Thankful... that November is over

Well, it’s November 30^th and my intention to post about my thankfulness each day clearly did not go further than intent.  Complete failure to execute… at least in writing.

Actually, if I am being honest, I am very thankful that November is over.  I have looked forward to its end since darn close to the beginning of the month.  The first was a good day, but after that, there was a downward spiral and I struggled a lot to feel thankful this month.   It shouldn’t ever be hard to find things to be thankful for IF one chooses to have that perspective.  Generally, I am one to find good in every day and take a moment to feel thankful, even if only for a moment.  But, in November, I found a lot to gripe about. A lot.  (Just ask my mom… she heard most of it!) 

I was thankful, don’t get me wrong.  I am always thankful for the obvious “big ticket” things that are most important in life.  And there were fleeting moments throughout a handful of days where I felt thankful and was very conscious of my gratefulness.  On the 1^st of November, Gracie had her best day of school so far (she later trumped that “best day” near the end of the month).  On the 5^th, she pottied on the toilet for the first time ever… and it was at school.  Let me say that again... it totally bears repeating... Gracie pottied on the potty for the first time. EVER!  She has now gone a handful more times.  We've been sitting her on the toilet for years.  She loves sitting there and knows how to use the toilet paper and will even help flush.  But she'd never gone at home.  This milestone is HUGE in the world of Gracie!  But, after that day, she missed an entire week due to her nurse being ill and three additional days in the month due to her own health.  That was a bummer.   

Gavin is growing and changing at the speed of light and doing so many entirely adorable things that I can’t help but smile when I think about them.  Like his dancing - - I am so thankful that baby boy will dance the second music starts… even if it’s just one of us dropping a beat for him.  He starts grooving and I smile.  That's easy to be thankful for. 

I was super thankful for plans in the middle of the month with my sisters in CHARGE.  But then, Preston had a nasty stomach flu that caused him to miss the last day of school before Thanksgiving, and thus, miss his Thanksgiving feast.  He was so bummed.  I was bummed for him.  I was also bummed that he threw up for three days and was out of sorts for five.  And, I was less than thankful for the three times I washed every piece of linen in his bedroom… including pillows, which, incidentally, take so long to dry I could have done four more loads during that time.  Anyway, poor little dude felt 100% better by Thanksgiving.  But, by then, the wonderful weekend plans we had were blown to smithereens and, I am not going to lie, I was so disappointed (and exhausted) that I cried about it.

I was very thankful to that my mom and Jim came down on Thanksgiving and spent the day with us.  My mom cooked and John got home from work in time to enjoy dinner with us.  Then the following day, Gavin and John got sick - - the same nasty bug Preston had.  Gavin got it worse… way worse.  He narrowly missed a hospitalization this past Monday due to four days of awful stomach stuff that left him bordering on dehydration and down almost a pound.  He just got his appetite back today… I was thankful for that.  But he also still has a very upset tummy and a bilateral ear infection.

With all the “ick” I am exhausted.  And, even though I don't get much sleep, I haven't been able to get myself to sit down in the middle of the night and deal with the pile of paperwork that sits on my desk.  I am sure there are things in that pile that should be done already.  It nags at me every time I pass by.  Even more nagging,  I am behind on the blog (which is self-inflicted pressure, not anyone else’s… but it’s how I keep pictures and life stuff sorted.  It is the only “scrapbooking” I do for our family and I can guarantee if I don’t keep up with it, I will never go back and do it “someday when I have time”) and I haven’t even written Gavin’s “9 month” post.  I did manage to take his pics  on the 16th in between Preston being sick and I jotted down some things about his ninth month, but, once again, complete failure to execute.  I will have to backdate the post and hope I get it done before he is ten months.

The list of stuff that I griped about this month is long...  the status of our garage was near the top of that list.  It’s small and very full.  (We are bordering on needing an intervention from the show “Hoarders” quite frankly!)  I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit and motivated to decorate (for the kids… because otherwise I’d boycott this year!  I still don’t feel settled from our move.) I have been whining about feeling overwhelmed about decorating for Christmas when I still haven’t finished hanging pictures and Gavin’s room is still just a thrown together mess.  You get the drift.  I complained and whined about a lot of things.  My house looks like it was ransacked five seconds after I get it straightened back up.  I clean the kitchen and, no joke, two minutes later there is stuff all over every counter top.  I am not sure how it happens.  But, it always does and I managed to gripe about it this month. A lot. 

Then a friend posted this on facebook. 

It was then that I remembered that I am always able (or should be able) to find little things here and there for which I am thankful, even on the rough days.  The kids could have been worse.  At least I am fortunate enough to have a washer and dryer to accommodate Preston’s bedding and wash it at home instead of dragging it all to the laundromat.  I am thankful to have a garage full of crap to complain about in the first place.  It’s all perspective and how we choose to spin it.  Sometimes, I just need to be reminded. 

Still... I am thankful that it will be December in less than an hour! 

Gavin (Month 9)

This is all we got actually in the green chair!
You are a man on the move!



You are BUSY!

Dear Sweet Gav-Man,
You are an ever-changing and growing bundle of fun.  You are such a happy little guy and continue to be so observant of (and often serious about) the world around you.  You love books, dancing and playing with your big brother.  You are obsessed with the toys in the playroom that are out of your reach (for a reason) as well as your sister's equipment and accessories.  Aside from books, everything that's off limits is pretty much the only thing you want!

Though you love all books, "B is for Bear" and Gracie's "Dora Gets Dressed" are your current favorites.
You also love the "100 First Words" book that was Preston's, but it is literally falling apart at the spine!  Time for a new copy!

Within eight minutes of starting your monthly photo shoot, you played with toys and books in the family room and then made your way into Gracie's room where you pulled her books off the shelf.

You are 18 pounds, 13 ounces and are 28 7/8 inches tall.  You climb EVERYTHING and are starting to cruise all around the house.  You cruise furniture, walls, people to objects, etc. 

You're not yet super stable in your transitions, but that instability won't last much longer.  I think you're going to be an early walker.  I would like to know who told you this is a race!  You can slow down a bit!

Looking cool and retro!

This month you...

- Cut your upper two front teeth. At the same time.  It was not pleasant - - for either of us.  I am not exactly sure why you need to be such an over-achiever and do two teeth at once for the second time.  It's just not necessary, Boo-Dee. 

- Officially stopped sleeping through the night.  The entire month there wasn't one night where you didn't wake up.  Surely this has to do with those teeth. I hope.  Perhaps it's because I was so happy to share the fact that you've been a brilliant night sleeper since the get-go.  Maybe I jinxed us!  I really hope it's your teeth.  The wake-ups started at the end of last month and I thought maybe it was because of all of your gross motor developments... maybe it's that and your teeth.  Whatever the cause, it's been brutal.  Between you and your sister's night parties, Mommy walks around like a bigger zombie than usual!

- We took a family drive on a crisp and cool Sunday.  During our stop at a park in Danville, you giggled endlessly as you swung next to your sister.  Though this wasn't the first time you two have swung together, it's the first time you've been aware that she was next to you and the first time you really enjoyed yourself!  Daddy and I couldn't stop smiling at how much you smiled, laughed and kicked your legs. 

The video of this is the cutest!  You were too funny and having a blast!
Daddy was nice enough to take our picture - - you were unimpressed with that idea, especially when compared to the swinging fun you'd just had!  You and I have only a handful of pictures together since the day you were born.  We really, really need to work on that.

- Celebrated your first Halloween and were too cute for words! 

Nana snapped this of you in your "tie" onesie sitting on our giant pumpkin

You also had another "virtual date" via picture collage with Miss Chloe!
Koalas and Elephants might not be compatible, but Gav-oalas and Chlo-ephants sure are!

- Got a new toy and would not stop staring up at the box until we opened it. Too funny! Patience is not yet your strong suit!

- And you became the third little Swann to use Gracie's Rifton desk! Let's just be honest about this desk... with Gracie it was (and sometimes still is) a way to get her up, stable and supported. We generally do pedicures in this seat (without the tray so she can see), but other than that, she doesn't use it much anymore because she is technically too big for it. For you and your brother, well, it is/was a great way to keep you safe and occupied for a few minutes while I get a couple of chores done or, say, run to the bathroom knowing that you can't get into mischief in the two minutes I need to be gone!

One of our many silly songs that I made up on the fly and now it's a keeper...

Busy, busy, busy boy
You bring mommy so much joy
You're my Boo, my Gavin-Man
I'm so in love, yes I am!

xoxo
Mommy

The Flock's Halloween "Endeavours" (and thankful #1)

Happy Halloween from the Flock!
Gracie... Commander of the Endeavour's Halloween Mission
Preston... Batman
Gavin... Koala

Gavin the Koala
(a hand-me-down from his big brother)

Gracie testing out her shuttle in her classroom

I made her a "uniform" by ironing on actual NASA logos and patches.
She was not so thrilled at this point. We disrupted her routine at school and threw her off completely. In hindsight, a really bad move, but also a good teaching moment for her about coping with unexpected situations in the midst of her day.  Unfortunately (this mama bear was not pleased), the county special education classrooms were left out of this year's Halloween parade on Gracie's (which is also Preston's) campus.  It was an oversight... a very unfortunate oversight.  The problem for me is that no one would "forget to include" the kids in general ed.  It was not done with mal-intent, however, the lack of consideration and "forgetting to include" is unacceptable and, rest assured, will not happen again with this mama on watch!

Batman at his school parade (no masks allowed) and ready to trick-or-treat in the evening... all with his buddy, Peyton, who was Spiderman by day and Ironman at night.
 

Our super cute Koala
I could not get enough of him in this costume!

Outtakes courtesy of our Koala who just couldn't sit still!

This cracks us up because Gavin and the pumpkin creature behind him are sitting almost identically!

There is already some serious adoration between these two.
She is going to have two fierce protectors on her side.  Gavin is clearly (just look at his eyes) taking after his big brother when it comes to having a ton of love for his sissy.

I just love this... it makes me laugh.
Preston is hilarious.
Gracie is thinking, "Oh brother... always such a scene stealer!"
And Gavin is looking on wondering what the heck all the hoopla is about!

Endeavour's Halloween Mission Commander enjoying her flight as the breeze kicked up and made the ghosts in our tree fly above her.

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I decided last year, after being inspired by my dear friend, Hannah's blogging, that I would do a month's worth of "thankful" posts this November. Today's is simple... I am thankful that Gracie had her best day at school yet... really thankful.