It's Niagara Falls around here

I debated about writing today (although I am WAY overdue for an update) because Gavin pushed every single one of my buttons tonight and my patience was just not up to it. People say that the terrible two's are nothing compared to the terrible three's....I hope and pray that they are wrong. Really, Gavin is quite loving and fun most of the time, but I guess he has crabby days just like the rest of us (or at least like his Mommy) and most of the time I can handle it. Today was not one of those days. I know I don't have a lot of patience, in fact that was (and is) my biggest fear when deciding to have children - would I have enough patience to handle the stress? I'll let you know when I figure that out!

Ok, so on to the good stuff. Gavin is in the middle of potty training! And it is going very well we think. Not sure if he actually knows what it's all about, or if he just enjoys the 2 M&M's he gets for peeing on the potty. I do know that the second he has gone, he jumps up and runs to the cupboard where we keep the candy. He even told Miss Ella that he had to go the other day - and actually went! We're not to the point of skipping the diapers (which I discovered first hand and dripping wet!), but he's pretty consistent before baths, in the morning and after naps! I thought about posting a picture of him, but I didn't want to humiliate him before he even knows what humiliation is.

We had a good Thanksgiving here in St. Louis with Jon's family. Mark, Tami and Allie drove in for the weekend and we had a group family portrait taken on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I threw in an extra shirt for Gavin in hopes of killing 2 birds (actually 3) with one stone, and getting a Gavin Christmas picture and a family picture of the 3 of us. Michael at Portrait Innovations was a hoot and he got Gavin to smile and laugh for pictures like we haven't been able to in months! We all were laughing at his antics of a stuffed dog hitting him in the head, and then landing on his head while he snapped the pictures. He was his own one man comedy show and Gavin laughed the entire time.

Enjoying his turkey dinner

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit the day after and we got to spend some time with them as well, which was nice. We all went bowling on Saturday after and Gavin gave everybody a run for their money - he enjoyed it and was actually quite good at knocking down the pins.

Two men and their hats!

Can you believe how well Gavin bowled his first time - I think it's in his genes!

Despite pushing our buttons, Gavin has been cracking us up with his sentences and the things he repeats or notices! Tonight at dinner, he kept asking for guacamole and started crying when I mixed some in with his rice and beans and he shouted "No guacamole in dere, No guacamole in dere". What I find funny is that he pronounces guacamole without a hitch, but "there" is tough for him! Another funny thing he does is ask the questions before you can. For instance, he'll fall down and you'll hear him ask "are you ok?" before you can get to him. He is still repeating EVERYTHING (our parents as teachers guide praised him on his elocution - I call it parrot) and it is funny to hear your words coming out of a 2 year old mouth. So far no profanity but I know I am thisclose to slipping! Gavin and I are also taking swim lessons for 3 weeks. We had to skip the first class because he was sick, but class number 2 was a big hit and we enjoy the time in the pool! I'll try to get Jon to take some pictures at one of the classes.