Thursday, June 27, 2013

Party Planning

I find myself saying it so often now, but how is July right around the corner?  This means one thing for our family...it's BIRTHDAY MONTH!   To add to the pressure, the boy's birthdays are 6 days apart, therefore forward planning is a must.  While we were on the fence about having a first birthday party for Graham, I decided to take it all in and "go out with a bang"
 (this is our last FIRST birthday after all!)
AND
if we had a party for Graham there was no way Reece would understand without having his own party. ( yes we are those parents)
While we are working on the details, we have decided on a farm theme for Graham's first birthday! 
SO cue the roosters, cows, and ducks we have some planning to do

Below are a few of the ideas I have so far ...


Love the egg cartons!


and these labels



I want to be sure to include several personal touches which incorporate Graham's FIRST YEAR!
I found these personalized handprint napkins through Parents Magazine.  I wonder if Graham would cooperate to hand stamp 50 napkins.  I hope so because they are so cute!



I have not decided if we want to do a cake or cupcakes yet but these are a few ideas which I love



After much consideration, Reece has decided he wants to have his party at a trampoline park.  The best news is - they do everything except for invitations and a cake!!  The other bonus is because of the availability at the park  we have two weeks between parties!

Well we are off to start the birthday shopping...

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Celebrating 11 Months of Graham

Graham, 


Quite a struggle...

Holy cow it is so hard to wrap my head around the idea that in one month you will be ONE year old!  11 Months old Boom Boom, the time sure is flying by.  Life has been busy lately and every time we turn around you are doing something new or have changed, especially this past month!
So there is no better place to start than with your milestones....
YOU ARE OFFICIALLY A CRAWLER!  
You remind me a lot of your big brother Reece in that you don't love crawling around everywhere but definitely utilize it as a means to an end which mean you crawl to get yourself  to the nearest table, couch, toy, or leg to pull yourself up on!  While you are really enjoying sitting playing with your toys you would much rather be standing up checking out the action, and I don't blame you there is a lot in our house!  
You also got your first AND second tooth!
So one day a few weeks ago you were needing some extra Mommy snuggles and a little extra attention which I certainly wasn't minding but had no idea what was going on, needless to say I pulled something out of your mouth and felt a small little razor.  Otherwise you handled you cutting your first tooth like a champ.  In fact your second tooth no biggie, Reece noticed it first a week or so later.  

 First swim in the lake this year

First time at the farm park

I am not sure if it is coincidence but as soon as you got your first tooth you have also become a picker eater.  You love and really only want fruit or pasta....EEEKKK!  So I have quickly learned that I cannot give you an assortment of food but instead start with vegetables or a protein, then after you completely and utterly refuse it by spitting and more spitting then straight yelling at me with your fist clinched, I get the idea and we move onto your favorites!  I have been trying to give you some new and different food but yep that doesn't work either.  I am hoping this is just you trying to voice your independence and you will go back to be a great eater.  
Your Likes....
Your brother is on the top of the chart.  You adore him and him you.  It doesn't seem to matter if he carries you around, is shooting basketball, or singing you songs, you think Reece is hilarious! Watching you two together is better than I could have dreamt!

Bedtime stories

You want everything and then to determine if you like it or not, you give the object a full inspection with your mouth.  
Mostly you love to be a part of the crowd.  You love the activity of having people and other kids around. You love to stick your tongue out, all the time!  And you still love to take a bath and to be outside !  


Your Dislikes...
Going to sleep.  All I can figure out is that you do not want to miss anything but oh my Lordy you are giving us such a hard time about falling asleep. Once you fall asleep though generally you sleep great.   Also, you hate to get dressed and have your diaper changed.  We try to offer you many different distractions with toys or songs but I have just realized that the quicker I get it over with better for all of us!  
Your stats...
Well I am not sure how much you weigh but I would guess you have to be around 19 pounds.  I know you weigh enough that I can hardly carry you in the car seat carrier anymore;)  You are sporting 6 to 12 months clothes and still in size 3 diapers.  You take four or five 4 ounce bottles a day and eat three meals a day.  We have started a later afternoon snack because you seemed to need a little something more before dinner but don't ever want a bottle.  You are also working on using a sippy cup, but not all that crazy about it other than being a good grocery store distractor.

Watching your brother march in your first Memorial Day parade

You have developed quite the little personality and love to share it.  You are silly, but quite an observer of the world.  You are fiesty, yet will go with the flow just when our lives get crazy.  Your shy with people you don't know.  You have a lot to tell the world with your babbling, booms, raspberries, and constant coos. As Daddy and I both said you really are just amazing.  We feel incredibly lucky that God chose us to be your parents.  

Completely stealing our hearts

Tomorrow is Mommy last day of class and I cannot tell you how excited I am to soak in every single day of the next month before you are a year old .  To say that you have completed our family is an understatement Boom Boom -  We Love You!


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Summer bucket list

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is Reece's last day of school.  The school year has flown by and while I feel completely unprepared to embark on summer vacation with two boys, we have decided that making a summer bucket list would be a great way to help us.
So while we are still working on adding all the details here is what we have come up with so far:

  • find a penpal to write to
  • play putt putt golf
  • learn to wakeboard
  • have a lemonade stand
  • go camping for at least one night
  • attend a summer concert at the Zoo
  • learn to paddle board (Mommy's)
  • play at the beach
  • go to the movies
  • go to a fair or summer festival
  • go to a Tigers game
  • read a few new chapter books
  • take a trip to Rainbow Lake in the Adirondack Mountains

Of course we can not leave out having several playdate with friends, eating smores by the bonfire, and many bike and boat rides, soccer matches, and baseball games.  Even if we accomplish none of these my greatest hope is that it is summer filled with laughter, lots of sun, and memories for us to share at bed time for a long time to come.  Well we better get busy because there is certainly one six in a half year old who will hold me to HIS MUSTS!!