What Was He Thinking?!

I continuously say how 3 has been my favorite age and stage for Gavin so far. Here is yet another perfect example of how his 3 year old brain and thought process never ceases to amaze and entertain me. Here's how it went down... While getting in bed for his nap this afternoon he informed me that he had to use the bathroom. I thought this a bit strange since he had just used the potty a short time earlier. A delaying tactic perhaps? Oh well, I walked downstairs to do something while he was supposedly using the bathroom. As I walked upstairs I was greeted by my son looking like this (above) with his hair all wet and very soapy. The following was our dialogue...

Gavin: "Mommy, I HAD to wash my hair!"

Me: "What do you mean you HAD to wash your hair?"

Gavin: "I had to wash my hair because it was DIRTY!"

Me: "Why is your hair dirty? I thought you were going to the bathroom?"

Gavin: "No, I wasn't going to the bathroom! I HAD to wash my hair so that I can SLEEP better!"

By the way, everything Gavin says ends with an exclamation mark. He is very expressive and particular about which word/s he wants to emphasize.

Conclusion: You just gotta laugh and take a photo for posterity/the blog. I knew Tony and the family would get a kick out of this one. I sure did. Thank you, Gavin, for making dreary winter days, when daddy is off skiing, a whole lot more interesting.

Daydreaming of the Sea

Apparently, I'm not the only one daydreaming of a warm sunny day by the ocean (on this very snowy winter day). Here are 3 pieces of artwork Gavin painted this afternoon. He informed me that they are... "a boat" (top), "a starfish under water" (middle), and "a squid" (bottom). What made him think of these things while painting on such a cold snowy day is a mystery. The mind of a 3 year old never ceases to amaze me.

Christmas Brunch

This Baked Gruyere and Turkey Sausage Omelet was the main attraction of my Christmas brunch and it was a big hit with everyone. It was delicious and super easy to prepare. I will definitely make it again. And it would be great for breakfast any day (or dinner, for that matter). Several people have asked me for the recipe. Here it is...
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/baked-gruyere-and-sausage-omelet-recipe/index.html

More Favorite Beauty Products

Two more beauty products that I LOVE (I wouldn't be sharing them with you if I didn't) are Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream for hair and Gee... That Was Quick! oil-free makeup remover for eyes by Benefit. Both are amazing and actually do what they say they do (imagine that). I've been wanting to try the glossing cream for a year or two, but the $20 price tag kept me away. But my philosophy on beauty products is that if they really improve the quality and appearance of your hair or skin they are worth the money. The problem is you never know if they will really do what they claim they will. So, anyhow, the glossing cream is great for fighting frizz adding shine and softness and protecting from heat styling. And you only use a pea-sized amount so the 4 ounce bottle will probably last me for a year or two (making it more than worth the money). Just a side note... I love the Frederic Fekkai color care shampoo and conditioner too. I heard about Benefit's eye makeup remover in Allure magazine and gave it a try because I have been very unhappy with all of the various drug store brands I've tried. They are usually too greasy or too drying. Turns out this one is just right. Both products can be purchased at Sephora, Macy's or Nordstrom.

Rocco's New Years Resolution

We received some bad news this week. During a routine checkup with the vet we were told that our beloved Rocco is "obese". Somehow his weight has skyrocketed to an alarming 20 pounds! His ideal weight is 15 lbs. The doc explained it in human terms... it's like a man who should weigh 150 lbs. weighing 200 lbs. We were also told that if he continues at this weight it will take 2 years off his life. This was all very disturbing news. However, we couldn't help but find a little humor in the situation, especially when the doctor asked if Rocco was an "apartment dog" (translation- does he not have any room to run around and play). Actually doctor, Rocco has 1/3 of an acre to run and play in all day and his best buddy, Rowdy, is his ideal weight and perfectly healthy. Now we are not the kind of family that produces overweight children or animals. I am really quite embarrassed. What can we be doing differently... less food, more exercise? What is Rocco's excuse? Perhaps is all of the apples and pears that Rocco gorged himself on throughout the fall ? Could it be all of the snotty tissues he pulls out of the bathroom trash can and eats under our bed (how many calories are in snot anyhow)? Regardless, he is now officially on a diet. Our plan... feed him less and try to walk him more. I'll keep everyone up on his progress.

Cool Sneakers

My philosophy is that everyone needs a cool pair of tennis shoes. I also believe gym shoes should stay at the gym (it's always been a pet peeve of mine when people wear their workout shoes with their everyday clothes). And since I'm not buying many clothes these days, other than essential maternity pieces, I'm looking at shoes. I've also been thinking about comfort (since I'm carrying some extra weight), but I don't want to sacrifice my style. Here are a few fun, retro styles that are all on sale right now at piperlime.com. Unfortunately, Piperlime doesn't have my size in any of them!. The last pair can be found on Nordstrom.com (not on sale).

Crib Bedding

One of the best parts of having a new baby (aside from the obvious... bringing a little angel into the world and our family) is decorating the nursery. And I think the best place to start is with the crib bedding. Here are 4 looks I love. They are all from my big sis' website laylagrayce (thank goodness for the family discount). I'm not big on pink (not sure I could stomach pink walls). I'm also not very into florals, ruffles and that sort of thing. I'm really loving the last one with lavender, green and white. It has a floral pattern on the bumper, but the polka dot sheet and striped bed ruffle balance it out. Green walls would be serene and I may even enjoy lavender walls.

It's a girl!

We had our ultrasound on December 22nd and discovered that we're having a girl! I was very excited. Tony acted indifferent, but I think he's getting more and more excited. And Gavin said he wanted a baby brother (which is a big improvement over not wanting a baby at all). She looks very healthy. I feel her move and kick all the time, especially at night. Now we are ready to give her a name. We have a favorite name, but are considering a few others as well. Please cast your vote on my poll to the right.

Build-A-Bear Workshop

While in California this week my mom suggested we take Gavin to Build-A-Bear Workshop. It ended up being such a fun experience. First, he chose his animal. There were bears, monkeys, dogs, penguins, etc. Gavin chose a Black Labrador puppy. Next, you take your animal body over to get stuffed. You help stuff him and put a heart inside (first you rub in on your own heart and give it a kiss). Then, you take your animal over to the bath and use the shower blower to blow off any extra stuffing. Then, you can choose an outfit. Gavin chose a sweater vest. And last, you give your animal a name and print out a birth certificate on one of their computers. Gavin chose to name his dog Gordon (which was actually what he suggested we name his baby sister so I'm glad that's his dog's name now). Then they send you off with a cute little box house to put your animal in (Gavin had so much fun with that house).

Christmas

What a wonderful winter break it has been! My parents and my sister Tiffany and her husband Tommy all came to Utah to spend Christmas here with us (and my brother and his family). On Christmas eve Tony took Gavin up to ski at Solitude and we met them up there for lunch at the delicious Creekside Cafe. It was a gorgeous, albeit cold, day and I was wishing I could have jumped on my snowboard. Then we went to dinner at my brother David's house in West Jordan. Christmas brunch and dinner were at my house (with a quick visit at Tony's parents' house in between). The next morning we woke up and drove to St. George and then on to sunny California. Gavin and I flew back yesterday to enjoy a wonderful New year's eve with Tony. Now I'm missing California and my family, but I'm so happy to have spent so much quality time with them. Happy new year!