A year with baby Gale

January 27, 2023

A year with baby Gale

Gale Gene Munck arrived on January 27th, 2022 - 10:45pm weighing 8lbs 15oz. Nothing of his birth went as planned, a reality which I am sure more than most mothers can probably relate to! He was born healthy, hungry, and with one heck of a strong neck. I suppose when you cook an extra three weeks it is appropriate that you'd be an extra strong and developed babe. We think, personally, he's a super baby ;) And our pediatrician confirmed it! Albeit we were paying him to do so.

On this his one year birthday, it seems fitting that I FINALLY get around to actually sharing a little slice of the joy that is Gale Gene Munck. What does a years worth of photo hoarding the cutest baby look like? Buckle your seatbelts and forgive me for uploading so many moments, they have just all been so precious it's impossible to slim them down to just a few!

Gale is simply one sweet, rambunctious, smiley little guy! He adores Danny beyond all else, but takes Nana as a close second (Popi, Gramma and Grandpa too!), and Mom coming in somewhere after his vast love of his blanket, cheese, salmon, and anything with wheels. I love it :) He's a passionate child, understanding "No" very well by now but also a strong willed wild boy who likes pushing the line daily. He has 6 teeth popped up with one more making its appearance slowly, and his two top teeth he got straight from his Dad...chicklets, as Danny says!

He is standing on his own, using anything possible to get around the house but not walking on his own yet; we think it's just a matter of lacking confidence. He'll get there soon! At two and half months old we moved him upstairs into his nursery, and then he began sleeping 12 hours straight. Woohoo!! Since then he is still a 12-13 hour sleeper, with 2 naps throughout the day. Gale LOVES his sleep...and so does his Mama :)

At his one year doctors checkup this week he weighed 22.8 lbs and measured 31 inches for height. Tall, lean bean baby boy!

Unloading the crib that my Dad built for Cameron 38 years ago - it has been missing the fourth side, so Danny added his own touch to complete it for our home :)

Baptized in the Catholic Church on May 8th!

Gale's first roadtrip was at 5 months old to Washington DC to celebrate cousin Macrina's baptism!! It was a 20 hour drive each way, and Danny and I could not believe how well he did...we are still technically confounded about it. He just loves spending time in the car, going places, wherever that may be. We drove the 20 hours to DC, stayed two nights in great company, and then turned right around and came home, all the while little Nugget just read his board books, slept, chewed on his rosary, cried when he was hungry and not much more!

Then the following month he got to meet cousin Zo! Who was born just one day before Gale...I suspect these two are going to be good buds growing up together, keeping the rest of us on our toes

In early August we were thrilled to find out we are growing a family of four now!! Little Munckster is quite the busy baby in utero....I think he just hears all the fun big brother is having and wants to join the party asap. He kicks morning, afternoon, night...middle of the night. :)

We caught ourselves a pretty cute mouse for Halloween!

2 week old cousin Magdalena joined in for the Halloween fun!

Gale's first camping trip was to Arkansas - there were plenty of new sights and sounds to soak up, and a fluctuation of freezing fall temps followed by days in the 80's...we learned many lessons on this first baby camping trip. What to do differently down the road, and what worked great for little Nugget. A mix to be sure but good to be out in the most beautiful season of all, putting out camper that Danny built to good use!