Palm Springs!

Every year Philip's work sponsors a retreat weekend in Palm Springs for its employees. Last year was a nightmare and the year before that Gavin was newborn and this year is the last year they'll be doing it since the economy isn't doing well and the office is growing too much to be economical anymore, so we gave it one last try!



While I was trying to get pictures of the room, Gavin decided to be a ham.





Sitting like a big boy at the desk looking at his books.



We went out for Chinese food and I didn't give Gavin any broccoli from because it looked so big and I thought he'd have a hard time eating it. He asked for it by name (I don't think I've ever heard him say broccoli spontaneously before) and ate it like an ice cream cone. He loves it, apparently!





We decided to splurge for once on room service. We ordered it the night before by filling out a hanger and sticking it on the door. We even got to pick the time within 15 minutes of when we'd like it to be delivered. It was expensive, of course, but it was delivered to our room and we didn't have to go anywhere to get it. One breakfast with one side was enough to share amongst us.



We ordered a three egg omelet with spinach, bacon, and two kinds of cheese in it. It came with breakfast potatoes, toast, and juice on the side. We also ordered a side of sausage on the side. Probably the first and last time we'll do room service.



Gavin loved looking out from the balcony. It didn't take him long to discover that he could climb the side, though.



From our balcony we could see a nice pool view.





Please excuse some of the following pictures. They were taken on a water proof disposable film camera, so there was no way to know how they would turn out.

He loved playing in the sand, of course. The hotel provided plenty of pool toys for the kids to play with, and swim diapers as well!





Gavin with me, fighting furiously to get back into Daddy's arms. I'm so under appreciated at this point when daddy is around. Daddy loves it, of course, but says he gets tired of being clung to all the time; welcome to my world when daddy isn't around.





With one of Philip's coworker's kids. Gavin loves to play with other kids. Hopefully this is a good sign for when the baby comes.



All of the throwing pictures turned out blurry, but I am posting the best of them.



He loves being covered in towels or blankets, especially after just getting out of the pool.





This shot has the sun in it, but I thought it had kind of a cool effect.





Don't I look cool?!



We got Gavin this swimming trainer vest thing where you can take the pads out a little at a time to teach them to swim and he loved it!!! He could move about freely (with us in arm's reach, of course).



I was trying to take a picture of Gavin's legs by themselves under the water, it kind of worked. Those are Philip's legs in the background.





Gavin was flirting with this lady, with his new found freedom in the water, he kept swimming back to her because she was talking to him. She was nice enough to take a picture with him; her name was Laura.



An interesting end to the weekend: Gavin woke us up at 4:30am throwing up in his pack n play. So, we started to pack up to leave with his soiled sheet and blankets, and by 7:00am, he'd done it three times, the last being in the car when we'd just hit the road! The last time he did it was on the couch at home on the slipcover. This is Gavin being semi catatonic after being up since 4:30, he finally gave in to sleep around 10:00am or so, where I joined the nap time in my own bed shortly thereafter. We missed the family dinner celebrating Nathan's sixth birthday because we didn't want to get anyone sick. Hope it was a good one, Nathan! Happy Birthday!

Silly Boy!

When Gavin goes into the fridge, it's usually for milk, but this time he brought out the big block of cheese! I put it back and got out the already opened package of cheese, but I guess he thought that I was just trying to take it away because he went and got it out again! I thought that this would be a great advertisement for Tillamook! Look at those pleading eyes! He loves cheese!



Just being silly and hiding himself under the covers. He did this to himself.

Strawberries, Yum!

I can't believe how small some of the strawberries are from my plants. Any suggestions on how to grow larger strawberries? I still only have two plants producing, and for some reason they are the smaller plants. It seems as if they either have large greenery or produce fruit, but not both.

Shoe Shine

I bought a shoe shine kit the other day because I got tired of not having one and Philip's shoes never being shined. I took the liberty of doing it myself. Don't they look much better? Gavin tried to help me. I think it's so cute how they are the great imitators at this age.

I think it's a noticeable enough difference to take five minutes of my time, don't you?

Just one of the boys

On May 30, we had a family get together with the out of town grandparents. This was towards the end of the evening, when we thought it was time for Gavin to start slowing down. We stuck in the Cars DVD and Gavin took right to it. Josh joined him for a little while. Thought they looked so cute together!

Visiting Friends

We spent the night the last weekend in May with our friends, Eric and Gail for Eric's birthday. We had a YUMMY dinner out then put Gavin down in the pack and play at their house. The next day we went with Gail to the park while the boys went go carting (in gas powered go karts where you have to take a class first to drive them).









Gail is a good Auntie. She loves to play with kids!



On the way home, Gavin was trying to entertain himself, or SOMETHING...





He also tried to tickle his own foot (which didn't work, of course), then stuck it out for me to tickle! Silly boy!

Mr. Bear

Mr. Bear isn't with Gavin 100% of the time, but he still loves him. I caught this picture just after Gavin had been "reading" to Mr. Bear. Too bad I wasn't faster, it would have been a cute shot.

Laundry Boy

He seems to have a thing for the laundry and laundry basket. It's all fun and games to a two year old, I guess.

Well checks and school!

Gavin and I had our well checks pretty close together, his for his second birthday and mine for little brother/sister.

Gavin is now 30 pounds and 35 1/2 inches tall! He was in the 75th percentile on both accounts (he is nicely proportioned) he also received two shots (not so fun) and some Thomas stickers. Oh, and Gavin is now big/healthy enough to go to regular milk instead of whole milk, yay, one less thing for my shopping list! Gavin's doctor also just enrolled her daughter, who will be two in August, in the Japanese preschool where we want Gavin to go! We need to find out if there are any more spots available! Ideally Gavin will begin about September (so he has time to adjust to preschool before the baby comes in November). Gavin's doctor is also expecting her second child, due only about two weeks after our baby!

My appointment was quick, once I got into a room. The doctor found the heartbeat and told me to schedule my ultrasound! We have it scheduled now for one week from today, so if baby is cooperating, we'll know then if it's a boy or a girl!

School is going a little better than I expected, I am currently at about 90%, the past couple of quizzes I missed more than I would like, but that is probably because I didn't read the chapters... So, for the remaining quizzes, I'm going to read more again, since the first few quizzes where I did read, I got a couple of perfects or only missed one point. My written assignments have gone well, I have gotten 14/15 points. I just have to hang on for another week, and I'll be done with my class, yay!

At the park!

Gavin and I did the park really quick the other day before his two year well check!







Gavin's little friend, Kaylee, who despite Gavin being taller than, is six weeks older than he is.