Mc's visit to Mobile...

Nana and Papaw visited this weekend. Plans for the Botanical Gardens fell through on account of all the rain we received down here, but at least we didn't get all the thunderstorms, the weather people said we would get. We ended up driving downtown and visiting Bailey's Books. This is a pretty neat used bookstore with a large selection of regional books. We also ate at Regina's Kitchen for lunch (not a meat and three like it sounds). This restaurant has some pretty good tasting sandwiches. I think it is probably a hidden gem, so definitely worth a try if you are in the Mobile area. Graham was on his best behavior all weekend! So, now I really do know he is only acting up with his mamma and he really is capable of being this really good boy I hear about from his teachers. I guess we are doing something right, now if I can just get him to behave with me, I will be doing great!

I didn't take a lot of pictures of the weekend, but here are a few pics of Graham:

Nana and Papaw brought Graham's Christmas present car down, since we couldn't fit in our car over Christmas. Graham's legs are not quite long enough to ride it yet and he of course doesn't have the balance yet, but I think later in the year he will. He loves it anyway! He was pulling up on it and walking next to it and steering it. He studied every inch of it, just like a good sports car owner. 

                                 

He also loves the puzzle Nana and Papaw gave him at Christmas. It makes animal noises when you place the right puzzle piece in the correct spot. He would play with the car, then play with the puzzle. Back and forth, over and over again. I think he was having an internal conflict. Do I want to have fun with my fast car or be smart and learn with my puzzle? I guess he was keeping a good balance.

This is the walker we got Graham for Christmas. He isn't quite ready for it either. He loves it, but isn't quite there yet. He pulls up on it, then tries to eat the handle and then steps up on the back of it, which of course is dangerous with the wheels. I try to walk with him with it and he collapses to the ground. He hasn't quite grasped holding our fingers and walking with us either. He just isn't there yet, but he is pulling up, squatting, cruising all over the place, and balancing with one hand holding on, etc. He didn't know what to think about riding in the walker. 

He has been waving goodbye more and more often. He is talking a  lot. He isn't that interested in us reading the books, even though he will sit through it. He will study and study the books. He loves books! He sings and he has danced a little. I think that is our next thing, dancing! He is smiling more and more. When we are out in public, Graham loves to people watch and if they interact with him, he will flirt, flirt, flirt! What a people person! I think he gets that from his Granddaddy Downs. He is getting more and more hair every day on his head, quite the little shaggy fellow. He has 6 teeth now. 

Sewing projects...

Zippers and piping are probably beyond my sewing capabilities, so I asked our sewing expert, Granny Downs to make these cushions for Graham's highchair. 

They are even covers that zip off of cushion inserts for easy washing. 

They look GREAT! Just what I wanted and envisioned. Graham loves having a cushion for his head. I like them too, because they are gender neutral.

I got Graham's Easter basket liner made! I used our old sage green curtains that we couldn't use in this house. I know, I am a regular old Sister Maria or Scarlet O'Hara. This is Graham's Easter basket till he is too old for an Easter basket. We will use it to fill his goodies in this year, but he needs a smaller basket he can carry for hunting eggs with for this year and next year. So, I am looking for something in particular and may have to make it to get what I want. 

We have a tiny bathroom with no storage. We can only fit (We shoved) this plastic three drawer organizer in the bathroom under the sink. I know, not the prettiest site. I made this cover, just like the cover I made for our plastic file cabinet and posted about on an earlier post. I also used the old sage green curtains for this cover. I used natural color ties that came on something we got in the mail on the packaging. I don't even remember what it was, but I kept it for projects like this. Our shower curtain is sage green. The tiles in this bathroom, just happen to be green. So, it works. It looks much nicer!

I managed to get Jack a light grey canvas tool belt made to go with the tool bench his grandparents are giving him for his birthday. I had a lot of problems with the needle and bobbin thread tensions, since I was working with canvas. The problem I always have is with the thread tensions. I get so frustrated! I followed the directions in the manual, but still the seams do not look great. I Googled the problem and I think I can fix it for next time (see link below). I plan on making one for Graham's birthday too. I think I am going to make Graham's tool belt tan. I already had this grey canvas. I read that some people keep two bobbin casings. One for general sewing and one that you can adjust the tension for thicker or thinner fabrics. I am going to have to do this.

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4302/understanding-thread-tension/page/all

Here is a similar tool belt on Etsy for a great price if you don't want to make your own.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/120368326/grey-denim-childs-tool-belt?utm_campaign=Share&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_source=Pinterest

Here is a tutorial I looked at, but I sewed the tool belt above my own way.

http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/02/childs-tool-belt.html

I found a website with some super cute kids fabric and I never really like the fabric patterns I find for kids, so I am so inspired! I have a lot of projects I want to do and some already planned, so we will see if I can manage to find time to make any of them. I think if I can get all the materials ordered, then they will be here and ready to go, if I have a spare moment to make something!

A Saturday at the museum and the park...

We decided to go to the Museum of Archaeology at University of South Alabama. It is open on Saturdays and is always free. Evidently, a lot of money was donated by the Delchamp grocery store family to this museum. I was impressed. It was a really interesting and good quality museum. If you are ever in the Mobile area, you should stop by. 

 I was so impressed with their so life-like figures. You can read on the above plaque that the figures were made from mold from real people. That is why they are so life like. The camera made the figure a little shiny, so the figure looked even more real in person. Every time you turned around, you felt like someone was standing there. Surprise! Lot of good information on the archaeological digs in South Alabama and talked about the history of the Native Americans and the Spanish, French, and English settlers all the way to present day. Interesting for children too.

 Then we went to the park. We wanted to go last weekend, but it rained and poured. This is Graham's first trip to the park. We should have gone over Christmas. He loved it and he felt like such a big boy. It was colder than I thought it would be and in the shade no doubt. I should have brought his toboggan.

 We had a nice Saturday together!

And by the way, this little boy has a fourth tooth coming in on top. He has 6 teeth!

Our Valentine's Sweetie!

We took some pictures of Graham for the grandparent's Valentine's Day cards. We did footprint hearts and a picture of Graham. 

This picture was the best one.

Granny sent Graham a Valentine's Day shirt to wear to school.

I tried to take his picture before school, but he was crying and fussing because I wiped his nose. Look at that face! His hair is getting so long!

He was in much better spirits after school.

He is looking and laughing at his sweet daddy.

I put these rail covers up a month or so ago to protect the rails from teeth marks. He likes to chew on them even more now, but at least they are protected. 

Graham is playing in his crib, while we try to get some things done around the house without him getting into something he shouldn't!

He loves studying his books now. The soft books and the board books. 

Graham is doing pretty well waving now. He is doing it more and more. We haven't been able to teach him to clap his own hands together yet, but we are working on it. I am dreading the sleep training, but now that he isn't sick anymore and he knows how to sit down in his crib after he stands up, I really need to get down to business and get this boy sleeping through the night again before I go back to work. Tomorrow night is the night and I really hope it will work and fast. We are almost finished baby proofing the rest of the house. We are installing the cabinet locks tomorrow. Then we just need to crawl and walk through the house at his level and make sure we got everything. That should be fun. I am sure he will get a kick out of that!

Graham's (Daddy's) Clubhouse...

Daddy was off for President's Day (or really Mardi Gras). It was such a rainy day. So Daddy and Graham had some inside fun. Daddy built Graham a cardboard playhouse. "NO GIRLS ALLOWED!" Daddy had more fun that Graham, although I think Graham is coming around. What do you think?

 

Mardi Gras in Mobile...

We went to the Floral parade last Saturday...

 We met some of our friends at the parade. This is one of Graham's friends, Jacob. He is such a good boy!