Happy Birthday Grady!

Grady is one year old today! We can hardly believe how fast this wonderful year has flown by! We have enjoyed every second with him and thank God for this blessing everyday. Grady continues to get faster and faster with his crawling and cruising around tables, walls or anything he can hang-on to. He can stand alone for a few seconds and even took his first step the other day! He hasn't taken more than one step at a time. He is saying a few words now. "Ste" for Steve for the guy on Blue's Clues, "bye-bye" and he waves bye-bye, "dite" for light, and of course mama, dad dad and naaa naa (when he's upset) are still his favorites. He can point to his head, ears and nose if you ask him. He can also point to the lights and speakers in a room if you ask him. For some reason he really likes lights and speakers. He also loves to put his finger into holes and of course is always sticking his finger in his ears and now nose (lovely, I know). He also loves to give hugs and kisses. We are absolutely, completely, unconditionally, head-over-heels in love with Grady. Our hearts hurt at times because of how great our love is for him (I'm sure only other parents will understand that). We just don't want him to grow up and it's happening way too fast! Hey ladies, want to dance with me?

I just want to grab and kiss those chubby checks!

The last few pics in this outfit were hard to get. He was done sitting still.

Yes, that is your ear Grady.

Finally got a good one in this outfit.

AND, we're done!

I just need my blanket now or anything soft will do! He was out before I got out of the parking lot and is still asleep! I think we wore him out.

Lots of playdates this week!

This was a very busy, but fun week! Grady had three playdates! On Tuesday Lauren and Jake came over to play and brought him some birthday presents. Those three love to play together and crawl all over each other. It's so cute! On Wednesday we had a lot of girls from our Sunday School class to come over with their babies. There were two girls that are 2 years old, 5 small infants and Grady. Of course Grady is the terror of that group. 2 year old girls are so sweet and gentle and of course the newborns are too. Then you have Grady who wants to tackle, kiss, hug and crawl all over everyone there (and if we try to stop him he gets really angry and wants to bite....I don't know where he learned it from or how to stop it, someone help! We are trying everything!). He doesn't get that only adults and kids his exact age enjoy his hugs and kisses. I put him down for a nap shortly after everyone arrived and I was able to enjoy holding some of those sweet babies! Today we are going to a pool party with my teacher friends and see more kids! I will post those pictures later. Then Friday we have some people coming over for his birthday and our best friends Zack, Katy, Addie and Harper and Aunt Roseanne will be here for the weekend! We can't wait!

Grady and Jake Grady and Lauren

Lauren crawled into Grady's megablocks dump truck!

There were toys everywhere and Grady and Jake both wanted the old cell phone!

The Wednesday playdate . . . Lindsey and Jack! This guy just turned 3 months old and is already rolling all over the place!

Laura and Knox

Ashley, Laura, Knox, Heather and Asher (this was our day...just ooohing and ahhing over the babies)!

Grady with his mouth open and ready to give out some kisses!

Aunt Sarah had lots of love to give Grady and mainly was helping to distract him from jumping all over the other kids!

Grady's First Birthday Party in Spartanburg

This past weekend we met both of our families at Nana and Papa's house for Grady's first birthday party. It was a week early, but it was what worked for most everyone to be there. We will have another celebration this Friday on his real birthday and I'll post those later. We had a great time in the pool with all his cousins, grilled out and my Mama made an adorable train cake and yummy carmel train petit fours. Mama and Grady waiting for our guests to arrive!

Dad and Grady

Playing with Dad. All five Wilson cousins! Anna, Troy, Grady, Kate and Asher!

Sisters and kids!

Lots of fun in the pool . . .

Giving Kate a kiss.

Kate was able to dive off the diving board and swim to the steps without coming up! We were all impressed!

Asher has no fear in the water! He had just gone off the slide here!

Anna laughing at everyone and wanting to go off the diving board too and she did!

Bonnie and Troy

Neely and Josh drove all the way up from Charleston just for the party and went straight back! They are too sweet!

Aunt Neely and Grady

Opening gifts!

Great-Grandparents!

He loved the Blue's Clues book from Aunt Bonnie, Uncle David and Troy.

You can tell all the kids loved the laugh and learn Farmhouse from Meme and Ditdough!

He did not love his birthday hat. It lasted a few seconds.

All the kids wanted some cake right away!

It began with a small taste and later . . .

he ate it by the fistfuls!

He did not disappoint for his first cake eating!

Got to have some milk with all that cake!

Slowing down

Very tired and time for a bath and bed.

After his nap he had a ball playing with all his new toys! He loved them all, but especially the light switch on the farmhouse.

Tired again and resting with Dad.

Having fun with Papa and his new Megablocks from Aunt Beth, Uncle John, Kate, Asher and Anna. Snuggling with his bear from Aunt Irene.

Playing with his bubble maker machine from Nana and Papa.

Time for bed after a fun-filled day!