The Rogers Family

Halloween 2011

2011-12-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

We spent Halloween in Canyon Lake again this year since we had such a wonderful time last year. Gavin got tons of candy and lots of compliments on his costume. I also forgot to mention that Gavin had specifically requested that I dress up as Minnie Mouse since he was going to be Mickey and how could I resist my sweet boy? So, I found a Minnie costume online that I was willing to wear and Gavin was very happy. Overall, it was a wonderful Halloween!

Gavin and his best bud, Kadem

Gavin and I in our costumes

Showing off his loot

Gavin had a very good Halloween!

The Scary-Faced Pumpkin

2011-12-27T17:23:00.000-08:00

We carved pumpkins just two days before Halloween this year at a good friend's house. We ended up using a stencil for my pumpkin which is something I had never done before, but it was a lot of fun. Gavin kept requesting a "really scary" face for his pumpkin, so Matt drew on a spooky mouth with triangle eyes and a nose and a small scar on Gavin's little pumpkin. However, after he carved the semi-spooky face, Gavin decided that it was "too scary" and he refused to even hold it! Luckily, he did let me take a few pictures of him next to the horrifying pumpkin so at least we'd have the memories.

Isn't it just so creepy??

Gavin with the scary-faced pumpkin and my bat pumpkin

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!

2011-12-27T17:13:00.000-08:00

This year, I decided to ask Gavin if he had any ideas in mind for Halloween costumes and without hesitation, he declared that he wanted to be his very favorite character, Mickey Mouse! I looked at several Mickey costumes online trying to find the perfect one and determined that the options were not very appealing. Most of them were one-piece pajama-type suits that had Mickey's head on top of a hood, which is not the look I was going for at all. Therefore, I decided that my only choice was to put together a costume myself. Thankfully, I have a very crafty friend (who also happens to be my boss) who offered to help create the perfect Mickey costume for my little man. She created adorable yellow Mickey shoes and added black felt to a little pair of gloves to help "Mickey-fy" Gavin. I sewed some buttons on Gav's old red shorts and with the help of black leggings, a long-sleeved shirt, ears and a tail, the look was complete! I let him try it on a few days early and he was so excited!

He sang the Mickey theme song in front of mirror when he first tried on the costume!

My little Mickey Mouse!

Plaque Dedication

2011-12-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Near the end of October, the school where my mom used to work had her name engraved on a plaque and posted on the wall. They had a plaque dedication ceremony and my dad, sisters, and I all attended. It was nice to see the school acknowledging all she had done for the students during her time there.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-12-17T17:11:00.000-08:00

Since I insist on posting in chronological order, I am now moving my way through Halloween, even though it is the middle of December! So, that being said, on to our trip to the pumpkin patch.

We decided to visit Tom's Farms again this year for pumpkins. As you may be aware from many previous posts, we really enjoy Tom's Farms because it is a cute little local spot with a pond, carousel, petting zoo, mini train, pony rides, and a few great little places to eat. Gavin loves the rides and Matt and I adore the ambiance. This year, we also met up with our friends, Jeremy and Lindsay and their son, Kadem, who is one of Gavin's best friends.

We all had a wonderful time and I got some adorable pictures of our two little guys. Gavin had so much fun (as you can probably tell from the pictures).

Gavin spotted this little pumpkin right away and he knew he had to have it

As you may notice in all of the pictures, Gavin always brings a "hot rod" with
him wherever he goes (in this case it was Cars "Snot Rod")

I took a few pics with the camera flash off and they came out a bit blurry,
but they were just too adorable not to post!

Our happy little family

Gavin helped Kadem select a pumpkin

Our cute little pilgrim and Native American

The boys took a carriage ride

Mommy and Gav

31 Months Old

2011-12-13T21:41:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy,

I am so very behind on my blogging that you are now almost 33 months old and yet I am writing your 31 month post! Luckily, I have been trying to keep notes on some of your cute "Gavinisms" and things you are learning and doing at particular times. That way, I am able to continue your milestones posts. However, I do realize that you are nearing three years old, and at that time, I plan to stop doing the monthly milestone posts and just post milestones as you achieve them. Because I do know that it may be a little ridiculous for me to do milestone posts until you are 216 months old! But for now, onto your 31 month post! You continue to be such a wonderful and easy child. You make Daddy and I so proud! Here are some (only six this month, that's all I was able to jot down and remember!) new things about you at 31 months:

One night, after cuddling with you for a little bit and then tucking you into bed, I said, "Thank you for letting me cuddle with you," to which you replied, "Anytime." It just melted my heart!

It's looks like you fill Daddy's big shoes pretty well!

You were squatting down on day and I told you I could see your little butt-crack and you said, "Hey, Mama! Don't look at it!" It was hilarious!

Helping Daddy with the Chevelle

You even asked for a wrench - you already know more about cars than I do!

Working hard

Your concept of time makes me laugh. One day you said to me, "I had a sippy cup years ago." Years ago??? You've only been alive for 2-1/2!!

My two favorite boys

Your vocabulary continues to amaze everyone around you. Whenever you go out, people make comments about how wonderful your speech is and it makes Daddy and I so proud of you! One night, while tucking you in, you requested that I "leave the door ajar." Ajar?? I promptly agreed, but stood in shock as I wondered just how in the world you knew that word. I know I had used it front of you once before, but it truly amazes me how quickly you pick things up. There are adults who don't even use that word!

Shining the headers with Daddy

You love helping Daddy in the garage (as is pretty obvious from the pictures). But you are old enough now, where you can actually help a little bit more. It is so cute to see you out there with him!

Cuddling with Aunt Evie

You constantly ask "What is this place?" when we go somewhere. But, the funny thing is, you will also say it at home. You always want to know exactly where you are at, I guess.

Shopping for sunglasses

Such a cool dude!

You are such a wonderful kid, Gav! Being your mommy is the best job in the world and I am just so thankful for you every day! Holidays will be even more fun this year because you are at the point where you will understand and appreciate them more. I look forward to this year and all the years to come!

I love you to pieces, Gav!

Football Carnival

2011-10-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our good friends' son is in a youth football league and they recently held a carnival-type fundraiser at a local park. We took Gavin down to enjoy the festivities and we had a wonderful family day! I didn't take my camera, but luckily, my phone takes really amazing pictures, so I was in luck.

After spending some time in the bouncer, Gavin shot some hoops

Jason took Gavin through the blow-up obstacle course

Getting a high-five from Daddy

Blowing Mommy a kiss

Eating a strawberry shortcake (well, just the whipped cream - Gavin spit out the strawberries!)

Gavin sat so nicely while getting his face painted - everyone was so impressed!

Gavin and Daddy

Gavin and Mommy

30 Months Old

2011-10-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

You are now 30 months old! I don't even like saying that because it sounds so grown-up. You are already such an intelligent, fun, loving boy; people are always astonished when they learn that you are only 2 years old. You continue to amaze everyone with your incredible speech and brilliant ideas. You are also a complete ham and you make us laugh everyday. In just one short month, you will be half-way through two-years-old and three will be just around the corner. So, my soon-to-be-two-and-a-half year old, here are some new things and cute stories about you this month:

You can now recite almost your whole alphabet! You kind of merge E and F, skip J, L is more like "ewe" and skip M, but other than that, everything sounds great!! Considering just a month ago you were skipping 10 letters and now you're only skipping 2 - that's amazing!! I am so very proud of you, Gav!!

Kicking it in the back seat

After your bath one day, I did something for you and you said, "Thanks, Mom." (Yes, "Mom" - not "Mama" or "Mommy," it was just "Mom" - I felt like I was talking to a teenager!) So I smiled at you and said, "You're welcome, son." You stared at me for a minute and said, "You have nice teeth." Ha ha ha!! What a funny thing for a 2-year-old to notice!

Playing in the water

We keep a large water jug with a spout in the fridge and one day you told me that our water was in a "gas tank."
Whenever we thank you for help with a project or a chore, you reply with, "Anytime."

Making Mozzarella Sticks (with cauliflower)

You were singing along to the song, "If I Die Young," by The Band Perry and I said, "Good singing, Gavin." To which you replied, "Thanks. It's my favorite song." It really is a beautiful song, but probably not one I'd imagine my 2-year-old would select as a favorite. Maybe I should start playing nursery rhymes in the car?

Making Peanut Butter & Banana Muffins (with cauliflower)

You love going to the Kid's Club at the gym while Daddy and I work out, and one day, you were anxiously waiting for Daddy to take you. He told you to wait a minute while he checked his e-mail and you said, "Daddy, you're being ridiculous." Really??? What 2-year-old says, "Ridiculous" and uses it the right context?? I'm baffled.

Making Banana Bread (also with cauliflower)

You love to help me in the kitchen (not that I'm in it all that often). However, based on the pictures I took this month, you would think that I'm quite the cook. In reality, I am desperately trying to get you to eat more so I purchased Jessica Seinfeld's books, Deceptively Delicious and Double Delicious which involve pureeing veggies and "hiding" them in the meals. I was so excited by this idea that I actually spent three days in a row in the kitchen. This was a record for me. And having you there with me made it more fun and I think most of the meals we have tried have been successful. There were few that we won't do again (such as the chocolate pudding with avocado that you threw up - twice), but for the most part, the recipes seem to be pretty good and you really enjoy helping. (A future chef, perhaps??)

High-five from Daddy

Watching the ball...

So proud!

"Did I make it?"

Happy to have your turn again!

Daddy showing you what to do

You beat me by 18 points!!!

Me and you! Love you to pieces, Gav!!

You are a very active child and love all types of sports, including bowling. So, we took you bowling for the second time in your two-and-(almost) a-half years and you had a great time! We had so much fun bowling as a family and look forward to doing it again. However, I am such a terrible bowler, that you actually beat me!! {I'm so embarrassed...}

Daddy and I just absolutely love you to pieces, Gav! You are truly the most wonderful son and we are so very thankful for you everyday. You make our lives so much happier and we are excited for what the future holds.

Love you to pieces, forever, Gav!!

Tom's Farms (Again)

2011-10-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

It may seem like we go to Tom's Farms an awful lot, and, well, I guess we do. Most recently, Gavin and I met one of my best friends, Courtney, and her godson there for fun-filled day of pizza, train rides, and maybe a few bumps and bruises. Of course, the first thing Gavin noticed when we pulled up was the giant Lightning McQueen blow-up slide which he had to go on.

After about 15 minutes, I heard Gavin crying at the top of the slide, but I couldn't see him because he was in the middle. So, I flung my shoes off and took off scrambling to the top of the slide as quickly as I could (which I'm sure was quite a sight because that slide was definitely not made for adults). Once I got to the top, I found that another child (also named Gavin) was trying to push my Gavin down the slide because he apparently wasn't moving quickly enough. Soooooo, I decided that it was time to move on to another attraction. From there, we took a spin on the carousel, where Gavin was happy to have his choice of the horses since he was the first in line.

Then, we waited for the train and the boys were very excited. I tried to get them to pose for a few cute shots together and it started off pretty adorable. However, when Courtney and I tried to get them to shake hands they went in for a hug instead and that's when disaster struck...

Both boys ended up with a few bumps, scrapes, and bruises from the fall, but Courtney's godson definitely took the brunt of it. Both boys immediately began crying and it was pretty awful. The poor kids! We felt so bad! And I know it must look really bad that I was snapping away when the poor little guys were falling down, but please know that it happened really fast and I happened to be holding down the burst button on my camera so it would take several shots at once.

Things did end up getting better, though, once we were safely on the train.

Courtney and her godson

Me and Gavin

After we left Tom's Farms, we ended our day by enjoying the beautiful community pool at Courtney's house. They have a really cute kid's area where there are little shallow pools and water that spouts from the ground for the kids to enjoy. Gavin loved it and overall, we had a wonderful day!

Random Cuteness

2011-10-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

I finally downloaded all of the pictures and videos from my cell phone to my computer and found all sorts of random cuteness. Here are some of the most recent ones (since I am a stickler about blogging in chronological order - must be my OCD).

Enjoying a book at Barnes & Noble

29 Months Old

2011-09-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

You are now 29 months old! You are so incredibly smart and easy-going. We are so very thankful to have such a wonderful son. It seems like everywhere we go, you are a star! People constantly comment on how amazing your speech is, how well-behaved you are, and just how stinkin' cute you are! Everyday you continue to amaze us with your intelligence. I already know that I will need to make sure you are challenged when you start school because I want you to sustain your love of learning. That being said, here are some new things about you this month:

You refer to "going to bed" as "taking a bed." Somehow you have intermingled "taking a nap" with "going to bed" so at night when you know bedtime is near, you will say, "I'm not taking a bed."

You continue to love reading. You will even select books to read by yourself when you're in the mood.

You are very social and love playing with your friends every chance you get.

At about 28 1/2 months, you recited your alphabet all by yourself! (Well, minus a few letters, but how important are those letters, really?) Your alphabet goes something like this: A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I, K, O, P, Q, R, S, Y, Z! Only 10 letters short. Not too bad for 28 months old!

You love to play pretend. You will pretend that we are eating and bring us "food." You often say that you are "picking berries" from the headboard on our bed and then you will give them to me and Daddy. One day, after I picked you up from the Kids Club at the gym, you told me on the way home that you had money for me that you had found there. I instantly got nervous and thought, oh no! You found someone's money and you took it and now we have to bring it back! However, once you reached into your little pocket and handed me the "money," I realized you were just pretending. Phew!
Some of your favorite phrases include: "Hold on a second!" "It's actually..." "Hey, where's my...?"

You make some really funny faces. (You may have gotten that from me... ha ha!)
While Daddy was away on a guys trip one weekend, I let you sleep in my bed with me and I noticed that there was a light coming from the closet. I said, "Is the closet light on?" (just thinking out loud, really) and you replied, "It sure is!" Ha! What a funny thing for a 2-year-old to say.

We are still reading the "Hot Rod Book" every single night, but now you have heard it so many times, you have begun to memorize parts of it. One night while reading, I was leaving out a phrase or two from each page and you were filling in the blanks! I couldn't believe you knew so much of the book!

You continue to be extremely specific. For example, if I find one of your little Matchbox cars and comment on the fact that it is your car, you will correct me and say, "It's actually my green hot rod." Oh, excuuuuuuuse me.
You also continue to be a very sweet and loving little boy. You will give Daddy or I a hug out of the blue and say, "I love you to pieces forever!" It absolutely melts our hearts!

Every night after I tuck you in, I smile and say to myself, "It doesn't get any better than this!" You are absolutely the most amazing son. Daddy and I constantly want to pinch ourselves because we just can't believe how very blessed we are to have you for our son. You are so loving, intelligent, and just an all-around easy and fun kid. We are thankful for every moment with you and look forward to all the moments to come.

I love you to pieces, forever, Gav!

First Class Pizza Car Show

2011-09-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

One of the things we love doing as a family is going to car shows. One that we particularly enjoy is a small local show at First Class Pizza in Riverside. It is the first Sunday of every month and the pizza place is owned by a former co-worker of mine so I enjoy going to support her. Unfortunately, Matt's Chevelle has had an oil leak so we haven't been able to bring it to any shows recently. However, my Dad let us drive his '64 Chevelle to First Class Pizza show a few weeks ago while he drive another car. It was the 3-year anniversary of the opening of the pizza place, so they had a band, raffles, and other giveaways. Of course, Gavin was thrilled to go because he loves going to car shows.

Gavin saw an old VW Bus and said, "Like Fillmore!" (Fillmore, being the VW Bus from the Cars movie.) The owners thought that was pretty funny. Then, he saw this old Ford Model T and said that it looked like Lizzie (the 1923 Ford Model T also from Cars). Pretty smart kid!

After we browsed around the show for a while, we enjoyed some good food at First Class Pizza.

Gavin was fascinated (and I was too) by this Rat Rod. He loved inspecting the motor.

Later, Gavin checked out some before and after pics of a 1940 Buick. I love how he really takes an interest in all things "cars."

Toward the end of the show, we all just relaxed and tried to stay out of the sun while they announced the winners.

Tom's Farms

2011-08-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

It seems like Tom's Farms is a regular stop for our family. It's a fun, inexpensive way to spend the day as a family and we all love it. Gavin loves the train ride, the carousel, the petting zoo, and the pony rides; while Matt and I enjoy the ambiance, the good food, and the family time.

Gavin and Mommy on the carousel

Gavin and Daddy

Daddy, Gavin, and Mommy

Gavin got knocked down when he first entered the petting zoo

He decided that he'd rather watch Daddy feed the aggressive animals

After the animals got some food, they were a bit more calm

Gavin loved the baby pigs

Such a cool guy...

Riding the pony

28 Months Old

2011-08-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

I am once again behind on my milestone post. I know that I have missed several new things that you can do on your previous milestones posts, so I'm hoping to include those now, even though many of them are things you have been doing for a few months now. You are just so incredibly smart and so much fun! Daddy and I love you so very much and are so thankful for all the joy you bring to our lives! So, here are some new (and some not-so-new) things about you at 28 months:

You can count to 10 now without skipping 4, and I have even heard you go as high as 13 a few times.
About two months ago, you were able to recognize three letters: B, I, and O. You've actually known the letter "B" for several months, but the other two are more recent. I don't know what it was about the letter "B" that you liked, but every time you saw one, you would proudly say, "B!"

Riding a bike with Jason

You are familiar with a few shapes. You can recognize a heart, diamond, and circle. You have known heart and diamond for a few months, but circle seems to be fairly new.
You are very specific. If you are holding a toy and I say, "Oh is that your car?" You will reply with, "No, it's not my car. It's my orange hot rod." Oh excuuuuuuse me. I try to pay attention to those details when I talk to you now.

Washing your Cozy Coupe

While reading My First 123's, I said, "One unicycle." And you replied, "It's missing a bike!" You are just so clever!
While helping me clean the shower one day, you climbed in and left dirty little footprints all over and you said, "Left paw-prints!" It was so cute!

Mr. Cool

One day, as you and Daddy were getting ready to leave in the Chevelle for a car show, you waved to me and said, "Bye, Mama. Come and visit!" Daddy and I laughed so hard!
I was hanging clothes in the closet one day and you walked upstairs looking for me. Just when I walked out of the closet, you said, "Oh. I didn't see you there." The things you say are just so funny!
After a car show one day, as I was putting you to bed, you said, "I had a goooood day!" It was so sweet to hear you say that and I was particularly impressed with the fact that you truly understood what it meant to have a "good day."
I don't know what you were looking at exactly when you said this, but one day you picked up my cell phone and said, "Hmmmm..... that's weird." What a funny statement for a 2-year-old to say!
You refer to UPS as "PS" because you think the "U" is for "you." Whenever we get a delivery (which is almost daily due to parts arriving for Daddy's job), you will say, "It's just PS."

Proudly displaying a new shirt from Daddy

You were being particularly ornery one evening so I asked, "Why are you grumpy?" And your reply: "I'm not grumpy. I'm Gavin."
Your favorite show for the past few months is "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." You like to watch it in the morning with Daddy when you first wake up. You know all the characters and you like to sing along with the opening song.
You love to take "niiiice naps" with Daddy and I (and we love them just as much!).

Napping with Mommy

Napping with Daddy

Your favorite book is one that was given to you at an auto parts store while you were there with Daddy one day. It is called, Custom Cars, and was made in 1968. Daddy changed the words to "Hot Rods" instead and so now wherever it says "custom cars" in the book, I have to say, "hot rods," or you get very upset at my "mistake." It was one of several old library books that had been donated to the parts store and you have decided that you want to read that book every single night now when it is bedtime. I even try to bribe you with other books, but to no avail. One night when I asked what you wanted to read, you said, "Hot rod book, of course." I told you that we are going to buy a new one because I am really burnt out on that one (I could probably recite it in my sleep) and being that it's from the 60's, it has a phrase or two that are not really politically correct. Hopefully we find a new hot rod book soon.

Spending time with your cousins

You are so much fun, Gav! We absolutely love you to pieces and look forward to all the fun times to come!

I love you, Gav!!

The Discovery Cube Museum

2011-08-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

While I was off for my two week "summer break" I had lots of plans to do fun, inexpensive things with you. However, the time flew by and we didn't get to do as many things as I had hoped. Although, one really fun thing that we did get to do was visit the Discovery Science Cube Museum in Santa Ana. Grandma went with us and we had so much fun! You were so well behaved the whole day and you made Grandma and I very proud.

You got to watch a movie about water and evaporation...

Play in a coal mine...

Learn about wildlife in the desert...

Explore a space ship...

Watch a 3D movie about turtles (although you yelled, "I wanna go home!" when the snake jumped out at us)...

Learn about gravity and air pressure...

Drive a jeep through the wilderness...

Explore aquatic creatures and the ocean habitat...

Play with Mr. Potato Head...

And more!

It was such a fun day!

4th of July 2011

2011-07-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July is always lots of fun at our house since the City of Riverside puts on a fireworks show right down the street. Every year since I was a child, my family has put blankets on our front lawn and watched the show from there. This year was no different. We enjoyed a barbeque, good time with good friends, and an amazing fireworks show. Matt even rented a blow-up water slide for the ~~adults~~ kids. It was so big that Gavin couldn't even go down the slide.

Mr. Cool checking out the waterslide

The slide was as tall as our 2-story house!

Gavin, Daddy, and Bocephus enjoying the pool at the bottom of the slide

Thanks to our friend Mikey for making this adorable cake!

Matt (on the right) with good friends Jason and Ray

Damian and Gavin

Billy and Gavin showing off his orange ear plugs

Yo, Ho, Ho, Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me!

2011-07-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

With the warm weather upon us, we recently took full advantage of the beautiful pool at Matt's parent's house. Gavin especially loved the pirate ship they had and spent most of his time floating around as our little Captain Sparrow. He is extremely independent and did not want us touching his pirate ship at all, and if we did - even by accident - he would say, "Nooo!!! I wanna do it myyyyyself!" Well, since we haven't really experience the "terrible twos" yet, I guess I can't complain if that's the worst of it.

Helping Grandpa S clean the filter

"Ahhh.... refreshing!"

Finding "Doggie Doodles" with Grandpa

Father's Day 2011

2011-07-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day this year, Matt and Gavin enjoyed a ride in the Chevelle to get some lunch before we did dinner with my dad that evening. Just before they left, I was able to catch what I consider to be one of the cutest pictures of two of them to date. I just love how happy they both look to be spending time together doing their favorite thing!

27 Months Old

2011-07-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

You are absolutely the most wonderful son! Daddy and I just adore every moment with you and it just seems to get better every day. You are so smart; people are always blown away when they learn that you have just turned two! Your vocabulary is nothing short of amazing and the things you know and do are remarkable. You are so polite and loving - you make Daddy and I very proud. Here are some new things and cute stories (mainly cute stories) about you this month:

You seem to understand some opposites. For instance, you will say, "I can't drive. I'm not tall, I'm short." Or, "It's not hot, it's cold."
Your counting skills are getting better, you still count from 1-10 very well, but occasionally "4" gets left out. Who needs "4" anyway?

You say the darndest things! One day while I was sick, you came in my room and said, "Cuddle, Mama." Of course, I will never pass up an opportunity to cuddle with you so I scooped you right up. I had been reading, so my bedside light was on and when you laid your head on my chest, you said, "Light bright!" So I said, "Do you want me to turn it off?" You said yes, and when I did, you snuggled down on my chest and said, "Perfect!"
While getting you ready for bed one night, you said, "Knees hurt." So, when I asked why they hurt, you said, "Crash landing."
As I've mentioned before your vocabulary is just incredible. I noticed that this month, you are beginning to understand the use of plurals and past-tense. For example, you are starting to add proper suffixes to words, such as -s, -ed, and -ing.

As a little science experiment, we had you plant a few seeds in little pot and water them each day. You apparently have a green thumb (which you definitely did not get from me) because after just a week, you plant was already almost 1" high! So I said, "Gavin your plant is growing." And your response: "Yeah, a-mazing!" I couldn't believe my little 26 month old son was using the word "amazing." That's amazing to me!
I had to drop you off at Grandma's house early one morning because Daddy and I were both working during the day. On the way there, it was sprinkling outside and you said, "It's not bright, it's sparkling."
That same day, before we headed over to Grandma's house, you were holding your Monster toy that Daddy had won for you at Knott's Berry Farm and I observed you say, "Nice 'a meet you, Gavin's Monster" as you shook it's hand. You're even polite with your toys!
Again, on the way to Grandma's (this was a very entertaining morning), you said to me, "I can't drive Daddy's blue work truck, I'm too short."

I know I mentioned this on your "25 Months Old" milestone post, but your memory continues to amaze us! While reading your bedtime story one night, we came across a horse and you said, "I rode a horse when I was a baby." Well, you weren't quite a baby, but you had just turned a year old. (You can see the photos of his first horse ride here.) And you constantly talk about other things you remember from when you were younger. It's incredible!
One day, Daddy and I were playing Hide-and-Seek with you and we were trying to teach you the concept of hiding. So, while Daddy counted, I helped you hide in the office, but each time Daddy came looking for you, you would run out to surprise him. I kept trying to explain to you that you needed to stay put and Daddy would try to find you, so you said, "Okay, Mama. I won't come out. I promise!" So cute!!! I don't know where you got "I promise," but I think the concept is still new because you came running out the moment Daddy came around the corner.

Another polite little trait of yours is that you now apologize anytime you do something "wrong." If you drop your napkin on the floor, spill some milk, or even knock over blocks, you will say, "Sorry, Mama" or "Sorry, Dada" in this cute little upbeat voice. It is so adorable! In most cases, we just smile and say, "Well, that's quite alright, Gav." You are just too funny.
In addition to apologizing, you also say, "Thanks, Mama" or "Thanks, Dada" at all the appropriate times. (Geez, I know some adults who could learn a thing or two about manners from you!)
One day, Daddy brought you a kids meal from Subway, which comes in a little reusable cloth bag, and when you saw it, you said, "A present for me?? Oh thank you, Dada. How nice!" We laughed so hard, we cried!

One night after your bedtime story, you said that you wanted to go to a car show with both Daddy and I. But I told you that I don't get to go to car shows very often because there isn't a seat for me in Daddy's "hot rod." Since it's a two-seater, there is only enough room for you and Daddy. Then, I made a sad face and you put your little hand on my cheek, rubbed it and said, "It's okay, Mama." My heart almost melted!
While in your room one night, you pointed out your football-shaped clock and said, "It's Gavin's touchdown clock." And when I said it was yours, you said, "Actually Mama's." I cracked up! What 2-year-old says, "Actually"???

You refer to sleeping as taking a "Niiiiiice nap." So, every night after you wake up, when Daddy goes to your room to get you, you say, "I wake up from a niiiiiiice nap!"
While reading an animal book one night, we were discussing the giraffe and how they have very long necks. So I pointed out that while their necks are long, yours is very short and you reached up to touch your neck and said, "Yeah, it's tiny!"

Oh, Gavin, I could fill a book with all of the adorable things you say! You make us laugh everyday. You fill my heart with joy and I absolutely adore being your Mommy. Thank you for being my little angel!

I love you to pieces, Gav!!

Knott's Berry Farm

2011-07-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

I woke up one day feeling like I wanted to do something fun and different as a family, so we decided to go to Knott's Berry Farm. We weren't sure how Gavin would react to a theme park and if he would even like rides, but considering how much he loves going in "Daddy's Hot Rod," we figured he would probably have fun. Once we got there, we headed straight for Camp Snoopy, since they have the most kid-friendly rides in the park. The first one we saw that he was big enough to ride on was the Airplane ride. It's a little set of Airplanes that travel in a circle and can be controlled to go up and down. Gavin decided he was willing to try it and sure enough - he did! He picked a white plane and wanted to ride in the front seat (luckily we were the first in line so he had his choice). He did so good, Matt and I were just beaming at our brave little man and smiling at how cute he looked with his shades on in the little plane!

Gavin rode on the little race cars with Matt and he loved it!

Here is the only pic Matt got of Gavin and me on the bus ride (Matt's not quite a "Papa-razzi" like I am). And no, we do not know the man in the front of the picture.

And this is the only pic Matt got of Gav and me on the truck ride (you can just barely see Gavin driving the truck).

Gavin on the "Log Peeler" - he did so good riding by himself, but the poor kid behind him was terrified!

Matt got a few great pics of Gavin and me on the Carousel.

This was the first time Gavin has been willing to ride on a carousel and he loved it!

The day continued with Gavin wanting to ride every ride that he was tall enough for. He kept saying, "More rides!" We had so much fun. On the way home, we agreed that it was one of the best days we had had in a while. It's a completely different experience going to a theme park with your child for the first time. It was so neat to see it through his eyes. We are hoping to take him to Disneyland for his 3rd birthday. He's a huge Mickey Mouse fan, so I'm sure he would just love it there!

Matt and Gavin on the train

Me and Gavin on the train

Family picture (Hooray for the timer setting on the camera!)

Gavin took this picture of Matt - I think he has some potential as a photographer!

Our tired little man on the ride home!

Car Show, Car Show, Car Show

2011-07-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Rogers' boys love car shows and I mean looooove them. If Gavin knows he gets to go to a car show with his Daddy on a Saturday, he will talk about it all week by saying, "Car show Saturday!" Then, if it's an early show and Matt has to wake Gavin up before the sun rises, Gavin will say in the groggiest little voice, "Car show!" But he will happily get up and get ready to go faster than you can say, "Are you sure you don't want to sleep in?" So, in the month of May, the two of them attended a car show on three weekend days in row (Saturday, Sunday, and the following Saturday) and they were just in hog-heaven!

The first was the Redland Optimist show that we attended last year. I couldn't go this year because I was at a baby shower. And being that Matt is not quite the camera-obsessed parent that I am, he only came home with a handful of pictures and they were all taken at the same moment. However, what he did come home with that meant even more to me was a story about an event that happened that day. He said that there happened to be real drag car at the show that day and my dad, Matt and Gavin all took some time to admire it. Gavin--being the polite little man he is--looked at the car quietly in awe and then shook the hands of all of the crew guys that were there and said, "Nice 'a meet you." Matt said the guys were so impressed with Gavin and they said he was the most polite child they had ever met at a show and offered to let him sit in the car to pose for a few pics. Gavin happily did so and they even gave him a photo of the driver of the car. He was so excited to bring it home to show me. Matt said he was such a proud Papa at that moment and I was so proud when he told me! And, to make Matt's day even better, he won two awards this year: Best Chevelle and Best Muscle Car! Hooray!

The next day, the boys attended the J & M Car Show and I was able to meet them down there. When I arrived, my poor little man was fast asleep in his stroller with his hand up his shirt. (Yes, he is still very fond of rubbing his nipples!) It was so funny! He woke up shortly thereafter and spent a few minutes polishing my Dad's car and then enjoyed some time in the driver's seat.

Gavin polishing my Dad's Chevelle

Matt's Chevelle

The following weekend was my 29th birthday. So, while the boys attended a small, local show, I enjoyed some time at home relaxing before we did a family dinner that night. I guess all the excitement from car shows wore my poor little guy out because this is what he looked like when they arrived home:

26 Months Old

2011-06-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

You are now 26 months old and you are just more and more fun with each passing day! You are so smart and have such a sweet disposition. You are incredibly polity - saying "please," "thank you," "excuse me," and "sorry" at all the proper times. People are always surprised when they learn that you just turned two. You have your "terrible two" moments, of course, but they are so few and far between. I think if all kids were as easy as you, the world would be far over-populated! Daddy and I love you to pieces, Gav! Here are some new or just cute things about you this month:

I think this probably should have gone on a previous milestone post, but by now, you know all of your colors: red, orange , yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, black, brown, gray, and white.
You can now put your pj's on by yourself with very little help. I only help by "opening" your pj bottoms and shirt so you can pull them on (I also help pull the bottoms up over your little diapered tush since that can be a bit difficult).
While putting on your pj's one day, you said, "Did it self! Proud of you!" Hmmm...that must be something you hear Mama say pretty often. Hee hee!
You absolutely made my day one day when you said in the sweetest and most sincere little voice, "Mama's pretty!" I have never felt better about someone calling me pretty in my life! Thanks, Gav!
Your final two teeth - the upper and lower ones on the cleft side - started to come in last month. So you finally have all of your teeth!
One day, you didn't take your nap until 5:30 and by 8:00, when you usually go to bed, you were still napping! I had to wake you up to eat and get ready to go back to bed and I said, "You took a loooong nap!" and your response was, "Yeah. It's fun!"
You got sick with croupe on Mother's Day, so we ended up in Urgent Care.
While I was carrying laundry downstairs one day, you followed behind me and said, "Careful!"
While going downstairs another time, you asked me to carry you, so I picked you up and you said, "Hold it tight!" Geez, did you think I was going to drop you or something? And since when do you refer to yourself as "it"?
You are a super picky eater and if it wasn't for "pudder jelly" (pb & j) and bean and cheese burritos, I think you would starve.
When you are tired, you will fall asleep anywhere, and I mean anywhere.
You are an extremely polite child (which makes Daddy and I soooo happy!). You say "please," "thank you", "excuse me", and "sorry" when necessary. But most recently (and my personal favorite), when you meet people, you shake their hands and say, "Nice 'a meet you." It is so stinkin' cute! You impressed the heck out of all of our friends when you shook their hands at a recent party.

I know I am missing tons of things that you can actually do this month, but I guess that's what happens when I'm nearly two months behind on my milestone posts. I'm really trying to get caught up (which is one of my goals since I'm off for two weeks for "summer break"). Anyway, thank you, Gav, for making Daddy and I smile everyday. You are our little sunshine and we absolutely love you to pieces!

We love you, Gav!!

5 Year Anniversary

2011-06-24T13:07:00.001-07:00

Matt and I celebrated our 5-year anniversary on April 29. We went to Pechanga for the weekend to enjoy a little getaway. We were accompanied by friends of ours who we met while on our honeymoon cruise. We hit it off with them and ended up keeping in touch over the years, doing another cruise together and even getting pregnant at the same time (their son is exactly one week older than Gavin). We really enjoyed the weekend. We spent the day lounging by the pool sipping piña coladas and in the evening, we went out for dinner and dancing. I can't believe we have already been married for five years. The time has flown by and each year only gets better. I adore my hubby and am so thankful to have such a wonderful man. Seeing him with Gavin has only made me love him more. He is an amazing Daddy, husband, and friend. Here's to five years and many more anniversary's to come!

April 29, 2006 in Fallbrook, CA

April 29, 2011 at Pechanga

Craniofacial Team Visit

2011-06-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

On April 25, we had another craniofacial team appointment. We were scheduled to meet with four team members, but the plastic surgeon was absent, so we just met with the speech pathologist, dentist, and pediatrician.

Once we walked in the building, Gavin quickly realized where we were and his fear of doctors set in. He began crying, "Go home! Go home!" He was terrified and the mommy in me just wanted to scoop him up and drive home as quickly as we could. I was holding him and telling him that it was going to be okay, but he wouldn't calm down. The other parents were giving me looks like they were hoping we would leave, and honestly, I wanted to thumb my nose at them! We waited about 45 minutes before going in and once we were alone in the room, Gavin was fine. He was in good spirits as long as no "doctors" were in there with us. Since his speech is so amazing, I was anxious to hear what Heather--the speech pathologist--was going to say this time. Unfortunately, Heather was out on maternity leave so we saw someone new. However, after asking some questions and hearing Gavin talk a bit, she determined that he is definitely advanced with his speech and is on the high end for everything speech-related. Woo-hoo, Gavin!! I was so proud of him. I knew his speech was pretty amazing, but to hear a speech pathologist confirm it was very nice. She said that he should be saying 2-3 word sentences by this time and he was saying 5-7 word sentences!

Later, we saw the dentist, who said that everything looked good and that we should continue brushing his teeth twice a day.

Our final visit was the pediatrician. However, Gavin was ready to go home before he arrived. I told him that we still had to see one more doctor and our conversation went like this:

Gavin: "Doctor go?" (Translation: Where did the doctor go?)

Me: "I don't know, bud. He should be here in a minute."

Gavin: "Doctor hungry, he go home. Eat burrito - beans and cheese."

I laughed hysterically! I couldn't believe he was actually trying to get me to believe that the doctor went home to eat so we'd better just go home ourselves. What a smart little guy!! Then, when the doctor arrived a few moments later, Gavin quickly ran over to the little kid-sized chair, laid his head down and made snoring noises! So I said, "I'm sorry, Dr. Elmendorf, Gavin's sleeping, I guess you can't visit with him today." He found that quite humorous! When I told him about the burrito story, he laughed so hard and asked, "Are you sure he's only two?" He said that for someone who just turned two to be making up stories is remarkable. He said he was going to share the burrito story with his wife later because she would just love it.

Once we got down to business, Dr. Elmendorf said that Gavin should be taking a multi-vitamin (which he is now doing). Also, after sharing my recent discovery of my hearing loss, he told me that research has shown that certain types of hearing loss have been linked to a chromosomal defect. Therefore, I may have inherited the hearing loss from my mom, who may have inherited it from her dad (both wore hearing aids), and unfortunately, there is a chance that I may pass it on as well. At this point, I hear well enough that I don't feel hearing aids are necessary, so I guess only time will tell when it comes to my hearing. And, Gavin seems to hear just fine at this point, so once again, time will tell.

Anyway, overall it was a good team visit. Getting confirmation from two of the team members that Gavin is advanced was very nice! I knew he was a genius, but it's always nice when others recognize it as well (hee hee!). I just hope the team visits will get easier on Gavin as he gets older.

Easter 2011

2011-06-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun Easter! Gavin started the morning by searching for the goodies the Easter Bunny had brought him. He looked under the coffee table first and then he looked behind the couch and... there it was! I guess the Easter Bunny didn't hide it very well! Next year it might be a little tougher! Gavin was so excited and loved going through all the little treasures he received.

Later, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for an Easter egg hunt in their backyard and some egg painting. Gavin had a blast! He loved searching for the eggs in the backyard and would even tell us what color they were as he picked them up.

After the egg hunt, Gavin got to paint Easter eggs for the first time. It was so much fun for us to see how much joy it brought to him! Luckily, Grandma is very prepared and had a large plastic table cloth for us to use for the occasion (which came in handy when one of the cups filled with egg dye got knocked over). At one point, Gavin plopped an egg in a cup of dye and said, "Egg's swimming." Hmmm... Well, yes, Gavin, the egg is swimming. Good observation.

After dying the eggs beautiful Easter pastels, Gavin decorated some of them with stickers. He did a great job decorating his eggs and we are so thankful for our sweet boy who makes all the holidays so much more fun!

Mt. Rubidoux

2011-05-25T22:55:00.000-07:00

On April 17, we took a fun little hike up Mount Rubidoux. Gavin enjoyed waving to all the people we passed and looking at the view. He ended up falling and scraping his knees, but he's a tough little guy so he handled it pretty well. It was definitely a fun day and we look forward to doing it again soon!

25 Months Old

2011-05-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

You continue to amaze Daddy and I everyday with the new things you know. Your vocabulary is so advanced - you impress us so much! You mean the world to us and we are always saying how incredibly thankful we are to have such a wonderful child. You are so much fun and can always bring a smile to our faces. We love you more than you could ever possibly know and we look forward to what is to come! Here are some new things about you this month:

You understand the meaning of presents and you really enjoyed opening your birthday gifts.

I asked you if you wanted me to have another baby and you said, "Help Mama, baby, screwdriver." So I guess that means that you are going to "help" me by using a screwdriver on your next sibling! Ha!
You helped me make a batch of brownies and have discovered that you love helping in the kitchen. You move the chair up to counter every chance you get now!

You are just like your Daddy and the two of you share a love of hot rods, drag racing, and anything fast! Daddy took you to the drag boat races and you had a great time. You were excited to leave and see the "hot rod boats" that morning.

You have really been enjoying your new sandbox that we got you for your birthday.

You are so smart! We bought you a Cars race track that has the Mack truck stuck to the track so the cars can race through his trailer portion. Well, you decided that you wanted Mack removed from the track so you could play with him and I told you that Mack was stuck to the track. You looked at me with this concerned look and said, "Mack stuck?" Then you handed it back to me and said, "New one." I guess you thought you had a defective one!
You still love your McQueen car and will drive it at every opportunity.

While talking to Grandpa C on the phone, the call was dropped and I said that we lost Grandpa. After we called him back, you said, "Grandpa missing." And for weeks after that, every time you saw Grandpa, you insisted that he was still missing!
You received a McQueen toddler bed from Grandpa C for your birthday and you have been sleeping in it ever since. The first two nights, you were a bit unsure about it, but you love it now! You enjoy being able to climb in and out on your own.

When you saw a picture of yourself, you said, "Awwww! Cute!" I definitely agree with you!
When I told you that we were going to visit your cousins, you said, "Ahhhh!!! 'Cited!!!" (Translation: Excited!!) It was so cute!
You are very artistic and you have recently discovered a love of painting. Your received water color paints from your cousins for your birthday and you love using them!

You put your velcro sneakers on all by yourself! They were even on the right feet!
After you woke up one morning, you said, "Nice nap." I'm glad you enjoy a good night's rest - just like your Mommy!
While snuggling in the recliner with me one day, you said, "Ahh, comfy!" I like being comfy with you, too!
You have an amazing memory. We were playing a game of memory one day and when you turned over the picture of the flower, you said, "Dada flowers home. Swing." You were talking about the day that you and I were on the front porch swing waiting for Daddy to get home and when he arrived, he had a bouquet of flowers for me.
While reviewing your flash cards, once you saw the scissors, you said, "Careful! Mama do it." You understand the rules that Daddy and I have taught you about scissors. You then said the same thing when you saw the flash card with the butter knife. You're so smart!
Once again, while reviewing flash cards, when we got to the butterfly, you said, "Butterfly, cute!"

You are just so smart and your vocabulary is truly incredible! We love you so much, Gav! Thank you for making it so fun to be your parents!

Two Year Photo Shoot

2011-05-05T21:12:00.001-07:00

Gavin had his 2-year photos taken with my amazingly talented sister-in-law, Kristin. You can check out her website here. It was such a fun day because she did the shoot at her house and Gavin got to enjoy some quality time with cousins, whom he adores! Here are some of my favorites from the shoot. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

A Fun Day at the Lake

2011-05-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

I got to enjoy a lot of quality time with Gavin during my Spring Break from work. We were busy every day! Towards the end of the week, we went to Canyon Lake to visit a good friend of mine who has a son just three months younger than Gavin. We decided to have a picnic by the lake and the two boys had a great time! They loved playing in the sand, sharing snacks, and splashing in the water.

The boys waiting to ride in the golf cart down to the lake

Sharing a snack before the ride

Gavin offering to share his graham cracker

The boys enjoying the water

Playing in the sand

Gavin and Mommy

Gavin and Mommy (sorry for the poor quality - had to lighten it up due to shadows)

The boys sharing snacks

The boys playing

Playing with the sand

Gavin

They were so content just sitting by the water, playing in the sand

Gavin being silly with my hat

2nd Birthday Party

2011-04-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Gavin's 2nd birthday, we had a party at our house. It was the first time we had ever had such a big crowd at our house and we ordered a bouncer for the kids and had sandwiches, pizza, and various snacks for the guests. Unfortunately, I ended up spending most of the morning and the first 2 1/2 hours of the party at the E.R. due to a miscarriage. It was my second miscarriage and the timing was probably worse than my first, which was on my 26th birthday. I was very sad because not only had we been trying for baby #2, but I was missing my first baby's second birthday. But, I know that everything happens for a reason and we will just continue to try and hope that I will be pregnant again soon.

So, on a happier note, thanks to our wonderful and supportive family, Gavin's party went off without a hitch. He loved having his friends over and thoroughly enjoyed opening each gift. He received so many fun toys and cute clothes! We are so thankful for such wonderful friends and family! (Thanks to Dad S and Courtney for taking all the pictures, especially before I arrived!)

My Dad and good family friend, Dee, talking before the party

My sister, Matt's stepdad, and my Dad decorated the whole backyard in limited time!

The bouncer

Cute Costco cake

Sandwiches and pizza from Costco

Gavin enjoying the bouncer with his buddies

We got Gavin a sandbox for his birthday and it was a big hit the day of his party

Guests enjoying the party

More guests

And more guests

I finally arrived - straight from the E.R. to the backyard!

Guests watching Gavin blow out the candles on the cake

Family and friends

Matt cutting the cake

Gavin wanted to sample the cake

Ready to open gifts!

Opening gifts with a little help from some friends

Gavin was so focused

He loved all of his presents!

Carefully opening a card

Gavin even received money from good friends of ours

One of our best-dressed guests!

"Is gift opening time over???"

Putting some gifts away

At the end of the night, Gavin tried on the Lightening McQueen helmet he received as a gift and said, "Ride it, Grandpa's motorcycle!" It was so cute!

2 Years Old!

2011-04-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

You are now 2 years old and what a wonderful 2 years it has been! You continue to be such a sweet, loving, intelligent, fun little guy! Every day with you brings new joys. You make Daddy and I laugh each day. You have the best personality and are happy almost all the time. Every night after I put you to bed, I walk away from your room smiling to myself and thinking, "It just doesn't get any better than this!" So, here are some new things about you this month:

Your new favorite show is Calliou and Daddy and I could probably recite some of the episodes because we've seen them so much!
I came home from work one day to find that you had gotten your first tattoo from your Aunt Evie. Oh boy!

Your favorite meal is "Pudder Jelly" (a.k.a. peanut butter and jelly).
Your vocabulary is growing so quickly. You have so many new words on a daily basis that Daddy and I can't even keep track anymore.
You love to help Daddy in the garage and constantly ask for screwdrivers with particular colored handles.
You are very good at using two-word phrases, such as "Help Mama."
You also use a lot of two-word phrases using the word "it" such as: "want it," "reach it," "have it," and "like it."
You love anything with wheels and will try to ride your toys even if you're just a bit too big!

I love you so much, Gav!

23 Months Old

2011-03-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

Just one month away from 2 years old!! You continue to amaze Daddy and I with all the new things you know--like your incredible vocabulary! You are so very smart and we just adore every moment with you. With all of your new words, you say the funniest things and keep us laughing all the time. Here are a few new things about you this month:

We took a trip to Toys R Us and I bought you a pack of Thomas the Train underwear. Once we got in the car, you insisted that I open them. While I was driving, I looked back at you, and you had a pair on your head and you said, "Hat?" I laughed so hard I could hardly keep my eyes on the road! That night, you continued to wear your new "hat" around the house.

You love to draw and will often want company when doing so. You will say, "Mama, draw" or "Dada, draw" when you want one of us to join you.

One day while we were drawing, I drew a picture of a sun and you covered your eyes and said, "Bright!" It was so funny!
You love to cuddle and will often say, "Mama, cuddle." Whenever possible, I will drop everything I'm doing to cuddle with you because there is nothing I enjoy more!

You love to help around the house. We recently had an ant infestation (yuck!) and you wanted to help with the vacuum any time you saw an ant. You were the cutest exterminator ever!

You are such a ham and you love to laugh. You will often do silly things and you can have Daddy and I in tears because you make us laugh so hard!

If you're tired you will still fall asleep anywhere, even in the middle of eating your favorite: peanut butter and jelly!

One day after you woke up, you wanted to stay in your room, so Daddy and I went back to rest in bed while you remained there. We heard you talking through your monitor so we peeked in and saw you sitting in your glider-rocker "reading" one of your favorite books. It was so cute! You were on the page with a dinosaur crying and you were saying things like, "Dinosaur crying. Tears." You are just so smart!

You have great manners and are learning to use "please" and "thank you" regularly. After you woke up one morning, Daddy went in to get you and he said, "Do you want to go see Mama?" And you replied, "Yes, please!" I heard you through the monitor and it just melted my heart!
You recently discovered fish sticks and you loved them! Thank goodness we found something else for you to eat. You are so picky!!!

While I was getting my hair done, my friend/hairdresser asked you what you wanted for your birthday and you said, "Ummmmmmm..... Cookies!!" We laughed so hard!
Two more teeth popped through recently so you now have 10 teeth. Thank goodness they're finally coming in!
You are growing out of some of your 18 month clothing and moving into size 24 months.

I can't believe you are almost 2 years old! These past 23 months have been so wonderful. You truly are the sunshine in my life. You are just the sweetest and most easy-going child. Daddy and I adore spending time with you and we are excited for what the future holds. We love you so very much, Gav!

Gavin "Hearts" the Tram

2011-02-15T17:20:00.000-08:00

For Matt's birthday this year, I decided to surprise him with a family trip to the Palm Spring Aerial Tramway. We have always wanted to go and I figured it would be a fun, inexpensive way to spend the day. So, the day before his birthday, we bundled up in warm clothes (the weather report showed 23˚F) and headed to Palm Springs. We didn't know how Gavin would react to the tram or the snow since he has never been in it before. I was worried that we would end up with a freaked-out child half-way up the mountain with no way to get out and calm him down. However, that was definitely NOT the case. Gavin loved the tramway so much that he didn't want to get off! The ride up went smoothly and then we headed over to the restaurant to enjoy lunch before playing in the snow.

The view from the top

It was absolutely beautiful at the top and it was so much fun to see Gavin playing in the snow. There is a long, windy sidewalk leading to the snow and Gavin insisted on carrying a small clump of it in his glove the whole way down. In fact, every time the little clump would melt or fall apart, he would have to pick up another little clump before we could continue on. And, each time people would pass us on the trail, our polite little man would say, "Hiiii," which naturally earned him many friends along the way.

Once we reached the snow, Gavin was excited to see a little snowman that was just his size. He piled some extra snow on the top before exploring other areas. We had such a wonderful time just enjoying the outdoors and being together as a family. Matt and I loved watching Gavin play in the snow with his poor little red nose.

After awhile, we returned to the station for the ride back down. Gavin was very excited to be getting on the "cam" again. In fact, once we reached the bottom, he burst into tears and yelled, "Cam, cam!!" We told him that we would return to the Tram another day, but trying to reason with a very upset 22-month-old is nearly impossible. So, we just walked as quickly as we could to the car to keep from disturbing the other guests with our screaming child. Good times.

Overall, it was a wonderful day and we would definitely do it again.

22 Months Old

2011-02-14T21:47:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy,

You are growing up so fast and becoming such an independent little guy! You want to do things yourself and you seem to know exactly what you want at any given moment. You are so very smart and sometimes I don't even know where you have learned some of the things you know. You are talking up a storm lately and your vocabulary seems to be growing faster than you are! You also have several interests and skills, so it makes Daddy and I wonder just what you are going to be when you grow up - an athlete? a musician? an artist? a race car driver? The possibilities are endless. We are excited to see what the future has in store for you. Here are some new things about you this month:

You love wearing your rain boots that Grandpa C got you. You want to wear them every day, even if it's just around the house.

You love the guitar Grandpa and Grandma S got you for Christmas and you look absolutely adorable when you play it!

You told me one day that you needed to go poop and I set you on the potty and you went! Then, you did the same thing later that day. Daddy and I were so proud of you for using the potty twice in one day all on your own!
I came home from work one day to find that you had learned how to do "push-ups." You lay on your tummy with your arms pushing yourself straight up and you bob your head up and down. It's too cute!!
You love to use your new tools that Grandpa and Grandma S got you to work on your new car.

You decided that you love "Choo-choo's." So now, we TiVo Thomas the Tank Engine for you to watch every now and then. I even bought you a little Thomas toy that you love.
When you pick things up, you will sometimes say, "heavy!" with a lot of strain in your voice. It is so funny!
In addition to the guitar, you also love playing Grandpa S's keyboard!

When I made a casserole for dinner one night, you were curious about what I was making and I told you that I was cutting an onion. After that, you kept saying "onion, onion" until I gave you some from dinner. Surprisingly, you loved them and only wanted to eat the onions in the casserole.
You make the funniest faces and really crack me up!

You got three more teeth this month so you now have eight! I'm hoping that, with more teeth, you won't be such a picky eater because you'll have an easier time eating. (Ha! A little wishful thinking can't hurt, right?)

Each new month with you brings new joys (and a few challenges). You are growing up so fast and I just adore seeing you become an independent little guy who wants to do things all by himself. You amaze me everyday with how smart you are and how fast you learn new things. You are such a sweet and loving kid and I am so thankful to be your mommy! I love you so very much, Gav!!

A Growing Team of Angels

2011-02-14T21:09:00.000-08:00

Shortly after Christmas, we received the devastating news that Matt's Mamaw had passed away. Since Papaw passed in early October, Mamaw just wasn't the same. Some say she grieved herself to death. The two of them shared a love that was so strong and wonderful that they had truly become one. It was almost impossible to say one of their names without the other - they were always "Papaw and Mamaw." They adored each other and spent every waking moment together. Visiting them was always so much fun because they had great stories to share and were just such a joy to be around. They absolutely loved spending time with their great-grandchildren and cherished every moment with them. I remember our last visit with Mamaw, she was just watching Gavin with such love in her eyes and she laughed as she said that she just loves how he walks. She said that he looks like such a little man when he walks rather than a toddler. But it was still clear from the look in her eyes that there was a great sadness within her because Papaw wasn't there to enjoy Gavin with her.

Mamaw was a strong and beautiful woman. She stood by Papaw's side over the years and was a devoted wife, great homemaker, loving mother and grandmother. She was so beautiful - her hair and make-up was always just so (a quality I wish I could pick up!). When we were over to visit, she made sure a good meal or snacks were available and her house was always tidy. She had many qualities that I find so admirable. The world has truly lost an amazing woman, but Heaven has gained a remarkable angel. I am comforted knowing that Gavin now has another guardian angel to watch over him. We love you, Mamaw!

Huh?

2011-01-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

Before Gavin's next craniofacial team visit in April, the pediatrician requested that we get a dental check-up and hearing screening. The dentist visit was taken care of (which was described in this post) and everything looked good. We also went in for a hearing screening, but Gavin wanted nothing to do with the little ear phones in his ears. He screamed and cried anytime the audiologist got near his ears with them. So, the doctor requested that we reschedule the appointment and try again, but this time with Gavin asleep. He said I could try to bring Gavin in during his regular nap-time and we would do as much as we can with him asleep. He said that if we couldn't complete the test with Gavin asleep, our next step would be to sedate him and do the test that way. However, as parents of a cleft child, we felt that Gavin had been through enough sedation and Matt and I believe that he hears just fine, therefore, we agreed that if it came to that, we would decline the test. We didn't want Gavin to have to be put under and traumatized again.

So, we made a second appointment near the end of December and I kept Gavin busy all day to ensure that he would be sleepy for the appointment. He fell asleep on the car ride over and when we arrived, I carefully got him out of the car. He was wearing his new rain boots (Grandpa C bought them for him and he wore them every day since!) and after I had made the long journey across the parking lot, a woman kindly told me that I had dropped one of his boots. I turned back and saw the boot laying by the car, which looked miles away from where I was standing, holding my sweet little boy sound asleep in my arms. Luckily, I only had to walk half of the way back before a gentleman was kind enough to retrieve the boot for me. Then, I quickly went to the second floor for the appointment. However, having only been there once before, I wasn't certain if I was on the right floor. So, I checked the wall directory, which of course, did not list audiology. I then sat down on a bench to check my planner. So there I was, holding Gavin's dead-weight in one arm, while I frantically pulled items from my purse with the other arm in an attempt to locate my planner: his boots, diapers, wipes, my wallet, random receipts, and finally.... my planner, in which I DID NOT list the floor number. Just wonderful. It was then that I realized that I am one of those poor moms that just seem like a total mess. Frantic, frazzled, and stressed-out looking, yep, that was me in a nutshell. Luckily, I saw a nurse and she confirmed that I was on the right floor.

Once we were in the room, I was so thankful that Gavin stayed asleep and that I finally got to sit down and relax. The audiologist was able to run several tests and then we went into the soundproof room for a few more. He was standing over us with the ear phones in his hands and the nurse was holding the read-out machine when Gavin opened his eyes. Can you imagine falling asleep in the car and then waking up in a dark room with two strangers standing over you with a funny looking machine?? I can only imagine how scary that would be. Naturally, he started crying and I told the doctor that the chances of Gavin allowing the test to be done was slim-to-none. In an attempt to show Gavin that the test is harmless, he put the ear phones in my ears and ran some tests, but I noticed that he had a funny look on his face and showed the results to the nurse who gave him a knowing look and nodded. Uh-oh, I knew something was up.

The audiologist stated that we could put Gavin under sedation to complete the rest of the test, which I declined. We made another appointment for about six months from now and we will just try again at that time. At this point, the results of Gavin's test were inconclusive. He showed a possible hearing loss in the left ear only, but it couldn't be confirmed or denied without the second test. I guess we'll find out at the next appointment.

Later, the audiologist confirmed my suspicions by informing me that I showed some hearing loss and should get a hearing screening as well. This does not come as a big surprise since I have noticed that in recent years, I prefer to have captions on the TV so I don't miss anything and I have come to realize that I sometimes hear things incorrectly. So, the very next day I went to see my doctor and she ran a basic hearing test. The results showed that I heard two out of four sounds on the left and one out of four on the right! That's terrible! I immediately began thinking the worst and imagining that I was going to lose all hearing soon and wouldn't be able to hear Gavin's sweet voice. I think I'm struggling more with it because my mom was very hard of hearing and wore hearing aids from her early 40's due to nerve damage caused by her cleft palate. I cried all the way home from the doctor because I just wished she would have been there to talk to about it because she definitely would have understood.

I have an appointment with an audiologist on January 14, so I guess I'll find out my fate then. *Sigh*

Christmas 2010

2011-01-16T21:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning now that Gavin is old enough to really enjoy the festivities and, of course, the presents. We anticipated a smaller Christmas this year due to the economy and some recent pay reductions I had to endure at work. However, it didn't seem that small when we got all the gifts under the tree (and a majority of them were for Gavin!).

It has always been my family's tradition to open gifts and celebrate on Christmas Eve, while Matt's family does a delicious Christmas breakfast on Christmas Day, followed by gift opening. This works out well for us because it gives Gavin two days of gifts and holiday fun! So, Christmas Eve, my Dad, two sisters, and one sister's boyfriend, came over to open gifts. Gavin made out like a bandit and received tons of Disney's Cars stuff, cute clothes, books, and other fun things. He was especially fond of the Chuck My Talking Truck that he got from Grandpa C.

The next morning was Christmas and Gavin must have been really good this year, because Santa brought him the Power Wheels Lightning McQueen. He was so cute when he came down the stairs and saw Lightning McQueen in the living room. He couldn't wait to jump in! So, we all went outside for Gavin to take an early morning cruise. He figured out where the throttle was pretty quickly, but as for turning, reversing, or taking his foot off the throttle, well, that's a whole different thing. So Matt was running alongside Gavin on the patio trying to keep him from running into things and turning the car around when he ran out of room. It was quite the early morning workout for him!

Later, we went to Matt's mom's house for a delightful Christmas breakfast, followed by more gift opening! Once again, Gavin got lots of great things! He even got his own guitar and tool box from Grandpa and Grandma S and those have also quickly become a couple of his favorite things. Unfortunately, I didn't get any good pictures over there because we were so busy eating and opening gifts!

From there, we headed back home to join my family once again, this time with my brother and his friend since he couldn't make it out the day before. It was a very enjoyable day and I was so thankful for the time with both Matt's family and my family. It was a little difficult at times because we all missed my mom so much. I know she would have loved seeing Gavin open all of his gifts and it would have been so fun having her there. I don't think that pain will ever go away. I just have to hold onto the hope that one day we will be together again.

Gavin and Uncle Jason

The next day, Gavin wanted to spend some more time in his new wheels, so back outside we went. He looked so cute in his car and I loved seeing the joy on his face!

Date Night

2011-01-16T08:28:00.000-08:00

It is so rare that Matt and I get to go out on a date night, so it was particularly special to do dinner and a movie a few days after the 9-year anniversary of our first date. I always enjoy looking back at pictures of our life together and seeing all the fun times we've had and how much we have changed and grown together as a couple. Here we are on our recent date night:

And here we are about 8 years ago. It's one of the earliest pictures I have (I was never really a picture-taker until I became a mom - now, I'm a mama-razzi!). I love this picture because we look like kids!

Here's to 9 years together! I love you, Honey!

21 Months Old

2011-01-15T13:41:00.001-08:00

My sweet Gav,

Wow! 21 months already! I still can't believe that in just three short months you will be two years old! The time really continues to fly by. You are doing so many new things this month and we can see you turning into a big kid right before our eyes. Here are some new things you are doing this month:

You peed on the potty for the first time! Now that means you have done both duties on the potty and we are so proud of you.
You still just have five teeth. You've had your four front teeth since you were right around a year old and then your fifth one popped through (your lower right molar) at about 19 1/2 months. Since then, you haven't gotten any more teeth.

Since you last craniofacial team visit, we have started working on two-word phrases like your speech pathologist suggested. This month, you have achieved that feat with flying colors. You surprised us one morning by saying "Uh oh, goggie" (Uh oh, doggie). Then, that afternoon you requested some "bapple juish" (apple juice). Finally, our favorite one of all, you were able to say "of oo" (which is love you, of course!). It melts my heart every time!
You like to work on your car. We noticed you had flipped your car upside-down one day and were "working" on the undercarriage. You are definitely just like Daddy!

One of Daddy's favorite things that you say now is "woo hoo, Dada!" or "woo hoo, Mama!" It is so cute because you say it with such enthusiasm and we don't even know where you learned it from.
You tried fat-free chocolate pudding for the first time and you were a big fan.

You point out bugs when you notice them in the house by pointing and saying "uh-oh." I really appreciate this new habit because you know how much I dislike bugs.
You love animals and had so much fun on a recent trip to Petco. You were fascinated by the turtles and loved watching them move sloooowly around their tank.

You still love keys and have recently discovered Grandpa C's belt-loop hook for his keys and you think it is so cool. Grandpa let you wear it around the car show one night and you looked adorable!

You smile on request and it is the biggest, cutest smile ever!

You play very well with other kids.
Due to some heavy rain, you now know how to sign "rain."
Some new words this month are: pay (play), evy (heavy), reening (raining), and ee-up (clean-up).

I love you so very much, Gav! You are my sunshine. I adore spending time with you and am so thankful that Daddy and I can work our schedules so that we both get to spend part of the day with you. You are so much fun and you make me laugh everyday. I love you, Gav!

Happy Birthday, Kristy!

2011-01-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

We celebrated my younger sister, Kristy's, 24th birthday on December 14 at Pepito's Mexican Restaurant. She arrived in typical Kristy fashion - 1-1/2 hours late! But, we still had a great time and enjoyed being together as a family. Happy Birthday, Kris!

Decorating the Tree

2011-01-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

We decorated our Christmas tree on December 12 (a little later than we hoped). But we had so much fun! Gavin loved putting the "balls" on the tree and helping with the star. It's fun looking at all the special ornaments that we have gotten from friends and family over the years as well.

Gavin's 1st Christmas ornament from Grandpa C (and Grandma in Heaven)

The Little Gym

2011-01-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

We attended a 2nd birthday party for Gavin's friend, Vincent, in December at The Little Gym. He had so much fun! He loved playing with the other kids and running all over the gym. It is such a fun place for kids and we're hoping we can go back there again soon!

Thanksgiving

2011-01-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Unfortunately, I was so busy, that I didn't take any pictures except for one of the table before everything was even put out. We had a delicious menu consisting of:

Salad and salad dressing
Spinach dip with sourdough bread
Apple cider and vodka party glug
Apple stuffing
Cornbread stuffing
Corn
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
My brother's special cranberry sauce recipe
Sweet potato casserole
Sliced sweet potatoes and pears with a syrup glaze
Turkey!!!

Everything was good! I look forward to making some of these recipes again next year!

20 Months Old

2011-01-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy,

Once again, you continue to amaze me with how smart you are and what a sweet and easy child you continue to be. You are so much fun and Daddy and I love and cherish every moment with you. Here are some new things you are doing by 20 months:

We have a nightly routine - bath, put on pj's, read a story, I sing (if you want to call it that) "Gavin, Gavin, My Sweet Boy," you give me several kisses, then I lay you in your bed and we kiss your doggie and two bears, and then it's off to sleep. On some occasions, we cuddle in the glider-rocker after your bath while you’re still bundled up in your towel. One night, as I got ready to lay you on your changing table, you shook your head and whined. So I said, "you want to cuddle first?” and you promptly replied, “ya.” So, we cuddled for a bit and you fell asleep in my arms. I then changed you and got you ready for bed while you were completely out. You were like a little rag doll, just limp and sleepy. So, I gently laid you in bed, thinking you would just drift off to sleep. Well, you opened your little eyes, leaned forward and planted a sweet kiss on your doggie, wrapped your arms around him, and fell back asleep. It was the sweetest thing - another moment when I had to hold my hand to my chest to keep my heart from melting out!
When scooting across the tile floor on your little car, you lean forward because it makes you more aerodynamic.

You still love to be outside. I love this picture of you looking through the fence for Bocephus.

You know what you do and do not want and you answer questions with "ya" when you want something and "done" when you don't.
You say "Teak Ooo" (Thank you) in a sing-songy voice.
You know how to sign "tree."
You love cleaning (let's hope this trait lasts well into your teen years!).

You move my necklace (the one with Grandma's ashes) off to the side when you want to lay your head on my chest.
You love the Cookie Monster. Aunt Evie bought you a Cookie Monster movie and we have watched it so many times since she bought it that I'm surprised our DVD player isn't worn out.

When you held up your Lightning McQueen foam in the bath and wanted to know what it was, when I told you it was "foam." But then, you got an odd look on your face as you held it up to your ear as if it was a "phone." The look on your face told me, "I don't know about this, but if Mom says it's a phone, I guess it is."
You have gone poop on the potty (twice!) and when you do, you request little pieces of toilet paper by saying "pease."

When we read a book at night, you know which book you want and will shake your head "no" or say "ya" depending on what book you are in the mood for.
You constantly rub your nipples. I really don't know where you got this one, because that's certainly not a habit you see Daddy or I doing!

You love bean and cheese burritos (and I definitely know where you got that from!). You and I could probably eat bean and cheese burritos for three meals a day and be perfectly happy!

You attended your first church service and did very well. At one point, the pastor told a joke and the congregation began laughing and you laughed out loud with them. However, once the laughter had died down, you continued laughing and Grandma had to take you outside because you wouldn't stop!! It was the funniest thing!

I love you so much, Gav! I cherish every moment with you and look forward to all the moments to come!

Aunt Evie's Birthday

2010-12-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

My youngest sister, Evie, turned 22 on November 13. We celebrated at a Hibachi-style Japanese restaurant called Ooka. It was a great night. Happy Birthday, Seester!!

From left: Matt, me, my youngest sis Evie, my middle sis, Kristy, and her boyfriend, Mark

Aquarium of the Pacific

2010-12-28T16:12:00.000-08:00

On Veteran's Day, we went the Aquarium of the Pacific. Gavin knows how to sign "fish," so I anticipated his little arm getting tired from signing "fish" so much throughout the day. We had so much fun! I had to take most of the pictures from behind, so there are a lot of back-of-head shots, but I still got some cute ones!

Gavin was ready with the keys and his bag!

An appropriate snack of Goldfish Crackers

Signing "fish"

Signing "water"

He looks so stocky in this picture - my little football player!

He liked the otters

Getting a little sleepy

We ended our day with delicious meals from Bubba Gump Shrimp. It was such a fun day and we look forward to going back again!

Tell Mama, Please

2010-12-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

Gavin has learned how to say “please” using both sign language and orally. Right around Halloween, he was asking for a snack and I wanted him to say "please." I was trying to encourage two-word phrases like his speech pathologist had requested, but Gavin just kept saying “please,” and rubbing his little hand on his chest and belly to sign it as well. So I said, “tell Mama please” hoping to prompt him into using the two-word phrase. Then, he came up to me and rubbed his little hand on my belly and said, “pease!” I guess that's how he tells Mama. Ha ha!

First Visit to the Dentist

2010-12-28T15:23:00.000-08:00

This one comes a little out of order, because I almost forgot about it! Gavin had his first visit to the dentist, Dr. Lee, on October 7. Of course, he screamed the entire time Dr. Lee was trying to look in his mouth, but overall, it was a good first visit. Gavin's gums and teeth are healthy and he said we should continue brushing like we are doing, but we can begin using kid's toothpaste instead of just water. We have been using toothpaste since then and Gavin continues to do pretty well with teeth brushing. Dr. Lee was very nice and made me feel very comfortable. He said Gavin is a little late with his teeth because they generally like to see eight teeth by the time they are his age and he still only had four. He said that if Gavin didn't have more by the time he is 2 1/2, they would have to do surgery to extract the teeth! I was doing some major praying that his teeth would pop through before then, because the last thing a cleft child needs is another mouth surgery! (Fast forward: Another tooth popped through shortly thereafter and just this week at 21 months, he got two more! Phew!)

At the end of the visit, Dr. Lee gave Gavin a little blue teddy bear with an "I Heart My Dentist" shirt on along with some other goodies. We were then told that he was set for a year and the Dr. Lee would see him again at when he is 2 1/2. Let's hope some more teeth pop through before then!

Halloween 2010

2010-12-27T19:42:00.000-08:00

I had bought Gavin the most adorable lion costume for Halloween this year. It was complete with a little mane to go around his face and "paws" to wear on his hands. It was SO CUTE!! This is what it looked like:

I couldn't wait until Halloween for him to sport it. Well, the day before Halloween a friend of mine invited us over to her apartment complex where they were having a costume contest for kids. I attempted to put Gavin in his costume and he completely freaked out. He was screaming in terror when I even got it near him. At first, I started to panic and felt like Halloween would be ruined for us this year, but then, I could almost hear my mom's voice saying, "Don't force him to wear something he's uncomfortable in, even if he just wears pajamas as a costume, it will be okay. You want him to be comfortable." Thanks, Mom, I think her words of wisdom will continue to be with me forever.

So we skipped the party and went shopping for a new costume instead. We headed over to Old Navy with Aunt Evie and found an adorable dragon costume. The tail even wagged when Gavin walked! He actually liked the costume because it was just a jacket and pants and I loved it because it was comfy and warm for him on our cold Halloween night. He liked it so much that he didn't want to take it off, so I just carried him up to the register and set him on the counter to be rung-up. Even better--because it was the day before Halloween, the costume was marked down from about $30 to $5! I love an adorable bargain!!!

We spent Halloween in Canyon Lake since many of our friends live there and the community really goes all out for the holidays. We had a blast and Gavin had a great time visiting with the other kids. I even had one person ask to take Gavin's picture because he looked so cute. I guess everything worked out for the best in the end.

Craniofacial Team Visit

2010-12-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

We went for another craniofacial team visit on October 25. This time we only met with the speech pathologist, Heather. She had requested to see him six months from his last visit to ensure that his speech was continuing to develop appropriately. Of course, we waited for what seemed like the usual several hours before we got to see her. So, Matt and Gavin passed the time by making paper airplanes and running around the room.

Paper airplanes

Listening at the door

Digging through Mama's purse

When Heather came in, I was prepared with his flash cards in tow to show her just how brilliant my little Gavin is. Unfortunately, he wasn't really interested in showing her anything. It seems like any time someone remotely resembling a doctor gets near him, he freaks out (I definitely don't blame him, after all he's been through already). So, she asked us a few questions and determined that he should be saying two-word phrases, such as "hi doggie" or "dada work." Now, I thought she was going to rave about how incredibly intelligent and advanced he is, so it wasn't quite the response I had been anticipating. However, I felt better after talking to a few friends because they agreed that it seemed odd that Heather said that most 18-month-olds are using two-word phrases regularly. In any case, we took her advice and began working on two-word phrases shortly after the appointment.

Pumpkin Time!

2010-12-27T15:22:00.000-08:00

On October 23, we took Gavin to Tom's Farms for the second time to have a fun-filled family day and to select our Halloween pumpkins. After enjoying some good food at the sandwich shop, we headed over to the carousel. I thought Gavin would want to ride on a horse this time by himself -- but I was wrong! Once again, he panicked when I tried to put him on one of the stationary horses and clung to me like a little monkey. So, we ended up on a bench again just like last time.

From there, we headed over to the train and went for a short ride through the farm, which Gavin loved. We tried to get a family shot, but Gavin wasn't really cooperating.

From there, Matt and Gavin ventured into the petting zoo, but Gav wasn't so sure about some of the aggressive little animals. He seemed to enjoy watching them, but most of the time stayed close to Daddy. I was especially fond of the afro-haired ducks, which you can see in the background, I just think they are the cutest things!

Next, Gavin went for a pony ride. He was a little apprehensive at first, but I knew he'd warm up because he had enjoyed it a few months ago when we were here. And I was right -- it just took a few steps and Gavin realized that he really likes pony rides. He looked so cute on top of the little horse -- with his shades on, waving at the crowd -- he's such a cool little guy.

Finally, it was time to choose our pumpkins. We headed over to the pumpkin patch and began our search. Unfortunately, the first one Gavin selected was a bit too large...

Then he decided that he needed to take off his sunglasses so he could really get a good look at all the pumpkins.

Ah, yes, that one is a much more practical size.

With our pumpkins selected, it was time to head home, but not before Gavin got to play with the gravel! He loved the way it felt in his hands.

After all that time spent looking for just the right pumpkins, we didn't even end up carving them! We just ran out of time. Oh, the shame....

19 Months Old

2010-12-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

My sweet Gav,

At 19 months, you are such a little man! It seems like overnight you began saying so many new words and running around like the rambunctious little toddler you are! You love spending your days with Daddy and your nights with Mommy just as much as we love our time with you. And my mom (your Grandma in Heaven) was absolutely right - as you begin each new stage, I miss the stage that has passed, but I completely love the new stage you begin. Here are some new things about you at 19 months:

You have been running for over a month and you now run all over the place!
One of your new words is "bay-ball" (baseball), and you make the cutest little Popeye mouth when you say it. Here is a video clip:

You continue to love bath time and sometimes are difficult to get out when it's over.

You continue to love your time outside and would probably stay outside all day if we let you.

You received another haircut from Aunt Evie and discovered the water bottle and had a blast spraying it all over the house and yourself.

You are fascinated by the camera and want to see the "baby" on the viewer every time I take it out. This makes it exceptionally difficult to take your picture - sometimes you will chase me around to see the pictures!

You love your sunglasses and wanted them on one day before a car show and left them on for several hours until you decided it was no longer bright enough to require them.

You love Grandpa C's cat, Brat, because she lets you pet her as long as you're gentle.

Unlike your mom, you are fascinated by lizards and you and Daddy caught a baby one and made a little home for it so you could study it for awhile. (You and I later released it back into the backyard because it wouldn't have survived long in captivity.)

You love your swing and often ask to go on the "weee."
You continue to be a picky eater and sometimes I have to go through crazy theatrics to get you to eat certain things.

I decided that you were ready for flashcards and bought you Picture Words and More Picture Words. When I called the school supply store, the clerk told me that they had them available and they were for ages 5 and 6 and up. I told him that was perfect because you were a very advanced 18 1/2 month old! Here is a video clip of you going through some of the cards about a week after having them:

I hope I haven't missed anything major! You continue to grow so quickly and make me smile everyday. I love you to pieces and adore being your mommy! Thank you for making being your parent the most wonderful job in the world!

I love you, Gav!!

18 Month Pics

2010-12-26T19:01:00.000-08:00

Well, my last update wasn't quite as productive as planned. I only got midway through October, so I am now about two-and-a-half months behind! I am going to continue to try to get caught up this week.

Gavin had his 18-month pics taken at JCPenney's near the beginning of October. They all came out so cute! He is so incredibly adorable and continues to be the sunshine in our lives! Here are a few of my favorites!

Another Guardian Angel for Gavin

2010-11-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

Matt's Papaw and Mamaw had the kind of marriage that many people strive for. They loved spending time together and their love for one another was obvious. Recently, Papaw had been battling cancer with Mamaw taking care of his daily needs. However, Mamaw got hurt at home and ended up in the hospital with a broken femur bone that was serious enough to require surgery. Without Mamaw to care for him, both of them were laid up in the hospital. They had wanted to room together, so the staff was diligently working on arranging that for them. Right before Mamaw went into surgery, the staff was able to get them together so they could hold hands for a bit before she went in. Matt's mom caught the moment on her cell phone camera.

After Mamaw came out of surgery, the staff was still trying to arrange for the two of them to room together. While they waiting to be together again, they wrote notes to each other that the nurses hand-delivered. Even the staff was touched by the tenderness of it. Finally, Matt's family was able to arrange for them to talk to each other by cell phones, because even though phones are not allowed in the ICU, the nurses turned a blind eye to it. That night, Papaw passed away.

Papaw was one of the most loving people I have ever met. He adored children and from the time he was young, children just gravitated toward him. He loved his great-grandchildren so much and cherished the moments he spent with them. I'm so thankful for the times that we were able to bring Gavin to visit Papaw. Of course, I still wish that we would have had more time with him, but I know that Gavin has another guardian angel looking out for him now.

We love you, Papaw!!

18 Months Old

2010-11-28T14:25:00.001-08:00

My sweet Gav,

I can't believe you are a year-and-a-half! The time flew by. You are such a sweet and happy child, you make us smile everyday and we continue to be amazed by how smart you are! You are doing so well with your sign language and it seems like you are learning new things so quickly. Here are a few new things that you can do now:

In addition to all the others you know, you learned two new body parts: forehead and elbow.
You try to lift Daddy and I up from the floor if we are laying down and you want to play.
You know how to run!
You learned two new words: "Doggie" and "key."
You can sign "key."
You still love to be outside and will go out every chance you get.
You LOVE spending time with Daddy in the garage and working on the cars.

You got to ride with Daddy in the Chevelle for the first time shortly before you turned 17 months old and you loved it! You rocked back and forth in your car seat and had a great time. But now, you want to ride it all the time!
You like to hold hands when you are walking.

Holding Hands with Grandpa C while walking to his house

You know how to wash your own hair and will help me do it during bath time at night.
You shrug and say, "Huh?" when you don't understand something.

You can go up and down the stairs by yourself (although we still follow you closely and will continue to do so for a long time).

You continue to go to bed very smoothly without any problems. You are a good sleeper and usually sleep from about 8:00 p.m. to about 7:00 or 8:00 a.m.
When you get a boo-boo, you now say it with a really sad, pathetic little voice so that those who hear know the true extent of the pain.
You know some new animal sounds: kitty-cat, horsey, and monkey.
You know how to hit your baseball with your bat and you call it "B-ball."

We love you so much, Gav!

A Sweet Goodnight

2010-11-28T14:02:00.001-08:00

Our nighttime routine is as follows - bath, drying off/pajamas, story time in the glider rocker, and then I sing “Gavin, Gavin, My Sweet Boy” as I lay Gavin in his crib. I cover him up and continue singing the song softly as I shut the door and walk down the hall. That way, I figured, he would hear his song softly fading away and it wouldn’t end abruptly. However, recently I decided that there would come a time when I would need to just finish the song, say “good night,” and close the door. So, I gave it a shot. On one particular night, I finished the song, then I gently rubbed Gavin's head and said, “Good night, I love you” as I walked to the door. His little head shot up and I thought, “uh oh, he’s not going to go to sleep now.” But, he gave me the biggest, open-mouth smile and waved “bye-bye” to me! It was the sweetest thing!! I literally had to hold my hand to my heart to keep it from melting out of my chest! Ever since that night, I am able to finish the song and lay him down and our bedtime routine continues to go so smoothly!

Leapin' Lizards!

2010-11-28T13:39:00.000-08:00

Just two days before Gavin turned 17 months, he got to see what a complete chicken his mom is. We were getting ready to go to a baby shower and running just a little bit behind, so I was rushing to finish up and get going. I had just one window left to close in the house and then we could leave. I grabbed the window and quickly tried to slide it shut. Well, it wouldn't close all the way, so I slid it open again and then slammed it pretty hard hoping it would latch and close. At that very moment that I slammed it shut, a lizard tried to jump into the house right where the window shuts and I smushed his poor leg and tail in the window! I screamed so loud and must have jumped 3 feet in the air. Now, I have read stories from other blogging friends about finding snakes and giant spiders in their homes and I thought that would really freak me out. But a lizard??? Who's scared of a lizard??? Apparently, I am. I didn't know this until that day, but with the lizard flopping around and trying to free himself from the death-grip of my window, all I could do was tremble with fear. I have seen many lizards in my backyard and have never felt afraid of them, but I guess there was something about this one being caught in my window and flailing around that paralyzed me with fear. At the same time, I felt terrible and wanted to save him, but I just couldn't move.

Luckily, we have a friend who lives next door, so I ran and got him and he was able to save the poor lizard from a slow death in my window, along with the help of my little sister and her friend who arrived shortly thereafter. The whole time the poor lizard was caught in the window, all I could do was watch (and take pictures - oh, I am a terrible person!). I guess a career as a reptile keeper is not in my near future.

We're Back!

2010-11-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

Well, the Rogers Family has been absent from Blogland for awhile now, because I have been extremely busy trying to finish up my teaching credential. So, any free time that I had (especially if I wanted to be on the computer) needed to be spent studying for my TPA's (Teacher Performance Assessments) and CSET (California Subject Examination for Teachers). After taking so much time off from school and exams, it was tough to get back into the swing of things, but luckily, I passed both TPA's that are required before student teaching (the remaining two must be done while teaching) and I took one part of the CSET and will receive my score tomorrow. Teachers sure have to go through a lot to become credentialed, but I know it will all be worth it someday soon! I can't wait to be in a classroom with young kids who are eager to learn and who will make my job so enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I have missed three milestone posts as well as some general family updates and desperately need to play catch-up. Although I wrote down a few notes, I have not written down all the new things that Gavin has done each month, so my milestones posts might be mixed up just a little since I am trying to do them all by memory. So, without further ado, I will now post the updates on our little family...

17 Months Old

2010-09-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy,

You continue to be the absolute highlight of my day. You always make me smile and I find that spending quality time with you makes me happier than anything in the world. You are a happy and silly little boy who brings joy to everyone you meet. I can't believe that you are almost a year-and-a-half! The time absolutely flew by and I am excited for what the future holds. Here are a few new things you can do this month:

You give kisses every time someone has a "boo-boo." Naturally, Daddy and I have constant "boo-boo's" and are in need of kisses all the time.
You still fall asleep in your highchair every now and then when you've had a long day.

You enjoy sitting in your rocking chair in your room. However, you must have the blue blanket that Grandma in Heaven made for you hanging over the back. If you rock too aggressively and it falls off, you have to stop to put it back on the back of the chair.

You know several body parts: nose, eyes, hair, mouth, cheeks, teeth, fingers, belly, toes, and ears.

"Gavin, where is your hair?"

"Where's your nose?"

"Where are your toes?"

You love to color on paper and in the bathtub.

You still love the outdoors and really enjoy going to the park. Although, you have eagle eyes and will spot every little speck and interesting thing on the ground and will want to pick things up. Yuck!

You know how to "flex" your muscles and will sometimes show off this skill to others. However, sometimes you choose not to show off your muscles because you don't want to intimidate people (which is completely understandable).

When we were at Barnes & Noble one day, you pointed to a mom with a baby and said, "Baby!"
You signed "water" in the tub one night and have been signing it any time you see water now. You are so smart!!

I love you so much, Gav!