Dress Up at Story Time

Yesterday was a halloween theme at the library so Gavin wore his baseball shirt and glove to story time. They read a few fall books and then got to color a pumpkin trick or treat bag and get candy from different parts of the library.  Gavin had no idea what trick or treating was at first, but he now knows that it results in candy!  He got smartees and fruit snacks and wanted to eat them both right away!

Oct 25th: Dinner, Dessert, & 26 Weeks

Monday morning Jason had to be in to work around 8am so Gavin and I headed to the gym.  We usually go to the gym in the afternoon so it was an adjustment getting out the door bright and early!  He was excited to go play while I took a Cardio Strength class and attempted 30 minutes of a Zumba class.  I didn't last any longer then that considering all the jumping wasn't  agreeing with my bladder!  When I picked Gavin up he didn't want to leave - they had been singing and dancing to "The Wheels on the Bus" and he was loving it all!

That evening Jason was craving steak and sweet potatoes so he requested Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner.  Hard to turn down a request like that so we went and even got Coldstone Creamery for dessert.  Gavin was great at dinner and even told us that he had to go potty once and did.  He's getting more and more comfortable with going in public.

Monday we also reached the end of our 26th week of pregnancy.  Stella is more active then ever (her kicks are getting strong) and is certainly growing.  My belly has really popped out and there is no doubt that some weight gain has happened since my last appointment!  Not sure if I can blame Stella or all the eating we've done since having Jason back!

Jason and Gavin had another great evening of rough housing, but eventually settled enough to read a few books before bed!  I think Jason is warming up to the fact that Gavin has chosen baseball as his "sport" for the time being - all Gavin wants to read is baseball books, play baseball, and watch it on tv!  If Jason mentions fotball, Gavin says "No Daddy... Baseball!"

Oct 23: A Bamboo Farms Meltdown

Saturday morning we woke and had breakfast as a family.  Gavin was pretty excited to have daddy home to make him eggs.  They are one of Gavin's favorite breakfast foods, but also about the only food that I just can't cook while pregnant.  Ugh - the thought of it almost makes me sick!  Gavin ate every last bite of his two scrambled eggs and his yogurt happily!  I could tell Jason was thrilled to be back home in his own kitchen.  He loves cooking, and obviously just doesn't get much opportunity for it with all the deployments and intense training cycles.  You should have seen him in there creating his fancy omelet!  I think it had some chopped chicken, peppers, onion, tomato, and hot sauce.   Another favorite thing of Jason's to come home to post deployment is coffee.  It's unflavored, full of coffee grounds, and mostly offered just black over there.  But at home thats a whole new story - he has the option of Vanilla Nut or Pumpkin Spice Coffee, with our delicious french vanilla creamer.  I think I made coffee twice on Saturday just because he missed the taste of good coffee so much!  (Friday we even made a stop at Starbucks on the way to the baseball fields for pumpkin spice lattes!)

After breakfast we got dressed and headed a few miles up the road to Bamboo Farms.  They do a Fall Festival each October.  Gavin and I have been every year, but Jason is always deployed in October, so this was the first time of three that he's been able to attend with us.  We first walked down to the fire engine exhibit.  It was funny because there were two fire engines on display and the kids could pretend to drive, etc and get fire man hats, but all Gavin wanted to sit in was the Fire Chiefs car!  (The fire chief had brought his daughter with him, so Gavin noticed her car seat (complete with snacks and juice boxes) so he just wanted to sit by her car seat and ask me about her snacks.  Next we went to the "petting zoo", if you can even call it that.  It was neat, but just super tiny!  Gavin got to see a chicken, turtles, guinea pigs, and a few other things.  Then we went over to the reptiles.  Jason had to be the brave one since I hate snakes.  He held two different ones - Gavin and I admired from afar!  

Up next was the pony rides.  Gavin couldn't stop talking about them, had picked out the one he wanted, etc.  There was a line, so Jason stood in line while Gavin and I watched all the rides happen from the side.  Gavin did all he could to climb under the fence and get his turn first.  After about 30 minutes of waiting, it all went downhill!  Gavin's turn was up, but he had a total meltdown.  He refused to ride and wanted to be no where near them!  I felt bad for Jason being the one in the gate with Gavin, but at the same time I couldn't help but have a little laugh to myself!  Gavin had put on his best show for daddy so far and I had been waiting for the moment of the first tantrum!  This was a normal Gavin meltdown x 10!  Jason handled it well, calmly taking him out of the gate and off to a private spot to discuss it.  The crankiness didn't end so we decided to call it quits at the Festival.  It was nearly lunch time, Gavin needed a nap, and we had dressed in jeans and sweaters unaware that it was going to be in the 80's!  A lack of food/good sleep, and being over dressed were just adding up and asking for further disaster!   

We made a quick stop at Kroger to pick up some football munchies.  Gavin was great, until we got to check out and he spilled his small chocolate milk all over himself and the floor!  (Gavin was doing all he could to initiate Jason into parenting a 2 year old in public!)  It was even more entertaining when Gavin decided he didn't want to be wet and tried to strip himself in the check out line while Jason was asking for paper towels to clean up the milk!  I probably shouldn't have thought all this was funny, but I sure did!

We got home and made a few things to munch on, turned on football, and got Gavin to sleep.  We ended up napping on the couches ourselves, which was nice.   

For dinner Jason was back at being chef!  He grilled out lemon pepper chicken and brats and sauteed some squash/zucchini/onions.  I made one of his favorites, broccoli slaw.  We stuffed ourselves for dinner!  

That about wrapped up our Saturday.  We didn't do much else, as Jason had to be at work Sunday at 5:30am.  Here are some pictures from our day:

Oct 22: Reuniting with Daddy

Post Deployment Tradition - breakfast at Cracker Barrel (hard to believe we've already done this 4 times)
They have a fall special of Sweet Potato Pancakes - I ordered this and it was so delicious!  Jason had biscuits and gravy and Gavin got scrambled eggs.

Then Gavin wanted to take daddy to the baseball field

A little football was in order

After naps we stopped at the mall so Jas could get new running shoes and noticed that Coach Wayne was having Open Gym - Gavin enjoyed running out some energy before dinner!

Through the tunnel he goes

Jas couldn't find the shoes he needed, so we ended up at Fleet Feet.  He got his shoes, then we were off to downtown!  Tubby's was having live music outside so we ate there.  It was a great evening catching up.  Gavin loved watching the ships go by!

We came home after and the boys had a good time playing around the house being wild.  They were a riot!

Look Who It Is!

Keeping Ourselves Busy

Wednesday, Oct 20th

Toddler Story/Activity Time

Story: "Not a Box" by Antoinette Portis 

Our little Gap Model :)

We ran in Gap the other day and the manager asked me to submit Gavin in the Gap Casting Call ASAP - she said he had just the personality and look they need.  So, we put on a Gap outfit he got for his birthday and snapped a few pics in the yard - I've been trying to submit him on their website, but am not having much luck.  Seems the server is always down!

For dinner we headed to The Mangum's and enjoyed an enchilada dish.  I was able to snap a few pictures of 6 week old baby Ace and his big brother, Max!  

We're one day closer to daddy coming home... :)

Beach Bums

Monday and Tuesday (18-19th) temps were in the 80's!  What great weather to enjoy the outside.  I packed Gavin and I a picnic lunch both days and we headed out to Tybee Island.  It was a great way to spend the afternoons while the weather was still so nice.  It also made the two days go by pretty fast!

He loves daddy's fishing bucket.

The birds wanted our lunch each day so Gavin's job was chasing them away (pear in hand).

Diggin' away

Catch, mommy!

Day #2, more digging...

He found his own little pool under the pier and spent the majority of the afternoon in it!

:)

The dolphins were out Tuesday.

Burrrrr

Back to his warm puddle :)

Gavin and mommy

A friend took this - love it!
We spent the two afternoons diaper free at the beach and Gavin did good telling me when he had to go.  He loved going outside!  Once he got distracted by a dolphin and took off running, naked!  Silly boy.