"On the night you were born" (our favorite bedtime story)

I was 36 weeks and 4 days. We had gone to a pool birthday party on Saturday afternoon, and the water and sun really wore me out. I remember feeling unusually tired on the drive home, and telling Justin  that I hoped this was not how I was going to feel for the rest of the pregnancy... little did I know. When we got home I laid down for my usual afternoon nap while Grayer was sleeping and when I woke up I felt back to normal. The rest of the day went on without incident, and as Justin and I were getting into bed I told him that I really hoped that when it was time to have this baby that my water would break just like it had with Grayer so that I would just know it was time to head to the hospital. I worried that if contractions started without my water breaking that I would have no idea when it was really time to head in. We climbed into bed and lazily talked about how excited we were to be adding another sweet little boy to our family. We kissed goodnight and went to sleep. At 4:15am, I turned over and woke to my water breaking. It was a small gush, *exactly* like it had been with Grayer, and just like the first time I thought to myself, did my water just break? Yes, it definitely just broke. I wanted to see if contractions would start, as I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks. I got up, went into the kitchen and poured myself some juice. The first contraction hit. It wasn't terribly painful, but it felt totally different than the BH's contractions. I was giddy knowing that this was it!! I climbed back into bed as another contraction hit, so I decided to start timing them with my iPhone. I timed them for about 30 minutes and they were already hitting every 5-6 minutes. Yikes! At 4:50 I decided it was probably time to wake Justin up. He of course was shocked and totally caught totally off guard. We got up, and made the calls to our parents and to Chrissa, who I told that my water had broken, but that we weren't in a rush and I would call her back in a bit. I called my Dr at 5:10 and when i told her my contractions were 5 mins apart, she said that we should head to the hospital. By this time, the contractions were getting increasingly painful, and Justin's parents were still 20 minutes away, so we decided to call Chrissa back to have her come stay with Grayer while we went to the hospital. 10 minutes later I had to hold on to the back of the couch while a contraction hit before walking out to get into the car. The pain was starting to get real, quick. The bumps in the road on the way to the hospital were awful, and I couldn't believe how much pain I was already in. When we walked into the hospital about 5:45, I couldn't even stand at the check in desk with Justin because the pain was so intense. I slowly walked to the family waiting room and sat down, gripping my belly and trying not to make any embarrassing noises, as there was a a older gentleman sipping on coffee a few seats down. It was no use, I was in. pain. A couple minutes later it was our turn to get check in, and the nurse thankfully did it really quickly, as she could tell that I was really uncomfortable. She had another nurse bring a wheelchair so that I wouldn't have to walk back to the room. They started talking triage since I was only 36 weeks, but when we told them that I had been at 3 cm's 4 days before they decided to take me directly to a room. As they were rolling me back to L&D, I was already asking when I could get my epidural. I was in sooooo much pain. They were light hearted and chatting, probably rolling their eyes at each other, thinking oh, this crazy lady. They gave me the dreaded hospital gown to change into. A nurse came back in to check me, and her eyes widened and she said "oh honey, you ARE in pain, you're at an 8!" Ahh!! Finally, confirmation I wasn't just being a baby, but oh.my.gosh.i.can.not.do.this.any.longer. can I please get my epidural now?? I think it was at this point that all the staff knew I wasn't going to have time for one, but I was still thinking there is NO POSSIBLE WAY I can do this without drugs. I had never in my life experienced pain like this. Little did I know (oh but I did) it was going to get much worse. And it did. At this point there was a little panic in the room, and instead of the one nurse delivery nurse like there was with Grayer, there were 3 nurses all rushing around, prepping for delivery. There was no relief, the contractions were incredibly intense and hitting back to back. I was still begging for an epidural, pleading for something, anything to take the pain away. They told me at this point the anisteologist was with another patient but that I was next, knowing full well, he would never make it to me. This baby was coming NOW. They were introducing the on call delivery doctor, as I was yelling I need to push!!! I have heard people say this before, feeling the absolute need to push, but had never experienced it. The feeling is overwhelming. The pain was incredible, but I vividly remember thinking, I can't believe the on call doctor, not my doctor, was going to deliver my baby. And without drug no less. At this instant, in rushed my doctor, Dr. Kavitha Blewett, who was very quickly changing into scrubs! She made it! I of course begged her to get me an epidural, but she kept saying over and over, you can do this, you can do this. I started to push and the pain was mind numbing. I couldn't even open my eyes. I kept thinking in my head, this can't be happening. I am in so much pain. But it was. And 10 minutes and 4 big pushes later, our miracle baby, the one that everyone had been fervently praying for since my initial bleed at 5 weeks, was out and placed in my arms. You were so tiny!!! You were beautiful and just so perfect!! I had never been more in love. The pain of it all was immediately gone. You were here!! I soaked in every breath and every last cry. You were finally with us and it was all just so incredibly magical. I will never forget the experience, and wouldn't change any of it. I love you so, so, so much. Xoxo momma.

To my littlest love: part 2

To my littlest love:

21 weeks and 2.5 years

I have meant to track a few things from this pregnancy, but am going to allow myself to make it short and sweet.

I have been feeling baby boy moving since 15 weeks, which is when I started feeling Grayer move too. I felt the first kicks from the outside at 17 weeks and Justin felt him at 19 weeks. So sweet to feel all his movements. He is pretty active, but not crazy... Yet! It's so nice not to have to use the Doppler to know he's doing ok in there.

I am craving sweets galore! I craved chocolate milkshakes with Grayer, but this pregnancy hasn't been as specific, just any ol sugar loaded item will do at this point. I am drinking more milk and eating lots of bananas and strawberries. I can also easily drink 3 or 4 cups of coffee every morning, if I let myself, so thankfully I just like the taste of coffee and drink straight decaf or this babe would be in trouble :)

They aren't joking when they say you get bigger quicker with the second pregnancy. I feel like I am the size I was on our babymoon with Grayer (28 weeks) now at 21 weeks. It's crazy to think I still have 19 weeks of growing to do, but I know it will be worth it!

No morning sickness at all, no heart burn so far and thankfully some of the insomnia has lifted as well. Maybe a little bit of swelling by the end of the day, but not bad. My sweet, sweet hubby still gives me loads of foot massages which helps :)

I am not enjoying the side sleeping at all, and just purchased two new pillows...which brings me to a hefty total of 5 hehehe! Poor Justin.



Grayer- you just celebrated a half birthday and are now officially 2.5! Here are a few things you are up to these days:

You all of the sudden love to sing. You used to shush me almost every time I would try to sing to you (other than at bedtime, ha!) and tell me "mommy, I don't like that song" no matter the tune, but now you enjoy lots of songs. Your faves to sing are Twinkle, Twinkle, Jesus Loves Me, The Wheels on the Bus, Old McDonald, and No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.

You got your first ear infection this week, so sad :( you still say your ears don't hurt, but I can't imagine that's true. You are taking some meds now and we are hoping it clears up quickly because its been a rough few days (and nights).

You love to have tackle time with your daddy every night. As soon as he walks in the door you bombard him with tackle time requests. It's so fun to see you guys playing and wrestling together, I know it's both of your favorite time of the day. It does get pretty loud and crazy though, so this momma is wondering what it will be like with another little dude soon!

You are going through a picky eater phase... And by that I mean you are a TERRIBLE eater these days. You won't eat anything... Literally. All of your usual faves sit on your plate and go to waste, meal after meal. You take a bite of something and immediately spit it out. Not sure what we will do of this keeps up, except pray :)

You are a chatter box and talk constantly. When we are in the car, it's non-stop talking about the school and dart buses, the dirt diggers, bulldozers and the "little men" (??) that drive them, as well as what I need to do when the light turns a certain color (yes, you have become my little backseat driver!).

Daddy moved you to your toddler bed while I was in Lindale on a girls trip, and though I did have a tearful breakdown upon arriving home, you have totally rocked this new transition. You never ever get out of bed and call for me after nap and bedtime to come and get you. I think you really like being such a big boy. Potty training...now that's another post... : /

These are just a few things that make you so unique and so fun to be around. We love you sweets!

Baby kicks

Wow. That pretty much sums it up. Nothing can prepare you for the first time you feel your baby kicking from the outside. Yes, I have felt this before, and I would have sworn it would have felt the same, maybe even a little repetitive, but whoa, was I wrong. Feeling THIS baby gently kicking the hand that is laying on my tummy is the most emotional, magical feeling I think I've ever felt. That's not at all to say that it wasn't just as emotional and magical with Grayer, because it most definitely was, but it's so insanely beautiful the love that God gives us for each precious baby, and how it just seems to appear, even when the pregnancy feels so strangely similar to last time. I can't stop the joyful tears from flowing as I feel this sweet baby moving. It really just takes my breath away.

17 weeks, 2 days

Happy Valentine's Day!!

...a few days late :)

So... We're having a baby!!!

Yes, it's true, there is another itty bitty on the way! We couldn't be more excited to meet this new addition. We found out on Thanksgiving that I was pregnant! Just like the last time, when I was pregnant with Grayer (since thankfully the first time trying worked again), I knew the exact day I could test to see if I was indeed pregnant, and I couldn't sleep the night before wondering if I was or not. I woke up around 6:30 and snuck into the bathroom, trying to be extra quiet so Justin wouldn't suspect what I was doing (He on the other hand has never known when I will be testing, so it's a fun surprise). I peed on the stick, set it on the tub ledge and went to get some juice. When I went back it to check, it was the FAINTEST pink line you can imagine (it was 6 days early!), like you had to turn it a certain way to see the line. But pink is pink is pink. So, I crawled back into bed without a word, giddy as a school girl. I knew how I wanted to tell J, so I was mum for a bit. We had Thanksgiving plans with our families, so we had to get up and get moving pretty quickly. Justin hopped into the shower, and I jumped into action. I got a big green bow, and wrapped it around the pregnancy test, taped it to the mirror in the bathroom and wrote a note on the mirror that said Daddy X's 2! The mirror was steamed up, but it didn't take long for him to see it. He was very surprised and so excited! Since the line was so faint, he wasn't quite sure it was right, but pink is pink is pink. I was pregnant!!!

But soon our excitement turned into fear. At 5 weeks, I started spotting and went to see the doctor. They saw a fetal pole and heartbeat, but it was lower than they wanted it to be. Said it could have been low because it was so early in the pregnancy, but I got blood work done and made an appointment for the next week. Blood work came back great but a day before my next appointment, I started bleeding again. Had a sono that showed the baby looking great (great heart rate!) but they found a subchorionic hemorrhage. This is a blood clot inbetween the placenta and the uterine wall, and causes bleeding, higher risk of miscarriage and can cause other serious complications later in the pregnancy. I was put on pelvic rest and was on modified bedrest for multiple days during the first trimester. I had another pretty big bleed at 11 weeks, and my doctor wanted me to see a high risk perinatologist at 13 weeks. The appointment went really well, and the doctor was not concerned with the clot and didn't think it should cause any more problems as it was beginning to shrink. I am now 14.4 weeks preggo and haven't any more issues (praise!!!) so we are hopeful all that is behind us. The Lord has been so gracious and comforting to us during this difficult time.

There are many, many negatives to pelvic rest, but not being able to lift my sweet little was ABSOLUTE TOTRURE for both of us. There were many times he would ask to be held, and I would sit in a heap on the floor just loving on my baby while he whined or cried, holding back tears because we were both upset that it just wasn't the same. And it wasn't the same. But we made it through and are stronger because of it. I've been given the clear to ease back into things, and I am able to hold him when I want, for now at least, so I do, all the time.

And last but certainly not least, we found out at 12 weeks and confirmed at 13 weeks that we are having another precious baby BOY!! We are so excited and can't wait to give Grayer a little brother! I can't imagine my life without sisters, and am so thankful that Grayer will get to experience the bond of a brother :)

Nap-time is the new play-time

I knew it was coming, and I've tried to be brave, but its a shock to the system none the less. For the last two weeks, Gray has been doing everything but sleeping for the first hour of his nap time. He talks, he sings, he jumps, he reads, anything to avoid sleep. He's super happy, without a care in the world, so I let him play (until I don't!). Since this baby in my tummy has made me so much more tired during the day than I ever remember with Grayer (more on that later), I've been taking a nap when G does most days, so this hour long play date Grayer has been having with his imaginary friends has been a bit exhausting. But there are two positives to this story.
The first being, he still takes a nap...always! Once he finally stops jumping on his trampoline aka his bed, and drifts to sleep, he is still sleeping usually around two hours, so really, what's an extra hour of "quiet" time? :)
The second is being able to see my babe from a completely different angle. I still use a video monitor during nap time, so I can clearly hear everything he is saying during this time. His imagination is running wild, and I love it!  Sometimes he's running from a wild animal, bouncing from one end of his crib to the other, all the while squealing "polar bear, polar bear, polar bear!!!", sometimes he's reenacting a book and singing "no monkeys jumping on bed", and sometimes he's putting his pet frog on his back, swinging him around yelling "weeeeeeeee, let's go, let's go!". Whatever it is, it's entertaining and amusing to both of us :)

But... Here's to hoping this is not the start to no more naps. At 2 years old, and a itty bitty on the way, this momma isn't near ready for that!

27 Months

Grayer, here is what you are up to at 27 months.

You talk non-stop. There are almost no silent moments in our day, and most of the time we wouldn't want it any other way (except maybe at the dinner table when your dad and I are trying to catch up on the day, ha!). You say really funny things like "I want to run around naked mama!" or "that poo poo is stinky" when you're getting a diaper change... Ah potty training, yep, that's another post.

You do these funny little rituals that just melt my heart and make me so thankful I'm "da-mama" (yes, thats what you often call me). After bath every night, you want me to wrap you up in your hoodie towel, craddle you in my arms and talk to you like a baby, while you fake cry... Seriously hilarious and no idea how it started! You also request to be wrapped up in your three blankets like a mummy before bed every night. So silly!

You haven't reached the "watch me" phase yet, but you are definitely in the "come with me" phase. You are always asking for me or your dad to "come this way", but are thankfully getting into a really good habit of playing independently in your room for awhile. Still, you reaching for my hand and asking me to come with you is so sweet.

You still love to be read to, but usually only before bed. You are starting to memorize some of your favorite books like "Are you my mother?" and your opposites book and its precious to hear you reading them to yourself.

You are always talking and asking about your grandparents, Elle and recently your uncle Noah. You know where the Stavlo's street is, and if we drive by without turning down it, you ask about Elle and
Noah's house, and ask if we can go play.

Well nugget, these are just a few of the things that you are doing these days.

I love you!

The f word

Fear of the unknown. It's a fear that wants to swallow you whole if you will let it. And while there have been moments, minutes, hours in the last few weeks that I have allowed this fear to consume me, I am ever prayerful that I will not allow the deep rooted black seed to take hold of my heart. Sometimes there are scary, but thrilling times where fear of the unknown comes into play, like when your parents drop you off at college, or your start a new job, but this isn't one of those times. 

This feels like the fear is paralizing. This feels like walking on egg shells. This feels like it would be my fault. This feels like waiting for the end but praying it never comes.

Today I am thankful that our hope is not in this world. I am thankful for encouraging words. I am thankful for love shown through selfless acts of kindness. I am thankful for whispered prayers. I am thankful for grace.

26 Months and Christmas

It has been a busy few months for our household. We have jumped head first into the Christmas season and are enjoying all the seasonal things that come along with it. We have visited Santa, driven to look at Christmas lights, listened to countless Christmas songs, drank hot cocoa, played in the “snow” (shaving cream for those of us that live in Texas J), made reindeer feed, watched Christmas movies along with a multitude of other festive holiday fun that goes along with our “25 Days of Christmas”. It’s been so fun to see how much Grayer has grown and learned in a year. Last year, he fell asleep while looking at Christmas lights and this year he was talking a million miles a minute and as we passed one Santa, he would immediately begin asking when we would see the next one. He is in love with the jolly guy and affectionately calls him “Sanpa”.  So sweet J

We’ve been to a few Christmas parties already, one that was just for the ladies in our playgroup where we exchanged our “favorite thing” gifts. I got the most snuggly blanket that I sleep with at night (love, love, love being under a million blankets) and use while being lazy on the couch as well. We had a Toys for Tots happy hour that Justin and I both got to attend which was fun! I went to a “Mrs. Clause” baking party that a girlfriend hosted a few days ago, which allowed me to look like a good baker when I put together Christmas gifts for Grayer’s MDO teachers, haha! Luckily, he doesn’t tell J We have Justin’s work Christmas party on Thursday night, which I know he is looking forward to. We have some friends coming in from out of town for NYE, so I am really excited about that (but not looking forward to the end of the holiday season…).

Since it’s been a few months since I’ve updated about what our little bug is up to these days, I will take some time to do that now.

Grayer, here is what you are up to at 26 (almost 27!) months.

I’m pretty sure you are ready to be potty training, but for some reason your mom is being s-l-o-w about it. You will go pee-pee on the potty every single time someone asks you if you want to go, and you have gone poop once… I caught you in the act and rushed you to the potty. You did great, and have no fears of using the potty, I think it’s just going to be a consistency thing with your dad and I. I think in January I will just buckle down and just do it. You used to get 2 M&M’s when you would go potty, but you stopped asking for them, and I stopped offering and you haven’t seemed to notice, so maybe it will all be easier than I hoped! J

You are so funny and love to laugh. You can be such a goober sometimes, and just love to be tickled to death. Your laughter and squeals of delight never cease to make your dad and I laugh out loud every.single.time. You would be tickled from sun up to sun down if someone would appease you. You are most ticklish under your arms and on the bottom of your sweet, stinky (seriously- are you already 15???) feet.

You are very sociable and don’t ever really get shy. You enjoy going to Sunday school, Mother’s Day Out, and Wed morning Bible Study. You are always smiley and giddy while we are getting you checked in to all those places. You just love your friends, teachers and ALL the fun toys!

You’re not a super hyper little boy, but have a good amount of energy. You like to be on the go just like your mom, and ask quite often “where go next mama”. We spend a lot of time at the zoo, libraries, parks, arboretum, and just running errands. I so enjoy being out and about with you J

You know all of your basic colors and yellow, purple and green are your favorites. You can count to 10 (with the exclusion of 1… you will NOT say 1) just not in any particular order yet, haha!  You love to read, and love to do all your puzzles that we have in your room. Your newest craze is any type of “I spy” book where you have to find certain things in the pictures. You LOVE to find all the fun items and are so proud of yourself when you can find them all.

You still love to play with balls, and it really doesn’t matter which ones. You love soccer, football, golf, and baseball and the all of the sports equipment that has taken over our house is a testament to this. Kicking, throwing, hitting, dunking…you love it all!

You also are loving trains these days. We took you to the Trains at Northpark this weekend, and your dad and I had to tag-team keeping up with you. You were NOT content to watch the trains pass, you were sprinting to follow each one of them, and unfortunately had very little regard for anyone in your way. We were there for almost an hour, and were afraid there was going to be a meltdown when it was time to go, because you were really enjoying yourself, but thankfully you were hungry and french fries won out J

You used to be obsessed with your Poppa and Papa (which you totally still are), but now you are obsessed with your cousin. You ask me about 10 times a day “where is Elle?” It happens when I come to get you from your bed in the mornings, when I pick you up from school, any time a park is mentioned and lots of other random times in-between. You do love to play with her the very most. You love sweet baby Hadleigh (you call her Hadwee) and love to give her kisses from head to toe.

There are a million other things that you are up to these days, but I will stop with that. You are the biggest joy to all of us, and we love you so very much! xoxo

 

ps. couldn't get pictures to load, so I'll work on that :)

 

 

Midnight snuggles

Last night our  little awoke at 3:40am and cried out for his mama. Justin climbed out of our warm bed, walked across the cold hardwood floors, and brought our nugget back to bed. This has been a regular occurrence for us over the last several weeks. It's not ideal. No one is getting 12 hours of beauty sleep. There are elbows in backs and feet in faces. But against our better judgement, this is how our family is coping with nighttime wakings. 

Some nights there is a hint of "not again..." and a dread of being awake for the day long before the sun makes his appearance, but some nights there is a longing so strong to smell the sweet baby shampoo on the tips of his hair that I make it to his side in record time when he cries out for me in the pre dawn hours. 

Maybe we do this because we are not those parents who do everything by the book. We never have been. We make our own rules. We figure out what works for our family. We make mistakes and hopefully do some things right. But maybe we do it because we know one day too soon we are gonna miss this. 3am wakings and all. It will be over in the blink of an eye. So tonight I am thankful for the two extra elbows and feet in my bed. I am thankful for the soft breathing in my ear. And I am thankful for a sweet husband who loves the extra midnight snuggles as much as I do.

He is

faithful.

always.

even when my simple mind wavers, and my emotions take control.

it's not me, but Him, not mine, but His.

always.

He is.

after He shows me, time and time and time again, i should always trust, always believe, but I don't.

not always.

not every time.

but no matter. 

He is.

everytime.

Trick or Treat!

Trick or treating last year was a lot fun, Grayer was just walking and was an adorable little frog, but this year, my expectations were blown! It was an absolute blast! Seriously, one of the most fun things I've done as a mom thus far! I was a little nervous earlier in the day, because when I set out Grayer's costume and we started to talk about about getting dressed up, he didn't seem very happy about the idea, and kept saying "No, no, no shark!" So we talked about his costume and trick or treating throughout the day, in hopes he would warm up to the idea.

When it was time to put on his shark costume, I won't lie, there were a couple tears, and the beginning process looked like this...

But once his outfit was on and we were out the door to meet up with his cousin, he was ready to go, running around and so excited! Our first stop was to the Stavlo's elderly neighbors who always have a little something special for the kiddos. Grayer eagerly jumped out of the wagon, ran up to the door with Elle, and when they asked him what he was, he said "Rooooar... A lion!" We got quite a kick out of this! I guess I should have consulted him this year before purchasing his costume, next year I will know better :)

We spent two full hours, going house to house, eating a little candy here and there, and just having a great time as a family. Grayer was adorable! After getting some candy, he would come running down the side walk saying "Mama, oh wooooow!" haha! And thankfully his manners were good too, always a thank you and ocassionally an  "I love you" in the mix... What can I say, my boy loves candy and anyone who will give it to him ;)

What a fun time we had! Makes me so excited for all the years and memories to come!

 

I wuv eww!

I have been waiting and waiting for this moment... And my sweet boy has finally done it... He said I Love You!!!! Ahhh!! Yesterday, we were at the park with his aunt and cousin and he was happily swinging and all of a sudden it just came out... I wuv eww... What??!!?? Did he just say what I think he said?? I looked at my sister and then back to Gray and said "What did you say sweetheart?" and again, out it came ... I wuv eww!
I'm not gonna lie, he took his sweet time, but I can assure you, it made it all that much more special! I think this is one of the top moments of love and happiness I have experienced thus far as a mommy! ;)

And tonight, just for kicks, he told his daddy too before bed. Total. Bliss.

I wuv eww too my sweet baby boy!

TWO years old!

Grayer turned TWO on Saturday, September 22nd. We celebrated his birthday on the following Saturday at the Frontiers Flight Museum. I think everyone had a GREAT time, including Grayer! It was a rainy Saturday, so the play area at the musesum was the perfect indoor distraction for all the little kiddos! Justin and I made him a cake on his actual birthday, lit candles and sang to him, and from that moment he fell in LOVE with blowing out candles. Every night after dinner for the following week, when we would ask if he wanted a little cake for dessert, he would immediately start "blowing" out his pretend candles. So what we were to do? Of course, the sight was just too precious, so for an entire week, we had cake, lit candles and sang happy birthday to Grayer every evening! He loved every last minute of it! So at his birthday party, when the time came for cake and singing, he was more than a little excited! We caputured the sweet, sweet smiles, the blowing of candles, and the antimated "YAY!!!" and clapping that ensued after he was done. It was a precious memory that will stay with me forever.

Grayer- here is what you are up to at 2 years old!

You are a social butterfly! You love to play with other kids, and always seek out someone to run around and play with at the park, library, or indoor play areas that we go to. You seem to be most interested in playing with other little boys, and love to try to imitate what the older ones are doing. You say "HI" to absolutely everyone, including the mannequins at the mall, haha! You love going to the church nursery at the Village on Sunday mornings, and the nursery on Wednesday mornings for Bible Study at Watermark. Thankfully there are never any tears at drop off and you are always playing happily when I come to get you.

You started going to MDO on Tues and Thurs in September and you enjoy it! Your teachers, Ms. Carrie and Ms. LaRae love you so much, and are always telling mommy how happy you are, how easy going you are, and how well you follow instructions. We are so proud of you!

You love playing with trucks, cars, trains, puzzles, looking at books, dancing to music, helping mommy in the kitchen, blowing bubbles and being outside. You love to imitate the sounds of all your toys, so needless to say, we hear lots of "ZOOM-ZOOM", "Choo-Choo" and siren noises. It's precious!

You love playing sports, and are really good at throwing your baseballs, basketballs and kicking your soccer ball. You got a soccer goal and t-ball set for your birthday, but we haven't gotten a chance to set them up yet, but I am betting once we do, you will be quite entranced. You love to play ball with your dad in the front yard, and have fun running around and being silly. You "golf" with your left hand, and your daddy is quite concerned about this, since the little clubs we got for you are only right handed. We will see how this pans out!

You have a very tender heart, and don't like to see others upset. You like to try and console those who are sad or crying. You still do really well with sharing with your cousin and friends, but ocassionally get your feelings hurt if someone takes something from you. You have the funniest little pout/frown face that comes out multiple times a day. Even though you've done this for months, your daddy and I still get a kick out of it!

 You are very affetionate. You love to give hugs and kisses to anyone who asks, and are always up for a quick "snuggle" with mommy. Your open mouth kisses finally subsided into puckered lip kisses, which I was secretly sad to see go, even though I don't miss being slobbered on, it was a kiss very unique to you alone :)

You like playing hide-and seek and are funny when you find daddy and I, as you get a little scared sometimes, hehe! You love pretending that your sock monkey's are jumping on the bed and say "no, no, no, no monkey" while waving your little finger. You also like the book "The wheels on the bus" and do the motions of the wheels turning. You like to dance to any and all music, and have the cutest little dance moves! You like to play with your dr. kit and give everyone shots. You listen to our hearts and say "boom, boom", but your favorite patient is Hogan :)

You are talking up a storm! Your vocabulary has really increased in the last couple of months, and you are constantly talking about something. You still ask "what is that?" about EVERYTHING, but have also hit the 2 year old "why" stage, and always want to know the reasons behind something. You love your daddy so much, and any time you see a car that looks like his white tahoe, you start asking "where is daddy?" or "where did daddy go?", which usually leads into you asking about your papa/poppa (you have 2- Papa Glenn and Poppa Dan) and we talk about all the things they are doing at work. One of your favorite things to say is "I did it!" after you do something you think is praise worthy :) You also like to ask "where's the ball" or "where did it go" while scrunching your hands up by your face, so cute! When we go outside you like looking for bugs, and say "it's a bug... yuck!!" I wonder how long you will think bugs are gross? You also like when your daddy throws you in the air, and you will say "I go higher" until he is too tired to throw you anymore.

Your eating is so-so these days... there used to be a handful of things that you would eat any time, any place such as cheese, chicken nuggets, bananas, strawberries, beans etc, and now, even these items can be hit or miss, as with most other foods. We are working on finding some new favorites.
You are still sleeping good, and usually don't wake up in the night, although there are still a few occurrances of this. You are down to one nap, and usually go down around noon and sleep 1.5-3 hours. You sleep really well at MDO too, which I am so thankful for!

Any time you hear a siren, you shout "FIRE!!" I always ask you if you think it's a police car, an ambulence or a fire truck, and you are always certain it's a fire truck. I think the idea that a siren doesn't always mean fire is still beyond you :) If your love of fire trucks sticks around, I definitely want to do your 3 year old party at a fire station!

I think I could write about you for hours and hours and hours and never get tired...

You are a pure JOY to your daddy and me! We love you so, so much little boo-buns!

 

 

ps- If you can't tell from these pics- you LOVE to be naked ;)

 

xoxo

MDO

Grayer had his first day of Mother's Day Out today and it went perfectly! He seems to be a social butterfly at the age of 23 months, and the crying we experienced during drop off's at a younger age is a distant memory. He was so excited to go to school and walked right into class and started playing with all the new toys. I wondered how pick up would go, but thankfully it went just as smoothly. He was so sweet saying bye to one of the little girls in his class... He's a little charmer :) His teachers, Ms. Carrie & Ms. LaRea said he was happy and is very obedient (yay, Gray!). His report card mentioned that he was happy most of the time, but got sad during some of the transitions, which I take to mean he was probably sad to have to leave the playground... He's still obsessed with the slides! It's always a little sad to see your sweet baby growing up and experiencing independence, but we are so excited that he loves his new school, and are looking forward to all the new things he will learn.

SAHM

The Davis family has news!

As of the end of August, I will be staying home full time with Grayer, yay! Although the initial news of this was somewhat unexpected, we are taking it all in stride, knowing full well that the Lord will provide. While this means we will have to tighten our belts and watch our expenses, Justin and I both know that what we are gaining far outweighs what we are giving up. While I have been longing for this day since I saw those adorably chubby cheeks for the first time, and can’t wait to spend every waking moment with my sweet little, I would be lying if I said there wasn’t a small part of me that has some anxiety about my new role and what it will look like. While a lot of people think being a SAHM (apparently there is “lingo” that I was completely unaware of until my sister informed me this is the abbreviation for stay at home mom, ha!) is all rainbows and butterflies, I know from being at home “part time” and from lengthy discussions with many friends that stay at home that it can be very, very, challenging and is completely life changing. While there was always immense sadness when we had to decline a play date, or other fun mommy-and-me activities with friends because it was taking place on a Monday-Wednesday and I had to work, there is a certain level of freedom that comes from being able to go to work and allow someone else to wrestle with the two year old tantrums that go along with having a toddler. With that said, I am so ready and feel so, so blessed to be able to take on this new role, exploring all the in’s and out’s of being a full time mommy to my Gray. I am excited to be the one who wipes every tear, hears every laugh, and even changes every diaper :) I can’t wait to see what the future holds for our family!

With this shift, comes another change as well…Grayer will no longer get to see his sweet Granna every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and I know that he will greatly miss this special time with her. I am so very thankful for my amazing MIL who over the past year and half has loved Grayer with a tender heart, passionately taught him about the world around him, and prayerfully lifted him up. THANK YOU from the very bottom of my heart for loving my baby like no other.

The beach and a toddler

Grayer turned 21 months while we were on our trip to Destin, FL this year. Technically, this was our family’s third year to spend a week at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, since I was 27 weeks pregnant with Grayer on our first trip in 2010 (our babymoon!). We have absolutely fallen in love with this place, and hope to go back for many, many more years. The resort is the perfect balance of kid friendly and adult, and it fits us to a “t”. They have a fun, beach type entrance pool that Grayer loved. He did really well swimming with his puddle jumper on, and got pretty good at paddling around towards the end of our trip. Now that we are home, he lays on his tummy, kicks his legs, and “swims” in the bath tub, ha! He wasn’t a huge fan of the sand in-between his toes on the first day at the beach, but he warmed up to it, and loved going into the ocean with his daddy. We had such a great time, and even after a full week away, weren’t ready to come home. Already looking forward to another trip!

Here are a few pictures!

Gray, here is what you are up to at 21 months!

You are obsessed with cars, trucks, airplanes, fire trucks, school buses, motorcycles, and really, anything that makes a lot of noise! You get so excited to see any of those things, and the delight in your eyes is priceless. You saw LOTS of airplanes while we were at the beach, and you would stop what you were doing every time and shout at them, hopeful they would notice you. So cute!

Your love for stairs is still unwavering. You want to go up and down over and over, and now that you are a little taller, if there is a rail, you can go up and down all on your own. This makes you feel very proud, and it’s not uncommon to see you give a clap or two when you make it to the top or bottom :)

You are becoming much more independent and are very comfortable around almost anyone. When I take you to the play ground (mostly the indoor ones now that it’s 200 degrees outside) you socialize well with the other kids, and try to mimic what the big kids are doing. You haven’t been crying at all when we drop you off at Sunday School or other activities, and always seem to be having a great time when we come to pick you up. When we ask the teachers how you did, they always seem to have sometime funny to tell us, like you were trying to eat all the bubbles, or you wanted to give everyone in your class hugs.



Puzzles, books and cars are your favorite toys at the moment. You got a new “vehicles” puzzle in Florida, and love to put all the pieces in the right spots and make all the noises of the cars and buses. You love to “read” and usually when you’re in your room being quiet and I wonder why the house is silent, I find you sitting in your little red chair looking at books. You are also getting really good at matching the colors and shapes in your shape sorter.

You are still a fantastic sleeper! You are down to one nap in the afternoon now (our plan before our Florida trip) and usually go down between 12-1, but are very flexible with the timing. You sleep anywhere from 2-3.5 hours, and always go down easily and almost always wake up happy. You are staying up a little bit later and on some nights don’t go down until close to 8:30.



We got you a potty seat a few weeks ago, and you love to sit on it and have books read to you. You went pee-pee on your potty seat for the first time at 20 months (see pic below!), but I think it was kind of a fluke. You had just gotten out of the bath and were running around naked before getting your lotion on. You were jumping on your chair, and I looked over and you were peeing!! I took you immediately to the potty, and we read a book and you let out the rest of your pee-pee. You haven’t gone on your chair potty again, but we will keep trying. As a boy, I think you’ve got nothing but time, but it doesn’t hurt to introduce you to the potty early :)

You love to dance, and any time you hear music, you’ve got to get up and bust a move. You jump around and wave your arms all around. Precious! You also love to give high-fives, and “knuckles” to anyone who asks.



You are getting better at sitting through a meal at a restaurant, and did GREAT at all the places we went in Destin. We were thrilled with how well you sat and how well you ate new foods that you’d never tried before. We very much enjoy dining out, so here’s to hoping this just gets better and better!



You have such a sweet personality, and are very gentle and kind to others. You share very well for an almost 2 year old, and almost never take something away from another kiddo. You love animals, and are very sweet with them most of the time. You are a happy toddler, and love to give hugs and kisses to anyone and everyone. It has been so exciting and such a blessing to see your personality expand and become so unique to you alone. You make your daddy and I so very happy, and we are thankful each moment we get to be your parents. We love you sweet-tart!

18 Months!

Grayer here is what you are up to at 18 months:

You had your VERY FIRST haircut on April 6th. You did awesome! We went to see Granna’s hair lady, Barbara, and you sat in my lap while she cut your hair (and she gave you a sucker, which you loved!). Your hair had gotten a little unruly, but you had the cutest little curls in the back, so mommy was quite sad to see them go, but it was time. Everyone loves your “new do” and comments on how much older you look now. Your daddy and I are hoping that your sweet curls aren’t gone forever though.


You had your 18 month appointment with Dr. McClard last week and she couldn’t get over what a great patient you were! You sat so still and were just smiling from ear to ear while she looked you over. Everything checked out great! You weighted 24.11 lbs (30%), were 33.25” tall (75%), and your head was 18” (5%), which is how you’ve always been…tall and skinny with a small head, haha! You had your last 2 shots until you are 4 (I can’t even begin to think about that!!), and only cried for a minute. So thankful that you are such a healthy kiddo!

You went to your very first Easter egg hunt this weekend, while on a trip to Hideaway lake to see your Nana & Papaw for Easter. You were much more interested in the slide, and couldn’t have cared less about the eggs. We did a smaller egg hunt in the front yard at Nana & Papaw’s on Sunday afternoon though, and you were adorable picking up each egg with care and placing them in your basket. You wanted to share all your eggs with Elle, and didn’t seem to mind when Colton took a few too, ha! Just wish you would have let us take some family pictures of the event, but nope, not a single one! : (

Your favorite thing to do right now is to slide! You want to go over and over and over, and sometimes will start whining before you even reach the bottom on the slide, because you are angry that the ride is almost over. So we go again and again :) Climbing up the stairs and going down the slide is all you are interested in at the park, so we usually never even make it to the swings or other attractions.

You love to climb, and are happiest when you are going up and down the stairs on our back deck. You are getting pretty stable at going up and down, but have very little fear of falling, so we have to pay extra attention anytime you are near the steps, just in case you take a tumble. You also like to climb all over the couch, and the chair in your room, and have started climbing up with outside of your bed as well. Luckily, you don’t seem interested in climbing out of your bed (…yet!).

Your laugh is so funny! You have started to mimic people when they are laughing and it comes out as this deep “hah ha!”… it is precious, and makes us giggle every time you do it! You are a happy toddler, and do a pretty good job at sharing with your friends, but there are definitely times when you have your fits over a toy or wanting something your way. We are working on how to handle these situations, because we know they are probably not going anywhere any time soon…


You seem to have out-grown your love for Baby Einstein, and have moved on to real movies. Your new favorite is Despicable Me, which has a few things that I’m not fond of, but overall is a pretty cute movie. I’m still waiting for you to want to watch the Disney Classics, but so far you have no interest in Bambi or The Lion King. We do limit your tv time during the day because I think you would watch it all day long if we’ve let you.

You are eating really well, and are willing to try most of the things we offer. Some things you like and some you don’t, but at least you give everything a fair chance. I am hoping that within the next few weeks, you will be solely eating what your dad and I are eating, but for now we don’t mind making you a few sides of your own. Right now you like: chicken, avocado, pineapple, cheese, black beans, oatmeal, eggs, pancakes, bananas, yogurt, macaroni and cheese, rice, tamales, French fries, and any kind of dessert :) You don’t care for: broccoli, spaghetti, ham, pinto beans, or toast.

You are still jabbering all the time, and are starting to repeat things back to us, but your word list is still quite small. Your daily use words are: mama, uh-oh, dog, ball, toe, bubble, uh huh (yes), uh uh (no). Your sometimes words are : papa, up, clock, bird, plane, nana, Hogan, cat, and da-da (this was your first word, but it’s disappeared recently).


You went to the driving range with your daddy recently and were so cute swinging your golf club around and hitting the balls. You were in heaven! I was afraid that you would be loud and disturb the other golfers (who were surely there to enjoy some peace and quiet!!), but you did great and were surprisingly quiet! You loved watching your daddy swing and hit the ball, and enjoyed some “golfing” of your own, as well as some fun running around on the grass. We’ve decided that this should become a regular family outing for us, as we all had a wonderful time.

You are a great sleeper, and almost never put up a fight at naptime or bedtime. Usually after your bath, brushing your teeth, books and a song, you stretch towards your bed to be put in, because you are ready to snuggle with your blankies (you still have 2- a blue one and a green one) and go to sleep. You are waking up around 7-7:30 in the morning, and are going down around 7:30-8. You are still on 2 naps, but sometimes only “rest” for your afternoon nap.

Balls are still your favorite toy, and you are getting so good at making baskets with your basketball goal that Granna & Papa got you for Christmas. You also love to play with your kitchen and grill, and are so cute bringing everyone coffee and stirring in the creamer. You also have recently started playing with your cars and love setting up the tracks and pushing the cars down the ramps. You have a crazy love for books, and will sit for 5-10 minutes (an eternity in toddler time!) reading to yourself in your room. You also love to crawl up in my lap with a book so that we can read together, so sweet!

We love you sweet-tart! Happy 18 months!