Brayden and Graycen

Best friends....

 

 

First Christmas

 

I love Christmas, but this was my favorite Christmas - it was so much fun to shop for and celebrate with Graycen.  Although a bit overwhelming at times, Graycen had a great first Christmas.  She is definitely one spoiled little girl :) 

The holiday is always packed full for the Smiths - we celebrate Christmas Eve with Garrett's grandparents with a big family dinner and then had back to my parents' house to get ready for Santa.

Graycen was up bright and early on Christmas morning - in fact, she woke up before Brayden and tried to claim a few of the presents as her own...

Brayden FINALLY woke up and we were able to start Christmas with everyone - Grandma, Poppa, Uncle Adam, Auntie Amy, Brayden, mommy and daddy.

My mom continues the holiday tradition by making matching Christmas PJs for everyone.  Garrett's were a little tight (think cousin Eddie from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation) and so it was just Graycen and I in matching jammies.

I had hoped that Graycen would be able/willing to "tear" off the wrapping paper on her presents, but she was more interested in drumming on the boxes, eating the ribbon and playing with the bows - maybe next year :)

 

After Christmas at the Lamberts was finished, we headed over to the Smith House to celebrate with Garrett's family. 

 

Those darn bows won't come off....

 

Turning into a big girl....

 10 months - woot! woot!  

 

Funny Faces

Silly Girl

 Graycen has learned to pull up on objects around her...

And...now, has a "big girl" carseat

 

Cousin Lovin' Time

They were inseparable....

 

 

  

Happy Thanksgiving

Our 6th Annual Orphaned Thanksgiving with Brooke and Adam was a success!  My brother, Adam, was also able to join us this year.  It was fun to have him join us - it's been about 8 years since I've had a Thanksgiving with him.  We continue to make more feed then we can possible eat in one night, or 8.  But, at least we all get to have leftovers for days :)

Graycen was able to enjoy dinner with us - turkey, sweet potatoes and cauliflower. 

9 Months

Oops...we're a little late with this post.  We've been battling the flu bug and then Thanksgiving prep :)

9 Months Old!!!  Seriously, where is the time going? 

Weight - 15lbs 12oz (8th percentile, so we are supplementing with formula)
Height - 26.75" (25th percentile)
 

Still eating her socks :)

 

Our quiet, little angel baby is no longer...well, she is still little and still an angel, but DEFINITELY not quiet!!!!  Graycen continues to believe that louder is better. 

Now, that Graycen is mobile, she is also keeping us on our toes.  Our living room can go from organized to cluttered in about 10 seconds - she likes to have all of her toys out on the floor where she can see them.

We can't baby-proof fast enough, but at least she is helping by "showing" us what needs to be done :)  Thanksfully, Grandma and Poppa are coming for a visit so they can help us install gates, cabinet locks, etc.

Helping me get ready...

Although she's keeping us busy, we are having so much fun with this stage.  Her personality is joyous - it is contagious and impossible to have a bad day or bad mood when she's around.  She is such a happy baby....and, I think probably the "favorite" at her daycare.  Her teachers always tell us how much they love her and want to clone her.  I love hearing this, and it makes the "daycare struggle" a little easier for me.  I know she's happy and very well taken care of.

Graycen loves to laugh.  She loves to hear herself laugh and tries out many different styles, volumes, etc.  One of her favorite games is the "fake laugh game."  We fake laugh and then she mimicks our laugh.

She's already working on her next trick - pulling up on furniture:

One crawl at a time....

Graycen is officially mobile! 

It took her awhile, but she FINALLY figured out how to make her arms and legs work together.  She went from spinning herself around in circles when on her tummy, to rocking back and forth on her hands and knees, then a slithering military crawl and now....crawling!!!!

 

Crazy Eight!

Look who's 8 months old...

 

 

Time is going so fast....too fast these days.  There have been so many moments that I wished for a pause button.   I'm not sure if has always gone this fast and just didn't need to notice it, or if in the last 8 months time has decided to speed up.  But either way, I cannot believe that Graycen is already 8 months old.  She's becoming so independent in many ways - it's a sad and happy time for us.  We're sad that our tiny little baby isn't so tiny anymore, but it is SOOOO much fun to watch her learn, grow and be a little person now.

Graycen has been entertaining us with her new "tricks" and quirks:

She hates wearing socks.  This trait may have come from me - I don't like wearing socks either, I like my feet to be cold.  She is obsessed with her toes and socks, but not when they are together.  I'm not really sure why I put socks on her - she pulls them off within seconds.  Most babies go through a few outfit changes a day, but Graycen goes through several sock changes - mostly because she likes to pull them off and use them as chew toys.   

"Eating" her toes



Sock = chew toy

Graycen loves to make noise - lots of noise.  The louder, the better in her opinion.  Lately, she has been spitting/making bubbles.

 

Other updates:

• Graycen is able to get into crawling "form" but hasn't quite figured out how to move her arms and legs in order to move.  So, for now she does her army crawl, or spins in a circle.
•  Graycen LOVES the dogs, Halen in particular.  I'm not sure that the dogs are feeling the love back, though.  She wants to touch them whenever they are near, which usually means pulling on their tails, legs, and ears.

Happy Fall

Pumpkin Patch Adventures....

Making friends with the goat

Graycen's baby pumpkin

Searching for the best one....

My baby is what????

7 months old!?!?!

I have a 7 month old - where has the time gone?  We have been saying, multiple times a day, "remember when she couldn't..."  It has been awesome watching her change, grow and learn to be more independent.

This photo shoot was a little more challenging - she no longer "just sits there" - I have to be quick if I want to capture her sitting still.

Trying to help take the photos

Grabbing the camera from me

Eating the wrist cord

Trying to roll/flip over

Eating the "seven"

Playing peak-a-boo

Photo shoot = over

Graycen can now:

• sit unassisted
• roll and flip over
• sleep on her tummy
• roll up and down her crib and our bed
• move toys/things back and forth between her hands
• learning to go from sitting to laying down
• wants to crawl, but can't quite figure out what to do with her arms and legs
• eats "solids" 3 times a day
• LOVES bananas
• drink water from her sippy cup by herself

We survived!

Graycen, Garrett and I have survived our first full week of daycare.  Thankfully, the center we are going to has cameras in each room and parents can log into to see their child's room.  I have turned into quite the stalker / voyeur.  It's probably a good thing that I don't have a desk job, or I would be stalking her all day long.

Each time I log in, she is either sleeping (well, trying to...naps have been an issue), playing, or being rocked by one of her teachers.  I know she is probably fussy at some point, but it's such a relief to know that when I check on her she seems content.

I have been dropping her off in the morning before commuting to work.  She is all smiles when we enter her room and has reached out for her teacher a couple of times.  Garrett and I have been sharing duties of picking her up after work, and she gets the biggest smile on her face when she sees us walk through the door. 

She won't let us out of her sight when we get home, but I don't think we'd have it any other way. 

Summer is over

Summer is over …

 …and I’m sad…

…that the stay at home mom lifestyle I have grown so accustom to, is just about over. 

I have been able to prolong the inevitable – daycare and going back to work – for some time now and finally reality is here.  I keep reminding myself that I have been very blessed with maternity leave and summer vacation back to back.  It has been such an amazing 6 months.

I am VERY excited to go back to work and begin a new school year with new students and new school supplies (my favorite), but I am sad that my stay at home mom status is coming to an end. 

 Now that my new reality is here, I’m anxious about how I will be able to balance all of my roles - mommy, wife and full-time teacher.   Will I be able to balance everything and be the mother, wife and teacher I want to be?  Being a bit of a workaholic, it has been difficult for me to adjust to heading back to school and I’m struggling to learn to let things go and be ok if those things don’t get done right away (or ever).  I know I will be challenged by this task, but I also know, that as soon as I get home and walk through the door, Graycen (and Garrett J ) will be the only thing on my mind. 

Devouring Books...

...literally :)  My hope (one of many) is that Graycen loves books and reading as much as I do.  Here is she is "devouring" a few books during playtime.

My little reader....