A Visit with Santa

Gordy had been practicing for weeks, what he would say to Santa when we visit him -- "Lawn-a-mower and Little People," his Christmas wish list. As we approached the giant Santa display at the mall, Gordy showed both joy and fear, and clung to me with some anxiety as I got him out of the stroller. It didn't take too long for him to warm up to the idea, and realize that if he wanted to get that bubble mower, it was his obligation to convey that information to Mr. Claus. As you can see in the photos, he wasn't completely at ease with the situation, but overall, I think it was an okay experience for Gordon.

Grayson was in complete awe of Santa the entire time, and couldn't keep his hands off of the very real beard on Old St. Nick. As I retrieved Grayson from Santa's lap, he mentioned, "He's got quite a strong grip!" I told Santa that was the reason I have such short hair now. :) Grayson is a strong little guy! At seven months now, he cut his first tooth on Wednesday -- his bottom right tooth (left to us) is poking through, sharp and ready to tackle steak in a few months, I'm sure. Other Grayson news -- he slept straight through the night last night, from 11:00 p.m. to almost 8:30 today! He's probably exhausted from teething and all the energy he's been putting into his crawling skills.

All I can say is, Gordon and Grayson make this time of year extra special -- I'm so fortunate to be their Mommy!

So blessed!

I feel so blessed to have these beautiful, healthy little boys!!

Trick-or Treat! 2007

Enjoying Autumn

Gordy and Grayson have been enjoying trips to the park, making autumn crafts, picking out pumpkins, decorating pumpkins, the aroma of banana bread baking, a trip to Boondocks, going to the zoo, getting ready for Halloween, and playing in the leaves...among other fun, fall things.

Fun on the Farm!

We flew to Minnesota, October 12-21, 2007, and had a wonderful time visiting family! Gordy and Grayson spent quality time with "Papa & Grammy," and also caught up with Uncle Josh, Uncle Dave, and Auntie Lassa--who flew in from California for the weekend. We all had a great time with friends and family.

Tummy Time

This photo of Grayson just melts my heart! He is growing so quickly.

He's so unlike Gordy, in that he loves tummy time. In fact, he rolls

himself over almost immediately anytime we lay him on his back. He's

just started eating rice cereal -- and loves it. For the past several

weeks, he's been more and more curious about what we're doing when

we eat. His little gaze follows the food from bowl to spoon to mouth.... He's been wanting to take part in this ritual too for some time now. Diluted pear and apple juice have also been added to his diet. Sleeping through the night is our goal now. He seemed to have that down back in July, but must have missed that special, quiet time with Mommy at 3:30 in the morning, as he's back to waking up. I must admit, there is a real

peacefulness to holding him and feeding him during the wee hours, when

all is quiet and still. It's a treat to just look at him in the dim light and smell his soft breath as he falls back to sleep.... It truly is a time to cherish!

The Need for Naps

Gordy's nap time has been turning into more and more of a struggle lately, so I thought maybe we could try going without.... Well, this is what we end up with, come dinner time (see photo). Half way through the main course, his eyes get heavy and his little head starts rolling from side to side, and before we know it, we're carrying him to his room, plumb tuckered out. So for now, I've decided giving up Gordy's nap entirely just won't do, not yet anyway. So my new theory is to dangle a "carrot" in front of him (also known as bribery). As of late, he loves to sit on Daddy's lap in the evenings and play a computer game, so that's the incentive for naptime, and today it's working. Because of his nap, he'll be alert enough when Gary gets home to play a game or two on the Sesame Street website with Daddy. Yay! It's a bit of a rarity, but Grayson is simultaneously napping while Gordy sleeps, so I get to enjoy some quiet time too! :) I probably should do some laundry and clean the bathroom, but I've obviously chosen to post here first....

Grayson Growing!

Look at this little face! Grayson is such a smiley, sweet little boy. He loves to have eye-to-eye contact ~ especially with Mommy and Daddy. Rolling over is his big endeavor as of late, and he's almost got it down. He can roll from tummy to back, but is more determined to master rolling from back to tummy. He wakes himself up at night, practicing in his sleep. Putting things in his mouth is also a hobby of Grayson's, and he also loves to hear what comes out of his mouth--cooing and sighing for all to hear. He enjoys car trips, walks to the park in the stroller, and riding in his Snugli pack--facing out to see the world. He's such a sweetheart!

Gordy's in the dog house

Last week, Gordy was out on the patio playing; I listened for him from inside while feeding Grayson. Silence from outside alerted me that something might be awry, so I peeked out and called for Gordy, thinking maybe he'd meandered to the other side of the house.... Nope. After a little hesitation, his little head poked out of Abi's dog house, and right behind him--Abi. They both had this guilty look on their faces. We've asked Gordy to stay out of Abi's dog run, simply because it's not the cleanest area to play, but I couldn't resist ... I said to Gordy, "Stay there. I'll be right back!" I returned with my camera and captured this image. Priceless. :)

Figuring this out

Trying to format my posts to be aesthetically pleasing--well, I guess I'll just rely on how cute the boys are. I'm not sure how to utilize the space on my blog page so that the photos and script are more organized. Guess I'll just keep trying to figure it all out. I'm new at this. Check back for more stories and photos about the boys. I'll try to stay on top of posting at least once a week.

Our Mountain Retreat

We spent last weekend up at the cabins in the mountains. What a refreshing break for us all! Gordy had so much fun, playing with the water hose, digging in the dirt, and swinging in his blue swing. He also got to see some fish and throw rocks into the stream with Daddy.

Grayson is growing so quickly! He's nearly rolling over on his own now. He wakes himself (and Mommy) up in the middle of the night, trying to work through the quirks to perfect his rolling skills. He's such a smiley, giggly little boy! His cheeks are irresistible! I love how my kisses just sink in to his chubby cheeks! So sweet!

We all took a hike together on Sunday afternoon, down the Forest Service road. It was a beautiful day, and a very relaxing, fun-filled weekend together.

Our Kiddos

Hi. Just wanted to give this a try. I'm not sure how frequently I'll find time to update, but thought this could be a nice way to share stories and updates on Gordy and Grayson. :) Hope you enjoy these pictures of our precious little fellas.