one

gavin is one year old! he loved his sesame street cake... especially once he realized he could eat it :) what delicious fun! we had a wonderful day celebrating and enjoying the boy that gavin has become. he's starting to walk, which is so cute to watch. he climbs all over everything; eats anything you put in front of him (by the fistful); and is quick to let you know what he wants. he's become a master of the half-grunt, half-screech as his main method of communication. he also points to things now. he can show you the nose on all his animals. he's going through a period of separation anxiety with mommy. whenever i put him down or walk out of the room, he usually screams and cries for me to come back and pick him up. keeps me quite busy! he loves elmo, big bird and curious george. he's taken over brooke's big "georgie" and now sleeps with him in his crib. he loves to give george big hugs. gavin is also growing quite attached to his hippo lovey. i try to keep it in his crib, but he's learned how to reach in and grab him. won't be long and he'll be carrying hippo everywhere just like brooke's giraffe! gavin loves playing at the park. he can climb halfway up the slide and can hang from the monkey bars on his own! gavin also loves books, music, blocks and balls. he is thrilled whenever he can get his hands on daddy's guitars :) gavin is a fast learner. it usually only takes one time for him to see something and then he's able to do it... like drawing with sidewalk chalk or using the mouse on brooke's computer! it's very special to see what a big influence brooke is in gavin's life. he tries to imitate her all the time. today brooke was doing forward rolls and gavin leaned forward and put his hands and head on the ground, ready to do it just like his sister :) this is such a magical age. to see your little boy changing from baby to toddler and growing with leaps and bounds literally every day. if only we could bottle a little bit of this and keep it forever...

how cute is this?

i promise birthday pics are coming, but first... i had to share the sweetest moment that i happened to catch today with my camera. gavin and titus, our next-door neighbor who is exactly one month younger than gavin, were standing together at a large boulder outside our neighbor's house. i was standing behind them and saw gavin very gently put his arm around titus and lean in to give him the sweetest little kiss on the cheek. it melted my heart. he's never done this before, but he must have understood it to be an appropriate greeting. i have no doubt he learned this from his sister who is always putting her arm around him and kissing him (sometimes not so gently!). and then i remembered the camera on my shoulder, so i ran around to get in front of them and caught another little nuzzle. i love the way gavin is looking right at him... forehead to forehead, nose to nose. boys. love them.

when mama comes to town

our house buzzes with little calls for "grandma, grandma." laughter rings throughout the house. the toys are organized. the laundry is done. the kitchen is clean. and there is always, always a tea cup on the counter or in the microwave :) so when i got home last night after driving to the airport, mom's tea cup on the counter brought tears to my eyes. when mama comes to town she fills our house with love. and when she leaves, we fill up the empty space in our hearts with all the great memories we've created. and sometimes, we wander into the guest bedroom because her scent still lingers there... we love you mama/grandma!

one year ago

i can remember it like it was yesterday. mom and kevin were by my side. norah jones was playing on our ipod. my epidural wasn't working. i was in a lot of pain and uncomfortable as all get out because i had to wear an oxygen mask. but i've never been happier. i am so grateful to have experienced labor and come so close to childbirth, even if it did end in another c-section. when they placed my big boy in my arms, i understood. there was only one way he was to come into this world... all 9 lbs. and 2 oz. of him.

happy birthday, my beautiful child, my sweet boy.

easters past

my last post had me thinking about the kind of easters that kevin and i had pre-kids. we liked to make a habit of traveling on/over easter weekend. two of my favorite trips were to whistler, bc with randall & antje in 2005 and surfing in del mar, ca in 2006. thankfully, i have some great pictures of both of these trips to help me relive the memories.

dressed in our easter best

at brunch after church

for the first time, we celebrated easter the traditional way. meaning... we actually went to church. brooke was so excited to wear her pretty pink dress. and she fished her black patent leather shoes out of her closet knowing that they were the perfect choice :) my heart smiled all day long seeing how beautiful she was and how proud she was to be all dressed up. it was brooke & gavin's first church service, and they were both on their best behavior. thankfully. i think brooke really liked the experience, especially the singing. gavin was intrigued by all the people. the church was packed. i felt so grown-up (i.e. "old") being in church on easter sunday with my husband and two children. and i felt so blessed.