Dauphin Island...

Mid 70's in January. What a gorgeous day! We had to get Graham out of the house for some fresh air. There was a good number of people on the beach.

We stopped by the island's bakery, "The Lighthouse" to pick up our picnic lunch. 

Graham loved playing in the sand. We kept his paci in to prevent sandy hands in his mouth.

Daddy taught Graham to bury his hand in the sand.

He was on the move! Can you see the speed? 

Cold water.

Watching the waves come in and getting ready for a nap.

Graham exploring...

I was so beautiful this past weekend, we spread out a blanket and relaxed outside in the grass. 

Graham loved exploring the grass.

Taking a short break from crawling around.

The road is not as close as it looks in the picture. 

We have a nice backyard, but the sun was in the front yard.

We received Graham's outdoor swing in the mail. Graham had to explore the large boxes.

 

It was almost time for Graham's nap, so he wanted his paci in his mouth.

Mostly he liked the tape.

Graham is busy busy...

Graham is growing so fast and learning so quickly! We have been busy at our house...

I pulled all the colors, shapes, animals, numbers, fruits, vegetables, and letter books out so we can start going over them with Graham and see if any of it sparks his interest yet. He is supposed to start recognizing shape differences, categorizing like things, and I think colors now.

I ordered him some art supplies, so we can start doing some artwork. He has play-dough he picks at and scratches at, haha. He can only do crafts with his paci in so he doesn't eat any of it. I also got one of the no mess finger painting kits Meghan had on Jack's wish list on clearance at Walmart. So, Graham has used that some. But it is difficult because he really just wants to dig his finger in the gel. I tried the finger painting in the zip lock baggie project. No mess, but he wasn't interested. We will try again next week. When his non-toxic finger paints come in, we may have to do the messy finger painting in a dry bath tub and see if he is more interested in that. With that kind of mess, I am sure he will be interested. We finally hung Graham's 6 month hand and foot prints in his nursery. I need to adjust the bows. I love them! They are so precious!

He is in the big bath tub now and has his bath toys in the tub with him. I need to get a non-slip mat for the tub though. He is so slippery. It takes me and Matthew to rinse his hair, because he wants to flip over face down in the bath tub (like in a crawling position). Which obviously won't work.  I am afraid if only one of us tries to tackle it, he will get his face too wet and be scared of baths.

We have been rotating the toys and books to keep him entertained. Graham is wanting to crawl from room to room and explore. So, I find myself just following him around. He is wanting to pull up on everything and has started cruising along the sofas. He has been crawling under his exersaucer like it is his fort. He crawls in, then peeks out and smiles. He is so proud of himself for learning new things. I have ordered a swing for us to install under our carport for Graham to use. I couldn't find a good used one anywhere.

Graham has been sleeping through the night after we sleep trained after Christmas. Until now... he is pulling himself up to a standing position in the crib when it is time to go to sleep at when he wakes once in the middle of the night. I think I am going to have to put a halt to the sleep training until he can learn to sit from a standing position in the crib. So, back to patting him in the crib and singing to him to he goes to bed.

Graham is eating meat with his dinner now. He is a good eater. There hasn't been a single food he hasn't liked yet, except for the rice cereal. We haven't tried it again. 

I have been thinking about a sandbox for Graham. I was going to do a covered sandbox, like a used green turtle sandbox. That would be more affordable than the nicer wooden sand boxes and easier to move to another house, since we are in a rental. But I think since we live near the beach where Graham can play in the sand while sitting, we might do a table top sand box, a tactile box, and a water box. I am not sure how exactly I am going to pull this project together yet. We will put it under the car port and have lids on all of them. Graham will love to use his dump trucks in the sand. He can use boats and cups, etc in the water box. Also, the water box will be used to store these toys in when water isn't in it. The other box, we will put rice or lentils or something in it. He can bury stuff in it and use scoops, etc. I am hoping we can find an old bench or low table to put these table top boxes on. Something Graham can stand at or sit on a little stool to play. I think we will have to do something like Rubbermaid storage containers, so we can have a lid.

Lots of planning and projects this year for our sweet Graham!

Graham's 7th Month Pictures

One of Jack's hand-me-downs. So cute! Just perfect for a warm December church outfit. 

Another cute Jack outfit! I love the corduroys!

We gave Graham a mohawk!

And then it got really cold. Graham in his warm coat and warm hat. Daddy raked all the leaves. This pile is only the front yard. The leaf pile grew 4x when Matthew added the back yard.

"crawling" around on his blankets.

We were wondering where all the pacifiers went! The next night after I found them, I was watching Graham on our video monitor and I saw him dropping his paci through the crib rails between the crib and the wall on purpose. What a fun game!

My boys in their Cubs shirts even during the off season. What fans! We will have to get Graham some new Cubs shirts for baseball season that will fit.

Graham using his sippy cup for the first time. Daddy is growing his vacation beard. Graham also got his breakfast for the first time today (12/20/2012). Oatmeal and applesauce. We started a couple of weeks shy of his 8 month birthday. We thought it would be easier to start while we were on vacation. 

Graham turned 8 months today and he is feeling so much better from being sick. 

At the cabin...

Matthew's parents met us at the cabin to enjoy some Graham time before we headed back to Mobile. Maybe next time the Chambless's or the Mc.Collum's can make it and we will go in the summer. I know Jack and Graham will have fun learning to fly fish when they get bigger... and their daddies and granddads will have fun teaching them!

We went for a hike down to the river. We found a little bear.

Granny, Graham, and Granddaddy down by the swimming hole.

Granddaddy caught a trout.

A little fly fisherman in the making!

Daddy and Graham.

Mommy, Graham, and Daddy. It is snowing in the background.

See the snow! It didn't stick, but at least Graham got to see his first snow!

Matthew in some of his fly fishing gear. Burr it is cold outside!

Graham in his pj's playing at the cabin while we relax and watch a movie.

Our little bit getting a bath in the bathtub and not his usual baby bath tub. What a big boy!

Bonnie, Graham, and I went for a walk while the fellas were fly fishing.

We walked down to the covered bridge. It had Christmas lights on it. I wish I got a picture of it at night. It was very pretty.

Then we walked back to the cabin. Back UP the hill! Whew!

Matthew's mom snapped this picture of Matthew and his dad. I wanted a picture of them fly fishing, but I didn't get one. They will just have to go again sometime.

Then Graham got sick and I didn't get anymore pics. We had to go home early. BUT we had fun while it lasted!