Valentine's Weekend

Dave organized a romantic Valentine's weekend in Austin for four couples and 7 children. :) Romantic, yeah, right. We had a great time catching up with fraternity brothers, their wives, and children.

We left DFW headed the 200 miles to Josh and Sara's house Friday around 6. It should take just about 3.5 hours to drive down. However, with traffic, it took us an hour and 45 minutes just to get to downtown Ft Worth. So just before 11, we got to Josh and Sara's. Rylee and Avery were fast asleep, and Josh was playing soccer. We chatted with Sara for a bit allowing Gavin to check out his surroundings before heading to bed.

Saturday morning, Gavin was ready to see Rylee.

After playing around the house for a bit and a great scrambled egg breakfast, we loaded up and headed to Zilker Park to meet up with the Clelands and the Gulbransons. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day.

At the park, Gavin made a b-line for the swings. After about 40 minutes in the swing, we were able to pry G away to go look at the doggie we could hear barking.

Daddy and Gavin watched a dog fetching in the water.

Then, they went down close to the water to check it out.

After some time on the playground, we all loaded onto the Zilker Zephyr for a ride.

It was getting close to lunch time, and Gavin hadn't had a snack, so we had some Apple Cinnamon Quakes on the ride.

At one turn, a guitarist was there serenading the riders.

A view of the Austin skyline.

After a great lunch at Uncle Billy's, we parted ways for naptime. Avery took a nap. We made several attempts to get Gavin down for a nap, but he wasn't having any part of it.

He did, however, love Avery's water and sand table. Sara loved Gavin's run. I think the picture below does a great job of capturing it. He lowers his shoulders before taking off; you think by his posture that he is getting ready of a great burst of speed.

After playing in the sand and water, Gavin went straight to the bathtub. As he was getting out, everyone was arriving for the evening.

We played, we chatted, we grilled burgers. We had a great time.

Sara, Rylee, Christopher, and Lisa

Tonya

Josh, Chuck, Dave, and Pete

Miranda, Lisa, Avery's bottom, Sara

Scott & Chuck (foreground)

Pete and Tonya (background)

Sara, Gavin, Rylee, Miranda

Pepper deserves a special award for putting up with everyone in her house.

Gavin and Christopher are intently playing with their toys.

Christopher--love those cheeks

Sara's delicious cake balls

Gavin, Pete, Lisa, Christoper, Tonya, Sara, Chuck, Dave, Scott, Avery, and Josh

Sunday morning, Gavin was up and ready to take a baby on a stroller ride.

Rylee loves the swing we forced upon Sara. I sent it with Dave to Austin shortly after Rylee's birth. Sara was hesitant since Avery didn't care for a swing. I have yet to find a baby that doesn't like the papasan swing. Sara is now so thankful that we were forceful with it. Rylee is such an easy-going baby. We heard her cry a few times when she was hungry. Other than that, not a peep out of her. She grabs for toys, watches big movements, and smiles.

Avery and Gavin had some yogurt to tide them over until we could meet the gang at Rudy's for breakfast tacos.

Gavin impressed us by eating the better part of an egg and cheese taco.

Sara and Avery pause to smile.

Everyone is happily eating their tacos at this table.

Yes, it takes two picnic tables at Rudy's for all of us.

Christopher is all smiles.

Gavin enjoyed playing with Pete--it was a better than average time. (Sorry, it's an inside joke.)

When it was time to go, Sara C. gave Gavin a big hug.

One more trip to the park before hitting the road. Gavin was supposed to run off energy. That's hard to do in a swing.

Avery is a pro at the "rock climbing wall."

Gavin got jealous once when he saw me racing Avery down the slide, so he got out of the swing, climbed up, slid down, and ran back to the swing. Later, we got him to go down the slide to race Avery.

On your mark.

Ready. Set. Go. Gavin flew down and back to the swing. I guess he knows what he likes.

We had a great time. I'm sorry that it took Pete and Lisa's impending move to DC to get us all together. The next Kappa Sig get together will be in DFW; we need to set the date now.

Early Birthday Party

On the first Friday of each month, Gavin's school celebrates all the birthdays for the month. Parents can bring in cupcakes or cookies for the monthly birthday parties during afternoon snack time. Since February 4th was a snow day for us, Gavin's school party was on the 11th. Ms. Rosa, Gavin's teacher, has a soft spot for him. (I used to think that she made every parent feel that way--and I still do--but I'm realizing that Gavin has a special place in her heart.) Ms. Rosa had negotiated with the director to delay Gavin's transition to the 2 year old room until after the birthday party. The snow and ice threw that plan off, as Gavin began transitioning on the 7th, but did get to have his party with Ms. Rosa.

During the snow, I baked cupcakes. Gavin loved them, but boy are they messy. Since I also baked snickerdoodle cookies during our snow vacation, I decided that would be the treat of for Gavin's party. Those older toddlers are party animals. They had cookies and a cheese stick for their afternoon snacks.

Gavin and his friends, clockwise: Gavin, Carlos, Presley, Jackson, Carter, Valerie, and Mama.

Daddy and Gavin look at the fishies on his napkin. And now you can see Presley's face.

Man, this juice is good.

Gavin's birthday party was a nice farewell. Dave and I were happy for the opportunity to visit with Ms. Rosa. I know Gavin is missing her this week as he makes the permanent transition into his new class. During the transition week, I dropped him off in his class with Ms. Rosa. She then took him over to the two year old room, where he spent the mornings.

This week, I had to start dropping him off in the new classroom. On Monday and Tuesday mornings he cried at being dropped off. Wednesday morning there was pouting, but no tears (at least that I know of). The two year old room is more structured than the toddler room. In the two year old room, kids are allowed free play. So they roam from one toy or area to another. In the toddler room, kids have to stay in centers. At drop off, kids have to sit on the rug and play with Legos. They have calistenics each morning--that's what they call it, not me. It cracks me up to think of two year olds doing calistenics. They have circle time. The kids choose centers or are assigned centers; those who bring their listening ears get to first choice at a center. They say the Pledge. Gavin got to hold the flag last week. There is no diaper changing station; instead, diapers are changed in the bathroom, where potty training begins. I'm not quite ready for potty training; Gavin definitely isn't. But with exposure, I'm sure self-awareness will come. He won't move to the next room until he is potty trained. I know Gavin will learn a lot in his new class, and Mama will, too.

Just a Swingin'

As cold as it is now, it's hard to believe that on Friday, January 28, it was a warm beautiful day. So after school, Gavin and I went straight to the park to swing. That boy is like his mama, he loves to swing.

Sometimes I push from behind and check out the view of the back of his head.

But sometimes, I go to the front, so that I can watch his smile as he comes toward me.

Sometimes a boy just needs to look down to see the ground.

That Saturday was nice. So we met Dean, his grandmother, Glenda, and Paisley at the park for more swinging. (There was some sliding, too, but it's hard to take pictures when you're constantly on guard.)
And when Grandmother was too busy chatting, Dave was happy to step in and give both boys their necessary pushes.

I took several pictures of Dave and the boys, but limited to just a few here. It's fun on my computer to "flip" through the pictures, because it's almost like watching a movie. Maybe next time I'll take the Flip Camera; the only problem is that Gavin LOVES to watch movies of himself. So, when he notices the camera, he comes straight to you to sit in your lap and watch videos, which makes filming him difficult.

Here's dreaming for warm, swing weather to come again soon.