Panda Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!  Our friend Nerissa lent us this great panda outfit she made for her kids and it fit Gemma just right!  :)  She was a super good sport about it especially since we let her venture outside.  

At first she was a little shy.   But then she got into it.  

Look out, there's a panda foraging in the forest!  Hahahha, this picture cracks me up!

I can't believe how confident she looks.  Where did our baby Gemma go?  

"What's that?"
"Mamaaaaa?"
"Wow, I'm gonna get that!"
I love that you can see her little tail here.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!  Scott and I will be celebrating at Gemma's daycare with all the other parents and kids from the daycare.  It will be fun!  :)  Love to all!

Pony-Tails!

Yesterday we tried pony-tails for the first time.  :)  It is funny to me how different Gemma looks with her hair pulled back.  I love it!  And can't wait to put more ribbons and braids and barrettes in her hair.  Gemma she was a really good sport about it too.  The hairdo lasted most of the day, eventually getting pulled down leaving her hair sticking up in chunks - it was hilarious.  :)

Close Encounters

Our Gemma has started to use her baby sign language.  It started about 3 weeks ago and it is incredible to be able to get a glimpse of real communication with her.  At first I didn't really believe it was happening.  Could she really be signing?  Were the aliens in 'Close Encounters' really communicating through music?  We thought it was a coincidence - it wasn't.  At first each time she did her 'more' sign I'd get a little misty-eyed with joy.  I was so proud and amazed!  Now she does it so much we are getting used it and having her tell us what she wants.  :)  

'More' is for sure her favorite sign right now.  She uses it not just for food too.  If she wants more toys for her bath, if she wants to play on the bed more, if she wants to see pictures/videos of herself again she does her 'more' sign.  It is fantastic.  She also now has under her belt:

* cat

* bath

* daddy

* sleep

I know she understands a lot more but she hasn't started doing the signs yet.  For example she understands when we sign 'eat', 'change (diaper)', 'book', 'shoes', 'all done', 'bird' but she doesn't sign them herself.  So Scott and I will keep on signing and see what eventually she decides to sign (or not - either way is fine).  It is just phenomenal that we can have little conversations with her before her language abilities are fully formed.  We are hoping it will help with her toddler tantrums just a little (we know they won't go away).  :)