Blankie and Daycare

Grady has a new best friend and his name is blankie! This green and white blankie was given to him by my sweet friend Heather. Grady is truly attached to it and loves it so much. Even when I am putting it in the dryer he will see it and crawl over just to snuggle with it (wet and all). Luckily my camera was sitting on top of the dryer and I got this cute picture of him. This week I started working again and it has been bittersweet. I love teaching, but I miss Grady so much during the day. I even have a huge collage (20+ pictures) beside my desk of him. Call me crazy, but it helps. The other thing that helps is that he is at a wonderful daycare and we LOVE his teacher! This picture is Grady with his sweet teacher, Mrs. Ana. She has been at his daycare since it opened 11 years ago. She is so kind, patient, nurturing and loving. We love that Grady is learning Spanish there because everything Mrs. Ana says to the kids in English, she also says in Spanish. We get detailed notes everyday about exactly what and how much he ate, when his diaper was changed and if it was dry, wet or pooped in, how long he napped and if he slept well, restless and etc. How he was that day (happy, sad, not himself). What activities they did, what they are studying (the color white this week) and pretty much everything he does. I even got a call from his teacher today just to let me know he bumped his head. There are only 5 or 6 kids in his room depending on the day and I know he is well taken care of. Grady has yet to cry (except for the head bump) and seems very happy when we arrive each morning. Just this week he has already had water day, ice cream truck day and luau day is tomorrow! They really make it fun for the kids! Oh and there are 4 girls in his class, so of course Grady loves that because he get LOTS of kisses (and thankfully he's has not bitten anyone yet!) According to Mrs. Ana the girls are now coming up to him and asking for kisses by holding their cheek out to him. He's a casanova already! It makes a big difference when you know your child is happy, loved and well taken care of when you can't be with them. Thank you Mrs. Ana!

Nana and Papa Visit

Richard's parents, Nana and Papa, live only an hour away and they come often for short visits. They call them "quick fixes." They miss Grady and James a lot and love to get to see them as often as possible. They came recently and kept Grady for us at the house while Richard and I went to church. We all went to lunch after that and to my surprise Grady was still awake at 1:00 when we left for lunch. I was very nervous about when the breakdown would happen. I offered to stay home and let him nap (especially since I had been sick the day before). But, we all loaded up and went to lunch. Grady was passed out asleep before we even got there and he made it through lunch without too much commotion. He did manage to knock a drink over and throw about a 1,000 cheerios on the ground and tried to knock everything on the floor that he could reach.

Grady laughing at Nana! He loves her so much! Playing peek-a-boo behind the couch.

Playing peek-a-boo again.

This is how he was when we got to the restaurant. Out cold!

We tried to wake him and he would just snuggle up with his favorite blankie.

Playgroup at the Pool

Recently Grady and I met Kristen, Jake, Lisa and Lauren at the pool for one last playdate before I start school. We are going to still get together often, but in the afternoons now. The kids had a fun time just playing on the towels while we ate a delicious lunch! Of course the kids crawled over and started begging for food as soon as we sat down the eat. Grady even found a dead bug on the ground and put it in his mouth....YUCK!!! I tried to get it out quickly, but I think he ate part of it. Protein right???

Here are the kiddos playing. Grady after his delicious orange ice pop from Mrs. Kristen!

Lauren was so cute walking around with her "pocketbook."

Jake is walking all over the place! I love the weeble-wobble walks!

Kiawah Weekend

We went to Kiawah Island with our Clemson friends last weekend. We were celebrating all the 30th birthdays and it was wonderful to just be together. We are hoping to do this every year! On our way down we tried to time the ride with Grady's nap, but that didn't happen. We had a lot of this . . . and a lot more during our 3 hour drive.

There were a few moments of this (when we would play his favorite preschool songs CD). . .

He looks so irritated and bored to me in this picture.

There was about 5 minutes or less of this . . .

Then, in our last 15 minutes of the ride he actually started smiling and laughing, but only when we would play his favorite song. Pause the music to the right to listen.

When the music no longer worked and I had tried every toy we brought on the trip, a travel box of wipes is what made him giggle! Seriously? You have to see it to believe it.

When we finally got down there we were so excited to get to meet Gene and Rosanne for dinner at Gilligans. They were passing through Charleston and we were happy to see them. Gene had just gotten back the day before from Afghanistan.

Grady loved Uncle Gene, especially when he gave him crackers.

He loved his tickles!

Grady looking at him for more.

He can't see Aunt Rosanne without getting a good hair pulling in!

In Kiawah we hung out by the pool at the house, relaxed on the beach and enjoyed catching up with each other. I was lucky to get to go to the beach during Grady's nap on Thursday since Leslie (thank you!) was working from the house. Here are Katy and Harper on the beach. Harper was a trooper! I loved getting to see her.

There was an alligator in the pond behind our house.

In the morning this is what everyone was doing. At least all the people that have jobs. As you can see I am taking pictures and Katy is relaxing on the couch. Don't they know we are on vacation? haha!

Before Richard took me to meet up with my sisters and Mama for our girls weekend we went by the Angel Oak to get some pictures.

I got to spend Friday - Sunday with my sisters and Mama and it was a blast! I didn't have my camera though. Here are two pictures from my Dad's camera. We had so much fun just relaxing, shopping and going to the beach without the kids. I hope we do this every year!

Grady's First Steps!!!

Grady has been taking one step here and there, but tonight he took 3 steps in a row and did it many times! We are so proud of him! We were really happy to get to see those first steps ourselves! He has had many firsts when we were on trips, so we were excited to be there for this first. Richard tried to video it, but by the time we got the camera out he was getting tired and would just stand there and only take one or two steps. I am trying to upload the video now.

Grady's 1st Birthday Weekend!

Grady had a wonderful First Birthday! He woke up very happy as you can see and truly enjoyed his day! We had a little party for him at the house that night and our best friends, Zack and Katy, came to visit for the weekend with their two kids, Addie and Harper. It was wonderful to have time with them and catch up. Grady loved having friends over the whole weekend to play with.

The Birthday Boy! Linus has to get extra snuggles in with his blanket.

Richard made sure that I decorated with the birthday sign and curled streamers (just as his mom did when he grew up). We also had the streamers on the stairs and hanging from Grady's bedroom door.

We went to the grocery store to pick up his birthday cake.

He is now in his big boy carseat and facing forward! He loves to snuggle with his blanket in the car.

Opening presents from Mama and Dad!

Dad taught him how to unwrap gifts.

He loved his new stuffed animal.

Grady sent me flowers! Read the card below.

I cried, it was so sweet!

Cousin James came to the party!

HAHA! You girls should know better than to take pics with my camera! I'll always post them! Love you Sarah and Rosanne!

Andrew and Grady found Mrs. Lindsey very interesting!

Aunt Rosanne and James

Grady's friend Jack.

The cake eating started out slow and not too messy, but . . .

it got very messy!!!

Everyone was hanging out while Janet and I took Grady upstairs for a bath.

When I came downstairs I let Grady play while I cleaned up the kitchen. I went to clean up the cake area and found Grady like this! He thought it was so funny and probably thought this was what he was supposed to be doing. So, we had bath #2!

Uncle Jamie and James

Me, Sarah, Harper and James

Zack was pooped out! How sweet that he wanted to snuggle with teddy!

Then the guys decided to rest in our room and discuss where we should hang a TV in our bedroom.

This was most of Saturday....Grady chasing Addie.

Me with Addie and Harper! I love my girls!

Grady thought Addie was hilarious!

Pause the music on the right to listen to Grady laughing at Addie.