Life with Gavin

Books with Ma

2012-02-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

We have been so happy to have "Cincinnati Ma" here for the past week. Gavin has been in show off heaven, and does not leave her side most of the day. When he naps in the afternoon, he wakes up and RUNS out of his room asking if Ma is "back from her long long walk" :) He came down with a yucky cold this weekend, so we have been taking it easy...lots of cartoons and books.

He will kill me one day for this....

2012-01-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

Could not resist. Gavin was drawing by himself this morning, and I was not paying too much attention because I was in the kitchen...I walked in to see him removing his clothes and drawing all over himself. I sat quietly and watched as he named each body part he was coloring...when I said "Ahem!" he looked at me and said "Davin accidentally found the markers mama!!!" Haha! What he meant was that he accidentally drew on Himself! The markers are always out....

10 minutes later while we were getting ready for school, he came running out of the bathroom after going potty "all by himself" shouting that his peepee in the toilet was blue....Hmm, any guesses why? Like I said, he will kill me one day when he see's this. (at least I blurred out some of the pic:)

G & KK

2012-01-20T13:07:00.000-08:00

From a few weeks ago...KK came over to play...it was right after nap, so G was naturally watching his afternoon show...Curious George of course! Here they are enjoying a snack together!

Thank you MA!

2012-01-17T12:47:00.000-08:00

Gavin was surprised today when the Fed Ex guy delivered a package! It was a brand new art easel from Ma and Papa! Gavin is SUPER into all things art lately, and LOVES to paint, draw, and color...so of course Ma got him his first easel:)

This is the morning after he got it, when daddy was home to help put it together...yes, curtains are closed because its only 6am! Gavin had the MOST fun with the styrofoam...it was everywhere.

Later in the say Gavin was able to make some beautiful artwork outside with his new tools!

{Gavin 29 Months}

2012-01-14T06:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Gavie,

Today you turn 29 months old. In just a few short weeks you will be a big brother. We already know that you are the best big brother by the way you treat baby in my belly. You talk to him, kiss him, hug him, give him your blankie when he is cold, give him toys, and tell people about him. You also love to lift up my shirt to show everyone the baby...how nice;)

We have been preparing you as much as we can for the baby to get here....you have your own baby, baby Henry, and you get him dressed and change his diaper. You comfort him when he is sad, and then you will throw him across the room. Oh well. Its a start.

You know that the guest room is baby's room, and you like to see his "tiny tiny diapers!" You have even helped me organize your books and pick out ones that we can give to baby...you really are a sweet little guy!

Here is what you have been up to lately. Since Momma is off her feet a lot, you spend a LOT of time with Ma and Dada. Ma comes almost every day to play with you, and you also have friends who come over for LOTS of play dates. We are so lucky to have them all in our life. You are getting a LOT better with sharing your toys at home...we never used to have a lot of people here...we used to be out at parks and such, but now you are learning to share...most of the time!

You spend a lot of time outside these days...in the back yard. How lucky we are to have such a great place for you. There is the trampoline, sandbox, playhouse, picnic table, and of course the mud pit on the side of the house! (not to mention a billion toys!) You are very much into pretend play right now, and love to cook for us with sand and mud.

When inside you are usually playing in your kitchen! Either the "real" kitchen, aka my sink or your little kitchen in your room. Cooking for people is what you do! All we need to do is give you some stuff to cook with (dry beans, marbles, fake food, tin foil) and you are set! As for the real kitchen, you help yourself to food, and make "big soup" most of the time. We do not dare eat it...you don't either!

Your love of books grows each and every day. Curious George, Dr. Seuss, and Brown Bear Brown Bear are your favorites. You have 2 CG books that have about 8 stories each...and you prefer to read as many as we will allow! You will sit for an hour at a time just reading with us. You concentrate so much, and you know the stories by heart.

You continue to watch 2 episodes of Curious George a day. Once in the very early morning and once while dinner is being cooked. You know those are the only 2 times, but you sure ask for more than that! You are not into much else on TV...we try to put on Preschool Prep DVD's and you are bored pretty quickly.

Your favorite thing to talk about is counting to 10 and the ABC's. You recite them both all day long, and mix them all up too. "ABCDEF78912345XYZ NEXT TIME WONT YOU SING WITH DAVIN!!!!" Its pretty funny. You know how to count to 10, but you always leave out the 7. You can say the entire alphabet, but sometimes leave out 1 or 2 letters.

You talk, talk, talk. ALL the time. You say please and thank you all the time now, and it is so cute! You are so good at saying please and thank you that you correct US when we don't say it!!! Just last night I asked you to get a book from your bookshelf...and you said "Ask NICELY MOMMA! Say PLEASE to be nice!" HAHA Oops! I said "I'm sorry, Gavin can you please get me your book?" and you looked at me, smiled and nodded, and got the book. Then you said "Thats better" HAHAHA Oh my you sure listen to us, and now you tell us what we tell you! Such a smartie!

Your sleeping has been cut a little short lately. You are still a great sleeper, take naps and sleep through the night, but you are getting up earlier and earlier. One reason is you have been going #2 in your nighttime diaper first thing when you wake up...you then take of your PJ's AND diaper, and come to our room to show us....Hmmm...and its usually 5am. We need to get you on a different potty schedule! Most days, you will curl up next to Daddy and go back to sleep for an hour or so...you both love this!

Potty training is still great...not much to say! You have had a few "just a little bit pee-pee" accidents lately, and its always when you are busy playing outside. When it happens, Daddy and I look at each other and say, "Oh my gosh, when was the last time he went potty???" Hahaha because you are SO good about it, we forget to even ask you. You will go 4-6 hrs without going, and then just run to the bathroom and go, flush, and that's that! You are Mr. independent these days!

Eating habits. Still the same. Eat all the time. Meal, snack, meal, snack, snack, snack, meal meal....on and on and on. Your favorite these days is "breakfast pie" made by daddy (Egg/swiss chard tart). You will eat 3 slices of this for breakfast!!! (I LOVE that you like this...its the only way to get green veggies in you!) You also love chicken, cheese, quesadillas, soy hot dogs, smoothies, bolani(afghan food), pasta, rice, waffles, pb&j, any kind of nuts, dried fruits, carrot juice, milk, and ANY sort of sweets! You ask for "Dirt" every night (Dessert) and we all know where you got that from!!! Oops!

Gav we are so proud of the little boy you are becoming, and how sweet you are to everyone you meet. We spend out days smiling and laughing with you, and you brings so much joy. We love you more than you will ever know.

Momma & Daddy

Someone is getting new teeth!

2012-01-05T19:56:00.000-08:00

Either that or he is entering his terrible two's! AHHHH

I really do think the lack of sleep and biting/chewing on EVERYTHING lately is due to the 2/3yr molars coming in...seriously chewing on ANY fabric he can get his mouth on....sleeves, blankie, MY shirt, whatever!

Gav has been taking very short naps, and very cranky in the evenings....It might also be because we are cooped up in this house for so many hours, that he gets sick of it! I sure do too.

Poor guy has been very snuggly and wants to cuddle in bed and "read SOO MANY books" with us. He probably gets me, Daddy, and Ma to each read him about 10-20 stories a day! I swear this kid LOVES to read books!

Or he is growing. Who knows! BUT the good thing is that he has been so healthy the past few weeks! No colds, snotty nose, or anything! That's what happens when you don't leave the house!

It will probably end tomorrow as he has school...and EVERYONE at school is usually sick...for some reason people don't keep their kids home when they are sick...we will see.

Fingers crossed that he can stay healthy, and get these darn teeth so he is in a better mood in the evenings!

Smarty Pants G

2011-12-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

Just had to write down some of the things G has been saying lately...he is so funny, he cracks us up all the time.

me-Gavin what time is it?
G-Oh, its fourteen thirty...time for bath.

me-Gavin did you take your vitamin this morning?
G-Already did, it was so good. (not true, had not taken it yet)

me-Gavin, Momma is tired, I don't think I can run around and play underwear game right now...
G-That's what Momma SUPPOSED to do!!

me-Gavin! You are not supposed to be jumping on the bed!
G-Momma! Davin do it on PURPOSE!!!! HAHAHA

me-(raising my voice after getting frustrated) Gavin! You NEED to get your jammies on NOW!
G-Don't yell at Davin!!! Davin SO happy!

me-how long are you cooking my soup?
G-Oh, just two hours. That's what is supposed to cook.

me-Gavin what door do you want to get out of? (getting out of van)
G-Dada's door....Dada carry Davin, just to be safe! (While in parking lots)

me-Gavin, baby brother is going to be so happy when he meets you!
G-(lifting up my shirt and sticking his finger in my belly button) Baby comes out here, this hole (pointing to the tiny hole that is left from my old belly button piercing) Hole gets REAL REAL BIG and baby comes out! (Where in the world he gets this stuff, I have no idea, but we thought that this was pretty smart:)

me-Gavin did you already watch Curious George this afternoon with Dada?
G-No, not watch it yet...watch it now!
me-OK I better ask Daddy...
G-Don't ask Daddy, just watch Curious George!
(Wow....he is learning how to tell some little lies!)

me-Gav what do you want to wear today?
G-Hmm, lets see...how about come comfy pants!

Besides Curious George books, Gavin's new favorite books are Dr. Seuss! He LOVES them, and we read 6 of them about 10 times each a day...he loves to rhyme, and will sit still through the book over and over. There are a few of them that he really knows well. I will say one line, and he will say the other. He is getting good at rhyming...and opposites. He knows all the opposites in one book, and will point out opposites throughout the day. Of course I am shocked and think he is just the smartest little 2yr old ever...:)

"Makin Mud Pies"

2011-12-30T17:09:00.000-08:00

I still remember making "mud pies" when I was a kid. I am pretty sure it was one of my favorite things to do in the back yard...I also remember using Mom's "good" pots and pans...oops!

One of Gavin's favorite winter activities has been "makin mud pies" in the "back ward." He LOVES to go to the side yard where the mud is, and make little creations...he is so proud. He will spend hours here....and it becomes a HUGE mess...but he loves it. (He has to "make" most of his mud with the hose water...it has not rained much at all:)

Summertime side yard is all about gardening. Wintertime side yard is all about mud. Who would have thought the side yard could be so fun?!?! Oh right, boys! And to think next year there will be 2 mud ball boys back there!

Christmas Night

2011-12-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

Today after nap, we headed to Ma and Papa's for the Moore Family Christmas. When we got there, everyone was already there...waiting for us. (G took a nice long nap...no way we were gonna wake him!) When we got there Gavin was SUPER excited to see his "cousin" Nathan. (We call him cousin...he is actually Derek's cousins child, but Gavin has no cousins here in Cali, so we will make him a cousin:) Gav and Nathan did not waste ANY time, and jumped in the Jeep for a ride. Gavin was in the driver seat...OH MY! Derek and Alvin (Nathan's Dad) were off running right behind them...as Gavin cannot steer yet! The boys were in heaven...riding all over the street...almost running into things, which made it even more funny! They were both cracking up....so cute! What was more cute was the entourage they had. Clearly they are the only 2 kids in the family...everyone from the party was outside watching them and cheering for them....sooo cute.

After riding on the Jeep, the boys headed out to Gavin's outdoor kitchen to "cook" with Ma. We are SO lucky for the great weather...playing outside on Christmas night...does not get better than that.

Then it was dinner, presents, and G and Nathan center of attention time. These two boys were putting on lego shows, music shows, and being totally wild and crazy. They play SO well together...Nathan just turned 5, and this age gap seems to be a really good one...and its just about how far apart Gavin will be with his brother:) They were so happy...and really soaking up the fact that they had about 12 adults attention:)

Zana is pregnant too, and we realized that we are only due TWO days apart! She also is having a boy!!! So next year there will be FOUR boys:) We got a few belly shots, but it was hard to see her belly as she was wearing black. We are so excited to have so many boys.

Lastly we had dessert....and oh boy did Gavin overdo it! He wanted to try it ALL...Hmm, it was Christmas, so we thought why not? Well, lets just say that he was BOUNCING off the walls until 10pm!!! That's the latest he has EVER been up...I know, not too late for some, but we keep G on a pretty tight schedule...so it was pretty interesting! We left to come home sometime before 9pm, and we thought G would fall asleep in the car...wow, very wrong! He sang his ABC's at the TOP of his lungs the whole ride home. He also sang about him and Nathan...it was so cute and pretty funny.

We got home, and tried to settle down, but G was on an excitement and sugar high. So we just let him ride it out, and eventually he went to sleep:)

What a great Christmas. It was so fun to see the imagination in Gavin's eyes this year. He really understood most of what we were doing and saying, and was just so excited to celebrate. He talks about Santa coming down the chimney all day now, and even talks about the cookies he left for him. It is so neat to see Gav with all his family. They all love him so much, and think he is just so funny...and he sure knows it! Feeling very blessed and happy this Christmas:)

The ONLY thing I wish I could change about Christmas??? I wish we had my side of the family here too...it is so hard to be so far from them during the holidays...we really miss them...and I know that G would have an absolute blast with all his cousins. We look forward to being in Cincy next Christmas and having all SIX cousins together:)

Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T11:10:00.001-08:00

Today Gav woke up SO excited to see what "Santa brought" to him:) He RAN to the family room to see the presents, and stopped to see the cookie plate...he noticed that Santa left him a bite, and he just starred at it...like it was magic that the cookies were gone. It was so neat to see his imagination running wild, and he was so fascinated:)

He tore through all his gifts and stopped to play with them every once in a while. He kept laughing and saying "LOOK what Santa brought Davin!!!!" over and over. It was so sweet:) Mommy and Daddy were able to get some gifts too...but Gavin helped open them...he would tell us that "Davin help open and give to you" as he opened the gifts then he would hand them to us...he felt like he was such a big help!

Of course his favorite part of all the toys, bike, train, radio, and cars was #1 putting them together with tools, and #2 finding the right batteries to put inside...once he did that, he was done playing, and remembered the most important part of his Christmas morning...Curious George Christmas Movie!!! We had been telling him for months about the CG Christmas movie, and how he got to watch it on Christmas...he sure did NOT forget! We ate breakfast and headed to watch the movie. He was in heaven. Curious George, tools, batteries, toys, eggs/berries/oatmeal/milk. Everything Gavin wanted or needed:)

Next we got dressed and headed to church. We hoped it would not be very crowded so that we could get a seat. I knew that we could not go or stay if we had to stand. It was not crowded at all! We got to sit down, and they even brought me communion at my seat. Gavin was PERFECT and we got to enjoy mass as a family. Gavin just sat in out laps, and watched the band play...while we sang songs. It really was the best Christmas mass I have even been to...me and my boys, and a beautiful celebration:) The pregnant emotional me even teared up while singing Away in a Manger because Gavin said "Song BABY JESUS"

Now we are playing with toys, riding bikes and scooters outside, and eating good food...perfect morning!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Ma and Papa's house to celebrate Christmas with the family. We went early this morning, and Gav got to open his presents...and BOY did he get some cool things...the coolest of all was his new Jeep power wheels!!! Aunt Marisa gavin him his new ride, she knew JUST what he wanted! He was so excited to see it in the box, and immediately asked Daddy to "built it!" Hahaha. He was so patient, and even was OK that he could not ride it for another day as the battery had to charge...but he was so excited to sit in it!!! We will test it out tomorrow when we go back to Ma's house on Christmas:)

Tonight after dinner we got to start our very first Christmas tradition at home. This was so special because it was the first time we were home on Christmas Eve AND Gavin is old enough to somewhat understand what we were telling him. We told him about Santa, and how he comes down the chimney and brings presents to little kids who are good all year long. We read stories about Santa and we left Santa cookies to eat. Gavin was sooo excited to leave them for Santa, he did not even want to eat them! Big shocker as G ALWAYS eats cookies! He wanted to read all of his "Christmas books" and sat still for about 6 books...long ones! He was just so interested in what was going to happen:) He went to bed right on time, and was just so excited:)

G & Arnie Playing

2011-12-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

Arnie is such a good sport! He has always been pretty tolerant of Gavin, unless he is trying to sleep. Tonight Gavin decided to "decorate Arnie" with his puzzle pieces. Arnie just sat there and let him put them all over his back and head...such a nice kitty:)

Fixing his truck

2011-12-15T20:34:00.000-08:00

Not sure what the fascination is lately with things on his eyes, but tonight G was busy fixing his truck with his tools, and he "needed" to wear his protective glasses. They were a little tight, but that did not bother him. He says he "works better" with them on:)

Reading like Ma

2011-12-15T16:32:00.000-08:00

Gavin wanted to read like Ma today....so he put on her glasses, got her book, and sat where she sits when he naps.

{Gavin 28 Months}

2011-12-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Gavie,

Today you are 28 months old. Not sure when I am going to stop aging you by months, but I am too tired to think of something else!

You continue to be the most social and sweet child. You make us laugh ALL day long, and are always learning something new.

You talk about everything you do and everything we do. There is never any confusion about what you want or what you don't want. You are loud and clear!

You have continued to amaze us by being completely potty trained...we don't even need to remind you to go potty...you do it all on your own, and you prefer to go potty by yourself. You are very proud, and you love to tell us about your potty ("Holy Massive POOPOO!" is a common phrase)

You have been sleeping until almost 630 and even 7am some days. If you are up earlier than that, you go to Daddy's side of the bed, climb in, and fall back asleep right next to Daddy...its very sweet, and I think your Daddy secretly loves it.

We read books all the time, and your favorite books right now are all Curious George. Your Cincinnati Ma got you a Curious George Pizza book for Christmas, and I think we have read it about 100 times at least. Also Avocado Baby remains a favorite, and you even read the pages to us...3 sentences on a page, and you have them all memorized.

Now that you are in a big boy bed, our bedtime routine has changed up a little. We used to just read you books, plop you in your crib, and out you were. Now, we read books, and then lay down to sing "Three songs" to you. First its "Sunshine" (You are my Sunshine) then its "ABC" and last is "Bitty Bitty Spider." Then when I am done singing you ask for "Daddy sing ONE song!" We think you have mastered the skill of stalling!!! Even though the routine is a little longer now, you still sleep great, and we enjoy singing to you...as you never used to like to be sung to!

Appetite? Well, lets just say that we shop in bulk at Costco (with ONE child) and I fear that I will be needing to go to Costco once a WEEK when your brother is eating like you! You are a eating machine, and eat every hour all day long.

You continue to be so sweet to your baby brother. You give him hugs and kisses, and always put toys up my shirt for him. You give him your blankie when he is "cold" and ask him questions. (You hold up a toy to my belly and say "Baby, whats THAT???") Its pretty cute.

I have been on bed rest for about a week now, and you are starting to understand that Mama is not able to get up and chase you around....or go with you to fun places. BUT you still get to play a lot and go out with Ma and Dada...and lots of friends, so we are pretty lucky!

We sure love you Gavin!

Mama & Dada

Gingerbread Man!

2011-12-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Daddy brought home a very special treat for Gav...a gingerbread man kit! We waited until the weekend to do it, so G and Daddy could do it together. (Plus Ma left today, and we knew G would hit a sugar withdrawal once she was gone;) Gav probably ate 3/4 of the candy toppings...and the rest made it to the gingerbread man. They both also ate a lot of icing before it made it on to the man...Once they were done, we all got a taste...as if G needed MORE sugar...That's what the holidays are for, right?

Arnie Blarney

2011-12-10T17:04:00.000-08:00

Poor Arnie. For the past 3 weeks he has been peeing on the couch...and then yesterday he pee'd somewhere else, so we thought we better take him to the vet to make sure he did not have a UTI. The vet first examined him, and we learned then that he had pee'd in his cage on the way to the vet! I KNEW something was wrong...also he did not cry in the car, and he ALWAYS does...I just knew that he was sick.

The vet examined him and found #1 a tooth abscess (that we will not worry about till we figure out why he is sick) #2 his hear rate was 300bpm! Normal cat HR is about 180...so its extremely fast. Some sort of arrhythmia? Hyperthyroidism? UTI? These are the three things it might be, and we needed to do a blood test and urine test to find out. We could treat the thyroid very easily with diet modification and we could treat the UTI with ABX, so I thought we better just do the tests. IF the tests show nothing, then it is most likely a heart disease of some sort (Arrhythmia or Cardiomyopathy). If it is cardiomyopathy then there is nothing we can do...and I am pretty sure if he is in some sort of SVT (Arrhythmia) then there is nothing we can do, as we are not going to "shock" his heart every time he flips in to the rhythm. The vet knows that we want him as comfortable as possible, and we will treat any issue that CAN be treated VERY easily...but that is all the testing we are doing. Not only is it VERY expensive, but more importantly, Arnie's quality of life is priority.

We got home, and Arnie slept in the garage all night. We can't trust him in the house, and I feel horrible!!! But Derek made him a little sleeping area with blankets, so I guess its the best we can do for now.

Derek and Gavin have been fixing the sliding door in the kitchen all day so that we can get it working...that way we can let Arnie in the house (Kitchen/family room area) during the day...that way he does not make a mess in the bedrooms...under the beds is his favorite place.

I brought Arnie in today to lay with me on the couch and he just slept. His paws are disgustingly dirty from his litter box, something that Arnie NEVER lets happen, and I think its a sign that he just feels to bad to even clean himself. He smells like pee, but we don't think it is a good idea to stress out his already overworked heart by giving him a bath...we will wait a few days for the lab results...

In the mean time, Gavin has been so sweet to him. Touches his head, pets him really softly and says "Its OK Arnie, Arnie no feel good!" He really knows Arnie is sick, and you can sure tell.

UPDATE: Poor Arnie has been diagnosed with diabetes AND cardiomyopathy. Poor guy. We started him on a whole new diabetic diet of canned food...and we hope that helps the excessive thirst and urination...we will see. So far he LOVES the food, and wants it all day long. He misses his dry food we think! We will see how this does for now...good thoughts for Arnie!

St Nick visits a little late...

2011-12-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

Tonight St. Nick came to the Moore house! This was the first year he stopped by (Of course, Ma was here!), he was a little busy on December 5th...so he came tonight! Gavin got a little truck, cars, clementines and CANDY! He was most excited about the candy of course! Thanks for celebrating with us MA!!!

Gavin at the Dentist

2011-12-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

Gavin went to see Dr. Rabitz for the very first time today, and it was a really great trip to the dentist! First, when we walked in, the entire office and waiting room is geared towards children, and it is a tree house theme...with TONS of toys and things to look at. Once we went back to see the dentist, Gavin walked back, and climbed up on the chair like he had been there before! He immediately lifted up his shirt, as he thought the dentist wanted to listen to his heart and stomach...Guess he has been to the Dr a lot lately! Then we met with Dr. Rabitz, and he was wonderful. So sweet, and very good with Gavin. He explained everything to me, and he is a very knowledgeable dentist...He obviously did his homework, and looked at Gavin's chart to see that I am a nurse...as he seemed like he was expecting my questions about fluoride...He recommends giving Gav a fluoride drop since its not in our water...We don't use fluoride toothpaste for G as he does not spit it out yet. I have done a TON of research about ingested fluoride and I am still on the fence about if I want G to have it...but Dr. R had some good knowledge and facts about why it IS good for him....still have to think about it.

Then he examined Gavin's teeth, and Gavin sat completely still and let him. He opened, shut, and smiled for the dentist. He was so good!!! I was in shock, as no one has even really tried to look that thoroughly at his teeth before!

Then the hygienist put some headphones on G so he could see the cartoon playing right above him....Gavin was SOLD! Cartoons (He's does not get much of these and you can sure tell!) kept Gavin busy for the next 30 minutes...and she cleaned his teeth, each one, and even squirt water and suctioned his mouth....he did exactly as she said...Ma and I were just laughing so much!!! I guess I never dreamed it would be that easy to take a 2 yr old to the dentist!!!

Dr. Rabitz says Gavin's teeth look perfect, no cavities, and no concerns. He said G will get 4 more teeth in the next 6 months, and he can already feel them. Might explain G putting everything in his mouth...oh wait, he has always done that!

Next appointment in 6 months:)

Fantasy of Lights

2011-12-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

Tonight Gavin got to go to his very first "Fantasy of Lights" show at Lake Vasona. It is a HUGE Christmas light show, and you drive through to see them all. He was SUPER excited, as we had tried to go on Sunday night, but the line was way too long. So tonight we went and there was NO line, and we were so happy!

Gavin's new favorite snack food is popcorn, so we popped our very first bag before we left, and he got to munch on it while we watched the show...such a BIG boy!

This was the perfect "activity" for me, as I just got to sit in the car and enjoy the lights...we might be doing this about 5 more times while I am on bed rest!!!

Thanks for coming along with us Ma!

First BAD word!

2011-12-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

Had to write this one down...not my proudest moment!

Today while Ma and Gavin were cooking, Gavin dropped some mushrooms on the floor and said to himself "Dame-it!" Ma and I both fell to the floor and looked at each other. (while Ma was LAUGHING!) WHAT?????

My bad word of choice begins with a S and I try my VERY best to never say it in front of Gav. Do I say Damn it? I really don't think so...Mom? She says "Dang it" quite a lot(she will never admit to this)...So we think he was trying to say "Dang it" and it came out the wrong way...???? OMG!

Then, he said it again, and Ma and I both could not help but turn, walk out of the room, and laugh...we really tried so hard!!! He said it a third time, and I told him to stop, that it was not a nice word, and he needed to say "Oops" or "Shoot" when he dropped something. BIG OLD MISTAKE! He then said "NO! SAY DAME-IT!!!!! SAY DAME-IT!!!!!" OMG. So we dropped it and tried to distract him. Oh my!!!

Christmas with Ma

2011-12-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

This morning we got to celebrate part of our Christmas a little early with Ma! She brought an entire suitcase of presents, and we all got really spoiled…Even though we will miss everyone terribly at Christmas, this made it just a little more easy to be so far from everyone...we are very thankful.

Gavin was just so excited to open his gifts, and he loved everything he got (About a million toys). I think his favorite was the Curious George wooden puzzle set…he has played with it non-stop since. He also got some Christmas underwear and slippers…and he was SUCH a good sport about doing a little model show with them on:) Thank you Ma for ALL the wonderful gifts!

Gavin also got to decorate the Christmas tree (and house) with Ma. She helped him put all the ornaments up, and she set up all of my Christmas stuff…I am so thankful to her! Now our home looks like it should for the holidays! (I am afraid that I would not have done much decorating this year) Thank you Ma!

Moore Family Christmas Tree

2011-12-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Four Winds in Los Gatos to get our annual Moore Family Christmas Tree! We were really excited to bring "Cincinnati Ma" there with us this year and show her the really cool tree farm. We set out very early, at about 8am to avoid the crazy holiday crowds...and we were so glad we did! We were the second people there, and were gone before the crazy rush...

Gavin got to bring all of his favorite people including BOTH Ma's and Papa! He also brought "Henry" his baby. Ever since Ma got here last week, Gavin has started to love "his baby Henry." Ma helps him change his diaper and dress him, and Gavin even sleeps with Henry! Its pretty cute:)

We looked around for about 15 minutes until we found the perfect tree. Gavin helped Daddy and Papa cut it down, and then carry it to the car. It was not that cold, but chilly with lots of wind, so it seemed cold. G wore his favorite hat and mittens:)

On the way home Gavin said he had to go potty, so we stopped at a park to potty and play...and Gav had a blast climbing up on the play structure with Ma...those two are perfect for each other!

Gavin meets Santa 2011!

2011-12-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

Today Grandma and I took G to meet Santa, and tell him what he wants for "tismas." Gavin was a little hesitant to sit on Santa's lap, but we told him that Santa had a "special treat" to give him, and Gavin was sold! He sat there for quite some time, and just listened to Santa talk. Santa asked G what he wanted, and Gav just stared at him and his beard:) When he was finished, Santa (Grandma) gave him a candy bracelet, and thats when the smiling started;) He then got to pick out a toy at the store (Santa was at a toy store...smart!) for Christmas...he ended up picking out a little wooden train that spelled Gavin. FUN day with Santa!

Gavin's Own Christmas Tree

2011-12-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

We have been having so much fun with Ma here the last few days...she helped us get down all the Christmas decorations and put them out (she did all the work, and I am very thankful!) Gav got his own little tree this year, that he got to decorate with his own ornaments (they were Daddy's when he was little:)....with Ma's help, this is the final product! More Christmas decoration pics to come this weekend when we get the tree!

What a Day!

2011-11-29T21:53:00.000-08:00

What a fun day! First "Cincinnati Ma" got here at lunchtime, and we got to spend the day together, THEN the UPS guy dropped off Gav's first Christmas present of the season....a TRAMPOLINE! His (other) Ma got it for him as she knew he needed something he could "get some energy out" with:) Daddy and Ma put it together tonight, and Gav got to jump in it...he was (is) in heaven!!! Thanks Ma and Papa for the wonderful present!!! (And thanks Daddy and Cincinnati Ma for all the hard work putting it together)

Mr Smarty Pants

2011-11-28T15:36:00.001-08:00

Some Gavin phrases I don't want to forget:
-That be fun!
-Davin a tough little man.
-That's probably good.
-That's probably better.

We knew that it was just a matter of time before G realized that he could leave his big boy bed, and leave his room on his own! Every morning, he wakes up, and goes to get daddy to wake up. Most days Daddy is already up, but they will snuggle together, and then have their morning time together...iPad and making breakfast together. BUT while he gets out of bed in the AM, he has yet to escape any other time....until a few days ago!

This past week, when he was sick, it came true! It was totally my fault. I laid down with him a few nights when he was sick...he was coughing a lot, and I never like to be too far from him when he is sick and hurting. I ended up falling asleep in his bed with him (Who wouldn't??? Its so warm and comfy!) Well, when he woke up 10 minutes later, he came out to "get me" to come back with him. Poor guy...so I did a few nights. Well we all know a few times can turn into a toddlers forever...so we had to break that habit!

He was getting better with his sinus infection, and I knew I better be firm with him about me NOT being able to sleep with him. He came out to get me a few times, and each time I put him back and explained that I could not sleep with him, I could only sing him one song, and then I had to leave. I did this a few times, and then he was out. The last thing we want is our (over) two year old needing US to be there to fall asleep...we will have a little baby here soon who WILL need us! So far so good...every night right after I sing our songs, and I say I am leaving, he will tell me "In morning go get donuts???" Hahaha I have NO idea where he got that idea! NOT! He knows I love donuts, and he has picked up my love for sweets:)

Fire with Dada

2011-11-26T13:51:00.000-08:00

G learned to build his first fire with his daddy over the weekend. He was very careful with it, and always stayed back. He was pretty proud when they were done!

First sinus infection

2011-11-25T14:24:00.000-08:00

Poor G. He has his very first case of acute sinusitis. We hope it gets better soon because he has been pretty miserable.

We had a really good Thanksgiving yesterday, minus when G was feeling sick. He ended up spending most of the day with his jammies on, and even went to Ma and Papa's house in them! No pictures of the day...too busy cuddling with the poor guy.

G had a cold about 4 weeks ago. It was a quick little cold, and was over in a week. We kept him in, and everything seemed fine...a few days after it was over, he still had a runny nose, and that lasted on and off for a few weeks...but no fevers or cough or any other symptoms. Then 2 days ago, the day before Thanksgiving, he woke up with a yucky cough. Coughing all day, but it was more of a gagging cough from all the secretions. I let it go for a few days, and then today I thought we better go see the doctor. I was afraid that his cold turned into a ear infection or maybe another pneumonia...some kind of secondary infection. He was SO good at the doctor...he always is! After the nurse weighed him, I said "WOAH, 30 pounds! What in the world are you eating???" He looked at us and laughed "SUCKERS!!!" Hahaha he knows he gets suckers at the doctor!

Doctor said his sinus's looked inflamed and she saw a lot of discharge in his nose and throat...causing the cough and gagging. Diagnosis: Acute Sinusitis. A sinus infection is not something I thought of, but totally makes sense! She recommended antibiotics, and I agreed. There is no need to wait this one out...its been a month, and he needs to get better. In nursing school I once got to sit in on a surgery where a boy had to have part of his sinuses removed because the infection got so bad...no thanks! So off to get some amoxicillin we were. The only good thing about a sinus infection is that it is not contagious...so we have not exposed anyone else to anything bad. I always worry about that.

G feels bad on and off throughout the day, but when hes feeling good, he has so much energy! Its like he's sick, not sick, sick, not sick. Bouncing off the walls, crying in my arms. Poor thing must get headaches with it...but we are thankful that he does have time when he feels good!

G had his first dose of meds, and is down for a nap...hoping for a better G in no time!

Dear Gavin on Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T07:45:00.000-08:00

Dear Gavie,

Today is Thanksgiving, and you woke up saying "Special day, CURIOUS GEORGE movie with DADA!!!" You have been looking forward to today because there is a CG movie marathon, and you have no idea what it is, just that it means special time with Daddy.

I woke up feeling an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness for you and how happy and healthy you are...We could not ask for more.

I am thankful for your fun loving spirit

I am thankful for your hugs and kisses

I am thankful that you are so gentle with me and baby

I am thankful that you are such a good talker...we always know what you want and need

I am thankful for your health

I am thankful for how incredibly funny you are...ALWAYS making us smile and laugh

I am thankful for your life and all you have to offer

Happy Thanksgiving Gav!

Like Father Like Son

2011-11-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

Gavin is pretty close to being able to work the computer by himself. He does not have the mouse down yet, but its close. We found him today at the computer, and he told us "Davin fixing the taputer for Dada!" :) (Gavin and Daddy spent an hour fixing the Internet this morning:)

Gavin ready for school

2011-11-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

Today Gavin picked out his outfit for school. He decided to wear his favorite hat of course, he loves to wear this hat everywhere. He wore it the entire time he was outside at school...and that was most of the time!

It was a special day today at school. It was Gavin's turn to make snack, and he made pancakes. Everyone LOVED them and had seconds and thirds. Gavin also got to bring his "Ma" to school today, so it was extra special for him. After I was done cleaning up snack time, I went outside to find Gavin and Ma, and Gav said to me "Mama go back inside..." HAHA! He could care less if I was there when Ma is around!

I have been bad about bringing the camera to school...too much work to get pics. I promise to try harder...we will see!

{Gavin 27 Months}

2011-11-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Gavie,

27 months just seems so old! You are definitely a two year old, that's for sure! This past month you have become more active than ever. Thank goodness we joined a gym for you, as you are just a big ball of energy!

You talk all the time, tell us exactly what you want and when you want it. Probably, exactly, sometimes, and whenever are some of your favorite words:) There is NOTHING you do NOT say, and you will repeat entire sentences. You count to 6, and know some of the alphabet. You know all 20 trucks from your favorite DVD, and all 15 trucks from your favorite books. You remember EVERYTHING! You love to tell your dad and grandma what you "did all day" when you see them. You have a million friends, and you are very social with kids AND adults. More often you will tell another adult what you want in hopes of getting it. :)

You call the shots...and when you don't? Well, that's another story! You really do not throw tantrums, but you can become quite upset if you don't get your way. You usually become upset about things that don't go your way...like playing with a toy, or getting us to "do monkey" with you...Momma can't lift you much anymore, and you love to be upside down...that's usually why a meltdown happens.

You eat, eat, eat. Everything and anything. Meats, grains, cheese, milk, rice, and lots and lots of fruits and sometimes veggies. We sneak most of the leafy greens in your smoothies...and you eat "snacks" and "special treats" all day long. Nothing ever interferes with your meals, so we just let you eat 24/7. Your favorite meals always include a meat/chicken, rice or noodles, and fruit. Oh and of course avocados...you eat a few a week! Your favorite snacks are yogurt bites, raisins, dried plums, dried apricots, nuts, and granola. You really are an eating machine, and with the amount of activity you do it totally makes sense.

You have now been in a big boy bed for a few nights, and have done great! You go to bed, and you stay there until the morning. Good naps too. Good sleeper! If I had ONE request, it would be that you sleep until 7 instead of 6, but really its no big deal...(bc Daddy gets up with you:):):)

Your new favorite show to watch is Curious George! You LOVE it! You usually get one episode in the morning after breakfast, and one in the evening when I am cooking dinner. You still LOVE all your books, and read them all day and night. You also read alone in bed...and we listen to you on the monitor as it is the cutest thing you have ever done:) You love your i-Pad Apps, and you also love you tube...bulldozer and construction clips are your favorite. We limit you to 2 Curious George, one i-Pad session with Daddy, and one you tube session with Momma. You sure love your technology! We can't spend as much time outside these days since it gets dark sooo early...I guess this is what happens!

Always have an activity to do. Play dates with playgroup, Children's museum, gym class, parks, malls, you name it, we are there. Momma has recently become VERY tired chasing you around, and you sure know it.

You are so incredibly sweet with your baby brother. You talk to him, give him hugs and kisses, and give him your blankie all the time. Maybe about 10 times a day you need to "see" him, which means my belly needs to be exposed. The whole world has seen my belly! You also like to "give him toys" which means you stick a toy train and toy food up my shirt...and I MUST walk around with the toys in my shirt...because "baby brother NEEDS them!" :) I just go along with it...it might be the only time you really WANT to share with him! ;)

Oh Gavie, we love you so much, and life with you is just amazing. You are always making us laugh and smile...and always proving just how very smart you are! We are so proud of you, and hope you always know how much you mean to us...we love you little G:)

Momma & Daddy

Big Boy Bed!!!

2011-11-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

Today was the day! We went out and bought a mattress and new bedding for G's BIG BOY bed:) We asked him if he wanted a big bed, and he said yes. Then we asked him if we could give the baby crib to the baby...he said "Davin get NEW bed, crib for baby..." So proud:)

We got it all set up by nap time, and Gavin was just so excited about his bulldozer quilt and sheets...We closed the door, and then heard him on the monitor for over an hour! He was talking about his new bed, his bulldozers, and how he was a bog boy. Over and over. Then he read his books. Then he talked more and more. Finally fell asleep for an hour...and then woke up talking about more stuff...:)

For bedtime, we did our normal routine. Bath, books (2 from Mommy and 2 from Daddy) and then Daddy "put Momma and Davin to bed" (Gavin jumps in my arms, and since I am not supposed to be lifting him up and down, Daddy pulls us both up and then puts G in bed...been doing this for months:)

We left the light on (We have to do this until he falls asleep, "Davin can't see books" if the light is off) and we closed the door. He read a few books, and then was out! Slept great all night long, and woke up calling for Daddy to get him:) We are so proud of our big boy!!!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from our little "Dagon" Gavin!!! We started the evening out with Ma, Papa and Uncle Glenn over for dinner. We ate nice and early, and made sure G was nice and full...less room for candy? Then we headed outside where we took some pics and waited for Kaleb & family to come over to walk around with us. Before they got here, our first trick or treater arrived, our neighbor Stella the bee! G showed her his pumpkins, and got to play with each others "tails" for a minute:) Gavin wore his Dragon hat for about 5 minutes while I took some pics, but the whole time his mouth was wide open as he was feeling the strap with his chin, and of course it bothered him;) Hat was off before we left the front porch. He also was bothered by the tail, he kept turning around to grab it, and hold it...oh and one last part he was not OK with, the claws. They "got in his way" so I rolled up his sleeves. By the time we left the driveway, he had no hat, no claws, and he was happy! (Obviously MY child with all the clothing sensitivities...JUST like me!)

G and Kaleb set off to trick or treat. They both walked up to each house, knocked on the door, and then stood there while the people said "OHHH you are SO cute!!!!" They both stood there, silent, sometimes smiling, but mostly in awe that their candy buckets kept getting filled up by doing nothing! HAHA it was HILARIOUS. Both sets of parents and grandparents were laughing pretty hard. Yes, there was a complete entourage with the two boys. Total first and only children! (for the time being, next year there will be 2 crawling infants behind:)

We had no idea that they would want to go to SO many houses! After each house, Gavin would shout "MORE HOUSE!" and run to the next. We did our block and the block behind us. The candy bucket was 1/2 way full, and he did not even care to eat any until the walk home...he had a few select pieces that he had never seen before, and then we cut him off. We spent a little more time passing out candy to trick or treaters at our house before bath and bed...bed by 8pm!

Carving Pumpkins!

2011-10-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last year G wanted to eat the insides of the pumpkins. This year he did not want to touch the pumpkin insides because it was "too dirty" and "tickey" (sticky). He helped Daddy carve them, and then helped Mommy roast the seeds. He ate about 1/2cup of pumpkin seeds right away. (One of his favorite parts to trail mix). I think his favorite part was re-arranging the pumpkins on the porch, taking the tops off and putting them back on, and lining up his pumpkins all in a row.

Fall day with my boys

2011-10-28T22:24:00.000-07:00

I had the whole weekend off work, so we decided to hit up a few more pumpkin patches. Today we did Spina Farms, which we have been to about 3 times already! I don't always bring the camera because if I did we would have 1,000 Gavin and pumpkin pics! It was nice to spend the day with my boys, and enjoy the beautiful weather. Gav and Daddy got to go on a hay ride and train ride, while I sat in the sun:) Gavin had a blast here...such a great family farm! We even got to pick out some sweet cork to bring home for dinner...Gavin could not wait and had an entire ear of corn at lunch!

After naps, we headed to ANOTHER pumpkin patch down the street, it is the one with a million bounce houses...one of G's favorite things to do now...its so fun to watch him in there! (But yes, I still cringe at the thought of all the nasty germs in those things! They are one of the dirtiest places for kids!) He went down a HUGE slide, and Derek and I were laughing so much...he would come flying down, fall to his side, and then the look of absolute terror on his face hit....then at the bottom, he would stand up and say "MORE!" Hahaha it was great:)

After the patch, we headed to run errands and then our favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner in Willow Glen. Gav was SO good in the restaurant, and had hot tea, egg drop soup with tofu, and sweet/sour chicken too. It was amazing to see him eat so much (not surprising at all, but just amazed). After dinner he announced he had to go potty, so we walked out to the car to go. He has a potty in the car, that we use if he has to go #2 at parks and such...just easier and of course cleaner. He hates the paper on the toilet, and I refuse to let him sit on them without paper! So he went potty in the van, and then we proceeded to walk to the candy store for dessert. He did the funniest thing as soon as we started walking. This little old man stopped and wanted to talk to Gavin. Gavin said "DAVIN POOPOO ON POTTY!" to the poor old guy. He asked him "What did you say?" and G said it again. Finally the man looked at Gavin and then us and said "Well I am glad SOMEONE can do that!" HAHAHA a tad bit embarrassing...:)

Last but not least was an after dinner stop at Willow Street Park. It was still light out, and G had lots of after candy store energy to release...so G and Daddy ran around the park for a while...It was a great day with my boys:)

Halloween Playdate

2011-10-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

I keep managing to forget my camera lately, but I remembered today! G had a special Halloween date with his play group friends. This play group is pretty small, it has 2 boys and 3 girls. We meet every Tuesday, and G is really comfortable with the other kids and moms. He calls them all his friends. Today we decorated pumpkins and had special pumpkin cupcakes. The kids were pretty cute, and the pumpkins turned out beautiful. None of the little ones would wear their costumes...just wanted to play:) At least I got him to wear his pumpkin shirt...he wants to wear it everyday!

Halloween Preview

2011-10-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

Gavin's Ma ("Ninninnati Ma") gave him this costume for Halloween. He has been telling everyone he is going to be a "Dagon" (Dragon) for Halloween. Of course I told him it is a dragon long ago...turns out it is a dinosaur! Oops! Oh well, he still thinks its a dragon. He wore it for about 3 minutes, thought he was scary (Does he even know what that means?) and then he wanted it off. Since this night, he has been to THREE Halloween playdates, and has not wanted to wear it again. Actually, its funny, NONE of the 2 yr olds wanted to wear their costumes! Such a drastic change from last year....they ALL wore them and could care less:) I bet he will put it on again Halloween night...as he will get candy, and this boy will do ANYthing for "Pecial Treats" (Special Treats:)

Gav these days....

2011-10-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Derek and I are always being surprised by Gavin's vocabulary. He talks so much, and uses words that make us laugh and surprise us at the same time...like plenty and probably, so cute! Here are some sentences that I can think of right now...I am sure there are a million more too.

"Have plenty Mama"
"Big Massive poo-poo!"
"That's probably right"
"It happens, its already over"
"Don't you dare!"
"What is Dada doin? DADA what ya doin???"
"Davin probably already read that book. Pick nother one"
"Davin go potty. Mama stay here do dishes. Davin be RIGHT back"

IN other Gavin news, he is still holding strong with his amazing potty training skills. Absolutely no accidents and he is dry every day after nap. He has become so independent with going potty, 90% of the time he wants to do it by himself, and he does. He still needs help getting pants back on, but he sure can get them off by himself.

G has not mentioned his paci but a few times lately, and both times were when he saw one of his friends with one! Haha I guess I forgot that this would come up, but it did. He did not seem to care at all, he just scrunched up his nose and told me "Paci for baby, give it to baby" when he saw them. He did not understand why they had one, and they are not babies. I tried to explain, but by the time I did, he could care less. So proud! While talking about "his baby" recently, he told me that "baby hungry, baby can have paci." :)

G is slowly starting to protest his nap in the afternoons. Only for 2 minutes, he will tell us over and over "Don't have to take a night-night!" and want to read about 50 books. He is obviously tired, and can't pay attention to a single story bc he is so sleepy, but he sure is persistent! After we get him in bed, he is sound asleep in 2 minutes. He is tired, just realizing he can protest it! Thank the Lord he is still in his crib!

We are busy buys busy lately. We go to the museum at least once a week, parks almost every day (weather still beautiful!), gym class once or twice a week, art class once a week, zoo once a week, school once a week, and playdates at least once a week. Go, go, go, GO! I am tired, but the benefit of having G busy and active is very well worth it. He LOVES all of these things, and has the best time...I smile at him (almost) all day long. As long as G is busy, he is happy, and he rarely complains or whines. Its gonna be a lot harder to be this busy when little brother is around, so we will do it as long as possible! Although I have a feeling that poor little brother will not be on nearly as tight of a schedule as G was/is...but that's the way it is!

Speaking of Gym class, we joined a little toddler gym close by last week, and have already been three times! They have an open gym time for the toddlers every. single. day. of. the. week. It is the best open gym time I have ever seen in my entire life. We get there at 10:45, watch the previous class finish up, and then at 11 its open for free play. Gavin SPRINTS to get his shoes off, sanitize his hands, and he is in! He explores every inch of the gym, and is a total monkey. He swings on all the bars, walks on the balance beams, jumps on the trampoline, and jumps into the foam block pit. He is seriously wild, and he looks like a total pro at the gym equipment! The first day, the teacher said, "Wow, he has been doing the bars for a while!" and I told her no, this was his first time in a gym, but he loves to hang! He seriously, stands on a big block, looks for the bars, and JUMPS to them to swing. Like a little gymnast. The first day I was kinda worried, as he was being such a dare-devil, but he's totally fine! He will also hang from the rings with both hands, then swing his legs up and hook his feet in the rings too...and hang like that while everyone crowds around to see him...he's also a bit of a show-off. At the end there is circle time, and songs, both of which Gavin has started to love. We stay the ENTIRE hour, and are the LAST ones off the gym mat. Gavin is soaked with sweat, and its so funny to see. We may sign up for some classes this winter (as it gets more crowded). The classes still cost money, so we will wait until the open gym gets too crowded for G. I will know because he will tell me, he often says, "No go in there, too many people" if something is too crowded! :)

Best Buds

2011-10-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

When Daddy is home, Gavin is right by his side. Whatever he is doing, G is helping. Changing, shaving, eating, computer, cooking, yard work, fixing things, trips to the hardware store, you name it and G right there:)

Here is G and Daddy making some new "soil-oil-oil" for the winter veggies in the garden. G is the best helper!

The boys at the Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today we went on our annual trip to Uesugi Farm Pumpkin Patch! This year we went with Jim, Lisa and Kaleb too:) Gavin was even lucky enough to see his Ma and Papa there...so many of his favorite people.

We decided to go in the afternoon after naps, and boy were we crazy for that! It was nice and crowded...but that did NOT stop these boys from running around and exploring. They each picked pumpkins, ran around through the mist tent, went on a train ride, played in the hay stacks, AND got icee's. When we were all done, we headed to Scramblz Diner for dinner, and the boys were so good! They had their favorites, Chicken nuggets and Mac n cheese...and of course suckers on the ride home.

We all rode in the new Sienna, and Lisa and I just had to get some pics of all the boys in the back seats! It was a funny sight! I think we are ready for a trip to Disney:)

First Class @ Saratoga Springs

2011-10-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

Today was your Gavin’s first class at Saratoga Srpings. This place is not as deep “in the woods” as the last, and it was so much fun! There is a HUGE sand box, creek, picnic area, and of course the “Bunny Hill.”

Gavin went on a creek hike with Teacher Jane, and took off down the creek. He wanted to go under the bridge, and was not phased AT all when he fell in the water...THREE times! He was completely soaked, and he did not care one bit. This is a HUGE change for Gavin...he usually will not be in wet clothes for more than 10 seconds, and he used to cry when he got wet...now he just says, "Davin fall, all wet, IT HAPPENS!" Hahaha I guess we say that a lot, "It happens!" Gavin and Teacher Jane are best buds. He loves her so much, and wants to show her everything. He takes her hand and talks to her about what he is doing. It is a very sweet little relationship. What is even more sweet to me is that Teacher Jane had this relationship with Gavin's daddy 30 years ago...she really is just so good with the kids, and they love her.

Gavin went “fishing” with Ryan, played in the sand with Evelyn and Emma and LOVED the famous “Bunny Hill” that DADDY went down when he was Gavin’s age!!! It is basically a steep hill, and you climb up it holding on to the tree roots that are exposed. Then at the top you get to slide down on your bottom underneath all the tree roots. Kinda hard to explain, and of course I did not get a picture. Gavin loved it, and went up and down a few times. There are parents and teachers stationed all along it so no one can fall off…I, of course, did not climb it, and will not until I am not pregnant, its STEEP!

Gavin got his first school boo-boo today too. He stuck his finger in a hole that he could not get it out of…some sort of metal ring (used for camping equipment or BBQ’ing?). Once he realized it was stuck, I saw the fear in his eyes and the screaming started. I ran to him and tried my best, but his finger was sure stuck. We were too far from our stuff to even think about running to get soap or lotion…so I just said one, two, tree and pulled! OUCH, it was a little cut up, but ok. He was very shaken up…so were some of the other moms, HA! J They obviously don’t have children that have ALWAYS STUCK THEIR FINGERS IN ANY SORT OF HOLE! Gavin at 2 has yet to learn his little lesson! Finger is fine, and I checked with the doctor to make sure he did not need an extra tetanus shot…as it was a very rusty pipe! Since he had his shot already, he is in the clear…I will remind him next week about the hole, although I am sure he will remind me! He has told EVERYONE about his ouchie.

We had a blast at Saratoga Springs today, and can’t wait for next week…Gavin was asleep in 3 minutes!

{Gavin 26 Months}

2011-10-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Gavin,

Today, you are 26 months old, and MR INDEPENDENT! We just cannot believe how you have grown! You are such a big boy now, and "Davin DO it" is the most common phrase around here. You are just so grown up.

To start, you are in big boy undies all the time. You have not had a single accident since the first week of potty training. You like to go potty by yourself, and you say "Davin go potty, Momma stay here...Momma do dishes!" Haha Sometimes I totally forget to ask you if you have to go potty....actually, I have never really "reminded" you, as YOU remind me! Each time I think to myself, Wow, he is SUCH a big boy!

You are also free of the very last "thing" that made you a baby...your paci! You have given it up, and have not looked back. You will often say "Paci broken, throw away, paci for baby" but thats it. Your naps were cut a bit short the first few days, but you have learned how to soothe yourself back to sleep without it. Again, we are so proud of you!

Your verbal skills are of the charts (to us at least!) You say any and everything, and its so cute. You often whisper/repeat WHATever I am saying to you, or others! If you hear me talking to someone, you will repeat to yourself whatever I said...even when you have no idea what it means. Its pretty funny.

You know all your colors, and you sure know all your construction vehicles! (20 trucks to be exact) You can count to 3 or 4 on command, although you don't like to count. You know some letters, specifically O, S, M and X. You love "Three little monkeys," "Ring around the rosie," and "Hokie Pokie." You LOVE any nursery rhyme, that's been converted to "Truckery Rhyme" and when I sing "All around the mulberry bush..." you stop me and correct me...."No mama! All round the PARKING GARAGE!" (Thats how the Truckery Rhyme goes for that song) Forget the old fashioned nursery rhymes!

You love to play with your bulldozers, trains, trucks, cars, play kitchen, stacking blocks, markers, playdoh, music set, and a million other toys. You also love the iPad, and any You Tube video of bulldozers or garbage trucks! You still don't really care for the TV, except the bulldozer/garbage truck/firetruck DVD's and an occasional Curious George.

You continue to love school...and your teachers...and your "friends" at school. Each week you have a blast, and talk about it until the next school day. You also have been loving art class. You go from station to station in minutes, and make things for your daddy and your Ma. You are a pretty big giver!

You have not really gotten into the "tantrum" phase of being 2 yet...you still are pretty easily distracted, and have yet to have a full on crying fit...you certainly want your way, and are very stubborn, but you are usually pretty easily talked out of it, or distracted. You have started learning how to test your limits when it comes to dong something you know you should not do...you will try again when you know you shouldn't, and then when we scold you about it, you come over and give me a hug. HA! You think you can hug your way out of it...and you are now learning that you can't....kinda cute I think! Another funny thing you do is come running to me if your daddy says you can't do/have something. You come whining to me, telling me what you want. When I don't give it, you run back to daddy and try him...forgetting that he already said no! You will do this ANYWhere with ANYone! Just this week at art class you did something funny. We were making beaded bracelets, and you wanted the bead off the bracelet, but it was tied down. I told you I could not get it off, as it would let all the other beads off...so you got up, and ran to the teacher, then ALL the other moms asking if they would do it! HAHA! If you don't get what you want, you will keep trying! Love your persistence:)

You are 30 pounds now, in 2/3T shirts and 2T pants/shorts. Your feet are in size 8 shoe (little big) and we got out the winter clothes last week as its starting to get chilly. For night time/nap time you are in size 5 diaper, and usually only needing one a day bc you are dry for naps sometimes.

You love your baby brother, and are always talking to, hugging, and kissing him. You want to see my belly (bare of course) at least 2 times a day, and you are so affectionate. We just know you are going to be such a great big brother...

We are so thankful for yet another great month Gavie. You are growing up so fast, and we can't wait for whats next. We love you little man!

Momma & Daddy

Gavin's first field trip!

2011-10-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

Today Gavin had his very first field trip! We went to the Alma Helitack Fire Station in Los Gatos. It is right next to the mountains and the beautiful lexington reservoir. We pulled up, and my first thought was if I was going to be a fire fighter, this would be the dream location!

Gavin helped pick out his outfit this morning (like every morning) and HE picked out his firetruck shirt! I was so amazed that he did this, and then he told me "Davin get on firetruck!" (We have been talking about this field trip since last week when we found out) He was set with his firetruck shirt, and one in the bag just in case this one got wet/dirty.

Right when we got to the station, Gavin was BFF with the firemen. He walked right up to them and started talking to them...asking to go in the firetruck....and then asking for stickers they were handing out. All the firefighters loved him as he was the only one talking and being social with them:) This boy is opposite of shy sometimes!

The kids got to tour the station, tour the truck, listen to the siren, squirt the fire hose (his favorite!), see the helicopter, sit INSIDE the helicopter, see the helicopter take off (another favorite), see the firehouse pets (goldfish), have snack/lunch on the fire station lawn, and have story time about firetrucks.

Again, Gavin was not shy when it came to doing the things the fireman asked. When the fireman would say "Does anyone want to sit in the firetruck?" Gavin was already at his feet. Gavin was the first to do all the activities, all the others were a little shy and needed their parents help....instead of G needing guy help, he told me "No mama, fireman do it!" when he needed help. OK with me!!!

All the kids had a great time, and so did the parents! This place was beautiful, and the work they do is amazing. These firefighters jump from the helicopter to put out fires/rescue people....they are very brave...and they were so sweet with the kids. Looking forward to our next field trip!

Outsmarted by the 2 year old!

2011-10-07T13:14:00.000-07:00

Last night was night #1 with the broken paci. Derek and I are STILL in shock at how the night turned out!

Right before bed, Gavin went to grab his paci/blankie while we were reading books. He remembered paci was broken, and told Daddy all about it. Then Gavin said to us, "Paci broken, throw away now."

Derek and I looked at him in complete shock, and reminded him that if we threw it away it would be gone, and there are no more. I honestly did not believe Gavin when he told us this.

Gavin said "Tay here, Davin be right back" and he ran to the kitchen, and THREW HIS PACI AWAY! Derek and I followed behind quietly, still in shock. That was it!

Gavin got in bed, and went right to sleep. Slept for 11 hrs with no waking up and caring about paci!

This morning he told Derek that "Paci broken. Paci for baby. Davin not baby" ! ! ! ! !

Again, still in shock here. Who ever knew it could be so easy! I really feel outsmarted by Gavin...I mean, of course, throw it away if its broken....like we do everything....but I never thought HE would be the one to decide this!

Cutting the tip from his paci was GENIUS!!! (and I will take all the credit:)

Day one, No more paci

2011-10-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

Derek and I have been so proud of Gavin lately with his potty training. It seriously took him less than a week before he was accident free, and now he prefers no help at all! He will stop whatever we are doing and say "Davin be right back! Stay here!" and he will run to the bathroom, and do everything by himself. He pulls down pants, goes potty, dumps potty in the toilet, pulls up pants (always looks so cute!) and then washes hands. Then he comes to get us to "Show you Davin potty!" where he leads you into the bathroom to see whats in the potty. He is so proud, and we are too. His latest thing is staying dry during nap time. We don't tell him he needs to at all, we just say "wow, look the diaper is dry!" when it is. The last few days he wakes up from nap dry, and then tells us....pretty cute. He is still in a crib, so we will still do diapers at nap and bedtime....no hurry here at all! (I want him in that crib as long as he loves it....and he sure loves his bed)

The next thing we have to do is take the paci away. Derek and I decided that we might as well do it now, well before baby is here. (I also admitted it to Dr. Copeland because I knew she would tell me it was time to take it away!) The past few days I have told Gavin that "Paci's are for babies...and he does not need one anymore" and things like that. He becomes VERY nervous, and starts to cry even talking about it. It is so sad. Then he makes sure that it is still in his crib. So talking about it made things worse, so I stopped that. Then Gavin would say "Paci for baby, baby Noah...baby Noah need paci" and I asked him if we could mail them to baby Noah...Gavin said yes, so we started to put them in an envelope, and Gavin changed his mind REAL fast! OK, that idea was over.

Background Paci info. Gavin has had this thing since he was a newborn. He has only had it for bedtime since he was probably 6 months old. But he is severely attached to it. A really crazy obsession with this thing...like his little world would fall apart if taken away. So attached that it makes ME sweat thinking about taking it away!

So today when we go home from the museum, I snuck into his room, and snipped the end off the paci. I know, that sounds so mean! I figured if he could not suck it, then it would not be as appealing. I hid it under the bed. When it came time for nap, I let him "find" it as he does every day. (He throws it out of the crib in the morning and then forgets about it....so its usually under the crib) So he found it, and then discovered that it was broken. "Paci broken!" he told me. I told him that it broke when it fell, and that it was OK, he could still have it!

Gavin: "Throw paci away now, broken"
Me: OK, but that's the only one!
Gavin: "Go Target buy new one!"
Me: "No, Target does not have paci's, only hospitals have them for babies" (I know he had no idea what I was talking about, but he threw me off when he told me to go to Target! Smarty pants!)
Gavin: "Go grocery store buy new one!"
Me: "No, the grocery does not have any. Its OK, you can keep yours"
Gavin: "Hardware store?"
Me: (trying not to laugh) "No, the hardware store does not have them either. What does the hardware store have?"
Gavin: "Wood, hammer, FORK LIFT!"
Me: "Yes, they have forklifts there, not paci's"
Gavin: "Paci broken, it appens...show daddy, daddy fix" (Paci broken, it happens:)
Me: "Yes, we can show daddy tonight. He can't fix it, its broken. Its OK, it happens when its too old. Oh well!"

Then we read one more bedtime Truckery Rhyme and I put him in the bed. He rolled over and then went right to sleep. HOLY cow. I was expecting a complete freak out. It has only been 40 minutes, but so far so good! Now we will see what happens tonight!!! FINGERS CROSSED!

2 Year Check-up

2011-10-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

Today we had our visit with Dr. Copeland!!!! I was SOOO relieved to be back at her office, and Gavin was too. He remembered it, and was excited for all the smiley faces. The receptionist, nurse, and doctor were all so glad to see Gavin again! They all told him they missed him, and were happy to see him. Gavin just soaked it all in.

Dr. Copeland was so sweet, and Gavin loves her. When you are around her you just get the feeling that she really cares and is listening to you....something we really missed while gone at Kaiser. It is also very obvious that she LOVES kids. He was actually excited for her to "check him out" and listen to his tummy and heart. I told him all the stuff she would do this morning before the appointment, and he wasted no time asking her to do the assessment! We were talking and he kept telling her "Listen Davin tummy! See ears! See nose!" I was laughing because its rare to find a child who WANTS to be assessed by the doctor and the lights, stethoscope and tongue blade!

After that we talked about his overall health, and she thinks he looks great. She said he is right on track with everything...advanced in the physical development area, and she was very pleased with how well he is talking. She said that she has no concerns for him at all. She even said she was impressed with his sentences:)

We talked about our one concern with G. The stupid paci! I told her that he still had it at night in the crib, and she said that we just need to take it away, cold turkey, and be done! She said that at 2 she has all her patients see the dentist, so he would definitely tell me to get rid of it...haha I laughed and told her that I would never admit to the dentist that he still had one!!! I know better. So Derek and I need to decide a date, and just get rid of it! But this is our only issue lately, and honestly its not really an issue at all...He only has it in his crib, and its not affecting his speech...but still, it needs to go!

Lastly, we talked about vaccines. G is all caught up with everything, except Hep A, which he will get in a few months. I gave in and agreed to give him the flu shot...we will have a newborn at the peak of flu season, and a newborn and influenza is nothing to mess with. (Derek and I will both get ours too) G had never had a flu shot, and so I was a little hesitant, but I agree, benefit really outweighs the risk for this one! The nurse gave him his shot in his thigh, he screamed for 3 seconds until she handed him a huge basket of suckers and stickers. He immediately stopped crying, grabbed a handful of suckers, and smiled really big. Nothing a little candy could not fix!

Although we will see Dr. C when the baby is here, Gavin does not need to go back until he is THREE! Seems like so long!

Here are the stats:
Weight: 29 pounds (65th percentile)
Height: 36.75 inches (95th percentile)
Head Circ: 48.5cm (95th percentile)
BMI: 15.36 (17th percentile)

So G is long and lean! I actually did not know he was pretty tall, but I guess he has to be having tall parents...

Next appointment is a month from now to get the booster flu shot, then a month later to get Hep A shot, then not until he is three.

We are so very thankful for a healthy and happy boy. He is prefect, and we could not ask for anything more...:)

Bookworm Gavin

2011-10-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

Gavin LOVES to read. Always before nap and bedtime and then a million other times a day if we are home. He has some pretty big favorites right now, and wants to only read these.

He got Opposnakes as a baby, and has been reading it for a while. I will say one page, and then he will say the opposite and open it. He loves it. He also loves snakes!

The next is Big Wheels. We checked this one out at the library, and this is one of the first books that he has liked to follow the story to. I read the first half of the sentence, and he finishes it. I know its from memorization, but its amazing that he can practically read the book! He "reads" what each truck does, and how they do it. Amazing.

Next is I'm Dirty! Another find from the library....and its GREAT for a little boy who loves to get dirty AND bulldozers! He is so calm when i read it, and really pays attention. He even laughs at the funny parts.

Last but not least is Truckery Rhymes. This book is Gavin's absolute favorite book in the world! This book is only ready before bed, and only by Daddy. He says "Daddy do it better" if I try to read it...Daddy knows it better, even has it memorized:) The book is all nursery rhymes about the trucks from trucktown. Here is a review that explains it well:

Truckery Rhymes is a compilation of all your favorite nursery rhymes … with a truck-themed twist. The book jacket calls them “rowdy rhymes” and “honk-along songs” in “one big, noisy, high-octane collection.” Each rhyme features a Trucktown friend and is more clever than the last.
Take this Trucktown rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” out for a spin and see what you think.
“Rumble, rumble, Monster Max.

Can you jump those junkyard stacks?

Up above the trash so high,

Like a rocket in the sky.

Rumble, rumble, Monster Max.

Yep, he jumped those junkyard stacks.”

Gavin will read this book with Daddy from front to back, and name each truck along the way. Dad does not even have to read the words anymore, its all memorized:) I have not yet checked, but if this author makes any more books, we need to get them! Gavin loves all the trucktown trucks!

New MINIVAN!

2011-10-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

I am still in shock that I am now driving a MINIVAN!!!! Last Saturday Derek and I finally decided that we needed a new car, and it needed to be a lot bigger. We looked at SUV's, crossovers, and then minivans. I already knew I liked that Sienna, as my sister got one last year, and its so nice! But of course, we wanted to make sure that we did not want something a little smaller. So we looked and looked. After finding the Sienna and comparing to the others, we knew the van was the best choice. The space is unbelievable. The convenience is amazing. I am IN love with this car. Ahem, I mean minivan.

Grandma and Grandpa came over for dinner last Saturday night, and then stayed and watched G so we could go "look" at new cars. We ended up buying one that night, and drove it home:) It is a 2011 Toyota Sienna, fully loaded:) Since its almost the end of the year, we got a good deal, and Derek proved his good negotiation skills...I am in heaven.

This van has room for both kids, plus a back row, while keeping space in the very back for the strollers. The automatic doors, trunk, and start button are amazing. Gavin keeps saying "No key hole in Van!!!" One thing that it came with is a DVD player...and we have not told G about this one yet...we both love how he talks to us and observes everything while driving...I would hate for his head to be glued to a TV screen while we drive....so we decided that the DVD player is JUST for long road trips...meaning more than a few hours!

Gavin LOVES his "new car" and has a ton of fun exploring it. It is like a jungle gym for him:) He is also so proud that he can get up in his seat by himself...and loves his "Sunsade" (sunshade). He still has a little attachment to my old car, and looks for it in the morning. It is parked on the street, and he says "Momma car all dirty, drive NEW VAN!" I agree:)

Last but not least, is the REAL navigation! I have had a small hand held navigation since I moved here, as it was a necessity moving to a new city...three different times in the last 5 years. Now I have a real navigation system, and I am so excited to learn to use it. I still get lost going places, and really rely on my navigation. :)

My little artist

2011-10-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

Here is Gavin's art collecting he made at art class this week. He is SO proud of his work, and wants to tell everyone what he made. He was especially proud of his bird feeders he made (not pictured). They are hanging in the tree in the front yard. Since I print this blog at the end of the year, I like that I will have pictures of his art work...because then I don't need to keep it! Sorry G, but your momma does not like a lot of stuff, besides we have no more room to store stuff in this house! Now you will always have a picture of what you made!

G at school!

2011-09-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

Today was Gavin's last day of school at the Savannah Chanel winery location. We have been here for a month, and now its time to go to Saratoga Springs!

Gavin looks forward to school all week long. We talk about it and he tells us all the things he likes best at school...."Teacher Becca, friends, creek water, banana slug, ladybugs, truck books and snack" he tells us.

Right when we get to school Gavin RUNS up the trail to the site. He never runs this fast, but he sure knows where he is going! We are always the first to arrive, and Gavin heads straight for the sand pit with Teacher Jane. He then starts playing with her, making "noodle soup" and "bupcakes" in the sand. He immediately starts talking with her, and telling her things. Then he spots "Teacher Becca" and he's off ot see her. He pushes the dump truck up and down the little "heel" (hill) and does not care that he is far from everyone else. He is in heaven.

Then we gear up and hike over to the creek. Most of the other kids need some help getting over the big fallen tree trunk...not G! He climbs right over it, and is off running to the creek. He goes straight to the measuring cups and starts making more soup. Then he adds rocks and dirt to it. After soup, he looks for bugs under the rocks. He keeps telling Teacher Jane he wants to see "banna sugs" and grabs her hand hoping she will take him. They look and look for them...but no such luck today! Then G trips in the water and falls down...Oh no. Right away Teacher Jane steps in and tells him not to worry, that she will help fix the problem. They go out of the water and sit together. She takes off his boots and empties the water. He calms down right away. He would not have been that calm with me! Then she is able to get him laughing...again, when G gets wet he is usually DONE! Not today, teacher Jane knew the tricks. She doesn't know it, but she is also teaching me tips on how to be patient:)

Next its snack time. Today its grapes, and that perfect for Gavin! He loves grapes:) They are all cut up in the bowl and there is also a big vine with grapes attached. Gavin pushes the bowl aside, and grabs for the grapes off the vine:) Everyone is so amazed that he would rather eat the whole grapes off the vine....I just sit and watch, he is now showing off his eating skills:)

Next is story time on the mat. Teacher Becca reads a story to them, and they all kneel up real close to her to see the book. Gavin calls out the answers to the questions....It is Brown Bear Brown Bear which he loves. Gavin then gets up and runs to the painting table. He makes a "petty art" for me and then watches as two of the others fight over the paint...he just observes them. Kyelie starts crying and Gavin says "Kyee cyying now, so sad!" We help calm her down, and help her with the paint. Gavin just watches.

Last is our "hike on trail" for lunch.We all hike down the hill, through the woods and under some fallen trees, and end up in a sweet little spot under a bay tree. We all sit to do one more story before lunch. While Teacher Becca is reading, all of the sudden a breeze sweeps through and all the bay leaves start falling. Gavin looks up and says "Snowing LEAVES!!!" They smell so good, and its such a pretty sight. So glad fall is here:)

Its time to say goodbye after lunch. Gavin jumps up and shouts "CIRCLE TIME!!!" and runs to hold hands. He LOVES ring around the rosie...so so much. We only do it two times, and he asks to do it 5 more. Then we sing our songs and say goodbye. We walk back to the car, and Gavin is asleep before we even get to the main road! We are so glad that we picked this school...such a magical place for him.

2 Monkey's!

2011-09-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

We met Hsiaolei and Kekoa at Kirk park last week, and they boys had a blast being monkey's. (Thanks Hsiaolei for the cute pics:) They are both into climbing everything, and of course hanging! The second picture is my favorite...they are just so stinkin cute...and all smiles:) They also look sooo grown up together...seem so big now...feels like yesterday when we met Kekoa at swim lessons when they were just babies!!! Time sure does fly by...

Gavin's first art class

2011-09-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

Last week was Gavin's first art class at the community center. He loved the different stations, and did each one by himself. "Gabin do it!" he says. Then after he makes art, they have "circle time" and Gavin seems to really like it! Never in my life would I think that Gav would enjoy sitting still in a circle....but he does! Huge shock to me...he sits and LOVES when the "ring naround rosie" part starts. He is the first to jump up and grab hands. Definitely a fun class!

I could not take pictures, it was way too messy. One thing Gavin does NOT like is wearing any sort of protective clothing/smock/apron. He will not have it, so I just let him become a huge paint/glue/glitter mess. No big deal, we just hose him down when we get home:)

Monkey or child?

2011-09-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

G will figure out a way to climb on ANYthing these days. His upper body strength is pretty amazing...can pull himself up on anything. He also jumps really well now, and can even fall from the monkey bars onto his feet...and stick the landing. People keep asking me "when is he training for the Olympics??" I think this winter is the perfect time to find a fun gymnastics/tumbling class. Until then, he will continue to climb up everything he can in our house...

G & Ma

2011-09-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

What would I do without Grandma "Ma" Dayle??? I am pretty sure I would not survive. She spent the day with Gavin today, while I ran a million errands and waited in Kaiser's medical records line for TWO HOURS! It would have been a complete nightmare dragging Gavin there with me, and thank goodness I did not need to. Gavin is thrilled to be with "ma" and pushes me out the door. The relationship they have is very special...We are all so thankful for her!

Over a week....

2011-09-20T12:39:00.001-07:00

And NO accidents! I am still in shock that G is potty trained...it was so easy for everyone...including me:) We are very proud of you Gavin!

Kinda funny/sad story. Today when Gav woke up from his nap, he sung/moaned/read books in bis bed for 15-20mins. He does this every day, and he needs this time to "wake up" and not be grumpy. It gives me time to finish up doing whatever I am doing. Well, today he was nice and happy until he started SCREAMING. I ran in his room, and he told me what happened. "Poo-poo in DIAPER, go POO-POO IN POTTY!!!!" He had gone potty in his diaper, and he was really upset about it! We ran to the toilet and tried to "go more" but it was too late. We flushed the poop, and he was happy it "made it in toilet" Hahaha poor thing! We have NEVER made a big deal of accidents, and certainly not when he is in a diaper in his bed!

On to a cute story. Whenever Gavin is done on the potty, and we are washing hands, I will say "Gavin, You did SUCH a good job!" and he will say "Momma proud....Daddy SOO happy!" because these are the things we say to him....I just smile when he says this:)

Big Boy Gavin!

2011-09-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

When I was at work last Sunday, I got a picture message on my phone of Gavin going poo-poo on the toilet for the first time! I was so proud, and so was Gavin & Daddy!

From that moment on, G has been in big boy underwear! (Still has diaper for nap and bedtime) He has been doing GREAT! A few pee-pee accidents here and there, but for the most part he knows when he has to go, and tells us! I am pretty sure he even understands to hold it when there is no potty in sight....and if he really has to go, he will shout "PEEEEEE" to me, and we will run to the nearest bathroom! (or tree:)

Since we spend SO much time outside, and school is outside, he has learned how to go potty on a tree or "pee-pee on dirt pile" :) He actually prefers to go outside over inside! Haha he is such a boy!

One little issue....the poop outside! Of course, he likes to poop outside! YIKES, this is not fun for mommy! The past few days he has gone #2 out on the driveway....he will come running to me to tell me afterwards, and of course he is proud...I am happy its not in his pants, but really???? Ever since G was little, he never was a squatter when he went #2...he always stood to do it! So now, telling him to sit, is kinda funny to him, he prefers to stand! When he goes in the potty, I have to keep reminding him to sit to go #2....or else its a mess;)

Overall we are SO proud of Gavin. We never pushed potty training, and let him tell us when he was ready...which I think is key. The transition was very smooth, and he caught on so fast. Next up is teaching him to get his underwear and shorts on himself....this would really help out my very sore back!

{Gavin 25 Months}

2011-09-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Gavin,

Wow, I can't believe that you are over 2 years old now. 25 months seems silly to write, so I am not sure how I will do this from now on, BUT I have been writing you a letter each month since you have been born, and I am not going to stop now!

This past month you have had a lot of new things going on...first real illness, travel to Ohio, starting potty training, and starting school! So many firsts for you, and of course you have handled it so well. You are also talking in sentences like crazy now, and there is never really any confusion with what you want or need...and you even talk to strangers in sentences...and even ask them things! You recently asked the carpet sales lady to "go get you a pillow please" so that you could jump on it while playing on the showroom floor. You also asked a man at the grocery if he could "go buy it for Davin" (You were holding Oreo cookies, and I told you that we could not buy them....so you moved on to a strange man!) Shy is certainly NOT one of your qualities. You talk to strangers even if they are not paying attention to you...:)

Except the few rough nights when you were sick, your sleep has been as great as ever. Most days you don't get up until 630 or 7am and you go to bed at 8pm. Your naps continue to be 2.5 hours, and you are still in your crib....with blankie/paci! Your Dad and I have talked about the paci, and how we think it might be time to take it away soon...but since you just started potty training, we will do one thing at a time. We really want to do it before your little brother gets here!

Yes, we found out you will have a little brother! We are SO excited about it, and we think you are starting to get excited too...Every night at bedtime, we all read books in your room. You sit on Daddy's lap and read and then go to my lap. You get confused when you can't lean back on my belly, and then you snuggle with baby. You lift up my shirt, pat my belly, and then lay your head down on it to snuggle...and you even give it your blankie:) It could be the sweetest thing I have ever seen you do. We asked you last night what baby's name would be and you said "Baby brother" :)

We have a very busy fall schedule with school, art class, and playdates. You saw the pumpkin patch getting set up today, and you are so excited to "Pick Pumpins!" We look forward to a really fun fall:)

We love you Gavin!
Momma & Daddy

First day of Mountain School!

2011-09-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

The Mountain School

2011-09-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

Back when I first met Derek, I learned about “The Mountain School” from his childhood pictures. Dayle told me about this magical school, and from that moment I hoped we could send our kids there. The pictures I saw were so cute, Derek outside in the dirt and sand….”cooking” and playing. It just looked really neat. Then when I was pregnant with Gavin and on bed rest, I had nothing better to do than check out preschools for Gavin…Of course it seemed so far away, but I had run out of things to do while I was home alone all day for 7 weeks…I even made a little chart about all the schools and what they involved. (I made lots of charts while on bed rest…again nothing better to do…and I can’t believe that I admitted this!)

I knew that I wanted to take Gavin to a PPP if I could. (Parent Participation Preschool) At a PPP I would go with Gavin, and help with the day. I quickly learned that there were different kinds of PPP’s. Some schools you drop them off one day, and then stay the other. You also stay at “your station” and help all the kids with that station (Art, clay, color) They were also pretty strict about the “schedules” while at school, and the kids were “supposed” to participate in each class activity…These just did not seem right to me, not for a just turned 2 year old. I don’t think he needs a structured school setting yet, he’s just a toddler. He needs to explore, and have free play, I think that’s how he learns best. Then we went to the “Mountain School” open house. I was so relieved to see what I saw. It really was a magical place, and Gavin seemed to fall in love with it...after all, it is an outdoor school, and outside is where Gavin is always happy.

First of all the Mountain School is an observation nursery school…quite different than the others. While I still attend with Gavin each week, I am not there to “work” the school. The philosophy is that “the parents are the students, and the children are there to play.” Seemed a little odd at first, but then I learned more, and fell in love with the philosophy. It makes so much sense to me now. They want the parents to “observe” their children in their own free environment. They want us to see how they learn, and see what works for them. We are there to learn from the teachers, and to learn how our children navigate their surroundings. They say safety is the #1 priority, so if something is unsafe, we are to step in, but other than that, we are there to observe.

Don’t get me wrong; the responsibilities of this school are quite a lot. We are to write down our “observations” at class, attend a class meeting every other month (with the parents and teachers in the class), attend a “work day” once a year (Where we go to the schoolhouse and fix/help make it better), and bring a class snack a few times a year. Not to mention that Derek and I were asked to be on the school board (this is where there is a lot of work involved!), so that’s another monthly meeting AND we are making the school newsletter…quite a lot! But that’s OK, because it’s a great place and it feels so worth it to us. It’s like a little community, and everyone seems to love it so much…that all their kids go there. I have already been to a few meetings, and they are actually pretty fun! They are after dinner, in teacher Jane’s home, with food/wine. Very informal, and lots of neat mom’s/dad’s to talk with…There are also LOTS of fun events with the school that we can go to. Turkey Trot fundraiser “race” in the fall, winter auction, fall and spring camping trip, fall and spring picnics, and a many others.

We hope to keep G in the Mountain School all through preschool, and hope that he develops the same amazing memories that Derek did! Derek still remembers some of the things they did, and so do other parents who went there. The really neat part is that Teacher Jane (Assistant Teacher) was Derek’s teacher when he was 2!!! (She is also the school director) She is the sweetest woman I have ever met, and just loves the kids so much. She has been there over 35 years, and says she just can’t leave. She is full of wisdom and patience, and I hope to learn a lot from her…Gavin’s head teacher is teacher Rebecca. She is wonderful and just loves the kids. All three of her kids went there years ago, and she fell in love with it. She also teaches at another school, so she brings a lot of experience.

The school is at three different places throughout the school year. All on the same MountainJ In September it is at Savannah Chanel, which is actually a winery. One of the prettiest wineries I have ever seen in person…it is in the redwood forest behind the winery…with a creek, sand pit, and TONS of woods to explore. In October, class is at Saratoga

I think this is going to be a really great experience for Gavin. He has been talking about it non-stop all day and night, and loves to look at his "Pictures of new school" over and over. :) More to come!

Potty Training week one

2011-09-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

One day last week while I was at work, Daddy started to potty train Gavin. I came home (Monday night) and G had used the potty 2 times! Since then, while we are home he has been wearing big boy underwear, and only having some accidents. He will tell us when he needs to pee, and then we go with him, and he goes. He is SOOO proud of himself, and then he knows that he gets a "treat" after he goes potty...it is some sprinkles (we used to put on cupcakes) and some nerds. (the only candy we have in the house from last Valentines day!, thanks Grandma!!!) About 5 each, as he likes to pee a LOT!

I had no idea that he was going to catch on this fast!!! I was honestly dreading the process, as I thought it would be a LOT more difficult! I guess that since he is ready, its not too bad! By no means is he completely potty trained, he still has yet to poop in the potty...and we also are still putting on diapers when we leave the house, but we will get to that soon enough, for now we are just letting him call the shots about when he wants to wear his "underwear" and diaper, and so far he is choosing underwear:) I have no idea if this is the right way to go about it, but so far so good...this is how first time parents learn, right?? :)

Fall is here!

2011-09-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe that Gavin starts SCHOOL tomorrow!!! I am just so excited for Gavin to start this experience…I know he will love it! I will do an official school post tomorrowJ

Fall is already looking to be nice and busy for us…just what I need after being told to “take it easy” and “stay off your feet” by my doctorJ I told her I am no longer picking up Gavin (or trying) and resting when I can. :) There is a solid 2 hrs a day that I put my feet up. The house and meals are really suffering, but I can clean and cook AFTER this baby is born…for now we will continue to have Arnold hairballs all over, and I am OK with that! HA! I think its time to find a house cleaner...no really, you know its bad when DEREK takes the initiative to clean the BATHROOM!

This is what our week looks like. Mondays are grocery, laundry, hang at home, go to park day. Nothing planned for Mondays. Tuesdays are playgroup day with his Willow Glen playgroup. Wednesdays are Art Class at the community center. Thursdays are library storytime. Friday is SCHOOL. Saturday is family day/zoo/hang at home. Sunday is Mommy work day. All the activities are in the mornings, as G naps from 1-330 so afternoon stuff is out of the question, unless it’s a park trip after nap. Most nights of the week, we walk up to the school to play on the playground…so there it is!

Writing our week out makes me tired already…but of course I am SO very thankful that I am able to be home to do this stuff with G. It is what I always wanted to do, and I feel blessed. I am also thankful that I still have my work too…going to work is very enjoyable for me now, a HUGE change from what it was back when I was full time when G was a baby…I look forward to it, have great friends there, and its always a challenge. For all of this I am thankful.

I am trying to sit back, and really enjoy this time with Gavin. It is so special to me, and I know that at any moment I could be put on bedrest, so until then I am soaking it all in. I also want to enjoy this last fall season that it is just me and G. It is so easy to just get up and go, and he is so much fun to hang out with…I want to remember this timeJ

Dinner date & Flying with KK

2011-09-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had Danny, Angie and KK over for dinner. It was a nice evening, and we sat outside to eat hamburgers. The kiddos had fun running around, and then after dinner KK and G went flying together:) The BEST part was watching KK's face when she was up in the air...it was excitement and then immediately PURE terror...then more smiles at the end...She asked for "more" over and over, so she really did love it! :)

G and his iPad

2011-09-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that I have never done an iPad post, so here it is! Gavin is obsessed with his iPad, and has been for a really long time. It is actually Derek's from work, but Gavin just loves it. As ridiculous as this sounds, Derek and I have talked many times about buying G his own...he really learns from it!

Gavin know show to turn it on, unlock it, and go to his app section. There he has about 12 different games (all VERY educational:) and he plays them. He is really good at maneuvering around the iPad...better than me. He has learned about colors, shapes, opposites, matching and lots more.

He got a Leapster "Laptop" for his birthday, and as soon as he found out that the screen is not "touchscreen" he said "no like it" !!! Hahaha Oh we are in trouble!!!

Cooking, Mowing, and Coloring with Gavin!

2011-09-02T21:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some snaps of a typical day with Gavin and some of his favorite things.

Cooking. Gavin helps us cook from the moment he wakes up. He helps Daddy make smoothie and egg for breakfast. He helps me make lunch, and then again dinner. He is involved with each step, and sometimes he just has his own pile of food to cook with that we (adults) don't eat...but he has no idea. Why don't we eat it? Do you like OJ on your eggs? Or peanut butter and watermelon toast? Haha he just LOVES to cook...and it does not stop at just stuff on the counter. Gavin knows how to work the blender, food processor, panini press, waffle maker, toaster oven, mixer, and the hand mixer. He could turn them on and off, and change the speeds/setting with his eyes closed. He uses all the kitchen utensils, and will help flip with the spatula, turn with the tongs, stir with spoons, and many many more. Of course, when he is helping us cook on the stove he is watched VERY carefully...same with knives, but yes, we let him use them! He starts preschool next week, and each week there is a "cooking mom and child"...we volunteered to bring and cook snack more than once!

Mowing. We all know Gavin loves to mow. He loves to watch others mowing, and he loves to help his Dad mow our lawn. I am still bummed that he was so sick in Cincy...because he had the chance to ride on the mower with Grandma...and if he was not feeling so bad, I know he would have LOVED it! He rides on his Dad's back, so a real mower was pretty cool...but at least he enjoyed watching it. It does not just stop with mowing. Any sort of edging, weeding or any yard work, Gavin likes. He knows how to edge with the hoe, and he will pull a weed when he spots one...anytime! We will be out playing in the back yard, and all of the sudden he will stop, pull a weed, and then tell me he's going to go throw it in the street. (Yard waste gets scooped up from a pile in the street:) Gavin notices edges everywhere. He notices when someone "needs to edge" and when he is walking on an edge. He loves edges.

Last but not least, Coloring. Gavin has lots of arts and craft supplies, but markers he did not have yet. He had the kind that only show up on special paper, but he quickly realized that was not too much fun. So we got some real washable markers at Target, and he could not wait to try them out. A LOT more fun than crayons or pencils...and he made some pretty drawings. Most ended up on his legs and bottom of his feet:) He was SO proud when he showed me that the bottom of his feet were orange. Glad they are washable!

Better

2011-09-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

I am so thrilled to say that G is all better...no more fevers, no more cough, and a happy child again. Still not eating as much, but I think thats because he was so used to not eating while he was sick. He lost about 3 pounds, so we bought some bacon and avocados at the market:) Time to get back to his good eating habits! I am just so thankful he is feeling better.

He is happy about it too...G is sure not used to being sick...and this one was a bad one.

We went to the zoo today, and he had a blast. He was very tired when we got home as he had not done that much activity in a long time!

Here is to another (hopefully) very long stretch in between illness!

Still Sick...

2011-08-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought G was starting to get better, he went and spiked another fever. He went all day yesterday without a fever, and was pretty happy. Tired very easily, but generally happy. Today he was a happy guy, walked to the park, had a picnic in the yard, and then he took a nice nap. Woke up from his nap nice and hot...with a fever. Since then, he has been SUPER sensitive, irritable, and wanting to be in my arms. He finally let Daddy carry him in the carrier while he cut the grass:)

He is still coughing quite a bit, and makes a very sour face when he coughs...like it hurts. Its pretty sad. The cough has not let up any, so I think it must be the pneumonia working its way out.

I will be calling the doctor tomorrow morning, because I am concerned about the continued fevers...he has been on antibiotics for 3 days now...Poor little thing is really confusing me!

I hope I have the strength to not loose my cool with the doctor when I talk with her...she did not even call today to check up on Gavin, and to apologize for FORGETTING to tell me he has pneumonia! ( I may be holding a grudge here...but rightfully so)

New stuff

2011-08-27T20:59:00.001-07:00

I have added a ton of new pics, but they are back-dated so you might want to scroll down to see them...all the way to before G's birthday:)

G's first real illness:(

2011-08-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

Oh poor G! We are back from Ohio, have been back since Wednesday night....we cam home early and are very thankful we did, bc G is not well!

After being in Ohio for only 3 days, G (and his cousins and aunt/uncle) came down with a nasty stomach virus...it was no fun! Everyone was miserable...Poor G was miserable, and trying so hard to feel better. It went away within a few days, and then he woke up with a horse voice...one right after another. This continued into a croup-like cough, and then a full blown upper respiratory virus...fevers and all.

I just felt so bad for him, as he was not feeling well, but wanting to, and I know everyone around him wanted him better too...so much fun stuff to do and see...but Gav was just not into a lot of it...wanted to be held, carried, and near me always. I just knew that something was not right...not at all. He still managed to have some fun with everyone, and of course he still smiles when he is feeling so sick:)

After being in Ohio for 7 days, Derek and I made the decision to have G and I come home after 9 days. Our original trip was almost 2 weeks, but G was so sick, and I was not feeling well too. The specialist from Kaiser ended up wanting to see me to discuss and assess what we would do for the pregnancy, so we thought there is too much we need to get done at home, so we got the PM flight out on Wednesday. I was so sad to be leaving a little early, but looking back we are so glad we did....as G got even more sick, and needed his medical care here (Since we have Kaiser, they do not cover any medical care outside the network...it would have been all out of pocket in Ohio:(

Once we got back, G seemed like he might be getting better, and then BAM. Fevers returned (He had them all week with the 2 viruses) and they were even higher. Its always hard to assess temp on G, as taking his axillary temperature is like absolute torture...but giving him ANY sort of medicine by mouth? He opens right up and will swallow ANYthing down! Go figure.

We took him to the pediatrician right away the morning we were home...and just figured it was a virus...but I knew that something was wrong...more than just a virus. I called the advice nurse 3 times that day and night and decided to take him back in the morning for a chest X-ray, as again, I just knew something was not right. Dr. Yen came in and told us that the x-ray was normal, but she would have to the radiologist read it to be sure...this is Friday afternoon. Never heard back from Dr. Yen or the radiologist.

Friday night all through the night G continues to have high fevers, and he is miserable. Again, we call Kaiser, and get a phone appt first thing int he AM. When I speak with this new MD he just restates that its probably just a virus, and to continue comfort care and meds...but again, I told him I think its more than that, and that I think something secondary is going on...he reassured me that these viruses take a "long time" to go away. I hung up upset yet again. Not 2 minutes passes, and he calls back. Hmm, What was going on. He told me that HE reviewed the chest x-ray, and it was in fact ABNORMAL. I guess since Dr. Yen is out for the weekend, she does not continue her medical care until Monday? Did she not look at the final results from the radiologist? Was she seriously going to make my baby wait all weekend with pneumonia??? I was extremely thankful that Dr. Yi (Dr. names so similar) caught this error, and then took care of it. He said that this would explain the continued fevers, especially for SO LONG. DUH PEOPLE I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR 3 DAYS! Of course, I just explained how thankful I was that he listened to me, and he told me that the only reason he went back through to review everything was because I kept telling him "something is just not right, and I am not comfortable" He agreed that this many days of fevers was not a typical finding of any respiratory viruses. So he called him Amoxicillin, and Derek went to get it right away.

We really hope that this is the answer. Poor G has spent the entire day with 103 fever, laying on my chest, and sleeping on and off. He has had a few spurts of energy in which he went outside and watered the garden, and blew bubbles. He tires so easily, and has slept about 6 hours today. He is breathing really fast, and his coughs seem painful. We REALLY hope that this antibiotic rids his poor lungs of this nasty virus!

Yet again, I will restate how thankful I will be to be RID OF KAISER in a month. I know that HMO's work for some people, but not me. Not when they miss a pneumonia...not in my child. Everyone always says that at Kaiser you have to "know how to work the system" and that is one thing I learned how to do, but I do not wish to do anymore...

Grandma and her guns;)

2011-08-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Gavin and Grandma always have so much fun together. Grandma loves to play with all the toys with him, and he thinks this is the coolest thing in the world. One toy Grandma loves is the nerf gun! I know, kinda funny, but Gavin LOVES to put the bullets in and help shoot…and today he got his very own nerf gun (Its for the pool, that’s what I tell myself) to use! He can do it all by himself…you just squeeze it and it shoots…very harmless. Right? Haha. After grandma taught him how to do it, he was pretty good! We would tell him what to hit, and he would get it on target! Grandma said it was pretty good aim for a 2 year old! Thanks Grandma!

First real potty (without help of warm water:)

2011-08-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Gavin went pee-pee on the potty for the very first time! (Without needing to have his feet in warm water;) Every time Grandma would ask him if he needed to go potty, he would say “yea” (his response for pretty much anything) and then he would sit there with no results. Well, today was different! Grandma promised him a treat if he went potty, and sure enough, he looked down, and concentrated so hard…and at last there was PEE! He was extremely proud, and so were we. He got his big old sucker as his treat, and he ran back to the potty to “do more” because I think he thought he would keep getting more suckersJ

St. Mary's Festival

2011-08-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight we headed to the St. Mary’s Festival, a tradition that we do every year. I have not been able to go in many years since I moved, so I was excited to see everyone. We go in the afternoon and play games and rides, and then go to the spaghetti dinner with my Dad’s side of the family.

Again, G was not 100% so he was a little out of it, but he still managed to have fun. Grandma bought the kids a ton of game and ride tickets, and G learned how to play festival games. He would pretty much walk right up, pass everyone in line, and grab a prize from the prize bin before he even played. It was so sweet, all the games were run by kids, so they did not careJ

Griff and Gav got to ride the cars around, and Gavin would have done it 100 times…

The boys got to eat quite a few suckers, and win a lot of prizes…Gavin loved playing the Plinko game with Grandpa, and then having Grandpa throw up his parachute he won…

We ended the night with the spaghetti dinner, and then went home. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for the fun night!

Park with cousins

2011-08-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

Today we met up with cousins Jack, Cal, and Daniel at a park in Pleasant Ridge. The boys did not start school yet, and so we wanted to hang out with them one last time before we left. We love getting to see them when we are in town...they play with the boys, and are so good with them. They help them do whatever it is that they are doing, and they teach them new things. These boys really are so sweet. I swear, if we lived in Cincy, they would be our babysitters! (Gavin remembers them, and when we look at their pictures, he says "Ack, Cal, Danul":)

Mt. Lookout Swim Club

2011-08-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

Today we headed to the swim club with grandma for a nice little swim. G was feeling better, and glad to be in the water with his Grandma. She brought a bunch of pool toys (G’s favorite kind…kitchen utensils!) and Gav had a blast. I had a great time too…got to eat snack bar cheese sticksJ (A childhood favorite)

The Land

2011-08-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today after naps, we headed to “the land” to play with all the cool stuff that Grandma and Grandpa have. A cool new camper, a big pond, and a huge garden…

Since G has been sick, he is not wanting to do much at the land…did not even want to ride the mower with Grandma…that’s when you KNOW G is sick, because mowing is his FAVorite thing to do! He did enjoy watching “Ma” mow the grass…from very far away.

Even though he was a little under the weather, we all still had fun. The kids got to play with all the toys Grandma keeps in the camper, swing, pick tomatoes in the garden, and then have a yummy picnic dinner outside. After dinner everyone (not the pregnant sisters) went for a swim in the pond. Gav would NOT put on a life jacket, so he sat inside a raft on Grandma’s raftJ

Thanks for the fun day “at the land” Grandma and Grandpa!

Sick kids

2011-08-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

Today everyone is feeling a little under the weather. A stomach bug has moved in, but that's not stopping everyone! We are having a little celebration tonight for Gavin and Pat's birthdays...and Grandma cooked a nice big dinner! (for those of us who can eat!) Very yummy steak, chicken, and potato salad...it was all delicious, thanks Mom:) I did not get many pics, just a few of the kiddos all of the bed watching "Toons" on TV. G sure loves his cousins:)

Cincy Trip

2011-08-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

Today was our first full day in Cincy, and we have been having tons of fun:) We had Skyline for lunch and then a picnic of Mio's pizza for dinner at Alms Park. Perfect day! G and I are both so excited to be here with everyone:)

Blog Break

2011-08-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

G and I are headed to Cincinnati nice and early tomorrow, and we will be gone for 2 weeks. I usually take a blog break while we are there...but of course I will not take a break taking pictures! We will be back to update soon!

Gavin's Second Birthday Party

2011-08-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

What a fun party we had tonight! The guests started arriving at 4pm, and you had just gotten up from your nap. We put on your new bulldozer birthday shirt, and you were set!

Right away, Jason and Angie were here and they brought a bounce house for you to use for the party!!! You LOVE the smaller bounce houses, as the larger ones seem to scare you…you got in right away and bounced around.

After everyone was here, all the kids were running around playing outside in the sand, bounce house, and all the other toys…your friends Kekoa and Nicholas have train obsessions, so they were thrilled to find the train table;) KK was a wild woman in the bounce house, her first time and she was a pro…and cousin Nathan showed all of you how to bounce like a big boy! Everyone had a lot of fun, and you were in your glory. We soon ate dinner, and then of course it was cake time!

We had you blow out your candles (I was not sure if you could!) and you did!!! You kept at it until you got them out, and then you were SOOO happy to eat the cake! You and KK licked the icing off the bulldozers, and then you dug in.

After messy cake, it was play time some more, and this time you were wired! You were going up and down the slide…face first and backwards too!

We ended the night opening a few gifts before you got too tired and wanted to head to bed…

We are so thankful for all of our wonderful family and friends…both near and far…You had such a special second birthday, and we are so blessedJ

{Gavin 24 Months}

2011-08-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Gavie,

Today you turn two. Even though it is still hard to believe that my baby is two, I am so excited for you. You love life so much, and there is never a dull moment around our family. You make your Dad and I so proud, and we love you to pieces.

Today we will celebrate your day with all our family and friends. We will have a nice little BBQ in the yard, and all the ones you love around...of course we will have lots of things to play with and a bulldozer cake...exactly what you picked out!

Gavin, our life with you is what I always dreamed it would be. You make us smile all day long, and you are so sweet to everyone. You already love your baby brother or sister...you lift up my shirt, pat my belly, kiss it, and say "baby." It is so sweet, and my heart melts every time you are so gentle with baby.

You are a wild, sweet, crazy, affectionate, demanding, stubborn, and loving guy...We are so blessed to have you in our life!

Momma & Daddy

Big 2 Year old breakfast!

2011-08-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Gavin!!!

Gavin woke up like any other day, and made waffles with Daddy. This time, he got to put chocolate chips inside them! He was thrilled and so excited to have "Chocate Bip Waffles" with us, and so was I:)

After breakfast G got to open a few gifts from us and his gifts from Griffin and Annabel. They gave him a really cool bulldozer that he then pushed around the house for 2 hours...He sure loves his bulldozer, thanks guys!

We plan to hang out this morning, visit the park, maybe go visit some real bulldozers at a construction site, have a picnic lunch in the yard, and take a nice nap before the big party tonight:)

First Pee-Pee!!!

2011-08-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today Gavin had his first pee-pee on the potty! Funny how he had to do it too!

Gavin ALWAYS tells us when he needs to go potty...he is usually naked (around the house) and he will come RUNNING to you and say "PEE! PEE! NOW!" At that point we try to go on the potty, but he says "No, Biaper Davin" (No, Diaper on Gavin) so on goes the diaper and he will go potty. Hmmm...But every night as SOON as he steps in the bath, he stands there, and tells us he needs to pee-pee and immediately he pees in the tub! He totally knows he is going, and watches it. Little stinker!

So this morning, Daddy was soaking his foot in warm water (Poor daddy has had cellulitis in his foot for over a week!) to make it better. He usually soaks it at night, as we know G would want in the water. So we took off his pants and let him soak his feet too...not even 5 seconds, and Gavin screamed "PEEPEE" so I grabbed the potty, and he sat on it while his feet were in the warm water...and BOOM, the kid peed in the potty! Hahaha it was so funny, Derek and I were laughing and cheering for Gav...Although this needing to have his feet in warm water in order to pee may be a problem;)

G and "Tetoa" on the train

2011-08-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

Today we headed to Oak Meadow Park to meet "Tetoa" (Kekoa) and his momma for a train playdate. Kekoa has an obsession with trains, and of course G was thrilled to go for a ride with him. Gav talked about "Tetoa" and his park all afternoon long...thanks for the fun day guys!

Dinner date with friends

2011-08-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Last night we had Danny & Angie and Lisa & Jim over for dinner (KK and Kaleb too of course:) We had a nice little back yard BBQ, and they kids all ate and played together...sort of! We thought they might sit for a few minutes at the little table to eat...they lasted 10 seconds and then they were off playing! Haha oh well. After dinner they ran all around the yard...and got a little crazy! Gavin preferred the game of "tag" but poor KK does not understand that game yet...it resulted in Gavin "tagging" her and then not knowing why she was not getting him! The energy from the three of them was wild...:) At the end of the night, they all gave each other hugs and kisses...:)

Santa Clara County Fair!

2011-08-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

Today we headed down to the Santa Clara State Fair with Lisa and Kaleb! They picked us up around 9am, and we stopped for treats (coffee for moms, organic vanilla milk for boys) at Starbucks first...then we were off. We had Kaleb's wagon, and the boys were set!

We stopped at the animal exhibit first. There were a million sheep, goats, lambs, and cow's. They all looked so nice and groomed (because they were in show) and they were generally really friendly! There was one big sheep who was very loud...and when we first heard her "Baaaa" Gavin JUMPED up in my arms, and screamed! Haha it was pretty funny that he was so scared of her loud noise! Once he chilled out, he was able to pet some of them, and even see some babies:) Kaleb loved all of them, and could have stayed in there forever!

Next we headed to the next building where there were supposedly a lot of plants to see...we did not see them...we only made it to the corn feed play table:) They had a huge table set up with feed corn for the kids to play with...G and K were in absolute heaven...a new texture, and a ton of cups and bowls to scoops with...who would have thought that a huge table of corn could be so fun! (The concentration on their faces was priceless...so serious! Gavin had his entire upper body laying in the corn...he even tried to get up on the table and LAY in it!!

Next it was the ride on tractors. The boys could not reach the petals yet, but they still had fun:) Kaleb even pulled Gavin on the back of his:) After the tractors, we stopped at the music section...and that was probably the most fun! Gavin seems to know how to work each and every instrument, by just looking at it first...He had a blast with all the instruments, especially the drums:)

We ended the day with a picnic under the shade of a big tree...watching all the people at the fair...and a HUGE monster truck drive around. The boys were actually more interested in the Chevy SUV's that they had on display...we let them climb around on the inside and pretend to be driving:)

It was a big challenge to keep G awake on the ride home...his eyes were heavy after 2 minutes driving...whats new? We sure had a fun day at the fair with Lisa and Kaleb:)