Markers!!

Apparently Gavin has drawn with markers at school because he keeps asking for them. We only color with crayons in the Howard house up until now. I bought the boys, mainly Gavin, packs of markers and paint brushes (with paint already in the brush-less mess). I also bought each boy a smock to wear. Gavin loves his smock and is proud to wear it. Here is my little Picasso letting his creative juices flow! (After about 10 pics, he said "bye bye camera Mommy" and pushed the camera out of my hand!! hah!)

Gavin's Nativity

Gavin loved his little people manger toy set so much last year! This year we bought him the stable and drummer boy set to go with it. He was so excited and set it up right away. He loves "Baby Jesus" and the animals. We got a little confused with the wise men and Joseph, but after explaining to Gavin that the wise men bring gifts to baby Jesus, he could differentiate who was who! (The wise men toys are holding gifts.) Grayson thought the toys were pretty cool too. He especially likes pressing on the angel and hearing "away in a manger" play. He starts to dance! We have been spending alot of time trying to get the boys to share these toys. It's a little frustrating when they are fighting over the nativity toys. Ugh!!

Trip to the Zoo!

We had a great day today at the zoo with Addison and Dayna. We bundled up in sweaters and had a blast. The kiddos loved playing in the children's zoo area. Gavin and Grayson crack me up! We have a new stroller (#5 !!!) that is a sit and stand...Well, Gavin being the oldest is supposed to want to stand and have the opportunity to sit if he wants to and Grayson, being the baby is supposed to want to sit in the front. Go figure my boys have their own ideas on how things are gonna work out! Gavin likes to sit in the front seat (I think he will be my leader!) and Grayson likes to sit/stand in the back. (probably because he sees Gavin do it and he wants to be just like his big brother! At any rate, it's super cute to see. Love 'em boys to pieces!!!

Grayson 1st self feeding experience with the spoon!

Can you spell MESS???? To say he was messy is just a plain understatement. He was covered in a thick layer of goop! Grayson is such a different eater than Gavin. He has his own idea of what and how he will eat. He would not let me feed him his yogurt so I was fed up with the screaming and fussiness and gave him the spoon (I'll show you, little stinker toddler!) Well, guess who showed who? Yep, Grayson showed me. He grabbed that spoon and starting digging in and feeding himself. So funny (and did I mention messy)!! He ate the entire yogurt then I gave him applesauce, which didn't stick to the spoon as well so after a few attempts, he just "grabbed" the applesauce with his hand and ate. Mr. Independent, AKA Grayson, really enjoys using a spoon. WOW! My little guy is growing up!

Welcome Winter Weather!

We love the cold weather. I wonder, at times, why we live in Texas and not somewhere up north. (think amazing friends and family!) We bundled the boys up and let then burn out some pent up energy this weekend. They liked their new super hero fleece hats. They had a blast running around and, of course, screaming.

Grayson loves books!

I was beginning to wonder if Grayson was going to love books like his big brother Gavin. Well, wonder no more, he adores the book collection in the play room. During the day, Grayson will just disappear (he is very sneaky) and I will find him sitting in front of the bookshelf surrounded by books. He sits and goes through each page (mostly board books) with such intent and curiosity. He carries books everywhere; i.e. in the car, to the park, in the stroller, outside to play, bedroom, even bath time (we have some foam bath books!) I just love it. If there is one characteristic I want to pass to my boys it is my love of reading and appreciation of books.

Gavin's top 5

Gavin is turning into quite the conversationalist. His comments crack me up and prove that even though he has not been talking for 2 years, he has definitely been listening. (OPPS!)


5. Gavin got bit on the arm at school by one of his classmates (ergg). First of all, we play outside ALOT and sometimes at dusk, so Gavin has gotten mosquito bites before. He will show me during bathtime where he has bites. Then as we are getting jammies and putting lotion on after bath, we put caladryl lotion on them. Well, after his bath on this particular day he pointed to his arm (where he was bit by his classmate) and says "Mommy need medicine on bite, Bad John." Apparently the classmate that bit him is named John, anyway cute how Gavin thinks all bites, regardless of the 'pest' who did it, get caladryl medicine!!

4. Gavin likes to dance and at night sometimes we play music through our satellite and turn it up! Gavin comes home from school and keeps telling me "Mommy, Mommy, sake or boot e" He says this over and over and does this little jig dance with his hands in fists and wiggling his hips. I am totally clueless and it's like a game of charades as I try to decipher what he is saying. FINALLY it clicks, and I say, "Gavin are you saying shake your bootie?" He smiles big and laughts, "YEP! Sake or boot e!" and then I realize he is not just wiggling his hips, he is literally shaking his bootie! I just laughed and gave him big hugs and kisses!

3. Grayson was fussy at dinner because I didn't serve him fish sticks or chicken. Gavin looked at him and shook his pointer finger at Grayson saying "No, No Sayson, no whinning. Stop and Eat!"

2.Gavin asked who I was talking to on the phone. I explained to him that it was Salvation Army and the will take the things we don't need/want anymore and give it to people who want them. he sat silent for a moment, then said "Oh, like Boom Boom?!" (He is our chocolate lab who annoys Gavin with his constant licking 'kisses'.)

1. Okay, so I am a Mom who changes many, many poopy diapers. On this particular day, I smell "the smell" and ask Gavin, "Did you poopie in your diaper?" He doesn't even stop to look at me in the midst of playing, he just says "No Mommy, it's Sayson!" Poor Grayson not even 15 months old yet and getting blamed.