Gavin's Eagle Project

What a happy day! It is finally time to get going on Gavin's Eagle Scout Project. 
Finding a project was hard for Gavin.  He thought, he make lists, he made phone calls, he searched the web, he thought some more.  He really wanted a project that would mean something to him personally.  When his new band teacher, Mr. Summers, asked for Eagle Scout candidates to paint the instrument lockers in the band room, Gavin immediately raised his hand and volunteered.  At that point, Greg and I really didn't care what his project was, we just wanted it done.  But, we agreed with Gavin that this was a good project for him.
Gavin easily got his project approved, and then to the planning.  He was very thorough in thinking through the steps - taking down the lockers, cleaning them, priming them, painting them and then putting them back up.  Planning is always easier than doing, Gavin discovered.
The project started Friday afternoon after school.  Gavin has some wonderful friends from the ward and the band that stayed after to help.  The muffins and juice might have been an incentive as well.

Lots of screws and screwdrivers later, and the locker doors were off.  Yeah, most of us had blisters.  But, it felt good to have the first stage done.

 

 

Grandpa Dee power washed the lockers while Gavin spread out painter's paper in the field outside the band room.  When the doors were dry, we laid them out on the paper and Greg sprayed them with the first coat of paint.  Home to bed because we had an early morning.

Greg and Gavin went over early the next morning to find a mess.  The grass was wet with dew.  The paper was wet because of the grass.  The wet paper stuck to the wet paint and it was bad. Gavin and Greg, along with a few people from the ward, spent the entire morning peeling painty paper off the mesh lockers.  Grrrr.

 After getting all the paper off, we propped the lockers up on each other and some lockers on wood and painted them again.  I was convinced that they wouldn't be dry by that afternoon, but we prayed that they would.  After a lot of running around for more paint, paper, wood and taking care of Kate and Guard, we went home to let the paint dry.  Gavin stayed at the school to literally watch the paint dry.

We came back at 3pm to find the lockers completely dry and looking good.  Thank goodness!

Gavin had some fellow Scouts show up to help put the lockers back on.  Luckily, most of them had electric screw drivers and the work went quickly.

The lockers look so much better.  They were originally the 1970's burnt orange that came with the new construction of the junior high.  Gavin painted them a chocolate brown that updated the look and also took care of the dings and peeling paint.  (We couldn't take off this door because someone forget to take home their lock and we couldn't cut it off with the bolt cutters.  You can see the difference in the paint.)

The biggest, enormous thanks we can offer to those who came and helped.  It made all the difference to have their support and help.  Mr. Summers was happy with the results and so were we.  It feels so good to have that part done.

Now, on to the paperwork.

Guard's First Solid Food

I will admit that feeding this baby has been work.  He really doesn't like to eat.  Most babies do...not Guard.  I really get the feeling that he thinks that eating is a waste of time.  He has so much to do, to learn, to explore that why would he waste time just sitting there eating?  Every ounce of fat on his body has caused me tears.  I truly cry over feeding him.  He is just so disinterested.  I can't force him to eat, but I try to strongly encourage him.  Add that to the fact that he has his dad's metabolism and just has such a hard time gaining weight, and he really isn't that chubby.  Dr. Johnson tells me not to worry, that he is perfectly healthy, very bright and engaged.  Not every baby can be in the 75% for weight, nor would you want them to be, he says.  He is perfect according to Dr. Johnson.  I know this, but I still hate to see those half-eaten bottles. 
Geez!  Can you tell I'm stressed about this?   Oh, baby Guard, just eat.

Guard was giving us all the signs of being ready for solids, so we decided to start him on rice cereal. 

Guess how it went?

 

This face says it all.  He didn't hate it, but he didn't love it either.  It was more of a, "Why are you people trying to feed me more?  Aren't my bottles bad enough?"

At least he is cute!

I just melt over those blue eyes!

He is such a Fowler - skinny, stubborn, smart.  I'll keep feeding him and he will keep doing what he wants.  And it will all be fine.

Family Pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guard at 4 months

I've had a hard time deciding how to document Guard's development.  On this post for Guard at 4 months, do I do it from 3-4 months or 4-5 months?  I've decided to do it from 3-4 months and try to stay on top of it.  So...Guard at 3-4 months.

 

Of course, he is still as adorable as can be.  He is such a smiler and we love it.

 He likes to talk and babble.  He makes the cutest little noises.  He isn't really chatty, but he will have a conversation with you.  He speaks more with his body by kicking his legs, flailing his arms and smiling.  His eyes are so expressive.  And he loves to laugh.

 

And, he is super slobbery.  Really, a lot of slobber.  When he had the stomach flu, I took him into the doctor because I was worried about him becoming dehydrated.  The doctor was telling me the symptoms and what to watch out for.  During this conversation, Guard was sucking on his fist (which he is constantly doing) with slobber dripping down his chin and ribbons of slobber from his mouth to his outstretched hand.  The doctor looked at him and said, "I don't think you need to worry about him being dehydrated.  That is a slobbery baby!".

 

The only time his toes are uncurled is when he is standing up (with help). He loves to stand and does not, does not, does not like to recline.  He will sit, but prefers to stand on your lap.

 

Guard rolled over for the first time when he had just turned 3 months old.  He surprised me and he almost rolled off the bench on the houseboat at Lake Powell.  He rolls from his back to his tummy and then he is mad.  He really doesn't enjoy being on his tummy.

 

 

His brothers and sister adore him.  They love to play with him and make him smile.  Gavin is so willing to help with Guard whenever I need it.  Enoch and Kate will sit and play with him and smother him with kisses.  He is spoiled with love.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  He is so easy to love!

 

At his 4 month check-up he weighed 14 lbs. 5 oz (25%), his height was 25 3/4 inches (75%) and his head circumference was 41 1/4 cm (21%).  His weight was down a bit from the stomach flu a few days earlier, but he is also a bit on the skinny side (he is more of a Fowler).

Gavin's in the Newspaper!

A few weeks ago Gavin told us that a reporter visited his computer science class to do a story.  Later that day, I received a call from the school to give permission for any pictures or quotes of Gavin.  And then we forgot about it.
Tonight we received a call from a friend in the ward to tell us that Gavin was in the paper.  Check out the article.http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54842365-78/computer-class-science-students.html.csp  Gavin is in the first picture.  He is in the front and blurry.  He also has a quote on the second page.  How great is that?!

Scattered Thoughts

1.  Enoch and I play a little game before bed.  We try to best the other when telling each other how much we love them.  We start by saying, "I love you."  Then someone ups it by saying, "I love you more."  And then, "I love you the most."  And then, "I love you the mostest."  And then, "I love you the mostest times infinity."  And then, "I love you the motest times infinity twice."  And on, and on, and on.  Tonight, Enoch beat me by ending the contest saying, "I love you more than you love me infinity times hundred thousand and two."  That's a lot.  Right back at you, Enoch!

2.  I was watching Kate color today.  She was coloring a Hello Kitty picture with a polka dotted bow on Hello Kitty (is her name Hello Kitty or just Kitty and you are saying Hello to her?  Do you say Hello, Hello Kitty?  Greg and I had this conversation and didn't come up with an answer.)  She had an orange colored pencil in her left hand and a yellow colored pencil in her right hand.  The dots were yellow and the bow was orange.  She was coloring with both hands at the same time.  And doing a pretty good job at it.  Crazy.

3.  Finally!  Finally!  Finally!  Gavin got his Eagle Scout Project approved.  Finding a project has been hanging over our heads for the last year and it feels so good to have an approved project.  I bet it will feel even better when it is finished.  Gavin will be painting the instrument lockers in the band room at the Junior High.  Mark September 22 on your calendars to come and help!

4.  Enoch started piano lessons last week.  So far, he is loving it.  His teacher, Michael Boyd, is a senior in high school and a very accomplished pianist.  We will see how long it takes for the whining about practicing to begin.

5.  I have started reading to Guard daily.  I would read a little here and there, but he is getting old enough now to listen and look at the pictures.  He tries to grab the book and he has his favorites.  He is really enjoying Time for Bed lately.  He listens quite intently every night when we read from the scripture readers and Greg will read whatever he is reading out loud to him.  I hope he will enjoy reading when he grows up.

6.  I took Kate and Guard in for their well child check-ups.  Kate is four and a half, but I was taking Guard in and decided to get Kate's kindergarten shots.  She did great and only teared up a bit.  She was so brave!  We knew that Kate was on the small side, but I was surprised at her stats.  Her weight was 35.4 lbs (33%) and her height was 39 3/4 inches (21%).  She is a slow and steady grower, she hasn't hit her growth spurt yet.

Poor Little Guy

Guard has the stomach flu.  Really!?  I didn't know that babies could get the stomach flu.  Apparently they can.  Poor little guy.  He has been throwing up for two days now.  I think he is feeling better, but since he can't tell us, we are just guessing.
He has been such a trooper.  He is slightly whinny, but only cries right before he throws up.  He likes to be held, but that is normal.  I told his doctor, "I know he is sick, because he is snuggling with me.  He never snuggles.  Even when he was 30 seconds old and they laid him on me.  He lifted up his head and looked right at me.  I wanted to push his head back down and tell him to snuggle."
He has been on a diet of Pedialyte for the last day and has kept it all down.  It is so odd for him to have grape burps.  We are going to introduce formula back into his diet tomorrow and pray that he does okay.
Poor little guy!
But look at how happy he still is (and I'm relieved he hasn't lost his cheeks!):

 

 

 

Update:  I wrote this Friday night, but didn't publish it until today.  Guard is doing okay with his formula.  He isn't throwing up, but is having a hard time transitioning back to formula after his grape Pedialyte.  Plus, he isn't used to so many calories; he eating has definitely slowed down.

Also, guess who started throwing up Saturday night:  Yep, me.  I think that moms should be exempt from getting sick if they have to take care of sick kids.  Lucky for me, I have a wonderful husband, who took care of everything including his sick wife.