C'mon Man!

Grayson has taken quite a liking to "Cookiebread men" this Christmas, all thanks to this commercial:

Yesterday we built a "Cookiebread House" of our own - He loved it, especially once he realized he could eat the candy!
Here is his impression of the commercial, who do you think says it better?

Update: Here are pictures of the finished house - Grayson made it at least 3/4 of the way through before he realized he could eat the decorations, it went downhill from there.

Conversation

Me - "Grayson, I asked you to stop running in the house"
G - "I'm not running - I'm Exercising!"

Happy Boy...

I never believed that 2 babies born into the same family could be so different. While Grayson has been easy going, peaceful and content since the day he was born, Radlee is the complete opposite. He is restless and I find myself trying to entertain him constantly - way to throw Mama a curve ball!! However, over the past month, Radlee is becoming more content and independant, he is having more and more moments of pure bliss - for him and I both. He is becoming more and more mobile, he has gone from scooching, to rolling to full on scooting in the past 2 weeks, he loves to feed himself - crackers, cheerios, bananas, avacados, whatever I put on his tray and he is learning to express himself more and more. Unfortunately this week that expression is screaming at the top of his lungs when happy, mad, tired, hungry, excited, entertained - all.the.time, I will spare you and your eardrums the video of that, if you want to experience it just give me a call!

The "Pun-tin" Patch

The weekend before Halloween we took the boys to the Pumpkin Patch. Grayson had so much fun feeding the chickens, riding on the hayride (which was pulled by a REAL tractor) and picking the PERFECT pumpkin.

If you had seen G that day you may have thought the kid had never seen dirt before, kicking it, jumping in it, picking it up and letting it run through his fingers - he is ALL BOY!!

Stirring up the dirt

In search....

Radlee's 1st Pumpkin

G created new Pumpkin Patch events: Introducing How to Ride a Pumpkin & The Pumpkin Push

The "Tractor" Birthday

Whew... The highly anticipated Tractor Birthday (aka Grayson's 3rd Birthday) has come and gone - but what a birthday it was!! The day started out with a little surprise from the Birthday fairy and then it was off to school where G's teacher, Miss Tracy, made him a special birthday crown and his class sang him "Happy Birthday!" After school Grayson came home to a house that had been fully decorated for him and his party! The theme was quite obviously Tractors, I don't think he would have acknowledged it as his party if it had been anything else. The Happy Birthday song had to be sang at least 3 times so he could blow his candles out again and again, and he enjoyed sprinkling everyone's cake with "dirt" from his new little tractor more than he did actually eating the cake! The Grand Finale was when his actual tractor arrived - he jumped on it and managed to manuver it all over the kitchen. I put it outside a few days after his birthday only to be met with a very serious request that it be brought back inside - it is going to be a long winter with a Cat excavator in my kitchen!!

The Birthday Fairy's offering

The (homemade!!) Tractor Birthday Cake

This was "Happy Birthday Song, Take 3" you will notice Grayson really enjoyed singing along and wouldn't blow out his candle until "and many more..." was sung, he could have done this all night long!

Please excuse the half naked birthday boy. The kid HATES to wear pants, and really, who am I to keep him from absolute comfort on his special day?

Three Years Ago Today....

This sweet little man entered the world. He has filled my days with laughter and wonderment. Each day is something new and there are not enough words or space to describe him, he is curious, thoughtful, gentle, patient, kind, loving, silly, strong, and a beautiful soul. In his 3 years of life he has taught me more than I had learned in the previous 24. Happy "Tractor" Birthday my Grayson - thank you for filling our lives with joy.

Why I have kids...

I would have 100 kids if this was the sound that filled my house all day everyday.

Snuzzlers

Grayson asked that Radlee lay with him the other morning on his "Pooh Couch" while watching "hartoons" They are becoming closer and closer everyday and so cute together.

The Next Olympian?

Radlee went to the Doctor today, he now weighs 19.3 lbs and is 27 1/4" tall (90th and 95th percentile). The Pediatrician thinks that if he continues at this pace he may be tall enough to be an olympic swimmer or vollyball player. As of now we are working on his high jump.

Mmmm.... Real Food!

After exisiting on only milk (and a little cereal) for the past 5 months Radlee finally gets to eat real food! He had his first meal in the high chair tonight, mashed avocado. He really liked it, he wasn't too sure what to do with it at first but it didn't take him long to catch on!

Our First Family Vacation

We went to Seattle last week for a mini-vacation. I was a bit nervous about setting out on an 8 hour car ride with 2 little ones; however I am happy to announce: they are travelers! Both Grayson and Radlee did so good in the car, Radlee sleeping most of the time and watching the scenery (backwards) and Grayson watching Bob the Builder and Big Bird, eating crackers and asking to go potty every 20 miles or so.

We were only in Seattle for 2 1/2 days but we saw and did it all. The purpose of the trip was to have the pictures of the boys taken by the photographer that did our Wedding pictures, they turned out amazing - you can see all of them here: http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/gallery.jsp?gid=768a5498ce7df417d82f

Knowing that traveling with babies is something we can do makes me all the more excited to do more of it in the near future... Where to next?

Grayson, Month 33

G,

This month was a time to overcome fears. You have discovered braveness and practice it often. I first realized this one day at the carwash, usually you HATE the carwash, and try to claw your way out of your seat if we even talk about it, even when we pass the carwash down the street from our house you point it out to me and tell me how you the carwash makes you cry. However one day a couple of weeks ago I guess I was feeling brave and thought we could “try nen” (try again) it may have helped that we were on our way to the “nhow tone house” (snow cone house) your new FAVORITE place in the world (and another location you can point out all across town) so you were not only distracted by dreams of a “deen nhow tone” but had something to look forward to as well. As I drove into the carwash tunnel, I looked into the backseat and you had a look of panic on your face, I felt horrible for having brought you there and if I could have put the car in reverse I would have, you must have felt my hesitation because at that moment you looked at me and said “It’s ohtay Mama, I jus shut my eyes” and you placed your trembling hands over your face. I know you were still scared, your hands shook the whole time and when you did open your fingers just enough to peek your eyes were wide, but Grayson, you never once whined or cried and when we got through it you were SO excited for yourself, just as I was. It was your first taste of overcoming fear and now you were ready to take on the world.
What was to come over the next few weeks was amazing to me. You went down the biggest slide at the park ALL BY YOURSELF, hardly waiting for me to get to the bottom to catch you, (before you wouldn’t even go down the smallest slide with all of my begging and promises of green snow cones). Then there was the miniature version of Roaring Springs in CeeCee’s back yard. You stayed with Auntie “Fwofie” one day and when I came to pick you up you were playing in Lucee’s “wimmin pool” which has a slide shaped like a whale! You went up and down that slide at least 50 times in just the short time I was there. I asked you at one point to go on your tummy and at first you refused, however next thing I knew you did it. When you slid down the water splashed all the way over your head, now always before you threw a fit when it was time to wash your hair in the bathtub because you don’t like the water in your face, but this was totally acceptable to you and you did it over, and over and over each time jumping up, wiping your face and clapping wildly. If Uncle TysTys, Auntie Fwofie or I were not clapping you would single us out to remind us of your amazing feat. Ever since, bath time has been a breeze.
And my dear little Grayson while you are getting more and more brave, I am getting more and more scared. Scared that I am having to slowly let you go and even push you out into the big scary world, scared that in conquering your fears you will hurt yourself, and scared that you are growing up too fast. I will be brave though, and if it gets too rough we can always go for a snow cone.
I Love you the Most, Mama

Radlee, Month 4

Roo,
You have become quite a little creature of habit this month, learning what to expect and when to expect it. You wake up in the morning happy and talk and sing until I come to get you, however if I take longer than you think I should you get progressively louder and louder to remind me that you are waiting for me. We change your diaper and go downstairs to get a bottle, with cereal, which has to be exactly the right temperature in order for you to drink it. After your breakfast you like to lay and watch Grayson eat his breakfast or watch cartoons with him, however this usually doesn’t last long because you LOVE your morning nap, and when you are

ready for this nap, no one better let anything stand in your way, there is no time for waiting or lollygagging, and if it takes longer to get you to your bed than you think it should, you let everyone know that this does NOT make you happy. However, once tucked in you snooze for quite a while and wake up refreshed and ready to eat and play some more. You love to watch Grayson – he is fascinating to you, he has taken quite a liking to you as well and makes sure you are always entertained, if not by him than at least by the toys he brings to you.

Many days when Grayson goes down for his nap this is our quiet time together, just you and me. These are some of my favorite moments with you – singing songs, playing patty-cake and peek-a-boo or just looking at your precious face. I always know when 4:30 rolls around because you

start fussing for a bottle – you are like clockwork, most days you will take another cat nap after this bottle and then wake up in time for a bath (your very favorite part of the day), another bottle and bed.

I wouldn’t have things any other way and I love that you are in such a routine that fills even more of my day with giggles, smiles and tears. You are a precious addition and I look forward to each new day with you.

Love you the most,

Mama

The Flip-Flopper

Dusty: "Have you seen my flip flops?"
Me: "Not since the last time I found them for you"
G: "Me Flip Flop?" (Proceeds to hit the floor and perform a summersault in perfect form)

Our BIG Weekend

This weekend was a whirlwind, in fact we are still recovering. It started early Friday morning and didn't end until late Sunday night. Monday morning Radlee slept until 11 am and was back down for a nap an hour and a half later. We had so much fun though, visiting with family, starting new traditions and showing our babies new things!

Fourth of July Tradition

When we were little it wasn't the Fourth of July unless we went to Glenn's Ferry to ride on the Fire Truck in the parade, spent the day at the park eating snowcones and taco salads and watched the fireworks after it finally got dark. It was a weird feeling this year to take my kids there to continue the tradition. Grayson talked about riding the "fuwa twuck" all week and I think it lived up to all of his expectations. He did a fantastic job throwing candy and waving at everyone, thanks Ellie and Deanna for riding with him!

After the Parade we went to the park where Grayson ran Ellie and Deanna ragged going on the swings and down the slide. He had his fair share of treats and even rode with Lucee on the "ju ju chain." Radlee had a great day watching the parade with Lucee and then laying around on the blanket at the park.

We left long before the fireworks show but both boys were asleep in the car before we even got to the freeway.