Baby Gavin's Nursery progress...

I'm posting this a little belatedly cause well, I'm busy people.

I'm not sure why I became so obsessed with monsters but I did...cute, non-scary little monsters, mind you! I also wanted the baby's new room to be colorful. It was already painted a great green so after painting the furniture my dear friend Trisha gave us and doing a few DIY projects, it's close to done! Just needs some curtains and it's pretty much as I hoped...not bad on a limited budget...and by limited I mean about 50 bucks (thank God for the shower providing the bedding, free furniture and a shelving unit for $5 at a garage sale!).

One Month...already?!

Sent straight from heaven up above

Came an angel for me to love

To hold and rock and kiss good night

To wrap my arms around real tight

To cuddle & nurture and watch him play

To kiss his boo-boo's all away

To keep him safe and warm & count all his toes

To hold the tissue for him when he blows his little nose

To laugh at his jokes, to clap as he sings

To tell him all the joy in my life that he brings

To clean up his play dough, to pull his legos apart

To pin up his drawings and tell him it's art

To watch his first day of school on the bus all alone

To fight back the tears as I make my way back home

To applaud real loud when he's in his first play

To help him with his homework at the end of his day

To adore & cherish and watch him grow

To guide and teach him all that I know

To see him through good times & help him through bad

To share in his happiness and cry when he's sad

To hold him close and be by his side

To watch him through life as my heart fills with pride

To help him with decisions, the best that I can

To know that someday he'll be a fine young man

I can't believe an entire month has passed since this Lovebug entered our world. He is simply wonderful. He makes our family complete and our lives better for being in them. 

Dance like no one is watching!!

Maddie needs an activity. I mean this is the sweetest possible way (with just a smidge of sarcasm). She is, er, not busy enough. Being a new mom of two I realize the most difficult part (at least for me) is divvying up the attention and between the potentially colicky baby and former-but-still-thinks-it's-so only child, I can't decide who needs Mommy more but I am exhausted. So, the little princess, who has been walking on tippy toes from the inception of her ability to navigate wanted, ney, needed ballet...her feet were practically designed for it! We heard about a class that does a ballet/tap combo for three year olds and, well, I needed to have a fun distraction for her (and I thought the Mommy/Daughter time would be nice!). She loved it!! AND, to my utter surprise, she listened to every instruction...well, except  she incessantly smacked her feet on the floor when she first got her tap shoes on, but hey, I can't blame the kid...that IS pretty awesome the first time! I was also surprised at her coordination. I mean, this is the child who can fall while just standing in place. I've seen it happen. Alot. And, to make things even better (is it possible?!) she had two of her classmates, Peyton and Adeline in her class with her and Bella was in the next class! Oh, and SNOW CONES, free ones after each class.Best.Day.Ever. (in 3 year old-ville)

 Not a good picture, but she's in the middle, hands behind her back....

SO happy her BFF was also dancing! Aren't they just so pretty?!

The three musketeers!

Funkytown

The plague has descended over our home. Everyone I know (and I mean everyone) has or has recently had some variation of the funk in their families. Flu, stomach bugs, ear infections, bronchitis....um, no thanks. For all my crazy efforts to de-germ Maddie on her way in the door from school and keeping Gavin locked at home like a little prisoner, we got it anyway. Ugh (insert curse word here). Maddie started with a stuffy nose which quickly turned into a running faucet complete with fever and the cough of a hundred year old smoker. Then Garret started to feel "something". And then, Lord give me strength to just type it, Gavin started showing some signs of colic (double UGH!). He is inconsolable for about an hour and a half every evening starting at around 5 for the past few days. We just switched formulas and got some advice and natural treatment options for gas/fussiness...praying it helps! It is so heartbreaking to see your baby screaming and writhing in pain and not be able to do a thing. On a lighter note, I have had Maddie home from school and we've actually had fun, as much as possible feeling icky, that is. Here are the last few days in photos!

Since the weather's been so great, I thought we'd brave the little park around the corner...

 First time in his bouncy seat...it has vibration so thought he may like the feeling.

 I braided Maddie's hair and she proceeded to say she was a princess and twirled around the living room. Ahhh, if only it were that easy! Then she started to color and I'm pretty sure, based on the dirty look, she had had enough of photos. Ok, hint received, loud and clear.

Family Fun Day!

 Before we all had kids/husbands/crazy lives, my close group of girlfriends would go out weekly for "Girls' Nights"...needless to say, life has just sort of gotten in the way and now it is few and far between that we are able to all get together. We decided at our Christmas dinner to once again, get together....mind you, only monthly, since we realize weekly is nearly impossible. We are taking turns, alphabetically, choosing a day and an activity for the month. Christy was up first and she chose Family Day at Lakes Park. It was perfect! Not only do we have a hard time getting to see one another but we can go months without seeing each other's kids/spouses sometimes! She and Crosby brought pizza and drinks and others brought footballs, cornhole boards, frisbees...it was a great time and although I decided against bringing Gavin (so paranoid about this crazy flu going around), I personally thought it was the best idea we'd had in a while! My turn is next, better think of something equally as fabulous!

Twinsies!

It's funny how when you have a second child, everyone compares the two. I instantly thought Gavin looked like Maddie, even in my ultrasound photos. Different complexions but overall, very similar, from their weight and height to their physical features. Out of curiosity, I found some similar pics of the two....Maddie on the left and Gavin on the right. They look even more alike than I thought! I can, however, see a difference in their little personalities already. Maddie was very alert and "nosy", always looking around with curiosity. Gavin seems much more laid back, inquisitive even. Lord knows one spitfire is challenge enough :) 

                                                            MADELINE                                 GAVIN

Just Sayin'.

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!