Graham's 1st Birthday!

 I always enjoy making birthdays a big deal, though I realize the first few are really all about me, not them.  ;) Still, it's what I do.  So, here's how Graham spent his 1st birthday:

Almost every morning, around 5 or 6, Graham is done with mama & wants to cuddle with dada.  Today was no exception.  Luke will kill me for it, but I think them cuddled up is so cute that I have to share!

Luke had to get up & start working at 8, so he left Graham (who slept until well after 9!).

He wakes up happy & ready to start the day.

Getting a dry diaper is task #1!

 Breakfast - oatmeal.

 He needed to wash the oatmeal down I guess.

 Kasen spent the morning building Legos, so once we were ready to go, we had to retrieve him.

 Off we go!  1st stop was to pick up a slide/climber from a friend.  His birthday seemed like the perfect day to do that.

 Then, off to a park to play for just a little bit.

His EXACT birthday - 11:15am.  My, how the time flies by!

 Kasen insisted on getting in on the photo action.  (I sure love my guys!)

 Next we haeded to Chick Fil A for lunch.  I planned on letting the boys play, but Kasen wasn't interested (what?!) & Graham really doesn't care, so we just ate & headed back out.

 Target was the next stop, where we had to stop in for a diaper change.

 I have always let Kasen go & pick out his own (small) birthday gift on his birthday.  He's always loved that tradition, so I started it with Graham too.  He picked out some shoes (see them on his feet), which he LOVES, and since he has NO shoes, I was happy with that choice.

 We did check out the stuffed animals, but they didn't have many dogs.  He eyed Kermit & Cookie Monster for a while, but gave them both back.

 Then we looked at books!  Oh, how he loves books!  He didn't pick one of those either though.  We left with just shoes & some bubbles.  Easy kid.  (This year at least.)

 We got home & took a little nap.

 He is groggy but quite happy after his nap!

 Snacks (puffs of course) & a little tv time with Bubba.

It rained very briefly, then we checked out his new slide/climber.  He loves it, but is scared of the slide.  I'm happy he has something else to do outside.

 Then, he crawled around while I started dinner.

 Until daddy gave him his other present from us - a tunnel.  ...he's terrified of it.  Oops.

 He's only in it because I was & because Luke pushed him along a little.  ;)

 Dinner!  Spaghetti...

 and WATERMELON!

 Followed by ice cream (instead of cake).  He LOVED ice cream, and who doesn't?  ;)

 He ate it with his hands, then made a huge mess.

 So, bath time had to come next,

 Isn't he a cutie? He melts my heart!

 He wanted to cuddle (until he saw the camera) and then...

 read a book,

 kiss his bear,

 read another book,

 demand some milk (see his hand, he's signing "milk"),

 and off to dreamland he went.
(This is a REALLY new thing, sleeping in his own bed.  He's only up to about 3.5 hours in his bed, the rest of the night is in our bed.  Baby steps are best all around.)

Goodnight Sweetie Pie Sparkles, we love you.

Dear Graham,

Sweet, sweet Graham, I can't believe you are ONE.  It was so very long ago now that your brother named you Sweetie Pie Sparkles & we all eagerly awaited the date you would pick to join our family.  It truly seems like just yesterday you entered this world, in one of the most amazing moments of my life.  You are such a gentle soul, you are calm & cuddly, happy & content (as long as mommy is near ;)).  You have the most amazing laugh & the cutest expressions.  You are so very different than your brother was at 1, and I know we're not "suppose" to compare our children, but it truly blows my mind how very, very different you guys are!  You are both awesome, just so very different in your God-given nature & abilities.

At 1 you have no teeth (crazy, huh?!).  You are cruising & have taken a few steps (right into mommy's arms!), but you aren't walking quite yet.  You love to climb & you're a fast crawler (though I do miss that army crawl that I swore you'd never give up).  You sign a few words - "milk" (which you also use for drink), "dog" (which you also use for cats), "eat" (boy, do you love to eat!), & "all done".  You can say "mama", "dada" (which can mean "dad", "dog", or "button", ha!), "bubba", "uh-oh", & "this", I'm sure there are a few more that fail my memory right now...  You still don't sleep in long increments, but you will sleep all. day. long - if someone will cuddle with you.  You like to sing, and you point at EVERYTHING & ask "this?".  You enjoy being outside & love to sit & do your own thing in the grass, dirt, or sand.  Swinging is also lots of fun in your book.

I have been so incredibly blessed to be able to spend EVERY day of the past year with you.  Even when I had surgery, daddy brought you up to the hospital & you (and daddy) spent the night with me there.  Every night for the past year you have cuddled up to me (or, more properly, used me as your pacifier ;)), and slept beautifully beside me.  I can't imagine a love greater than the one a mom & son share, and ours is no exception.  You ARE a mama's boy, but I'm sure the day will come...  well, we won't talk about that today!  I have successfully nursed you for a full year & you don't seem ready to stop anytime soon, so on we will go.   While you do love your mommy milk, watermelon is you true favorite food.  You also love beets, spaghetti, pizza, chicken, beans, broccoli, carrots, squash, toast, puffs, MumMums, yogurt, applesauce...  well, honestly, you love everything!  I don't think we've found a food yet that you just refuse to eat.  Funny, as much as you eat you'd think you'd be so much bigger, but it's okay with me that you're so small, it makes it much easier to carry you.  ...and I am always carrying or wearing you.  We are almost inseparable.  The few moments here & there that I have spent away from you, I feel like part of me is missing.  That's what being a mom is about.  We want a break, but we can't stand being alone!  It's just too quiet without my boys nearby!

I look forward to watching you grow over the next year - walking, talking, testing boundaries...  I even look forward to the tantrums as you express more of yourself!  

The past year has been the greatest gift to me, being your mom is so very special.  I love you & your cute little squishy face.

Thank you God for choosing me to be Graham's earthly mother.  I promise to do the best I can for him & to teach him how to be a God-fearing man, loving human, & generous soul.

Love,

Mama

Graham's 1st Beach Trip!

We headed to Galveston with some friends for Graham's first beach trip.  He LOVED it (so did Kasen).