Week 38

This week was a monumental one for Graham.  He said his first word.  I'm sure he doesn't know what it means and it's just some nonsense sound that randomly makes a word (I'm saying these things to justify it).  The word, you ask?  Dada.  Of course I'm home with him all day and Kyle sees him for maybe an hour at night and G comes up with "dada".  Just my luck.  But I'm actually okay with it because it kills Kyle that he can't see the kids more due to school and the minute he heard Graham say it, he lit up.  He's such a great dad and he needs these little highlights.  I'll let him have this one.

Week 37

Each week gets wigglier with Graham so it's getting more and more difficult to get this guy to cooperate.  But thanks to my 2 photo assistants (especially Brighton)  we are able to get him happy for a second or two.  His teeth are really popping out and he is a champ through the pain.  Have I ever mentioned he's a happy baby?  If you haven't read any other post about Graham maybe that's news to you but anyone who knows him, knows he's fat and happy.  We love our Graham Cracker!

Sitting Tall

Graham is kind of a chubby little Gus so his chunky belly and arms made it a little difficult for him to sit very well.  Basically, he was top heavy so it was a tough balancing act to figure out.  Luckily, he's conquered it and is sitting up like the best of us.

Week 36

G is 38 weeks and I don't know where the time is going!  Maybe it's the fact that I just looked back at the beginning of this photo project and realized that my baby is definitely no newborn anymore , but I can not believe how big this kid is getting!  When I had my other 2 children I loved them and they were sweet babies, but I couldn't wait for the next steps with them.  I always thought, "I can't wait until they're eating solid foods or walking on their own."  I'm ashamed to admit it, but I was a little excited to get out of the baby stage with them.  But I have to say, with Graham I am loving the baby stage.  This baby has made my heart melt.  He is the most easygoing and sweetest baby I've encountered which is probably why I'm loving this age.  Anyhow, he's doing great and I am wishing I could stop time and keep this squishy ball of happy forever.

Gymnastics Camp

 

   
This summer Brighton and Porter have been able to do gymnastics camp.  I'm not one to go out of my way to find these things for them, but love it when friends do and we join up as well.  Our friends here wanted their two little ones in the camp and I thought it would be a perfect outlet for P and B as well.  Now they come home and do somersaults, cartwheels, handstands, and whatever cool trick they learned for hours before dinner.  The best part?  They wear themselves out so they are dead asleep by 7:00.  Thank you gymnastics!

Week 35

Here is Graham at 35 weeks.  He is happy all the time and starting to get close to crawling which means he will be getting into things all the time.  Yay for us.  It's a good thing he's so cute because it will be hard to get mad at a face like that.

Happy 4th on the 6th

We had a great 4th of July this year. Luckily we have some great friends here who are in the program as well and have kids the same age and Kyle and Jed (our friend) were able to have the day off. We were able to do all the typical fun independence day things but with the kids getting older, they seem to really enjoy it even more. In the morning we went with the Hanks(our friends) to the parade, which in McAllen was basically 100 cars with beauty queens and no one throwing candy. Although the kids were a little disappointed by the lack of sugary sweets, they still loved seeing the princesses (Brighton more than Porter). Then we went to our friend's house for lunch and later we went back into town for a fireworks show at night. They had a good fireworks show, but nothing compares to the Melaleuca show in Idaho Falls. The Hanks are from Idaho so we were able to reminisce about the good old BYU-I days and traditions that go on there. It was a great way to spend an important day and I still get choked up when I hear the national anthem, so remembering our freedoms this day was great.

The parade was started by a little mouse scurrying down the road and stopping right next to us.  I was not a fan.

The actual start of the parade.

Jaxton and Porter admiring the cool cars.

Journee and Brighton enjoyed sitting and watching the beauty queens.

Little Chunk just loved his life because he got held all day by dad.

The boys enjoyed playing some football before the fireworks.

Finally, the show began and all was well with the world.

Week 34

Tomorrow is the 4th of July so I thought I'd ring in the patriotic spirit with some festive fabric. Graham is getting to be so much fun. I think after those 6 months of basically laying, smiling, and rolling, he is fed up with doing nothing. So all at once he decided he's going to do everything. First, more teeth are growing in (I swear this kid will have a whole set by his first birthday!). Second, he's starting to roll to actually get to places. And third, he's starting to almost lift his body into crawling stance. I'm fearful of what's to come. He was such our sweet, simple baby. I think we're in for some change soon, but I guess change isn't always bad. And hey, maybe this kid won't get into everything like every other child, right? Fat chance. Well, he is still very loved anyway and at 34 weeks, he's still our sweet, simple chunk.