Hi Colleen!
We should just call this the colleen and kim thread, because everyone else has disappeared!

I hope they check in soon...I miss hearing from everyone.
I started to chuckle when you mentioned gavin saying "hi" to everyone! Ellie says "bye" to people all the time! She usually only does it as people are walking away. So, at the park the other day, I thought she was SO smart because she would say bye to families that were packing up their stuff and leaving! But, today, at the grocer, she said "bye" to people walking down the aisles....the same people...aisle after aisle...
I go back officially in two weeks. I've been going in to work here and there to get my room ready. It's given the kids a chance to get used to the babysitter again, and it's given my parents a chance to "refresh" their skills! I'll be working in the mornings this year, so I'm looking forward to having the rest of the day with the kids! (Although, I dread the early wake up....yeah, i've been up early since the kids were born, but I wasn't showered and ready for work!)
We're dealing with teeth issues too. Both kids have been messing with their ears, off and on, for a while now. No fevers, no snot, nothing. I think they must be getting some of their molars. It's taking forever though! Both kiddos are talking more and more--Ellie can say ball, mama, dada, doggy, shoes (soos!), hi, bye, yeah, uh-oh....maybe more? Braeden has his own funny language, so we call him dutch! He'll babble on and on, with a lengthy monologue, but we don't understand him!

He does say most of the same words as ellie, but he doesn't do shoes, yeah, or uh-oh. We've been exploring outside a lot lately, since the weather has been so mild. They love touching flowers and bushes. Ellie tried to run into the street the other day!

They've also started to get into coloring (when not eating the crayons), building with big boxes, and putting lids on things. Braeden spent about 10 minutes the other night, trying to get a lid on a pringles can! Seriously!
Oh, and they still love going after the dog food!
Enjoy your days with "just Gavin"...I bet he'll love having one on one time with you! I looked for your pics, but didn't see them.

We have a few new ones on there too!