Christmas adventures...

Christmas was busy...living closer to family, we were able to attend all the Christmas activities.  The first Christmas activity was the 2nd annual Christmas cookie decorating party at Michelle and Leonards's.  Leonard prepared the day before and started baking cookies at 10:00AM.  He baked 8 or 9 different kinds of cookies, two of which we were gently forced to decorate: sugar and gingerbread.  Gavin had fun, but has not figured out moderation.  I guess he decorated his cookie the way he wanted to eat it.  They made him a very special "G" cookie that he promptly decorated.  There was a heap of cookies.  The pictures below cannot even begin to explain the amount of cookies!  



The cookie Gavin decorated all by himself!

Only a portion of decorated cookies.

We had so much fun at Michelle and Leonard's, we thought we'd give it a shot.  Christmas Eve we baked (only a dozen) cookies for Santa and decorated them.  GiGi stopped by on the way to Karen's to help, too.  

Finished products!  Santa ate almost all of them!

Gavin helping me icing the peppermint cake we made. 

I think he got more icing on his face, then on the cake ;)

Christmas Day was hectic!  Gavin woke up is his normal fashion...yelling for Dada.  Gary went upstairs to get him to show him the present Santa left.  I waited anxiously at the bottom of the stairs with my video going trying to capture the moment.  Instead I hear, "Dada, I gotta go poop"  So, I continued to wait...Once he finally came down, he was super excited!  He rode his new bike all morning!  Once we finished opening gifts at our house, we got dressed and went to GiGi's house.  Apparently, GiGi heard a raucous in the shed outside and found MaMaw and Santa in the shed with another toy for Gavin...So, I put the turkey in the oven and we went.

Gavin helped Jack open his present.

I'm unwrapping the present Gavin made for us at school.  The only time Gary picked up the camera...trying to get a picture of me crying.

Seeing his tractor for the first time...

Santa left him this cool microphone, too. Gavin provided a little Christmas entertaining.

Uncle Danny enjoyed his Christmas present!!

Later that day, Michelle and Leonard came over. And Gavin got more presents!

Gavin's "Risky Business" moment...move over Tom Cruise!

It's an LSU Christmas!

We had everybody over our house for dinner.  Everything was delicious!  The next afternoon, NaNa, PawPaw, Sara, Michelle and Leonard came over to celebrate.  And there were more presents! Gavin and Sara played so well together! We hung out all afternoon and watched the Saints whip up on Atlanta and Drew Brees break Dan Marino's passing record. 

Potty mouth.

We recently started potty training Gavin, and it has made him a lot more aware of things...

He asked me the other day where my penis was. I explained to him that boys have penises and girls have vaginas. He said, "where's your dawhina?" geez. Then, we were at the store the other day and I had to use the bathroom so bad! He came in the stall with me and was very attentive. As I hovered over the toilet, he got a closer look. He then asked very seriously (and loudly)..."Mama, you pee out of your butt?" How do you answer that??? You say yes. He can learn the truth in health class...

Christmas time!

When I a was younger, one of my most favorite things about Christmas was "Christmas in the Oaks". Now that I have a child, I was really looking forward to bringing him and experiencing it through his eyes.

We went last Saturday with Aunt Michelle and Uncle Leonard. We got there right as it opened, thank goodness! We headed straight for the rides. Gavin lost his courage about riding the ferris wheel almost immediately! And so did Mommy! I had nightmares about all the things that could go wrong, so we decided not to do it even though he regained his courage. Instead, we went to the Carosel. He was skeptical at first, but seemed to really like it! Mommy, Daddy and Aunt Michelle all got pretty dizzy. Next, we decided to get in line for the train. Gavin was really excited about the ride. What was even better was that the train had a police escort. After the train, Gary and Gavin rode the Carosel again and then we headed off to look at lights. On the way, we stumbled upon some fun kids rides. Gavin loved riding in his blue jeep. He pushed buttons and turned the steering wheel(s) like he was really driving. He rode the jeep twice before we moved on. We then found a dump truck ride. So cool. He loved it! We finally went to see the lights, but my little man had seen enough. He didn't really care about the lights so we headed home. He talked about riding the rides the rest of the night and kept saying, "Momma, I had so much fun tonight!" He talked about the rides in bed and for at least the next two days. He had such a blast!

On Sunday, MaMaw came over and we went to get a Christmas tree. It was different this year because we normally get a tree from Home Depot. It's an adventure...you bring a knife and cut the string off the tree, shake it out and decide if you want to take that tree home. This year we went to a tree place. All the trees were nicely standing and we were in and out in 15 minutes! It's a really cute tree. The next day, GiGi, Alexis, Josh, and MaMaw came over to bake cookies and decorate the tree. It was a lot of fun!

We had a very special visitor show up at the Marchand residence last night. It is our elf on the shelf. The first thing you're supposed to do is name it. Gavin named him elf on the shelf...so creative. We read the book and that night put him in his spot for the next morning. Gavin was so cute when he saw him (in the Christmas tree). He was so shy and kinda hid behind Gary. It wore off as the day went on. Gavin was being a little bad. He hit Dada, but then asked him not to tell the elf.

This Christmas is going to be so much fun. Gavin sure does love having his family around!

Thanksgiving 2011

I'm really very bummed that my camera broke, and I have no pictures of Thanksgiving this year!  We had a ton of fun anyway.  Michelle and Leonard hosted Thanksgiving for the first time this year in their new house.  It's really so warm and homey.  We had turkey and dressing, gravy, broccoli and cheese, green bean casserole, carrot mashed potatoes (made by who else??), macaroni and cheese, rolls and a host of desserts!  The weather could not have been more perfect and Gavin played outside with Josh and Alexis a lot.  I really am thankful for so many things...

1.  My WONDERFUL, supportive husband.
2. My amazing little boy.
3.  My smart and well behaved dog.
4. My family in New Orleans who love my babies so much.
5.  A house to live in until we find our own.
6.  My health and the health of those around me.
7.  Cars that work.

I could literally go on and on right down to having air to breath.  It was pretty awesome to drive 20 minutes for Thanksgiving and then 20 minutes back home.  No more 10 hour drives from Dallas!!  Gavin loves having his family around so much.  It's better than I ever expected!

The next day, we left Gavin with GiGi to go to the LSU/Arkansas game with Tina and Jonathan.  They drove down to be with Tina's family in Baton Rouge for Thanksgiving.  We got tickets to the game and watched LSU beat up on the hogs to go undefeated this season!!  I smell another National Championship!  Gavin did great at GiGi's house.  In fact, he didn't want to leave.  Yet another perk of living close to family ;)

BIg boy bed!

We decided that it was time to put Gavin in a big boy bed.  After a lot of deliberation between Gary building and bed and buying a bed, we decided to buy one.  Gary wanted to build him a "scooper truck" bed complete with working parts.  Cute idea, but I know our little worker would be really preoccupied with his new "toy" and get very little sleep.  So, we went for the generic blue race car...mostly because I thought the Lightning McQueen car was entirely too busy and limited the sheets and quilt we could put on it.  Gavin doesn't know the difference and loves his Lightening sheets.  His pillow case has two different sides...one with Lightening and one with Francesco on it.  He flip flops just about every night.

The first night was a little difficult.  He stayed up talking for a couple of hours.  I don't know if he was scared or excited or a little bit of both.  Finally, he called for some water.  Gary went up and laid down with him for a bit and that seem to comfort him enough so he could go to sleep.  He's been a real champ ever since.  He only got up one time (from a nap) without calling me first.  He does let me know every time he calls for me and I go up that, "Dada said I don't have to call you...He said I can get up all by myself"  Gary has no recollection of this. 

I have to admit that I LOVE him sleeping in a big boy bed.  I get to lay down with him and read books and snuggle with him before bedtime.  Right now, it's my favorite thing!  I'm ashamed to admit this, but sometimes I would crawl into his crib and snuggle with him.  It's hard not to when he pats the mattress and says, "Come on in, Mama"  I wasn't always so excited about him getting a big boy bed.  On top of worrying that he would climb out of bed and hurt himself or wake us up, it symbolizes him growing up.  I realize that he is not a baby anymore, and I can never go back.  But, I have to let him grow up and enjoy every second of it!  I sure have enjoyed every stage so far...and I sure do love him!

My big boy...

This week we started to potty train Gavin.  I was skeptical and nervous for a couple of reasons: diapers, although disgusting, are really convenient, and it would mean my big boy is growing up.  Well, we brought his potty downstairs, and he almost immediately began to use it!  He hasn't had one dirty diaper in almost a week!  Strangely enough, wet diapers seem to be more of a challenge.  Maybe we need to up the anty on wet diapers.  He has even been going to the bathroom in public although I feel like I have to issue a public apology everywhere we "pee" because the boy does not know how to aim...yet.  The other night while we were at dinner, Gary took him to the bathroom.  When he got back to the table, he told the waitress who applauded and congratulated him.  The couple behind us clapped, too.  Then, last night we went to dinner and Gavin told me he had to make a "ba loop" (the sound poop makes when it hits the water-he came up with that all by himself).  So, we went to the bathroom and sat on the toilet.  After about 15 minutes, he was finished!  What a big boy!  Apparently all the time in the bathroom created a bit of a fuss outside the bathroom by someone waiting to use the toilet.  C'mon!  As we were leaving, a random stranger said "hi" to him.  Gavin proceeded to tell said stranger that he did "ba loop" on the potty.  Confused, the man looked to Gary for a translation.  Gary quickly told the stranger Gavin pooped on the potty.  The stranger then pointed out that Gavin had some water on his shirt to which Gary replied, "That ain't water."  Geez.  Anyway, I'm so proud of my big boy.

We also got him a big boy bed.  We decided to buy him a twin race car bed.  We haven't set in up yet because we are doing some stuff to his room (painting, etc).  He got some Lightning McQueen sheets, and I'm contemplating Curious George sheets for Christmas.  I hope he loves his new bed.  I hope he will sleep in his new bed!!  I'm sure this transition will be just as easy as all the other ones for my little man.

Halloween 2011

This is was our first holiday since moving to New Orleans.  I found myself missing my pumpkin patch and my neighborhood and my friends.  We found another pumpkin patch close to Gavin's school that wasn't as nice as St. James, but Gavin didn't notice any difference.  He had a blast!  He picked out his small pumpkin right away and had fun running around.

Halloween night, we walked down the street to our neighbors house for their annual Halloween party.  There was food and music and lots of other kids. GiGi, Uncle Danny, Josh, Aunt Michelle and Uncle Leonard were there to celebrate with us.When it got dark, we went trick or treating.  Gavin started to whine a little bit and said he didn't want to go trick or treating...he wanted to go home.  So, I made a deal with him....let's go to one house and if he didn't have fun, we'd go home.  I scooped him up and took his bag.  I walked up to the first door and yelled, "Trick or Treat!" The nice man gave me a generous handful of candy and that's all my little police officer needed to see!  He wriggled out of my arms, grabbed his bag, and took off running up the street!  Without hesitation, he walked up to the doors and yelled, "Trick or treat!!!!"  He couldn't get enough. He wanted to go house to house getting all the candy he could!  He had so much fun! Of course, he wanted to eat all of his candy in one night, so we had to temper ourselves.

We had a blast!  It really is nice to be surrounded by family! And Gavin is finally at the age that this stuff is so much fun for him.  I'm really excited about Christmas!