1 year old!!!

Gabby turned one year old this week! Needless to say, life has been interesting in the Akob-Bouwma household over the last few months. Gabby's teeth are beginning to appear at an alarming rate (OK, only 3 so far, but more are on the way), and her hair is starting to be long enough to look goofy after a long nap. Gravity continues to be both a troublesome adversary and a source of endless entertainment and scientific endeavor. Recent experiments have stemmed from questions such as: "How many times can I drop my bath toys on the floor before Mommy stops putting them back in the tub? If I rub carrots and/or potatoes in my hair can I make it stand up in funny shapes? How far can I climb up the sofa/chairs/bookshelves/laundry basket before Daddy grabs me and puts me back on the floor?" However, as a scientific theme, entropy (a.k.a., the general tendency towards disorder) reigns. Piles of laundry are reduced to their least organized states, and clothing, towels, pans, or papers resting comfortably on shelves within reaching distance are hastily banished to the floor. Like gasses, which expand to fill whichever container they are in, Gabby's toys also migrate from organized clusters in one part of the living room to fill their container (our apartment).

Gabby's food no longer comes only as a disgusting, unrecognizable mush, but also in little pieces from Mommy and Daddy's plates. These are not only much more interesting but also easier to drop on the rug for a convenient snack later. Fortunately there is still enough mush to grab from the spoon while Daddy isn't paying attention and rub into hair, eyebrows, behind ears, on freshly laundered shirts and socks (Gabby likes putting her foot on the highchair tray), and the cat. It should therefore be little surprise that bath time happens every night now! Right after dinner! What a coincidence! Although Gabby is not walking yet (that day is rapidly approaching), she has discovered that, by crawling fast enough, the dirt in the houseplants, cat food, computer keyboard and mouse, and even the toilet can be accessible before Daddy has time to react. Unfortunately, Gabby's enthusiasm for consuming potting soil and kibble has not carried over to falling asleep or staying asleep through the night (although she gets a little better every day). For the moment this is OK since Denise doesn't really remember what a good night of sleep feels like anyway, but she is bound to remember one of these days. . .

We have been lucky to have a bunch of friends and family visit over the past few months. Gabby both got an extended visit from her Grampy and Grami and got to talk to Daddy on the computer while he helped teach a course in Florida in September. Afterwards, we all headed to the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) to see Guy and Anita's neighbors, Leo and Josiane, from when they lived there 30 years ago. In October, our friend Sarah visited from her new home in Switzerland and helped us with Gabby's very first Halloween at our friends Kirsten and Klaus's house. Gabby dressed up as a scientist (Professor Dr. Gabby), complete with lab coat (converted pillowcase) and nerdy glasses (Mommy's eyeliner). During trick-or-treating, Gabby was delighted that so many smiling people opened their doors to say hi, but couldn't understand why Mommy and Daddy kept stopping her from crawling inside their houses.

It is hard to believe that it has already been a year since our Gabs decided to show up six weeks early. Time flies!