Moving

My little girl is growing way too fast. First she moved like a beached whale...her legs were moving crazy but she was going nowhere. For a couple of weeks she has been getting up on all four's and then launching herself. Now she really is moving along fast and going places...the girl is everywhere and in things. She is sooo impatient...Austen is angry when she can't get to what she wants or not moving fast enough to it. Gavin has been great in teaching her. When we are home he gets down and tells Austen to copy him and follow him...he places his toys in front of her for encouragement.

Arrgh!

The original costume plan was Boom and I weren't dressing up, just taking the kids trick or treating on my parents block and attending their party. Gav was supposed to Bumble Bee or the Black Spiderman (I don't know his name) and Austen's costume was a chicken...we call her chickie so a chicken would be cute. I decided Friday I was going to dress up since this was the first year we were taking Gavin trick-or-treating. Boomer decides to follow me to the costume rental place. We decided that the only cool costumes left were the pirates... we knew if Gavin saw us as pirates he would have to be one too. It is was really easy to create his costume... everything his is wearing came from his closet. I just purchased a sword and a bandana. There was no way I could let Austen be the odd one, so I bought some colorful feathers and attached them to the other feathers and knitted a beanie and attached feathers and a beak and she became our parrot! I had fun making their costumes! For A's, I took a feather boa and attached it to a onesie and made feet out of orange felt and sewed it to leggings. For Gav, I took a white button up shirt, vest, brown slacks, black boots from some other costume of his, used his scarf as the sash that went acroos his chest and tied a bandana aroung his waist to hold his weapon... his costume reminds me of Orlando Bloom's =) He wouldn't wear makeup though! I was happy I got my wish to create his costume, it is so much fun and personal. It was a good night being with family and my good friends and Gavin was happy. The October folder has more pictures. My cousin broght a homemade lifesize Barbie doll box and we all took pictures in it.




Boomer is wearing eyeliner and eyeshadow to darken his beard!

Halloween fun

Kelli's coworker had a Halloween party tonight. Gavin went as Bumble Bee and Austen was a banana. On Halloween night she will be something else so stayed tuned... and Gav will probably wear the spiderman costume. Gav had a good time playing in the bouncer and mad a friend with a littler girl the same age as him. People were already trying to betroth my child... not happening! I know my son is freakin cute [haha], I'm his mom so I can say that, but lets wait 15+ years to talk about girlfriends and another 10 for a wife =) Austen was great at the party just really tired. We were at a baby shower in Carson before the party, so it was a busy day for us.



This is the little girl, Sydney... I think. She even told Gav to dance with her

Totally Awesome

I got a maid... sounds silly but it was needed. There is just so much going on with family and school, trying to maintain a clean environment was becoming hard. I get home between 5-7pm depending on the day; Then I have to start dinner, baths, and then bedtime. Once that is done I start homework, grading, lecture prep, research and presentations. I don't want to spend my free time with the kids cleaning the house. It was so great coming home the other day... Everything was clean and clutter free... they moved the couches, wiped baseboards, and all the windows are clean... Hooray! She will becoming every 2 weeks from now on. It is so much easier to keep up with the little things. If there is ever a week where I can't get anything done...I know she will be here soon :)
I didn't realize how much stress could be alleviated with a clean home

Happy Bday Kelli

Kelli turned 50 on October 3rd. We waited till the week before her party and told Kelli that we were taking her out to dinner in Palm Springs. Friday night I took her shopping for a dress and then Saturday morning she had her hair done. When Jeremy brought her over to the house she was definitely surprised! We went all out: we rented tables a dance floor a bar, had it catered, and a DJ. We strung white lights across the lawan and hung paper lanterns and everyone dressed up. It was so much fun and definitely memorable. Boomer, Jonathan and Robert wore tuxedos. Visit the October photo album for more pictures. I have to get the pictures that Kelli and my mom took

Kelli blowing out her candles

Having a dance with Gavin

Going down memory lane...

Everyone comments how much Austen looks like Gavin...I couldn't agree more...even Gav thinks his baby pictures are of Austen. I get teary eyed when I look at these pictures of Gav as an infant and how big he is now. The most obvious difference is their size, Gav as an infant is at least 5lbs heavier. Austen is so dainty and petite. Click here to see some more pictures of Gav. Gavin is 5 1/2 months here

Gavin's Garden

I wanted to try and start a garden and Gav loves planting... so we picked up 2 tomato plants, 2 walla walla onions, 2 strawberries, 2 jalapeno, 2 lettuce plants and one bell pepper plant. Hopefully this works so we can have a garden on a larger scale. I want to start collecting pots of various size, shape and color to create a veggie garden with. We have a dead space area in the yard that this would be perfect for.

One night I was running behind on the bedtime schedule so I put Austen in the bath with Gav. They had so much fun. Gav thought it was cool to have a friend in the tub and he showed A all his toys. A tried to grab and eat the bubbles and laughed at Gav. Gavin suggested that we do a family bath... don't know how we would all fit. Maybe the next time we stay somewhere (don't know when that will be) we will get a room with a jacuzzi tub! Since then they have had a couple more baths together and love it

I put Austen in her crib so I could shower. She started crying 2 min after laying down. By time I was out and dressed she was quiet. This is what I discovered... she put herself to sleep sucking her thumb

Firsts

Last night, A went to her first Angel's game. She did so well. We ate dinner at the Knothole club at the stadium, then we took our seats. She watched the lights and Gav for a bit and then went to sleep. She woke up for the last 3 innings, ate, relaxed and slept on the way home and the rest of the night (there was one 1am feeding)

Gav had he first day back to school on Tue. He missed his teachers and friends so much. He was happy to know that he gets to go to school everyday. His school has a family picnic in the park at the beginning of the year with a chili contest. Last year I won 3rd, so I'm aiming for higher this year.

On Labor Day, we took the kids for their first mini golf game. Gav loved it and did very well. He has a natural ability for sports. Here he is using the club as an air guitar... he was rocking to Bon Jovi "Dead or Alive." In the end, he threw the club on the ground as well... he gave quite a performance... only Gavin [sigh]. Austen slept most the time and woke up for the final holes.

Hanging Out

The heat has kept us inside this week... trying to do to much causes melt downs. Normally I can run errands, go shopping or whatever that requires us to leave the house. Yesterday was not one of those days! I had a list of things to get done: bank, Target (teething tablets, inner tubes and clothes for Gav), crickets, and grocery store. The bank was successful and that was it. At Target, A was not happy... she fussed. We checked out, minus the teething tablets cause they sold out, and Gav asks to wear one of his hoodies. I told him no and an instant melt down occurred... No I should say a full out tantrum! I carried 2 kids plus bags to the car. Once home, we all had a much needed timeout. This was a new experience for me.

Besides that craziness, Gav has been working on his writing and we've been playing games. He loves this game that launches frogs into a spinning tree. Also, we have been playing with the playdough often, he and daddy made me a yummy cake. Lately, he hasn't had his close on... more than usual. He tells everyone they are off because he is at home. He is still a wonderful helper with Chickie. He talks and plays with her all the time. Gav loves it when A smiles and laughs at him... as if it is a measure of her love for him. Here's Gav's writing skills

He's in his underwear and eating a gogurt

A has stopped sleeping through the night... we were doing good for awhile. She wakes up at 1am and 5am for a 5 min eating. I think because she moves around so much that she wakes herself up. She likes to sleep on her side (like her daddy), so when she rolls one way it startles her. Gav's Intellitainer, from my aunt Shelley at his baby shower, is A's new fave. The lights driver her wild and she screams at the toys because she wants to eat them. A in her Intellitainer and a video of her chomping on her hand. All day she yells and has her hand or a blanket in her mouth

As for Boom and I, trying to eat healthier. Boom works day and night for us... so it is hard for him to eat right and be active all the time when he's exhausted. I've been cooking foods with whole wheat. I made these yummy pretzels. Last night we had stir fry tofu and tonight is portabella fajitas. I'm thinking ratatouille with salmon on Friday. There's lots of fruit and yogurt in the fridge too. I'm not making him vegetarian, I'm just trying to add more veggies to the diet.