two-zero

Everyone keeps commenting to me at how big & old Graham is looking. It's so true, the little boy is coming out! It's been a couple of months since I did a Gman update, and wow, he's changing so fast. Sometimes I look at him and I can see him being 4 and then when he's sitting there playing with a toy, he reminds of when he was 6 months. sniff, sniff, look at me, all nostalgic................
The stats: 30.4 lbs, 33 inches tall. That means he's only gained .4 lbs, but grew 2 inches in the last 2 months! Leaning out after all, possibly. He's also wearing size 7 shoe. seven. Like, last winter he was in 4/5! That is why I cannot spend too much on shoes for him!

Some current faves of ours:

• He has often started saying thank you when I hand him something. It's like music. Love it.
• We're working at covering his mouth when he coughs. It's so cute.
• When we're driving, he loves to shout out the letters that he sees on various signs. I love it.
• He seriously has an amazing arm. He can throw a ball farther & better than I could imagine! He also loves to kick and seriously gets his leg waist-high. Balls still remain a top favorite. I can't wait to see him in pee-wee sports already!
• He also loves to jump. And everytime we talk about a J, he has to demonstrate how high he can jump because that is his word for J!
• He finally is using a fork correctly. He loves spoons & forks.
• I can't believe how much he remembers. Like the one time I mentioned his "wee-wee" during a diaper change and now loves to tell me all about it every diaper change. :)
• He loves to say uh-oh. (thank you Aunt Katie!) But it's usually from a mess he has made himself and then he shows me "uh-oh"!
• He just started shaking his head to say NO. It's actually quite helpful. I can ask him a question and he can tell me that yes or no, that is what he wants. Ah, communication, it's a beautiful thing!
• He is learning some simple chores. He loves to throw things away, which is very helpful! Including diapers, which I see as very good for when Eden comes along! He can put socks away in the sock drawer, help me unload some of the plastics from the dishwasher, and of course, help pick up his toys. We're thoroughly enjoying the time where "helping" is still fun for him. :)
• He is finally, finally, understanding the art of bribery. Let me explain. :) "You eat 2 bites of sandwich and you can have a piece of cantaloupe" or "3 bites of chicken and you can have some croutons". Yes, fruit & croutons are his 2 favorite foods! But I have been trying to get him to understand this cause & effect for about 2 months. Yes, you can have that, but you have to eat that first. He finally got it. Oh, mealtime just became so much easier!!
• He loves to tell secrets. Daddy will whisper in his ear "psssssstttttt" and then he will come and whisper in mine!

Potty training is a vague hope. I have decided that I definitely will not stress about it being done before Eden arrives. We have the potty out and he went in it the very first day. Hasn't gone in it since! He can tell me when he needs a diaper change and when I see him "going", he runs away so I won't put him on the potty. :) Yeah, he knows. We're taking it slow at this point. I honestly can't even believe that's on the horizen.

He is cracking us up by what I call "random boy things".

Like when it's not enough to drink from your cup, let's put it in a purse first. Tastes much better.

 Or driving my car has gotten boring. Let's put a blanket on like a cape and then drive around. Superman.

Not so faves:

• We have entered the age of "I have an opinion and I know how to use it". Life was much simpler before he began to have an opinion. He has also learned what foods are in the fridge & pantry and reminds me which of them he would like. Cheese & yogurt from the fridge, and cereal or croutons from the pantry are his current hold-outs.
• Tantrums. My sweet little boy, where did you go and who is this little monster? Our first tantrums have come and they are sad. Time outs seem to work best for these so far and he calms down during the one minute he sits in the chair.
• Diaper rash. Hot summer + heavy sweatter + cloth diapers = rash. This summer we had a terrible time with diaper rash. I ended up using disposable way more than I would have liked, simply because we could not keep the rashes away. Cloth diapers simply don't have the absorbant nature of sposies, unfortunately. His skin is still easily irritated and so I am changing him as often as possible. Hoping the cooler weather gives some relief from that. We have tried several different free & clear detergents, and I don't think that is the issue, I simply think he a hot little boy. :)
• Running away. He thinks it's hilarious to take off running. I get a little tired of chasing him, :) but I am also so afraid that he is going to dart in front of a car. AGH. Extra vigilance! But it's hard to be mad when he's giggling his head off.

 Having lunch with some buddies!

 Last month he became quite clingy. This is what I was finding whenever I tried to cook dinner.

 Discovering jelly for the first time. It's best to lick it all off the top first.

Trying out a little backpack. Daddy put a blanket in it.

 He has discovered TV. and loves it! He basically sits open-mouthed with anything he watches.
Here he & buddy, Jenna, are captivated by the Wiggles.

 "Helping" daddy is a favorite thing!

 hike.

 he'd much rather push the stroller himself!

So, as always, keeping us on our toes. Always figuring out something new and always keeping us laughing!
Only 4 months till the big TWO arrives (and little sister!).