Fall Fun

We sure have had a lot of fun this fall! We spent a weekend with Ryan in Savannah, Georgia where he was working for 5 weeks (the month of September). While we were there we played in Forsyth Park, ate at Ms. Paula Deen's resteraunt, and went to Hilton Head beach. We paid a visit to Green Meadows Farm, Grady loved the animals and was so excited to touch them. He also loved the train ride and "choosing" a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. He still loves to play with balls; and when he saw those big, round, orange pumpkins his face just lit up! Maw-maw & Paw-paw came for a visit. And Grady celebrated his 2nd Halloween with trick or treating, he was the cutest little Flounder I've ever seen! We also took a family trip to Helen, GA & Charleston, SC but that's going to get it's own post over on our family blog!

Grady's Whaley AWESOME 1st Birthday Party

I realized yesterday that I never posted about Grady's 1st Birthday party! Yikes! We celebrated our little man's 1st Birthday with a whale themed pool party at our community pool. I worked for weeks on whale themed decorations and goodies, and was very pleased with the super cute results! Grady's favors for all of his "whaley" good little buddies were whale shaped crayons, a special thanks to my sweet friend Erin & my wonderful cousin Jenn for helping to peel a bajillion crayons for these. Grady had a great time swimming, munching on a "whaley" tasty lunch, smashing & eating his cake, and opening his "whaley" big pile of gifts!

Walking, walking, running...

A few weeks ago we were able to join Ryan in Savannah where he was working for a long weekend/quick mini vaca. While we were there Grady discovered the blessing of carpeted floors for a new "walker". Well those 4 days of cushioned falls was just what he needed to give him the boost from the "taking 4-5 steps" world into full blown walking. And just a few weeks later he is practically running. I mean seriously people, he's got the "look back over his shoulder and laugh at Mommy as she is chasing after him" thing down.

12 months

* DISCLAIMER*

Please pay no attention to the unmade bed, or finger print covered/dusty mirror...rather focus on the adorable 1 year old! This was the best shot I got after 30 minutes of trying to get him to sit on the couch for "just 1 second"!

Grady- boy is 12 months old now. Yes, 12 months. 365 days. 1 year. Incredible how fast it happens. My little baby is now a boy, a toddler. A mischief maken, big smooch given, wanna be independent toddler. I took Grady for his 1 year wellness visit with Dr. Alvarado last week. I was surprised to find out my little skinny thing weighs 20 lbs 8 ounces and is in the 10-25 percentile. His height came in at 31 & 1/4 inches, putting him in the 75-90th percentile. Grady is VERY active and keeps me running all day. He loves to open and close cabinets and drawers, he loves to drop and throw things down, saying "BOP" when he does so, he likes feeding himself and holding his sippy cup. I started him on almond milk and some times he sucks it down like it was a chocolate milk shake and other times he has no interest.....he drinks down a mixture 90/10 mixture of water and juice much faster. He is walking without assistance further and further each day, if the floor is obstacle free he will walk quite far! He does resort back to his rapid crawl when he needs to get somewhere fast...like to me when I have the nerve to walk away from him! ;) He loves making us laugh, one of his favorite tricks is flopping down face first into the bean bag; I just love the way he looks back over his shoulder for a smile and laugh when he does this. Grady is just a bundle of sweet boy lovin, and I can't remember what life was like before him. I am so grateful to God for entrusting me with my precious boy and look forward to all of the moments yet to come!

The Long Overdue 11 Months Post

So tall and handsome!
This is what 90% of these 11 month pictures looked like!

Last shuttle launch!

First taste of a snow cone....waiting very impatiently for another!

First hair cut! He did great!

It's been a busy couple weeks of swimming in our newly reopened pool with our newly swimming toddler, eating snow cones with sticky fingered babies for the first time, morning runs with play ground stops, and party prepping for this little guys big o-n-e! My apologies for this belated post!

At 11 months old our little adventurer is becoming quite the wild man! I find him on top of tables, chairs, and dogs daily. He gets himself caught in places I wonder how he got into in the first place! There is no obstacle to high, wide, or deep for this little Bear Grylls wannabe! He says three words now uh-oh, momma, and ball. He cruises all along the furniture and will use anything that moves as a walking toy...so if you see him behind a stool you better watch out becuase he'll be coming at you like a little drag racer in a matter of moments. He gives the sweetest kisses ever, and just loves to plant big ones on his sister. He dances, claps, and loves to bang his toys on things. He understands social cues suprisingly well....he knows "the look" and recievs it several times a day! He waves hello and good bye and I think he is even saying some form of buh-bye but it's hard to tell for sure because it sounds so much like ball. I'm sure I'm leaving out a slew of other special things he can do but this will have to do for now!

A letter to my boy

Dear Sweet Boy,
Do you know how to win over your momma or what? After a particularly difficult and sleepless night last week, I walked into your dimly lit bedroom to be greeted by your exuberant bouncing body and little baby munchkin voice saying "Mama" for the first time. I melted right then and there, into a big sappy pile of momma joy right there on the floor of your bedroom....next to the 7 binx you had tossed out during your 4 a.m. fit. And just this afternoon, as you were snuggling and playing with Daddy, I happen to look over just as he asked you for a kiss; and you obliged for the first time, with a big opened mouth wet one. You are sweeter than any yummy bakery treat I have ever tasted. I love you my dumpling boy!
Love,
Momma

Ten Months

Climbing....such a boy.
With Daddy on Fathers Day

Baseball makes him happy!

Eating Momma's black beans!

This is his "Mommy is more than an arms length away from me and not giving me her full attention" face. We see this face multiple times a day. Sigh.

I like this sweet face much better!

Such a big boy, he is starting to look less like a baby and more like a toddler.

Ava has always made him smile and laugh like no body else! Such a special bond.

Tellin secrets.

In just 2 short months the littlest Lightsey will be 1. It's true. Nuts, but true. At 10 months old this boy is seriously on the go! He hasn't started walking but I don't think it will be long. He is cruising the furniture like a pro. Tonight he climbed up on the bench part of the Little Tykes picnic table and stood to reach something on the table top surface....hello, when did my baby become a circus monkey! So at 10 months our little circus monkey...I mean boy is:

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  cruising and pulling to stand on everything
  


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  can sign milk and more but it's a treat if he actually does it
  


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  says uh-oh and signed momma 1x


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  still loves to "play ball" and will sit and toss a ball with any one who is willing to catch for him


• 
  
  is still a super mommas boy and rarely let me out of his super momma vision


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  stood independently, 2 times, very briefly for the first time tonight


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  loves to play rough with Daddy and Sissy, his favorite is when Ryan lays him on top of Ava's belly....he thinks this is the funniest thing ever


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  dances when he hears music...even when nursing...so silly
  


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  is over pureed food and wants only table food


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  continues to love waving hi and bye to anyone who will reciprocate...this is a favorite of elderly ladies at the grocery store, adds at least 10 minutes to my trip every time
  
  
  We are so in love with our Bug, and enjoy watching him learn and grow every day!