Aidan's First Piano Recital

What a big day...Aidan had his first piano recital (after just 3 short months of lessons). He goes to lessons during the day, so RJ and I don't get to see what all goes on during class. I was able to attend the week of Thanksgiving since I was out of school, and I was amazed. There are 4 students in his class (all 4 yr olds). They are learning the basics and having fun doing it. I was very impressed with what they knew already. He really enjoys going to class and often asks me in the morning if it's "a piano day". RJ and I are excited that he is able to start learning music, and we hope to foster this excitement that we see in him.

I must say, I was more nervous tonight than he was! If you know Aidan very well, you know that he gets shy in crowds. So, I didn't know how he was going to react when he saw all the people that were in the audience. However, he did a great job. He marched out, played his two songs (they are short and simple, but songs none-the-less), and even bowed to the crowd before he left the stage! We are so proud...our little boy is growing up! I can't believe he is old enough to be having a performance of any type. He was very proud, too, to be playing for everyone, and , most importantly, he said he had fun...I hope that feeling sticks for a long time!

Here's our little musician...

9 Months Old

Gavin turned 9 months on Thursday! He is at such a fun stage...everything is exciting to him as he is exploring the world around him. He is getting really fast at crawling around and has started to figure out how to escape when I try to block him into an area! He is still pulling up on the furniture and cruising around it, but hasn't really let go and tried to walk, yet. He is very strong, though, and amazes me at what he can do already. He has 2 teeth on the bottom and is working on some more. He is babbling all the time and still chuckles at everything. He is a very happy little boy and makes us smile all the time!

At his check-up, he weighed in at 26 pounds, which is above the 95th percentile...not surprised! And, he was 29 inches long, which is in the 75th percentile...so he's starting to catch the others in length! He had the flu and an ear infection a week ago, but he has recovered from both. And, the doctor said he is a very healthy baby. She gave him the best news ever when she said he could start eating soft table foods! He has been watching us eat and wanting to participate for so long now...we've only tried waffles in the morning and he has enjoyed that. I know he will be enjoying a lot more in the near future!

He loves music and is mesmerized by his daddy's bass guitar. He will look for it when he hears RJ start playing. He has also started "dancing" when music is playing.


Escaping from the living room during our week home with the flu! As you can tell, he recovered quickly! : )


Looking cute in his winter hat!


Playing with big brother's puzzles...he wants to be just like Aidan! I don't know why I think pants with writing on the butt are so cute, but I do....love them!


Enjoying his little bits of waffles this morning!

Decorating for Christmas

Well, we finally were able to decorate the house today. All of my boys have had the flu this past week and so we are just now getting around to decorating.

Here's what we ended up with inside...

Aidan decorating the tree. He was too cute...he put his stool right by the tree and decorated the same spots over and over! : ) I rearranged a bit later...shhhhh!


Gavin had fun, too...his ornament spent most of the time in his mouth!


Aidan decorating his little tree in his room.


The finished product...

Fall Happenings

Fall is flying by...seems like we'v been busy, and I wanted to share some pics of the fun times...most of them are of our goofy times at home...but they are all just too cute not to share. Get ready for an album's worth of photos...it's hard for an adoring mom to pick just a few...enjoy!

RJ bought Aidan a fishing pole and took him fishing at the pond in the front of our neighborhood. Aidan loved it and has been obsessed with "going fishing" ever since. For a couple of days after this first outing, he woke up in the middle of the night and came to ask me if he could go fishing!



We've been to a couple of birthday parties this month. In one of his goodie bags, Aidan got a whoopie cushion! This is him sitting on it...one of the millions of times he did it that night. I must admit, we all laugh every time! : )


We went to Sweet Berry Farms to pick some pumpkins and take a few pics.



Aidan helped Daddy make the jack-o-lanterns from the pumpkins he picked out at the farm.


At a Mommy and Baby Halloween party...this is the best you get when you're trying to take a picture of 8 kids under 2 yrs old!


Our Superheroes on Halloween...



Gavin in his new "Cutest Kid Ever" pj's.


Gavin crawling into Grammy's side table.


Being cute after bath time...


Aidan in his pilgrim's hat that he made at school.


3 little turkeys...one of them was made by Aidan at school.


Gavin found a light saber and wouldn't let it go all evening...he even dragged it with him while he was crawling around. His daddy was so proud!


Aidan with some random gear...just because!


Loving each other...


I think I'm the luckiest mommy in the world...I have the sweetest boys ever. This is what I get to see every morning when Gavin wakes up...

...and this is my favorite big boy sharing a hug and a smile...

8 Months Old

Today is Gavin's 8 month birthday! He is doing so much right now...he started crawling last week and is soooo proud of himself! This means his world has dramatically changed...and so has ours! : ) We are trying to be creative in how we keep him corralled in the living room. And, Aidan is having to keep his toys in the playroom so that little brother doesn't get ahold of them. Of course, we've wanted him to be doing this all along, but now it is important to him as he doesn't want Gavin all over his toys! Gavin is also already pulling up on the furniture and has just started cruising around it. He definitely prefers being on the ground now and his attention is held less by his walker and other confining contraptions. He is still getting bigger...he's wearing 18-24 month old clothes and size 4 diapers. His face has changed a lot in the last month or so...cheeks have thinned out a bit and his hair has gotten thicker, longer, and darker. His eyes are still crystal blue. His smile is contagious and almost always on his face...he is the happiest baby I've ever known.

Today, RJ and I attended a funeral with his family for RJ's great-great-aunt, my children's great-great-great-aunt! Tia Tina was 99 years old, just 3 months shy of living to 100 years old. As I contemplated the happenings of the day and then realized it was Gavin's 8 month b-day, I just started thinking about what a true picture of the circle of life this was. My little boy's life on earth has just begun and Tia Tina's has just ended. What a remarkable woman and pillar of strength for her family this lady was! I can only hope and pray that my boys will have such a full life! I am so blessed by my family and pray for many many more years with them.

Thanks for 8 of the sweetest months...love you Gav!

Playing with his toys!


The smile that never fades...


Escaping from the pallet.


So proud to have reached Rylie's cage!


With his favorite playmate...big brother, Aidan!

Birthday Bash

Aidan's 4th birthday party was last Saturday. A bunch of his friends were able to come, as well as some of the family. The weather was gorgeous, so we did everything in the backyard. He had a ball! He'd been asking for an Iron Man party for months...kind of random, but that's what he wanted. So, I ordered all the party supplies online because none of the stores had iron man stuff. He had a blast and made out like a bandit with all the presents! We need to get rid of all his old stuff to make room for the new! Here are a couple of pics from the day...

Playing with his friends as everyone was arriving


Swinging at the pinata!


Jason's turn


The cake


Blowing out the candles


Opening presents


Gavin and Jason with Cookie and Chris

A Big Day for My Big Boy

Aidan's 4 today...and I am at a loss for words. I cannot even express the way he has changed our lives...in such a sweet and amazing way! And, I can't believe it's been 4 years already...I remember his birthday in great detail as if it were yesterday...the feeling I had when I went to bed the night before, waking RJ up around midnight to tell him I thought I was in labor, taking our time preparing to go to the hospital, regretting taking our time preparing to go to the hospital, throwing up in the trash can because the pain was so great, RJ having to hold that trash can and not getting sick himself (that is a great accomplishment for him)...I even remember him making a joke during the whole ordeal...calling our parents in the middle of the night to tell them we were on our way to the hospital, getting the epidural and telling RJ I was scared, the doctor telling me I couldn't move while he was inserting the epidural needle (even if I had a contraction), the nurse telling us to get some rest before it was time to push and the doctor coming in a few minutes later to check me and say it's time to push, our little guy arriving about 10 minutes after that, and I remember every family member and friend that came to visit. I could go on and on. It was such a great day...we were blessed with one of the sweetest little boys ever...and he is growing up to be a wonderful big boy as well. Don't get me wrong...he tests us to the end of our nerves sometimes, but he is a good kid. We have been and are so blessed by him every day. I am proud to be his mommy!

He had a big day today. He woke up at 5:30...very excited that it was his b-day. Grammy and Grampy picked him up from school today around lunch time and took him to Chuck E. Cheese's for lunch...they played a million games while they were there. Then, they brought him back to the house to open his presents from them and also Aunt Candy, Uncle Bob, and Lacey. He loved each of those gifts and was playing with them when I got home. When daddy got home, Aidan got to open a little something from us and he enjoyed playing with that the rest of the evening as well. Aunt Mari and Bella came over with Happy Meals. They got to play and eat, and then it was time for bed!

His big party is this Saturday...he is pumped about that! It's the first time we've invited friends, so it ought to be really fun! Here are a couple pics from the day...more to come of the party...

Happy Birthday to my little guy...I love you, Aidan!

The birthday boy opening some of his goodies...


He's having an Iron Man party and is going to be Iron Man for Halloween...here he's wearing part of his "suit" as he calls it.

7 Months Old

Well, it's already been another month since my last post as Gavin turned 7 months old yesterday! I feel like a broken record when I say this, but he is getting so big! Those of you who have seen him can attest to that! He has already graduated to the next size car seat, and we had to drop his bed recently. He is wearing 18 month old clothes and size 4 diapers...he's a monster! But, he is the sweetest, happiest, most laid-back baby you will ever meet. He shares his smiles with everyone all day every day...from the moment he wakes up to the minute he falls asleep. He is really finding his voice these days..."talking" all the time. He "sings" himself to sleep every night. His Nani was visiting today...she was singing to him while he was in the tub and he sang right along...it was too cute! He is sitting up all by himself now and loves to sit on the floor and get all of his toys out of the basket. He has cut two teeth...the bottom middle ones...and continues to gnaw on everything, as well as drool up a storm. He is still sleeping really well, and I, of course, hope this is one thing that never changes! He has staid healthy this month, but is plagued with allergies...we have had tons of rain lately (which is great), but each new storm brings a runny nose and watery eyes with it. It doesn't get him down, though...he's such a trooper! He is still enamored with his big brother...watches his every move and adores him like no other! It's been another great month with a sweet boy...every day he digs a little deeper into our hearts!!!

Here are a couple of pics from his 7 month b-day. I promise to post more of the whole fam with updates soon!

Sitting on the floor with his basket of toys

My Baby is Already 6 Months Old!

Gavin passed the 6 month mark last Thursday...I can't even believe it! He is growing and changing every day! He weighed in at 23 pounds, 7 ounces (95th percentile) and was 27 inches long (50th percentile). So, he's still a BIG boy...the doctor and nurses couldn't get over the size of his thighs...they're pretty awesome! But, he is very healthy and right on track with all the normal milestones. He is still working on sitting up by himself. He is reaching for and grabbing anything and everything within is reach. He's getting a pretty strong grip and has already dumped a bowl of spaghetti on himself and me while he was sitting on my lap during dinner one night. Luckily it wasn't hot enough to hurt him...he just started sucking it off his arm! : ) He wasn't gonna let a good meal go to waste! He does love his food...he has gotten so much better at eating his baby food, too. He is babbling all the time...I love to hear his little voice. He's starting to be a little flirt when we're around strangers...flashing his blue eyes and his smile and then tucking his head like he's shy...it's pretty precious! He is sleeping like a champ...about 12 hours every night...it is awesome! He survived his first cold...he got it after the first week of daycare...then was home for a week trying to recover...it was pretty nasty! But, he is all better now and back at school. He still adores his big brother and is mesmerized by everything he does! I can tell he can't wait until he can play with Aidan and his cousins. He is truly a joy to be around and brings us many, many smiles and such a full heart...I am so thankful for my boys...all three of them!

Gavin peaking over his crib




Loving his big brother

First Week

Well, I survived my first week back at school...is was good, but I am very tired! I am so excited to be at my new school, though...so that makes up for the hurting feet, soar throat (from talking all day again) and stress from beginning of year stuff. This year is bringing lots of firsts...first year at a new school (again), first time to have to get 2 kids ready in the morning, first time Gavin has gone to daycare, first time for Aidan to go to this particular daycare, and this is my first time to teach geometry. I am still teaching Algebra I and II as well, so now I have three preps. And, on A-days, I have all 3 classes, so I teach three different things in a row...most days I teach two sections per class, so that is 6 different lessons in one day! I am not complaining though...it breaks up the monotony and keeps things interesting! I am enjoying it so far. I thought I would post a couple of pics of my room once I got it all decorated. I probably spent too much money on new decorations, but I figure I better like it because I spend so much time there! My new school is called Vandegrift High School...VHS, which is kinda funny considering I went to VHS. And, our mascot is The Viper...weird that my alma mater is now the vipers! Our colors are black and silver...so I decorated with black, white, and silver and added a magenta for some extra color!

"Viper News" Bulletin Board


Fun Chair and Pillow in Back Corner of Room


My Bulletin Board...complete with shrine to kids! : )


View From My Desk