Arkansas 2014

I feel like I will never get this blog caught up! I'm always a few posts behind. There are at least 1-2 pending drafts between the posted entries. Geesh. This blog has become a point of reference for my annual family scrapbooks that I create in Shutterfly. It would be much more useful if I could keep up.

Last week we visited Casey's family in Arkansas - the Ozarks. It has been a while since our last visit, we were long over due. It was mine and Gavin and Sawyer's first springtime visit. Typically we go in the fall.

It is always nice to visit this side of the family. I never tire of hearing the stories that Uncle Glenn and Grandpa Bill share about the
 family's Ozark heritage. It's much different than my own upbringing in TX. The Morrison story is rich in music and a deep relationship with their land - and its many trees. I always learn something new about the lumber and timber industry when I visit with the men in Casey's family.

Unfortunately there weren't any other children visiting, which meant Gavin grew bored at times, but nevertheless we got him outside for playtime and exploring.

playing music and enjoying quality family time on the front porch

BB gun shooting

building a slingshot with dad

treasures we found around the pond

learning how to use Uncle Tyler's camera

quality time with Nana Cathy

Uncle Tyler and Sawyer

hunting eggs

the Easter Bunny found us in AR, thank goodness!

Aunt Ranae, all the way from Portland, OR.

learning how to hunt crawdads

playing in the creek with mom

studying the compass

ground cover on the bluffs

the bluffs

A message from our pediatrician

I thought this was a great reminder.

Gavin had his 5 year well child visit yesterday. He is 38.8 lbs and exactly 41" tall. He was not thrilled about the booster shot, but did get excited about his Frozen sticker.

We could not be more happy with our pediatrician here in Austin. He is great. Always positive, practical, and Gavin enjoys his visits. 

As a treat for being such a brave boy and for his great behavior, I took Gavin out for some frozen yogurt. 

Visitors: Uncle Tyler and Jolene

Our first March visitors were Uncle Tyler and his lovely girlfriend Jolene. The fam gives her two-thumbs up. Gavin ate up all the attention from Uncle Tyler. These two are great buddies. We had lots of outdoor adventure time with Tyler and Jolene and Casey and I took turns enjoying the nightlife and SXSW festivities. It was a great visit.

Casey and his boys on the greenbelt

Rocky and Holly enjoyed the extra attention too.

family time outside

Gavin and Uncle Tyler

true love

my tiny mariposo

happiness is playing outside

Jolene at the botanical gardens

koi

I'm getting the landscape and nature shutterbug itch again

greenbelt friend

happy dog

sawyer meets uncle tyler

buddies

Birthday No. 5

Gavin turned five on March 6. It was the start of a very busy month for us, full of birthday festivities and out-of-town visitors.

It's hard to believe our first born is five years old. Our baby. His infancy and toddlerhood still feels so close. Gavin has evolved so much since our family's humble beginnings in east TN.

Gavin embodies the best and unfortunately sometimes the worst of both his parents. He has remained very active, intensely interested in sports and has only recently discovered video games, much to our chagrin.

Deciding to take an extended maternity leave and stay home with both boys was a difficult decision. Gavin misses the routine and companionship that preschool provided; and our school routine at home is difficult to maintain while caring for an infant. Our days range from exceeding our expectations to terribly disappointing. Such is life.

Spending all day with Gavin has allowed me to recognize more of myself in his temperment than before. We share the same terrible temper, but one of us has yet to learn how to control it. Some days my patience is very hard to find, but ultimately I feel like we are getting to know each other on a new level. We are both growing into our new circumstances. We are working on being more positive and communication.

On his actual birthday Gavin opened his gift from the grandparents in TN - his first pair of cowboy boots and some books, then we ventured down to San Antonio for a zoo trip. We met our friends the Smiths at the zoo and then stayed a night with Nana and Papa before heading back to Austin. Gavin and our friend Holden play very well together, we hope for more play dates. His SA grandparents gifted him with soccer camp registration later this summer. We are excited.

 

 

 

 

Later in the month we hosted a birthday party at our house. We had several out-of-town visitors, each special friends of ours. It made Gavin's celebration extra fun.

 

 

 

our friends Blair and her mommy Jennifer

Miss Blair - our tiny fashionista friend, she gets her great style from her mom

Gavin's best buddies - Denny and Milo

Our dear friends and neighbors, Christopher and Lucy

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One of our out-of-town friends, Miss Evelyn Rose - such a sweet girl with the sweetest voice ever. We don't get to see her and her brother very often, they live in Midland.

Christopher with his dad

the birthday boy

one of our friends from school, James

Sweet Lila, this is Holden's baby sister. She has Sawyer will be friends.

 

 

Conversations With My Son

"Gavin, it's time for you to clean up your mess and get ready to go to the store."

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Can I get a toy at the store?"

"No. We are going to buy groceries. You aren't allowed to take anymore money out of your piggy bank until we finish your money counting project."

"You're mean, mommy. I wish I didn't even have any money."

Pre-K: the ledger project

We recently started a ledger project. Gavin has been insisting on taking money out of his piggy bank so that he can buy cheap crappy toys from the grocery store. The kind of toys that get lost or broken within 24 hours of purchase. The kind of toys that junk up our home and backyard. 

At first he was taking out .50, then $1, then $2, and then $3. Well, you can see where this was headed. I finally put my foot down when he decided he needed to take $12 out in order to buy a plastic bow and arrow set. Mind you, we've been through several plastic bow and arrow sets already. We now make our own bow and arrows with our imagination and tree limbs and sticks from the backyard. Interestingly, the DIY weaponry actually lasts much longer.

After G insisted on needing $12, I told him no. Before he would be allowed to spend any of his money he would need to empty his piggy bank and count what he already has. Then, I will help him create a ledger on our computer and we will begin keeping track of his expenditures and deposits.

As any parent of a very active 5 year old boy can imagine, this project is taking us DAYS to complete. It only keeps his attention for about 15-20 minutes at a time. But we are determined and I am tapping into unexplored reservoirs of patience. Hopefully this project results in the beginnings of responsible money management. I was recently told by a kindergarten teacher friend of mine, that financial responsibility is introduced as early as kinder. We're off to a good start!