Gavzilla and the Falsetto Child

It's been way too long between posts again. I think motherhood has gotten the best of me lately. My most recent motto? Maintain. I refer to vacuuming as "cleaning the house", milk and toast as "dinner", mascara as "wearing makeup, a phone call from Mark as "quality time". You get the picture. Anyway, these two boys are certainly the center of my world.

You wouldn't believe how fast Gavin is growing. In fact he has been dubbed "Gavzilla" by Mark. No doubt because of his size and NOT his disposition. The kid loves to eat and he's filling out his clothes like nobody's business.

He's a beast, that kid. This morning I placed him on the floor to bat at his toys a bit while I got a bowl of cereal.

After awhile I noticed it was very quiet in the next room, so I wandered in to check on him. This is what I found:
He had turned over! So I made him do it again...and again. In fact, almost everytime I lay him on his back now he will turn over to his tummy. I'm not ready for it. I just want him to sit like a blob on my lap a little longer.

And as for Owen, well he's continually on the go. Owen's energy matches Gavin's size. He is always running or jumping or riding or wrestling.
His latest thing is talking in this super high-pitched voice. It kind of reminds me of the kid in the movie Overboard; the one who talked in the Pee-Wee Herman voice. He began using it whenever he would pretend to be a dog or other character. And somehow it became his everyday voice. I have to remind him multiple times a day to speak in a normal voice. Weird.

And somehow these two boys, who are so very different, seem to balance me out. Well, break me down THEN balance me out. But that's motherhood, right?

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Seattle

10. This view from my parents backyard window. Can't you just smell the fresh air by looking at it?

9. Watching morning cartoons in style.

8. Falling water and King of the Mountain.

7. Catching frogs with the professionals, Jack and Piper.

6. Birthday celebration with the cousins. Mmmm, we like our cupcakes.

5. Picking fresh vegetables from the garden...even if they weren't quite ready to be picked.

4. Getting to sit on Grandpa's lap.

3. Playing on the latest and greatest equipment at the park.

2. Checking out the salmon at the Issaquah fish hatchery.

1. A deer in the backyard! We saw this mother and her two babies more than once during our stay.

(All pictures via my iphone)

Baby Blessing

My baby is two months old! And we had the wonderful opportunity to give him a baby blessing (as is customary in our church) this past Sunday. My parents, my brother Brett, and nephew Will came to celebrate the occasion with us. The weekend went by much too quickly, as it usually does with family. But we were happy to be together and give our Gavin lots of attention.

As for some interesting stats, he is 14 lbs already. I thought Owen was a chunky little guy, but Gavin may have him beat. I love all the chubbiness. Cheeks and thighs especially! He is also getting so strong--holding his head up and using his legs to stand in place. He loves to smile...a lot. He is so cheery and will coo to anyone who looks at him. He just discovered how to blow bubbles in the past couple days too. And he loves, loves bathtime. As soon as the evening hour hits he is ready to splash. He's a good little guy. We feel so lucky to have him.

Utah

Some highlights from our last trip for the summer:

It was the first time we had been together with Mark's parents and all his sisters in several years. So family pictures were in order.

It was our first time visiting Cherry Hill. We met up with our California-turned-Utah friends and hung out a bit. Owen loves his buddy Trenton.

It was NOT our first time at the zoo...but this was one of many things Owen got to do with his cousins.

It was the first time the boys took a bath together...per Owen's request.

It was my first time flying with both the boys alone...and not my last.

Triple Threat

Last week I was packing for a little family trip to Utah. Gavin was taking a snooze and Owen was keeping me company by talking my ear off and simultaneously jumping off his bed...as usual. It wasn't long before one particular jump ended in a crash landing and a hurt arm. We treated it like any other injury by checking it out, putting the trusty ice pack on it, and soothing the tears away. Owen went to bed shortly after and woke up to more pain the next morning.

Now Owen is no stranger to scrapes and bruises. He's definitely not a wimp. But he complained of pain and refused to use his arm. So (with no swelling and no bruising) we figured a trip to the doctor couldn't hurt just to be sure. The doctor requested we get an x-ray since we'd be leaving town shortly. And after a trip to radiology and a referral to an orthopedic surgeon, we walked away with a bright blue cast. Owen had broken his arm in two places!

But here's the clincher. Two of the cousins we came out to visit in Utah happened to have casts too. Jasper, age 7, injured his arm in a trampoline accident. And Cameron, age 11, fell while climbing a tree. All three boys had casts! On their right arms! At the same time! What are the odds?

Super Hero Birthday

We celebrated Owen's 3rd birthday last week with a superhero party. It was a team effort to make the whole thing happen...what with a newborn around and all.


First, Mark and I put together some activities for our little heroes in training. They decorated super hero masks and completed an obstacle course testing their agility, courage, and speed.

Then they practiced their super powers by shooting balls and rockets into floating hoops in the pool.

When all activities were completed, each guest was presented with an authentic, handmade, his or hers, super-duper cape. Lest you get too impressed with my ability to make homemade invitations AND capes, you must know that my mom sewed every single cape while she was here helping out with the baby.

The capes were amazing! Even on the littlest of heroes.

And we ended the celebration by serving lunch and super hero cupcakes. It all came together quite nicely (with even more help from friends who prepared food and took turns holding Gavin during the party).
And a special thanks to our photographer, Caleb, for supplying us with all these photos. It allowed us to enjoy the party even more!

1 and 3 and 9

This past week marked several milestones for us. Gavin is 1 month old! Time has flown by since he was born. I feel like it is still the beginning of July, and here we are in August. But Gavin is truly a good baby. He is giving me a reasonable amount of sleep at night so I can function during the day. That's all I can ask at this point, really. And he adds an incredible dynamic to our family. He is sweet and calming and so very handsome.
Owen is 3 years old! Yes, my little Owen had his birthday this past week. And the big brother in him is coming out full force. Aside from his usual help with diaper changing and burping and the like, I have noticed an interesting phenomenon. He likes to hold Gavin...a lot. If I happen to leave the two alone for a moment, I come back to find Gavin in a new place. Hmmm. I wonder how that happened?
We have been married for 9 years! Mark and I just celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. And he gave me the best anniversary present ever. He let me sleep in first of all. And when I awoke he told me he'd be taking the day off work. That may not seem like much, but tears came to my eyes when I heard it. I NEEDED the break. We spent the day getting some important errands done and eating lunch out as a family. It was low-key, relaxing, and simply wonderful. Eating good food and tackling my "to-do" list...the day was just right.

An Adjustment

I had a short list of things I wanted to accomplish today:
1. Do the laundry
2. Go grocery shopping
3. Make banana bread

Here's what I accomplished:
1. Took clothes out of dryer and folded just four items
2. Wrote out a partial grocery list
2. Opened my recipe book

I think I'll readjust tomorrow's goals to look something like this:
1. Feed Gavin all day
2. Keep Owen busy while feeding Gavin all day

Eeny-Meeny-Miney-Solomon

I thought it would be a fun comparison to show a baby pic of the boys. I'm sure you can tell the middle picture is Mark. (His mom hinted to me that he was not the cutest baby, but I just love that photo. His little features and head of hair are ridiculous!) Mark was a small baby at birth, weighing in under six pounds. And the photo doesn't show it, but he had distinct red hair.

Owen is the baby on the right. He weighed 8 lbs 4 oz at birth and was 21.5 inches long. He was also 9 days overdue! His hair does not show well in this picture, but he had a substantial amount of medium blonde.

Gavin is on the left. Of course he weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and was 19 inches long. He was also born a day BEFORE his due date. It was a good thing my doctor suggested inducing me early. I can't imagine how much longer he would have hung out in there and how much more he would have weighed! He has more hair than Owen did and it is a slight red/brown color.

When I first saw Gavin it felt a little like deja vu. I couldn't stop thinking about how much he looked like Owen at birth. And although there is a clear resemblance, they each have their own distinct look. I can't wait to see how their personalities compare!

Introducing...

Gavin Mark Solomon
Okay, okay. If you've been anywhere near Facebook or Twitter you know he arrived a week ago. But his name hadn't been established until just yesterday.

Yes, we left the hospital without choosing one. And no, we did not get harrassed by the nurses for doing so. We pretty much waited until the last possible minute to put it in writing. That's just our style this time around.

But he's here and we are overjoyed! He weighed in at 8lbs 8oz and was 19.5in long. The labor and delivery were just short of amazing. I had a wonderful experience (much improved over O's delivery) and actually felt good afterwards.

We're all so excited to have baby Gavin around, no one more so than Owen. His new favorite activity is trying to wake baby up every time he is sleeping (which is most of the time). He also happens to be an expert on what baby wants. A true bother...I mean brother.

I'll post more pics and info in the coming days. For now we are simply adjusting to life as a little family of four. It's truly amazing. We love our little Gav.

Can You Guess...

Which belly is which?

One is my pregnant Owen belly and the other is my current pregnant belly just a week before my respective due dates. Interesting comparison, no?

Bending it Like Beckham

Would you believe this child is just two years old? I don't know if it's because I've got baby on the brain or if I'm just realizing my little guy is not so little anymore--either way, I swear he looks at least four.

Lately Mark and Owen have been kicking the ball around together at the park and in our culdesac. And I love watching them play. Mark must be in heaven to finally have a little soccer player in training.

Mark has played on a soccer team ever since I've known him. When we were dating I used to watch him play indoor soccer in Salt Lake. Then when we got married and moved to Houston he played on both an indoor team and an outdoor coed team. Once I even attempted to play on the coed team with him. Seriously. I look much better from the sidelines than I do on the field in shin guards and cleats. (Short-lived was my soccer career.) And then we moved to Oregon, and Mark continued to play the sport he grew up playing. Whether it was on his lunch break or at a late night game, he managed to make time for soccer. But ever since we came to California Mark has been off the field. With a kiddo in the mix and a demanding job, life just got busy. And I didn't realize how much I missed watching soccer until I saw these pictures of Owen.

I have a feeling the sport may be making a comeback in the next few years. My little O is growing up. And with another boy on the way, I think "Soccer Mom" is in my future.

Operation Baby Brother

We're counting down the days until baby arrives. Up to this point, I have to admit I have just sailed through the pregnancy without much thought of the after-birth. It has not consumed my every conversation, thought, action...like it did the first time around. Quite the opposite, in fact. I have to keep reminding myself we ARE having another baby. We are, we are, we are. And so with the due date only a few short weeks away, I feel a need to set the tone. Make preparations! It is time to get serious! This week our days are being filled with things like:

1. Reading "big brother" books we checked out at the library
2. Making the switch to a big boy bed
3. Pulling out and organizing baby clothes and toys
4. Taking a tour of the hospital
5. Talking to baby in my belly; giving him high-fives and kisses
6. Picking out a name...or at least establishing a solid list of choices

Oh brother, I'm totally not ready for this.

Getting All Crafty

As if we didn't have enough going on with all our travels and renovations this past month, I managed to squeeze in a little craftiness on the side. The first couple weeks in May found me participating in a local craft boutique and organizing another Enrichment Night for church. While I normally enjoy doing both, it was a bit stressful to get it all together this time around. Thankfully it is over with and I can start relaxing for the next 7 or 8 weeks until baby comes. Wait, I only have 7 or 8 weeks? Maybe relaxing isn't quite the right word.

Anyhow, here's a little peek at what I made and sold at the boutique.

I sold sets of decorative wooden blocks, magnetic message boards, and scrabble tile pendant necklaces.


The necklaces turned out so cute. They deserve a close up.


And my mom convinced me to sell some last-minute baked goods as well. She really did all the work...and I took all the credit. We prepared two kinds of cookies--sugar cookies decorated with summer flip-flops and painted toenails AND monster cookies handsomely packaged in CD envelopes. The cookies were both adorable and delicious!


And finally our May Enrichment Night. The theme of the evening was "Simple Abundance". The tables were decorated with pots of wheat grass that I grew from seed and took care of for the past few weeks. I also made butterflies out of coordinating napkins to hang on the walls; and used the same patterned napkins to create signs for our display tables. The decorations were simple and cheery. Paired with our uplifting message and informative displays, I'd say it all came together quite nicely.

One Busy Month

April, where did you go? You were just here a second ago. It's hard to believe you were around for a whole 30 days. We were so busy visiting and being visited that we hardly noticed you. One busy month, that's for sure.
Part 1: The beginning of the month brought a visit from my dear friend Marissa and baby J. It is always good to see her. But it was especially fun to spend time with her little one as well. We had been waiting to meet him for months. And he was just as cute as promised. Plus he offered good practice for Owen's coursework on "how to be a big brother". Oh how I wish they lived closer!

Here are the little buddies after a dip in the pool. Baby Wy at 5 months, Owen at 2 years and 9 months, and baby J at 8 months. [Photo via Kim's blog]


Part 2: Not even a day after Marissa's visit, Owen and I headed out to Utah to visit family. We had a great time staying with the grandparents. Again, I wish we lived closer so we could hang out more often. I have no good pictures of our trip because I did not take the camera. So instead, I will entice you with a list of Owen's highlights.
1. Spending time with older cousins - watching their lacrosse games, visiting them at school, unleashing some wildness, idolizing everything they do
2. Taking a personal tour of the fire station with uncle Dan (it's great to have a firefighter in the family)
3. Dropping by the local library storytime about dinosaurs (quite possibly the coolest storytime we've ever been to)
4. Visiting the zoo with Grandma and the pet store with Grandpa (yielding two small goldfish)
5. Getting to play with Trenton (a favorite San Jose buddy who now lives in Utah)
Here are O and T hanging with T's twin sisters. It was just so fun to see them and catch up for an afternoon. [Photo via Jami's blog]


Part 3: Not even a day after returning home from Utah, we found ourselves hosting another set of visitors. My parents flew down to visit [work for] us. My dad spent the week renovating our master bathroom with Mark. And my mom spent the week helping me craft and prepare for the new baby. Owen spent the week hunting pirates with grandma and fixing things with grandpa. We owe them BIG TIME! (Pictures of the renovation are in the works).

San Diego

We recently returned from southern California where we spent a week in the sunshine with our Oregon friends. It was so nice to get away and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. We drove down and rented a beach house in the Carlsbad area where we soaked up the sights. Despite two urgent care visits (one for Owen and one for Kim) during the week, we fully enjoyed ourselves and began planning our next vacation together before this one even ended.


The first highlight of our trip was Legoland. I have to admit I have always heard great things about it but never really understood what could be so cool. And now I know! So maybe it's geared a bit more toward boys, but I think I enjoyed our day there just as much as Owen and Mark. So many fun things to do, see, ride, build...


One day during the vacation, Mark had to drive up to LA for work. So Owen and I went with our green-thumbed friend, Abby, to the Carlsbad Flower Fields. They were gorgeous and springy and so very perfect. Rows and rows of ranunculas as far as the eye could see. The greatest part was watching the field workers collect small bouquets of the delicate flowers and load them onto trucks. They looked like they were ready to be delivered to my local grocery store...but I got to see them being picked fresh from the fields!


Our second family outing was SeaWorld. I don't have any amazing pictures of it because we took more video than anything. But Owen's mouth was half-open in awe the entire day. In fact, we're still hearing him talk about "Shamu" the "BIG whale" and "San Diego". We had a great time seeing all the sealife and watching the amazing shows. And we were true theme park goers (to Both SeaWorld and Legoland). We arrived when it opened and stayed until it closed.



And our last big stop was the San Diego Temple. We couldn't leave the area without seeing such an exquisite building. We enjoyed a peaceful family walk along paths of perfectly manicured foliage. Then Owen released some wild and crazy...so we left.

A trip to southern California? I would highly recommend it to anyone. Especially those of you who live in states that are still getting snow. C'mon, it's April already!