7/24/11: Gavin loves boots, motorcycles, bikes, balls, cars, and Buzz Lightyear. He has recently formed this obsession with Toy Story (Toy Story 2 is his fav) and says "Buzz Yiteyear fwy" or "Yeehaw" or a number of other phrases from his new favorite movie. He is such an active, crazy little guy and is constantly on the go. He loves his playhouse bed and loves to help me find things in "my woom". He speaks really well and says most things in 3+ word sentences. He is yearning for the day that he can get out and be part of a team of sorts. He loves to watch the kids play soccer and baseball at the park and will sit with eyes glued to the tv when a sport is on. He even wants to go join in when his sisters are doing gymnastics. I think he feels a little left out sometimes but it's strange to think that he will be 3 years old next year and will be able to participate in most of those things. He loves to jump! He is always bouncing around the house; on the beds, couches, tables, counters, and my most preferred trampoline. He loves to dig in the dirt and play with rocks. He will throw almost anything he can find. He has the cutest little laugh in the whole world which I love except for when he throws it at me when I try to get upset at him. He has also found a new love for running around in his diaper. He changes his clothes constantly but will never leave them on for more than a few minutes. If we go on a walk or ride in the car, he usually runs ahead of me with his clothes off before I even get in the house. He also likes to carry around purses and talk on phones (courtesy of living with mostly girls) but other than that, he's all boy!
10/27/10: Gavin has mastered the skill of shaking his head "no" and "yeah," while usually verbally saying the words too. He knows when he is in trouble and he just gets a little mischievious look on his face and shakes his head "no" in an innocent type way. It's the type of face that you can't possibly get mad at so he just tests me over and over. Today while we watched Eris at gymnastics he kept trying to go out on the equipment and running away from me, giggling all the while. It didn't matter how many times I picked him up and took him back to the other room, he always found a way to escape and it became a game for him. He is so stinking cute but he is definitely following in Shayla's footsteps; crazy, mischievious and all. I have a feeling I am in for a real treat with those two. Good thing Eris is here to balance things out a bit. She loves to be the helper to calm the crazies down... or at least divert their attention to something else for awhile.
10/10/10: Gavin loves his blankie! When he wakes up in the morning he has to take it with him or he will go pull it through the rungs of the crib and get it out. We sometimes call him "Linus" because he loves it so much. This is him as he is saying the word "ball". He puts a 'w' sound at the end of it and puckers out his lips. It's so cute! He also loves to feed Kudos. When he is done with dinner, he sometimes sneaks his plate to the floor and lets Kudos lick it clean. He loves to play with his doggy and calls him "dogga". He tries to ride on his back and lets him lick his face. Now that he is learning to take his plate to the sink he holds it out and says "done" and then I pick him up so he can throw it in the sink. It's so fun to watch his little personality come out.9/27/10 Notes from Mom:
To My Little Gavers,
You are getting so big. I can't believe how fast my baby is growing. It seems like everyday you are learning a new word or how to play with a new toy. I love to watch you sit and read books to yourself and it's so funny how you always love to have a ball or car in your hand. You even make the "vroom" sound when you drive the car up the walls and you are a very good ball player. Anytime you see a ball anywhere, you always point it out to me. For awhile I thought you were going to be the laid back, calm one but you are almost as busy as your sisters. You love to play outside and run in the sprinklers or jump on the tramp. You love to climb all of the ladders at the playground. You also love to come give me a hug once in a while and blow kisses and wave bye bye. When I was having a hard day recently, you came up with your arms outstretched and said "mama" and gave me big hugs. It made my day.
16 months:
- Gavin is a little ball of fun! He is 16 months old and always on the move. He keeps me on my toes as he sneaks out the doggy door, climbs up the retaining wall and onto the tramp. Or you might also find him pulling the chairs out and climbing on the table or even on top of the couch and sitting on the window ledge with the dog. He is finding his voice and is always babbling about something. He's learned several new words lately including; "ball", "dog", "please" and "uh oh". He is a tall and skinny little guy but is constantly eating. He loves to go on walks and bike rides and play on the trampoline. You are sure never to find him without a ball or car in his hand. He loves any kind of ball and plays catch really well. He's our little Gavers!
The Announcement:
- We didn’t tell anyone until Thanksgiving. The news was spread to our parents, siblings and the Hogue’s. We announced it to mom’s family at dinner when we took turns sharing something we were thankful for.
The Name:
- Gavin Keith Lewis.
- Gavin has always been at the top of our list of boy names. When big sister Eris decided that if the baby was a boy she liked the name Gavin the best, it was decided. Gavin means “White Hawk” or “Little Falcon” in Scottish. The middle name Keith is daddy’s middle name, which was passed down to him from his dad, Grandpa Keith Lewis.
- We also liked the names Jackson and Ethan but have always leaned more toward Gavin.
- As a baby, dad likes to call him G-man or little man, Grandma Sharon likes to call him Gav-Gav or Gavi. I usually call him bud, buddy or little guy.
- 10/8/10: As a toddler some new nicknames have evolved; Gavino, the Gavinator, Gavers.
The Preparation:
- Once we found out it was a boy we knew there’d be extra preparations to get ready for the new little guy. I became good friends with eBay and got most of the bedding and other necessities from there. I was also given 2 baby showers by my good friends Andi Thompson and Tammy Bingham which helped with a lot of cute clothes and blankets, among many other fun things for baby Gavin. We were given a second crib so that Shayla could continue using hers for a toddler bed, and got some cute pictures and frames and vinyl lettering to hang in his room.
- At on Thur
5/21/09 my water broke. At the time, I wasn’t sure if that was what had happened or not so I waited it out until I started getting contractions. I was able to wake up dad this time and we drove to the hospital together. A good friend and co-worker, Aprillyn Lebaron, was able to come over to be with the girls. At about we checked in to the hospital and were told that we’d be having a baby that day. My contractions were about 15 minutes apart and I was only dilated to a 1. The nurses were very helpful and easy to work with. I got an epidural at around 5 and it was smooth sailing from there. Labor seemed to go very smoothly. Daddy and my parents were able to be there for the delivery. I pushed through 3 contractions before baby Gavin greeted the world. They wiped him off and let me hold him for a couple of minutes before taking him which was a really neat experience. He was so beautiful, with dark brown hair and blue eyes and the cutest little nose I’ve ever seen. He kept his eyes open for several minutes immediately following his birth. I was amazed at how awake and aware he seemed of the world around him. We chose to deliver at Mesa View this time which is a lot less busy than other hospitals. He was one of 2 babies in the nursery. The nurses were fantastic and helped so much. They were very kind and considerate and were there when needed. Everyone seemed very professional and seemed truly excited for us. They gave us a beautiful gift basket full of baby blankets and a stuffed animal among other items for baby.
The Arrival:
- Gavin Keith Lewis, born May 22, 2009 at 2:02 pm. 8 lb 4 oz, 20.5" long. Brown hair, blue eyes. Beautiful, healthy baby boy!
Visitors:
- In the hospital:
- Grandma Sharon, Grandpa Neily, Aubrey, Stephen, Colleen Shepherd, Shauna Griffiths, Tammy Bingham, Paige Woods, AprilLyn Lebaron
- At home:
- Grandma Sharon & Grandpa Neily, Aubrey, Stephen, Cory Wagstaff, Brett & Shauna Griffiths & kids, Grandma & Grandpa Giles, Janene & Kevin Slaugh, Chelsea Capitan, Jessica & Jeff Clark, Mykal & Paul Shirley & kids, Gary & Colleen Shepherd, Shauna & Brett Griffiths, Dale & Shawna Shepherd & kids, Janet Lemmon, Grandma Pearl & Grandpa Keith, Stacey & Robert Young & kids, RS president, Visiting Teachers: Sis. Grant and Sis Conners, Pam & Shaun Rich & kids, Shae & Chad Jensen & kids, Kevin & Tina Jensen, Collette & Aaron Bonham
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Blessing Day: July 5, 2009
- I bless you with a positive attitude through trials and tribulations you may face and that you will do so with a smile. I bless you that your spiritual eyes and ears will be open and that you will have an open mouth to share the gospel with others. I bless you that you might serve as a missionary and that you will serve well. I bless you that you will also live the covenants that you make in the temple and that you will be strong to withstand temptations and that you will be strong physically as well. This and all other blessings your Heavenly Father has in store for you, I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
My Advice:
- Enjoy each day and all the joys it brings. I think that too many times, we get caught up in everyday life and all the stress that comes with it, but if you just take it one day at a time and enjoy the small stuff, life is so much more worth it. It helps me appreciate all that I have and how truly blessed our family is. Sleep when the baby sleeps. You may still be on an adrenaline kick but take things slowly and take a nap every now and then while the baby is still sleeping a lot. It definitely pays off for the times when he might not sleep as often. Give the baby a bottle once in awhile. Even though I nurse, I am so glad that I am able to let dad feed him once in awhile too. It is a good break for me and a good time for the two of them to bond.
Babies First Days at Home:
- Gavin is such a sweet and perfect little baby. He sleeps through almost anything and is very laid back and calm. He makes the cutest little faces when he sleeps and once in awhile he gives a big smile. He has dark hair that looks like it was just cut, beautiful blue eyes & a cute little nose. His hands and feet are huge but they are just long and skinny like the rest of him. His umbilical cord fell off when he was 9 days old and he grew an inch in the first 10 days. The day we got home from the hospital we met up with family members at a swim party at aunt Janene’s house and he was so good to let us cart him around like that even from day 1. I was able to take him on several walks the first few days in his bjorn and we even took a trip to
Orem - He is a very good baby. He only cries if he’s hungry or needs a diaper change. He will occasionally whine if he’s cold or wants to be snuggled. He is a cuddly baby who loves to be swaddled and warm. When he is awake, he loves to be carried so he faces out to see the world. He also likes to face towards your chest for warmth and comfort when he wants to sleep.
- From the time Gavin was born, he smiled during sleeping. He first started smiling while awake at 3 wks old. The first big smile I saw was to Spencer’s birth mom, Diane, on Sunday June 14, 2009 and that same day to his daddy, mommy, Grandma Pearl & Grandpa Keith, Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Neily and has been smiling ever since. I love it when he does his half, kind of crooked smile and when he just gives his big, cute grin.
- At 6 wks, he started laughing when his daddy tickled him under his chin and under his arm pits. He loves his daddy! At 8 ½ wks daddy did it again, only this time it was for a few constant seconds. So cute!
- He started making distinct cooing sounds at 5 wks. It started out as a humming noise while sleeping and turned into all sorts of cute coo’s and o’s while being talked or sung to and held.
- He has always been very strong. Even from birth, he could hold his head up a little without support. At 8 wks, he usually holds it up on his own but I still get nervous. By 11 weeks, he has most of his head control. I can pull him up to a standing position and he bobs his head, keeping it steady. The dr said that he is very strong for 11 weeks. She normally doesn’t see babies do that until they are 15+ weeks old.
- Even from the moment he was born, Gavin loved to open his eyes and look at his world. He was very alert for a brand new baby and you could tell that he was just trying to figure things out and take it all in. He even held his head up a little from the moment he greeted his new world and continued to get better throughout the month. He has such a cute little cry. It’s more like a manly whimper since the sound is deep, and only happens when he starts to get hungry or if he is cold. Grandma Pearl commented that he already sounds like a little man with his manly cry. He loves making funny faces; makes an “o” with his mouth, does the worry look where he creases up his forehead, sucks his lips together. He is such a good baby and loves to cuddle and be rocked. He went on his first hike for mom’s birthday on June 10th in St. George at
Pioneer Park Arizona - At 2 months old, Gavin has started cooing, smiling more frequently while awake and laughing a little. He is still very calm and laid back. He still loves to be cuddled and rocked but has also found that he absolutely loves his swing. He has started to snore a little while sleeping. He is much more alert and opens his big bright blue eyes often. He loves looking at the wall with all the pictures and the ceiling and is fascinated with the fan. When he startles at most loud sounds, he throws his arms out and almost looks like he is swimming, waving them in big circles. At 7 wks he started kicking his feet harder to make his bouncer move. He loves to go on walks in his stroller and be carried in the baby bjorn. He also loves car rides and sitting in his car seat at the park while the other kids play. By 8 wks he laughs often and smiles all the time. He loves to pull mom’s hair.
- At 9 weeks he met his auntie Whitney and uncle Bronson for the first time. He adored Whitney and would look up at her and smile and giggle frequently. He loves to kick in his bouncer and be held facing out to see the world around him. He has started imitating sounds and has found his tongue so he sticks it out and moves it around and opens his mouth a lot. He knows how to make his mama melt with his adorable little grins and giggles. Dad makes him laugh the most by bouncing him up in the air. Mom can do it once in awhile by tickling his neck or giving him lots of kisses. At 9 ½ weeks he slept for 10 hours straight during the night and since then has slept for 5-6 hours during the night consecutively. At 11 weeks he discovered his hands more and tries to grasp things. He also brings his hands to his middle in swatting motions. He took his binkie out of his mouth with his hand shortly after his 11 week mark. He loves to stretch out on the play mat and look up at the toys. He also loves when mom and sisters sing him songs and make him smile. He does well on his tummy and pushes himself up with his head steady. He babbles a lot and coos the sweetest little sounds. He is imitating sounds a lot as well. He can say “oh” and “aw” and “oo”. Mom is hoping that he will say mama first so we are working on that. He is starting to seem more interested in books and toys and loves to sit on mom’s lap and listen to stories or sing songs.
- At 13 weeks he said “m” and at 15 weeks mom is sure that he said “mama”. He is very good at imitating and has the biggest, sweetest smile ever and the brightest blue eyes. He is so handsome and I have adopted the new nickname, “my handsomeness”. He loves the stroller, swing and bouncer. He is back to waking up almost every 3 hours and wants to be held a lot but he is still as cute as ever. He also started drooling a lot and constantly sucking or chewing on his fingers, fists and blankets. I wonder if he is teething although he is pretty young for that. Grandma Pearl said that Spencer started teething about his age so that might be the culprit. We’ll see. He swats the toys on his play mat and likes to have his sisters rattle them for him. His sisters love him and like to play with him and kiss him all the time. He smiles and laughs for big sister Eris and loves the game “what did you do in heaven?” and “run, run, jump”. He pulls his legs up to his face and tries to roll from his tummy to his back but isn’t quite there yet. He loves to stand while supported and will sit if he has a support for his back. I think that he’ll probably learn to walk really early just like big sister Shayla.
- At 16 weeks, Gavin rolled over from his back to his tummy on his play mat. Grandma Pearl and Grandpa Keith were there when it happened. He has started grabbing at toys and is fascinated with his hands. He just twiddles his fingers and looks at them in awe. He is a very curios baby and seems to like to figure things out. He smiles a lot and has the cutest little giggles. He loves to be in constant motion. He always likes to be carried around in the bjorn and the stroller. He also loves car rides and bouncing himself in his bouncer or rocking himself in his carseat. He’s a happy baby although he doesn’t usually sleep for longer than 4 hours at a time (even at night), but we’ll get there. He loves holding onto his blanket and daddy thinks that he should start calling him “Linus.” He still drools a lot, blows bubbles and chews on his hands but no teeth have poked through yet. He likes to be stiff as a board and doesn’t like you to bend him over. We have had to change his burping position to the shoulder since he won’t sit down to let you burp him anymore. He is really strong and pulls himself to a standing position when on your lap. He also is starting to scoot himself a little while on the floor when he is on his tummy. He also loves his mommy! At Eris’ dental appt last month, the assistants commented how they love when babies just adore their mom’s as he looked up at me and smiled his huge grin. He’ll probably be a mommy’s boy and I’m ok with that!
- By 25 weeks Gavin is rolling all over the place. He is still always smiling and loves to clasp his hands together. He has recently started sucking on the tip of his thumb more often then putting his entire fist in his mouth. He is mostly over the stiff as a board thing and will sit with help. He babbles a bit but is more fascinated with rolling, trying to scoot, walking himself around in circles in the exersaucer and playing with his toys. I put 2-3 quilts on the tile floor and he keeps rolling all the way across off the blankets and doesn’t even act bugged when he keeps rolling on the cold, hard floor. He usually naps for an hour in the morning around 9 another hour around 12 and then a third hour at . I currently take him and big sister Shayla on a drive at everyday to ensure that they both take a nap (more worried about Shayla not falling asleep at home than Gavin). He loves listening to music and being sung to. He loves watching his sisters and smiles at them often. Both sisters continue to be big helpers and love their little brother so much. Eris likes to ask him if he wants “kissy wissy wissy woo” and then tells him “I’ll give you a kissy wissy woo.” She also started the “I love you, yes I do,” that is repeated often by Shayla and I. He will take a bottle if he has to but not from me. Dad is usually the only one who can get him to take it although Grandma has gotten him to as well. He is eating solid foods 1-2 times daily on a regular basis. He has tried and liked bananas, applesauce, rice cereal, oatmeal, green beans, and sweet potatoes. He still enjoys waking me up every 2-4 hours. I know that he is getting old enough that he should be able to sleep through the night so I may have to struggle through the crying thing or moving him to his own room (although I have to admit I’m not ready for either). I’m still hoping that he’ll figure it out on his own. He is such a good baby and rarely cries during the day although he does enjoy being busy by being held, rolling, going on walks, or playing with his toys. Everyone comments on how cute he is and how big he has gotten too. He’s not even 6 months old yet but he is nearing the end of the 6-9 month size. He is starting to get more hair but it’s growing in kind of furry. It reminds me of the big fur ball that you might find on Spencer’s head after he showers and before the gel. He is a very handsome, tall and healthy boy and we all love him to pieces.
- On his 7 month birthday he stayed sitting up all on his own. It’s so funny to see the look on his face when he accomplishes something. It’s like he’s trying to tell me “Look mom!” He’s so proud of himself. It’s so much fun to see him reach all of these new milestones. He is still regularly laughing and smiling. He holds his arms out when he wants me to hold him and also did it for grandma and grandpa and daddy. He loves to give hugs and put his mouth on the girls’ cheeks. They think he’s giving them kisses. He sits up and reaches for toys. He loves to play with his toys and look in mirrors. He also loves to walk himself around in circles in the exersaucer or run all over the tile floor in his jeep walker. He also scoots quite a bit but hasn’t figured out how to get up on his knees yet. He still enjoys rolling but prefers sitting now. He is much more active and wiggly. He is constantly moving his legs when being held or trying to turn around in your arms so he can see your face. He still likes to cuddle a little but has hit a new stage where cuddling isn’t as high on his priority list. He is eating several fruits and vegetables, mostly in baby food, as well as rice and oatmeal cereal. I occasionally give him regular food but he doesn’t have teeth yet so it’s hard for him to swallow if its not super mushy. He doesn’t love cheerios or the fruit puffs yet but is starting to get used to them once in awhile. I figure that we’ll just wait until he gets some teeth although there’s really no hurry since I’m still nursing 2-3 times during the day and Gavin also likes to snack during the night. He took a bottle a day for a little while but for the last few weeks has decided against it. I guess we’ll have to re-intro the bottle yet again. He still doesn’t sleep through the night but hopefully it will happen soon. He is so sweet and has such a cute personality. I love that he is always smiling and even when he’s crying it almost sounds like he’s laughing too. He likes being held and loves attention. I know that I baby him too much but he’s my baby and I can’t help it. Our New Year’s goal is to figure out how to help him sleep better. We’ll see how long it takes us to get him to sleep through the night. Other than that, he’s practically perfect!
- At 1 year old, he is walking! If he's not walking, he is scooting all over the place ready to get his hands into anything he finds. He puts everything in his mouth and has finally gotten some teeth. He eats everything and really isn't picky about any particular food. He is starting to say some words and sounds other than mom, and dad and is constantly babbling. He loves to look at books and has learned how to push a car back and forth and watch the wheels. He got a little sports center for his birthday and loves to put the balls in the hoop or swing the bat or football. One of his other favorite toys is the ball popper. He watches it and giggles the whole time. He sleeps through the night and is done nursing! He takes a sippy cup of water or regular milk during the day. Sometimes we switch it up with formula for the extra vitamins. He has learned how to escape into the backyard through the doggy door and is learning to climb up on things. He is lots of fun and we love the little guy to pieces!
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