Check out all the fun!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
The best present
As my brother so eloquently stated, on Christmas Day (and for a few days afterwards if we are being honest), it appeared as though "Disney capitalism threw up" in my living room. Graham received every Jake toy known to man and then some, and everyone's love of Mickey was passed on to Elliot! And while these clothes, chair, toys, books, and games were very much appreciated, Graham is apparently like every stereotypical 3 year old. His favorite present and that which kept him most entertained for the last month was the extra large box in which Chris' parents sent their gifts.
Check out all the fun!
Check out all the fun!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Somebody's got the giggles!
I mean really, is there anything better than baby giggles? Especially, baby's first giggles?!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Grahamisms
Graham's vocabulary never ceases to amaze me. He is growing in leaps and bounds in the thoughts he puts together and the sentences that come out of him. A few of my recent favorites:
Graham: "Mommy, I just don't like sleeping!"
Me: "Honey, I know...the whole neighborhood knows!"
Graham: "Will you please look at my beautiful, twirly princess dress? Mommy, you dance with me. I am Belle, and you can be the beast!" (NO comments, Uncle Brian)
After spending half of an evening pretending that an empty laundry basket and foam clock were a race car, he awoke the next morning to find the basket no longer empty and in the same place. He asked Chris, "Daddy, where's my dinghy? I was going to go for a ride in my dinghy!" (Thank you Jake, Peter Pan, and Captain Hook for that piece of nautical vocabulary!)
In keeping with the Disney theme, he is fascinated/borderline obsessed with the movie Frozen and the soundtrack. He goes around singing and asking Elliot, "Do you want to build a snowman?" He also asks repeatedly for the "Crazy" song (Love is an Open Door), and wants me to channel my inner Idina Menzel to sing "Let It Go". I am actually more than happy to oblige on that one (See previous post about my thoughts on Superheroes).
One of my all time favorites:
Me: "Graham, when we get home, do you think Elliot will say, 'Oh Graham, I have been missing you so much today'?"
Graham: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
Graham: "He doesn't have any teeth. He can't talk without teeth!"
A little later in the conversation...
Me: "I know Elliot can't talk, but you know that he loves you, right?"
Graham: "Yes."
Me: "How do you know?"
Graham: "Because he smiles at my face!" (cue teary Mommy!)
Graham: "Mommy, I just don't like sleeping!"
Me: "Honey, I know...the whole neighborhood knows!"
Graham: "Will you please look at my beautiful, twirly princess dress? Mommy, you dance with me. I am Belle, and you can be the beast!" (NO comments, Uncle Brian)
After spending half of an evening pretending that an empty laundry basket and foam clock were a race car, he awoke the next morning to find the basket no longer empty and in the same place. He asked Chris, "Daddy, where's my dinghy? I was going to go for a ride in my dinghy!" (Thank you Jake, Peter Pan, and Captain Hook for that piece of nautical vocabulary!)
In keeping with the Disney theme, he is fascinated/borderline obsessed with the movie Frozen and the soundtrack. He goes around singing and asking Elliot, "Do you want to build a snowman?" He also asks repeatedly for the "Crazy" song (Love is an Open Door), and wants me to channel my inner Idina Menzel to sing "Let It Go". I am actually more than happy to oblige on that one (See previous post about my thoughts on Superheroes).
One of my all time favorites:
Me: "Graham, when we get home, do you think Elliot will say, 'Oh Graham, I have been missing you so much today'?"
Graham: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
Graham: "He doesn't have any teeth. He can't talk without teeth!"
A little later in the conversation...
Me: "I know Elliot can't talk, but you know that he loves you, right?"
Graham: "Yes."
Me: "How do you know?"
Graham: "Because he smiles at my face!" (cue teary Mommy!)
Saturday, January 18, 2014
My Present meets My Future
I had been debating whether to take Graham to see Frozen. I really wanted to see it, and thought he would probably like it, but I just hadn't summoned up the courage. Nor had I mentioned anything about the movie to Graham. On Thursday, he came home talking about his buddy Fisher and how Fisher had gone to see "Frozen, like a Disney movie". I asked if he wanted to see it too, and he enthusiastically said yes.
So, today, I got brave and took Graham to see Frozen. It was a special surprise, in that I wouldn't tell him where we were going. On the way there, he kept guessing Target! However, he was very excited when we pulled into the theater parking lot, and he exclaimed that this was where we had seen the "Planes Movie"! He was sure we were going to see it again. He was really happy, though, when I told him we were going to see Frozen. He proudly announced to the girl at the ticket counter, "We are going to see the Frozen movie. It is a Disney movie. It has princesses in it." (Thanks, son! There went my chance to sneak you in for free as a 2 year old!)
In the lobby, Graham happily presented the usher his ticket, repeating his whole spiel about going to see Frozen, Disney, etc. when he stopped mid-sentence and screamed out..."Look! It's Batman!" while pointing to an ad for the upcoming Lego movie. And in an instant, my heart fell a bit.
Maybe it is a girl thing, but I am so not into the Superheroes! I can identify the major ones (Spiderman, Batman, Superman, and I think I have figured out Captain America), but I don't really know anything about them, nor do I really care to learn. However, Graham has been coming home from school talking about all the superheroes for the past few months, and not getting the cape he wanted for Christmas, hasn't stopped him from tying various aprons, towels, blankets, stuffed animals, etc. around his neck and running from place to place yelling about being a superhero. Fortunately, in the next minute, the said cape has become a princess dress or a tutu for dancing, and we are back in my comfort zone.
So, here I stood in the lobby of the theater headed to see a Disney movie and being exposed to a superhero ad. My present met my future, and while I may not be excited about the Superheroes, I know they are the next big thing. In the meantime, I will take solace in the fact that my little man LOVED Frozen and was very excited to tell Daddy and Elliot all about it, while acting out some of his favorite parts. Maybe I can convince him that Buzz Lightyear and Peter Pan are Superheroes, too. At least for a little longer...
So, today, I got brave and took Graham to see Frozen. It was a special surprise, in that I wouldn't tell him where we were going. On the way there, he kept guessing Target! However, he was very excited when we pulled into the theater parking lot, and he exclaimed that this was where we had seen the "Planes Movie"! He was sure we were going to see it again. He was really happy, though, when I told him we were going to see Frozen. He proudly announced to the girl at the ticket counter, "We are going to see the Frozen movie. It is a Disney movie. It has princesses in it." (Thanks, son! There went my chance to sneak you in for free as a 2 year old!)
In the lobby, Graham happily presented the usher his ticket, repeating his whole spiel about going to see Frozen, Disney, etc. when he stopped mid-sentence and screamed out..."Look! It's Batman!" while pointing to an ad for the upcoming Lego movie. And in an instant, my heart fell a bit.
Maybe it is a girl thing, but I am so not into the Superheroes! I can identify the major ones (Spiderman, Batman, Superman, and I think I have figured out Captain America), but I don't really know anything about them, nor do I really care to learn. However, Graham has been coming home from school talking about all the superheroes for the past few months, and not getting the cape he wanted for Christmas, hasn't stopped him from tying various aprons, towels, blankets, stuffed animals, etc. around his neck and running from place to place yelling about being a superhero. Fortunately, in the next minute, the said cape has become a princess dress or a tutu for dancing, and we are back in my comfort zone.
So, here I stood in the lobby of the theater headed to see a Disney movie and being exposed to a superhero ad. My present met my future, and while I may not be excited about the Superheroes, I know they are the next big thing. In the meantime, I will take solace in the fact that my little man LOVED Frozen and was very excited to tell Daddy and Elliot all about it, while acting out some of his favorite parts. Maybe I can convince him that Buzz Lightyear and Peter Pan are Superheroes, too. At least for a little longer...
Sunday, January 12, 2014
StickerDoodle
Graham has been into stickers lately. He likes to look at stickers, play with them, and share them. Fortunately, we have an abundance of stickers that are stuck to various surfaces around the house. The latest surface...his brother!
It started innocently enough. Chris was busy making supper, and I was working on some laundry. Graham was supposed to be playing and "watching Elliot". We knew it was too quiet out there, but I could not have imagined what Graham meant when he proudly walked into the kitchen and announced that he had made Elliot a "StickerDoodle". Poor Elliot was literally covered from head to toe in stickers, so I did what any self-respecting and exhausted Mommy would do...I laughed, hysterically. Then I took pictures and got on facetime with my Mom and Dad, while Chris did the same with his parents! Chris even managed to get Graham's explanation on video...
It does make me wonder, though, given Elliot's patience and lack of tears or crying, if he wasn't in on it. I can just hear him saying, "Quick, put them on my head. It will be great!"
It started innocently enough. Chris was busy making supper, and I was working on some laundry. Graham was supposed to be playing and "watching Elliot". We knew it was too quiet out there, but I could not have imagined what Graham meant when he proudly walked into the kitchen and announced that he had made Elliot a "StickerDoodle". Poor Elliot was literally covered from head to toe in stickers, so I did what any self-respecting and exhausted Mommy would do...I laughed, hysterically. Then I took pictures and got on facetime with my Mom and Dad, while Chris did the same with his parents! Chris even managed to get Graham's explanation on video...
It does make me wonder, though, given Elliot's patience and lack of tears or crying, if he wasn't in on it. I can just hear him saying, "Quick, put them on my head. It will be great!"
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Best Buddies
While I always knew that the love in my heart would grow exponentially with the birth of my second child, I was not prepared for what that experience would be like for my children.
From the moment we told him about being a big brother, Graham was extremely excited about having a sibling (although he did think it would be a sister!). He loved to talk about all the things that he would help the baby do and all the fun they would have. So, really his response to Elliot has been no surprise. From day one, he has LOVED his brother, as in he is over the moon for him!!
Everyday, Graham will come home from school, bypass whichever of us didn't pick him up and go straight to Elliot, giving him hugs and "brother mooches" and exclaiming, "Elliot! I have been missing you so much today!" He has been doing this nearly everyday for almost 2 months, and it does not get old! It seriously melts my heart! Alternately, if I have brought Elliot with me to pick him up at school the instant Graham sees us, he will literally drop everything in his hands and run to him saying, "Elliot, you came to see me today!" He is so proud to introduce him and show him off to all his friends! One of the girls in his class has commented to her mom that she is so excited that "Graham has a Carter (her little brother) of his own!"
Graham can't wait until Elliot is old enough to really play with him, although he asks everyday if he wants to come and play with him in his pirate room. Graham has loved their matching big and little brother shirts and outfits, and this weekend, when Elliot was dressed in a cowboy onesie he got for Christmas, Graham ran to his room and changed into his Buzz Lightyear pajamas, just so they could be Woody and Buzz!
While all of this is completely adorable, I think even more amazing is Elliot's response to Graham. I have known since before he was born that Elliot was fascinated by Graham. Two days before he was born, Graham spent the day with Natalie and her family, and I had very few contractions. However, the minute we picked Graham up and he heard Graham's voice, Elliot started kicking and moving all about. Elliot clearly LOVED Graham, and this love affair has definitely continued on the outside. Elliot can be perfectly content with Chris or I, but the minute he hears Graham's voice or sees Graham enter the room, he is so focused and intent on him. He watches his every move, smiles, at everything he says and does, and just genuinely loves being with him.
Needless to say, I get a little teary every time I see them being so sweet to each other! I can only hope and pray that this early bond will continue to grow and thrive as they grow up together and for the rest of their lives!
From the moment we told him about being a big brother, Graham was extremely excited about having a sibling (although he did think it would be a sister!). He loved to talk about all the things that he would help the baby do and all the fun they would have. So, really his response to Elliot has been no surprise. From day one, he has LOVED his brother, as in he is over the moon for him!!
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| Love at First Sight! |
Everyday, Graham will come home from school, bypass whichever of us didn't pick him up and go straight to Elliot, giving him hugs and "brother mooches" and exclaiming, "Elliot! I have been missing you so much today!" He has been doing this nearly everyday for almost 2 months, and it does not get old! It seriously melts my heart! Alternately, if I have brought Elliot with me to pick him up at school the instant Graham sees us, he will literally drop everything in his hands and run to him saying, "Elliot, you came to see me today!" He is so proud to introduce him and show him off to all his friends! One of the girls in his class has commented to her mom that she is so excited that "Graham has a Carter (her little brother) of his own!"
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| At Graham's Christmas party at school |
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| Woody and Buzz--BFFs |
While all of this is completely adorable, I think even more amazing is Elliot's response to Graham. I have known since before he was born that Elliot was fascinated by Graham. Two days before he was born, Graham spent the day with Natalie and her family, and I had very few contractions. However, the minute we picked Graham up and he heard Graham's voice, Elliot started kicking and moving all about. Elliot clearly LOVED Graham, and this love affair has definitely continued on the outside. Elliot can be perfectly content with Chris or I, but the minute he hears Graham's voice or sees Graham enter the room, he is so focused and intent on him. He watches his every move, smiles, at everything he says and does, and just genuinely loves being with him.
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| So cute, with his arm around Graham at bedtime |
Needless to say, I get a little teary every time I see them being so sweet to each other! I can only hope and pray that this early bond will continue to grow and thrive as they grow up together and for the rest of their lives!
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