Gavin 4 Months

My little Hawk all ready to fly on his 4 month birthday. You are a big boy my friend. So far you are 18 pounds and roughly 26 inches tall from what your dad and I can tell. You are a charmer and a ladies man. Every person I pass anywhere I go stops me to check you out. They just think you are so cute. So do I. You are one good baby too. I think you haven't given it your all at crying yet. You more or less just make the sad face and a little whimper and then it's over. I thank you for that. With all the chaos from your sisters it nice having someone easy. I love you little Gavin.

Thanks-we'll give it back

How it should be:

This was how it started out- Olivia's last day at school and her birthday before the Holiday break. The kids ate a Thanksgiving Feast and had a birthday celebration for Olivia.

Olivia ran and played and had FUN.

And then she was stuffed like a turkey.

And here the kids sang happy birthday.

Of course Ava's last day was great too. She came out of class wearing her papoose complete with baby.

These two were ready to tackle Thanksgiving.

How it really was:

Thanksgiving sucked. That is all there was to it. I'd like to write a cheery post on how great it was and how it was so much better than last year with Grandma B being hospitalized and all. But no- this one sucked too and we have all come to an agreement that we are OVER that stupid day and we will be eating Chinese food.

So here's the lowdown. Ava was sick in the early part of the week. Grandma B arrived late Tuesday night. Wednesday Olivia and Gavin start the sniffles. Thursday I wake up with the sneezes, snots, and itchy face. See where I'm going with this? All day I feel like hell but I toughed it out making the stupid dinner. Rachael calls saying she can't come over 5 minutes before dinner because Nick had a fever and now says he's going to barf. I check Olivia- fever. Gavin- fever. Me- gonna get drunk like my life depends on it all the while just wishing I could A) stop sneezing and blowing my nose B) breath and C) do so while laying down.

So now the stupid bird is out of the stupid oven (not burned liked last either) and as Dave approaches the table he says his stomach aches- REALLY?? I mean that with as much sarcasm as there is in the world. So we sit down, eat enough food to fake it like we are all really happy and thankful while we are all really thinking, "I'd be thankful to get away from this freakin' table and go lay down." And then the kids get their medicine, I take my medicine, poor Gavin suffers from ongoing snot, and Dave says his head now hurts. Grandma B all the while still feeling good. It was her turn last year.

That black Thursday night we had some midnight online shopping to do so instead of going to sleep we stayed awake. We bought the gifts we wanted and went to bed. The baby was up all. night. long. Yea for me. Friday morning Dave goes to pick up a few doorbuster items and comes home again saying his stomach hurt as well as his head. How many times did I offer to take him to Kaiser during this day- almost every hour but he said he was fine. Again around 6PM I said, "Let me take you now so we don't have to do this in the middle of the night." Nope.

Fast forward to 9:30PM. Gavin finally asleep on top of me. The sugarplums are snug in their bed. Movie playing on Blueray and then I hear the famous words of last year, "I need to go to the ER RIGHT NOW!!!" Of course you do you fool. So since I'm draining and sneezing and Gavin's finally given up trying to fight his cold Grandma B goes with the fool who had to drive himself to the hospital. Upon arriving promptly he tells them he's going to barf and he is admitted at once. They call me and let me know he's getting a cat scan shortly and then an hour later I get the good news. "Amee?" Donna asked.
"Yes??"
"David's having surgery at 6AM. He has an acute appendicitis."

Of course he does. Because what would be this miserable Thanksgiving weekend without carving up one of our family members.

Yip. Apparently that's how we roll. Oh and Grandma B called from Colorado. Guess what? She's sick.

Gavin's 1st Meal

Sweet potatoes... Yum. Thank God it's not me eating this!

My cutiepatootie eating like a champ.

EEEWWW Mom this is gross!

See how unexcited Gavin is...

But you know what? I'm hungary and I'll eat some more. Just like his father.

Camping

Rachael invited us to her new cabin.

We of course made ourselves right at home at the table waiting to be fed.

Gavin bounced on Daddy's knee and was licked ridiculously by the dogs.

Olivia took a wildlife nature walk and ended up in a tree like a three toed sloth.

Ava got a bird's eye view of the nest and mountain ranges nearby.

Who this kid? It's Nick. He climbed the tree to the top!

Relaxing...

Scouting...

And there's always time to play their leapsters while Gavin played in the exercuaser.

And the kids had to watch movies when it became too chilly outside to play.

Ava snuck off to one of the bedrooms. I thought she was pouting but when she came out she had this lizard in her hand that she found under the bed.

Look at the joy on those faces!

A few deer passed by the house so the kids lined up to watch.

It was an awesome weekend. Since it fell on Olivia's actual birthday her party just kept on going! And we now know that both kids get car sick up the windy roads. Thankfully we were armed with barf bags from my pregnancy that everything ended well. Good to know for the summer!

Olivia's 6 Now!!!

This morning I woke up to a 6 year old sweet little princess.

Maybe princess doesn't quite describe how she looked when she woke up but what can you say about waking up at 6AM other than, "I need more sleep."

 My 6 year old birthday girl at her party in the park.

 The party actually started here at the Jelly Belly Factory. All of the kids waited in line for the tour.

 While they waited they made silly faces at me.

After the Jelly Belly Factory we hit this cool park with a mega cement slide and a zillion play structures.

 Instead of cake, Olivia had big sugar cookies. Each kid frosted and decorated their own cookie.

 Olivia was given her first jewelry box from Joe, the boy next to her. She was very happy.

She was also given a Barbi. She must be in hiding somewhere from Ava since I have not seen her since we brought her home...

The gigantic cement slide. Even Gavin rode down it once with daddy. I wasn't too excited about that.

Liv with her best friend Grace are getting ready to slide.

The three musketeers, Ava, Liv, and Nick.

Just what we like to see- a huge smile on her big day. Happy Birthday Olivia!!

Ava had a blast too!!!

 My monkey on the monkey bars.

 Liv zip lining.

Gavin enjoying the party with Rachael. He had a fun time flirting with her and watching the kids.