pool school

Our little G is taking his first swimming lessons! He goes once a week with Jeff to a class geared just to acclimating kiddos under 3 to the water. He is a huge fan and sleeps soo well afterwards. Now that we know he has no reservations about the water, I'd say we're all set for a summer of poolside afternoons. Can't wait. This week I tagged along to his lesson to admire my toenails on the deck and to snap a few photos of the boys in action. I hope you don't mind all of the splashing. I just can't get enough!

graham's birthday surprise!

We made some really happy memories this weekend celebrating G's birthday. My aunt was so sweet to host a big family bday party, which totally lightened my load. As much as I loove to throw a good party, Jeff and I agreed to keep birthdays simple + special around here for awhile. So on his bday morn, G woke to a really special surprise in his room: A new wooden truck and a giant birthday balloon! We had to snap some pics of his reaction, sweet bedhead and all. {Clearly the balloon out-shined the truck!!}
I can't believe that two years ago we welcomed this little bird into the world and our lives forever changed (for the very much better, of course). I still remember snuggling with him those first few hours at the hospital--the whole world had never felt more at peace. Now he's a full-fledged little boy and I think he gets lovelier every day. I love that we are beginning to converse a bit, as he's stringing as many as 5 words together at once. It's so sweet how he works so hard to spit out sentences. Oh and he counts from 4-11. Not sure where we left 1-3, but that will come, I'm sure. He even says love you mama, but it sounds more like "la-voo!" Just for the record, am jotting down a list of his current loves:
: fire
: fire trucks
: buses
: big cars
: little cars
: tractors
: balls
: puppies
: cuddle couch {yup he's a lover boy}
: peppa pig
: thomas {the tank engine}
seriously. it's so funny how he's hard wired to love big things with wheels. i swear we don't lock him in rooms with only cars to play with...oh boy oh boy. he is 100% boy.

a spiffy boy in a bow tie

Would you believe that my sweet little bird turns 2--two weeks from tomorrow? We jumped the gun just a bit and did a quickie shoot with him to get some nice 2-year-old photos for the old album. {They also served a dual-purpose, promoting our upcoming mini sessions.} Graham is so stinking busy all the time and it's getting tough to get him to sit still for more than 2 seconds for pictures. But I seriously love that about him--and I love all of the action shots. Thanks Jeff for getting these sweet pictures of our little cutie!

...And to think that once upon a time, he fit inside this little Easter basket!?

diy recycled crayons

Graham & I just got back from spending a few days with my parents, where we made a batch of super swirly fun toddler crayons. {I saw this idea here a couple years ago--and always thought it would be so fun to do with my own kiddo.} Grandmas always seem to have an amazingly endless stash of dull old broken crayons just dying to be melted into something new and even better; begging to be saved from the circular filing bin that lies beneath the kitchen sink. These turned out so pretty, like a well-needed splash of color on a dreary early spring day and I had to share. I had to borrow my little bro's point and shoot, so sorry the pictures are a little fuzzy! {Note to self, never travel without your camera. You should have learned that by now.}

So by now you're dying to melt your own batch, right?

Here's how:

Supplies:
muffin tin (we used a mini circle size, but how fun would it be to make these heart, cloud, or flower shaped!?) and no, the pan did not get ruined. it's just a little wax!
crayons of all colors and kinds
oven
freezer

1. Unwrap & break crayons, then plop them straight into the tin. I was pretty conservative about mixing colors, but there are no rules here. go crazy!

2. Fill tins about 1/2 full with crayon pieces. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until wax is completely melted. Allow to cool completely. Hooray--you've got crayons that look something like this:
4. Flip pan over and give each hole a good tappity-tap. If some of the crayons don't pop out immediately, don't fret. Just stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes then try again. They should come out with minimal effort.

5. Admire your pretty results and snap a quick pic before sharing them with busy little hands.
Note: Glitter or metallic crayons are the best! I love how our glittery green and the metallic silver mixed with purple turned out.

unpack & stack

Sometimes you can almost see the little wheels turning inside their little heads...
G has always been a good helper around the house--ahem, especially when food is involved. This week when I came home from the grocery store with a month's worth of food (when it is -20 windchill, you quickly learn to minimize your outings), Graham snapped into action helping to unpack. Instead of strewing things about the kitchen floor or trying to crack them open as usual, he set to work building a skyscraper of cans and yogurt. Just another one of those moments where you drop everything and grab your camera.

Happy weekending!

guess what?

We finally gave our baby boy a real, down-home, honest-to-goodness haircut.
Make that three haircuts.
We sat in the bathroom.
I held him on my lap.
I stroked his lovely, mangy blond curls one last time,
And I cried.
It was time.
The hockey hair had. to. go.
Jeff took his clippers and matter-of-factly went to work; up the back and sides.
I kept whispering in a curved little ear "mama is sad. mama is sad."
{Because I am dramatic and nostalgic like that.}
G looked back at me, with confused yet compassionate eyes and said "sad mama."
And a thousand little blond curls hit the floor.
We left the top alone, because I wasn't sure I wanted it just 1" long like all the rest.
And then we slept on it.
I trimmed it a little bit more the next day, because it was so uneven and terrible.
And trimmed it again the day after that, because he seriously still looked like this!
And on the fourth day, I accepted it.

We whacked off a whole lot more than we did the first time.
We didn't even take pictures this time.
It was all hands on deck and I was even more teary-eyed than before.
Someone has to stop all of this growing up. I can't stand it anymore.
Our little blue-eyed baby, now has a neck.
He's still the same sweet little boy, with the same sweet little voice,
but in a big boy's body.

wrapping painting

My mini crafter and I pulled out some Christmasy colored paints and set out to make some homemade wrapping paper this afternoon (1.5 year-old style). You can't buy this stuff at Target. I've been taking G to a toddler class on Wednesday mornings and yesterday we had a really great guest speaker (during mommy separation time) talk about the importance of arts at an early age. Of course I soaked it up. She reminded me that there's 1,000 more benefits to letting your child explore different mediums and textures than detriments (uh, messes). Sometimes as adults our idea of "arts & crafts" gets skewed and we fixate on perfect finished products. With kiddos, it's so important to embrace the whole learning process--it nurtures everything from creative thinking to language skills. Whoever knew finger painting could be so in depth?
I just realized that it's been forever since I shared a little G post around here. He's seriously been more fun than ever lately! Just in the last week or two, he's started putting 2 words together. Some of the combos we've been hearing lately are "Ni ni {horse}," "Uh oh bus," and "Super hot." That's right, super hot.

Don't miss out on this week's giveaway extravaganza: ekate jewelry, a custom paper banner, and september house embroidery. Winners tomorrow!!

outside!

Today (and well everyday), the boy woke in the morning and the first word to cross his lips was "Outsziiiii!" He says it 1,000 more times before 9am. Our morning routine almost always calls for a healthy helping of fresh air.
But today.
This week.
Ugh.
It is a blustery, drizzly, chilly, vortex of wind and water. I do not want to go outside, but mind over matter. We will not succumb to cabin fever before it is even November.
The boy wins and we gear up for Outsziiiiii! He in his yummy yellow slicker and I in my wellies.
He is happy as a clam, running through the wet grass with a car in each hand. This boy is so busy he does not even seem to notice the elements, even as his hat blows down the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, our glass, outer front door is wind-whipped, the hinges are bent, and it no longer shuts properly. My pretty potted mums are strewn across the front yard. Our doormat is yards from the door. A plastic chair that does not belong to us is laying upside down on our front steps. I return the chair to the neighbor's yard, where I presume it came from. It is a real Midwestern hurricane.
Winter is coming!
There are even rumors of snow and ice in the next 24 hours. I am trying so hard to embrace this.
The boy screams as I haul his chilly red and runny nose back inside after 15 minutes. We eat some chocolate chip cookies and suddenly all is well with the world.
Our furnace is chugging along and I am organizing drawers of hats and mittens.
I even sewed a little draft snake to stuff in our mailbox slot and keep our front entry cozy. I am sooo jazzed about the idea of not having to walk or even open the door to get the mail when it is -20 windchill in a month or two...

Ooh, and my laptop is officially fixed!! Hooray for that. It is always good to spend a few days unplugged every now and then. I feel like my time is so much more focused on the things that really truly matter in life.

Also: We are so anxious to see the Giants win the World Series!!

this boy,

he loves pumpkins, even though
he calls them apples. (we are working on that.)
he says "hello" to almost everyone, with a crooked wrist wave and
he charms all the sweet old ladies and gentlemen at the grocery store.
he's become quite the lover boy all of a sudden.
he's so very affectionate. i love the way
he hugs my neck whenever i hold him. i feel like
he's beginning to show that
he loves me back.
he surprises me every day with new words.
he says "Watz!" for water and "Monk/Minnow" for milk.
he has a fetish with shoes, cars, and balls.
he hates eating vegetables.
he loves elmo and i am regretting the sesame street intro.
he sometimes makes friends at the park.
he would spend his whole life in the bathtub if he could.

a few words...

What a busy busy week it has been! I am feeling a bit short on words today, so I decided to let Graham do the talking. {Hope you don't mind.} This boy has been a volcano of vocabulary in the last couple of weeks. Every day, I love looking forward to what funny new word he'll pick up next.

Ahem. I can't believe my jolly pirate monkey hits the big 1-8 month milestone this weekend. I'm scared that if I blink again he'll turn 18.



p.s. don't miss your chance to win this nutty squirrel print!

first haircut!

This morning while Jeff was shaving and I was finishing getting dressed, Graham got busy unloading all of his bath toys into the tub (then climbing in) saying, "ba? ba? ba?" How do you say no to such a sweet and not-so-subtle hint? So while I began filling up the tub, Jeff fetched the camera. I'd been waiting for a good opportunity to give G a little trim--sometime when Jeff could be home to snap a few pics to commemorate the momentous occasion. The bath seemed like a smart place to corral/distract the boy.

Sad to say, his hair was beginning to get a bit too long. And mangy. And horizontal with very vertical potential.
Meanwhile my heart is breaking. I thought for sure I'd wait until he was at least 2 to cut those precious blond curls, grown from the entirety of his babyhood. What is it about first haircuts that strip kids of their sweet baby-ness? What if the curls never come back? I loved how they'd twirl into the perfect baby boy 'do all humid summer long. Lately it's been more matted down with samples of his meals and buggers and other sorts of messes. Just a bit too unruly. It is time.

I only kinda sorta knew what I was in for, chasing a squirmy fish of a toddler around the tub with a scissors. I tried to keep this a straightforward, conservative trim. Just a little off the ears, a little off the mullet neck, then even out his bangs. Next time we'll consult the professionals...

It's funny, because one of my biggest parenting pet peeves is when moms cut their kids' bangs too ridiculously short, straight across the top of the forehead, in effort to keep them out of their eyes. I'm afraid I may have done that very thing to our son.

I am regretting this:

Somehow I think I'm more upset over this than he.

Now off to dry my tears and bury the remains in the depths of his baby book.

lake harriet

It's not Disneyland.
It's not a glamorous summer vacation or a long-distance road trip.
It's Lake Harriet and it's free and it's just a hop skip and a jump away from where we live.
It's simple picnic, a lazy afternoon, and dip in the lake.
It's cool summer breezes, sandy shoes, and strawberry stains.
It's a little boy who loves to splash and wants to drink the whole lake. Mmmm...
It's a break from the daily grind and a time to just be a little family.
Yet somehow, it's just as magical.

this is the story of a boy and his chucks.

G is just about to outgrow his first pair of Chucks. We had a wicked step-sister moment this afternoon as we muscled those sweet baby toes into the 4 inch soles...so I thought I'd better pay tribute now before the magic wears off entirely.

These sneakers were the golden ticket that warped him from babyhood to boyhood. How is this even possible? We first slipped them on not even 5 months ago. Back then, he was not even standing on his own and his first steps were nowhere on the radar. Today his Chucks take him on brave backyard adventures and he is more curious, busy, and carefree in them than ever before.

This is the short story of 5 minutes in G's shoes.

(Above) Sometimes we sit on the steps to watch squirrels or airplanes or blow bubbles together. Sometimes he stops to rest here after his treasure hunts, to inspect and inevitably taste his precious finds.

But never for more than 30 seconds. Then we are off and running.

We can count on the adventure leading us to the rock bed. This is where we sit or squat for quite some time, combing for the perfect stones. Most are discarded into the window well of the basement. One or two will make the cut and be grasped in his palms as we continue the adventure. I often wonder what qualities a rock must possess to qualify.

Somewhere along the line, he peers through the fence to point and bark at the neighbor's dog. The dog barks back. I startle. G keeps on woo-woo-woofing. He is fearless.

The adventure goes on and on...Sometimes I wish I could cast a spell and keep him in his little Chucks, contained in our backyard forever. But savoring our afternoon, brushing the dirt off of his 4" soles, and kissing his yummy cheeks today is about the best I can do...That and ponder what color his next pair should be? I love this adventure.

ruffled up

I've been meaning to share these pics for a couple of weeks. Oh my--summer is already slipping by so so quickly. We are in the midst of packing up (for the 3rd time in 1 year, no jokes) and moving into our 1st house! We close 1 week from today and couldn't be more delighted. All of the packing and dust is a huge drag, but I'm trying to keep in mind how amazing it will be to unpack into our very own big new space.

I love these photos Jeff took of G and me at the park. I'm really proud of this pink ruffled t-shirt I made using this tutorial. You should make one too! Just 2 plain, identical t-shirts on the clearance rack at Old Navy + my scissors, sewing machine, and an entire pin cushion. It has become a staple in my summer wardrobe. There's just nothing like the satisfaction of making something that looks J.Crew-caliber and knowing you did it for practically pennies.
It's been awhile since I've gushed about Graham's latest antics. He is 14 months old. Pretty nuts.
He's walking running everywhere these days. I don't know how I'll ever keep tabs on him in our big new house. It's hard enough to keep an eye on him in a 1,000 square foot apartment!

He has an irrational fear of grass. (See above.) It's the funniest thing--whenever we set him down in the green stuff he lifts up one or both legs, scowls, and whines. He's fine walking in it, but hates the way it prickles his bare, chubby legs.

He's beginning to climb. Oh my. He's even clever enough to pull up a toy to use as a step stool. Am not encouraging this behavior.

We've taught him a little bit of sign language. Just the basics. He consistently uses more (and borderline abuses it), milk, all done, bye bye, and up.
We're still working on change, water, please, thank you, love you, book, car, fan, eat, help, and sit...
3 real words have emerged from his sweet, endless babble:
"Dada"
"Tickle"
"Hello"
Peculiar first words, I know. His first hello came out today at the park, clear as a bell, when he walked up to a little girl by the slide. He hasn't repeated it since, and certainly not to anyone over 3' tall. Funny.
He also barks at anything with four legs. We are working on that.

will walk for teddy grahams

Graham took his first steps this week! In the grand scheme of maternal joys, so far, I'd say witnessing this ranked right up there with hearing his first cry the minute he was born. (And you thought I was sentimental about that 1st birthday cake.) Guess this means our mini man is officially a toddler. He'll be off & running in no time. I will be thankful when he graduates from the school of hard-knocks. He has a giant bruise on his forehead from this whole ordeal. Can't remember if that one is from the coffee table or window sill...

His free-standing moments and few brave steps have been pretty sporadic and short-lived. I will freely admit that catching this on camera required a little snack time bribery.


***
This week's giveaway winner:
ashley said...
I am loving all the tulips I've been seeing. I'm not sure if they're just a May flower, but...
5/10/10 2:59 PM

Congrats, Ashley! Contact me for the deets on claiming your red rosy pin.

toy land

In the wake of a first birthday party, we've been pretty spoiled by all the fun new toys around here. I swear the inventory has doubled. But when I spied this sweet set of wheels at the thrift store last week for just a couple bucks, I simply could not pass it up. It met all of my requirements: cute, check. wooden, check. sturdy, check. vintage, check. rubber wheels, check. The boy's first bike has become a welcomed addition to toy land. At first I was a little skeptical about the chipping paint, but provided it's not MIC (gasp, made in china) we should be good, right?
Graham is so lucky to not only have one, two, or three, but four crafty aunties. The kind of aunties who sew quilts and make stuffed monkey lovey blankets and artsy monkey cakes. This year, his auntie Heather made him this adorable nursery rhyme block set, with props to uncle Justin for custom cutting the blocks and hinged wooden box. The blocks are super light weight and made of balsa wood, which is ideal for baby handling, stacking, and whacking. (Although we discourage the latter!) We are in love with all of the colors, patterns, and pictures. Soon he'll know the tales of Wee Willie Winkie and Humpty Dumpty like the back of his hands.And yes--that double lucky duck is wearing his favorite new t, screen-printed with the ABC's. One of Amanda's fine creations! We are huge fans and she was so amazingly sweet to share one with us.

weekending part 2...

I hope no one is tired of 1st birthday cake messes...because the highlight of our weekend was a cupcake eating contest. We snapped a few quick pictures of my cousin's baby Owen, who is 6 weeks older than Graham. It's so fun to get these boys together! Owen pretty much polished his cupcake off in record time. G, on the other hand, just kept wiping his frosting covered hand all up and down his dashing new sweater vest. Lesson learned, next time we will ditch the clothes ahead of time for quicker clean up. Believe it or not, all of the chocolate amazingly came out in the wash!!