We are FINALLY starting to like daycare... it only took till November!

* Some words you say:  Ne- clean, Ni, Ni- Night (go to bed), nac- snack, nu nu- thank you, ese- please, NO, more, balls, dog, puppy, wow when something cool happens, Woah- when you fall or something gets knocked over, eat- treat (when we leave you give cody a treat), book, bubbles, bubble- music on TV, slide, teeth, you recently love to ask "whats this?" to everything!, sasha and Toby (Miss Amy's dogs), Cowie -cody, pee pee, boobie - you learned these from daddy teaching you body parts as he tries to get you to clean in the bath, mi mi mi - miss amy, gigi, baba- papa,
* You LOVE to sweep the floor.. not the real vaccum.. the pretend one.. you are not so sure about the real one anymore.
* Your bath time consists of you playing with the water coming out of the faucet, and you cry when we turn it off.
*You actually sit in time out like a big boy.-- aka you have been there frequently.  and  you even sometimes put your self in time out... not really sure why!
*This month mommy was sick with coughing.. you told Gigi .."Mama (cough) (cough)" to tell her I was sick
* You are very concerned with where mama and dada are constantly... possibly stranger danger kicking in again???  even if one of us leaves the room for a minute. 
* On fall break, mommy was sick, but we all went to the children's mesuem and played in the little kid area... you had a blast at the water tables, crawling over foam blocks, and pushing a bubble mower.
* We were not sure what you were going to be for Halloween but.. we ended up having you be a cow.  Just because the store had your size when we were there .. you do know cow sounds!  You LOVED the outfit, you even SCREAMED when Miss Amy tried to take it off becuase you were getting too hot in it at daycare...
* You didn't really trick or treat, instead you walked up and down the sidewalk with the bubble mower.. you were just excited to be outside the whole time!
*Miss Amy started to phase out your morning nap- she says that you usually fall asleep on the floor for about 20ish minutes then still take a really good nap at 1.-- Mommy puts you down for a AM nap and you sleep 1.5 to 2 hours (she needs the sleep too) and a PM nap. but she knows this isn't going to last much longer...
* You point to mommy's belly and say baby.. but that is really your word for bellybutton.  You have no concept of me actually having a baby in there. 
*You love to snuggle with stuffed animals and etc.


Gavin  just today Miss Amy said you are going to be talking... VERY soon.  You love to chatter and are starting to mimic your Singamajigs.  You love dumping out your balls and walking through them kicking them everywhere.. and you love dumping out your blocks in your dump truck.  You recently love miss amy.  She was so confused as to why you didn't like her, but now you do like her and blow her kisses everyday we leave.  She says you give hugs and want to sit on her lap now... FINALLY... mommy doesn't have to worry so much about you when she is at work!  You certainly have a little personality.. last weekend for THanksgiving you were walking from room to room saying ... HI! You were a little shy at first but then quickly started playing with all the kids (well watching them play and you playing with your toys.. still not playing with kids yet).  YOu love music! We know you will love being a big brother because you really do love being around kids.  Last weekend, you kept trying to sit on all the kids laps- it was too cute! You are now starting to climb up on the couch and on chairs if they are not pushed in.  This keeps mommy on alert at all times.. we can not trust cody or you for one second together.. someone is bound to get hurt.. aka YOU!

Video of you using your signs...

Gavin's first time picking a pumpkin!

So Gav, you are 16 months old now!  Time is just flying by! I often find myself looking back at your baby pictures wondering how you are learning so much so quick! This past month you did lots of things:
You visited the pumpkin patch and apple orchard.  -- Tuttles.  You had a blast touching a pony, picking pumpkins, walking in mud, going through a hay maze, jumping in a hay pile, driving a pretend tractor, and getting some apples!  One thing is for sure, you sure are an outside boy.... finding bugs, playing with bubbles, running up and down our mulch beds, picking berries, finding flowers, digging in mommy's flower pots, and just running around the yard with your bubble mower.  You even got to experience your first time raking leaves.  You wanted to take the big rake and get going, you also tried to help bag the leaves for daddy. 

                                                       You still like to sing on your toy.. big boy!

                                                 you love vaccums, and helping daddy and mommy whenever!

                                                   your first official trip to Tuttles pumpkin patch , a few miles away from our house... you did go last year, but were held the whole time of course..you kept wondering what the vines were.

                              this was the first pumpkin you wanted.  it was hard for you to walk around, you kept tripping on the vines!

                          of course, being stubborn, you insisted on pulling the cart all by yourself.  priceless.

                                               daddy helped you find your way through the maze.

 

                            weeeeeeeee.. Hay!  You wanted to be like the big kids and jump off the hay pile!

                                                you and papa were driving the tractor!

you and your vaccum!  of course everytime i pull out the video you stop!

just getting ready for the lady's.  DANCE MOVES!

Just chasing your cody around..... cody may be 10 years old.. but i am sure you will keep him young!

This month you:
*Words you say: NO (and you actually will scream it at us and sometimes throw something.. toward the last few days of being 15 months old), bird, turtle, bubble, side (outside), doggie, puppy, bug, book, more, O -cheerios, ma-ma (sometimes mommy), da da, down, gigi, papa, and starting to repeat more things we say... CONSTANT chatter all the times
* animal sounds you make: cat (meow), duck (a weird kkkk sound), dog (woof), bird (tweet, tweet), cow (moo),
* toys you like this month: VACCUM (it was supposed to be a christmas gift.. but daddy had to give it to you...), bubbles, BOOKS (you constantly bring us books you will clear the shelves and go to your room for more,)
* you love your Gavin chair, you like to stand on it and crawl all over it -- even though you know you shouldn't.  You often only stand if you see us watching you and then get a smile on your face when we tell you to sit.  We take it away from you if you stand more than twice in a row.  You usually follow up with crying and then walk over to where we put it and say "more, more?" 
*You love chasing your dog.  You enjoy taking a toy, having him chase you then run away laughing.  SOmetimes you get upset if he takes the toy, other times you just go and get another one.  This scares mommy and daddy...
* You have 13 teeth, with one more about to pop out any day.  you always are walking around with drool dropping and with your hand in your mouth.  Usually you get medicine before bed and daycare daily. 
* Your favorite meal is breakfast and usually eat pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc.  You still eat a lot but some days you don't have much at daycare. 
*You are getting put in time out at daycare, and miss amy says she hasn't had such a stubborn kid in awhile. she is suprised that with a dad as a attorney and mom as a teacher that your personality isn't more of a follow the rules type.  --Great... this should be interesting in a few years!
*You still are taking two naps a day, usually each nap is for 1.5 to 2 hours long.  starting at 9 and 1. 
*You love to have a napkin or wipe to "clean" your hands, face, hair, and clean up around the house.  YOu will go and wipe down toys, dishwasher, your highchair, etc.
* You certainly love outside... that is all you want to do.
* you know eyes, ears, mouth, nose, feet, bellybutton, teeth, hair, head,

You are such a big boy, growing more every day.  I can tell that you understand much more than I would have given you credit for.. .you love learning.  You are starting to imitate what we do such as dancing, or talking.  If we tell you to find something or do something you usually respond by doing what we ask.. (find your ball, get cody a toy, wipe your nose, clean around your mouth, go get a book -time for bed.)  Love you my big boy! So many fun things coming our way!!

Mr. Independent!

So my love you are 15 months old...
The last couple of months were a little rough on you, mommy, daddy, and daycare.  You were seemingly fighting being at daycare, learning how to do things you want to do, and dealing with teething.  Temper Tantrums were thrown OFTEN.  Miss Amy at daycare got a handle on you after about a month.. but Mommy and Daddy were having one melt down after another every single evening from the minute we walked in the door to the minute you were going to bed.  We just couldn't figure it out, was it teething, tiredness, or just plain stubborness?  Maybe all three.. but now that you are 15 months old...... You have had a very very very good week!  After much love and consistency you are a much happier boy!
15 month stats:
weight: 24 lbs 12 oz 54 %
height 32 inches 76%
head: 47.2    50%


* You got 4 new teeth in one weekend. (that made 12) two weeks ago
*You got another new tooth yesterday (total 13) and working on some more still......
* You love playing with your toys again... trucks, balls, blocks, MUSIC, BOOKS, puzzles, bubbles, and your favorite toy of all... CODY!
* You are struggling learning that you can't go outside everytime Cody goes outside.
*Every day you get home from daycare, you run straight to mommy and daddy's room and say "Co wie!  Side!"  meaning Cody go outside!  you put your hand on the door until mommy gets there to open it, then you chase cody to the backdoor to let him out. 
* You love chasing cody around the house... you run now !
* you love to play in the bathtub now... for a total of about 10 minutes
* You try to open every single cabinet and play with everything in it.
* You brush your teeth and insist on having "tooth paste on it"
* WHen you play with bubbles outside you can do only that for 40 mintues or more...
* Favorite foods: Anyhting really espically if we put it in your container that you hold on to.  You like waffles, pancakes, french toast, watermelon, baked beans, cheerios, wafers, teddy grahms, yogurt.
*Words you say:  co -wie (cody), doggie, side (outside), book, ball, duck, more, hi, bye, Oh and shake your head for no, papa, gigi, mi mi mi (Miss Amy), boo, wee
*you make the sound of a duck, dog, cow
*You laugh all the time... you like to run away from mommy and daddy and do a deep hehe hehe when you shouldn't do something.
* you still do several signs often : more, all done, cheerio, milk, when you want up, down, or stuck you wave your hands in the air.
* you were in your aunt jamie and uncle kirts wedding....
* you wear size 24 month clothes mommy had to just go out last week and get you about 10 new outfits that were for warmer weather and PJs.
*You do "ring around the rosie"
*Your favorite song was "Bubbles" by Monkey monkey music... you wanted to watch it every day SEVERAL times a day until on demand took it off. (Then mommy found it on the internet)
* Unfornatuately you watch TV... must be from daycare... mommy lets you watch one or two things a day ex. music video for babies, baby boost on demand showing animals.
*You learned how to push your riding toys with your feet
* Still struggling with a sippy cup with knowing how to tip it by yourself...
* You love medicine.. always asking for more if you see it sitting on the counter.
* You recently started trying to "wash" your hair by putting your hand on the shampoo and then putting it on your head and rubbing.
* YOu like to play peekaboo
* You love to tackle mommy and daddy.. you will just run and fall into us. and then laugh, laugh, laugh.

*You LOVE it when mommy tickles you.
* When it is time for bed we tell you to get a book, then you run to your chair and sit on our lap and snuggle
*We love the vaccum cleaner.. you sweep with your stick around the house
* You recently started giving really good kisses.. you smack your lips then pucker up and lean toward us to give us a kiss! 
* When mommy gets ready to leave in the morning you already know and say Byyyyyyeeeee!  Whenever you hear the car keys or when I put on a jacket, you know!
                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                       I'm working on my hair.. party in the back business in the front

                                                   more state fair action!

                                                           handsome boy!

                                                  I love music.. this isn't too close is it mommy?

Fun times with daddy! weeeeeeeee

Gavin we love you more and more every day.  We couldn't imagine this life without you.  We love watching what you come up with every day and just find ourselves staring at you saying... why is he so cute?  We sure are one lucky set of parents to have such a loving, caring, and fun little bundle of joy.  We can only imagine what else you will get into and what memories we will make. We love you more than words can say.. "Love you in the morning and in the afternoon.. love you in the evening and underneath the moon!"

There's More Than Corn In Indiana!

Gavin has had quite the summer.  He has spent LOTS of time with MOMMY!  Since his frist birthday he has done lots of things.  Below are some pictures summarizing the month of July and his life at 14 months old.

Here Gavin is playing with the Walborn girls in the water.  This was really the first time he stayed in the water for awhile... it was about 100 degrees and it was the doggy pool, but hey the kids didn't know that!

 Gavin went to his very first REDS game.  He did pretty well despite the 110 degree heat index.  He really stayed in the seat for most of the game with only two walks around and we left in the 7th inning. 

 We spend lots of time on Papa and Gigi's boat.  We only make it about 2 hours at a time, but usually we feed the ducks and geese, play in water, play with toys, and of course drive the boat. 

 We visited all the grandparents and great grand parents.  Here this picture wins the prize for the best one - with his NANA. 

 We take lots of walks with mommy, daddy, and cody.  Either in our cool wagon or the stroller.  FUN TIMES!

 We went to the water park.  We lasted here about an hour... we didn't like the water that was much deeper than ankles, but we were very interested in water shooting out at us!  Next year we will enjoy it even more!

 not so sure about the water slide, but if daddy helps me then i am ok !

 This is the view mommy sees every night as daddy put gavin to bed.  some milk for gavin, a bedtime story, then lights out with 2 pacis (1 in your mouth, 1 in your hand as a lovey)

 You learned how to use a spoon... you think it is sooo funny. Actually I am very suprised how fast you picked it up and you have good aim. 

 You do NOT hold the sippy cup by your self... even if it has handles.. STINKER. We finally did get you to hold one with a straw.. but even today you still throw fits to have someone hold it and you lean your neck out when you want something to drink... Miss Amy does not hold it for you.....

 INDIANA STATE FAIR... enough said. Your mommy LOVES this place!

 baaaaaaaaaaaa... you really liked seeing the animals.

 Mommy pretty much lets you do whatever you want. You want to drive? Okay.. vrooom vroom.

 going on the lines of mommy lets you do what you want.. she fully believes in letting you explore to learn new textures... So here is the result with yogurt....  but you did have lots of fun.. and really most of it did go in your mouth. this was just when you were full!

 Aunt Jamie got married and you were in the wedding.  You kinda stole the spot light when she was saying her vows.  SORRY aunt jamie...

 And this pretty much sums up summer... mommy was TIRED from playing with you all day everyday.  Nap time was nap time for adults and dogs too... and early bed times.....

As of 14 months old you:
*Climb things - better watch stairs and cody stairs ... you get to those super fast... and then fall off just as fast.
* Uses a spoon
* Not really interested in your toys as much
* Pretends to sweep the floor
*Chases cody and gives him his toys, wants to carry his food bowl around, and wants to pretend to feed him.. which cody always thinks you are bring more foood.. the disappointment must be terrible!
* Dances around twirling in a circle, shake your head, and bounce with your legs.
* Plays with anything that is not a toy such as: mommys hair things, nail clippers, brushes, remotes, phones, tupperware, shoes....
* You love to pull out your clothes from the drawer and throw them around your rooom
*You want to be chased around the house... you are close to running...
*YOu play with your water table and will get into a baby pool and play if it is a few inches deep. You LOVE the sprinkler and hose.
* Drink milk from one sippy.. and will drink a pretty good amount of milk a day... if you are reminded.
*Words: Light, outside, cody, ma ma, da da, uh oh, boo, eyes, book, tractor, this, bubble, duck
* you love playing with mommy's hair.. which actually hurts her sometimes...
*digging in dirt, wondering around the backyard and going to our garden
* BUBBLES
* You throw really good temper tantrums.... we try not to laugh.
* everything is the end of the world if it is not your way or we take something away.
* You are starting to protest the carseat, and want to squirm to see the front of the car.
* You brush your teeth.
* you Love medicine... you actually find it on a counter and will point to it and say ummmmmmm.
* you do not like to have anyone hold your hand to walk...
* you really like to squirm when being held.. because you want to be free
* You blow your duck call
* You "smell" flowers
* You have had a very hard time adjusting to day care.. after 8 days you still arn't too happy.  Miss Amy says you just realized that you are going to have to be there every day and are not too sure about that. 
You cried when you heard the infants cry at daycare... you say hi to the baby when they are crying when you are tyring to take a nap. 

* You are MR. INDEPENDENT!

Here gavin is dancing...

We love you sweet baby boy... even though mommy went back to work, we love you just the same if not more!!! We think about you every minute of the day and you brighten our lives! xoxo

And We're Off!

Let's mark this date down:  12 months old July 8, 2011 Gavin started walking!  We went from taking 1 step last week to 2 or 3 steps this morning to 5 right after that to 9 or 10 when we were waiting to get our pictures taken!  This boy is on the move.  The photographer for his pictures today said she had never had a little kid be on the move so fast and so much!  That's Our Boy!  If I am sure of anything... He is going to keep me BUSY!  or Shall I say keep Miss Amy very busy starting in August!  I am sooo excited that I got to see him in action today and so happy that I was not at work.  It was very fun to see him think he was sooo funny learning to walk.  He certainly doesn't mind if he steps on toys, falls, slides on the tile, etc.  Soon, very soon, he is going to be running... it seems as if he already is so that he doesn't lose his balance.

 As much as these pictures show Gavin liking the boat, he will only tolorate so much of it... he does not love his life jacket, nor does he love water.  He will go in it .. maybe a couple minutes at a time, but that is about it.  He does not really like the baby pool, or water table yet.  Even his baths right when we are done cleaning him... he wants out.  I am sure its just a phase.. but we still spend lots of time on Gigi and Papas boat!

Lets think about all the things Gavin loves since his first birthday.
*He loves his bubble mower, any and all trucks, cars, etc.  He likes to make the Vroom sound while moving them along the floor.  He is learning to say tractor.  It sounds like Tr - Er.  At least he is doing 2 syllables.
*He is starting to pay more attention to Cody.... chasing him with his walker toys, crawling after him, etc.  he thinks Cody is soooo funny.  (we will have to have a plan in place very soon about cody.. maybe locking him up will be the best choice.) 
* He still loves music.... usually this will make him start to shake his hand up and down and bounce... if he hears anything he will start to do the shake the hand thing to let us know there is music on.
*He has been waking up in the middle of the night (well usually around 3 am for a couple of hours... not crying.. just playing and talking to himself and maybe a little fussy ...)  Lets say it's really fun! 
* Words: Bubble, light, flower, tractor, bath, more, dog, ball, ba ba, ma ma, da da, hi, bye bye, eyes, toes,
*He is able to find and point out: eyes, mouth, nose, toes,
*He knows sign language for : more, milk, and all done!
* We are drinking milk finally.... but we are still working on actually holding the sippy by hisself (why would he want to hold it if mommy will? ) 
* He got tubes put in his ears on July 5.  It was actually a very easy process.. just very made right after the 7 min surgery and then by the time we got home and took a nap.. we were right back to ourself.. laughing and playing! 
*He eats like a machine.. eats a whole lot... really at each meal and snack time. Still not drinking soo much milk a day.. On a good day he will take 10 ounces of milk.. Some kids take 8 ounces every time they eat.....
* He is still a very happy, snuggly little boy. 
* He loves to have mommy and daddy chase him and then roll over begging for us to tickle his belly.
* He L.O.V.E.S mulch, dirt, flowers... we have a water table and pool and he won't play with it.. only wants to go to the mulch and dig....
BOYS WILL BE BOYS!  Here we show what he does every day with the dirt and mulch........ Gotta love him.. why do boys instantly know what to do and play with dirt... I guess they really are wired to play with trucks and dirt...

We love you Our Big ONE year old .... XOXOXO mommy and daddy!

1 year of laughter, 1 year of fun, 1 year of love to grow on!

Dear Gavin,

The first year of your life has flown by, with this I never want to forget all of the little everyday things that have gone by so fast!  This is my attempt to try to remember as many "little" things about your first year of life.
        Your original due date was June 26th.. you were exactly 2 weeks early.  I woke up and knew that you were starting to come so we called the dr and they wanted us to come in to get checked out.  As I was getting out of the car at the hospital my water broke.... 10:45 am.  It all went so fast after that... started pushing around 1 pm and you were born at 3:20 pm.  I even made the comment while pushing.. this isn't as bad as I thought!   You were perfect!  A slight cone head, 7 lbs 3 oz and didn't cry very much.  You had dark dark hair and dark skin.  You had many visitors at the hospital and daddy and I really didn't know what to name you Braxton, Gavin, or Carter.  You are such a Gavin!
       The first week your daddy took off work and we got to enjoy you to our selves!  We got to bond and figure out your little schedule.. eating every 2 hours.  you also were not gaining any weight so we went to the doctor 8 times in 2 weeks.  You ate from a special bottle and took expressed breast milk.  you always had a problem breast feeding and when you ate from a bottle you always had it dribble from your mouth.  (this continued for 3 months until we FINALLY figured out from my lactation classes that i went to every week for 12 weeks ... that you were tongue tied -which led to getting your tongue clipped) After the tongue clip, you breast fed until your first birthday... while still taking bottles.
      You always slept very long stretches.. we would wake you up after 4 hours to eat, then you quickly turned to every two hours, routinely until you were 8 MONTHS OLD... Mommy went back to work when you were 3 months old.  You went to daycare with Miss Amy and Mr. Jon.  They have 6 pug dogs and 8 kids at daycare, of which only one other is a boy.  You were the youngest by 8 months.   You had a very strong neck and would always try to lift your head.  You were a very happy smiley baby.  People always commented that you looked like a little man and that you looked like daddy.  Mommy always thought you had her eyes though.  You lost your hair quickly and didn't have much, and still don't have much.  But you do have curls in the back!!!!
*Bed time is 7pm and you nap really well you go to sleep easily.. we don't have to rock you to sleep first.. 
*Once that tongue got clipped -- you eat like a machine!  lMommy home made your food and did organic foods... you love fruit and really haven't disliked anything!  Just recently you want to feed yourself and not want to be spoon fed. You say mmmmmm when you like things and recently smack your lips.
*first word was da da, followed by ball, bath, ma ma, dog, light, uh oh, puff, hi, bye bye, ba  ba -- recently you are trying to repeat what we say with same syllables.. flower, light, etc.
*You have always loved baths - recently wanting to play more, stand up, and crawl around in the tub. you get really excited when we say bath, and throughout the day you will crawl in the bathroom and say bath?
*You love going around the house looking, picking, and playing with things you are not supposed to.. cords, computers, tupperware, cody's dog bowl, drawers, cabinets, EVERYTHING... once we say your name, you look back at us and smile
*You love to have us chase you around the house and roll over for us to get your belly
* You had 8 teeth by 10 months of age
* You have had 5 ear infections in 4 months
*Your favorite toys are anything that light up and make sound.... YOU LOVE music and dance (wave your hand) and sometimes try to sing with us
* You love your paci and have learned to put it in your mouth at a very early age.  You play with it in your crib to keep you entertained if we are not sleeping.  You roll around, throw it, and bang it on the crib.
* now that it is summer you are such a boy- play in mulch, dig in dirt, and crawl with your legs extended so your knees don't touch the grass., and being outside looking at flowers, birds, watching cody run around, observing nature.
*Favorite songs have been: wheels on the bus, happy and you know it, itsy bitsy spider, skiddery mrinky dink,
*at a early age you have been interested in fans and lights.  even walking through lowes looking at fans gets you sooooo excited.  Ooooooooo.. and hold up your hand is how you usually respond.  You find them whereever we go!
*You like to give mommy kisses ... sometimes your toys and daddy get them too!

*You are a snuggly, cuddly little boy!
Gavin, watching your joy for life, your wonder of how things work, your evolving personality, and contagious smile makes our day fullfiled.  We can't wait to hold you, play with you and watch you grow every single minute, hour, and day.  I know you feel our love for you and are comfortable and happy as a child.  I hope that as you grow up you feel secure, loved, and keep your playful happy go lucky personaltiy as you have had this whole year.      So much to look forward to and see your personality come out even more!!!
We Love You Gavin Jay!