The Visual Child

[from Child Sense, by Priscilla Dunstan / Parenting magazine, November 2009, pg.28]
Visual kids learn by watching and imitating you [his father, and everyone else he plays with]. They enjoy organizing their toys by shape, color, or size, [see picture example below] and tend to learn to read easily. Too much visual input from TVs, crowds, and clutter can be distracting.
As Babies: Visual infants often get labeled "good babies" because it's easy to meet their needs. All that these babies need to feel secure and comforted is to be able to see their parent or caregiver nearby.
As Toddlers: Tantrums for these kids are very dramatic, with vivid expressions and copious tears [just to paint a picture for you on my less favorable days]. Offer a visual distraction, such as a brightly colored toy. Or just look away - he hates being deprived of an audience.
As Preschoolers: These tots get bored if they can't see what they're learning; think picture books, flash cards, and drawing on a chalkboard.

Our Visual Child

Isn't it great that we have so many resources out there these days to better understand these little people. Even the smallest of information and ideas can be helpful, and I love Priscilla Dunstan. She sure made my first time early motherhood easier with "Dunstan Baby Language". I'm going to need a refresher course soon.

Flu Bug

We had the Flu a few weeks ago. Dale from Sat-Thurs when he could go back to school, and Me from Mon-the weekend, and non-stop annoying coughing for another week. Gavin thankfully had no symptoms of being remotely sick, even though I had a 103 deg. fever for at least a day (slightly concerning when you're pregnant).

Gavin tried to be a good doctor. He learned to use our temporal thermometer, and my temperature was always "24". This is how he helped Dale the first few days:

Providing relaxing entertainment.

Keeping him warm and bundled.
Yes, that is Dale trying to sleep under there. I tried to rescue him, but he muffledly said he was fine, so I took a picture.

Camping with the Boy Scouts - sept 09

Dale is a Young Men/Boy Scout leader in our ward. Last campout, a bunch of families showed up when I didn't go, so Gavin and I decided to go with Dale this time. We were the only family, but still had a good time with the boys.

Gavin got to play football toss with the boys. They were so nice to include him.

Here's Dale supervising David cooking our camping dinner, beans and meat.

Boys making a fire. (I think they eventually just used a lighter, they forgot matches.)

He had no trouble going to sleep camping. Nothing to fear when you have mom and dad in a tent with you.

Tid Bits - sept 09

We finally got our new camera, killer steal on Amazon and 12 megapixel, and these are Dale's first test shots.

There's never as many photos of me, so Dale got me making dinner. I'm 14 wks pregnant here.

This is the only thing Lego I have from a Construction Engineering Banquet gift when I used to go to those in High School. Gavin LOVES making his different versions of a tractor.

Shadrach & Meshach, our Leopard Tortoises, now 3 1/2 yrs old.

flight from Phoenix -> Houston - mid Aug 09

These are the last pictures our camera we bought Christmas '06 just before Gavin was born... Broke. So I went almost 2 months without taking pictures, and I got real behind posting, but almost caught up now.

I let Gavin take this one of me.

The Biltmore Resort - end of July 09

This year, Dale is also the Dean of Delta Theta Phi (a law fraternity for legal professionals, male and female) at his law school. So, he was invited to the semi-annual conference at the Biltmore Resort, which happened to be right where we already were, in Phoenix, AZ! It was nice to have a 3 day weekend together to hang out at a Resort & Spa.

I went to the events I could, ate lots of great food and even got to listen to the Clerk of the US Supreme Court speak. THAT, was amazing. He has such awesome stories and teachings for life and leadership. Dale was so great and had made a reservation for me to get a "Champagne Pedicure" at the salon there. My toes felt very fancy.

View from the patio of our room out to part of the center walkway/courtyard. We even got to make S'mores one night on the lawn. I've never had S'mores served from a catering table before. That was fun.

Motorhome Trip to Flagstaff - July 09

My Grandma Dee called my dad on a Sunday and said she'd be driving through Flagstaff on Monday on her way home to CA. So good thing my dad had bought a little motor home from a guy the month before. I took off work and my Dad, us three girls, and our two boys pack up and headed up to cool country for a wonderful sweatshirt wearing day in the middle of July. It was great to see Grandma, and go road tripping with Dad and my sisters, just like we used to. We missed having mom though. She's the responsible one that went to work.

If you didn't know, Gavin has a love for his "Silkie Blankies", and I thought this was best case scenario for a 4 hr road trip.

Our "Yurt", a Native American style round hut my dad rented for us girls at the campground. It came equipped with wooden floors, a wood burning stove, and bunk beds. It was quite charming.

Inside the Yurt. We're blocking the boys, Hunter & Gavin, with a storage box to keep them inside.

The George Group:
Gpa Clayton, Gma Dee, Dad
Gavin, Me, Hunter, Megan, Lauren

Gma Dee & Dad
(He's wearing his good smile!)

Great Gma Dee & Gavin before bedtime.

Happy 20th Lauren - july 09

My dad dressed Gavin up with wrapping paper during my littlest sister Lauren's birthday party. My parents officially have no more teenagers.

Grandpa Wayne, Gavin, Lauren, Hunter (Megan's boy)

My Cool Dudes

Dale & Gavin, going to Church.

Gavin thrilled to watch Dale during his Scuba Diving class.

Camping on the Mogollon Rim - July 09

["moe-ge-on"] rim at Bear Canyon Lake.

This is the baby hornet toad Dale found and knew i would go gaga over. I let Gavin hold it, and Aunt Jessie said "ooh that's Gross", so when I asked Gavin what his name should be, he said "Grossy". So this is Grossy, who I loved and petted and sat on my chest for a good hour before Dale said I was not aloud to keep him, he was a wild animal, and he made me put him back.

I was the fun Mule, like at the Grand Canyon, for Gavin the first part of our hike down to the lake. Its always nice when your kids think you're the fun one every once in a while.

I told Dale he needed to get closer to the tree and actually touch it for the picture... This was his idea of being obedient.
Where we decided to stop and rest before turning back on the hike was in a big open meadow with tall grass, lots of flowers and butterflies. I got lots of pictures of him just running free, exploring, and being in that wonderland of childhood I remember so well.
We stopped to actually enjoy the water in the lake. Dale and his brother swam, but we were happy on our little bank (trying to keep enough space from our toes and the crawfish). Gavin was good at warning me "Eewh, Mud Bug!". We happened to find a kids bobber and some fishing line in the water, so this is Gavin's fishing pole that he thoroughly enjoyed.

Sun Splash Water Park - 4th of July

Gavin LOVED that life jacket. I enjoyed going around the lazy river in an inner tube with him lounging on me. He was surprisingly good for a long time and even took a nap. Dale, of course, stood in line and finally got to go on the "Toilet Bowl". Its a once in a life time experience to know what its like to be flushed down the toilet, and he enjoyed every second.

Scuba Ness - july09

Dale got certified in July for scuba diving. We were over at my parents house checking out their equipment and my dad decided to dress me up. Gavin was excited to see me as a scuba diver and was wearing a mask around after that. I know my dad loved having me around again. He used to always dress me up when I was little. Wish I had those pictures to show. Maybe that's why I such a good sport now.