CHEESE!!!!

Dear Gavin,

I love you today because you love having your picture taken. It's not the joy it gives the picture taker that motivates you. No, it's your desire to immediately see how the picture of yourself turned out so you can say "Awwwwwwwww."

Love you cheeser,
Your equally cheesy Mommy

"Uh-Uh"

Dear Gavin,

I love you today because of your creative use of "uh-uh", a word typically used to signify a negative response.

Mommy: "Hi Gavin! Are you being a good boy?"
Gavin: "Uh-uh."

Daddy: "Hey son, did you have a good day?"
Gavin: "Uh-uh."

Repair Man: "Do you like pickles?"
Gavin with a pickle in each hand and pickle juice on face: "Uh-uh."


Love you baby,
Mommy

Mas Café Por Favor

Dear Gavin,

I love you today because you know how your mommy likes her coffee!

We're having a fabulous time in Cabo San Lucas on our family vacation! There's a great playroom here and you LOVE the girl that runs it, Nubia. While playing with the play kitchen, I asked you to fix mommy some coffee. You grabbed a cup and immediately opened the microwave and put the cup inside. It was so cute and totally reinforced the truth behind my reputation at work: that I'm constantly heating up my coffee more than I'm drinking it!

You're so in tune with everything going on around you...it's amazing to observe how much you learn and how quickly you learn it. Oh, and let's be clear here- the benefits of coffee continue to be proven...so it's totally okay that my dedication to the drink warrants you knowing exactly what to do when asked to make a cup!!

Love, Your Coffee-Loving Mommy

Pedal to the Metal

Dear Gavin,

I love you today because you put your Power Wheels pedal to the metal and drove your F150 all by yourself for the first time! It was pretty crafty of you since you can't really reach the pedals yet!! To get around that minor little detail, you propped your right elbow over the passenger-side door and stretched your body to the max so your left foot could press the pedal. Your steering wasn't very effective from this position - and you did hit your Aunt Beta's car - but that's all part of the learning curve anyway!

Maybe one day you'll race cars for real like your Mr. Marv!

Love,
Mommy

P.S. If you're over 16 when you're reading this, please be nice to your mommy and drive safe. ;-)

Fast Food Junkie

Dear Gavin,

I love you today because you proved you are your daddy's son! Now don't get me wrong, there's never been a question about this...although you have my dashing looks (Casper-like skin and untamable frizzy curls), you did get your daddy's blood type...okay, so you're my twin, but you do toot and laugh and that's all your daddy!

Well tonight there was proof in the pudding. During dinner - vegetarian spaghetti with delicious veggies and spinach noodles - you were...how do I sum it up?...less than interested. Sure, you slurped up a few noodles and took bites that were fed to you, but you weren't terribly excited.

JUST THEN, your aunt Beta started to unwrap her hamburger from What-a-Burger. You caught a whiff of that wonderful aroma and dashed into the kitchen, followed her into the living room, and sat down in your chair like a good boy (which, let's face it, seldom happens right now). You were the model of perfection - sitting down, waiting for each gracious bite, and grinning from ear-to-ear as goodness filled your belly. I bet you'll sleep well tonight.

Just like your daddy! Junk food = delicious...what's a mommy to do??

I love you and your daddy does too!!

xoxo,
Mommy

Potty Time!

Dear Gavin,

I love you today because you did not one, but two pee pees in the potty!! I learned from your aunt Beta that earlier in the day you went behind the couch, took off your diaper, and poo poo'd on the tile! You actually squatted and squeezed! As soon as she told me this, I knew you were ready to put hiney to potty and make it happen! I said "Baby, do you want to go pee pee in the potty?" and you said "yessss" and walked to the bathroom, lifted your potty lid, and started tugging on your diaper. Then...dun-dunta-duh...pee pee in the potty! Great job, baby! Later, you pee pee'd before bed...I'm so proud of you!!

Love you big boy,
Mommy

Meow!

Dear Gavin,

I love you today because you think a kitty's meow sounds like Kai's insanely tiger-ish growl. When we visited Houston last weekend, you got the chance to show off your "meow" to your great, great grandmother. Yes, that's right - 5 generations apart and there you were meowing like a cat in pain. She was thrilled and you were proud and it made everyone in the room happy! Later that night as you were meowing at your grandpa Gary and grandma Sandra's cats, they actually felt the presence of Kai in the room...you are that good!

Besos,
Mommy