My Moments As Told By Me

You are my little explorer. You get into any and every thing. You crawl into the kitchen cupboards, so I can’t see you.  You are always trying to figure out how things work. You pick up on things very quickly. You are one smart cookie. Daily you are learning something new and amazing me. You follow your big brother around because you simply adore him and want to be near him at all times. Your little faces make any bad day better. Your little teeth are the cutest thing. You love your mom, which makes my heart swell from time to time. Even though you are my short little guy you are strong. You have a pot belly which I could eat on everyday. You are adventurous. You climb and walk all over the place.  You try to run even. You can go all the way up to the top of the stairs. You are fast. You sometimes scare mommy. You love to play and follow me from room to room talking in your own little language. My heart melts when you give me that crooked half smile that looks so much like the one your dad gives me.

You are all boy and you keep me on my toes daily!

I wouldn’t change it for a second.

Goodness I love being your mom.

Watching Gavin walk to me with this insanely cute grin on his face and infectious giggle as he collapses into me with a hug. It’s like, the best.thing.ever.

Getting my hands on a book I can’t wait to immerse myself into. Thanks to some great bloggy/twitter friends.

Looking forward to tax return season so we can start a few new projects and pay off previous ones.

Craigslist and Ebay. Enough said.

Feta Cheese.

Purging and Organizing in real and virtual life.

Seeing the sun and blue skies after a couple of gray gloomy days.

Landon now wanting to take showers every day. He even washes his own hair. Showers literally make this child giddy with delight. (What is he 14!?!)

Rosie O’Donnell’s new radio show.

Saving for a van. Never thought I’d be so excited about window shopping for vans, but look at me now! Move over sport’s car, here comes soccer mom!

Count down to our first real family vacation since 2003! I know, I know. We are way over due for one. We’re very frugal in some areas of our life.

Getting a birthday wish/want list ready.

Being OK with turning 30 next month. No really, I am fine with it. Just can’t believe I’ve been on this earth for 3 decades!?

After years of hearing how great they are, I totally get it now. I.get.it. I have been a Mac user now for over a month, and I’m still in love with this gem. That saying, “Once you go Mac, you never go back”? It’s true.

What are some things you are currently in love with at the moment?

7 years ago, New Years Day, we sat on the floor eating pizza surrounded by boxes. Our house was big, cold, and empty. We didn’t have much in terms of decor or furniture since we only had been married a year, but what we had we used.

We had no curtains or blinds, no phone, cable, or Internet. We only had a little cell phone that we shared. I was excited as one could be about all the possibilities this house could bring. The projects, dreams, and goals started to take shape in our minds.

It took me a little over a year to feel like I was home, to fall in love.

Every year something new was done or added. Each year something was done to warm up the place, make it feel more cozy. Projects, which were visions at one time, were finally becoming reality.

These walls, even the ones which still need some paint, hold so many memories. They have seen a lot of things, heard a lot of stories. They have watched us bring our first born son home, and then our second. Heard their laughter and cries. Watched them grow. They have held not only our growing family but our growing love.

My house isn’t perfect. There are things I adore about it and wouldn’t change and some things I would. I don’t have spacious closets or tons of storage in my kitchen. There are drafts in the winter and the stairs creak in certain spots as you walk up them. I’ve mention, there are many more walls which need some color. That requires money and time, and really tall ladders though. We tell people she’s always a work in progress, which is fine with us.

What I do have is heat in the winter, central air in the summer. I have hot running water and electricity. My house has character and history. Not only does it hold our memories, it holds a few decades before them. It holds happiness, comfort, and safety.

It may always need more work and updates from time to time, but I love it. It’s ours and ours alone. It’s home.

As seen on Facebook and Twitter….

Gavin~

Raising you this first year has been quite a journey; a learning experience to say the least. You’d think you were my first baby! They say every child is different, a fact I used to laugh about. How different can two kids from the same parents be? Let me tell you…very! From your early jaundice days and sleeping with a billie blanket, sleep issues, a blocked tear duct, refusing naps at anyone’s house but your own, to being my champion nurser and eater. It has been one crazy, busy, and wild ride! Yet to this day, I wouldn’t change a single thing. Although, it would be nice if you would take a nap at other people’s houses. Do you still have to be so stubborn about that?

Just like I did in my pregnancy with you, I have tried to savor every single moment of this past year, the good and the bad. I have enjoyed watching you grow and change and come into your own, so different from your brother in so many ways. From day one you were a bit more challenging and yet also a breath of fresh air all at the same time. How can I explain that? You’re my more needy and clingy one. You’re a much better eater than your brother was and is. You took a little longer to sleep-train. You’re more a mommy’s boy. You’re the more serious brother, but you’re coming around. You’re hitting milestones faster than your brother. You’re more determined in some areas than he was. You’re fierce and strong, yet gentle and cuddly.

You are just…Gavin.

You are, as we call you, Gaver Pie, Mr. Pie, and Mr. Glale. Mr. Glale because that’s something you say a lot, Glale-Glale-Glale. Don’t ask us what it means or what you are talking about. We’re not sure. We just know it’s pretty darn cute.  Along with “Glale” you like to say Mama, Dada, Nun-Nun, and Ba-Ba.

You are up to 8-9 steps walking now. You’ve been cruising since 9 months. Every day you take more and more steps. Soon, you will be off, full blown walking, running and skipping, and talking like your brother. But until then…let me just enjoy you being little still. OK?

Many things in life I can’t explain. Many things I’m not sure of. One thing I know is that I love you more than life itself. One thing I’m sure of is that you were made for me, and I will always love you until there is no more breath left in me. I know you were meant-to-be and be a part of our family. You were meant to be the baby, for now anyways.

Sometimes I look at you and find myself wondering, “Who are you? Where did you come from? Haven’t you always be here with us?” Then other times I know you’ve always been a part of me, a part of us. You’ve always belonged and you were always in my head, heart, and soul. I knew someday you were coming, I just had to wait on you a little while.

My youngest. My blue-eyed boy. My short and stocky little man. My Gavin.

Happy 1st Birthday Beautiful Boy.

I Love You So Much.

Mama