More Snow ?!?

Yesterday I was happy to notice that my tulips were starting to come up. By the end of today though, those poor flowers will be covered in 7-9 inches of fresh snow. Yes, it's true, we're in the middle of yet another snow storm. What kind of a state is this? I was NOT happy to see my yard covered with a white blanket this morning! Two weeks ago, when I bundled Graham up to play in the snow, I told him that would be the last time he'd have to wear his snowsuit this year. I guess I was wrong, because this afternoon, I again dug it out from the back of his closet, and turned getting the mail into play time for Graham. It was pretty windy outside and the blowing snow seemed to annoy Graham as it hit his face, but I feel like it's my motherly duty to at least present him with the opportunity to have fun in the snow. I just wish this opportunity weren't presenting itself at the very end of March!!

Ms. Pancake

This morning we headed to the MN Landscape Arboretum and met up with Amy, Dave, and Alex for a pancake breakfast. I think even the babies would agree that the food and company made for a great meal. The highlight though, was a poor girl who's only job was to walk around wearing a pancake costume with a giant pat of butter hat on her head. It was amusing enough that we had her pose with our little ones! Neither Graham or Alex really knew what to make of the giant pancake!

After our "all you could eat" pancake meal we headed outside to enjoy the weather. What made the beautiful weather seem even better was that the forecasted rain and snow were nowhere in sight. Instead we had a very sunny morning and after walking around the 3 mile trail, it was warm enough for us to peel off our winter layers! For only the second time ever, Graham even surprised us by falling asleep in his stroller!!! I'm really hoping there is a pattern to his ability to fall asleep in his stroller. I'm already excited just imagining my trips to the mall with a peacefully sleeping baby!!! When Graham did wake up, he was in a great mood and made a game out of showing off that cute tongue of his!

When we got home from our morning, it appeared as though Graham had worked up quite the appetite riding around in his stroller. He was very excited about his lunch and because of his independent (or stubborn) mood, he wanted to feed himself his yogurt. He was surprisingly pretty good at getting it to his mouth! Since he hates to wear a bib though, his self-feeding did require an outfit change!

A New Xylophone...

Graham has always loved his xylophone and while I'm all about encouraging him to pound away to discover his "musical self", the constant metal tinging left me feeling like I was living in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood. Not that it wouldn't be a nice place to visit, but day in and day out, is a bit much. So, it was our mission today to find a new, more natural sounding xylophone that would be able to stand up to Graham's pounding. We had success!! Graham is thrilled with his new wooden toy, and I'm ecstatic with the more natural sound this one makes. As you can see from the following pictures, Graham has discovered that there are many ways to happily amuse oneself with such an instrument!

Happy Birthday Peter!

Today is Uncle Peter's birthday so we met up with my family this evening to have a celebration dinner! Before dinner though, we stopped at Trader Joe's to pick up a few things. Graham apparently decided that he had his own shopping to do....

After we left Trader Joe's we had dinner at Peter's restaurant of choice-Benihana. He really likes this place because of a specific episode of "The Office"-if you watch the show, you know what I'm talking about. Graham was pretty amused by the "show" that is put on table side. He did spend a good amount of time yelling loudly though since the chef wasn't willing to hand over his knife collection to him. Graham just couldn't understand why the utensils were toys to the chef but couldn't be his toys....

We finished off our evening with a stop at Peter and Lynn's for some birthday cheesecake and presents. It was here, that Graham had his very first taste of cheesecake which he absolutely loved. That's my boy! As one of his birthday gifts, Peter received a new computer and just as we were leaving for the night, Graham decided that the empty computer box would make a wonderful toy!

An Afternoon Playdate!

Today Graham and I went over to visit with our friends Amy and Alexandra. Not only did Graham get to play with Alex, but also Copper the da da ("da da" is the correct pronunciation for "dog" according to Graham), and two kitties that Graham "roared" at a few times. We work very hard on our animal sounds and he's definitely got the roaring for a lion down. I think he saw the cats and thought they were very nice, tame lions! They're both in the cat family, so I'll give him credit! When it was time for lunch, Alex was kind enough to allow Graham to use her highchair to eat too! Of course no meal is complete without Graham allowing at least a few pieces of food to hit the floor and this made Copper one happy dog!

These two seem deep in thought - using teamwork, they're working very hard to figure out the shape sorter!

As if you couldn't tell from the following pictures, we had spaghetti at our house for dinner tonight. I thought it would be easier for Graham to eat his pasta if I piled it into a bowl for him but Graham does NOT have a good track record with plates and bowls-they're nothing but toys to throw for him. Still, I wanted to try...I used his bowl with a suction, and about 5 seconds after he was seated, the entire bowl was overturned and he began laughing. Someone really needs to come up with child-proof suction cup dishes, because Gerber just isn't cutting it in our house! I had a feeling this would be one messy meal so we Graham ate dinner in his diaper and a bib. Even with the lack of clothes, the mess was unbelievable!

Lunch With A Cell Phone

We had our weekly lunch at General Mills today and Graham was happy to see that Uncle Peter (and his cell phone!) were able to join us. Graham is happy with attention from his doting family, but none of that matters if he's allowed to play with a cell phone. Peter was kind enough to let Graham play with his phone for quite a while so needless to say, Graham was very content for our entire visit to General Mills.

Deep in conversation with Uncle Peter

Nothing makes Graham happier than a cell phone!

Graham couldn't figure out why his precious toy would vibrate occasionally!

Lunching with the Ladies

Last night I went to bed wishing that Graham would sleep-in this morning. I had no reason to believe it would actually happen since Graham normally wakes up by 7:15 at the latest. Perhaps I should make this same wish more often, because this morning Graham didn't wake up until 8:30! Normally Graham's conversation with his stuffed animals wakes me up each morning. This morning when I woke up on my own and saw that it was already 7:30 I was a bit concerned. I turned the baby monitor WAY up so I could make sure he was breathing (sleeping-in is very un-Graham like), then I proceeded to enjoy my quiet hour. At 8:30 I heard a very loud and emphatic "UUUUUUPPPP" coming from Graham's room. It was almost as if he understood he had slept late and didn't want to waste anymore time in his crib! So began our day....

We had no plans today and I was looking forward to a lazy day at home. Around lunchtime though we had a spur of the moment lunch invite from my mom and her friend who was in town from Duluth. So, Graham and I headed to Wildfire where for the first time he "chose" his meal off of the children's menu. Normally I bring his meals, but without much notice today, I didn't have the time or creativity to pack something up for him. Graham chose a grilled cheese sandwich and fries. He happily ate his food then became tired. Instead of become fussy though, he quietly laid his head directly into his grapes and took a rest! It's too bad it isn't appropriate for adults to lay their heads into their food each time they became a bit sleepy!

Easter Bunny x 3!!!

Graham had a simply wonderful day today! He was lucky enough to have the Easter Bunny visit him on three separate occasions....what do you expect with one set of doting parents and two sets of equally doting Grandparents? Graham appeared pleased with all the attention that goes along with visiting with all four Grandparents in one day! Let's just say that Graham was exhausted by the end of the day and I wouldn't be surprised if he even sleeps in a bit tomorrow morning....ok, I'm crossing my fingers that he sleeps in a bit tomorrow morning!

Here is Graham discovering his Easter basket that was delivered by the Easter Bunny while he slept. The "Easter Bunny" had a hard time figuring out what to put in eggs for a curious 14 month old little boy, and decided on socks! Not too exciting for Graham, but at least he didn't have empty eggs! In his basket he also got some books, sand box toys, bubbles, animal crackers, and a beach ball! I'm pretty sure the beach ball is his new favorite toy!

Grandma and Grandpa Greer came over for brunch this morning and brought Graham Easter Basket #2-what a lucky boy! Graham's favorite item in this basket was a pinwheel. We showed him how to blow on it so it will spin and it was pretty cute to watch him copy us...I wish he understood that blowing spit onto a pinwheel doesn't work the same as blowing air onto pinwheel!

Someone should have told him that his banana still had the peel on!

According to Graham, this is the best seat in the house...not too sure what Annie thinks though...

I decided that Graham needed to work on "healthy attachment" with his baby so I strapped it to his back podaegi (traditional Korean baby carrier) style. The funny thing is, he didn't even seem to care that there was a doll strapped to him!

After Graham woke up from his afternoon nap we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Olson and shared a delicious dinner. It was at their house that Graham received Easter Basket #3! In his basket, he was happy to discover some new books about his favorite subject-fish! If I look at all of Graham's baskets from the day, I see a theme-books! You'd think he had a bunch of teachers in his life or something! :)

It's a PARTY afternoon!

This afternoon, we got to help Graham's friend Livia, celebrate her 1st Birthday! I'll be honest and say that I'm very thankful that Graham's 1st birthday party is well behind us now. The amount of work that goes into these parties is unbelievable, so it was nice to be a guest rather than a host today. Graham had a great time playing with all the kids and trying out all of Liv's toys. We were even lucky enough to have some delicious Korean food! As Jeff carried around his plate of food, and I carried around Graham (surprise, surprise, he ONLY wanted his Mommy!), Jeff would occasionally offer Graham a taste. Graham wouldn't take a single piece of food...that is until I offered it to him! It appears as though Graham's "I really, really, REALLY want my Mommy phase" is still hanging around. At least he's playing independently again allowing Jeff to hold him though, so we're moving in the right direction!

Graham thought that the birthday girl needed some help digging into her cake!

Graham and Livia

A few of the many children that Graham spent his afternoon playing with.

Spring = Snow????

We had the pleasure (insert sarcasm) of waking up to 6 new inches of snow this morning. What is going on with our weather? Just a week ago we were hanging out at the park and playing on the swings. Today, we were stuck inside because the snowplow made a mountain at the end of our driveway and we couldn't get out. Luckily, I think it will melt pretty quickly since warmer temperatures are forecasted for next week.

Graham was watching Annie run through the snow. Notice how he's drinking his juice with no hands? That's his new thing...he just holds the straw with his teeth which apparently leaves his hands free for more important things.

When Jeff got home from work, we decided to try taking Graham outside to play in the snow. He made it very clear to us in December that he hated that cold white stuff. We're hoping that today was our last chance to play in the snow for the season so outside we went. Graham shocked both of us because he LOVED it and actually became annoyed with me when I took him inside!

Crawling through the snow!

Checking out the snow on the tree

Sled ride compliments of Daddy! When Jeff became tired of running through the snow pulling the sled and stopped for a break Graham started to yell...apparently he wants to be in charge of how long his rides last!

When we finally came inside to warm up, Graham discovered a new game. Jeff is always bringing home treats from General Mills for us to try and this week we got microwave popcorn...boxes and boxes of microwave popcorn...enough popcorn for Graham to build a skyscraper!

His building project begins...


Still in the early stages, but coming along...

Graham's skyscraper...he would happily knock it down and rebuild it several time this evening!

Velcro Baby

Today was an interesting day and I believe what actually made it interesting started last night. I had plans to go out for dinner with a friend. Yes, this doting Mommy needed some adult time! So, when Jeff got home from work I attempted to hand Graham over to his Daddy so I could be on my way. Graham wanted nothing to do with this new arrangement though and kept insisting that I be the one to hold him. After spending a few minutes trying to rationalize with him, and realizing that in this situation it wasn't working, I just put Graham directly into his highchair with his dinner and left for my wonderful evening out. Unfortunately, when I got home to hear how things went at home, I learned that it wasn't a wonderful evening for Graham. Apparently, after I left, Graham didn't eat one bite of his dinner. Rather, he threw every single piece onto the floor. After refusing all food, he solemnly played with his toys until it was time for bed. Fast forward to this morning....I went to get Graham out of his crib and was met with a giant smile and a very clingy baby. Graham refused to be put down nearly all day. Breakfast and lunch were the worst. He actually had a meltdown each time I tried to put him into his highchair to eat. Jeff and I believe that Graham was associating his highchair with his Mommy leaving, even it was only for a short while. So, Graham and I spent the majority of the day in bear hug position. Thankfully, he decided it was ok to sit in the highchair during dinner this evening when all three of us sat down like we normally do.

Because of his runny nose, I kept Graham out of school today. I think his cold is just about gone, but I didn't want him to share his lovely illness with his classmates. He did get an email from his friend Abigail tonight though wondering where he was today during school. Apparently he and his animal noises were missed! Velcro baby and I took advantage of our extra time today, ran some errands and ended up having a spur of the moment lunch with our friend Sara. The grand finale to our day though was haircut #3 for Graham. We're so happy that he actually likes to get his haircut! Graham's first haircut was torture for all involved. The poor thing was so scared! The past two times though, Graham seems to actually enjoy himself! Tonight he sat in the chair, giggled at the electric razor, smiled and waved at himself in the mirror, and clapped for himself for his job well done. That's our happy boy!

Graham thought it was hilarious to take the comb away from the lady cutting his hair and put it in his mouth. I guess a comb feels really good on teething gums!

I should also add that today marks 6 months that Graham has been home with us! HOLY COW!!! At times it feels like he's been with us forever and at other times it feels like just yesterday that we were walking up and down the aisle on the plane with our screaming baby. As I write today about Graham being clingy, I am sooo very thankful for that "clingyness". 6 months ago, judging by his reactions to me, it was hard to imagine him accepting me, let alone clinging to me! I am so thankful for the bond that Graham shares with both his Mommy and Daddy. And, if he wants to be a Velcro baby, I'll take it! I know that Graham is already growing up way too fast and before I know it, I'll be wishing he wanted to sit in my lap and cuddle. We love you Graham!

Still under the weather....

Unfortunately, Graham is still feeling a little bit sick. We had lunch at General Mills today but Graham didn't crack a single smile. His cold is still lingering and those teeth are still doing their best to cut through his gums, so I think this is just going to take some time. We have our little class tomorrow morning but I don't think we'll be able to go. Graham is definitely in violation of the "no runny nose " rule! We'll just take it easy at home again tomorrow. Drinking lots of fluids, looking at books with Mommy, and some really good naps sounds like a good way to combat a cold and teething to me!


Deep in sleep!

An Evening In

It seems as though Graham, his cold, and his never-ending teething have finally turned a corner, and I'm crossing my fingers that he's on the mend. We stayed in today so Graham could take it easy and get in some nice long naps. This evening, we were supposed to go out with Uncle Peter and Auntie Lynn, but decided it would be better for all if we just hung out at home rather than dragging Graham to a restaurant and hoping he would be patient enough for us to enjoy a leisurely meal. Uncle Peter tried to teach Graham some new "grown up" vocabulary words tonight... Luckily, Graham doesn't repeat much yet, so I'm still safe....for how long, who knows though. I will say that there is never a dull moment with Uncle Peter around!

Trying out his new duck whistle with Auntie Lynn as his captive audience!

Giving a concert with Uncle Peter's help....

Giving a concert Stevie Wonder style!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Unfortunately, Graham's runny and those four pesky molars that are trying desperately to cut through his gums kept him inside and quiet today. That didn't stop him completely from celebrating though. Here is Graham enjoying his lime jello as an after lunch treat! He was happy in his green outfit with his green dessert! I don't think there is a bit of Irish on either side of our families, but he's still got Irish pride!

"Ish" and a Tiger

Today we took Graham on an adventure to the zoo. He really enjoys watching animals and the weather is slowly getting warmer, so off we went. This was no surprise to us, but Graham's favorite part of the zoo appeared to be the aquarium. He loved to see the "ish" (he's trying to say the word fish) and became very excited each time something large swam in front of him. When the shark went by he pointed and yelled "Ish!", when the dolphins went by he again pointed and yelled "Ish!", and when the sting rays went by he pointed, yelled "Ish!" and tried desperately to get into the water with them. We tried to convince Graham that swimming with the sting ray isn't a good idea, but that didn't stop him from expressing his extreme (and very vocal!) sadness as we strapped him into his stroller and walked to the next exhibit. After walking around outside for a bit, we decided it was best to cut our zoo trip short. Unfortunately, Graham has come down with a cold. His nose is runny, his eyes are glassy, and as the day wore on, he was becoming more and more unhappy. So, we headed home, changed him into some comfortable clothes, and tucked him in for a nap. I feel so badly for him. He's currently cutting four molars, and now on top of that, he's got a cold. Poor little guy! We'll probably lay low for the next few days so Graham can get some rest and fight off his cold.

Ish!!

Checking out the sting ray swimming by....

Trying to get into the water with the sting ray!

Watching the monkeys! Graham really studied them...I was concerned that he was taking mental notes as to how they climb and swing so high!

Up close and personal with a tiger...

Daddy and Graham!