Back to work parttime in October ...

I will be starting work again in October. Monday, October 20 will be my first day back. I will be working part-time - Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Graham will be in daycare those days ... and I am sure the first day will be pretty hard for both of us. Thankfully the daycare is just a short walk away from home, so Graham and I will be visiting it regularly in the next few weeks to get him acclimated to the culture, the room, and the teachers. And once I'm back to work, I can visit him during the day; I can even pop over to breastfeed him! Nice stress-reliever there.

I'm really thankful for the ability to work part-time. I think it will be good for me to be working some ... but I'm really glad that I'll be home too on Tues & Fri ... there's a lot I want to do with my time; foremost of which is to be with Graham - and watching him develop and grow into his own person!

Please pray for us as we all prepare for this upcoming transition. It will be interesting!

First trip to Boise!

It's Sunday evening and we're in Boise, ID. Pat, Graham and my dad are out for their first bike ride. Graham's first bike ride, that is. We have a Chariot Cougar that we have been using as a stroller, and it also attaches to the back of a bike ... it's quite the convertible unit (http://www.chariotcarriers.com/). We've been using the infant sling and Graham has done really well in it so far (just walking, not yet riding). Pat brought his bike and all the equipment to hook the trailer up, and he's been really eager to get Graham out for a bike ride.


So, I have my dad's computer on the kitchen table eagerly (anxiously?) keeping a lookout for their return. They do have a flag on the trailer, and they are being careful ... and he is dressed warmly - with a blanket ... but I am still sitting here anxiously awaiting their safe return. I didn't have a chance to snap a pic, but I will dart out as soon as they get back. Graham was about to fall asleep when I buckled him into the trailer, so I'm sure he's calm and sleeping in the back. That makes me feel more comfortable than worrying that he's squalling back there!


Enough about that! Today my parents had an open house for us, and we got to see some good family friends and old high school friends. We had a really nice time. My mom sure knows how to host a party and lay out a tasty (and healthy) spread! I am posting some pictures from the day, with some of our friends who got to meet Graham for the first time. He did really well, charming the folks and chattering to them ... telling them all about his day and how much he loves visiting Boise.

Oh! They just got back from the bike ride! I just ran out to take a picture, they're all in one piece, and Graham is still warm. He was crying when I got out there, but they told me he just started as they were pulling into the drive way; that he had been sleeping for quite a while. All's safe here, and that's one adventure successfully accomplished. Note to Joe O'Brien: Pat mentioned that he might have to try to one-up you for your record of having the youngest summiteer when you and he took Cole up the South Sister at 2 years. I just don't know if I like that idea. We'll see.

Armond and Betty Taylor were great friends with my grandparents and have been a significant part of my memories and spiritual growth from the time I was as old as Graham is now!!

Dave & Betty Willman are also good friends of the family, and have been really special to both Andy and me as we have grown al0ngslide their grandchildren.

This is Tim Grissom, learning to hold a baby ... he and his wife Liz are expecting a little girl in 8 weeks! He will also be a new uncle (again) in several months. See how happy Graham is with him? He started crying when Tim handed him to Liz. Go Tim! You've got the "Daddy comfort" down!

Grandmother Kathy

Here are the returning cyclists - they have successfully initiated Graham into the world of cycling. We'll see how he does from here - maybe I'll take him out next!

Things we see in Graham - Part 1

The pediatrician who examined Graham in the hospital told us that she spent time journaling for each of her children during their childhood; making observations about their activities and preferences and personality development. She has seen many of their personality traits and personal preferences remaining through young adulthood, and her kids have found her observations to be really special. I may not be journaling as much as I could be, but I am blogging! Here are some things that I've noticed so far with Graham.

Starting really early on, Graham has cried before going to sleep - whether for a quick nap or for the night. We are able to help him with a pacifier and a favorite CD, and we soothe him down to relaxation and bring him close to sleepy-land, but it has struck me that he really enjoys observing what's going on around him. He has a hard time leaving the big world even for a few short winks.

Graham has really started talking. He is cooing and gurgling and smiling, and frowning. He's using the bl sound, m sound, gl sounds, all of which just make Pat and me smile and chuckle. He hasn't started laughing yet, but when we respond to some of his coos and loud noises with a noise or comment of our own, we get a little frown in response - it's like he's logging our response away inside of his head for further analysis later. Perhaps to keep him company when he's sleeping. :)

He's starting to wake up happy and quiet ... not just crying. This has been a lot of fun too, because it's much more fun to wake in the morning to cheerful chirps and twitters than to a loud crying banshee!

Graham has noticed Lazslow (our dog). We have a few pictures and videos of Graham in the swing when Lazslow walks by. He studies Lazslow from head to toe, with a studious look on his face ... here's my imagination of his thoughts, "now, this is a creature of a different sort ... not like the others I've seen in my short time ... furrier, longer face, something long hanging out of the mouth, and what's that thing wagging all around on the hind end?" Okay, maybe a little deep for a 13 week old, but Hey! He sure does look interested in Lazslow. I can't wait until they can play together! It will be good for both of them.

That's it for now ... more thoughts and observations to come. We have a pretty great kid on our hands, and there are lots of things we love about him.

Our Handy Boy ...

Ladies and Gentlemen, Graham has found his hands!! Yes, this weekend in the car on our way back from the coast, we caught him gazing at his hands ... in great admiration and curiosity. He is bonking himself on the head with his newfound appendages, and he's enjoying batting at things - he's still using a closed fist, which naturally is not very productive, but he's having fun!

It's natural that Graham would be enamored with his hands - they were constantly by his face in the womb, and the midwife thinks that based on the way he came out, he had his hand on his cheek as he was born! Since then, they still are a huge means of soothing for him - he just loves to have them near his face.

Here's a picture of Graham watching his newfound friends on the floor in his room ... doesn't he look fascinated? I can't wait to watch him continue to discover as he keeps growing & developing!

Nicknames

Thus far in his life, Graham has picked up several nicknames, as babies often do. I thought it would be fun to record them for posterity. Let me know if I've forgotten one of your favorites!

Baby G (we have one little 2 year old friend who refuses to call Graham anything but Baby G)
Big G
Sweet Baby
Grammers
Grammer Man
Big Man ... aka Biggie (this is Pat's nickname for him)
Sweetey Peetey
Sweetey Peetey Chicken Eatey (both of these are mine, and I have no idea where Chicken Eatey came from - it just rolled off my tongue one day)

I think Grammers has stuck - it is a pretty nice nickname - short and sweet!


Molly