JabberJohnsons: Gavin is 2!

Nope, definitely not a baby anymore.

How's Gavin?

Hilarious!! And busy. And talking. A lot.

How big is he now?

Went to the doctor yesterday. 35.5 inches. 41 pounds.

What clothes size is he wearing?

3T tops. Pants are a mix of 2T and 3T. Size 8 shoe.

Is he talking?

Seriously?! He is talking all the time now! It's amazing how fast he went from what sounded like a few words to being able to full-blown understand what he is saying! He has also begun linking words together.

How are we adjusting to new routines at home?

It's been trying at times. But we are doing good. It's actually kind of become "normal." Every day is different though. Gavin loves his daycare and he gets to spend Saturday night with Grandma and Grandpa while I work. Grandma even gets lucky and gets to pick him up from daycare occasionally. This has been tremendous help. Uncle Ron comes over to let the dogs out when needed too. Mostly we try to keep ourselves busy, busy, busy!

What are some of Gavin's favorite things?

Good golly, where do I begin?! He loves being outside and love, love, loves to go down slides at the park. I'm not quite ready for it to get cold yet. He now picks out his own clothes. Shirts must MUST have a character on the front. Something that he knows. From a fish or a cow, to trains, bears and The Backyardigans. Once Upon a Child is at the end of my street and it's great for finding character shirts for a bargain. I've also discovered that it's very easy to find cheap plain shirts and iron-on a transfer or patch. It's actually cheaper to make my own. he He goes crazy over stickers! I have never seen a little boy get so excited over stickers. Each evening we enjoy Story Time after a bath. You might call it our wind-down time. Favorite toys include: trucks, cars, planes, trains, blocks to build towers, puppets, stuffed animals. I really could go on. Maybe it would be easier to name what he doesn't like....

Does he eat well?

Not as well as he used to, but better than a month ago. Breakfast is easy. He loves pancakes, waffles, french toast, pop-tarts, oatmeal, bananas, milk, orange juice and sausage. Lunch is usually pretty simple. A sandwich and fruit. He more often than not has lunch at daycare during the week. He eats well there. Dinner is where we get picky. If it's fried he will eat it *gasp!* I know. I try to limit this option. I've learned that if you can "dip" it, he will most likely eat it. Not sure why, but kids love to dip! Favorite veggie, and sometimes the only one he will eat: green beans. He also like corn, but only on the cob. Picky picky. We are working on sneaking them in. It's a work in progress, but it's improving.

Does he have a "girlfriend" yet?

Why yes, yes he does. One of my best friends has a daughter approx 5 months younger than Gavin. They get to spend many of weekends together and are now in the same class at daycare. I've learned from his teachers that he "protects" her and is always keeping his eye on her. She is a little peanut. There are plenty of posts in this blog with Gavin and Pressly together. Just wait until Halloween!!

How is Gavin sleeping at 2?

Perfectly. Bedtime is typically by 8:30. He will sleep until 8 am. Sometimes later. On mornings I have to work early, I have to wake him up from a cold sleep. I feel awful doing it. He takes after me, and is not a morning person.

Is it true? Terrible 2's?

Not yet, but we just got here. I'll let you know.

Regarding tantrums....

They are few and far between. Most often when he is told the big bad "NO." As in, "No," you can't have three puddings for dinner, "No," you can't drink out of the dog dish, "No," two glasses of chocolate milk is enough. They don't last long either. A quick cry accompanied by a face plant to the floor. I find that if I leave the room or go and start playing with his toys, he quickly recovers and wants to join me.

What are some of Gavin's personality traits at this point?

Smiles. All the time. He is typically very mellow. He's a hugger as well. I love that he will warm up to anyone fairly quickly. Really. Within twenty minutes of meeting someone, they will usually be his new buddy. This also scares me sometimes. We need to learn the concept of caution.

How does G get along with the dogs?

As good as can be. He likes them, they are still a bit indifferent to him most of the time, yet they always know where he is and what he is doing. They sniff him. They lick him. He tries to hug them, they run away. He giggles as they run and jump around him. Throwing the ball for them is delight for him, but boring for the dogs as it only goes a few feet.

..the cat?

You mean his best friend?! We can never get rid of this cat. Gavin can lay on him, squeeze him, squish him, pull his hair out, and the cat comes back for more. Talk about a mellow cat. They are perfect for each other. I'll never forget the day Tim and I woke up to laughter over the monitor. We looked at each other like"What the heck is going on?" Come to find out, the cat had gotten in his room the night before and was playing with him.

What are my thoughts regarding this age?

Oh my. If someone told me that Gavin was going to be this fun I'd tell them they were lying. He is more interactive and communicative than EVER! He's his own person now. I love watching that personality come out.

Potty Training?

No interest. None. We talk about it. We put the seat on the potty and I make him sit on it while he SCREAMS attempt to sit after every bath. But that is as far as we go right now.

Last but not least, does he still love hats?

No. It was a phase. Now he wants nothing to do with them...except daddy's hat anyway:)

Now for a few birthday pics!