What about Gavin?

I finally have my desk top back! This week is Jacob's first week without school and he had time to fix my computer. The funny thing is that I had gotten used to the mac notebook and I have to get used to the PC all over again.

Gavin has grown a lot lately, and I know I say that often - for someone his age it is what is supposed to happen - but it never stops amazing me when he can't do something one minute and can the next. One of the cute things he started is that if you tell him good job he claps for himslef -adorable! He is really into getting into or onto things. He learned how to get into his toy box by himself (something he loves to do) and he also learned to get out of the bathtub on his own. That one scared me because I turned to get his towel and he jumped out of the tub while my back was turned. I was worried he would slip and fall but he made it. He also learned to jump off of furniture and I'm not too thrilled with that. At his age he has no understanding of hurting himself and that worries me. Luckily he seems to understand that is a serious no no and I haven't seen him do it in a few days. One of the funnier things he is trying to do is to jump over things. He first started it with his rocking bug- he would dive over it from one side to the other (what a boy thing to do) and today he started to 'jump' over Jacob. It was on of the funniest things I have ever seen. Jacob was laying on his side and Gavin would do a little bounce and then just dive over him. We think he thought he was jumping but it looked more like falling to us. I went to get it on camera but the batteries were dead :( I was so sad because it truly was hilarious and I hope he does it again. He did a much more successful jump over Jacob's legs (he did a bounce before he just stepped over them) and Jacob got excited and said he would be a hurdler someday. We'll see.

He has also started mmmm-ing (is that a word?) when ever he takes a bite of something. No matter what he takes a bite of he mmm's like it's the best thing. It reminds me of the scene from the movie What About Bob where they are at the dinner table and Bob thinks everything is good and mmmm's alot. In my family that is a classic scene and it makes Gavin doing it that much more funny. (I'm going to try to get that on video also)

When my parents came they brought Gavin various toys and one of them is a simple board with pegs that you hammer from one side to another. My mom got it because she thought Gavin would like to bang on it and he LOVES this toy. He uses the hammer occasionally but mostly he will just push the pegs flat on one side with his fingers then flip it and do it again. He will do this forever! Sometimes he wants me to do it with him and I don't mind admitting that it bores me to tears but for whatever reason he can not get enough of it. He loves it so much that he sleeps with it, sometimes clutching a peg in his hand. I don't get the appeal but I'm glad it keeps him busy for so long.

And finally..... Gavin is saying mom! It took forever but he finally decided to say it. I'm not 100% sure if he knows it is my name or just something to do with me but it doesn't matter, it's just nice to hear.








I love this picture











making one of his 'infamous' calls (people answer and hear heavy breathing and/or baby gibberish)

what a cheesy grin

Gavin got his hair cut this past Friday and he did great! I had been a little nervous how he would act but he sat in the chair and didn't make a fuss at all. I was so proud of him! It looks pretty cute and it's nice and short for the warm weather.

When my parents were here they bought us a new gate for the bottom of the stairs - which is great because the one we used to use was the old kind that you have to step over- the new one swings open like our kitchen gate. It's great because I used to bruise myself all of the time walking over it. Anyway, because of the heat I put the old gate into Gavin's doorway because keeping his door open keeps it cool. Unfortunately Gavin does NOT want his door open when he is in it. The second he sees it open he runs over and shuts it. If I put something between the door and the gate to try to block it he gets very angry. It's so strange. Why can't the door be open? He's very particualar for one so young.

Jacob is done with school this week!! It's finally over. Graduation is in September!

I don't know if anyone has noticed but there are three things that I have talked a lot about lately, Gavin's hair, Gavin's eating and the heat. I bring it up because I am going to talk about all of them again. Let's start with the heat! I am SO sick of it. Today it is 106 and I think our air conditioning is starting to poop out. It is in the 80's in our house right now and I am sweating like crazy just sitting here typing. It is in the 100's + everyday and when it is not, it is 98 or 99. It's the hottest summer I have ever been through. I talked to my parents today and they said it was 77 in Ill. That is almost a 30 degree difference!!

On to Gavin's hair... I am finally getting it professionally cut. I just can't let the poor boy walk around with uneven hair anymore. I am nervous about how well he will sit still while it is being cut but I think (hope) he will do o.k. Also because of the heat it will be good for him to get a real short cut. Right now his hair gets really sweaty and gross because it is so long, I should have had it cut sooner. It grows so fast that it will be longer when cool weather finally hits.

Last but not least his eating troubles. For the most part he is eating better but he has started this one thing that just drives me crazy! He will eat a few bites of something and just when I think everything is going fine, he will spit out the chewed food. I liked it way better when he just refused to eat rather than spitting out chewed up nasty food!! Today has actually been one of his best days. If he eats more than 50% I call it a good meal and today at breakfast he ate \90% and lunch he ate 80% with only one chewed up spit out. So even though there are more good than bad times, the bad are really bad. At least for someone who's not gifted with much patience (me).

Other little Gavin things- he knows that whenever we go anywhere, whether it is outside or just up or down the stairs, he has to hold someones hand. So whenever he wants to go somewhere he comes over and reaches his hand out, it's really cute. The thing I am most impressed with is that he will not go anywhere -even if he got the chance- without a hand to hold (at least until he hits a rebellious stage) and that makes me feel better about his safety.

When my parents were here my mom brought some clothes for Gavin (and toys and books) and she decided to get 24 months since he is growing so fast. Some of the outfits are for cooler weather (if we ever get it) but some are for now. They looked so big that I thought they couldn't possibly fit yet but I tried them on him and they fit fine. There is room to grow but I was really surprised. He is just growing so fast!

He was eating bread and butter and wiped butter all over his face

Jacob bought Gavin this cute spider man chair

They're gone :(

My family has left and we miss them already. It was a really nice visit and we all had a good time. Gavin maintained a pretty normal attitude with only a few bouts of craziness which was really good. The one thing I really regret is that I didn't really take pictures and I don't even know why. I did get a couple so I guess that will just have to do.

While my parents were here the temperature was very very HOT so we didn't get to do much outside. Actually, the day they left the temp got up to 104 with a low of just 82!! (it's still hot with no end in sight)

Also while they were here my dad got a dog. Someone at Ellie's work wanted to find a better home for their cocker spaniel because they felt they were not at home enough to give it the proper attention. My parents were going to get a cocker spaniel eventually so they decided they would take it. (this was before they got here, they didn't just decide to take a dog home while they were here) Luckily they didn't pick him up till the night before they left because for whatever reason Gavin cried like crazy every time he barked. He didn't bark a lot, he seemed like a good dog, but when he did Gavin just lost it which made no sense because dogs barking has never made him cry before. When they left he was very happy to see the dog go.

playing with Oliver

My mom has bought all these firetrucks for Gavin. The littlest at Christmas, the middle one for his b day, and the big one she gave him this trip. The reason I bring it up is that each time she forgot that she had gotten him a firetruck before.

Parents visit

Even though we have started blogging on our family website I think I may still keep posting here for awhile. I have to have Jacob's help on the family site and he is so busy right now that we don't have much time to get to it. So I am going to continue updating here for a little bit.

This week my parents are visiting and so far it has been great! Gavin is over excited but not too bad and he is actually still taking both naps so that is the best thing. I can't tell you how nice it is to wake up in the morning and come down the stairs smelling coffee and eggs and bacon (I don't like coffee but I like the smell) My dad has been cooking breakfast for us every morning and supper each night. I feel bad because it is his vacation but I am not protesting too much :). Rachel brought her new cat, Oliver, with them and Gavin loves him. He loves him so much that Oliver tends to hide when he sees Gavin coming- ha ha. For some reason I haven't taken many pictures yet since they've been here, the only ones I have taken are of Gavin playing with the kitty. It's just so cute.

Even though I said Gavin is not acting too crazy there was one incident that I thought he had really lost it.. One day we all went to the movie's - Dad, Ellie and I went to one and Jacob, Rachel, and her friend Stephanie went to another. My mom stayed home with Gavin and she said that he had almost fallen asleep right before we got home (it was his nap time) and when we walked in he woke all the way up and went crazy. He was almost doing flips (I am not exaggerating) and he was dancing like a maniac. At one point when he was almost flipping himself he smacked his head fairly hard on the floor. He was so amped up that he barely noticed although it left a big red mark on his forehead. He just loves all the attention he gets so much that he will do anything to keep it which is unnecessary because they would happily sit around and watch him do nothing.

Last night and today my parents went down to Chattanooga to see my Grandma. We also went today to spend the day there. Gavin went the whole day without a nap and I believe that is the first time ever he has gone napless. He actually reacted better than I would have thought but it was obvious how tired he was at the end of the night. Being at my Grandma's was kind of sad though because it was five years ago that my Grandpa died and tomorrow is the anniversary of his funeral. Sometimes it doesn't seem like he has been gone for five whole years already and I am really sad that he never got to meet his great-grandson. I'm sure he would have loved him.

We still have a couple days left of my parents visit and even though I know it will go fast I am going to enjoy it all.

And a finally note..... It is HOT. It has been in the 90's for so many weeks I don't remember what cool weather is like but this week is the worst! The high is in the 100's every day and the lows are around 78. Last night at 9:30 it was still 92! It's just ridiculous!!!