Grayson is 11 Months Old Today!

Can it be? Our baby is just one month away from his first birthday! It must be how busy we are with two kiddos -- Grayson's 1st year seems to be flying by so much faster than Gordy's did. Here are some video clips featuring one of Grayson's latest tricks ~ waving. In the first two clips, he's very tired & ready for a nap, so his winning smile goes unseen. The third one shows his happy personality, but he doesn't wave as emphatically, so I chose to share all three.

Grayson has six, almost seven, teeth now. He can crawl at top speed, especially when he's heading toward something "off limits" and knows that we're on his trail. His first steps were taken on March 21st toward Daddy, and then a few more steps toward Mommy, moments after. He still sticks with crawling for the most part, but every now and then challenges himself to walk. Two to three steps are his maximum so far, but it won't be long and he'll be toddling all over the place.

Spring sunshine has opened the doors for us to spend a lot more time outdoors, which Grayson loves! He is perfectly content to observe all the flowers, birds, and trees from the comfort of his stroller or wagon, along with big brother Gordon, on long walks. They are both elated when we play at one of the nearby parks, and Grayson is especially fond of the swings.

Sleeping through the night does happen, though it's not entirely guaranteed just yet. Oddly enough, if Grayson has two naps during the day (late morning and late afternoon), he seems to sleep better at night than if he foregoes the afternoon nap. He also sleeps better if we've done something new and interesting during the day, stimulating his growing mind.

Meals are fun....as Grayson has taken a liking to blowing raspberries right after a spoonful of baby food. Messy! He seems bored with spoon-feeding, and excited about trying new finger foods--a very independent guy. So we're getting more and more into solids around here, which makes for much easier meal preps. :)

As you can see, Grayson is a handsome little guy, just like his brother. We are so proud of our little boys!

Happy Easter!!

We enjoyed a relaxing and fun-filled Easter weekend at the cabins this year. Melissa was able to visit for an entire week, Wednesday to Wednesday...and Jen flew over Thursday night through Sunday evening. Joey joined us all at the cabins on Saturday night. The boys were very excited about the Easter Bunny showing up on Sunday morning. We all had a wonderful Easter, and hope you did too! :)

What a Beautiful Day!

Neighborhood Fire

There was a big house fire on our block yesterday--thankfully, no one was hurt. The boys enjoyed a close-up view of firetrucks, firefighters, and a lot of excitement. Plus, Daddy got to "work from home," as he and a reporter did their coverage on the fire from our front yard. Gordon even got to sit in on part of Daddy's editing, inside the live van. It was not an ordinary day at all. Here are some snapshots from our "front door field trip."

Awestruck, the boys watched the firefighters putting away their equipment, after their hard work.

It was fun to have Daddy close to home (in our front yard) while he covered the story of the fire.

Well, that was quite a Tuesday! Now we'll look forward to Friday, when the Garbage Truck comes! :)

Grayson is 10 Months Old Today!

It's hard to believe, but it's been ten months since that blessed day when Grayson Elliott was born! He's growing and learning so much! Currently, he has four teeth, with two more starting to poke through, he is crawling at great speeds and eager to walk, "talking" a lot -- "da da..., ma ma...," and last night, it sounded like he was saying "hot" perfectly, which happens to be what was Gordon's first word. He has a growing love of books, like his brother, and is very fond of playing peek-a-boo with his green blankie and "Soooo... big!" As of late, he is more and more inspired to use a sippy cup, though we're still working on the gravity thing, as he doesn't quite grasp the concept that the cup has to be tipped to a certain angle before anything can flow into his mouth. He loves trying new finger foods--he thoroughly enjoyed little pieces of grilled chicken last Sunday. He is a beautiful little boy, with such sweet expressions, intense interest in his surroundings, and patience--though when he runs out of it, you know it! His strength really shows when he's upset, as he arches his back and throws himself back in frustration. Bless his little heart, he has had to learn to wait for time and attention, as he has to share so much with Gordon.

We are enjoying him so much, though I feel guilty that I can't be as focused on him as I was with Gordon at this age. Just part of being busy with two little boys, I guess! One of my favorite Graysonisms, is when I go to get him from his crib, either in the morning or after a nap, he'll greet me standing, with a big smile on his face and tight little mini-hugs of affection when I pick him up. He melts my heart, I love him so much! Only two months and he'll be one year old--time is flying by all too quickly..... I'm grateful for each and every moment.

A Day in the Park

These were taken last weekend, February 24th, at the park, by Gary.

Marching Into March!

In the past couple weeks, we have been delighted to spot the first crocus blossoms peeking through soil, to hear the calming coos of mourning doves, and to catch our first glance of a robin--all during our now more frequent and welcomed outings, walking in the much anticipated, spring-like weather. We spent most of last Sunday afternoon walking to the park, playing on the playground and climbing the big hill overlooking the city. We encountered some spring showers on the walk home, and both boys dozing off to the pitter-patter of rain on their stroller tarp, which gave us reason to take cover at Moxie Java for a little coffee and a muffin for Gary and me. Quality family time. It won't be long and we'll see and smell daffodils, tulips, and lilacs blooming. Here's a little glimpse of Gordy and Grayson, enjoying a walk with Mommy & Daddy.... Welcome, Spring!! :)