The Scots Would Be Proud

While in Scotland this summer, Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Neil picked up some very stylish and adorable tartan tams for the boys. They were not convinced the boys would actually want to wear them, but they couldn't pass up buying the tams. Little did they know that the boys simply adore wearing hats of any kind (mine, Ian's, fleece winter hats in summer!). They instantly took to their tams and have enjoyed wearing them inside the past couple days. Come fall they will be good for not only fashion, but function.


Gavin also loves the Scottish buses that Grandma and Grandpa brought back. There are two buses, but of course, Aiden has barely gotten a chance to play with either one. Gavin is a "who dat" hog.

Now if we could just get the boys to use "aye" instead of "yes" they would really be little Scots.

*Yes, the boys do indeed own clothing. They just prefer to be "all natural."

The World According to Gavin

Every day the boys are learning and repeating more words, but Gavin seems to have the best translations.

Here are some examples of Gavin-speak:

Gavin - "Abba"
Aiden - "Abee"
Blueberries - "Boobabies"
Strawberries - "Heybabies"
Car - "Pow"
School Bus - "Who dat"

School bus is my absolute favorite. Thankfully Tammera heard him say it while pointing to a bus, otherwise I would have never made the connection.

The Secret Life of Gavin and Aiden

Although Gavin and Aiden enjoy engaging in typical two year old boy things (playing with trucks, getting dirty, spending time at the playground, roaring like lions), they also have a secret life involving more scandalous activities.

One such activity the boys love is "naked time." This consists of Gavin and Aiden squealing and running around the house in nothing but their diapers, often taking the form of wind sprints across the living room. They even request it by name, "Naked! Naked! Naked!" Although this time is usually limited to 20 minutes or so before getting dressed in the morning (or before bed), last week on a rainy morning it lasted for over an hour...


Gavin enjoys some light "naked" reading while Aiden finds just the act of being "naked" hilarious. You can only imagine the mayhem that ensues when the boys are actually naked in the tub. The squeals are really amplified by the bathroom acoustics.


So here is the problem with "naked time" - it appears to be a gateway activity that leads to other more sordid acts like reading a People magazine that Mama bought and left lying around. In another strange twist, the boys actually shared the magazine and each took a few minutes to peruse it without any fighting (shocking!).

Gavin spent the majority of his time with the magazine looking at a two page spread of stars at the beach. He was most interested, perhaps perplexed, with a photo of Matt Damon surfing.


Phew...all is right in the world again when the boys tired of the People magazine and together ripped it to shreds. Again, they were surprisingly cooperative. "Naked time" seems to foster brotherly love.

The Sandbox

Over the holiday weekend, Ian built the boys a proper and spacious sandbox. It is a marked improvement over the previous "sandbox" they had been playing in, which consisted of: a sand pile left over from when we redid our patio last summer. a border of weeds on one half, and an additional border of black PVC piping that previously lived under the old patio. From my description you can tell it was quite the classy little play area.

The new and improved sandbox has a square wood border, four corner benches, clean sand, and even a cover to help keep out critters who may try to use it as a dumping ground. Gavin and Aiden were excited to get in and start digging.

Gavin put his trucks to work digging and pushing the sand around.

Aiden gets acquainted with the sand and decides that it will not be good for eating, but excellent for playing.

No, Cheese, and Bob

Gavin and Aiden have turned into quite the little talkers lately. They seem to learn a couple new words a day and can even string two or three words together...when they feel like it.

Aiden's favorite words are "no" and "cheese." For example, when Aiden does something he knows he shouldn't, like touching the TV, he likes to say "No, no, no" in a mocking, sassy way while looking directly at Ian or I. He is so cute, but such a little stinker sometimes. "Cheese" is used at every meal as either a chant, question, or statement. When a meal does not include a cheese course, he looks at me with big puppy dog eyes and meekly asks, "Cheese?"

Both boys now greet Steve with a "hi," which is often followed with "Eeeeeve," their pronunciation of his name. I asked Gavin yesterday what his cat's name was and he nonchalantly responded, "Bob." We have been reading Sandra Boynton's book 15 Animals a lot lately and in the book 14 out of 15 animals are named Bob..."I have a cat named Bob and a dog named Bob..." Gavin really gets into the book and likes to say all the "Bobs." Poor Steve, the disrespect only continues.

You can ask the boys what color something is as long as the item is blue. Our act would never survive on the road.

Tiger or a tiger?

While Ian was watching the U.S. Open on Father's Day, Aiden decided to turn off the TV (one of his favorite activities). Ian's response was, "Now we don't get to see Tiger's shot." So Aiden and Gavin both disappeared into their playroom and each returned with a tiger for Daddy. Gavin brought in the big stuffed tiger, and Aiden brought in the little plastic tiger. Very smart, boys!

Gavin gives the tiger some nice petting, a concept that rarely applies to his interactions with Steve.


Aiden is thinking, "Hello, tiger. In just a moment I am going to try to eat you!"

Pop Quiz: Aiden and Gavin Style

What happened right before this photo was taken?

A. Aiden and Gavin ran over Mama's new Azalea bush and both said "Uh-oh!" in unison.

B. The boys had just completed a lap around the block cruising for chicks...literally looking for small birds.

C. Aiden let out a distressed wail as Gavin carjacked him.

D. Nothing of interest because Aiden and Gavin are perfect angels.


Correct Answer: C - his weapon of choice was brute force

*Thanks to Tammera for the photo and accompanying story.

Our Little Animals

Lately Gavin and Aiden have been channeling their inner animals. Gavin has taken the form of an exotic bird, like a cockatoo, thanks to his bed head. Believe it or not, this was the morning after a bath. Gavin's channeling powers are obviously very strong!

Aiden has been channeling his inner cat...a cuddly tiger-like cat. Aiden donned this pair of ears while the boys visited their friend Amelia the other day. The ears are actually hers, but Aiden loved them and was not too proud to wear them around for a good ten minutes. Eventually the ears started to interfere with his fierce playing so they had to go.


Current Statistics:
Aiden - 25 lbs, 8 oz
Gavin - 26 lbs, 7 oz

Baby Mullet Be Gone!

For quite some time now, Gavin has been sporting what can only be described as a baby mullet. He was a shaggy business in the front and quite the party in the back. There was so much party in the back that it was a continuous flow of hair to shirt. We finally decided to take action and tame his mane.


A before picture of both boys. Don't be fooled by the turtleneck, Gavin's hair in the back really was long enough to cover his neck. Notice that Aiden finally has some hair, but he is months and months away from needing a haircut.

Tuesday night was the big event. Gavin did so well! We were both prepared for a total freak out, but he was very brave and quite interested in all the excitement at the salon. Although his initial reaction was to burrow into my shoulder, he eventually got more comfortable and even sat upright by the end. Gavin was so cooperative that he ended up getting a full fledged little boy haircut with some layering and style. Aiden was along for the ride and spent the entire time trying to squirm out of Ian's arms to explore the salon.


Evidence of the finished product, and yes, that is a neck!

Current Statistics:
Aiden - 24 lbs
Gavin - 25 lbs, 5 oz.

Aiden gained 13 oz. and Gavin gained over a pound in exactly a month. Nice growing boys!

They do run, run, run...

Lately the boys have decided that it is really fun to get places fast. Why walk when you can run in different directions away from Mommy and Daddy? Although they enjoy running around the house, they love running around the neighborhood. Aiden and Gavin like to explore every sidewalk and driveway. I'm sure our neighbors think nothing of two little boys wandering up their front steps.

While their number of tumbles is decreasing, their utter defiance is on the rise. A command to stay out of the street is greeted with a coy smile and then a quick dart towards the curb. I really think that "stay out of the street" must sound like "blah, blah, blah, blah, street" to them. In other words, they hear street and think, "Great idea Mommy!" Thankfully we live on a quiet street.

On you mark, get set, go Gavin!


The fact that the boys are very easily distracted makes them quite easy to catch. The water cover reeled them in again. Thanks water cover!


Current Statistics:
Aiden - 22 lbs, 14 oz
Gavin - 23 lbs, 15 oz

Yoda and Chewbacca They Were

This year for Halloween the boys decided to go with a Stars War theme (and when I say the boys I mean Ian and I). While Aiden was none too pleased with his costume when it first arrived, Gavin loved being Chewbacca. Gavin was perfectly content to run around the house and play like a good little wookie. Aiden would get his cloak on and just cry and cry. It was quite sad. Thankfully the night of Halloween Aiden was very tolerant and ended up not minding his costume one bit.

Blueberries, friend or foe?

Ian and I got some great blueberries at the local farmers market last weekend. Both Aiden and Gavin are big fans of blueberry yogurt so we thought they might enjoy trying some actual blueberries.

*Note how determined Aiden was to eat the blueberries even though they were clearly sour. Such determination is usually reserved for Gavin who will eat just about anything.

Moving to the Country

...gonna eat a lot of peaches.* These photos are proof positive why diced canned peaches are not a good finger food. The boys had a great time trying to get the peaches in their mouths, but as you can see they were not too successful.



A more informative post coming soon...I promise!!

*Taken from a song by Presidents of the United States of America.

Easter Egg Hunt

Gavin and Aiden attended their first Easter egg hunt last Saturday. Although they are still a bit too young to grasp the concept of looking for eggs, they seemed to enjoy crawling in the grass and picking up the eggs Ian and I conveniently placed within their reach.


The eggs were near, but the boys were too engrossed in the grass. Gavin liked the feel of the grass from the beginning while Aiden was a bit leery at first.


Will Gavin go for the hot pink egg or the equally interesting dead leaf? Hint: We pulled countless leaves out of his hands that afternoon right before they were going to enter his mouth.


Aiden reaches for the pink egg passed over by Gavin. He will next try to eat the egg, but realize two things: 1) Plastic is not too tasty, and 2) The egg is much too large to fit into his mouth. Darn.

Gavin and Aiden pose with their bounty, which would have included two more eggs except some pirate six year olds took them. The boys had been playing with two of the eggs in the grass when we decided to take a family picture a few feet away. When we returned to the basket we found 3 six to seven year olds debating whether or not the eggs in the grass were up for grabs. Ultimately they decided that they were. When the basket came up for debate we decided we better step in.

Water Babies

While we were in Duluth for Spring Break a week ago, Gavin and Aiden got their first chance to go "swimming." Both boys have always enjoyed bath time so we thought they would enjoy a dip in the pool. There was a baby pool that was the perfect size. Gavin and Aiden could stand up, supported of course, and the water only came up to their chests. They also enjoyed going for rides around the pool on their backs and stomachs courtesy of Mommy and Daddy.

Just like big boys, Gavin and Aiden enjoyed hanging out on the side of the pool.

Aiden chilled on the step looking unusually robust.

Gavin loved splashing in the pool and didn't even care when he splashed himself in the face. Aiden, on the other hand, did mind when Gavin splashed him in the face.

The Baby Colosseum...

...and yes, it was built in a day...or ten minutes. Gavin and Aiden have really been enjoying the plastic blocks that Ian played with when he was a child. The blocks are great for building all kinds of structures. The boys are particularly fond of what we have dubbed "The Baby Colosseum."

An aerial view of Aiden in the Colosseum with Gavin testing its structural integrity.

Aiden thinks that the Colosseum tastes quite yummy for being so strong.


Gavin enjoys the view as he lounges in his new favorite place.

Aside from playing with blocks, the boys are doing all kinds of big boy things like crawling and pulling themselves up in precarious places.

Current Statistics:
Aiden - 18 lbs, 13 oz
Gavin - 20 lbs, 11 oz

Eating, Sitting, and Teeth...Oh My!

Gavin and Aiden have been quite busy since I last posted...six weeks ago...sorry. Their first new adventure was eating solids. They started with the ever popular, always disgusting rice cereal. They were troopers about the new experience, and Aiden figured out the whole spoon thing the first night. Don't let his size fool you, Aiden has always been the better eater. After exploring a number of vegetables: squash, carrots, peas (their least favorite so far), sweet potatoes, and green beans, we could put off fruits no longer. The boys started to eat peaches two nights ago, and Gavin literally started crying when they were all gone.

Aside from both being crazy rollers now, the boys are venturing into the land of sitting. Gavin can now sit for many minutes without any support (we credit his wide base). He will still tip over if he reaches for a toy too vigorously, but for the most part he is a "sitter." Aiden also enjoys sitting, but he is still very dependent on some type of support.

Not to be outdone by his brother's sitting ability, Aiden decided that he would be the first to cut some teeth. Although they are barely visible, Aiden's two front bottom teeth have arrived. It really came as quite a surprise to us. I only discovered he had teeth when he decided to chew on my finger instead of teething ring. Had I not felt them myself I would have not believed it. Aiden has shown no sign of discomfort and has been his usual happy self. You cannot see the teeth in the photo, but they are there.

Gavin and Aiden thoroughly enjoyed their first Christmas. They got to see all of their grandparents as well as two aunts, two uncles, and three cousins - meeting some family members for the first time. It was a wonderful holiday season.

Current Statistics:
Aiden - 16 lbs, 13.5 oz
Gavin - 18 lbs, 15.5 oz

Not So Premature Anymore

Last week Gavin and Aiden hit the 6 month old mark. It is hard to believe that they have been part of our lives for half of a year already. Wow!

Gavin and Aiden have been up to some new tricks since I last posted. They are both big into drooling. So much so that their bibs have become a permanent fashion accessory. Aiden has mastered the back to front roll...although he is quite covert about it. When I leave the room to go make bottles he is lying on his back, but when I return he is magically on his tummy. Sometimes Gavin is conveinently close by and other times he is no where close. We are not expecting Gavin to roll from his back to tummy anytime soon. He has a bit of a larger base than Aiden...I'll address his size later. Both boys have become quite the little gigglers. Aiden has been known to just start belly laughing for no apparent reason at all. They both thoroughly enjoy being tickled, either on their bellies or with my hair on their faces. I am all about getting the cheap laughs. Gavin and Aiden both sit and stand with some assistance. Gavin may be sitting independently sooner than Aiden (once again, larger base).

At their six month appointment on Friday, both boys were, of course, weighed and measured. Aiden weighed 14 lbs, 14 oz with a height of 23.25" and a head circumference of 44.3 cm (yes, he has a big head). His current weight puts him in the 10th percentile for full term 6 month olds. Way to go Aiden!

Gavin weighed in at a whopping 16 lbs, 15 oz (the 50th percentile for full term 6 month olds) with a height of 25.125" and a head circumference of 44.2 cm. Gavin is living up to his hospital nickname of "Porker."

Halloween

I know that Halloween was a week ago, but I figured that some photos late are better than no photos ever. Plus, I did post the cute Pooh and Tigger photo on the sidebar a few days ago as a teaser.

Gavin and Aiden were troopers about the whole costume thing...especially considering the fact that they were put in their costumes for a short period of time five days in a row. I was determined to get a picture of them both looking at least tolerant of their costumes. Aiden didn't seem to mind his Tigger costume from the beginning. Gavin was a different story. The photos from the first night of Gavin being Pooh are hilarious in the fact that he looks completely miserable. Thankfully, each time Gavin wore the costume he seemed to mind it less. In addition to their costumes, the boys also got some very cute matching "I want my mummy" sleepers from one of my co-workers.

Gavin looks adorable, but is not sold on being Pooh yet.


Aiden as a happy Tigger the very first night.

Aiden wonders why his head is feeling drafty while Gavin tries to hide the fact that he actually loves his Pooh costume now.

Aiden cracks himself up while posing with the pumpkin.

Gavin gives his new friend the pumpkin a hug.

Current Statistics:
Aiden - 13 lbs, 13.5 oz
Gavin - 15 lbs, 2 oz

Me too, me too!

After watching Gavin rolling around for a couple days, Aiden decided it was his turn. Aiden rolled for the first time last Monday and Tammera caught his second roll on video. Although Aiden's initial approach was a bit different from his brother's, he is just as fast now that he has had some practice.