Graham pulls up

Graham's First Bike Ride

We are having so much fun! OK, in the past 2 days since we've been here Graham has gone from pulling up every once in a while to pulling up all the time on everything. He is a standing fiend! And he really enjoyed riding on the bike. Thanks Grandmother for the baby bike seat! Thanks Mimi for the sun hat!

Stairs

Hooray! Chad, Graham, Razz, and I are in St. Simons, Georgia right now. Chad is in between jobs and we didn't really have much going on this week, so we decided to get out of town spur of the moment. Yesterday we drove straight through (19 hours - yikes!) and Graham was such a trooper. I have to say, though, that making this drive last summer when G was 3 months old was a lot easier than with an 11 month old. He did not want to be in his car seat and he hardly slept at all. We spent most of today recovering from yesterday. We did, already, enjoy a couple of lovely walks on the beach. We are planning to enjoy plenty of those and lots of R and R while we're here. What a treat!

We knew when we arrived that the stairs would be an issue. The condo where we are staying has 4 levels and LOTS of stairs. G of course checked them out almost immediately and is starting to get the hang of it! Don't worry, we have the stairs going down blocked off.

I can't believe that in a few weeks this baby boy will have his first birthday. I know, I know, everyone says that it "flies by" - but it does! I am heartbroken that he is already so big, but I am loving every moment. If I haven't ever told you - I LOVE being a mom!

11 months

I just can't believe that my baby boy is going to turn 11 months old tomorrow! The past year has just flown by! This time last year I was beginning to have high blood pressure and was about to be put on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. How much has changed! I am having a lot of fun planning for G's first birthday party - FUN!

We have really been enjoying some nice weather lately, which has allowed us to get to out of the house more. I got a Fort Worth zoo membership as a baby shower gift (thank you WP friends!) and so G and I have been walking at the zoo about once a week. G doesn't look at the animals much, but he loves watching the kids and he likes to see the penguins swim. We enjoyed some wonderful visits recently from Chad's mom and later from Chad's dad and stepmom.

Let me tell you - this boy is BUSY BUSY! I can see now why most moms stop nursing around 12 months - he can barely be still long enough to nurse! He is all over the place. Keeping an eye on him is a full time job!

Most of you know that Chad has quit his job and is looking for a new one - so in the meantime we are all enjoying a lot of wonderful quality time together!! And I am enjoying having some help with G and help around the house. I'll certainly let you know when Chad finds the right job. Hopefully then we can sell our house and move close to his work (and hopefully closer to church too).

Lasagna

Graham loves food and always wants to be eating whatever we're eating. This week I made one of our favorites: lasagna! Guess what? Graham likes it too!

What's New - 10 months

Graham is getting so big! A friend recently said to me, "He's like the size of a 2 year old!" Now that he is crawling all over, his body has become very long and lean. Speaking of crawling, in the last 2 weeks Graham has mastered the hands-and-knees crawl and given up the "army crawl." He is so fast! The number one word I would use to describe him right now is CURIOUS! He is no longer content to sit in the living room and play on the floor. He has to know what's going on the other rooms and what's on top of all the surfaces (couches, chairs, tables, etc.). He is pulling up. He usually pulls up to his knees, and to his feet if he really wants something.

One recent development is Graham's lack of enthusiasm for baby food. He wants real food! This definitely takes a little more planning and preparation on my part. Some of his new favorite foods are: mac and cheese, chicken (and really any kind of meat!), cheese, peas, cheerios, green beans, bananas, and carrots. He loves feeding himself. I still give him a little baby food at each meal as well. He seems to be eating so much now!!

Graham has always been a very good sleeper and still is. He sleeps about 11 hours each night and takes 2 naps each day. He sleeps about an hour in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoon. I am loving these long naps!

We love this little guy so much! We treasure each babble, each laugh, and each time pulls at our legs for attention. He is such a blessing and a ray of sunshine in our lives. Thank you Lord for this blessing!