Our Little Rock Stars!

Big One, Big Fun!

2010-05-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Gavin's first birthday party on April 24, 2010. The forcastors called for some bad storms, but through God's good grace, they held out:) We had family and close friends join us. We served portillo's beef sandwiches and hotdogs and a bunch of homemade sides...yum! The cake was decorated like the invites with cute bugs, and was by far the best cake I have ever eaten!! Gavin must have thought so too, because he tore that bad boy up! It was awesome. I don't think there was any part of that cake left intact at the end of it. The kids played at the centers mommy created and had the choice to make a rock bug, a bug box and find hidden bugs in the grass with the bug tongs supplied, and create a mud cup.
Our little guy is getting so big these days. He has a good five to seven teeth....I can't get in there much to feel around without him screaming or biting down, so I'm more than happy with guessing! Not only does he eat all sorts of table foods, but he does a great job of using a fork and a spoon! He mimics a lot of what big brother does. He carries on little mumbles of conversations with us, understands no and will even shake his head yes when asked if he wants something. He knows where his belly, eyes, teeth and ears are located, and can say/repeat about 20 words currently.
Easton is the big boy around the house, but doesn't always like to be. It is hard, because sometimes I wonder if we are expecting too much of him. He is looking forward to mommy being off of school, and all of the fun things we talk about doing this summer. He is becoming an adventurist! He took to the powerwheels jeep like nothing, zooming in between mommy and daddy's car without so much as a flinch. Can't say we are not flinching!
Baby #3 is growing nicely! We just last week had our 5 month ultra sound, and from what we saw, everything with the heart looks good! It is a beautiful baby and it's profile looks so much like Gavin's ultrasound profile! Wonder if they will resemble each other?? Only time will tell!!

Happy First Birthday Gavin!

2010-04-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

After about 8 hours of actual labor, and one false trip to the hospital the previous day, Gavin Michael Toso was born at 12:35 a.m. 6 lbs. 9 oz. and 21.5 inches long.

On Friday, April 16th we hung out a bit with Grandma and Grandpa in the hospital. Once they left, daddy and I hung out and talked about what you would look like, how Easton would be when he saw you and at what time we thought you'd come. I can remember around 7:30 or so, the doctor came in and broke my water. Things progressed pretty fast from there. At around 11:30 the nurses began to set up for the doctor, and I couldn't control the excitement I felt. It was overwhelming. I could read it on daddy's face too! You were our first baby to be delivered this way! The doctor came in at 12:00 and by 12:35 you were out and in my arms! The feeling that I had from the delivery, the accomplishment that was made, and not only the fact that you were here, brought tears. I whispered in your ear, "Even though your entrance into this world might not have been as exciting and emergency like as your brothers, your birth was special for it's own reasons". (little did I know what your body had in store for us!)
The next morning, daddy came back with flowers and a scared big brother. Easton didn't know what to expect. I remember him peaking from behind the curtain and running back to the door. It took a little coaxing, but he finally came in. We could tell he was in awe of this little thing. He looked at your toes, your hands and touched your cheek like daddy does to his boys, and smiled up at me. He was proud and accepted God's gift. Then he asked where his present was.

Our doctors told us you had a murmur, but not to worry, because a lot of babies are born with one. We will never believe that statement again:)
Happy birthday little bug! I can't wait for you to show us all that you can be!

Part 2 of 3!

2010-04-16T04:40:00.000-07:00

I started today, one year ago, waking with a little bit of sadness. Labor hadn't progressed and my contractions weren't getting closer. It didn't look like you were ready. The nurses throughout the night would come in and tell me what a wonderful strong person I was for attempting this VBAC with you and to not give up. Some even woke me to talk with me about my VBAC decision and how excited they were to be apart of it.....felt a little like a celebrity....(tired and wishing for some rest:)) Sometime in the early morning, our doctor came in and said, "Well kid, nothings happening. What are we gonna do about this?" He had been pushing c-section the whole pregnancy. I told him that we were going to go home and wait this out. He wasn't to happy, and told me I was stubborn like my mother(he was the doctor who delivered me). We were signed out shortly thereafter, and I said I would not be returning until it was absolutely necessary. I was starving!! I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast the previous day, and for me, that's a big deal. I called grandma and grandpa and had them bring Easton to meet daddy and I at Crispy Waffle, where I think I ate enough for 4 grown men! My contractions continued, but a good five to 10 min apart. After getting home, they slowing gained intensity. I remember thinking, "Wow. These aren't like the ones I had yesterday". Daddy was washing the car and Easton and mommy were playing with the neighbor girls and their mommy. It was a beautiful day. Around 1:00, (and after I ate a good lunch!) I told daddy I could NOT go any longer. We got some things together and left Easton with the neighbors. I was finally experiencing real labor pains, and regretted saying, "bring it on" the previous day. I didn't want what was brought! The nurses at the hospital got a kick out of me returning and remembered me as the speed walker. They said they could tell I was more in labor today than yesterday. By 3:00 we were progressing and things were looking hopeful! (to be continued)

How I've Changed!

2010-04-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

Remembering the Past Year

2010-04-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

Daddy text me this afternoon and asked if I remembered where I was at that particular time one year ago today. I had to laugh, because there is no way of forgetting those memories. I started the day today with a picture with my best friend Bridget. I remember telling her that something felt different today and I thought I was going to go into labor. I was so excited and spent the day at school with a big smile on my face! At my 1:00 doctors appointment, the doctor said that I was having contractions and that I needed to head to the hospital soon, because they were pretty close together. I didn't feel much, and I thought these contractions were a piece of cake! I came home and gave daddy the news, and he was stunned and a silly smile came across his face. He was just as excited to meet his boy as mommy. At the hospital I was hooked up to machines and monitored. Unfortunately, the contractions slowed and my labor stopped progressing. I walked the halls all night trying to get them back, but you weren't ready. Thursday morning I asked to go home. I was starving! Grandma and Grandpa brought Easton to meet daddy and I at Crispy Waffle where I think I ate enough for four grown men! .....to be continued:)

Our Little Helper

2010-04-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

11 for Gav and 3.5 for Mommy!

2010-03-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

It is almost impossible for us to believe that Gavin will be turning one next month! It seems that with each child you add, the rate of time doubles! I can’t say we haven’t enjoyed this past year, and can’t wait for next month when we can relive it.
Gavin is just at the point where we can say he is officially walking! He is choosing more and more to walk instead of crawl and can stand from a crawling or sitting position without holding onto anything. He is SO proud of himself and starts clapping as he is walking, congratulating himself early. It is fun getting Easton involved in the process. At times, he feels a little put off at his brother’s milestones, but we try to recognize this and find something he does well, and applaud it. Gavin’s talking is turning into continual jibber jabber, and one of our favorite things to do is to see how long we can carry on a conversation with him. He is most talkative during meals….as is mommy and Easton, because even though they don’t look like her, both her boys enjoy food and eating constantly just like her (not so good for our budget). Gavin is doing a great job using his hands to feed himself, and prefers it to the mashed, spoon fed option. He is also drinking from a Sippy cup. Just like Easton at this age, Gav is in love with his dada, and bounces and grunts when daddy pulls into the drive. He says, “hi dada” .
Easton is our little charmer. I say this often, but his genuine personality is something we are so proud to have in our child. He constantly tells us he loves us, that I am beautiful (except if I have my hair in a bun. He then says that I look kinda bad), daddy makes the most awesome pizzas and asks how our day is. He is a please and thank you man, and cleans up his area after dinner, making sure to scrape his plate in the garbage before putting it into the sink. He learned this all by watching, because it is honestly not something we taught him (although I don’t mind and do take the credit when we are complimented). As of right now, Easton is into dramatic play and make believe, and loves for his mommy to be the princess in distress. He continues to be a great big brother, and helper. He has mastered holding down his own wiener when he pees (yippee!!)! As odd as it sounds, he has been potty trained for a year, but that thing had a mind of its own, and could not be controlled whenever he peed. He has finally mastered the hose and no longer needs mom or dad
We are excited to say that our family is growing! We are due with baby #3 this September! We always say that when we look at our dinner table, it always seems as though it’s not as full as we would like it to be Wonder when…or if that feeling will change!

First (two) Steps!!!!

2010-02-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

Gavin took his first two steps unassisted today in front of mommy, daddy, Easton and Grandpa!!!! Way to go Gavin!! Not surprised too much, as he is the strongest most determined baby I have ever seen (not to put you aside eman, you have qualities that make you just as amazing). I can't wait to see how he starts taking off from here:)

2010-01-29T19:47:00.000-08:00

Gavin turns 9 months!

2010-01-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at our blog and saw that the last time I posted was in early November! There is so much going on, that it seems that I will never have time to get to these little things that someday are going to mean so much to me. It makes me glad I have boys:) If I had girls, I could guarantee they would scrutinize how often mommy wrote on each one. SO much has been going on with our little guys, who are not so little anymore. At Gavin's 9 month check up, he weighed 18 lbs, and is 85 % for height, and 50% for his head and weight. The doctor told us he already has an advanced vocabulary, but then turned and looked at the chatterbox in the corner, and said he could see why:) Gavin has 9 or 10 words he can say( obviously not perfectly, but understandable). Brabra(brother), mama, dada, nana(banana), tht(light), eta(easton), ma (more), baba, di (diaper). He is all over the place, and has got to start walking any day now...we are excitedly awaiting that. We think it will be the cutest thing to see him chasing after his brother. Gavin is an awesome baby. We have been blessed, because just like Easton, he is a calm and even mannered baby. He plays well on his own and with Easton, although he loves to shake the bologna out of train tables, firehouses, whatever those hands can touch! Gavin loves to smile, be lovied, and has a very jealous side. He does not like it when mommy holds Easton, or when Grammy holds Gavin's cousin Lilliana. Gavin is working at eating some table foods and with the four or so teeth he has, he is doing well! Easton is amazing in his own way as well. He has the kindest heart I have ever seen in a child. Sometimes to nice, but what can you do. He is quite the big brother, and has taken on a whole new role of big helper around our house. We are very proud of him. We recently took Easton to view preschools for the fall. It blows my mind that we are there already. He will have a hard time going. He already tells me he doesn't want to leave me. He is very needy and emotional about things, but it is what makes him Easton. It will be a difficult transition for all of us, but it will also be something I will smile about in 5 years when I think about it.

Back to Work and Reality

2009-11-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

Wow, I had it good being off! Cleaning and cooking and time with my kids were manageable, and I even found time in my day for some mommy time. Now, if I stay up till 10:00 or 11:00, my chores are done and I can get some me time around then. Me time consists of me, my pillow and my mattress all wrapped up into one cozy ball!
In general, thing have been crazy around our house, but we couldn’t love it more. The swine flu made its way through the family, luckily missing Gavin. He was put on the medication along with the rest of us so he wouldn’t be vulnerable.
Easton has adjusted much better to mommy being at work this time around. He does have his moments, but they are nothing compared to last year! Easton is very passionate, genuine and needy all at the same time. He wants to be home and he wants to be around his family. He likes to be held and cuddled (although he gets hot quickly and cuddling doesn’t last long) and kept close. He is a homebody, but so are Shawn and I. He loves to talk, and can fill up a 45 minute car ride with no problem! He just wants to know everything! He is a great big brother and very protective of Gavin. I can't set him on the floor or give him a bath without Easton making sure I'm watching or supporting him enough. Easton allows Gavin to climb on him and grab at his hair and face without too much of a problem or fuss. He says he is ready for another brother, and doesn't want any girls.
Gavin is doing really well to. He doesn’t even know I’m gone! I enjoy coming home though, because as soon as he hears my voice, he squeals and smiles and plants big wet kisses on my cheeks. Although he is now 7 months, at his 6 month appointment he weighed in at 16 lbs. 7 oz. and is 23 in. long. He is hard to recognize anymore. He has the army crawl mastered and can get around the house pretty quickly that way. He gets up on all fours and will take a crawl or two forward, but then realize the army crawl gets him to his destination much faster. Unbelievably, he is also crawling to things and at times pulls himself up to a kneeling or standing position. It makes us smile to walk into his room when he wakes and find him hanging onto the crib bars smiling! So far, the words include: ah dada(hi dada), mummmmm(mom), ato(Easton), and baba. ...and this just in! He is now crawling up the stairs! He made it up two steps before he lost it:) Time to break out the gates!

Hopefully it’s not another three months before I can get to this again!

Final Countdown

2009-09-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I believe I only have twenty more days with the boys. I return to work on Monday, September 28th, and am really not looking forward to it. Gavin turned five months this past Friday, and we still sit back and laugh at how the time flew within a blink. I've been trying to do as little of that as possible! That will put Gavin close to 6 months by the time I return to work. I feel so lucky to have had all that time with him and Easton.
Gavin is doing a great job of sitting on his own and will do so for longer periods before falling over like a tree that has been cut by a lumber jack! He can't be left alone for too long, as he has found how to scoot himself around or roll continuously until he gets either what he wants or where he wants to go! He is pushing and crouching into the crawling position and just might be doing so in the near future! He is also grabbing and big and small objects and bringing them to his face for a taste! All little toys are gone! Gavin is very active and outspoken, and enjoys letting out shrill squeals! I am so afraid of what mischief he and big brother are going to get into when they are older.
We can now say that Easton is FULLY potty trained!!! He goes all day and night without diapers. He is definitly fitting the big brother shoes now. He is very sweet with Gav, and will sit and talk or play with him, which is nice when mom needs to do a quick clean up. We can see that Gavin thinks a lot of his big brother, because he stares and smiles at him whenever he is near him. I forgot to mention in the last post a couple things Easton has been up to! Easton has been able to spell his name for a good two months now! He will get o confused with u, but it's close enough for us! He can name and point to about 9 different states. He also can tell you most of his address, but gets confused at the end. It's 21239, and he will say, 21239 10, 11. or 21234,5,6,7,8...! We are having a lot of fun this summer and mommy is doing her best to get the boys out and about before she heads back! We will be heading the Children's Museum in Chicago, and touch a truck this coming week, so I will post some pictures of that!

Summer Catch Up!

2009-08-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

I thought the days flew when we had only Easton! Add another kid to the mix and the whole week is gone before we know it.
And where to start. My mind is so full of everything, I only hope that it returns to it's normal state. Although what is normal anymore?? Easton, surely isn't:) The child is an energy ball, and mommy is having quite the time keeping up. He no longer naps, and is still going at 7:30 at night. He is hard to keep still and focused, so I have all but given up for the time with the teacher antics and trying to educate him myself. I am thankful for his ability to retain information that comes out of my mouth while he is running around at 90mph and throwing whatever he grabbed off the couch at the cat. My anxiety rises when I think that I have another that will be joining him shortly. He definitely is a comedian and loves coming up with interesting things to say to make us laugh. He enjoyed his most recent outing, "A Day with Thomas the Train", in Union, Illinois. I was surprised at his interest in the old trains, and he loved the little attractions the had for kids.
Gavin is doing great and is truly a big boy. He weighs 13lbs 9oz as of his last appointment and the doctor gave us the go ahead to start rice cereal. We had our first go of it yesterday, and just like Easton, he was one messy boy. He wasn't to sure of what he thought about it at first, but once he got the hang of it we could tell he liked it just fine...any child of mine will eat whatever:) Mommy and the boys took a trip to Oakbrook to buy some food cubes. I am going to try making Gavin's baby food from scratch and see how that goes. Hopefully with work, it won't be too crazy. Aside from that milestone, Gavin continues to be a very calm and happy baby. He rarely cries, and we can most often get a smile or chuckle out of him. He, when positioned right is sitting for a good five seconds and is scooting and pulling himself around the floor...and under our bed(thought he'd be ok while I put away a few shirts)!
Now that Gavin is more into playing with toys and talking,the bond between he and Easton seems to be even stronger. To see the way Gavin stares and his brother is something to smile about. He already looks up to him. It is going to break my heart when they start fighting and name calling and that admiration fades. Enjoy the pics!

Update on the Boys

2009-07-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

Gavin is now 3 1/2 months and ever the observer! He loves watching and following people. Gavin is so different from Easton. I could never get Easton to smile or talk to me as a baby, and Gavin is a big flirt with his big grin and endless chatter! Looks and a heart problem...how will I ever spank him:) He has gotten better rolling over from tummy to back and is doing so more frequently. He has almost mastered the back to tummy roll, so we are awaiting that. Within the past week we noticed him grabbing objects and pulling them towards him. The time is going by way to fast!
Gavin's last appointment with the cardiologist went well, and his heart is looking as good as could be expected from his complication. The doctors will monitor the scar tissue from the surgery to make sure it stretches as everything else grows. In the event it doesn't, the doctors will put a balloon in the artery to widen it. The only other note the doctor made was that Gavin's tricuspid valve has only two leaflets instead of the normal three. He said it's like and old ugly front door. Doesn't work great, but it does the job.
Easton is making up for the lack of talking and smiling he did as a kid! He continues to question everything, and his questions seem to get harder and harder to answer. I'm getting nervous as to when exactly he will become smarter than his mama!
If you haven't already, check out our video: http://animoto.com/play/uOShFrfGv4XIdc44O4wB3Q

Our Kiddieland Faces

2009-07-07T19:23:00.001-07:00

Pictures From the Fourth and Kiddieland

2009-07-07T19:14:00.001-07:00

A Lift...then a roll!!

2009-07-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

We were so excited when on July 2nd, just before grandma and grandpa came to take us to Kiddie Land, Gavin lifted his head! This was not just any lift. Mommy had time to run into the kitchen, then out to her car, then upstairs to the computer room where she finally found the camera, and back downstairs for the shot. Then just today, the little guy rolled over! Yeah Gavers!
Easton is also doing well with potty training. He wears underwear all day now and even when we are on outings. He went to Kiddie Land in undies and came home that night in undies. They were a different pair, but only because when mommy was holding him above the toilet, he peeed everywhere except in the toilet. Even on mommy's pants. He had his first experience peeing in a urinal with daddy. He thought it was pretty cool to pee on the wall. Easton is doing really well pooping on the potty too. We are SO looking forward to only having one in diapers.
Easton was a stich at Kiddie Land. His favorite rides were the roller coaster and the log ride with the 40 ft 45 degree drop. He and daddy found much humor in mommy's screams.
Gavin's next appointment with the cardiologist will be July 16th. I will have a heart update then:)

2009-06-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Summer Happenings

2009-06-29T19:32:00.000-07:00

Gavin was baptized yesterday, June 28, 2009. The date marked the two month anniversary of his open heart surgery. It was very special and emotional watching him, and thinking of all he has been through. We had lots of family and friends who joined us in welcoming Gavin to be apart of God's home. After the baptism, we headed to our home for food and fun. Gavin slept throught the whole party...in fact I had to wake him close to 5:00, because I wanted a good nights sleep! Speaking of sleep, my little bug usually sleeps a good 9 hours (8:30-5:20)before waking for his morning feeding. He eats well, and is growing just as good as Easton. Gavin trails big brother by a few ounces when comparing them at the same age. Gavin is very attentive, and watches everything around him. He literally will turn his head until it will go no further to follow a person he is interested in. He is so happy, and I love making him smile. He will coo occassionally, which is how his big brother was. I'm not going to worry about that at all, because I can't seem to find Easton's off button!
Easton is a talker, and has been going through the asking for explanations for things. The questions are really cute. He wants to know why things smell the way they do or how things got where they are and so on. Thankfully he is a sponge, because I can't seem to get him to sit and let me teach him things...He is all over the place! He continues to do well with potty training, and had a playdate without mommy, and wore big boy undies with no messes!! He even pooped at the friends house!! He continues to wear diapers during naps and bedtime. Easton continues to grow in his new role as big brother, and is resenting mom less and less. He is showing greater independence by trying to put on and take off shoes and clothes. The neighbors loved seeing him mow the grass naked(mom was changing a diaper!).

2009-06-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Rockstar update

2009-06-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

Wow! It seems like once we feel as though we have things under control (laundry, cleaning, the boys) our world turns upside down. Two kids are quite the challenge!I find more and more that I can't quite do the things I enjoy doing, because life needs me! Easton is all over the place. We are hoping that his recent hyper-activity, defiance and mood swings are due to the adjustment he is making to having his new brother around and getting lots of attention. At any rate Easton is still the sensitive and loving boy we are used to, but with a hint of crazy jackrabbit!
We are almost totally potty trained!!! You go little man!! Easton is in undies all day long unless we make a trip out or to play at friends houses. He is consistent at home, but is a little uneasy with friend's or public(ok, who isn't) toilets. He will poop on the potty, but ONLY if it is a small poop ball:) Any major blowouts, and he requests a diaper to poop into.
Gavin is getting over the flu he has had since returning home it seems. We took him to the doctors to see what they could do for him, and they ended up sending him to St. Joe's for x-rays of his lungs. They wanted to see if there was any fluid in them. Thankfully all came back clear. Gavin weighs 10lbs. 8 oz as of his 2 month appointment, and from what daddy says, he has a great set of lungs. Poor guy received 4 shots!
Gavin lives up to his name(means alert). He is so interested in what is going on around him. His head turns everywhich way to follow voices, or people. He loves talking and likes to mimic mouth movements and sticking out his tongue. We truly have our hands full.

Gavin's Visit to the Cardiologist

2009-06-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

We set off this morning for our sons first visit with his cardiologist. For the most part things went well. Gavin is up to a whopping 9lbs 9 oz and is now 22 inches long. During the echocardiogram, the doctor noted that his heart looked and was functioning 300 times better than what he saw that Monday night in April. He said he was very worried about our little guy. It was so touching, because he remembered that night just as clearly as we did, and you could tell his heart(no pun) is totally in to what he does. He remembered it was storming that night, and he said when he received the echo he looked at it three times at home studying it. He said he eventually went to his wife and told her he needed to leave to check on a liitle guy who was in trouble.
Unfortunatly, on todays echo, the doctor also noted that about 11 percent of the left side of Gavin's heart is dead, due to the lack of oxygen/blood to the area. He said the result is similar in persons who have had a heart attack. He was given
Lasixs-( spelling might be off)to reduce swelling and take more work off of the heart. He said Gavin won't be my long distance runner:( Shawn and I are so torn with emotions...so happy that the functions have improved, but sad that he will have restrictions.

Our Boys

2009-06-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

Thursday is Gavin's Cardiologist appointment....Will update with the newest news. Until then, here are some pictures of our boys.

Cute Comparison

2009-05-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention Gavins weight in the last posting:) He, as of his one month visit weighs a whopping 7 lbs 6oz! I looked back at his big brother's stats and saw that he is only trailing his big brother by 9 oz. Easton weighed 7 lbs 15 oz at his one month appointment. Not bad for going through open heart surgery.
We had our first smile!! Sunday, May 17th, the little guy gave us our first "real" smile!! He has had the little smiles here and there previously, but we are pretty sure those were caused by gas and bowl movements! Easton is also adjusting much better to having Gavin home and not as much attention. He plays very well on his own. I on the other hand am still not over the mommy guilt. It tears at my heart to see him playing outside singing or talking to himself while I tend to his little brother. Deep down I know he will be a better person, because of all of this.
Shawn has been doing a little research on Gavin's condition, and the doctors who performed his surgery. 1 out of 500 births will have cardiac issues. Out of those 500 cardiac cases, every 3,000 would have a condition like Gavin's where the Aorta is completely closed off and no blood flow can get through to the lower body. His case normally requires immediate surgery, and so for him to have gone as long as he did is a blessing. We feel very lucky to have had such an outstanding team of doctors! Yeah Hope!

Little Bugs First Bath

2009-05-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

Yipee, Yeah! One Month Today!!

2009-05-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that it has been a month already! I think as of right now we are breaking even with the amount of time Gavin has been at home and in the hospital. Everything has really been running as smoothly as can be expected with two kids. We are in that awkward transition where it is hard to keep up with day to day tasks. We have to relearn a new routine, get a little more organized and hopefully things will become easier.
We took a trip to Hope Wednesday, because Gavin was again sleeping all day and night, rarely waking to eat. By morning he was lethargic looking and by about 10:00 we decided to call the doctors. They told us to take him to the E.R. By 11:00, he was alert, and looking for food...we were confused to say the least. Turns out he was fine. After surgery, babies can go through changes in eating and sleeping.
There are similarities between Gavin and Easton as far as looks go, but Gavin is a little more mommy than Easton was. Gavin is really alert, and enjoys looking around and studying faces. He is quite the strong one as well(but we all knew that our boy was strong!!). He likes to use his legs to kick himself up as we hold him. He does a great job lifting his head too. He enjoys his baths, and now that his scar is healing, were were able to give him his first one yet!
Easton is showing the strain of less attention. This is really hard on everyone. It seems every time he needs me, I am having to tell him to wait, because Gavin needs me. He is holding up, and doing a great job of playing on his own and helping mommy when needed. We can't say he hasn't made out though! He has gotten many gifts from friends and family, including a new swing set.
Before I sign off on this, I wanted to say thank you again to all those who showed us their support. Shawn and I can't stop thinking about the generosity and love we were given. The letters, and daily texts (should I say daily blow up of texts Bridgett and Jen!), and phone calls were exactly what we needed to get us through. Thank you, thank you, forever thank you! I will get more pics up later...I can barely stay awake as I type this. I may have to edit later!!

Gavin's Hospital Stay in Pictures

2009-05-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Last pic is at St. Joe's Hospital, the rest are from Hope. If you look closely at the hospital picture, Gavins room has a heart and streamers on his window(clicking on the pics enlarges them)

We're Home!

2009-05-06T08:26:00.001-07:00

Even though the whole ordeal was just under two weeks, it seemed like forever, and we are glad to be home together as a family once again! It took two trips to the hospital before Gavin came out, and it took two trips to get him home...hopefully for good! The discharge went well. We were once again scared about what the future was going to bring. Hospital Nurses, doctors and beeping machine came to be like a security blanket for us, and we didn't know what we would do without them! Our first night was stressful. Gavin turned into a picky eater the minute we got home and started to make straining sounds as he would breath. This lasted for a good two hours, and the noise subsided. He only makes it occassionally. He picked up eating towards the late evening and man has he made up for that! My 3-4 hour feeder turned into a 2-2 1/2 hour feeder!
Gavin will be seeing a cardiologist in a week and every month from here on out(my dad thinks it's funny that he and his grandson both see cardiologists!), and will be on a heart medication until December at the earliest. Gavin's left side of his heart is still very small. The doctors hope that this will eventually get bigger, and will watch the functions of that side at each visit. If the growth doesn't happen, they said they will have to do other surgeries in the future, but for now his heart can handle what it is being given.

Saturday, May 2nd

2009-05-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

Gavin will be transferred to the NICU today!! As odd as that sounds, because I would never have associated the word NICU with good news. However, it is not the PSHU(Post Surgical Heart Unit) where he has been since his arrival at 2:00 am Tuesday morning. I just arrived for his 8:00 feeding, and they informed me that they removed his chest tube and would be moving him shortly. Yeah for one less cord or wire around his body!! Despite his four days without food, he was content in his be with his froggy blanket. Not only does this move push us closer to our departure, but it also allows Easton to visit his brother. This has been extremely hard on him. He asks to see him daily. Luckily, his allergies have been acting up and I told him he can't go when his nose is runny. He has taken his Zyrtex without fail, and the runny nose has cleared up...perfect timing. Doctors took him completely off oxygen yesterday and he did wonderful. I was able to start feeding him myself at around noon yesterday. They had to have been sick of me asking when I could feed him.
Easton had an appointment yesterday to see the cardiologist for an echo cardiogram. He saw a doctor two days ago for an ear ache/ ear infection. As Shawn was in the office, the doctor listened to Easton's heart. He left and another doctor came in for a listen. The first doctor returned and told Shawn he thought he heard a murmur in Easton's heart. We talked with the doctor's here and they squeezed Easton in. The Echo looked great! He does have a murmur, but they said it is a normal and common murmur.
Other than being extremely tired, Shawn and I are overjoyed once again! Our Spirits are up, and we find joy in so many little things that we were ingnorant towards in the past. This has been an eye opening experience for us, and we hope we never loose site of what it has taught us.

4-30 Update

2009-04-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

Last night Gavin was put back onto the respirator. The doctors had him on CPAP, which allows Gavin to breath on his own for two hours then the machine would kick in for 2-4 hours. They eventually weaned him and let him go completely on his own. They expected him to have a few bumps with breathing. Whenever he would stop breathing for 10 seconds, or if his breathing slowed for to long, the backup mode of the machine would kick in and it would breath for him. The machine kicked in a little more often than the doctors were hoping throughout the night, and so they put him back on the machine. Again this morning they returned him to CPAP, and he is tolerating it. He was a little more awake and upset this morning, which is what they want. I can't even begin to explain how much it hurts my heart to see my son crying, but no sound can come out because of the tubes. He just looks at me and his eyes well up and his little mouth opens up as much as it can for an attempted wail that never comes.
I had to leave the room, because they are going to excabate him (remove his breathing tube) and monitor his levels closely through the machine and by drawing blood gases to check ph levels. I can't wait to see him without his tubes!! I am hoping for the best, but am not allowing myself to much excitement. It seems every time I get good news about him, we hit a bump. I think I am better off expecting the bumps and being pleasantly surprised when we don't hit one. Thank you all for your continued prayers, texts, calls, and emails. There are NO words to explain how that fills me with hope.
-Sarah

Little Miracles!

2009-04-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Today, my life is wonderful, and today I am smiling. I cry, but my tears today are happy and joyous and filled with relief. I have my family today. All of my family.

Unknown to us, we had a very sick little boy in our hands. At Gavin's birth, our doctor told us he heard a little bit of a murmer(might have spelled that wrong, but not to worry, because many babies are born with murmers and they usually correct on its own. Gavin's week appointment went well and everything sounded good. We had concerns about his purple feet, and that he could go 7 hours at night without eating. The doctor said the purple feet would correct on its own, and that we needed to work a little harder at waking him for feeding.
Friday, April 24th, Gavin still wasn't eating well(maybe 2-3 min on one side), and wasn't awake but an hour during the day. His last attempt at eating was at 7:00pm and it wasn't a great attempt. I tried my best to wake him througout the night, but even when he woke, he just wouldn't eat. I thought ok, they said that babies can be like this, and he will eat in an hour. At 5:00 am, he began to cry and looked as though he were in pain. I thought maybe a tummy ache and burped and bicycled his legs. Holding him close was the only thing that calmed him. This continued into the afternoon. His breathing seemed to be extremely fast and wierd sounds came from him. Shawn timed his breathing and called the doctor. Shortly after we rushed him to the emergency room. His color was a pale grey and he stared off. The doctors immediatly began working him and let us know his condition was critical and had we not brought him in, his heart would have overworked itself and given out sometime in the night.
Gavin was intibated and put on a breathing machine because his heart was working way to hard. Blood was drawn and IVs were started. Doctors performed a spinal tap to see about certain viruses or bacterial infections. They said he was in critical condition. After being sent to the PICU, we were told he had pneumonia and a bacterial infection. By Monday we saw no improvment, but were told that no improvement was better than his condition worsening. The doctor making the rounds that morning sent his "student" doctor in to check Gavin before he arrived at the hospital. Upon the doctors arrival, he said everything looked fine with Gavin. The student told him she thought she heard a little something with his heart, and so the doctor listened again and ordered an echocardiogram, which would take an ultrasound of his heart. The results were sent to a cardiac specialist. At 8:00 Monday evening, we recieved a call from the doctor stating that the cardiologist noticed a little something with what was sent to him via the computer, and wanted another echo performed. The cardiologist, Dr. Ow would drive from Chicago to perform the echocardiogram himself. Once he arrived and performed the ultrasound, he found a malfunction with Gavins heart. He had a corartation of the aorta, which is the main aortic valve that pumps blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the lungs and organs in the lower body. The valve was completely closed off and blood could not be pumped from his heart out. This explained the purple feet, lack of kidney and intestinal functions, lack of eating and low blood pressure in the legs. The doctor said that his condition was worsening and he would need to be transported to Hope Children's Hospital for open heart surgery. Upon our arrival (2:30 am), the nurses and doctors got to work. Gavin immediatly looked better, the puffy lifeless look was changing to that of my son. I could tell who he was again. The doctors said that had he stayed at Provena, he may have had another day or two to live, because the hospital was treating him for pneumonia, something he did not have.
The doctors started Gavin on a medication (can't recall name, but I wrote it down somewhere!) that would hopefully relax the artery that is open only when the baby is in utero. If the medicine worked, a little blood could get around his closed artery and supply a small amount of blood into his left valve and the lower organs of his body. This would help them to be just a bit stronger for the surgery. Unfortunatly, this intervention did not work for Gavin, and so the needed to get him into surgery immediatly before his organs and heart weakened even more. The surgery was a success, and the change in Gavin's appearance was phenominal! He looked a little stressed out, but so much healthier. We were told that a sack in his lungs collapsed, which would keep him on the breathing machines longer and he would be able to eat 48 hours after the surgery. We were estatic. We were once bug eyed, hunched over, smelly, and stressed, and now were a more relaxed, and smelly couple without the bug eyes. (will continue later)

Overjoyed!

2009-04-20T19:24:00.001-07:00

If those words could only begin to describe it! Yes, it is stressful going from one to two and balancing day to day tasks, but a little organization and grounding never hurt anyone:) It will come in time. For now, we are enjoying this.
I went to my doctors appointment Wednesday with the hopes of being in labor. I woke at 5:30 am not quite feeling right. Turned out, I was in labor, and having contractions 1-2 min. apart. We were sent to the hospital where those close contractions went to 8-12 min apart, and eventually...even with power walking the halls of the hospital all throughout the night, became irregular. In the morning the doctor came in looking for a decision...VBAC or c-section. Shawn and I decided to go home and wait it out.
We went out for breakfast and I ate! Shortly after getting home, I lost my plug and began contractions again. I was waiting until I couldn't stand it! At 4:00, we headed back to the hospital, and boy what a ride!! I could only imagine what I looked like to the people next to us! We got to the hospital and all the nurses remembered me,or heard about me through the chatter line. "Oh, your the walker". My water was broke around 6:00pm and by 12:35 our son was born.
The feeling of being able to accomplish what I wanted is immeasureable. I can't believe I almost let go of it, and gave in.
Gavin Michael looks a lot like Easton, with a hint of his mommy. He is very mild mannered just like Easton was, and doesn't cry much at all(fingers are crossed!)
Easton has done a great job transitioning and is IN LOVE with his brother. He makes sure all visitors are washing their hands. He gets a little jealous every now and then, and shows it by whinning. We are trying our best to not make him feel left out.
The pictures below show Shawn and I leaving for the hospital for the second time(hence the 2 fingers), Gavin and Easton, and just Gavin.

Our Family !!!

2009-04-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

Welcoming our Newest addition! It's a Boy!

2009-04-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world little one! Gavin Michael Toso was born at 12:35am on Friday, April 17th! Mommy delivered a successful VBAC (only 12 pushes!!). Here are some pictures and a video(Shawn would kill me if he knew, but it's too sweet not to), and when I find a bit more free time, a longer post will follow! Everyone is doing great, and we are excited to be home plus one!

Baby Shower, Easter Egg Hunt N More!

2009-04-11T20:27:00.001-07:00

Anxiously Awaiting our Arrival

2009-04-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

Tip-toeing up to the final day, I find myself constantly second guessing the decision I make in regards to the baby(VBAC/C-Section). Had I chosen the c-section, baby would have arrived on April 7th and I would have been a week into recovery. Now, we sit and wait for the baby to be ready:) Problem comes if the baby isn't ready by Tuesday. I have an ultra-sound schedule for Wednesday, and a few tests. As of Wednesday, I set up the c-section, and no longer get the option of delivering. I thought I was in control of the decision, but am slowly figuring out that I am not in charge:) On the upside, if the baby doesn't come by Tuesday, it will be neat to see an ultra sound of a baby at 40+ weeks!
Easton has been quite the trouble maker latley(hense why there have been no posts!). He's not a bad kid by any means, just pushing the limits with mom and dad in regards to everything lately. Bed time is a debate, eating is a debate, picking up and even going places can turn into debates Please, please, please let this be the terrible 2's and 3's!
Aside from that, I can say that half stinker child of ours is the most caring and lovable thing you will ever meet(maybe a slight manipulator, but hey, that may get him far some day!!). Easton can walk into a room (especially with older women) and have them eating out of his hand in minutes. He knows just what to say, and how to look in order to get what he wants from a situation.....hmmm...could that be why mom and dad are in so deep??? Easton is constantly telling me he loves me, and always hugs me. He will stop in the middle of play several times to do so. If I am getting ready to go somewhere, he makes certain to say, "Hi pretty lady", or "mommy, your budaful", which melts my heart. He most often will thank us for taking him somewhere or tell us he had a great time without us having to remind him.
I will post some recent pics of us all, and hopefully be updating VERY soon with the news of baby!

Snow Much Fun!!

2009-01-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

2009-01-08T17:17:00.000-08:00

A Few Recent Pictures!

2009-01-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

A Merry New Year!

2009-01-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

The break went fast, as it was filled with lots of activity! I enjoyed having the time off and getting to spend multiple full days with Easton and Shawn. It's tough getting out of the work routine and into full time mommy mode, only to get comfortable and have to switch back!

Christmas was so much fun this year. Easton was into santa, as well as opening presents. We spent Christmas Eve with our family at Aunt Missy's house and Christmas Day with family at Grandma and Grandpa Bozue's. Sunday we ventured to Waukegan to see Grandpa George and Grandma Eva. Easton was a little charmer as always and had everyone laughing and enjoying themselves. On New Years, we headed to Uncle Matt and Aunt Sally's house for dinner and fun. We headed home early so mommy and daddy could ring in the New Year together. The day after New Year's, everyone joined at our house for Daddy's homemade pizza....delicious as always!
We took advantage of the sled from Aunt Mandi and Uncle Michael and headed outside a couple times to enjoy the break in the weather. I only hope I can download from a camcorder the footage we got. Easton loved the sled and was so happy being pulled around in it. The neighbors yard slopes into ours, so that along with the layer of ice sent him across our front yard nicely! Icicles were another favorite. He enjoyed pulling them off of the patio furniture and crunching them.
Mommy and baby #2 are doing well! We had our 6 and 1/2 month doctor visit on Friday, and all looks and sounds great. We are (and will most likely be until the end)debating on whether or not we will try for a VBAC. If that doesn't work for us, the baby's due date will be April 4, 2009:)

Party Pics

2008-12-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Easton!!

2008-12-15T18:36:00.000-08:00

Two years ago today, I would have already been at St. Joseph Hospital, and I think I was already told by the nurse that I wouldn’t be leaving without a baby. I could play that day over and over in my head, and never tire of the story, because as stories should be, the ending is the best part. Although you didn’t come into this world the perfect way that I planned, I soon realized as I held you that perfect had a new meaning. Nothing in this world could come as close to perfect as what we had been blessed with. Happy 2nd birthday Easton!! I hope that we bring you as much energy, love, and sense of achievement everyday as you do to us!! Love mommy and daddy
THE PARTY
We will be celebrating Easton’s birthday with him tonight at home as a family. Daddy began the day with a birthday breakfast of eggs, sausage, and English muffins, and will end it with the birthday boy’s favorite dinner…Daddy’s homemade pizza
The big bash was held Saturday, and let me emphasize the word big! Easton had about 40 family members and little friends who joined him to celebrate his day. We did a construction theme, and had the house and garage decorated with construction signs, banners, and balloons to fit the theme. The kids were given hard hats, and tool belts to decorate. Once this was done, they either decorated a construction cookie, or went over to the demolition site to use the crane that daddy built to knock down a wall of boxes. Mommy prepared a “build” your own taco bar for the supervisors while the little construction workers ate chicken nuggets, macaroni and fruit. After dinner, we sang happy birthday and ate the super delicious construction themed cake. Present time was quite the event! I have definitely learned my lesson and will have a game plan in store for next year! When you get a bunch of 2 and 3 year olds together in a room full of presents, they all want in! Easton couldn’t have enjoyed himself more! Hopefully you enjoy the pictures and video.
On Sunday, the girls met back at our place where we kicked off the start to our annual Christmas cookie baking. The kids were able to play with all the new birthday toys, and help decorate cookies.
Mommy and baby #2 are doing great! We had our 5 ½ month visit last week, and everything is looking great. It has been a wonderful experience to share with a toddler. Easton will try to feel the kicks from the baby, but won’t quite keep his hand on the belly long enough. We are excited about the challenge that having two in the house will bring to us. Easton is already staking his claim on which toys are his and which are the baby’s (unfortunately he is not leaving much for the baby). We find this very odd, because he shares willingly when he is around and playing with friends.
A quick update on some Easton info: Potty training has all but ceased due to a lot of sicknesses (all Easton). Easton had the rotovirus for 4-5 days one week with stuff coming out both ends. We could not keep up with laundry! He lost 4 pound from that. Just recently we had to make a late night trip to the hospital due to him having difficulty breathing. Through x-rays, doctors were able to see the start of pneumonia. He has been well this past week and back to normal! He has been very much into counting things lately, and has inconsistently counted spoons, or trucks up to 8! Just yesterday he added on the number 9.
Enjoy the pics and video!

A Busy Month!

2008-11-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

With the house under construction, it has been a bit difficult getting anything done! Shawn is remodeling our family room in order to fix the recent rain damage, and decided to tear it apart and have a little manly fun (bigger crown molding, bigger baseboards, and he is encasing the room entry ways with wood). It is a big mess, but the masterpiece that is emerging has made it worth it! Easton is learning from this too! He understands what a nail gun and a compressor are (and some accompanying parts). He walks around the house with daddy’s pencil bit between his teeth.
Probably the most noticeable change with Easton would be the fact that he is noticing letters on signs as we are out and about. The signs have to be pretty big, (Target, Walmart, Jewel) otherwise they go unnoticed. Potty training is still sporadic, and even more so since demolition. We are seeing that Easton has quite the memory. He is remembering things that occurred months earlier(including just recently the name of the lady who cut his hair 2 months ago). He knows the cities where he, grandma and grandpa, cousins, and friends live.
Other than that, we have party number two to plan for! Easton will be turning 2 on December 15th and is so excited about his construction themed party. Goes perfect with the mess we have going on in our home!
Mommy will post her next ultrasound pictures after her appointment!

How Could I Forget!

2008-11-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

Although it has not been consistent by any means, the fact that our little guy has been POOPING on the potty could not go without mention!!! Daddy was able to get the big boy to poop first, so from then on the task was pretty easy for mommy. Easton is extremely proud of himself and will dance around the room upon finishing! Mommy and daddy couldn't be more excited.

Having Halloween Fun

2008-11-04T20:30:00.000-08:00

Fall Adventures!

2008-11-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

Leaves are Changing and so am I!

2008-10-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, the flu bug had recently moved into our home, and just decided it wants to leave! It started about a month ago with mommy. Shortly after, Easton began some extreme whining. When Easton whines, the only explanation is that something is terribly wrong. He had a severe double ear infection. A week into the medication, I took him back into the doctors office, because he still wasn't himself (as you will see from the Wisconsin apple picking pictures). The medication did nothing, and my poor little guy had suffered through our weekend getaway (Such a trooper)! Easton was given a shot and was put on three medications to combat his coughing, wheezing and ear infection. The flu ended with daddy, and we all hope that's the end of it.
Over the Columbus Day weekend, we headed to Wisconsin to visit Uncle Randall, Aunt Michelle and Cousins Matt and Mali. On Saturday, we tailgated before watching the Wisconsin football game, and on Sunday we headed to the apple orchard for some apple picking. The weather was perfect. Easton loved picking apples and raspberries and feeding them to the horse.
We took advantage of the weather the following weekend and headed to Dollinger's Pumpkin patch with grandma, grandpa and Uncle Chris and Aunt Rossi. Easton road on the steam engine climbed aboard a pirate ship and spent the most time playing in wooden play houses that lined the farm. The whole way home he kept telling Shawn to buy wood and build a playhouse.
Halloween was such a blast this year. The pictures aren't the best, because our typical (almost) two- year old would not wear the costume mommy had hyped up for the past week. I didn't think I would, but after seeing how much fun he was having trick or treating, I got over the fact that "I" wasn't going to have the perfect pirate picture! Easton's cousins came into town for Halloween and an evening bonfire. Easton couldn't get enough of running around with all of his cousins. It was a change not having to worry about him as much. We could actually relax and have fun (....although not for long)!
That Sunday, following the bonfire, Easton had a "boys" playdate at our home. The weather was such a blessing, and we enjoyed playing outside with our friends. It was so cute watching the boy’s chit-chat with each other. He spent the remainder of the day talking about all the fun he had.
Easton loves books and reading. Most recently he has given mommy and daddy the boot with favorite books, and will choose to read them on his own. Some of the words he has memorized, and others he just makes up to go along with the pictures.
He likes putting together puzzles (especially construction puzzles) with mommy and daddy.
He enjoys playing certain games on the computer, and gets a kick out of pushing the buttons.
Easton is developing in so many different ways. It is hard keeping up with him! He is our monkey, climbing on whatever he can, and showing no fear. With all of this "boy" exuding from him, he still remains ever so sensitive and loving. Easton is wonderful at sharing (sometimes we have to tell him to share, but he does). He has learned from his daddy to tell mommy she is pretty, which just melts my heart. He continues to notice my bump, and we joke about the fact that it will be getting bigger and bigger. Pushing the cart in the grocery store is a chore, because my son has one hand planted under my shirt to "keep the baby warm" as he says. I say I have a compassionate little guy!
Mommy and baby are doing well! As of today, I am 17 weeks. Some days I have a tummy that is as flat as can be, and other days I look pretty much like I did with Easton at 4 months. Once we go for the 5 month ultrasound, I will upload them to the blog.

New Favorite Book!

2008-10-08T19:37:00.001-07:00

Easton Has a Surprise!

2008-10-08T04:45:00.000-07:00

22 months

2008-10-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

It is unbelievable that we have two months to go until our son turns two! It’s something how he went from needing us all the time, to Mr. Independent! Our little guy can now reach onto the countertop and push the open button on the microwave.
Not much has changed with vocabulary. Easton continues to build upon it daily and we continue to be told how well he talks. Conversations are a little more understandable and the topics become more involved. When asked, Easton can tell you that his mommy works at the school with the kids, daddy works at the fire station, and that he lives in Shorewood. When he talks about things that have a blatant color, he will name them as such. “Mommy’s black pants”, “want daddy brown sucker”, and so on. He is more familiar with and understanding of time of day (whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner). Driving in the car the other day, he told me, “Eastie go to park next week”. There are times when Shawn and I look at each other in amazement because Easton will come up with something or talk about something neither of us was aware he knew.
He is very much into the bath lately, and will take one first thing in the morning (so awesome when mommy is getting ready for work) and one just before bedtime. Other interests include the fire truck. He knows a few of the different fire truck names just by looking at the trucks (pumper truck, platform truck, ladder truck). He is very much into his pirate outfit, swords and ship (he tells us every day, “pay money for pirate ship”). Anyone know where to purchase one of those!
If you have watched the video, you now know that we are expecting a new addition to our family!!! We could not be more excited!! We found out August 6th that we were expecting, which makes me a little over 13 weeks. Easton is literally in love with my belly. If I am sitting on the floor, he will come and lay his head on my belly and talk to and kiss the baby. He is always asking if the doctor can cut it out. He likes to go under mine and daddy’s shirt and come out saying, “It’s a boy”. At dinner time he tells us the food goes into his belly and the baby eats it, and will sometimes try and push the food through his belly button. He likes to show off his big belly! There is no doubt he will make a great big brother! Oh yeah! My younger sister is expecting right along with me, and is due 1-2 weeks after me! Once I can figure out how, I will be sure to scan our most recent ultrasound pictures onto the blog. Looks like our title might be changing soon!

2008-09-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Now I know my ABCs.....

2008-09-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

20 months: End of a Great Summer

2008-08-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

Back to school for mommy! Both mommy and Easton are making a fairly smooth transition. Daddy says he only cries until my car is out of site(Easton cries a little too:)) Mommy is comforted by the fact that Easton and daddy have a wonderful bond. Whenever I come home from work, I like to hide and watch the two of them outside playing together. Easton has a special way of looking at his daddy. It is no wonder though. Shawn is a very hands on and involved dad! We are so blessed to have such a wonderful guy in our lives (plus he cooks dinner during the school year!).
We enjoyed the Dells so much that we decided to go back (as did Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Mandi, Uncle Michael, Aunt Missy and cousins Morgan, Maddie, Zach and Matt) for a second trip. Unfortunately, Easton was battling the flu and wasn’t as into the waterslides and swimming as he was the first time.
We are glad the flu has passed and have our little talker back! Easton definitely takes after mommy when it comes to socializing. We are always getting comments on how well he talks for his age. When you’re doing it as much as he is, it no wonder! We have noticed that during conversations, Easton will relate something we are talking about to something that may have happened as much as two weeks earlier. We like that he is making connections to the things he talks about. He is now at times up to four words in a sentence, and is getting better at letting us know what he needs. For a while, we were dealing with a whiner. For some reason, instead of asking for something, Easton would whine. We began to put him into the time out corner, and the problem was fixed within a day or two!
Easton is also working with numbers. He understands how many two is, and will occasionally ask for a couple (tuple) grapes. Colors are improving as well! He no longer thinks everything is yellow!
We are coming into the “everything is mine” phase. He doesn’t use the term “mine”, but will take a toy from you that he wants, and hand you something he doesn’t.
We bought a potty for Easton last month, and he wanted nothing to do with it. When asked if he wanted to sit down on the potty, the reply was a very determined “NO!” I left it alone, because as I have been told, boys can be stubborn about this. However, just the other day, before bath, I asked if he wanted to sit on the potty. He said, “Mommy sit down potty”. After I did, he sat on his. We both did a little pushing……and Easton had his first pee-pee in the potty! Mommy was so proud! We did a pee-pee dance, and had a pee-pee candy!
Easton’s attitude is awesome. Unless he is sick, he is always in a good mood. He keeps Shawn and me smiling all day long with the things he says and does. He loves to help and be involved in whatever we might be doing.

Summer Fun

2008-08-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

Tunnel Fun

2008-08-02T10:01:00.001-07:00

Playtime!

2008-08-02T05:04:00.001-07:00

19 months: Just Hanging Out

2008-07-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

E's Word(18 months)

2008-07-29T19:58:00.000-07:00

Shawn had thought it would be a great idea to create a dictionary showing the words Easton knows and how he says them. This will provide us with a reminder of not only his growth, but the interesting and adorable way he pronounces things! Once I figure out how to organize this; I will do so!! I will add more words as I remember them all!

Excavator-Oca-boom / Back-hoe- Bach-ho / Bull Dozer- Bo Dozer / Bob Cat- Bob Cat
Loader-Loader / Dump Truck- Dump Dump / Garbage Truck- Darbage Truck / cement truck- cemen truck/ dirt/ road/
Ice Cream Man- Ah Ceem Man / Happy birthday- Happy see dee / Love you- la-lu
Shovel- Shozzle / Rake-Reek / Lawn Mower-mon mower / Weed Wacker- Wee Wacker
Blower- Bolo / mulch-mooch / bucket-bocket / hammer-hamma / screw driver-scho die-va
saw / drill / Octagon- ocagon / Oval-ovo / Star-sar/ Circle- sa-sa /Thunder-Tunner
Lightning-lightning / dark-dock Rain- reen / coffee- ta see / Pasta- passa
Back yard- back yard / sand- sond castle-tasle / feet- seet / Nose-no / Eyes
Mouth-mow / Hair-heyr / Ears- eas / Toes / Fingers-finas
number- noma / bug- bud /Lightning bug- nightning bud / swing- sing sing
waterslide-waddeslide/ blueberry-bolos / avocado- ado tado / banana-bana /juice-jew/ pizza-pissa / sause/ sase /crackers-kakas / chocolate milk-choco-milk stove top- tove top / look out- luk out/pick it up- pick it up /Easton- Eton brush- bush / Diesel- deesel /Helicopter- hop clop / Motorcycle- cycle bike
air plane- ah plane / Zebra-zeba/ Bison/ Lion-ninon/ Tiger-tider/ Bear
Vulture- voture Hippo Monkey-mokey Rhino Iguana-wana Fish-fshies Blanket-blanken Yellow- lallow Red Blue-boo brown-bown Orange-onge
Green- deen Purple-purpa
Fork-fook /Spoon-soon /apple juice- appo jew /grapes/ drink- deek/ winnie/
Knife-no no ni /dinner-dinna /chicken- cheeken /ribs /amen-ahmen /oh God- oh dod
sit down- seet down/ pick it up/ olives- ollis / brown sugar- bown sugar/ school bus- schoo bus/ up (down)stairs- up (don) seers/ open/ shut/ lotion- loshun / round and round- roun-a-roun/ cross the road- coss a road/ lemonade- omenade / mercedes- meer-de-ce-de / baseball bat- be-baw-bat / water balloon- waler balloon/ policeman- pleashman/ fireworks- fiwoks/ roller coaster- rolla toser/

My First Cycle Ride!

2008-07-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

19 months

2008-07-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the delay on the post, but we've been having way to much fun this summer! We just got back from our first family trip, which took us first to Madison, Wisconsin to visit Aunt Michelle, Uncle Randall, Matt and Mali, and then to the Wisconsin Dells. Easton enjoyed his cousins so much, it was hard to leave. The Dells were so much fun, we are thinking of returning in August! Easton loved the waterslides! "More Waterslide" was the word of the day while we were there!
July has probably been the toughest month we have encountered thus far with Easton. We had a week there where he woke every morning at 4:58 in the worst mood possible, and stayed crabby all day long. All throughout the day it was "hod ju mommy", and our little guy would claw his way up onto me. We thought the terrible two's had come early, but eventually figured out his 2 year molars were coming in.
Along with that, Easton is happily testing his boundaries. There isn't a thing in or outside of our home that he hasn't tried to climb up on and jump off of. He doesn't like the word no and will test as much as he can. He will even get a little bit of an attitude when he is overly tired and start demanding("a wan baba milk").
Aside from that, we continue to be amazed at how much of a conversation we can have with Easton. He is beginning to understand what is his, dadda's and mama's, and will name it as such("dada's dirty shirt" or "mama's choffee"). He likes to blame his messes on others ("Aspen did it")and is learning colors, but continues to call everything yellow the first time around, because it is his favorite. When counting, he will call out certain numbers, and knows visually how many is two.
We are constantly laughing as Easton can be quite the ham. He knows when his being goofy is amusing others and will play it up as much as he can if possible. We feel blessed everyday as we enjoy our little gift!

1 1/2 years old!!

2008-06-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

SCHOOLS OUT!! Both Easton and mommy are excited to be home together! Mommy is especially excited for all the things that we have planned as a family.
We have already made it to the community water park, and I have to say, that was a bit interesting. At first I thought the money was wasted, but was pleasantly surprised when Easton went from the ankle deep part of the pool to about where it hit his chin. He was trying to get to the waterslide where all the kids were. Unfortunately, they don't allow babies to ride down with mommies! Guess he will have to learn to swim fast! While there, he learned how to climb out of the side of the pool, and jump into the water. We enjoyed playing with the kids and making some new friends. We hope to make even more friends when we go to mommy and baby swim classes, and busy baby time at the park district.
We had a great time going on our first family zoo trip. Easton was so excited to see the real animals and liked saying their names, and mimicking their sounds. The weather was perfect and all the animals were out playing and swimming.
Easton is doing a great job talking and continues to add to his vocabulary everyday. His doctor said his words are very clear and understandable for his age. He likes to sing bits and pieces of the alphabet, the wheels on the bus, and roll over. If we get to a song he doesn't know, he will lip sync! It is hilarious to look in the rear view mirror and see his lips moving to the lyrics. He is putting two and sometimes three words together. He was in his bouncer the other day and said thank you dada. Easton has learned that mommy has difficulties saying no when he uses the word please. He has the cutest little way of looking at me and saying, "please mama, more", and I can't resist. He is very polite and almost always uses please and thank you. He is also working at counting. So far he can count to three. He doesn’t always get it. He might get to two and add a nine or a six.
He is doing well with letting us know what he wants, or making choices. We can almost carry on broken conversations. If we ask what he wants for lunch, he might say hotdog, or if I ask if he wants a sandwich, he might say no. He will come to me and tell me he wants milk, juice, or water to drink or more pineapple or pasta at dinner. He is a great helper, and loves to help mommy and daddy put away groceries. The mouthwash will end up in the fridge and the peanut butter usually ends up with the pots and pans, but his thoughtfulness is much appreciated!
We might be looking into getting a potty soon! Easton is already letting me know when he has to poop. He will walk up and say, "Poop...poop....poop". Shortly after doing this, he finds his way to a corner, or chair( for leverage of course), and proceeds to go. If you look at him, he will say, poop. I have tried taking him to the big boy potty when he comes to tell me he has to go, but he doesn't want much of that right now.
18 month doctor visit: 26 lbs (58%), 33.75in (85%), he is also in the 85% with his head size.

I Know my Animals

2008-05-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Playtime!!

2008-05-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

17 Months Big!

2008-05-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

April showers brought May flowers and a whole lot of activity at the Toso home! I am amazed at how the days fly, and am worried the summer will be gone in a flash!
Our little “love bug” is as cuddly as ever, if not more so! He is constantly stopping play to give mommy and daddy little hugs. They are very much appreciated, especially when the day has been a rough one. He is very gentle and just naturally caring. He has daddy’s looks, but mommy personality. He definitely loves being around Shawn and me together. He is a very happy and calm toddler in general, but his whole being changes when we are together as a family. His face and eyes are full of light, and he is energized. However, if any hugging occurs between mommy and daddy, our little referee is quick to break it up. Easton is very possessive of his mommy and sets boundaries accordingly. If we are all playing together, Easton will be on my lap playing and making no room for daddy to squeeze in. He loves being outdoors, and even after a full day of fun in the sun, he will show his dislike about coming in for dinner. He enjoys playing in the sand, mowing the lawn with the bubble mower and picking mommy the most beautiful flowers (dandelions).
Although Easton isn’t what you would consider chatty, when he talks, he does it well. He is learning more words each day and has quite a vocabulary. He has a fixation with anything to do with tractors or lawnmowers. He can name a good majority of tractors (backhoe, excavator, and loader) and even knows certain parts of the excavator (boom and bucket). We frequent building sites and stores that sell heavy equipment (right up mommy’s alley). He can say (not at all clear) smoke detector and show us where it is. Hola(not sure if I spelled that right!), If we ask, “where does the bus drive?” He will answer road. If I ask "Who is coming home today?" He will say daddy. Easton will let us know if he needs something like juice, milk, or food, and hands us his plate, fork and spoon and say all done, when he is finished with a meal.
Speaking of meals, our little eater is slowing down his consumption of food (thank goodness). The doctors say that he no longer lives to eat, and will now just eat to live! He is a very healthy eater, and will eat almost anything you give him. Unbelievably, our son loves pickled beets! He no longer has a high chair!! Our big boy is now sitting at the table!
As you will see in the videos and pictures, Easton is on his way to being a pro football player. He is big for his age, matching up to the two year olds that we see when we go to kid programs. If you click on the You Tube link on the videos, you will find many more. It is so hard choosing which to post!

Easton Update (16 months!)

2008-04-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

Time is flying, but we are doing our best to enjoy and nurture every moment! Here are a few new things happening around the Toso house:
Lately, everything that Easton comes into contact with or wants an explanation for gets an "oohh! Wastha?" This is especially true when we are at the grocery store and around food. It's neat to think of how he has progressed. We used to show him things, now he shows us what he is interested in.
His new thing (thank you daddy for teaching it) is to shake hands. He sticks his hand out, smiles and says, "Hi!".
Easton has definitely passed his shy phase, if there ever was one. We can't go anywhere without him running up to strangers and saying "Hi".
I think one of my favorite things about Easton is his sensitive side. Even at this young age, we can tell he is going to have a big heart. At first it was just with this animals; hugging, kissing and cuddling. Lately, he will come up behind me when I am cooking or doing things and wrap his arms around my legs and hug me. After that He makes his way to the front of my legs, says hi, and gives me another hug, and pats my leg for a little bit. If Easton gets in trouble, he takes it hard. He doesn't scream and cry, but he does cry. He sits down in the middle of the kitchen floor and does the most heartbreaking cry you will ever hear, with a face that brings me to tears(daddy too). He genuinely feels bad for what he did wrong. He has made it hard to stand my ground.
Easton continues to do his best to talk, and just recently we have noticed that he repeats words directly after we say them. Prior to this, he would learn a word after much repetition. His favorites are sun, rain, mailbox, garbage, weiner(unfortunatly a major favorite) and tractor.There are a few more homes going up in our subdivision, so daddy and his little construction worker take walks to check out the daily progress and enjoy the cool machines.
A funny story: Grandma and Grandpa Bozue stopped by to hang out one afternoon, and so we went to the driveway to wait for them to pull up (Grandma likes seeing the excitement on E's face when they pull in). Grandpa got out of the car first and took Easton from me and pointed to grandma and said, "Old lady". Easton put his finger to his lip and said, "hussss". For anyone who has read "Goodnight Moon", you will understand that it is the old lady who is whispering hush in the book! We were so excited about his connection, and so was grandpa when we explained it to him.

Even though Easter has passed, it couldn't go without a mention! Our family celebrated Easter with a weekend of fun. Most of the Bozue klan came into town, and so Easton was able to enjoy playing with his many cousins over the long weekend. On Friday we had our annual fish fry at grandma and grandpa Bozue’s house where grandpa used his deep fryer to yet again cook some amazing cod. On Saturday we celebrated cousin Matt’s birthday by having an old-fashioned birthday party at grandma and grandpas. On Sunday, before heading again to grandma and grandpa’s, Easton woke to find lots of new toys in his playroom! The Easter Bunny spoiled him with a Little People bus, Little People talking farmhouse, Little People talking zoo and a bag of balls for a ball pit. We spend lots of time playing and talking to the animals. He is doing a great job of identifying a handful of his favorites.
At grandma and grandpa’s house, Easton stopped halfway to the front door, pointed and said yea-yo. I smiled, because he had notice one of the yellow eggs his Aunt Missy made for the Easter egg hunt. Once all the kids had arrived, we gathered in the front yard and let the kids run wild! Most had to be pointed out to him, but Easton did get a few eggs! I think back to last year, and our son was 4 months old and sleeping most of the day. Now he is running around with other kids participating in the games.
On Monday we went to see Grandma Eva and Grandpa George in Waukegan. Easton enjoyed the many mechanical animals that grandma and grandpa have in their living room and all the good food grandma cooked!

15 Months!

2008-03-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

15 month doctor visit: Easton was updated on his shots, and doesn't mind them to much. He cries until daddy picks him up and holds him. Doctor said Easton is advanced for his age intellectually!! His head size is above average (75%),he weighs 24 lbs. (48%), and he is in the 70% for height. It has been pretty difficult getting things done around our house lately. Easton is going through the “only mommy will do” phase, as well as showing a little stranger anxiety. It has made it very hard to leave for work in the morning, because try as we might to come up with creative ways of sneaking mommy out of the house, Easton seems to know what’s up and latches on. It is hard watching him cry as I pull out of the driveway. Luckily Shawn will call before I can make it a block to let me hear Easton laughing in the background. As soon as I walk in the door after a days work, he will latch himself to my legs and hold on! No down time for mommy! What about when Shawn leaves for work? Easton runs to mommy, smiles and says, “Bye, bye, da”. It has been the same for family, friends, and strangers too. It can take him quite awhile to warm up (depending on the mood). He clings to mommy and gives his admirers the cold shoulder until he feels good and ready to show his stuff. If they push a little too much to get his attention, he lets them know. Easton has learned to speak his mind, and he does it quite well. We have been working quite a bit with him, trying to teach him what he can and cannot have. At first it was going pretty well, and we thought we were on easy street. I guess you could say we spoke a little too soon! He has learned to yell out and throw himself on the ground if the mood strikes, and for a while it did strike often. Luckily those bad days, although they seem long, are few and far between. As I have said before, we are lucky! Easton is as loving as ever. He still enjoys cuddling his animals, and now hugs and kisses them when asked. He even has them hug and kiss each other. He shares this affection with mommy, daddy and close family (actually the neighbor got hugged a few days ago). We have a little acrobat in the house that is learning to do somersaults! He goes down for the pose, and we help him over. It is especially funny when he wants to do his acrobats too soon after a meal! Easton is testing out his speaking skills daily, and it is hard not to giggle when he does. Most of the time the language is a high pitched gibberish that only a few can comprehend, but we are excited to say that he does get a few actual words out. His favorites lately include hey-yap-ter (helicopter), pap-a-cle (popsicle), ovo (oval), ocpa (octopus) and sco bu (school bus). Occasionally he will say thank you when you share something, and continues to bless people when they sneeze. This is the best when we are out and complete strangers sneeze. They don’t expect a one year old to yell out “Gad ba”, and are smitten when he does. I don’t want to jinks it, but bedtime has been a snap lately. Around the 7:30 mark, Easton will say, “na na”, and point upstairs. We take him up and before we can finish prayers, he has thrown tiger in the crib and is tearing himself away from us to lie down. On occasion he will cry for a few minutes, but generally will fall asleep fast. Phew! Easton loves going to the babysitters! He can*t wait to get out of my arms when we arrive, and it’s a struggle getting him to leave with me! She has a son who is a few months older than Easton, and a playroom that could rival a Pottery Barn Kid’s store! He enjoys playing in the kitchen area of the playroom, and sitting at the table and serving tea or coffee (quite funny to see). Art time is another of his favorites, and mommy and daddy love to display the work! He has learned a lot interacting with other kids his age. We feel very blessed to have found someone who does so much with our child.

Our Valentine is 14 Months!

2008-02-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

It was so hard choosing what to talk about this month. There are so many cool things being said and done, I didn't know how I was going to condense it all!
Easton continues to have his very calm demeanor, but we are now beginning to see a little bit of a comedian and daredevil emerging. Starting in the morning, as we enter Eaton's room, we find our son peaking over the bumper pad in his crib and giggling. Once our eyes meet, he is up and spinning in circles until he falls. We are in stitches at this point! Mealtime is always fun. He will give a very sweet smile and offer up a bite of his food. However, as we thank him and come in for the bite, he giggles and pulls his hand away, placing the food instead in his mouth!
I am so excited, because Easton is learning many of our routines. After dinner, we clean the kitchen and mop the floor. Easton has started to scoot the chairs across the floor in preparation for the sweeping. When the brooms and bucket come out, he is right along side, helping us push and pull! He is also beginning to mimic the movements we have coordinated to nursery rhymes. Among other things, that is at the top of our "to video" list and we will post it as soon as we get it!
As funny as he is, and as much fun as we have, there are those days we realize we have a boy. It has been a challenge keeping him from climbing and standing on whatever he can. He has some good bruises to show for his tricks! Easton is great at clearing out the cabinets in record time. By the time mommy and daddy can get a handle on that mess, someone will come running out of the bathroom toilet paper in tow(buy stock in Charmin)! Speaking of bathrooms, Easton has figured out how to lift the lid on the toilet (boy was that day fun).
As far as teeth go, Easton is on or ahead of schedule (we are finding this with a lot of things) with cutting his teeth. He has his twelve month molars and has been working on getting his incisors out. These have been the most painful for him.
He is doing very well with talking and can get a lot of the initial word sounds out, which makes it pretty easy to understand him. His new words are "so big", "good boy", and "bye, bye da".
Grandma Eva, we are sorry to say that we may not have green olives the next time you visit. Easton, among everything else, has taken a liking to them. He says olive very well, and asks for them every time the refrigerator is open!

And We're Off!

2008-01-16T08:24:00.000-08:00

When the second of my co-workers started a blog about her child, I wondered why I hadn't done so already. So many of our family and friends are from out of town and out of state, and it gets hectic driving around to show off our little guy! And since I am not the best with emailing pictures to individuals, I felt this would benefit us all! We are looking forward to sharing all of the latest moments of our lives with you!

Easton passed his one year mark on December 15th! It was an amazing day, and we were so excited to have so many family and friends join us. I think as many parents would agree, the highlight was our little guy delving into his "literally" first bite of cake and ice cream!

Shawn and I are amazed at just how fast time can fly and how a year can change a person. From leaving the hospital at 5lbs. 11oz to now a strapping 23lbs. our boy has grown! We are not a bit surprised with the amount that he eats! Our future football player can consume anything mom and dad can, and is getting good at using a spoon. His favorite foods include daddy's roasted chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes and homemade ravioli.

Each month turns out to be our favorite month! There are so many new and amazing things that happen. Easton is truly a bright boy and picks up and repeats everything mommy and daddy do and say. Even some things we wish he wouldn't! He is a babbler, and one of our highlights is having corny conversations about the days occurrences with him. He loves to help in the kitchen, and is a little chef in training. He enjoys pulling out all of the pots and pans, and pretending he is cooking with daddy and mommy.

Mommy's favorite time of day comes just before bed, when Easton climbs the stairs and pulls out his favorite truck book and pretends to read. Believe it or not, he already has some of the words memorized and will point them out when mommy and daddy ask.

Speaking of bed. Shawn and I have been pretty lucky with Easton, as he has been a wonderful sleeper since birth. He goes to bed around 7:30 p.m. and will wake up around 6:00 a.m. He most often will fall back asleep and stay that way until 8:00 or 9:00 a.m.