Dear Graham, Weeks 49 and 50

Dear Graham,

You are enthralling. And exhausting. And inquisitive. And into everything.

These past few weeks your world has expanded to be anywhere you want it to be. No longer are you content to just sit and play. You want to explore anything and everything around you, and you make it your mission in life to do just that. This means we've had to make a few adjustments around here, including moving your crib to its lowest level and putting things out of your always-exploring reach. 

You're more and more interested in actually playing with mommy and daddy, and your latest favorite thing to do is to crawl over Mt. Mommy and Mt. Daddy. Over and over and over you'll crawl, seemingly never tired of this game. You've also shown much more interest in toys that take more coordination, such as your shape sorter. You love to take things in and out of containers and dump your toys out.

Bath time has become one of mommy and daddy's most stressful times of day, because you can't get enough of exploring. You pull yourself up repeatedly, try to "crawl" up the back of the tub just to slide back down and pretty much do anything you can to put yourself one slip away from bumping your head. Which means we are repeatedly sitting you back down, telling you to stay on your bottom or attempting to distract you with your toys. None of which are successful.

You are eating more and more real foods these days, although you're still somewhat sensitive about different textures. While you've been drinking water out of an adult cup for some time, we've been working with you on your sippy cup for school. Speaking of school, you seem to be enjoying your new classroom, although you'll still crawl over to the door of your old classroom  and peak in on them to see what they are doing.

Your smiles continue to brighten our days and get us through your insanely early wake-ups.

Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, Weeks 47 and 48

Dear Graham,

These past few weeks have been especially fun with you, as it seems like your little personality is making itself more and more known. We can literally watch your thoughts progress through your facial expressions as you start to understand more and more of the world around you.

Part of this new development is the fact that you moved up one class at school and are surrounded by other kids your age or older instead of littler babies. Within just a few weeks time, you began feeding yourself, scooting everywhere you want to go (you haven’t quite figured out the crawling motion, but that doesn’t stop you from being mobile), wanting to "walk" constantly while holding mommy or daddy's hands, and becoming more vocally expressive. This includes now saying “mamma”, which I’ve only been trying to get you to say since you were born. While you don’t necessarily say it when looking at me, I have no doubt you know exactly who you’re talking about and the resulting positive attention you receive each time you say it.

We spent several weekends in June visiting family, which meant another two plane trips. As much as I love your daily new developments, I have to say I miss the tiny infant who used to just lay on my lap as I bounced him during flights. Nothing on the airplane is safe if it’s within your striking distance and on a recent trip you learned the window shade goes up and down. And up and down. And that a particularly well lubricated window shade will go down so quickly that you will slam your own finger in it and then proceed to cry while looking at me helplessly. Dude, you’re the one who was playing the game…and the one who goes right back to it immediately after calming down.

One of our trips was to Florida for your Grandad and Grand-Gale’s wedding. We stayed in a condo on the beach while in Florida and while you liked your limited time at the beach earlier this year, this time you were not a fan. At all. The water was fine, but you despised the sand. You would sit there with “jazz hands” in the air to ensure your little hands didn’t touch a grain of sand. And god bless all those who were around you when your hand did touch sand.

You see, with the aforementioned recent development has also come your ability to display emotion on a larger scale. And it’s adorable when you’re happy or excited, with your arms and legs pumping with excitement. It’s not so adorable when you’re doing something you don’t want to do. I didn’t know this before having you, but apparently shaking your quenched fists in the air is not a learned response to anger, but is somehow something you’re born knowing how to do. And boy did you shake those fists in the air if they got sand on them. Needless to say we spent a lot of time at the pool, which you loved. (See note above about adorable baby.)

 

Also during the last several weeks you have started eating turkey and beef. While this is a bit later than normal, it’s all due to your reaction to chicken, which I realized I haven’t told you about. When you turned eight months old and were able to have meats, I prepared pureed chicken breasts for you. While this has to be one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever made in our kitchen, I had made all of your baby food to date and liked being able to select hormone free chicken to serve you. This occasion was filled with pomp and circumstance as your daddy, the-man-who-would-rather-die-than-be-a-vegetarian, couldn’t wait to feed you meat. You took the first bite, and then a second and then gagged on a third. When I told your daddy that was enough for one night, he said we’d try one more bite. And try we did. And then you threw up that bite and all preceding bites on mommy. While daddy laughed.

So, we postponed the chicken a bit and I tried again a few weeks later. This time you ate most of the chicken, although it wasn’t your favorite. That night when we were going to bed, I looked at the monitor and saw you sleeping in throw up. When we went in to you, you again threw up and continued on several more times. The next day at school you threw up once too, so at that point I assumed you had a stomach bug and it wasn’t related to the chicken. (Sometimes I think when you become a mom, you give up a few IQ points.) However, later that week I gave in and bought prepared chicken baby food that was mixed with sweet potatoes. And you loved it. So I continued to feed you bite after bite until the jar was gone. (Again, those IQ points…) And later that night you threw up all over. Again.

A call to the pediatrician later, he said he’d never heard of anyone with a chicken allergy, but to go on a meat hiatus for a few weeks and then try turkey and other meats. So that’s what we did, although a bit timidly. The good news is you have no trouble with turkey or ground beef. The bad news is I have no idea when your daddy and I will be brave enough to try chicken with you again. I know we’ll have to do it again someday, because you really can’t live your life properly without knowing the wonderfulness that is Chick-Fil-A.

Love,

Mommy

Dear Graham, Weeks 45 and 46

Dear Graham,

I'll make this week's post short and sweet. Adding more words wouldn't make it any more true.

Take the happiness you display in this video and multiply it by a million. Maybe then you'll feel just a fraction of the love that we feel for you every day.


Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, Week 44

Dear Graham,
After 10 months of being your mommy, I've decided I could write a book. Not about being a parenting expert -- I am far, far from that -- but rather about the things you Google as a new parent. Even I can't believe the juxtaposition of words that somehow fly out of my brain into my Google search bar. Seriously, what did parents do before Al Gore invented the Internet*? I can't imagine not having access to other crazies like me this wealth of information.



Lately, I think if you asked Google to find the one user who has most frequently searched "how to make a baby sleep later," they'd come knocking at my door. And in second place they'd find your daddy, which means our household would be guaranteed to win some type of amazing Google prize. Unfortunately for us, I don't think Google is going to deliver us a prize and our Google searches have lacked a bona fide solution. Some people say to put you to bed earlier. Some say to keep you up later. And some say don't bother trying, some babies are just early risers. (Seriously, Google...can't you use those bajillion of dollars in earnings and help all of us poor, sleep deprived mommies come up with one unified answer? We all know you'll run the world one day. It will be a happier world if mommies get sleep. Trust me.)



Seriously, buddy. I thought it was bad when you got up at 6:00 a.m. Then I thought 5:30 was worse. Now we're onto 4:30 wake-ups. Yes, that is a.m. I'll remind you of this when you're just coming home at this time during your freshman year of college. Those little moments of plotting my revenge are what helps me to get through a day. (That and lots and lots of caffeine.)



You know, sleep is a funny thing. The 6-7 hours we are now getting before you wake up would have seemed like heaven on earth during your early months. But now that we've had a taste of what it's like to sleep like a normal human being, these early hour wake up calls are so, so harsh.

And, interestingly enough, you have total bartering power of us right now and you don't even know it. We would gladly consider a number of things as a trade for you sleeping in until a normal hour. (And yes, in this case "normal" means 6 a.m.) Maybe you really do know that you have all of the power and that's the reason why you reward us with so many morning smiles.

All I'll say is it's a good thing you're so darn cute.



Love,
Mommy

*Just so you aren't confused about Al Gore and the Internet, this article on Snopes** does a great job setting the record straight: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp.

**And just in case Snopes isn't around when you read this, Al Gore did not invent the Internet.

Dear Graham, Weeks 41, 42 and 43

Dear Graham,
I feel like I begin every letter with talking about how many adventures you’ve had or how big you’re getting or simply how much joy you bring. And yet again, as I sit down to write to you today, those same thoughts fill my head. As I took a step back, I realized they are a good summary of your life itself: journeys, growth and love. Here’s a little more about each of those themes…



Journeys
We had quite the journey as you set out on your seventh round trip flight to Florida to celebrate your Grahamma’s college graduation. I have to admit, the first 12 flights were much easier than these 2. You’re so curious these days, always trying to explore your world around you. Which on an airplane, equates to the seat pocket. The barf bag. The magazines that you like to pick up and throw on the ground. All of which are incredibly clean and germ free. So, instead of taking a bottle and going to sleep like you normally do, you took a bottle, squirmed, sat up, tried to stand up, squealed and pretty much made wore out your mommy and daddy in any way possible.



On the way home, you were a bit more still, primarily due to the 1,865 puffs I fed you. Yes, I resorted to feeding you to keep you calm. It’s amazing what the pressure of 155 other passengers traveling at 550 miles per hour in a sealed aluminum canister with wings over the Gulf of Mexico will do to you.

While in Florida, we took you to the beach for the first time. As Florida babies, your mommy and daddy couldn’t wait to get your toes in the sand. You weren’t at all phased by the sand or the water, even when a little “wave” (or 1 inch of water) came toward you and knocked you down. You were just getting into the experience when a typical Florida afternoon thunderstorm came rolling in, putting an abrupt end to your first beach experience. The storm didn't stop us from grabbing some precious pictures first.







On our other trips to Florida, you didn't pay much attention to your Aunt Shannon's dog Rocket, despite Rocket paying lots of attention to you. This time, however, the roles were quite reversed: any time Rocket came near you, you would squeal and attempt to grab the dog. By the end of our trip, Rocket was staying a good length away from your grasp.



Also during our time at home, we were miraculously able to share a shuttle launch with you. I say miraculously because the fact that it actually was scheduled to launch on a date when we were going to be in Florida and then did launch on a date that we were in Florida pretty much has the same odds of you sleeping past 5:30 a.m.: 1 in a million. Here's a video of your experience:



Perhaps the biggest journey of all to mention is the reason why we were in Florida to celebrate: your Grahamma's graduation from college. While you didn’t understand the significance of the event, I don’t want for you to miss out on the important life lesson her journey represents, namely that you can do anything you put your mind to.

Growth
We had your 9 month check up and you’re progressing just as you're meant to. You weighed in at 21 lbs, 5 oz, which put you in the 58% percentile for weight, and 29 and 1/4 inches, which puts you in the 76% percentile for height.

This growth has caused us to have to move you to the next level of car seats. While my arms are thankful to no longer have to lug around your infant seat (although I have to say this works better than any gym routine I ever tried), this new milestone points again to how fast you're growing. You look so little in your new seat, yet I know it's just another blink of the eye before you'll fill this out too.



Your hair is growing longer too, and it's a daily guess as to what color it will be. I joke with your dad that you'll be the only baby with "IDK" as a hair color on your driver's license, but some days it's brown, some days it's blonde and it almost always has some red in the sunlight. You're sporting Hypercolor hair two decades after it was popular on t-shirts.

Just as important as your physical growth is your growth in mental capacity, and each day you are delighting us with the new things you discover. Over the last several weeks, you've taken to clapping your hands; shaking your head"no" (although thankfully you don't yet understand that it means "no"); "feeling" your touch and feel books that previously went unnoticed; beginning to use your baby sign language, specificially for "more" food; and waving "bye-bye", although not yet at the appropriate times.



Love
You are growing into such a big boy and away from being a baby, and while I want to freeze your growth, it's just so much fun to watch this change in you. Your daddy and I love playing with you, watching your delight in our silly faces and noises. You are a boy through and through...you love being held upside down, tickled and general roughhousing.






Thank you for bringing so much happiness to our lives.

Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, Week 40

Dear Graham,
In celebration of my first official Mother's Day, I thought I'd use this week's letter to tell you all of my current favorite things that make being your mommy so much fun.

• The big smiles you give when I come in to get you out of your crib each morning and the subsequent hugs you give me when I hold you during those first early morning moments before the day's craziness begins. This is truly the best part of my day. (Although would it hurt to wait just a little later in the morning to share this special moment?)
• Your recently-discovered ability to whisper and the way you barely whisper "da" "da" "da"
• Watching you react to your Baby Einstein colors DVD when the little puppet in a red sequined cape comes on screen to unveil the color red. You don't quite know what to think about this character and are slightly scared...you start to barely whimper as mommy and daddy tell you it's all okay. When the caped character passes a few seconds later, your normal smiles return.
  
• The way you squeal in delight, kicking your legs when I pick you up from school. This is the second best moment of my day.
• Your studious exploration of all that is around you. Your daddy and I often wonder what you're thinking as you so deliberately focus on anything new that you encounter. It reminds us daily of how awe inspiring our world really is.
• The way you suck in and bite your bottom lip.
  
• You. Asleep. I sometimes still marvel in awe at the fact that you actually sleep through the night. You are a tummy sleeper, just like me, and I love to sneak into your room at night just to watch you sleep and listen to you breathe.
• The fact that your hair is now long enough to blow in the wind when you swing.
  
• The way you wrap your hand around my finger and hold on tight.
• Your sweet kisses.
  

Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, Weeks 38 and 39

Dear Graham,
I have to begin this week's letter with telling you about the highlight of your short life to date: last Sunday, on Easter morning at sunrise service, you were baptized with your daddy. The day was one that can only be described as divine and is one that will live in the memories of all who attended, including the eight out of town guests who traveled all the way here just to join in on this experience.





Dear Graham, I have to begin this week's letter with telling you about the highlight of your short life to date: last Sunday, on Easter morning at sunrise service, you were baptized with your daddy. The day was truly divine and is one that will live in the memories of all who attended, including the eight out of town guests who traveled all the way here just to join in on this experience. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_AM-MFqP1rN6kwtZoycRKYvr7g9Jb7wrTG42awa0pPETxzFmpTGpyHRmBqa83XytzIybjhqGbgDZ5tqjciRLpdXPSRcNV9G3FdXP-qlTl8lUg2nt3bWo8thx2ZXnFIY4IJIf47tloqE/s1600/DSC_0138.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_AM-MFqP1rN6kwtZoycRKYvr7g9Jb7wrTG42awa0pPETxzFmpTGpyHRmBqa83XytzIybjhqGbgDZ5tqjciRLpdXPSRcNV9G3FdXP-qlTl8lUg2nt3bWo8thx2ZXnFIY4IJIf47tloqE/s400/DSC_0138.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602278830641127410" border="0"></a> The service was held at 6:00 a.m., which continues to be one of your favorite times of day (much to the dismay of your mommy and daddy). You were ecstatic that so many other people were up to join you and that there was candlelight! And music! And lots of people ready and willing to hold you! We were told time and time again by church goers what a wonderful baby you were. And you truly were. As I write today's letter, I feel it necessary to mark this date in time by letting you know that they captured Osama bin Laden yesterday. While I know this means nothing to you, it's a date that I'm certain will be marked in history and will provide you with a reference to a point in time when I sat down to write to you. You'll learn quickly time is a funny thing: it moves faster and faster as you grow. And when you want to squeeze it tightly to make everything just stand still, it flows even quicker, like a wave you try to catch before it flows back into the sea. If it seems like I'm a little sentimental today, it's probably because I am. We celebrated your 9-month birthday this past week. Which means you've been out as long as you were in. (I'm sure you love that concept.) And the thing is: every day with you is getting more and more fun. They could seriously bottle the joy you bring to us each day and it'd give Prozac a run for its money. Hence why I want to freeze time: I can already see how this is going by way too fast. Love, Your sappy mommy :)



The service was held at 6:00 a.m., which continues to be one of your favorite times of day (much to the dismay of your mommy and daddy). You were ecstatic that so many other people were up to join you. And that there was candlelight! And music! And lots of people ready and willing to hold you! We were told time and time again by church goers what a wonderful baby you were. And you truly were.

You were entertained throughout the weekend by all of your wonderful family. I can't explain how fulfilling it is to see how much others love you. It's like your daddy and I get to take our best kept secret and share it with others.







You are growing up so quickly these days and becoming more and more independent in the littlest ways. Your discovering parts of your toys that previously went unnoticed and that require fine motor skills to operate. Every time I see you figure out something new, I feel an enormous amount of pride. Part of this independence includes rolling to get everything you want. You're no longer content to sit up and play with the toys in front of you. Which makes taking your weekly picture lots of fun.









As I write today's letter, it seems only right to mark this date in time by letting you know that they captured Osama bin Laden earlier this week. While I know this means nothing to you, it's a date that I'm certain will be remembered in history and will provide you with a reference to a point in time when I sat down to write to you. You'll learn quickly time is a funny thing: it moves faster and faster as you grow. And just when you want to squeeze time tightly to make everything just stand still, it flows even quicker, like a wave you try to catch before it flows back into the ocean.

If it seems like I'm a little sentimental, it's probably because I am. We celebrated your 9-month birthday this past week. Which means you've been out as long as you were in. (I'm sure you love that concept.) And the thing is: every day with you is getting more and more fun. They could seriously bottle the joy you bring to us each day and it'd give Prozac a run for its money. It's why I want to freeze time: I can already see how this is going by way too fast.

Love,
Your sappy mommy :)

PS...I finally got a picture of your cute teeth: