"Molly Did It"

No picture for this post - just a lot of laughs.

This past weekend we saw a scratch on Graham's cheek.
Kyle: "Graham, where did this scratch come from?" 
With a straight face, Graham: "Mah-wee (Molly) did it". 
Kyle: "Really Graham - did she pinch you?" 
Graham: "Des." (Yes)
Kyle: "How?"
Graham grabs his entire cheek with his hand and pinches.
Kyle: "Did she do this with her paw?"
Graham: "Des."

Clearly this never happened.  Getting Molly to spend more than half a second with Graham is an accomplishment. She BOLTS away at the sight of Graham.  Kyle and I laughed HYSTERICALLY!!!  And, Graham never broke a smile - like he was really trying to stick to a "story".

So - blaming the dogs for anything and everything has begun!

More "Own Glasses"

According to Graham - "Sun, eyes, Mommy.  Own Glasses, Peez."

It's CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!!

We go to Home Depot WAY too often.  So much so that Graham knows where to find the "No-Man" and "Santa Claus" blow up dolls.  You know - those awful, tacky things that are six feet tall?  For the front yard?!  Well, Kyle and Graham went to Home Depot again yesterday, and Kyle couldn't resist buying a slightly less tacky - but still very tacky - snowman for the yard.  (The Snowman resides in our backyard - but he's VERY bright.)  Graham LOVES it!

I bought a kit at Trader Joe's for decorating a gingerbread man, and I downloaded an app for making cookies on my iPad.  I thought yesterday afternoon would be good mother-son bonding time.  We'd "pretend" making cookies (Graham is very interested in moving his fingers across the iPad), then decorate his gingerbread man, then start our Christmas cookie making together.  Well, the cookie-making app was completely uninteresting to him, decorating the gingerbread man held his attention for about 10 seconds - he instead spend the entire time eating the decorations off his "man", and he was more interested in dipping his fingers in my cookie dough than actually helping.  Luckily, it was still very sweet time together - just a little more "managed" than I had planned in my mind.

My Sweet Kona Brown

A week and a half ago, Kyle happened to look inside Kona's mouth, and one of her teeth had broken off exposing the pulp of the tooth and the roots in her gum.  It looked awful.  A quick trip to the vet, and she was schedueld for surgery last Monday.  (The vet said she must be in pain, and in order to avoid infection she needed surgery.)  Definitely gave me a sleepless night or two and had me worried all day last Monday about her coming out of anesthesia.  But she did great!  Molly knew intuitively that something was wrong and was VERY gentle with Kona when she came home from surgery.  Sniffed her mouth immediately (Molly has this "sense" about detecting blood.) and gave her kisses.  Then laid with her on the couch while Kona rested.  Trying to keep Kona still is VERY tricky.  Within 48 hours, she was trying to play tug-of-war with Molly and running after tennis balls.  And clearly her mouth had not yet healed! 

She's doing great, done with her antibiotics, and enjoying every morsel of soft canned food that comes her way.

(This is where her IV was....)

Meeting Santa Claus

Ammi gave Graham this Santa Claus last year, and Graham is very interested in this "man".  This "old, old man" as he calls him.  One of these pictures just makes me smile - I can see Graham thinking "hey - your hat looks just like mine!". 

Graham likes wearing his santa hat.  Everywhere.  He wears it riding his bike down the street, on his jeep, on his "motorcycle". 

More Beach House

Some more pictures from our time at the beach house....we had some great time with Zach and Robin and Ammi! 

Graham loved making aluminum foil hats with Ammi - and swords, gloves, everything.  And he played many puzzles wearing his new wardrobe.

On our way to the beach house this past weekend, Graham dumped all his cheerios on to his lap and pelted Kyle and me with them for half the trip - we tried our HARDEST to "discipline" but we really couldn't help laughing hysterically.  Which only made Graham throw more cheerios at us.  Really hilarious.  I think I'll be picking cheerios out of the nooks and crannies of my car forever!  You know that familiar "crunch" under your foot when you know you've stepped on a cheerio?!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with both of our families at the table together!  We had some great outdoor time (beautiful weather), yummy food, a trip to the beach house, and great family time!  My sister in law, Stephanie, is pregnant and due two days after me!!  January 2nd - such fun to have these two little boy cousins so close in age - Jack Edward Keefer and Brooks Bradley Gift.  I have a feeling they will be quite the mischief makers together!!

Graham's "Own Glasses"

Graham has a thing for his "own glasses".  He loves them - and finally gets that they are helpful when the sun is in his eyes!  He even takes them to bed and wears them in the dark.  We've had so many laughs looking at him on the video camera - putting his glasses on!  Guess there's some sort of glare in his room that we're unaware of!

Tickle Time with Allie!

He's SUCH A Ham!!!

Graham has definitely figured out the camera and he'll now smile for the camera "on demand" if he knows he can "dee" the picture on the screen after we've taken it.  His camera smile is exuberant, to say the least!

He Has a Thing For Our Shoes

Graham loves putting on my shoes and Kyle's shoes these days - and he walks all around the house with them on.  Hilarious! 

Just a Sweet Picture

I  love Graham's little legs - he has such tiny legs, such tiny muscles - but perfect in every way.  I thought this picture was especially sweet.

The Beach House is FINISHED!!!

Mom and Dad's beach house is finally finished!  It's fully decorated, and we've been there the past couple weekends.  And, it's insanely relaxing!  No TV, we get to bring the dogs, and we all just run and play on the beach.  We've had very special family time.  Kyle and I find that we talk to each other so much more while we're there - it's all we  have to do!  And, the best part - it's a 40 minute drive from our house.  And a beautiful drive at that!  17 miles of it is over the Chesapeake Bay, and there's always something interesting for Graham to look at.  Here are a "few" pictures from our first times there.  (The first one below is of Graham sitting on our suitcase on the way our the door!)

Graham's new favorite "special treat" - one oreo from Papa after lunch.  This boy has a sweet tooth!

Kona dragged this stick out of the ocean to play with it - it was about six feet long!

One of the few (only?) times Robin and I will have a picture together while we're BOTH pregnant!!!!