1st Birthday Eve

 Last night to cuddle and play with an 11 month old before bedtime. Tomorrow our Sweet Baby Graham will be 1! I cannot believe he will be out of the months and into the years! I had to get some last minute shots of him before he turns 1.

I remember having to drop something off in Mary Pat's (my ob doctor) neighborhood the night before Graham was born and seeing her outside. Ben stopped and told her to get a good night sleep because she had a big/early morning the next day.  When driving on Millsap by the hospital, I always look at the women's center and remember so vividly the mornings Madeline and Graham were born. Ben dropping me and our luggage off at the doors to the women's center, early in the morning(still very dark outside) and watching him park in the dark and feeling so much excitement. Getting checked in, etc.... They were 2 of the best days of my life! So many special memories for everyone in our family.

I loved watching Madeline meet her brother for the first time and watching their love grow throughout this year.

Madeline stayed with her Grandmommy and Grandad on Sunday. I was talking to her on the phone Monday morning and she asked to talk to Baby Graham. I put the phone on speaker and she said: Hi Baby Graham, it's your sister, I'll see you in a little bit, I spent the night at Grandmommy and Grandad's. I love you!

She is always hugging on him, kissing on him and telling him she Loves him. She got us started calling him Baby Graham and calls him little buddy, too. She will say, I love you little buddy. Seeing their love for one another makes my heart sing! My wish is for them to always be close.

Do we have to quit calling him Baby Graham now that he is 1? Like I always tell Madeline, they will always be my babies, even when they are 30! Ben has been calling him Graham-jam so that may be a new nickname.

I will admit that I got a little teary eyed putting him to sleep tonight. I was holding him, he wanted to rock and I sang him our la, la, la,...... bedtime song. I am so thankful he is healthy and is turning 1, but thinking about both of my babies growing up brings happy and bitter sweet tears to my eyes. I will have a 1 year old and a 2 year old for a few days. On Sunday, Madeline turns3!

Since the first day of Graham's life, he has been the sweetest, happiest and easiest baby. His eyes always light up and look so happy. I know I say it a lot, but I cannot imagine an easier baby. He was heading to birthday parties when he was a week old so I guess God knew Baby Graham needed to go with the flow.

He loves to climb, has gotten a little wild and does not like when sister(or mom or anyone) takes something away from him, (he will scream). He wants to be in the middle of the action. And the thing that melts my heart the most is that he is the BIGGEST MOMMA's BOY!

 So handsome!

Even though lots of women come up and tell me- she is so pretty. 

Even when he is in boy clothes.

 I just smile and say thank you!

 I am tired of this game, let's climb sister's bed........

 He has the cutest and sweetest smile. I hope to always see you with that smiling face that brightens up our day.

 He takes after his daddy and is a BIG talker...

 Random thought, but pretty sure these are the pajamas I took to the hospital with me last year when Graham was born.

 Bedtime fun before Baby Graham's 1st Birthday!

You have brought me nothing but pure joy since that very first moment. Watching you grow, absorbing the world around, I'm reminded of what joy you bring into my life. 

Baby Graham, I love you to the moon and back! 

Mommy

Around our house....

 Breakfast at our house is so much fun!

 I usually read a book to them while Graham is in the highchair. Once I feed him (sometimes Madeline takes over and feeds Graham) I can clean up a bit in the kitchen while they giggle and laugh at one another.

 At least the crib is used for something....

I am embarresed to admit, that I have never put Graham down in his crib to sleep at night. Once he turns one we will begin the process for moving him. He does not nap in there either, so I am glad it is a nice place for Madeline's babies to nap.

 Madeline is very, very animated! Below she is telling me something very important as she drops her babies off at school before she goes to work.

She loves to act like she is going to work and I take care of the babies. She tells me she has lots of babies and has even told me she has to go and take care of her second husband. I have no idea where the second husband comment came from!

 All of her babies....

 then we usually head outside for playtime....

 and a picnic if it is warm enough.

My sweet boy!

 

Saturday night (March 9) after dinner at Granmommy and Grandad's house we were all sitting in the den. I was on the floor and Graham was standing up, which he does regularly. Next thing I know, he took a step towards me. Jay and I immediately started saying that was a step and started cheering him on. He loved the reaction and stood up again to try again. Madeline was not sure what to think and started pushing him down every time he stood up. Sunday night, Graham took 3 steps and Monday night he took 6. Go Graham Go! I am excited/thankful for him learning to walk, but how can my baby boy already be old enough to walk! I cannot believe how fast time has flown by!

I started to change Graham's diaper in Madeline's room. After I took the diaper off, I realized I did not have a clean one. So I left him for a second on the floor to get a diaper and came back to find him like this...

 He thought it was pretty funny when I walked in, and I did too!

 This boy loves to climb!

He was trying to climb onto Madeline's desk.

Tonight he climbed on the bench at the foot of Ben and my bed and then climbed onto the bed. We watched him very closely and had our hands inches away, but we wanted to see if he could do it.

I looked away for one second the other day and he was standing on one of his and Madeline's chairs from their table and chairs leaning onto the easel.

He also climbed up a little chair at my grandmother's last week and she was amazed.

I hate to admit this, but a few weeks ago he kept crawling toward Ben's parents stairs. I finally decided to let him explore and watch to see what he would/could do if I let him. Well, he was able to climb to the very top of their steep stairs. I was shocked! I was super close the entire time with hands on him, so it was not dangerous!

He loves to entertain us and make us laugh. He laughs at himself a lot. If he thinks he is doing something silly or funny, he will crack himself up. He laughs a lot and is the happiest baby I know! I feel like his entertaining side has really come out in the past week. His eyes always light up look happy.

Newest Hog Cheerleader

 Madeline loves the pom girls (she calls them cheerleaders). She keeps looking at this picture and saying, I want to sit on her lap and on her lap....

Madeline told me: They said they liked my shirt and I said Thank you!

Our sweet girl was in Cheerleader Heaven!

 The girls were so sweet and made Madeline's year!

 cotton candy and

 drink break.....

 Oh, no they are catching up.

I better do some serious cheering....

 Madeline was watching and copying all of their moves.

 sitting down when the pom girls were sitting down and watching their every move...

 The face below cracks me up.

A man in the stands was yelling and Madeline did not like it!

And yes, her pink tutu is on under the cheerleading skirt.

She wears that tutu constantly right now and i was not going to argue with her.

 And she notices a mascot...

She kept telling me..

I'm little and do not like mascot, but when I get big, I will like mascots.

 Keeping her eye on the mascot.....

 Proof mommy was at the game, too!

We headed to Granmommy and Grandad's for dinner and Madeline spent the night for the 2nd time!

She invited herself and they were happy to have her.

In the car after the game madeline said: We need to get home before the rain, we need to go to your house grandad.

Arkansas 73

Texas A&M 62