Our Little Toddler Gray

Dear Graylon,

I can’t believe that you are 13 months old now, but I want you to know just how amazing you have been to watch and be around. I have enjoyed every minute of being your mommy! Every day you show me something new that you have learned. You really understand your daddy and I when we talk to you. I love how you point at everything you want to look at or get to. You are starting to eat table food better. You gave up the bottle the day before you turned 13 months. Even then it was just a night time bottle. You are curious about everything. You love to go head first off of the couch and mommy and daddy’s bed with us of course holding your feet and lowering you down to the floor. You are a tough little guy. You have bumps and bruises on your legs from all your fearless play. I love when you run over to me and put your arms around my neck for me to pick you up. You even came over and gave me a kiss for the very first time yesterday. I will always remember how great that moment was. I know you love me so much but I also love that you love your daddy just as much. You get so excited when you see him in the morning for the first time or when we meet him outside when he gets in from work. You love Ms. Pat at your daycare and you get along great with all of your friends there too. You are moving up to the next class next week. I am so nervous about it because you have to totally be on table food. I know you are going to do great and catch on very quickly. You just had your very first school pictures made. You look so grown up sitting there posing. You have eight teeth now…four on top and four on bottom. You have a few words in your vocabulary now. You can say “Thank you”, “Mama”, “Daddy”, “Stick”, “Balloon” (kind of), “Ball” and once you said “Please”. It is really cute when I ask you something and you just shake your head back and forth like you are telling me “no”. You are walking like a pro. You have just figured out how to step up into the garage and into the house, but you still want to crawl back down instead of stepping down. You love sticks and rocks. You love being outside and your favorite toy is your new car that you got for your birthday. You love to scream. You love to climb and maneuver your way around stuff. I love to hear you laugh and love to see your sweet smile. I even love hearing your fake cough. You love to do the Hokey Pokey and dance to just about any tune. You make me so proud to be your mommy! I love you Graylon and this last year for me has been the best of my life!

Love,

Mommy

Here is a short video of Gray emptying out my belt/scarf drawer. He loved every minute of it.

Mommy's 30th Birthday

Yes, I am now 30 years old and feel like it has been the best year of my life. My family threw me a party back in February to celebrate all these years that I have been alive. :) Mike, Gray, and I made the trek to Dalton, GA. We first headed to Pop Pop and Meemaw's house to spend some quality time with them. Meemaw gave Gray his first "real" haircut. I had given him a few snips back when he was about 5 or 6 months old but it was time for another. We headed to Grandma Sharon's house on Saturday morning and she hosted an all day bash. It was Gray's first time celebrating his Mommy's birthday! I truly felt special. Thanks to everyone that joined us that day. Graylon got to visit with a lot of our family and had a great day. He took NO naps and was an angel! He was so busy chasing his cousins and playing with them all day. Check out the pictures from this great birthday weekend.


Jocey wanted Gray right by her side.


Meemaw cutting Gray's hair.


"Hey guys, does my hair look okay?"


Gray in his "Gray" overalls.


Newest cousin William and Gray playing together.


Gray and Pop Pop are best buds!


Gray, Grandma Sharon, and Granny Franny are just hanging out.


Averie, William, Gray, Michaela, and Jocey all together...this is the first time that Gray has had all of his cousins together at the same time!


Uncle Brandon was bobbing for pacis and came up with Gray's.


Jocey and Gray having fun in the bathtub. I think he was about to sneeze.


Granna and Pop love making a Gray sandwich!


Uncle J and Aunt Caryn gave Gray a squeeze before they said goodbye.

Christmas Morning (more catch up)

Gray loved his first Christmas and our first Christmas together as a family was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Seeing Graylon all sleepy-eyed on on Christmas morning and trying to figure out what all the wrapped and upwrapped gifts were, was so much fun. We decided that being away from our home was okay until Gray gets a little older and we begin our own Christmas morning tradition.

We woke up at Grandma Sharon's house. Gray came out into the living room where Santa had left his gifts. He got a red Radio Flyer wagon, a stuffed puppy that sings and teaches him stuff, a swing, and a Little People train with blocks. Grandma Frances and Paul came over that morning and we had brunch. It was such a special morning.

After we left Grandma Sharon's house, we headed to Granna and Pop's house to visit with the LaBarbera family. Averie showed Gray and William how to open presents since it was both their first Christmas. We ate a wonderful dinner and spent the night with Granna and Pop.

Check out the pictures from this day below.



Mommy and Daddy showing Gray his new stuff.



Daddy teaching Gray how to build with his blocks.



Gray taking a ride with his puppy in his new wagon.



After playing with his toys, Gray had to take a break to eat breakfast.



Taking a another break after playing for soooo long.



Too cute not to put on here...who needs a diaper on Christmas Day!?!



This is an actual blanket. Gray's our little bulldog fan!



Hanging out with Granna and Aunt Caryn. This is like one of three pictures that we have from their house on our camera.

Video Catch Up

Here are a couple quick videos to show off Gray's most current dancing, walking (with his toy), and playing skills. The song I overlapped on his dancing video is his favorite song, "Pennies From Heaven" by Louis Prima. Please enjoy our 3 feature presentations.

The Return of the Blog!

To all of our loyal, wonderful, forgiving, understanding, and all around awesome blog followers, we are sorry for the gap in time between blog posts. I hope that you can all find it in your hearts to continue to read these posts. And to take a quote from the great Tiger Woods, "...to one day, believe in me (us) again."

First of all, Happy 11 month birthday Gray! Time has flown by! The blog has been out of commission and missed your 9 month and your 10 month. Sheesh! We'll have to make up for that some how, some way. We'll have to come back to that.

I am not quite sure how to get this train back on the tracks, so I think I'll opt for what you all really check the blog for...PICTURES! Since the last post came in December, and it was chronicling Thanksgiving, why not put up pictures that catch you all up on Christmas parties and Christmas Eve? I'll try and hold Heather and myself accountable and commit to rapid fire posts, so check back often. Complain often if we don't hold true. Let's try and say 2 posts a week until we are current and up to date. Now, without further ado, pictures!



Gray and Santa, aka Pop Pop


MeeMaw and a bundled up Graylon


A family pose from Granna and Pop's Christmas Party


Identical cousins...Gray, Averie, and William at the party


Gray and Grandma Sharon


Aunt Caryn lovin' her some Gray.


Averie was teaching Gray and Henry how to look out the window. She's such a good teacher.


Aunt Kelly helping get Graylon ready for bed after the party.


We put our tree up only 2 weeks before Christmas. Gray was critical in getting the tree up.


Christmas Beanie Babies helped decorate Gray's room and Christmas tree.


We found time to squeeze in a Lady Dawgs basketball game with Pop and Granna.


Steven and Sherry Beauchamp met us for dinner and a chance to get a picture with Gray.


The Stevenson's party was awesome. From left to right...Gage, Emerson, Emma, Gray, Lexi, Lila, and Abel.


Andrew took a break from law school to teach Gray a thing or two at the party.


Is there anything cuter than reindeer butt pajamas?


Gray and Pop Pop can't wait to open some Christmas presents.


Cousin Allen and Gray took a break from talking basketball to pose for a picture.


Neely and Tasia coordinated too well with Graylon's outfit to not pose for a picture.


Crazy Uncle Steve and Grandma Ophia with the man of the party.