Graham is (was) 11 months!

Graham - you're 13 months! Where has the time gone?! Here is your 11 month post. Mommy fail. :)

You've been on the move. Crawling, pulling up and cruising all over the place. You love to walk back and forth holding onto the couch. And we take laps around the house with you holding my hands. If I try to let go with one hand, you stop and squat. You're not brave enough yet to try it one-handed.

You are absolutely in love with Lacey and Jack. They, however, are not so enamored with you. They try to escape you by jumping on the couch, but you just pull up and reach over to get them. You love touching Lacey's feet and letting her lick you in the face. (Gross.) You actually lean over her with your mouth open until she licks you. I try to stop it, but I know she gets you when I'm not looking. Jack is still afraid of you and never lets you get close to him.

As far as sleeping goes, this month has been a roller coaster. But I can say now that we're back on track and you are consistently sleeping through the night once again.

This pic has nothing to do with sleep. It's just funny.

You're rocking your 12 month clothes and are in size 4 diapers. We're doing 3-4 bottles a day of formula. And you've been eating any food you can get your hands on.

I gave you some mac and cheese and the first time you had it you loved it. Ever since then you haven't liked it. I think we need a maternity test. Not sure you're my son....

You ate an entire slice of pizza at Mellow Mushroom. Not sure where you're putting all of that food!

 

The sweet director of our local Mother's Morning Out program let you start a month early. You go two mornings a week. And you LOVE it! You never cry when I drop you off and couldn't care less when I arrive to pick you up. All the other babies that cry must love their mommies more. :) Seriously though, I do wish you cared just a little bit when I left you. But it would break my heart if you cried so I guess it's a good thing you're Mister Independent.

 

 

Love you so much big guy!

Happy birthday to my baby boy

On September 2nd, you turned a year old. Happy birthday to you! How can you already be one? I feel like it was just yesterday we were heading to the hospital-I was worrying about how they were going to laugh and send us home because there's no way it was already time for you to come...

 

Your birthday was bittersweet for me. I love this age. You are so much fun right now. We play and sing and laugh and read and color and dance - I love seeing things through your new eyes. But I miss you as a cuddly, snugly baby. The rare moments when you fall asleep in my arms now, I kiss your sweet lips over and over and over - risking waking you up. But you're too busy these days for kisses and snuggles.

I had no idea how much I would love you. How breathing in your baby smell when I sniff the top of your head would make my heart swell up and tears come to my eyes. How kissing your pudgy cheeks just makes me want to kiss you again and again and again until you get annoyed with me. 

 

And when you do get into a snugly mood - oh how I cherish it. Those wet, slobbery kisses. Your soft little hands holding mine. 

No one told me how hard your first birthday would hit me. I want you to grow and learn and become a goofy kid and eventually a mature, responsible adult. But I wish you could stay my baby forever. I didn't know it would be this hard to watch you grow up. 

I love you so much Graham. I hope you always remember how much I love you.
 

Creative Ways to Entertain Baby (and keep mom from going crazy)

Summer days are LONG. I swear, everyday I get exhausted from chasing Graham around and I look at the clock and it's only 8:55am! I think, "What the hell are we going to do all day?!" Here's a sample of ways I keep sane Graham entertained. 

 

 

 

Look at the fish at Bass Pro Shop.

 

Visit Daddy for lunch and play with his calculator.

 

"Cook." (Especially helpful for when you are visiting friends who don't have kids. Instant toys.)

 

Take selfies with your phone.

 

Fill an empty tissue box with washcloths and go to town pulling them all out.

 

A tablespoon or two of flour. This gave me enough time to cook dinner AND whip up a dessert.

 

 

Walk around the house...for hours...stooped over like this. No wonder my back is killing me...

Walk at the park. One of my fav things to do!

 

Naked water table time. :)

Graham is 10 months!

Graham - I can't keep up with these posts! We're busy planning for your first birthday party which is a week away!

Here's what was new in your 10th month:

Crawling!!!!! Yes - you are mobile. And such a busy little guy! You're getting into everything now. Keeping me on my toes.

 

You've started rolling around at night and now you love to sleep on your stomach.

 

We've cut back on the passy - you only use it at night.

 

You celebrated your first 4th of July.

 

And you played with a play kitchen for the first time at your buddy Carter's house. I know what you're getting for Christmas. :)

 

 

You also had your first ride in the Ergo on my back. You liked being able to see better than when I wear you on the front.

 

You are trying your best to repeat words. At 10 months old you learned how to say teeth. We started brushing your teeth every night. You've got 8 of them now!

 

We've been saying colors and shapes to you and you've said "yellow" a couple of times. Your little voice is so cute.  

 

 

 

You got your first pair of real shoes. You love your new kicks and have been trying to say "shoe."

 

 

Getting you to go to sleep at night is becoming an issue. You can fight sleep like there's no tomorrow! We're trying some no-cry solutions, but they haven't been very successful...

 

 

 

You love to eat and you love to feed us bites of your food. It cracks you up. You're pretty much done with purees unless they're in a pouch. I make a lot of finger foods for you (organic veggies, meat, cheese and fruit) and you're also trying more and more of what we're eating. 

 

 

Still loving bath time, but now that you've learned to pull up, you've been trying to stand up in the tub. Slippery baby!

 

You've also been barking a lot - Lacey and Jack have taught you well. :)

 Love you, my Busy Boo. My little Mister Mister!

Beach Baby!

We just got back from an awesome family vacation at the beach.

It was Graham's first time in the ocean!

 

 

We had so much fun - many wonderful memories were made.

 

Now to sort through the 600 pictures we took before I can write up a real post about our trip...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wish me luck!

Graham is 9 months!

So this post is super late. I've been busy chasing a baby around! Let me see what I can remember about your 9th month Mr. Graham...

 

9 months! You've been outside of my tummy longer than you were inside! And oh how much you've grown. You are 20lbs 4oz (69%) and 30in long (95%) with a big old head in the 96th percentile!! Gotta be big to hold your big brain. :)

 

I've been dressing you each day in a 9 month outfit, just to wear them one last time. They're getting pretty tight - on to 12 month clothes! You're still in size 3 diapers.

 

 

 

You eat like a champ. (Can't believe you once were a tiny little thing who wouldn't eat!) You have 4 to 5 bottles a day of 6 to 7 ounces each. And we've moved to three real meals a day. You love feeding yourself, so we mostly do finger foods. (Steamed veggies, cut up fruit, small soft pieces of meat, string cheese, etc.) We've also practiced with a few of those food pouches. They're convenient when we're on the go. And you love love love puffs!

 

You're starting to throw fits when you don't get your way. Luckily you're pretty easy to distract. (And you look adorable, even when you're crying!)

 

 

When we went to the doctor for your 9 month appointment, she was concerned you weren't pulling up yet. She said she'd give you until 10 months and then she might have us do some physical therapy. (Same thing happened when you didn't want to support your head.) Well wouldn't ya know, the very next day you started pulling up. Stinker. :)

 

 

You are a friendly baby - you let anyone and everyone hold you. Sometimes I wish you were a little more attached to me, but at least I don't have to worry about you crying when I leave you with your grandparents and drop you off in the nursery at church.

Showing some Waumba Land spirit!
P.S. This is one of my all time fav pics of you. :)

You love your dada. You say his name ALL the time. You only say mama when you're upset an whining. (Gee, thanks.) We went to visit him at work this month and you loved playing with his calculator. Are you going to follow in his footsteps and be a CPA?

 



We've always called you "busy boo" (as well as a million other nicknames) and this month you're really living up to that name. You play play play all day. Toys are ok, but you really like remotes, cell phones, cords and the dogs. You're keeping me on my toes!

 

Helping fold a mountain of laundry.

We tried out Gymboree early in the month. (They offer a free trial class.) It was alright. I think we both enjoyed the "mommy and me" water aerobics class we were taking more. And the price is def better for the water aerobics. (Gymboree is expensive!) And, not gonna lie, the clown mascot kind of freaked me out.

 

 

You love to play in your baby pool on the back porch.

Oh my goodness - can this pic be any more adorable?!?!

You also love swinging in your swing. Sometimes it's too much fun and it wears you out. :)



 I swear we normally put clothes on you when we take you outside!
The baby pool pic and the swing pic were from the same day.

You saw your first Laser Show. I was afraid the fireworks and loud music would scare you, but you loved it! You were mesmerized the entire time.

We finally installed your "big boy car seat" (after letting it sit in the box in our kitchen for a month).

It's getting a little harder to go out to eat with you. You want to play with everything on the table.

 

Eatin' Cherrios with chopsticks!

You had your finger pricked at the doctors. You were NOT happy about it. And then you stared at the band aid for 20 minutes trying to figure it out.

 

 

What a fun month! We love you Busy Boo!