last year on halloween, we got a monkey suit for gavin because he was really into monkeys.  but he wasn’t into the suit so much.  (at least, not on halloween.  later, he was more than happy to run around as a monkey.)  i wanted to get a gorilla suit to encourage him to jump in the monkey suit, but you’d be surprised how difficult it can be to find a gorilla suit (at least, when going to halloween stores in real life — this year i found plenty online).

gavin really likes pirates and pirate ships, so we decided to get a pirate costume for him this year.  and we got a bumblebee costume for lilah because they were so cute.  i decided that i could help encourage gavin to want to wear his pirate costume if i was a pirate, too (and that had absolutely nothing to do at all with wanting to dress up like a pirate myself.  nope.  not at all.)

here’s some of our dress-up adventures:

gavin tests out the bumblebee suit

once pirated, encouraging "arrr"'s are performed to get him in a piratey mood. instead, he has a look of "dad, what are you doing?"

but after further demonstrations, he starts to get the hang of it

lilah shows off her stinger

like pirate...

...like son

gavin shows off the broom he and mommy made at Red Butte Garden's Garden After Dark

...and starts practicing for the quidditch team

the day is topped off with the first annual pumpkin rolling contest

gavin doesn’t look nearly as nervous as we are!

Here are Gavin and Samosa playing together

Gavin gets close enough to make sure we get a good picture of him

Excited Lilah

Gavin gives Lilah a hug

 More hugging!

Gavin and Daddy having some fun together on a sunny afternoon

Lilah hamming it up for the camera

The view I have when I cuddle with Gavin… Mr. Bright Eyes

A little smile

here’s Gavin thinking hard about something

and here’s Lilah posing in the block house

Remember you can click on the pictures to see them larger!

it’s been so long since we were able to post photos that the last photos we did post have been moved off the front page.

well, we can’t have that.

let me first take this opportunity to plug gavin’s photoblog, that looks like it was taken by a 3-year-old, because i just posted some pics there as well.

so here’s some pics that we did *not* take on our la selva trip:

gavin & daddy

what's that?

the 4 reynolds'

gavin

chris is making wild hand gestures again...

gavin discovers the exercise bike...what do these knobs do?

...so these pedals turn the wheel...

wait...you sit on it?!

and here’s some pics we didn’t take at christmas:

erin & the kids

erin & lilah

49er lilah

G with his sweet new hat (he gets the most compliments about this hat...)

that’s all folks.

here are some pictures of halloween cuties.

and here’s one of mama and lilah from lilah’s first birthday party

and lilah and daddy on her b-day

Remember to click on pictures to view larger.

at long last…

here they are! presenting the new pictures:

If you click on the pictures they will open bigger so you can see them better.

Gavin and Lilah cuddle on the couch

Cuddling (or possible scheming)

Lilah poses on the couchwalk

Fun together

Gavin getting the tubtoys clean

Excited about a toy

here are a few favorite pictures from the short but sweet time at the beach in California

Erin, Lilah & Gpa McC

Chris and Lilah

Gavin and Gpa McClenahan brave the wavelets

Packing the sand for a sandcastle tower

Getting ready to tip it upside down... (Gavin's excited!)

Who's in charge and who's helping here?

Lilah & Erin down the beach

Lilah is enjoying herself almost as much as Erin

More Erin & Lilah

Gavin had more than one party for his third birthday.  He’s a lucky boy.  Here are a few highlights:

Hey, this looks pretty good!

Meara, do you really think we should open this?

It’s so pretty wrapped up!

Playing with new alphabet and number stickers

Gavin named all of them and started on a second round before we distracted him with cookies shaped like stars.

What Lilah did at Gavin's party...

She’s wondering if she can make it to any wrapping paper bits before Gavin takes them all away.

Lilah and Grandpa McClenahan

Playing catch with Meara

Gavin and Grandma Reynolds looking at a special card

It has cars that move! Big hit with Gavin!

A group shot of most of the Reynolds

Gavin is reaching for the wheelchair handles here. Great Gma and Gpa R. got some wild rides from Gavin.  Everyone involved enjoyed it quite a bit.  Lilah is watching in hopes she can participate in the wheelchair race events next time.

Gavin with Grandma & Grandpa Johnston

Gavin hopped right up to sit with them on the bench here.

Some Johnstons on the way to the beach

Some of the Johnstons at La Selva on the way down to the beach and some Reynolds on their way up met in the middle.

Pictures of us enjoying the beach will be coming next.