So Much...

So many updates, so little time...Graham went to our neighborhood Halloween parade last weekend - so c ute!! He laughed hysterically when he saw himself the mirror in costume. I'll post pics - so overdue! In the meantime, below is a picture of our little family at dinner last Friday night. One of our favorite restaurants is Steinhilbers. And with a surprisingly warm day, we just had to go for dinner. What a wonderful evening!

And another dinner in front of the fountain outside. Graham LOVES this fountain!

Almost a Year...

It's really hard to believe that Graham is almost a year old. Wow. Sad and exciting at the same time. Sad because this time has literally zoomed by me. Exciting because everyday is a new fun adventure with Graham. Below are some recent, random pictures. Most are from the park near our house. Which Graham LOVES. We go there every week. His favorite "ride" is certainly the swing, but he's not completely opposed to the slide, see-saw, monkey bars...

Also new - Graham climbed up the entire flight of stairs two days ago (and we were able to get it on camera!), and he has a new routine when we put him to bed at night - dance party! For ages we've been singing the chorus of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" to him. And for ages he's danced with just his head. Now he's added a little hip action to the routine. Another video to post. Once I get them downloaded.

Can it get better than this?! Peek-a-boo and swinging AT THE SAME TIME!

At the end of the double slide with Dad.

I interrupt this stream of pictures for a Kona-Brown commercial break. Seriously - how sweet is this face?! We've realized that our sweet little Kona is starting to age. Her front left paw has been giving her a hard time these days, and we've had to start her on arthritis medicine. (which makes me really sad) But she doesn't seem to let the discomfort faze her. She still plays frisbee and goes careening through the backyard "hunting" with Molly.

At the playground. Again!

My dad (Papa) taught Graham to stick his tongue out of the side of his mouth. He thinks it's hilarious. And sticks out his tongue whenever he sees his Papa.

Graham's first "spaghetti" dinner. My mom, Gigi, makes the best meat sauce. So, we made some small pasta and introduced Graham to it - YUM! (There is the distinct possibility that he may have enjoyed playing with it more than eating it....)

It's almost Halloween! Our "loot" from the pumpkin patch - complete with grass growing out of my hay. (We've had lots of rain...)

Butterflies!

My grandmother's birthday was September 11, and when I was driving up to visit her a few weeks prior I came up with a cool idea for her birthday. Treat her to lunch and the special butterfly exhibit at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens with Graham! So off we went....it was truly fabulous. The butterflies were enclosed in a large tropical-feeling "room". (HUGE room) The majority of them were allowed to fly around freely. Definitely a cool exhibit for adults. However Graham was COMPLETELY entranced. And, to top it off a butterfly landed on his shoulder near the end of our visit. Too cool. After the butterfly exhibit, we walked the rest of the gardens which are breathtakingly beautiful. And, we ended up at the kids' section. They have the sprinklers that shoot up from the ground just like the Norfolk Botanical Gardens does. Graham had never experienced that before, so I had to strip him down to his diaper. He LOVED it! Squeeled and yelled the entire time while he was crawling through the sprinklers. And, of course I got soaking wet, too. It was a very cool "first" with him. (Once I get my pictures organized, I'll post some from our water adventure.)

One of the coolest varieties I've ever seen of one of my favorite flowers - clematis.

At the entrance to the butterfly exhibit. Don't you just love the butterfly chair?

Can you see the mist? The room had a mist spraying over it about every 10 minutes. (Much needed because it was 85-90 degrees.)

The coolest way to end our butterfly visit....

It's Pumpkin Time

It's October - pumpkin time! Last Saturday, Kyle, Gigi, Papa, and I took Graham to lunch at one of our favorite lunch spots, No Frill Grill in Virginia Beach, and then we went to Stoneys. Stoneys is our local farmer's market. (For those of you who live in Virginia Beach and haven't been to Stoneys, you must go. In the summer they sell veggies that have been grown on the premises. And, in the fall they have the coolest looking pumpkins, mums, and fall veggies. It's in Great Neck on First Colonial Road.) I'll post a picture of our porch soon; we bought one new pumpkin called Mexican Hat. Very cool. We introduced Graham to Merriweather and fed her. (Truth be told, Graham met Merriweather shortly after she was born this past summer, but I doubt he remembers.) We also talked to the chicken, roosters, and birds.

We did have a conversation with Graham about putting his feet on the table....but it's just too funny to enforce!

Graham picked out his pumpkin!

Graham Is On The Move!

Two of Graham's favorite activities lately - playing "Chase" and going to the park down the street. If we let him, I think he would swing all day. In fact, this week we put him in the swing one morning and only took him out because he was getting really cold. And, he threw a fit. He always throws a fit when he has to get out of the swing or out of the tub. He LOVES these things!

He also is very interested in climbing on the big bed in his room, pulling back his shade, and looking outside.

And he loves to hold his own bottle...

Mommy, how tall am I?

I cherish my snuggle time before he goes to bed.

And the chase is on! When Graham crawls, he crawls "normally" while on carpeting. When he's on hardwood or tile floors, he stays on the tips of his fingers and toes - hilarious.

Graham LOVES the park!!

Graham's first time on the slide - he didn't enjoy it as much as the swings.

Graham has a wagon with seatbelts! Wagons have certainly come a long way since I was a kid. We got this wagon just in time for trick or treating this year. Our neighborhood holds a Halloween parade the weekend before Halloween. So, we'll walk over in the wagon and then take it out on Halloween as well. Graham is going to ride with his friend, Allie. As Kyle says: Graham is going to be a dragon in a wagon for Halloween.

Graham's friend, Allie, turned one a couple weeks ago. And she had very cool things to play with at her birthday party. Graham LOVED the pool with all the balls...

Kyle's dad, step-mom, and sister Lauren came to visit recently. Kyle and his father (Pop-Pop) spent Saturday building Graham a table for his playroom. And, Graham LOVES it!! They also built a box to store toys that fits perfectly under the table. (Actually, the box is so the dogs don't end up stealing Graham's toys...)

Once the bench is complete, and the chairs are delivered, I'll take pics and post. Graham is really enjoying "working" at his new table.

Graham's bumpers were removed from his crib a couple weeks ago...this little monkey was climbing up. No more bumpers, and Graham definitely still sleeps in his sleep sack. Much harder to stand in that snuggle bedtime "blanket".