Videos!

Sorry for the delay in an update. Yes, we're still alive, just extremely tired and trying to get used to our new normal of having two kids in the house! I don't have time to write a long update right now (Amelia will not sleep unless she's literally on top of either Jeff or I, and my 'shift' begins soon), but I think these videos are too cute not to share!

In the first video, Amelia figured out how to use her sippy cup!

In the second video, Graham is acting like a typical big brother...

In the third video, Graham and Amelia are both all bundled up for an afternoon walk.

And finally, in the last video, Amelia is showing off her crawling skills.

Enjoy!

Hide and Seek

Graham is really into playing 'hide and seek' lately. We've got to work on his hiding places though because either one of two things happen. 1. He sits in the middle of the room covering his eyes, yelling for me to come and find him. Or, 2. He hides in his tent. Today, the tent was his hiding place of choice. So, it really wasn't too difficult to position myself with the camera as he emerged from his tent when I pretended I had no idea where he was. Each time he comes out of his tent, he does so with a giant smile on his face and yells 'Ta Da!"

" Ta Da!"

It's been a while...

In the last blog post, I was sharing my happiness regarding the fact that both boys were again healthy and I luckily escaped the dreaded stomach flu. I spoke too soon, because just a few hours later, I had the flu. Thankfully, it only lasted two days which was nothing compared to what Graham had to fight off. I can now say with confidence though, that we are all healthy-woo hoo! It's a good time for us to all be feeling so well since we're gearing up for what we expect to be an exciting week. We've been informed that our travel call is coming, probably by mid-week!!! :)

We've had a busy and fun past few days so here are a few pictures of what Graham has been up to!

Graham helped me make an apple cake. As you can see by his expression, he LOVES being helpful in the kitchen!

We attended a Hawaiian themed dinner party. Graham even learned how to say 'Aloha'!

Don't tell him the glasses are upside down. He was very proud that he was able to put them on alone, or as Graham would say 'Self!'

Graham enjoyed a visit with Miles. Graham would have stayed on this little stool for an hour just watching Miles sleep if we let him. To say he loves his little cousin is a true understatement!

We're back!

Knock on wood, we're finally all healthy here! After Graham took his turn with the flu for 5 solid days, Jeff also took a turn. He wasn't sick for as many days, but I think he did set some sort of record for sleeping 19 straight hours! Taking care of both boys has left me plain old tired, but I'm thankful that at this point, feeling run down is all I'm dealing with. I'll take that any day over the flu!

Since I've been neglectful of the blog lately, here is a funny Graham story and picture to go along with it. A few days ago, I had plans to bake cookies so left two sticks of butter on the counter to soften. The phone rang, I answered it, and proceeded to have a conversation. Perhaps if I had paid attention to the little voice in the background repeatedly saying 'chap stick' Graham wouldn't have smeared an entire stick of butter on his body then smashed nearly half of the second one into his mouth! This boy keeps me on my toes!

Still sick...

Graham's stomach bug is unfortunately still hanging around. My usually happy, energetic guy is cranky, whiny, and isn't content unless he's physically touching me. Watching tv is a real treat for Graham, but here on the fourth day of being stuck in the house, I figured I should just do what makes him happy. Right now, he's laying contently on the couch in his pajamas watching Curious George while I actually have two free hands! I hope he starts to feel better soon!

Sick Boy

It appears as though Graham has come down with a case of the flu. He threw up in the middle of the grocery store this morning (loads of fun for everyone!), and has a fever. Even the mention of food causes my poor little guy to turn white and gag. So, while I tend to him and all the laundry that goes along with a having a child with the flu, the blog will just have to wait. I've got my fingers crossed we're just dealing with a 24 hour bug...

'Dada's House'

We had lunch with Jeff today and as I pulled the car into the General Mills parking lot, from the backseat I heard Graham exclaim "Dada's house!" Yes, it is true that Jeff puts in long hours working hard at General Mills, but he sure doesn't live there. I did get a good laugh out of Graham's perception though.

Graham trying not to laugh with a mouth full of milk!

Taking a milk break where the big boys usually take a coffee break!

Back to the zoo...

As I impatiently wait for the phone to ring, I've been trying to remain very busy. Although Graham and I paid a visit to the zoo last week, we headed back there yesterday with my Mom so Graham could show his Grandma all his favorite animals. If you ask him what his favorite zoo creatures are, he'll tell you he likes the owls, fish, and otters. Luckily, we were able to see all three of those up close and personal. Also impressive, was the giant grizzly bear Graham had a very close encounter with. My Mom on the other hand, was forced to face her fear with Graham's new furry friend...bears just aren't her thing....

Hanging out with Grandma

Hello Mr. Bear!

Graham and Miles

We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with my family this morning and Graham was thrilled to see Miles. He talks about him constantly and stares at his picture which we proudly display on our fridge, so to see him in the flesh, made Graham one very happy guy! Graham even tried to share his bacon and eggs with Miles. When I reminded Graham that Miles couldn't eat big boy food yet and that he only drinks milk, it only took Graham a second to try and hand over his sippy cup. I think my little guy is going to make a great big brother! Now, along those same lines...tomorrow is Monday, the start of a a new week...here's to our travel call coming very, very soon!

Who likes cookies?

You'll have to please excuse the crazy hair Graham is sporting. We were playing in the snow and walking in the woods this afternoon and his crazy hair is nothing short of amazing hat hair!

This video clip isn't really that exciting other than the fact that Graham busts his Grandpa and his love of cookies! Graham was devouring his lemon Girl Scout cookie then he started smearing it all over his face and the table so I grabbed my camera since he was acting so goofy. I think it's pretty funny that out of everyone in Graham's life, he answered 'Grandpa' when I asked him who likes cookies....not a good answer since his Grandpa is trying to eat healthy foods and stay away from sugar. But, he is correct, Grandpa does love cookies!

At the very end of the clip, it's hard to understand what Graham is saying, but luckily as his Mother I'm able to translate! Since he knows I was recording him he's asking for the camera so he can watch himself.

Messy, Messy, Messy

Graham had the opportunity at school this morning to get very messy! He's wearing a very serious expression as he concentrates on his masterpiece, but don't let him fool you. He LOVED this foamy white paint and protested when it was time to move on to the next activity. I'm not always the best at encouraging these types of messy projects at home, so I'm thankful that his teacher is more than happy to let 10 very independent toddlers go to town in her room!

Speaking of messy, Graham isn't the only messy thing today...our weather is messy enough that I feel compelled to mention it. Yesterday it was beautiful and warm and right now as I sit at the computer I can barely make out the neighbors house through the blowing snow. Yes, a blizzard has arrived to dump the largest amount of snow that we've had all winter. Lovely.

'More Owl!!!"

Graham and I enjoyed a nice morning together at the zoo. The weather is near 40 degrees today which is fabulous. Yes, 40 degrees in a Minnesota winter does qualify as being fabulous! At the suggestion of a few of our friends, we decided to check out the 'World of Birds Show', something we've never done before. The show is about 3o minutes long and I worried that it wouldn't hold Graham's attention for that long. Boy, was I wrong! As the large hawks flew very close to our heads, Graham was extremely entertained. He was also very impressed by the talking parrots, although now I'm wondering if he assumes all birds can hold a real conversation. His favorite though, was a giant owl. I didn't know it made such an impression on him until he decided to announce it to the entire auditorium. The host of the show had the audience clap for the owl, then it flew off stage. The room got quiet as the trainers got ready to bring out the next bird, and Graham chose that exact moment to yell at the top of his lungs "More Owl!!!" Much to Graham's dismay, the owl did not reappear, but Graham's request did get the audience, and trainer, laughing.

Laughing at the monkeys

Waving to other guests at the bird show. He has a mouthful of milk here, and he was threatening to spit it out....that explains the goofy look on his face!

Stickers for everyone!

We had lunch downtown today with Sara and like usual, Graham thoroughly enjoyed his time with her! Sara was kind enough to allow Graham to decorate her Blackberry with yellow smiley face stickers. Then, Graham decided that not only should he wear a yellow sticker on his face, but Sara should also. What a great sport Sara is! Graham was in such a great mood today that I was able to find the perfect pair of shoes (I conveniently parked at the big downtown Macy's and the elevator conveniently opened into the giant shoe department!) to match my bridesmaid dress for Sara's wedding. Although the wedding is still a few months away, I was happy to find something now, because shopping for shoes with two children doesn't sound appealing!

A hat model in the making?

My parents have been vacationing in Hawaii and recently returned. Graham was so excited to see them and turned into a wild boy when he saw his 'Ahma' for the first time. Every day while they were gone, Graham would tell me 'Ahma Back' meaning that he wanted her to come back home. Finally, on Friday morning I told him we were going to the airport and did he know who we were picking up. He thought for a moment and said 'Amel ya ya!' I wish that was the case, but he quickly forgot about his sister when my mom jumped into the car next to him. Once back at our house, Graham discovered my Mom's beach hat in her suitcase and then the party really began!

Graham loves showing off his tongue

Being our silly guy

Graham didn't stop smiling for my Mom!

Today we ventured down to Northfield to visit St. Olaf. Although very cold outside, it was beautiful and sunny and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to stick Graham in the big chairs we always take his picture in. Too bad we didn't realize that all the outdoor furniture was taken inside for the winter! I guess the next time Graham sits in his chair he'll be sharing that spot with Amelia! Despite the missing furniture, we did have fun wandering around campus and letting Graham get used to his school! :)

Checking his mailbox

Very pleased with with what St. Olaf has to offer!

Sitting on the famous 'Who's meeting me for lunch?' bench (you have to be an Ole to get it!)

Taking care of business...

Things have been just crazy at work for Jeff lately. It's been hard for him to make it home at a decent time and when he is home, he's working. So, we thought lunch at General Mills sounded like a good idea for today. When Graham and I arrived, Jeff let me know that he was running behind and had to attend to a quick meeting. Because of security, my options were to hang out in the lobby or in Jeff's office. So, off we went to Jeff's office while Jeff attended to his business. Unfortunately, much of what looked appealing to Graham, was off limits to him. He wanted so badly to reorganize the organized stacks of paper and folders. Jeff should thank me for keeping his 'stuff' safe, because it really was no small feat! Entertaining an active toddler for 30 minutes in a quiet office proved to be a challenge, but we survived thanks to pens (normally off limits to him), calculators, a toy Dough Boy, and Jeff's iTouch (complete with Elmo podcasts) that we discovered at the very end of our stay! Enjoy the pictures of Graham taking care of business before lunch!

Writing a memo to his staff...

Double checking his numbers...

Socks or Mittens?

Since Graham has demonstrated the need to sleep in backwards pajama's, we had to cut the feet off in order to get the best 'fit'. The weather is still very cold here though, and I worried he'd be cold so we've been putting socks on his feet each night. Each morning when I get him out of his crib I find his socks are on the floor and he proudly shows off his bare toes. Today though, when I cautiously (after my discovery yesterday, I'm going to be cautious for quite a while!) walked into his bedroom, I heard him exclaim "Mama, mittens!" and I was greeted with the following sight. Life is never dull with Graham!

"Mittens!"

Graham was very proud of himself!

The Children's Museum

Today, we joined Kelly and Maddy for a trip to the Children's Museum. Both kids had a fantastic time exploring and especially loved playing in the water! Graham and Maddie also got to experience a tyke sized grocery store, Clifford play room, and a Minnesota habitat themed room complete with climbing structures. After playing so hard all morning, I was certain Graham would come home and take a very long, restful afternoon nap. But, he had other plans...

I thought he was sleeping, but instead he was quietly peeling off each layer of clothing including his VERY messy diaper. I was shocked at what I saw when I went into his room. Let's just say I had quite a bit of scrubbing to do, and several loads of laundry in very hot water. I learned a lesson today...not only does Graham need to sleep in backwards pajama's at night, but also during nap time too. Life is never dull with a toddler!

Just a few pictures...

Graham was downstairs playing tonight and discovered one of his Dada's sweatshirts. Since Graham wants to do everything the big boys do, of course he had to model it. Pretty cute if you ask me!

Graham's Baby

My parents are currently soaking up the tropical Hawaiian sun, but they left Valentine's Day presents for both Graham and Amelia. Graham is now the proud owner of a toddler version of Candy Land (he LOVES it and I highly recommend it for kids his age) and Amelia is the proud (or at least I imagine she would be proud) owner of her very first Cabbage Patch Kid. Since Amelia isn't around to open her gifts yet, I let Graham have that honor. Graham and I have been talking so much about our baby arriving though, that as soon as he saw the baby doll, he proclaimed her to be 'Amel ya ya'. After many conversations, I finally convinced him that this doll isn't Amelia, but that she actually belongs to Amelia. Then, after consulting the very official Cabbage Patch Kid birth certificate, I discovered that this baby's name is actually Reese. Luckily, Graham is able to clearly pronounce that name and he hasn't called the doll 'Amel ya ya' since yesterday. Graham has taken real liking to Reese and I'm hoping that he is willing to hand her over to Amelia when she finally makes her appearance. Until then though, Reese is in good hands....

Notice the backwards pajama's...thankfully the diaper now stays on!

Valentines Day Party

Today at school Graham had a Valentines Day Party. The kids got to decorate 'mailboxes' with glitter (tons and tons of glitter on top of mountains of glue) so they would have a place to deliver their Valentines Day cards. I was having a hard time imagining each child willingly parting with the cards they brought from home, but they all did a great job. Graham looked so grown up walking from bag to bag dropping off his Winnie the Pooh cards (he picked them out all by himself at Target). He had even more fun when it was time to dump out his bag and look through the cards he received. Once home, lining up the cartoon character covered cards entertained him for a good part of the afternoon. It was so much fun to watch him take such pride in decorating his mailbox then examine each and every card over and over over. It made me remember how exciting it was to dig through my own bag of Valentines way back when I was in school, and it was hard not to relive that excitement right along with him!

All dressed up for the big party!

Glitter and glue...Graham decided he couldn't do his best work with his hat on, so as adorable as it looked, he took it off.