My mom flew into Chicago for a girls weekend with my two aunts. My mom called on Friday night when they arrived. I sat on the floor and put her on speaker, so Gavin could hear his grandmother’s voice. He backed up until his legs hit my legs, sat down and stared intently at the phone as my mom’s voice came out of it. Gavin has seen us talk on the phone (and mimics talking on his own toy phones), but I’m not sure he fully realizes there’s actually another person on the other end.

Saturday morning was the one opportunity to see my mom while she was in town (she was staying with my aunt – but, don’t feel bad, we just saw her in January and will see her again in a couple weeks). Gavin and his similarly aged girl cousin, Rosey, turned the corner in their development. Instead of pure parallel play, they noticed each other and were sometimes interested in what the other one was up to. One of my favorite moments was when the two of them were looking out the front door, which has long windows in it. Just behind the front door is another door, making for a little vestibule entryway. Rosey decided she was done looking out the front door window, so turned around and proceeded to close the door on Gavin. Just as it was about to lock shut, Rosey was jolted a bit by Gavin pushing back from within. He pushed his way out of the vestibule and gave her what amounted to a dirty look.

That evening, I went out to dinner with a girlfriend. I don’t do that very often – go out with just a girlfriend. Because, going out usually involves Gavin. And when it doesn’t, it is such a luxury that it almost always involves Sweets. But, this girlfriend was in need and dinner was best suited for just the two of us. It was a nice night out (plus, I got to take care of this major sushi fix I’ve been having lately).

I figured, since I got home around 11:00 and didn’t go to sleep until after midnight that Sunday morning would surely be the day when Gavin woke up at 6:00. I wasn’t far off. He woke up at 7:00. But, I was able to pull him into the guest bed with me and coax him back to sleep (i.e., laid down with him and gave him a pacifier – that kid is a tough sell). Next time he woke me up, I looked at the clock. 10AM!!!!! That kid slept in with me until 10AM. Not only did we sleep in, but Sweets made us eggs and ham for breakfast. Those boys are my heroes!

Sleeping in does a body well. Gavin was full of life during his music class. He was infatuated with his teacher. Before class started, his teacher was looking at some paperwork that was on a windowsill. Gavin ran over to him, stood next to him and just stared up at him, watching his every move. During class, Gavin was intent on playing his teacher’s guitar. So, when his teacher sat on the ground while we did music time in a circle, Gavin walked across the circle and stood right in front of his teacher. He spent his time dancing, watching intently and sometimes trying to also play the guitar. We tried not to intervene, unless he was actually hitting the guitar (which turned out to be quite a bit). Gavin loved bubble time and didn’t seem to mind that one of his classmates kept giving me hugs and then would sit in my lap.

While Gavin napped in the afternoon, I made this chili recipe. Y’all, it was really good. I’ve tried probably a handful of chili recipes and this one was, by far, my absolute favorite. Our neighbors asked for the recipe, because they said it made their own recipe pale in comparison. Know what I loved about this recipe? It was truly a one-pot recipe. None of this browning meat and setting to the side. Nope. Each step involves adding more stuff to the pot. And the seasoning is the perfect amount of heat without requiring the fire department to put out the 4-alarm fire in my mouth! I wish I could share taste with you through this blog, because it was really that good!

We had our neighbors come over for the Superbowl. I made nachos along with the chili. Our neighbors made a cookie-in-a-brownie dessert (scrumptious!). I thought the game was excellent, the commercials were meh (though there were some good ones – my favorites are below) and the Madonna halftime show was not so great (I’ve seen her in concert and all I can say is the FCC has ruined the creativity behind these shows). But, let’s end on a positive note, shall we? My favorite commercials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn3mktl30iw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUFSHzT2xuY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9L-8372A3w

Oh, and a little eye candy cannot be ignored. Thank you H&M.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQb_-OY7Z0E

If you watched the Superbowl, what were your favorite moments of the night?

On Friday, Gavin began his transition into a toddler room, spending a few hours with the bigger kids. We then had a nice snow storm that decided to peak during the afternoon rush (thankfully I left work at lunch and it only took me an extra 25-30 minutes to get home). We then dressed up Gavin in his snowpants and boots for the first time to take him outside to play in the snow. He HATED the snowpants and boots, so he cried whenever we put him down. But, he LOVED the snow and was happy to explore our yard and all the places where snow was accumulating, so long as he was in our arms! Between the new room at daycare and the snow, needless to say, Gavin slept like a champ that night!

We were supposed to do a family-only thing on Saturday. It involved snow and being outside and ice sculptures and music and other fun things. But, my hair appointment (I got my hair chopped, y’all – photos coming soon) bled into Gavin’s nap. And then, it was suddenly late afternoon and we weren’t going anywhere. We even skipped a birthday party that evening, preferring to stay home, order in ribs and hang with our neighbors (who were equally as lazy and showed up in pajamas!).

But, we made up for it on Sunday! We went to Gavin’s first music class – he’s now in the 12-24 month class. We have the same teacher (whom we love), but the class is in a bigger room with bigger kids! The structure is much the same as the infant music class, only the songs focus more on words kids say, rather than sounds babies make. Gavin was a bit overwhelmed at first, but warmed up towards the end and had a blast banging on the drums. We then headed out to the suburbs to meet up with Gavin’s city cousins at a children’s museum. It.was.awesome!!!!

Apologies for the number of photos – it was hard to choose which ones would best reflect our day!

The Car Room, with race tracks galore.

The Art Room, where Gavin preferred music!

The Nursery, where Gavin fed babies and stood up to bigger kids when they wouldn’t share the baby bottles.

There was lots of talking on the phone. Even when no one was listening.

Gavin learned how to stamp library books.

Gavin competed with his cousin on dueling computers.

Gavin and his other cousin on dueling video phones.

Pretty much everything was either too big or had to be explained. But, Gavin was a good sport and seemed to have fun.

And then, Gavin discovered the water room.

Where he proceed to get.soaking.wet!

But, was fascinated with the buttons and handles and other hardware that made water appear and disappear.

And it didn’t matter that he was too small…

… because all he wanted to do was play with water.

And so, at the end of the day, he was an exhausted little boy. As we were exhausted parents. But, it was so worth the energy to see our little guy have so much fun. I’ll leave you with a few of my favorites from our day!

And, now I want to know how on earth it’s already Wednesday? No, seriously. I’ve got packing to do (a work trip – more on that next week) and photos to take (y’all want to see the new locks, right)? And that’s above and beyond the pile of work I have and taking care of an especially tired toddler (it’s Gavin’s first full week in the toddler room – we are all going through the transition together!). And, oh wait, Gavin turns 15 months today! Good—NESS!! I hope everyone is having a great week and you can count yourselves lucky if you see another post from me this week!

ONE AND DONE!!!

That’s what Sweets and I have been politely and not so politely telling people when they inquire about more kids. It’s not that our minds are made up. Or maybe they are. But, telling people you’re done with one child quiets the inevitable conversation about timing: when will you start trying? About space: when will you move, because you definitely don’t have enough space now? About location: you know the suburbs are in your future, because you surely can’t raise children in the city, right? And, about money: how on earth can you afford to raise children these days???

Both Sweets and I grew up with younger brothers. Regardless of sibling rivalries when we were kids, we now pretty much get along with our brothers. We can roll our eyes together at the things our parents say and we can provide our children the opportunity to have cousins in their life. So, you’d think we would be hot to trot to offer Gavin the experience of life as an older brother.

Plus, who wants to be an only child? There are all sorts of terrible traits associated with only kids. They’re spoiled by their parents. They don’t know how to share. They lack social skills. They certainly must be lonely. The list surely goes on. And sure, sometimes those generalities are true. But, you know what? They also sometimes hold true for kids with siblings. So, I’m pretty sure whether a child has a sibling or not does not determine his or her fate in the world.

Plus, three out of Gavin’s four grandparents were only children. And based on those all-too-common generalities about onlies, you’d never know three quarters of his grandparents didn’t grow up with siblings. Gavin’s grandparents are all accomplished people. Had (and have) fruitful careers. Married incredible partners. Raised amazing families. Traveled (and still travel) the world. Have large, incredibly dynamic social circles. Have contributed in downright breathtaking ways to the communities around them. Need I go on?

There must be something good that comes out of being an only child, right?

Yesterday, I was reading this article written by an only. Did you know nearly a quarter of modern families (in the U.S.) have only children? Maybe it’s by choice (one and done!), maybe it’s just a start (the article doesn’t address whether all these families are done with one or will have additional kids in the future) and maybe, just maybe it’s by force (infertility, divorce), but it’s a fact that we cannot deny. As one of the author’s friends suggested:

Sharing? Do you know how much easier it is to share as an adult when you didn’t have to protect what’s yours as a little kid? …  It’s easier to give away a big slice of pie when you’ve had all that extra pie to yourself for so long.

And then, I went on to read this article. I found myself nodding in agreement when the author made an observation about our society thinking it’s ok to outwardly judge people who have only one child. Heck, even Sweets and I do it to some extent as we consider whether or not to expand our own family. Is it fair to Gavin to grow up without siblings? Is life more interesting when you can share it with a sibling? Is it fair to throw aging parents on an only child? We don’t have any final answers; we might never really know until we’re old and gray (ok, fine, older and grayer).

I was particularly reassured by this passage:

It’s okay to have one child. It’s okay not to want another. It’s okay to factor population, money, and freedom into your choice to have one child. It’s okay not to “give” your child a sibling. It’s okay to question your choice at times. It’s okay to change your mind. It’s okay to feel totally sure you want one kid, and one kid only.

And that’s kind of where we stand. There is a large part of us that believes we’re done with one child. And there’s also a part of us that questions that decision every day.

When you meet someone who is an only child or hear someone state they are only having one child, what are your feelings? Be honest, no judgment here. I want to better understand why people think being an only is such a terrible thing (or such a great thing, as the case may be).

My parents paid us a visit from Boston over the NYE weekend. Conveniently, we had a wedding to attend, so my parents got to babysit Gavin. We had a low key NYE (though, for the first time in years, we actually stayed up until midnight). And, even though my dad and I were fighting colds (his worse than mine), we didn’t let that stop us from visiting with friends and family.

Really, I should just let some of my favorite photos do the talking.

For Gavin’s birthday party, we provided crayons for the older kids.
Lately, Gavin’s daycare has sent home some of his crayon art.
So, we gave Gavin the chance to draw at home.
He loves it so much that he throws a fit when it’s time to clean up.

We recently purchased an umbrella stroller for some upcoming travel.
As is par for the course at this age, Gavin loved climbing through the box
(and could care less about the stroller itself).
The box remains in our living room, even though the stroller has been put away.

My parents spoiled Gavin rotten.
He suckered my mom into pushing him up and down the hallway in his wagon!

 Sweets’ parents visited, too.
Gavin got grandparental attention x4.
He was wiped out – and that was before dinner!

My parents gave Gavin a table and chairs for the holidays.
One of his favorite activities is to climb in and out of the chairs.
Even if it means he sometimes falls on his head!

My dad’s imaginary friend is the tickle bug.
Poor Gavin is learning what it means to be friendly with both!

 With all grandparents in tow, we headed out to eat.
My maid of honor and her boyfriend also joined us.
There was an awesome bluegrass band that accompanied a great menu!
Gavin loved listening to the music and put up with my camera.

 After we cleared our house of guests, Sweets sat down with Gavin to read.
Apparently, Gavin started on Sweets’ lap,
but scooted until they were seated side by side.
I’m pretty sure Gavin is signing his version of “more,” which has now come
to also mean “I want.”

 Gavin loves drinking water from a (plastic) glass.
(Should it just be called a plastic, then?)
Even when we assist him, there are plenty of H2O failures!

 When I took this photo, I thought “future soccer star!”
Doesn’t it look like Gavin is focused on and running towards a ball?
In reality, he’s just clumsily walking towards me on the couch.

We wind down our days by giving Gavin a bath, one of his favorite things to do!
He gets incredibly squirmy and goofy as Sweets runs the bathwater.
Gavin even smiles for the camera, naked body and all!

So, there you have a lot of our long weekend, through a toddler’s eyes. Did I mention you might get sick of seeing photos of Gavin? Yeah, that starts right about now!

Happy 2012!

After seeing this recipe, I requested to make cinnamon rolls for our family gatherings. It started on Friday night with a trip to the grocery store to pick up some much needed staples. It was absolute madness at the store (guess I’m not the only last-minute shopper), so I grabbed a balloon to bribe Gavin into good behavior. It worked – and has provided for endless moments of excitement at home. Though, later in the weekend when we went back to the grocery store, he was excitedly reaching for another balloon – I’ve created a monster!

I’ve got to admit, I don’t usually make such complicated recipes. It’s not that this recipe was hard to follow (in fact, instructions that include comments like, the more butter oozing out the sides the better, well, those are instructions I can get behind!). But, there were a lot of steps and a lot of waiting between the steps (let the dough rise, let the dough cool, etc.). I wound up making the dough on Friday night and actually putting together the rolls on Saturday morning (which meant, I was the only one up at 5am to ensure we got out of the house on time).

Saturday was a long day for us. We went to Sweets’ parents house in the morning (they live about 45 minutes away) for a family get-together, gift exchange, brunch. We also committed to going to church and another gathering with family friends that evening … so, we wound up staying in the suburbs for the day. It was fun, but exhausting, especially since I was fighting with the ickies. Nevertheless, Gavin had fun with his cousins and playing with toys circa 1980 when Sweets was a kid (and yes, Gavin is rocking out in an Addidas track suit!).

Sunday, I woke up feeling like hell. I was up coughing for much of the night, my head hurt and I just felt rundown from the previous day. Sweets wasn’t feeling all that great, either. So, we cancelled brunch with my family, which really bummed me out as it was the only time over the weekend we devoted to spending time with my side of the family. Sunday afternoon/evening, we were expected at another family gathering in the suburbs. I bailed, but Sweets took Gavin and seemed to have a good time.

Monday was a day of rest for our family. We went grocery shopping. Organized gifts. And planted our butts on the couch for much of the day. It would’ve been glorious if it wasn’t for all of us feeling sick. Sigh.

Speaking of gifts … Sweets got me a sweet new lens for my camera. It’s one I’ve been thinking about getting for months now (probably more like over a year). It’s a fixed distance lens (no zoom), so it means I have to get up and move around if I don’t like how the photo is framed. It’s supposed to be one of the best portrait lenses, so I was excited to play with it. There is definitely a learning curve with this lens and I have only just started playing with it. But, so far, I love that you can focus crisply on your subject and blur pretty much everything behind (even if it’s only a foot behind your subject).

I love how Gavin is standing less than a foot in front of our entertainment center and yet, it’s totally blurred out. There’s no question what I (as the photographer) want you (as the viewer) looking at … my cute son, of course!

Life isn’t always rosey around here. Gavin definitely has his moments. I love the lighting in this photo … and also that his face is in focus, but his body is blurred.

And finally, a photo where I don’t want you focusing on the face. Rather, I want you to see this light-up snowman that Gavin is playing with … I love how his hands are in focus, but his face is blurred away.

Anyway, needless to say, this sick girl has had fun playing with her new toy. Hope y’all had a wonderful holiday celebration. And to those who don’t have to work this week … I’m oh so jealous!!! =)