Happiness is... 3.31 miles

Today was sunny, breezy and warm - - right around 60 degrees - - which is downright balmy compared to a week ago, or, for that matter, even just a few days ago.  So, I got everyone dressed (minus a jacket layer... yay!), loaded up our double BOB (blankets, a feeding and bolus set for Gracie, water bottles for Preston, Gavin and me, suction, jacket layers just-in-case, diapers and wipes) and we headed out for an afternoon in the Saturday sunshine.  We traveled 3.31 miles, stopping half-way for a snack and about 90 minutes of park time.  It was a happy afternoon.

We took our time and meandered along the way to our favorite mid-walk pit-stop, Willy's.

Preston was our fearless leader, pedaling along while I "wogged" behind him
pushing a considerable load!
(Wogging = walking and jogging)

Preston's bagel smile - - so happy to have a Willy's snack!

Gavin took a 20 minute cat-nap which was perfect timing for our Willy's stop.

Gracie also enjoyed a snack at Willy's... her own cup of whipped cream!

This was our view for the entire first half of our walk.

This park is right next to Willy's.  Gavin timed his siesta perfectly and was wide awake when I parked the stroller on the grass near the play structure.  After Gracie's turn sliding and a quick bolus feed, the rest of the time was spent keeping tabs on Preston while he made friends with every kiddo at the park and chasing Gavin... and keeping everything from the ground out of his mouth!

Gavin (Month 11)

The Gav-man on a mission
You are certainly a determined little guy!  I repeatedly moved you away from the muddy planter that you wanted to explore and you'd make a bee-line for it over and over.

Seriously... you couldn't have posed more perfectly!

This is the best "monthly green chair" picture I could do.
I love your happiness... it is so very contagious!
You've grown so much in 11 months.
(If we say, "WooHoo," you throw your arms up like this!)

Dear Boo-Dee,
I can't believe that you're 11 months. And, I know I say this every month, but this month hit me hard. The truth is, I got all teary a few times today thinking about the fact that you're almost a year. You're our baby and I know you are our last, so it's very bittersweet. I am afraid that I need to get over all of this, though, or I am going to over-smother you and make you into too much of a mama's boy!

Your sweet personality just continues to blossom. You are such a love - - leaning in for kisses, smacking kisses freely at the entire family and almost every time I tell you, "I love you."
You have added a sign approximation for "bath" (and say "bah-bah"). You regularly make the request for one when you are done with dinner.  It's so cute.
You go over to the sliding glass door and bang on it when Toby's outside and then frantically sign "dog" over and over when he greets you on the other side of the glass.

This was taken by Preston as you crawled toward him with me right behind ready to grab your legs if necessary!
You loved your first time crawling through a tunnel at the park (or swimming through your drool!)

You continue to enjoy being outside and get so excited when it's time to pick Preston up from school. When I tell you we are picking up "Bubba" and going to the park, you come unglued with excitement because you know you get to swing when we get to the park. Our routine is pretty set... park for about 50 minutes, then we pick up Gracie. Considering we have to make multiple trips back and forth in the morning and often in the afternoon, you are fairly patient with it all.

You've got an amazing repertoire for sound effects!  Pirates (you grunt), cars (another grunt with a "v" sound at the beginning - - like "vroom" - - it's hilarious!), yells, squeaks and squeals galore.  You are certainly not a passive little man and know how to make yourself heard!  Your newest thing is to scrunch up your entire face and sniff really hard.  You know it makes me laugh and when I start, you crack up, too. 
You love, "This Little Piggy," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and music of any kind.  In fact, (even though you're not supposed to) you open the cabinet and switch the receiver to net radio or regular radio if nothing is on and sit back and bounce to the music! 

You are adorable when Daddy gets home - - your face lights up and you say "Dah Dah." His face lights up just as much as yours when you do this. Tonight, just before bed, you sat in the playroom with Daddy and played with toys. He called me in to see you in action. "Gavin, where is the picture of the dog?" You handed him our picture card of Sophie. "Gavin, where is Cookie Monster?" You looked around and picked up the stuffed Cookie Monster. "Gavin, where is the dog puzzle piece?" You looked around and out of the five pieces, picked up the dog and then threw it. "Gavin, where is the baby?" You reached over and grabbed the baby doll's head and put your mouth to it, and said, "Bah Bay." Daddy deemed you a genius! :-)  You LOVE books and have a good sign approximation for "book."

You're so cute during our bedtime routine.  After you kiss everyone goodnight, we walk down the hall to your room and you turn off the hall light.  Then, we read a book (you are still completely obsessed with books! YAY!) and you turn the pages.  When we're done, we get up and turn on your music toys and you turn off the light switch and lay your head on my shoulder.  So sweet.  Now... if only nap time went so brilliantly!  Just like your brother did at your age, you seem to think that naps are overrated.  I am lucky if I get one, solid 90 minute nap out of you in a day.  Please, Gavin, try to understand that your naps are just as important for me as they are for you!

So many expressions...

... so much trouble!
As you get into your "monkey-trouble," you remind me more and more of another little Swann boy!

Happy boy at the park with Gracie and Preston

Meal time is so much fun!
You love beans, peas, fruit, Tilapia, chicken, avocado, bread, cheese, ham... pretty much anything that we make for ourselves, you like.  Even the really seasoned stuff!  And you eat a lot. For instance, at lunch, a slice of grain bread (you have a sign approximation for "bread"), two slices of deli meat, a slice of Havarti cheese and a cup of fruit (all small bites, of course!).  You'll even go after my yogurt following all of that! 
 

"Whatchya doin' guys?"
While Preston played on my phone (with his begged-for faux hawk and nasty looking eye from New Year's Eve!) and Gracie looked on patiently waiting her turn, you crawled over not wanting to be left out.

I had so much fun taking pictures of you today and, as a result, I had a hard time narrowing down which pictures to include... not to mention the fact that I am trying, unsuccessfully, to freeze time!  You were hamming it up and, since the big kids were at school, we had ample time to play together.

LOVE this... cutest little squatting tushie ever! (Okay, tied with Preston and Gracie - - even though she's never squatted!)

The birds flying over the houses had you captivated.

What is that...?  A mirror for me to play on?!

You had so much fun playing in the mirror from this vantage point.

"Hey... I know him!"

Love this!
I love them all!  You had such a fun time playing in the mirror and I had so much fun taking your picture.

You and your silly, stuck-out tongue!

You were downright hilarious playing with your drool on the mirror!
(Thanks, T, for the mirror idea... so much fun!)

You go through about four or five bibs a day due to the endless pool of drool pouring from your mouth. You've now decided that spitting it out is a good idea. I hope this passes quickly! You have six teeth and the seventh and eighth will definitely be cut before your birthday.  (In fact, I originally wrote that you had seven teeth because there is one I could see, but when I finally got a good feel in there, I realized it hadn't yet broken through your gums!) In the last week, you started standing up without holding anything for little stretches. The longest so far is about 30 seconds. One night you attempted a step between the couch and daddy and fell (happily) into his arms - - I got it on video on the iPad by sheer luck! It will be interesting to see if you are walking on your birthday. I am in no rush and am, quite honestly, glad you slowed down on this front! Time stops a bit when you don't rush from milestone to milestone!

I will leave my sappy, endless,love-you-the-whole-world closing for next month when you (despite my efforts to freeze time), turn one.

I love you, Boo-Dee.
Mommy

Happiness is... wearing dinner

We are thankful that Gavin is turning into a great little (well, BIG, actually!) eater.  He loves food and wants to be very independent.  (That's code for he won't allow but a bite or two via the spoon fed route.)

He eats all kinds of things already and it's pretty nice to just feed him what the rest of us are eating. On tonight's menu - - two varieties of Enchilada Casserole - - one beef with red sauce, black beans, olives and zucchini and the other was shredded rotisserie chicken with a verde sauce and black beans.  Gavin scarfed down black beans from both casseroles (spicy sauces and all), ate small bites of chicken, olives, etc.   He grubbed!

He happily squealed all through dinner... it was pretty darn tasty!
He kept signing "more" over and over and saying, "muh" as he shoveled it in. It was everywhere - - so much so that he had plenty of leftovers saved all over his head, face and hands!
 

Nothing like a good dinner followed by a yummy cookie.
(He even has a sign approximation forming for cookie!)
I wiped his tray down first because a cookie covered in red and verde sauce is just gross!

"Seriously, mama? The camera? I am busy with my cookie!"

Apparently we didn't serve him enough!
He removed his sock and promptly helped himself to a side of toes!
(Toby took off with his sock and two seconds later, Gavin removed the other one and said, "Dah" and looked for him! Silly boy!)

Happiness is... the ranch

"The Ranch" is beautiful property that has been in John's mom's side of the family for many generations.  The 640 acres sits in the Tassajara Valley and backs up to state land at the base of Mt. Diablo.  With the exception of just a few structures, grazing cattle and the various native wildlife (coyotes, deer, wild boars, mountain lions, etc.) this land is relatively untouched and is, especially now when everything is turning green again, truly breathtaking and serene.

John has countless wonderful memories of being on the ranch as a boy and, now that we are nearby again, he is enjoying sharing it with Preston and seeing it through his eyes and can't wait to do the same with Gavin.  John is excited that Preston is now old enough to make memories and find happiness there, too. While today was not Preston's first time at the ranch, it was the first time that John drove him into the backfield and showed him some amazing views.

When they got home this evening, Preston handed me a fossilized sea shell that he found and told me he was certain he saw a fossil of a dinosaur bone, too! He chatted on and on about feeding Grandma and Grandpa T's horses, how Scooter (the horse) counted using his hoof after Preston fed him a carrot, how he gave Scooter a kiss on his nose... you get the idea.  Happy, <i>happy</i> boy... happy daddy.

This shot was actually taken in May when everything is green!

Giddy to have taken the Jeep off-road with his Daddy

Love the way the light changed as the sun set

A million different rock outcroppings to climb!

Our boy... with his Daddy, driving the Jeep, on the ranch... happiness.

Happiness is... a DVR

... and the return of regular programming.  It makes me happy that my DVR records hours and hours of television (some good, some trash!) for me and I don't have to set a VCR and make sure I am not recording over someone else's prized program!  (Remember those days?!)  

Our house is quiet (but for the snoring) and I have a date with the TV that includes uninterrupted viewing of some of my shows.  Happiness.

Happiness is... finding it in the simple things

Today wasn't a spectacular day, nor was it awful.  It was just a typical, busy Thursday in which I found happiness in the following, simple things:

- I did not have to struggle with my five (and a half) year-old son to stay on task and get ready in a timely fashion this morning.  On the way to school, I thanked him for his good behavior.  His reply was that he is going to do that every day.  I am not holding my breath, but the eagerness with which he made his claim made me smile.

- I managed to accomplish three errands that had been nagging me on my to-do list (all before 11am).

- Gavin started standing (without holding anything) for about six seconds (much more than the split-second he's been doing!) and was very proud of himself.

- I got four loads of laundry done today (which means I can slack one day this weekend!) and by done I mean washed, dried and put away.

- John had a training day today, so instead of getting home just before the kids go to bed, he was home before we returned from picking Gracie up from school.  :-)

- Gracie had another good day at school... four in a row.  Her highlight today was riding (speed racing!) the adaptive bicycle around the playground.  She rode it yesterday, too, for 25 straight minutes.  Girlie told me that a little girl in general ed, who always shows such concern for Gracie when she is in her wheelchair out on the playground, saw her on the bike and said, "She's all better!"  So sweet! 

- John went grocery shopping.  It is a chore that he typically handles, with the exception of quick trips for a handful of items, but it always makes me happy that he does it.  I am not a fan of grocery shopping... at least not with kids in tow.

-  Preston didn't battle me too hard on homework ("It's so BORING, mama.") and it was done long before John returned from the store. 

- Everyone enjoyed fresh citrus after dinner.  (And we all missed the orange tree we had in our backyard down south.)

- All three kids had baths (the boys together, which is fun!) and, in order from youngest to oldest, were asleep by: 7:45, 8:30 and 9:00.

- My kitchen is clean (I loathe waking up to a mess in the kitchen!)

- I will be in bed (and hopefully asleep) by 10:00 for the second time this week.  (How long I am able to remain there is another matter.)

Happiness is... a surprise parcel from a thoughtful friend

There was a knock at the door, but when I opened it, no one was there.   I looked down and found the unmistakable brown box with the smile.   Amazon.   But, what was it?   I hadn't ordered anything.  Upon opening my surprise parcel, I discovered these two items from a dear, thoughtful (and very missed) friend:

Thank you so much Tracy!  I hadn't heard of  "The Happiness Project" and now I cannot wait to enjoy each of these! 

Happiness is... Happy Feet

A stolen hour getting a pedicure... especially after suffering a huge bonk on my head when John and I were unloading a piece of equipment for Gracie (saw stars for quite a while and still, tonight, have a rather painful headache)... was my big piece of happiness today. (And it forced me to sit still and relax for a bit following the mishap!)

Happiness is... Back to School!

This post should be of no surprise to anyone!
I am happy!  The (school-aged) kids both had great first days back to their routines.  I had some good, quality one-on-one time with Gavin and a breakfast date with my hubby.  What more could I ask for on a Monday morning?

Happiness is... Cupcake and Studmuffin

Another virtual date - - with carefully selected wardrobe - - for the little power couple. We aren't letting the fact that they currently live on opposite sides of the country hinder their ability to have play dates! We just need to figure out their press name... "Chlo-vin" or "Gav-lo" or perhaps, "Cupcake and Studmuffin!"