Such sweetie pies...

I still cannot believe he will be in Nursery in 3 months. This time last year, we were worrying about his weight, he had issues gaining weight for lack of my milk production. It took him 4 months to gain 2 and a 1/2 pounds. He has no problem with his weight now, and eats like a little piglet...
Gabby went to a football game on Saturday with her Daddy, a friend and her friend's daddy. She absolutely loved it! She was so happy, she even smiled for me...for real!

Cavan's awesome new diapers...Charlie Banana's! I highly recommend them. They are pricey, but really nice! This particular one I got for free...oh yeah!
I love these random post that I have gotten into the habit of doing...good journalism I think. Ha!!

Completely forgot to post about these very important occasions...

Uncle Brian finally came to North Carolina...YAY!! We headed to Maple Hill Saturday, the 10th, so that we had a little time to hang out with the family before he arrived the following Monday. We were totally psyched to see him, and were a little bummed when we got there to find that he had already been waiting like 10 minutes for us. We were even 15 minutes earlier than his arrival time...but what can ya do?! It was nice to see him. Anna and Gabby were a little shy, but soon warmed up to him. Gabby even gave him a knee hug the next night at dinner. I didn't push her to be all lovey, and she was able to hide behind Granny in the airport, no one forcing her to do anything, and I think that helped. She is a bit stubborn(we are slowly figuring out). Cavan didn't think anything about it, he didn't give hugs right away either, but ya know, he's only 15 months. He didn't cry either, he was just like, "hey Man"! Ha!
The bag was hilarious. It seriously could have contained 2 grown men in it, and the best part...Brian could carry it all by his little...um...I mean big self.
So glad he made it safe and sound...and sorry Kate that you are having to be without him right now. =0(

Not to change the subject too abruptly...
Mom pulled out a picture of me when I was a baby...do ya think Cavan and I look anything alike? Truthfully, I don't think I look anything like my baby picture. (Right Katie?!) I think my noggin' is a lot bigger than Cavan's, or it could be the camera angle...
Uncle Johnny celebrated his 37th on the 13th, but since Granny and Auntie Erin could not be there on his Birthday, we celebrated the night Brian came in. Johnny will forever be 35 in my mind, don't know why, but that number is the one I have him stuck at...Happy Birthday Johnny!
I think this face about sums up his feelings on all of it...
I was doing dishes Tuesday while Gabby was off with the Grandparents and Cavan was up from his nap running around underneath me. He disappeared in the living room, and after a few minutes, he got quite, and would not answer me when I called him. So I peeked around the corner and he was in the curtains, staring out the window, playing with the strings to the blinds...never making anything stress free. Ay!
Of course, he turns into a giggle monster the moment I tell him to get down. I was being the super give-into-that-cute-smile-mommy at this moment, and let him play for a second more before taking him down.
Here he is slipping down into the window, to try and "get away" from me...ya know because I am so mean...
but how can I be so mean, when this cute little face is smiling back at me...
A couple of new things he is doing, well I should say saying - "yes" and "all dun" - Tonight he ran into the kitchen whining and pointing up at the counter, and when I asked him if he was hungry, he screamed at me, so I told him to say "yes", and he did!!!! Then when I got up I asked him if he wanted more food, since we had just eaten, and I signed more, and he mimicked me. He hadn't done that in awhile. He can also sign "all done" and loves to shoot his hand out to say "bye". Bye is still "eye", eh, work in progress!!!

Last, but never ever least, Happy Birthday Ella! I cannot believe you are six years old...how time flies!!!!

Boredom leads to the funniest things...

Out of boredom one day, Gabby and Cavan went on adventure...with their baskets. Lots of running around and being silly...until Cavan was tired of it and then we moved onto nap time. Just one of those days...

A little bit of Cavan...

Why do we always feel the need to walk down memory lane? I do it on a regular basis the older I get it seems. I read in a blog that I follow, and on it the Mom states that she has already forgotten what it was like when her first child was one and now she is forgetting how it was when her second kids was one. I do remember a lot, but truthfully it is all a blur, especially with Gabby. I think I was walking through a haze the first two years of her life. I remember milestones she would hit, but other than that, it's just...blurry. Cavan has been a little bit easier. He was such a happy baby from the get go, and Gabby just loved him from the beginning too. She has been a wonderful big sister and a helper to me. I do though, already miss Cavan being a baby. He, like his Sister, is growing too fast. This morning, he started "fake" laughing at me, just to make me giggle at him. He loves to growl at the cats and sometimes at us. The cats really do not like him too much. Ha! I need to start "journaling" his accomplishments on here, so here I go for a little bit of that. He can say "Daddy", "Gabby", "Mommy", "more" (which sounds like mo), and he loves to bark like Grandma's poodle. Also, lots of jibber jabber. When he talks he thinks we know exactly what he is saying as he changes the tone he is using. He loves to scream when he isn't getting what he wants. If you tell him no, he will look at you, raise his eyebrows and squeal/growl, and then try it again. We took him to the duck pond the other day, and he was trying his hardest to get in the water with the ducks. I must have taken Gabby when she was a bit older, because she would get close to the water, but never tried to get in as hard as Cavan has. He loves to run around chasing Gabby, squealing after her, and then loves for her to chase him. He has many tickle points on his rib cage and back, and his inner thighs. Mommy of course, goes for all of them, just to make him smile and laugh. He now goes down for his naps twice a day without hardly any fight. He lays right down and drinks his bottle. He doesn't cry at night when put to bed, instead he bangs his bottle on his crib and talks to Gabby. He giggles and runs from me when I have to come in the room for whatever reason, and between the two of them, bedtime has become a social time...and that is not always a good thing...(I want to squeeze these little feet, they are so precious)

This picture was taken during Cavan's second trip to Busch Gardens. I already can tell you our children will love and visit Busch Gardens a lot. They will be familiar with all of the rides and fun activities that are happening at this awesome park.

I remember my first trip to Busch Gardens. I was 8 or 9 and we, my sister Katie and I, rode the Loch Ness monster. Now they have height restrictions, but then, a long long long time ago, they did not. It. Scared. The. Mess. Out. Of. Me. I still remember my Dad telling Katie to scream when she was scared, and before we left the loading area, she let out a squeal! We laugh at it and think how Katie was scared and so cute about it, but truthfully, she did what I wanted to do. I was screaming as I walked down the ramp to get on the ride. It stuck with me for many years. I avoided big rides like that, like they were the plague. It wasn't until I started dating, and had to be brave, that I started riding the BIG rides again (yep, I rode the rides for the men folk). It was a good thing I did too, simply because Clay is a avid roller coaster rider. He loves them so so so so much. When we first got married, for our 1st Anniversary we went to Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion! We go at least once year to BG, not so much Kings Dominion, not enough shade. I have found relief though (I still get scared out of my mind just thinking about rides), ever since we had kids, our riding possibilities have come to a halt. I have not had to step foot on one, in two years. I am not complaining either. Clay has managed to get a couple of rides in here and there, but me, I do not miss them! Now I go for the fun of watching our little ones play. Plus, they have wonderful shows and food, oh yes the food!! Love it!! The memories we make there are so fun and just wonderful! I am always excited in thinking we will get to go back one day soon, well not any time soon, just for the money aspect of it, but eventually. The next time we go, I'm thinking Cavan will be playing with his big sis, which will be a wonderful treat for her.

Goodbye Irene...

Hurricane Irene was extreme, by all means...that rhymed. Silly me. We stayed at Bonnie and Barry's while they were out of town, throughout the storm. It was re-donculous. We lost power at 8am, Saturday morning, and it did not come back on till 8 or 8:30pm, cannot remember exactly. It made for a very long day. We did have fun though, even with no power. Sonja and David, braved the storm that morning and came over when their power went out. We played games, sat around staring at each other and eating, and I scrapped. =0) Bonnie has a sweet set up if you want to scrap. We did do a lot of cleaning though too.

We were very blessed in that the only problems that we experienced with the aftermath of the storm, was the power being out. We feel so sad for all of those around us who suffered damage to their homes, mainly Sonja and David, and others who suffered loss of family or friends. We do hope they recover quickly and our comforted at this time.

Here are some random pictures we took around Bonnie and Barry's home and then some of Cavan. Yes, we did let him go outside during the wind and rain...with his Uncle David right behind him of course.

Thankfully, our cars were not attacked by this tree that so desperately wanted to fall over. It never did fulfill that dream...

thankfully.
It did try with all of it's might though.

Gabby had her first day of pre-school on Tuesday. She was so excited, really! It was kind of hard to get a serious smile out of her...

She was so excited to go, that she told everyone. She told Paw Paw that evening, that she could not go out with him the next day because she had school. We quickly had to inform her that she didn't, at least not for another day, and then she promptly told Paw Paw that she could indeed go out with him. She is so funny and quick too!

I still cannot believe that she will be 4 years old in two months. Ahhhhh!!!

Yesterday we played around the house, a day without going anywhere or even babysitting. Gabby decided to be a princess all in white...while Cavan was...

just Cavan.

(don't get me Mom)