Mike's Tattoo Parlor

I guess it is a sign of the times - people aren't building homes right now so Mike decided to set up shop in the kitchen. The kids enjoyed getting tattoos by Dad! What cool dudes!

Favorite Friends From Colorado

Gavin finally got to meet our friends Rebecca, McKenna, and Delaney this week when they flew in for a visit. We had a great week playing, laughing, and trying to catch up while taking care of five children (my three and Rebecca's two - we missed you Bryce!). We spent one morning at the play place at the mall so that the kids could get out and run around. Being cooped up is hard for us Minnesotan's, but we are more accustomed to it than the Peterson's. They weren't so keen on the frigid temperatures that we had this week.

Rub A Dub Dub Three Kids in the Tub

This was the entertainment during a blustery afternoon. Gavin's first time in the big bathtub. The kids thought it was pretty special!

Minnesota Twins?

Ethan is all about wearing matching shirts with Gavin. The one Gavin is wearing was actually Baby Ethan's and I happened to find the one that Ethan is wearing at a garage sale a couple of years ago. At the time I never thought my two boys would be wearing them to pose in a picture!

A New Year - January 2008

A whole month has flown past without a single entry, so I will try to get you updated. January has been a frigid month and staying at home isn't an option for Mom and Gavin, so getting bundled up in his cozy car seat becomes a daily event, which has also become a favorite napping spot. Eventhough Mom dreams about the days when she sat at home with Ethan snuggling all day, this just isn't reality in the life of a third baby. We are constantly running to pick up kids from preschool and kindergarten, going to the coffee shop, grocery store, and Sam's Club. Gavin has grown to love being out and about with Mom. Although he has started staying at home with our nanny for two or three hours at a time.

Gavin, Ethan, and Mike like to snuggle watching Deal or No Deal...Enjoy!

About the time Gavin turned three months old he started spending some of his play time in his exersauser. He looks like such a big boy sitting there holding his head up high and looking at all the toys surrounding him.

Ethan and Lauren got hockey skates from Grandpa and Grandma O. After skating both Saturday and Sunday after Christmas they are now loving this new sport!! Dad has even gotten himself a pair of skates and is enjoying sharing one of his childhood loves with them.

Niemeyer Christmas

After Christmas with the Overcashes, we packed up and traveled a couple miles to Grandma and Grandpa Niemeyer's where we all went to Christmas Eve service then home for a busy time of food, presents, and lots of big boys. Gavin has 5 big boy cousins on the Niemeyer side, so it is anything but boring!!

Christmas in Willmar

We traveled for our first overnight with Gavin. We set out on Sunday morning for Christmas at the Overcashes. We went to church and spent the day with Dustin and his family, Jen and Parker, and Grandpa and Grandma. Gavin got a cute cowboy blanket made by Grandma and a picture of Grandpa at age 5, dressed as a cowboy. Both of which will look great in his cowboy themed nursery.

Two Months Old

Gavin's two month well baby check up proved that the past month and a half had been some great weeks of eating. Gavin weighed in at 13 lbs 9 ounces (90%) and was 23 inches long (50%). He was pretty stubborn about being measured and wouldn't let the nurse fully stretch out his legs. Lauren was very upset when Gavin had to get 3 shots in his plump thighs and take one vaccination orally, which of course, he choked on and spit out.

Christmas and Mommy & Daddy's Anniversary

Tonight we celebrated Christmas by opening presents in our own living room. We are so busy traveling during Christmas that we started this tradition of opening gifts on our Anniversary. After opening gifts, putting batteries in toys, and untwisting hundreds of those crazy metal twists ties, we put the kids to bed and Mike made our traditional dinner of seafood for us to enjoy.

The Many Faces of Baby Gavin

When I was little, during Christmas we got out a favorite puzzle to work on as a family. It had a number of squares on it and in each square was a different rendition of Santa. The puzzle was titled "The Many Faces of Santa." I thought you would enjoy a good look at Gavin. These were all taken during the first week in December and I titled this "The Many Faces of Baby Gavin."

A Haircut for Gavin?

No we haven't given our newborn a hair cut but...a couple of weeks ago I found some extra long pieces of blond hair in my bathroom. It didn't take long to figure out who it belonged to. I asked Lauren why she cut her hair and she informed me it was so that her hair wouldn't get in her brothers face when she held him. Then I remembered that I had told her a day earlier that she needed to have a ponytail in her hair before she held Gavin "so that her hair didn't get in his face." She actually did a pretty good job....and as you can see below...she has bangs!

Mommy and Me

Gavin and I are enjoying our time together. He came along with me to my 6 week OB appointment and I held him on the scale with me and then passed him to the nurse and he weighed between 12 and 13 pounds. Here are a few things I want to remember about our early days together: on Gavin's "not-so-great" nights he is usually awake and eating or being fussy from 1 am to 5 am. All other nights he does a good job by only waking Mommy at 1 am and 4 am for a good feeding, diaper change, and quick snuggle before falling back to sleep. Gavin makes many baby noises; some very sweet and precious and some not so sweet like GRUNTS. I would say that he grunts an awful lot. Sometimes Mike and I laugh about it and sometimes (at 4 am) it makes me crazy! :) Gavin got a cold this week and has had a hard time sleeping at night. It has made me very sad, but he is cooing and smiling lots this week too, which makes my day!

My Boys

Ethan and his little brother fell fast asleep last night. Thought you would enjoy a picture of my sleeping boys!

Tuckered Out

After a long weekend of family and food, my crew feel asleep before Dancing With The Stars even began. Our Thanksgiving was great celebrating with the Niemeyer's on Wednesday evening at the Hanson's and dinner at our house on Thursday together with the Overcashes. Dinner was made in my kitchen, but my mom and dad stepped in and helped out because I had to stop to feed Gavin and because I wasn't totally sure how to cook a turkey! :)

Falling Asleep in Class

Tonight before bed Ethan and Lauren each got a book to read to Gavin. He was very attentive to Mr. Ethan and his book, eventhough it looks like he fell asleep during class.

And the Winner is...

I think that the consensus is in...and the winner is...the Nukie!! In this picture you will see a great look at the cheeks and Gavin's good grasp on his nukie. Enjoy!

Gavin, Lauren, Mommy and Cinderella

Tonight the three of us ventured out to the high school to be entertained with great singing, dancing, and acting in Into The Woods. It was a spoof on Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and The Baker and His Wife. All was well until the musical ran a little long and Gavin wanted to eat and Lauren fell asleep. Never occured to me what I would do with a sleeping 4 year old and a hungry but still sleeping newborn. Luckily my friend, Donna, and her girlfriends helped us all out to the car.

A friend is born!

Today Gavin's friend, Sam was born - exactly four weeks after Gavin. They were supposed to be only one week apart, but Gavin was two weeks early and our friend Sam was one week overdue. We were so excited to hear the great news and see the gorgeous baby. Sam's mom, Katie (my best friend from grade school and high school) is creating a blog for Sam too. It was fun to see pictures of him and hear about his entrance into the world. We are very excited to share motherhood together as this is Katie's first and my third.

Smiles and Cheeks

This morning, a little earlier than Mommy wanted (12:30 am) Gavin gave me his first little smile. Later that morning the public health nurse came and weighed Gavin at a whopping 10 lbs 12 ounces! He is surely gaining some good weight, especially in his cheeks as you can see in the photos.