If this doesn't make you smile...I don't know what will!

Now that I know how to download videos...you're sure to have many smiles coming your way! :) Graham loves when his daddy is silly with him. I have a feeling the apple didn't fall far from the tree with this one. I know I have so many great memories and laughs ahead of me. I am so blessed. Make sure you notice that one dimple on his right cheek. I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he couldn't get any cuter!

Sea World AND Swimming Pools...oh my!

So we had a big weekend. We went to Sea World After Dark and saw the Shamu Rocks show and fireworks. Graham absolutely LOVED all the lights, flashes and splashes. During the Shamu show it was dark and the lights were flashing everywhere and Shamu was flying out of the water and I looked over at Brandon holding Graham and had one of those 'this is what life is all about' moments. You know-the kind that just make you want to snap a picture and carry it everywhere you go. The kind of moment you want to bottle and put on a shelf so you will never forget. They were both bright eyed and happy but also very peaceful at the same time. It was great.
We had Graham at Sea World last month but he didn't really get it then, he didn't actually look at much (besides the leafy sea dragons, which he loved) but this trip he was amazed by everything he saw. Needless to say he slept in the next morning and took lots of extra naps. I'm so happy he loves Sea World like I do and so thankful that we live so close that we can go often. It was a dream of mine growing up and it's great to allow him to experience it.
Believe it or not...it got better! We took him in the pool for the first time today. This is something I have been waiting to do since the day I found out I was pregnant! I LOVE the water and I knew he would too. After seeing how happy he is in the bath, I knew the pool would be a hit. And it was! Enjoy the short video (if I can get it on here!!) :)

Love and Basketball

He was playing so hard and it got quiet. I looked over and this is what I saw. :) So precious.

Last week we spend 4 very long days up at Eau Gallie High gym for a basketball tournament Brandon was working. I was working my 'coach's wife card' and running the concession stand to raise money for the EGHS basketball team. Thursday was the last and longest day at 14 hours!!!! We had Graham's pack n play and Baby Einstein jumper set up for him. I would just turn off the baskeball office lights and lock the doors and feed him, then lay him down for his naps. When he'd wake up, we would go out to the gym and watch basketball. He loved it! Especially since he likes being out and about and gets very stir crazy at home. However, those 4 days totally wore him out. He slept in till about 10:30 on Friday (woke up for a few snacks of course, but right back to bed he went.)


SO many people commented on how he must be the EG gym rat. This is totally what I pictured out life being like and I'm so glad he is able to keep up with us and our crazy lifestyle. I am also very thankful that we have all this weekend to rest up! :)

Counting my blessings...

This morning I got to do my favorite thing in the world...wake up snuggling my babies. :) My big one and little one. Now this is extra strange coming from me-seeing as how my favorite thing USED to be sleeping the entire day away but oh how my favorites have changed. At about 5 AM, Graham wakes up ready to eat. I hear him on the monitor and either B or I will get up and get him, bring him to our room and put him in the middle of our bed. I roll over, feed him and we both fall back asleep. Now if your one of those 'don't sleep with your baby' advocates, go visit another site but around this site...we love to snuggle. I get him in his crib 80% of the night but that other 20%--HE'S MINE!!!! :)

When he wakes up, he is overflowing with smiles and laughs. I hate that I miss this every day when I'm at work but it's the highlight of my weekends. We finally made our way out of bed at 9:45 (who says you can't teach your baby to sleep in?!) and I took him to his room to put on his adorable little sea turtle/camo outfit that I love so much. Instead I just sat in his glider (thanks Jamie! I love you!) and back and forth we went. I kept thinking about how amazing my life is and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful life. God is so great and has trusted me with 2 of the most amazing guys in this world to love and protect. He has given me a group of friends who are more amazing than anything I could of ever dreamed of. He has blessed me with a sister and mother who love me and my new family beyond expression. He has placed me into a family that was always amazing to my husband but has been so welcoming and now loves me like I have always been there. He has given me a cute house in the place I dreamed of living since I was a young girl and a job that I look forward to going to. I am so blessed. I am so thankful.

Let me challege you to stop for a few minutes and forget the bad and the ugly and think of the abundance of good and beautiful in your life. :) Sure...I give you permission to start with me. Hehe!

Graham just finished counting his...and boy is he tired! :)

Graham at 16 weeks

I had all intentions of playing catch up and going through and hitting the stages of Graham's life so far but time is just flying by and I think he'll be graduated from college before I ever catch up so we'll start from here and I'll just try to throw in little pieces as I go. Yes, this website is for you so everyone can keep up with Graham's adventures but it's also for us so one day we can look back and be reminded of how small he once was and recap the little things we are sure to forget over time (unfortunately).

Graham just recently found his foot. Not both feet, but one foot. His right one. Everything in Graham's world is 'right'. He loves to look right, turn right, roll right so it was no great surprise when he discovered his right foot. It hasn't made it way to his mouth...yet but it will be soon. It was so cute when we saw the recognition on his face as he realized it was a built in treat, just for his pleasure. When he wiggled it, it made him smile and laugh-a sound I can't seem to get enough of. Just wait till he realizes there are two!

Graham LOVES his Baby Einstein bouncey toy from our church small group. It was such an exciting gift when we recieved it-I mean who doesn't love a giant colorful box of fun? But now that it's open and in use, it has exceeded all expectations possible! Here are a few pictures of him enjoying it.

Hard days work

I've been back at work going on 4 weeks now and it's so hard to leave my boys at home. Fortunately, I love my job and I know Graham is home in very good hands. Without this, I don't think it would be possible for me to leave each morning but Brandon and Graham are getting to bond so much and I know that is really important. Sometimes the boys come up to visit me at work which is the highlight of my week but it's really tough for me to see all the moms with their babies and young children at work and know I can't have my little one there to play with all the time. It just makes it that much more special when I get home in the evening and hold him. He is so precious how he lights up when he sees me for the first time that day. I love that he recognizes me and is so happy to have me home.

This past weekend Brandons school hosted a basketball tournament and we spent 4 VERY long days at the gym. I wanted to be there to help him take care of some stuff (running the concessions, remind him to eat, cleaning out his b-ball office, you know...the basketball wife duties) so Graham and I packed it up and settled in for the weekend. Needless to say, it was a rough couple of days but we had fun. At the end of the tourney, after everyone had left and we just finished packing up all the chairs/tables/water coolers I carried Graham into the empty gym. He made a little noice to test his voice (which he is doing quite a bit of these days) and once that echo got lose and bounced off the walls and made it back to his little ears...that was all the encouragement he needed. I was hearing noises from that baby that I didn't know he could possibly make. It was so adorable! He would squeal and then just laugh and laugh. It was a nice way to end the long few days.