I Gabriella

This is little Gabriella at 18 months old. She learned to say her name this day, well, she learned to say "Gab-e-lala". That's a big name for a little girl to learn. Before she was born we figured we'd call her "Gabby" for short. It never really suited her. We tried it out for a few weeks, but it really wasn't sounding right on our little girl. We call her Gabs and Ella-belle, but mostly it's Gabriella.

Gabriella knows it's "Gabriella" too. Someone called her Gabby one day at the park and she said: "No, I Gabriella". She has corrected me on several occasions. I told her once at dinner, "You're an eating machine." She said, "No, I Gabriella." I told her one morning in the tub when she was lying down getting her hair wet, "You are the little mermaid." "No, I Gabriella." When she got out of bed the other morning without waking up Gwen, I said, "Thanks for being such a quite little church mouse." "I not a mouse, I Gabriella." When I call her "love" or "Sweet pea" she says, "No, I Gabriella"

The list really does go on and on. Almost everyday she informs me of her name once again. She probably thinks I'm one dumb mom forgetting her name all the time. Today she said to me, "Hola Mommy." I said, "Hola Gabriella." To my surprise she said, "No, I Dora." I guess for today there's something better than being my little Gabriella. Don't you just love how literal kids are?