The Koel Times Are A Changin': December 2010

Rock climbing...

Every time we walk into our local rec center (Paul Derda), we pass this giant climbing wall which is just pass the entrance and jets upwards from the first floor up over the second floor. As of a few weeks ago, I (Brent is writing the current blog installment) got certified to belay people in the gym. It had been quite awhile since I had climbed, but I had a friend that was psyched to get certified to climb and needed a partner. We took an hour class and then came back a few days later to demonstrate what we had learned. After that, I was able to take Gavin (who almost always mentions the climbing wall, and is quite the little monkey himself) climbing. Here are the pictures of the inaugural climb. Above you can see Gavin getting set up in his full body harness.

He didn't really have much fear...and jumped right up onto the rock. This was the easiest route in the climbing area...but it was still rated a 5.5 (which is probably a bit much for a 3-year-old).

Away he climbed though...the first two attempts he got about 6 or 7 feet up the rock and came back down. Then, he got a bit crazy and was extremely determined to make it all the way to the top, which was ~30-40 feet up.

He struggled a bit, and sometimes didn't know what to do...but he was quite persistent and kept on climbing and getting higher than I thought he ever would have.

You can see that at this point he was almost at the top, but he had reached almost as high as he could go. He was able to get about half-way between where he is in this picture and the very top. and then he just stopped. The very top of the route got a bit more difficult, so he was unable to climb the last 4-5 feet. Unfortunately, this is where things went a bit south. Gavin started to get frustrated and upset that he couldn't reach his goal and started to cry. I tried to talk him into coming down, but he refused...only getting more upset that he was so close yet couldn't get there. He sure is a determined little guy. I got several "interesting" looks from people thinking I was some sort of slave-driver with my kid up there...but I was trying to get him to come down...yet he refused.

Finally, I had Tara and Gage go upstairs to the second floor to coach him. After a few tense minutes, he agreed to be lowered, but he cried the whole way down. When we finally got him back down to Earth, his first words were, "But, I didn't make it to the top."

I was SOOO proud of him. It made me sad to think that his great climbing attempt and accomplishment at his young age was somehow seen through his eyes as some small failure. Tara and I both affirmed him as much as we could, and I gave him a big hug. I think finally he came around, and now he seems excited to go back to try again sometime soon. We learn so much about Gavin's personality when we see him go through experiences like this. Although sometimes difficult, it is awesome to see his personality (both the gentle and rough parts) and to be able to watch him grow up in front of our eyes.

Christmas festivities...

Brent caught this picture of Gavin helping him string the Christmas lights. They did a good job together, and the perfectionist in me had to let it go when I came home later to find the job done. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it's more important (and fun!) that we all do it together than if it's done perfectly with little to no help from anyone else.

Gavin was helping me frost some sugar cookies here. He still really loves to help out in the kitchen. In fact, one of the things that he may decide to spend his "credit card" on is a replacement whisk for his little kitchen that he can also use in ours. (He manhandled his first one, and it barely resembled a whisk by the time Brent introduced it to the trashcan.)

Gavin helped me hang ornaments on the tree during Gage's morning nap. It was fun to pull out his ornaments from our box and realize that he's forming his own little collection already. The kids both did remarkably well this year not bothering the tree or the ornaments...and not eating much of them either. Our poor, dry tree had a pile of needles underneath it by the end. We'll still always vote for a real tree though, right Honey? We love the smell and the look, enough to handle the frequent sweeping I guess.

Roche kids' Christmas party...

My precious, preppy son is standing in the back of Santa's crowd learning the "Hokey Poky" if you can believe it. "You put your right hand in, you put your right hand out, you put your right hand in, and you shake it all about..."

"Grandpa Mike" loves his time with his youngest grandson. And how do we like Gage's little Christmas outfit in this picture?!

Last year Gavin asked the balloon man to make him a hamburger, so we encouraged him to try something a little more mainstream this year. He had some pretty standard ideas until it was his turn, and then he asked the balloon man to make him a dove. Can you see me crouched down next to him in line?

Gavin seemed happy with the result, and I think that he could wear it as a hat for awhile. And then I'm pretty sure that we let it deflate in the back seat over the past couple of weeks. So funny--and strange--that those things lose their novelty so quickly.

This Santa's the real deal. That beard is no fake, and I remember thinking this last year. They must hire the same dude every year! Having both of the boys on Santa's lap was a precious sight, I have to say. Gage was a little thrown off, but he rolled with it long enough for a few pictures. And Roche (Brent's company) is so generous every year: They give every child a gift card to Target. (Err, I mean Santa's elves do, actually.) Gavin's been talking about his "credit card" lately ("Mama, someday can I buy something with my credit card?") and asking when he can spend it and what he can buy with it. He insisted in taking the Target gift card with him to King Soopers the other day, though he had been told several times that it would only work at Target. He also got out of his bed the other night just to make sure that we remembered to take the "credit card" out of his pant pocket before we threw the pants in the dirty clothes.

Anistyn's b-day party...

Brent's cousin, Shelly, is living in Avon (in the mountains, near Vail) with her family this year, and it's been fun to see them lately. Brent and Gavin went to Shelly's daughter's birthday party earlier in December, and Anistyn chose an ice skating party. The kids all used these little walkers, and apparently Gavin had a blast and did really well at the party. What a fun, new experience for him!

Below is a very brief clip of the ice skating event:

Brother bathtime...

I have such fond memories of taking baths with my little brother, so it really makes me smile to see my boys in the bath together now. Mind you, it's not always pleasant, so Gavin is sometimes yanked from the bath prematurely when he's not being a sweet brother. It's certainly the most efficient to put them in together, but it's not always the most peace-filled solution. Daddy says that they've been taking turns in the front of the bath lately, which strikes me as very cute.

Eating is so much fun...

We call this Gage's "side head," and we see it most often during mealtime. He likes to do it with Daddy the most.

Did he drop something in his lap? That's a pretty serious face he's wearing there.

Lately whenever we're taking pictures of Gage, Gavin wants in too. So here's a fantastic shot of our firstborn child with a very natural-looking smile on his face. :)

Thanksgiving at the Toppings...

Oh my gosh, doesn't Gavin look huge from the side in this picture? I swear, I just don't understand how that happens. Here he's sitting next to his cousin, Madison, at "Grandma Mike's" house (aka Grandma Topping) on Thanksgiving.