Stats on the Boys

We took Gavin in to see the doctor yesterday because he has had a persistent rash on his stomach, thighs, and forearms. The doctor wasn't concerned and thought it was just a heat rash. She said to add lotion to his daily regimen and it should clear on its own. She didn't think it was an allergy because it was not itchy and he did not have welts. So, now we wait and see. Hopefully, the weather will cool and the rash will reside.

While at the doctor's office, we weighed and measured both boys. Gavin is 43.5 pounds and 40 inches tall. Devin is 54 pounds and 48 inches tall. Both boys have sure sprouted up!

It is official that I now need to move Gavin up to a booster seat as he has outgrown his Britax. I am wondering if I should just move Gavin into Devin's old seat and buy another seat for Devin that uses a seatbelt versus five point harness.

Both boys also got their flu vaccine. Devin got the nasal mist and Gavin got a shot. Neither one really fussed so it was a good trip overall. Very proud of my boys!

Gavin's 2 Year Check Up

My apologies for the delays in not posting. I got busy on Facebook and found myself not really posting vital information in either place. So I am back to updating my blog and will do my best to catch up on everything I've missed.

Gavin just had his two year check up. The doctor said that he was 36.7 pounds (99th percentile), 36 1/2 inches (95th percentile) and his head was 50th percentile. His growth charts are very consistent which is what they want to see. She did say to move him to lowfat (or even non-fat) milk as he is a very big boy. She said that she thinks he'll be very tall. Yeah! He actually is off the charts for a two year old and measuring the 25th percentile if he was 3 years old today. So, he is well on his way. :-) She also said he measures much taller than Devin at this age, so there is a good probability he may end up taller than his older brother. Although Devin is considered to look much older than he is because of his height. Must be all the good organic food in our house.

Gavin battled four recurring ear infections this winter, so we are hopeful that we are through with all that. His ears were clear at the appt, so I'm praying we don't see another ear infection. Although the doctor warned me that they may come back next winter and to be prepared. If that is the case, we'll get tubes right away. He is prone for ear infections, so we just know now to not suffer for months on end as a result.

The only milestone Gavin is missing at this point is around his speech. He has a small handful of words he can say clearly. He is very much trying to talk though. She wants him to have at least 20 clear words by Christmas. If we don't see that in three months, I'm going to go ahead and start him in therapy now that I know his ears are clear.

Gavin's First Day of School

Here's a picture of Gavin in front of his school. He just completed his first week. He did pretty well but certainly was not a big fan of mom and dad leaving him in the morning. Thankfully, Rich was still on break and could pick him up after a few hours each day. I think that certainly helped Gavin ease into it.

Happy New Year

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. We certainly enjoyed the holidays and can barely believe we are already in 2011. Devin is just over four years old now and Gavin is 18 months old. Devin, in particular, was so excited for Christmas. We went to see Santa and he took a great picture, gave Santa a hug, and told him what he wanted for Christmas. Gavin, on the other hand, wanted to stay as far away from Santa as possible.

So much has changed since my last post. Devin is enjoying school, especially since we told him he no longer has to nap. I have been nervous about that transition hoping he wouldn’t be a handful in the evenings, but he seems to be doing ok. And he loves doing Spanish lessons instead of napping. His teachers say that he is really picking it up. Yeah! He also is doing really well with his addition…he has a love for numbers. And he can sound out words too. At school, he can use his fingers to write in sand.

Devin has sprouted up lately. He is now in a size 5 pant (he could really use a 6 for more room in the waist but then they would be too long). And he wears a size 5 shirt as well. He also wears a 12 ½ size shoe. He’s got bigger feet than the other kids his age…wonder if that means he’ll be tall? He also continues to be the tallest in his age group. I am not sure of his actual weight, but I’d guess 55 pounds.

Devin is a good older brother. He watches out for Gavin and they do play together more now. But Devin also is still very territorial about his toys. Thankfully Gavin rolls with it pretty good, but I can tell he is starting to put up more of a fight. I look forward to the day when they will play together more and really enjoy eachother’s company.

Gavin is 18 months old and a solid 32 or 33 pounds. He is wearing a 2T pant and can wear a 2T or 3T shirt. I also have him in a 7 ½ size shoe. Gavin just got four more teeth. He only has his two year molars left to go. He also is a really good eater. We concluded that he eats more than any of us at the table. Devin hardly eats now it seems like, but Gavin makes up for whatever Devin doesn’t eat.

Gavin is starting preschool tomorrow (Jan 10). He will be in a room with 11 other toddlers ages 18 months to 2 ½ years old. We took him to visit his class and he LOVED it. We could barely get him out of there. We are going to start him with just half days to see how he does. There are two teachers in his classroom and they are wonderful. And they both speak Spanish which we are excited about.

Gavin continues to be our star sleeper. He goes to bed by 7:30 and is up at 6 or 6:30. He goes down super easy and we don’t hear from him until the morning. He is up early, but he is usually a happy camper at that hour. Devin on the other hand, still really likes to have someone around when he goes to sleep. Old habits die hard I guess. Sigh. `

I'll post some pictures of the boys next.

Merry Christmas

Gavin's Check Up

Gavin is 17 months old now and received a glowing review from his doctor today. He is 34 1/2 inches tall and weighs 30 pounds, 3 ounces. That put him in the 100th percentile for height and 95th percentile for weight. His head stayed in the 50th percentile. So, Gavin is still staying on the same projectory for all his stats. Doctor says that she thinks he'll be pretty tall. :-)

In terms of reaching all his milestones, she was very happy with him. We did talk about how he only has a few words in his vocabulary (mamma, dadda, agua, and banana). But his comprehension is really good so we are not worried. She thought he should be up to at least ten words before he turns two. But my guess is that his vocabulary will grow soon. In the mean time, Gavin does well with signing and he certainly knows how to point and grunt to get his point across. So, we'll just keep working with him and hope the words start flowing sooner than later.

Gavin received two shots today but he was distracted at the moment by his dad, so he didn't even cry. What a good boy. He's such a trooper. All in all, a very good appointment.

Devin's 4th Birthday

Here's Devin's awesome Bob the Builder cake.

The kids all gathered in a circle to look at pictures of Devin growing up.
Everyone got to make a crown.

Devin Turns 4 Years Old

Devin celebrated his fourth birthday this week. He was so excited about his birthday. I had to travel out of town for work, so I got him up early so he could open a few presents before school. He smiled so big when I woke him up and said, “Do you want a present?” It was a fun moment for us. And then his grandparents (Valdez’s) took him to school to celebrate his special day. He brought some fish for the classroom (we took a frog last year) as well as fruit and graham crackers for snack. I so wish I could have been there, but feel so lucky that his grandparents were there to experience it all. He loves his grandparents so it was very fun for him.

To top off his day, Rich’s sister made him a special cake for his birthday. He is one very loved child. I really appreciate how everyone went that extra mile to make sure he felt special on his special day.

Here's some pictures from Devin's 4th birthday photo shoot. He is very handsome if I do say so myself. :-)

Gavin – 16 Months

Gavin also turned 16 months old this week. He is sure growing up. He still isn’t talking other than saying mama or dada. But he is very expressive in every other way. I forgot to mention earlier how he LOVES his bath. And he signs as soon as I say, “bath.” His comprehension is very good and whenever I say “bath” he perks right up. It is very cute. He also likes to stick his face in the water. I think he’s figured out how to hold his breath and put his nose and mouth in the water. Maybe he’ll be a swimmer like his dad.

Gavin also got his fourth molar. He really takes the teething like a champ and still sleeps all night.

Pumpkin Patch and Round Up

I took Gavin over to the pumpkin patch last weekend with some good friends. Gavin loved seeing all the animals and the go carts they had for the kids to ride around the property. He also enjoyed picking up all the pumpkins and watching the other kids. He and his friend Max were so cute together. Here’s a few pics.


That same weekend, Rich also took Devin up to some friend’s property for a round-up. Rich rode a horse to move the cattle in (boy I would have paid some serious money to see that). And Devin took to Loren’s mom really well and went with her on a nature walk. She was Devin’s favorite after she made him Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast. I am so happy when people love my kid as much as I do. Devin also did some fishing, threw lots of rocks into the river, rode in Loren’s lap while driving the truck around the property, rode a horse, and camped in the cabins. It sounded like a really good time. Next year, I want to go.

Disneyland

We went to Disneyland for the first time last weekend. Auntie Deseri and Uncle Jim left with Devin on Wednesday. It was an early birthday celebration for Devin. He is one lucky kid! Then Rich, Gavin and I flew down on Friday. I hadn’t been to Disneyland in years, so it was super fun. Devin really warmed up to all the characters and had a blast on the rides. He clearly is my thrill seeker because he likes the roller coasters and fast rides the most. It was incredibly hot in the afternoons, so we would spend the middle of the day in the pool at the hotel. Gavin loved it too. Staying on property made it easy to go back and forth. Definitely want to go back and play some more. And a special thanks to Auntie Des. You are the best!

Gavin (15 months) and Devin (3 years 11 months)

Grandma Marcella really wanted some pictures of her grandkids so we went to Picture People to see if we could get a few good shots of the boys. They did pretty well overall and the pics are very cute. Here’s a link to the photos if you want to check out the full library. http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?myphotos?a=765401&b=170000

Gavin is so incredibly cute right now. He has very light brown hair with lots of curls. And he has the sweetest smile and tilts his head to the side when looking at you. His personality is really coming through. And he isn’t talking yet, but loves to point and grunt. He also gets his point across by going to his high chair and patting his seat when he is ready to eat. And he will pat the fridge door and then point to his milk when he wants some. Hopefully he’ll start getting some words out soon. He’s overdue to a degree, but he is also getting more Spanish that Devin did. Something tells me he’ll just start talking one day.

Gavin is a big time climber. I have to keep a close eye on him as he is fearless. He will climb on anything and stand up and look at me like “Look Mom…no hands!” He will climb and stand on chairs, stroller toilets, ledges, you name it. He also has the strongest fingertips ever. He can grasp something with the smallest tip of his finger and you really have to pry it off to get something from him. Maybe he will be a rock climber some day. He certainly has strength, balance, and no fear working for him.

Gavin got his two top molars recently. One came the first weekend in August and the other came the middle of September. He really takes the whole teething thing like a champ. I think he has a high threshold for pain.

In terms of eating, Gavin can really put the food away. He certainly eats more than Devin these days. I’m sure that will all change in the future, but for now he is the first to start eating and the last to finish most often. The one thing he does that is beyond annoying is that he throws his food, fork, or whatever he has his hands on when he is done. So much for using the “all done” sign. He clearly gets his point across when he throws his food clear across the dining room. That little stinker!

Gavin is wearing 2T shirts and 18 month - 24 month pants. I’d put him in 2T shorts, but the pants are going to be a bit long. He’s also up to size 5 diapers. I haven’t weighed him recently, but I expect that he is very close to 30 pounds. One thing that is true is that Gavin is not my little baby anymore. He’s clearly moving into being an independent toddler.

When it comes to sleeping, Gavin is beyond amazing. He goes to bed around 7:30 and will sleep until 6:30 or 7 the next day. He doesn’t want to be cuddled, rocked, or anything. Just pop him in his crib, turn on his music, say good night and walk out. Yep…that easy! I am one lucky parent. Now if only Devin was that easy!

Speaking of Devin, he is VERY excited for his 4th birthday in a few weeks. He has matured so much lately, and also tests us at the same time. He often has so much energy he just doesn’t know what to do with it. Around dinner time, Rich and I at least once say, “Don’t you want to go outside and play?” I just keep reminding Rich that he gave his parents a run for their money when he was a kid so he shouldn’t be too surprised about Devin.

Legos have officially become a new interest for Devin. He built his very own vehicle using the lego pieces last week. I was very impressed at how he put it all together on his own. I'll try to post a picture soon (on the other computer).

Devin is close to 50 pounds and wearing a size 4 pant and size 5 shirt, although he is about to move up to a size 5 pant. Devin has a pretty good size waist and butt so I have to be sure and get pants with elastic waistbands. Any other straight pant cut is too tight on him. I can get him a bigger size in shorts, but now that we are headed into cooler weather, he’ll need pants that aren’t too long.

Devin still is not a big fan of cheese. And he is starting to get opinionated about his food. I wouldn’t call him picky, but he doesn’t always seem hungry so he has “opinions” about what he wants to eat and not eat.

Preschool has been going very well for Devin. He really enjoys his time there, even though I usually get an “I don’t want to go to school” at least once in the car on the way there. But he has also told me that he loves school too. His morning routine goes best when he has time to watch one video (Dora, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, or Handy Manny) in the morning. That is his gradual wakeup time. Then he puts on his clothes and off to school we go. Having a routine makes the morning go like clockwork. We have about a 25 minute drive to his school and if there is a lot of traffic, he gets car sick (he is clearly my child on that one). So I don’t overload him with food before getting in the car and I also take a different route to avoid the downtown traffic. That has really helped. They offer food all morning during his class so I know he gets to eat when he feels like it.

One thing I LOVE about Devin is how he has the biggest bladder of any kid. He is so good about not wetting his pants. We can be in the car and he’ll have to go but be able to wait a good 20 minutes. And he rarely, if ever, wets his bed at night. I say my thanks every day for the fact he potty trained so well.

I have been traveling for work a fair amount, so Rich seeks out help from his parents quite a bit when I am gone. Thank you to all our family for how much they help us day in and day out. We know how very lucky we are to have them nearby.

We Have a Molar

Gavin cut his first molar a little over a week ago. He has had the eight teeth in front (four on top and four on bottom) for some time now, so we figured the molars would be coming soon. He was a bit cranky on our last camping trip - he rarely is that way. So it dawned on me to check his mouth the next day and there was a molar that popped through on the top left. Something tells me we'll see a few more of those in the next few months.

Golf Anyone?

Camping in Lake Tahoe

We camped in Zephyr Cove this past weekend and I thought it was so cute how Rich was giving the boys a lesson on "How to build a fire." A true father - son moment. Gavin was so interested...hopefully he didn't learn how to actually start a fire!

Devin took this picture of Gavin and I.

And here's another picture by Devin...guess we'll have to work on how to center the picture. :-)

We Love Glue!

While I was on a business trip, Devin fell at his school and put his tooth through his lip. It was really the skin below his lip but bad nonetheless. Fortunately, Rich was arrived to pick him up right after it happened. So he was able to quickly get him over to the doctor and they successfully glued it in lieu of stitches. When I saw Devin in the morning (after arriving late the evening it happened), I could not believe how big a fat lip he had. And the glue looked like someone put a piece of scotch tape on his chin. I am now a BIG fan of the glue because within one week, you can barely tell where he busted his chin. So far, Devin has been glued twice (once on his foot about a year ago and once on his face). I wish they had glue when I was a kid! Who ever invented this is a hero.

Devin Up To Bat

This was Devin's first run at some t-ball in the back yard. Looks like it is time to get a real t-ball set. I was impressed how well he hit the ball without even trying!

Camping Trip to Pescadero

At the beginning of August, we camped in Pescadero for seven days, six nights. We really enjoyed that location as it was easy to venture out every day and do something new. We bought a tent trailer earlier this year and wanted to get in a few trips before the summer was up. Here's some pics of our adventures.

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Pescadero light house....breathtaking view. It is the lighthouse referenced in the business book called Getting Naked. It is about a consulting firm in the Half Moon Bay area named after this lighthouse.

Gavin at the beach.

Rich and Gavin We tried for a family pic but Devin wanted nothing to do with it. And Gavin wasn't too thrilled either. Go figure!

Jason and Jace came to visit us one day. I'm sure many would be surprised to see a picture Rich and Jason with their kids! Oh how the times have changed. :-)

More Pics From Our Trip

Here's some pictures from our trip to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. We had a great day. And the sun was definitely welcomed after being on the chilly coast.

Here's a picture from our trip to the corn maze in Half Moon Bay. The maze ended up being closed due to their lack of building permits...I honestly couldn't believe they needed a building permit for a hay structure. I guess it has the locals all up in arms over the "new rules" per se. But we were able to hang out on their property and sit on their old tractors for a few pics. Devin thought it was great.

More Pics

Rich and I only got a few quiet moments when both kids slept. And this was one of them. It seemed like they never wanted to nap at the same time, so the "quiet" was so nice when it finally happened. :-)

Devin and Gavin love playing in their new camper.
One day, we went to the Exploratorium in SF. What a great place to visit. Devin and Gavin both enjoyed it. Thanks Kristine for the gift certificates!

One Year Check Up

Gavin had his one year check up today. He weighed in at 27 pounds, 13 ounces (90th percentile) and was 33 inches tall (95th percentile). His head continues to be in the 45th percentile. He got two shots and took them like a champ. He made it through his one year checkup with glowing remarks.

My Little Gardener

Gavin has started walking well enough to make his way over to the garden area. He loves to do whatever his older brother does. So the first thing he did was grab the shovel and start digging. He is thrilled because he can also go over to the cherry tomato plants and pick his own snacks. He is very excited and proud of himself. So cute.

Gavin Is Walking Everywhere

Today Gavin stepped up his walking big time. He was all over the place tonight. We went to Angela and Bryan's for dinner (thank you!) and Gavin cruised his way all around their house. He had a great time and crashed as soon as we got home. All it took was some pj's, milk, and he was out. So sweet!

Really Starting To Walk

Gavin started walking last weekend, but then he pretty much went back to crawling and furniture surfing for the most part. Today was officially the first day he really tried walking on all surfaces and in all locations. He was extremely well balanced and would even walk while holding his brother's shoes. My guess is that he'll make it all the way across the house without falling by the end of this week. He seems to be really interested in it now. In many ways, I can't wait for him to walk because he is so heavy to carry. Haha

Gavin has also starting signing. We haven't been as diligent in using signs with him. But he will yell so loud if you don't get him what he wants or put him down when he is done. So, I started signing much more and he took to it right away. It is so cute to see him sign...reminds me so much of Devin at that age. And Gavin smiles so big when we have officially "communicated" in a positive way.

This weekend was really fun with the boys. I took Devin to Jolie's birthday party at the Folsom Acquatic Center. Devin had so much fun that we were officially the last people to leave the event (even behind the birthday girl). He has already decided that is where he wants to have his birthday party. Not sure October will be ideal weather, but you know...a kid can dream. :-) Gavin took stellar naps today. Two of them of at least 2 hours each. What a good boy!

We are back to our normal routine tomorrow - work for me, school for Devin, and daycare at Grandma Casaday's for Gavin. Rich is guiding a group through Yosemite right now so we are winging it this week for the most part.

Gavin's First Steps

Gavin took his first steps today. He is so proud. :-)

Piper

My sweet weimaraner passed away today after being together for ten wonderful years. We were told in October of last year that she had a congenital heart defect and would likely go into congestive heart failure within three months. We were so happy that she lived nine more quality months. She was such a cornerstone of our family. She kept a close watch on Devin and Gavin every single day. And she slept at my feet every night when I gave Gavin his last bottle before bed. My heart aches from missing her so much. May you rest in peace Piper dog. Words can't express how much we love you!!!
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Here's some pics of Piper as a puppy.

And here's a picture of Piper taken two weeks ago.

Gavin Turns One Year Old

Gavin just had his first birthday and I marvel and how smart, precise, and funny he is. He is our climber for sure. Just the other day, I turned my back for a minute and he used Devin’s small chairs to climb up onto the table. I turned around and he was standing on the kid table smacking his hands on the island counter. I couldn’t believe it. And he was SO proud of himself too.

Gavin is very close to walking. He will stand for extended periods of time on his own, so it is just a matter of time before he takes his first step. We got him a push toy so and he will push that, stop, pick up the toy, and turn it to go in a new direction.

He also is our star sleeper. He goes down at around 8 p.m. and sleeps until 8 a.m. the next day. He used to get up at 6:30 a.m. but this week he started sleeping in. When I am up late working, I can hear him stirring in his crib sometimes, but he goes right back to his sleep on his own. Yeah. He also doesn’t take a pacifier (never has really) so we don’t have to worry about helping him find one in the night.

Gavin is a stellar eater lately. He must be getting ready for a growth spurt. He must eat 3 meals plus lots of snacks in between. He doesn’t care much for rice or quinoa lately. But he’ll eat almost everything else. Pasta and cheese are his favorites right now.

I said earlier that Gavin is very smart because he only has to see something once and he can repeat it on his own. A good example is the electrical socket covers we have. He saw us take one off one day and now how knows how to do that. Silly goose.

Gavin is wearing 2T shirts already and fits 2T shorts too. The 2T pants are too long, so I am happy that we are heading into summer. Hopefully Gavin will slim down a little by fall so we can get pants on him the fit in length and width. Gavin is also wearing Robeez shoes that are 18-24 in size.

I took Gavin in for his one year birthday shots and he was so photogenic. He was smiling non-stop for the camera. Here’s a link to the pics. Also here’s some birthday pics and a video of his first birthday cake experience. So fun!