's front facing. Wish us luck!

14 pacifiers is too many!

2008-08-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

This blog is mostly for cute pictures of Gael with little captions, but maybe some of you mothers out there can help me with something not so cute. I used to say all Gael needed was two healthy and happy parents and he'd be doing pretty well (and of course a car-seat or they won't let you leave the hospital). I seriously considered delivering at home, but chickened out. And letting Gael sleep in a drawer on the floor, the idea of which so horrified my niece Maya that she won on a wishbone and wished for Gael to have a crib. So, a crib and a car seat, that's it right? Well, my sister bought us a pack and play which saved us many trips up and down the stairs for diaper changes, and my very knowledgeable mother friends have shared great gifts and ideas.
But, back to my problem...his crib is one of 5 mini-play stations around the house because I can't deal with him sleeping in another room from me. And today I made my fourth attempt to find a car seat that will fit both my child and my car while still allowing my husband to sit in one of the front seats. Now the crib and the car seat are important purchases that I'm sure I will get right eventually; however each time I go to a baby store I buy more "accessories" the worst of which has to be my addiction to buying pacifiers and diaper bags. It's out of control! But, I feel better having made this confession.

Ethnic Fest '08

2008-08-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

The highlight of our weekend was trying to eat our way around the world at the Swope Park Ethnic Festival. Of course we had to pause and admire the vibrant Brazilian flag while savoring pao de queijo and drinking a guarana.

Christmas in August?

2008-08-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

So christmas is not for awhile, but Gael will definitely have his two front teeth. You have to look closely to see that the big gummy grin we all love has started transforming.

So happy together.

2008-08-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Gael and Pierce finally seem to notice one another and have somewhat similar schedules. EAT, SLEEP, and PLAY!

Too HOT!

2008-08-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

Trying to stay cool has been challenging, but we've found some ways to amuse ourselves indoors.
The old classic "Drop and watch mom pick it up" Game. I could not keep up!

Ice cream eat off.

Baby Theatre (Double feature: Baby Godzilla and Baby Frankenstein. Showtimes: all day.)

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Also, you can't really see it yet, but Gael has cut his first tooth. We'll be keeping an eye out for photo opportunities.

My toes do taste good.

2008-07-31T19:52:00.000-07:00

We are always nibbling on Gael's toes and I guess he decided to give it a try. He seems to really enjoy it. We also added a look-alike meter to the bottom of the page. Gael was very diplomatic.

Joga Bola

2008-07-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

He not yet ready for the summer Olympic games but we are starting his training young. He's pretty good at blocking with his hands and feet and I think he's going to be tall so I'm thinking a goalie, maybe?

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Field Trips

2008-07-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Practicing our lotus positions with the Budda at the Nelson Atkins Museum.

Jazz 101 with Charlie "Bird" Parker down at 18th and Vine.

ELMO!

2008-07-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Noah!
This week we went to a birthday party for our friend and made some new friends. Gael thinks Elmo's fur tickles! With everything going on the little ones were not very interested in looking at the camera, but moms who survived law school are looking pretty.

WARNING!!! EXPLOSIVE CONTENT!

2008-07-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Gael liked sweet potatoes, but sweet potatoes did not like him.
Four days and a few ounces of prune juice and water later....

The following photo is not for the squeamish.

Not just a pretty face

2008-07-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

Menino bonito na Camisa Social

Rock & Roll

2008-07-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

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Messy business

2008-07-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

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Food Take 2

2008-07-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

Apples went over much better than the cereal. Maybe tonight we'll try peas!

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Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

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WHEEEEE!

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Trips to the lake

2008-07-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

Luckily we all survived the walkway collapse of 2008. Happy Birthday Uncle Aaron!

Thriller!

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Learning & Growing

2008-07-06T13:29:00.001-07:00

First Smiles

Heartbreak

Play dates

First foods?
The most telling part of this video is that it takes me a good six second to figure out what month it is.

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Fast FWD!

2008-07-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

Over the next few months we had lots to celebrate.
March 9, 2008 Happy Birthday Rodrigo!

May 10, 2008 Congratulations MiJean!

May 17, 2008 Korean 100 days Celebration!

Happy Father's Day!

Twin Cousins!?

2008-07-06T12:48:00.001-07:00

After weeks of everyone guessing, my sister had her baby boy first on February 6, 2008. Apparently that was all the motivation Gael needed and he was born Februray 7, 2008. We had been visiting my sister and her son Pierce when my contractions started getting serious. Finally, when I told my sister to move over and we were both lying in her hospital bed, someone suggested I go down the hall and get checked out. In the end, the boys were born a little over 32 hours apart and the sisters had recovery rooms next door to each other. It was very convenient for family visits. We we're usually all crammed into one room or the other which I'm sure confused the nurses, but they seemed to get a kick out of it.