34 Week Pregnancy Blog

34 Week Pregnancy Blog

Written on July 30, 2016

Hello there, August! I cannot believe we are so close to meeting our little girl and that this could easily be her birth month! While excitement fills the air, this was also a very difficult week for me. Stress and anxiety creep in as I'm now having to see the high-risk specialist twice a week until the end of this pregnancy due to baby girl's growth {or lack thereof} issues. Early induction is a definite possibility and I can't express how scared I am. So many fears come with the unknown and any mother knows how hard it is to control your worry when it comes to your children. Leaning on the Lord and trusting Him {once again} to get our little girl here safe and sound. It's been a LONG pregnancy and one heck of a ride, but God has been so faithful in her life already and I know He will continue to be. Please pray for our little fighter...she may be small, but she is fierce! 👊🏻💜🎀 

How far along? 34 weeks 6 days -- 2 weeks until I hit the 37 week mark which is my doctor's goal for this baby!

                       34 Week Bump!

Baby: The baby is now supposed to weigh about 4 3/4 pounds (about the size of a cantaloupe) and be almost 18 inches long. Unfortunately, baby girl is measuring small coming in at 3 lbs. 14 oz. She only gained 3 oz. over the past 2 weeks which is why I'm being seen much more often by the specialist from here forward. The fat layers — which will help regulate body temperature once the baby is born — are filling out, making the baby rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. The central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well.

Total Weight Gain: This week I gained gained 16-17 lbs. After learning that she hasn't grown much at my appointment on Wednesday, I have started eating much more. I've already greatly increased my protein, but also starting to really increase my calories as well. If it's really a placenta issue, none of this will really help the baby's growth (hence the early induction), but at this point I'm trying everything I can!

Maternity Clothes: Still sporting a lot of the same stuff!

Stretch Marks: Still being consistent with applying the thicker cream once in the morning and once at night! No new stretch marks from what I can tell. 

Sleep: I'm still waking up multiple times a night, but I've been sleeping really hard. I've felt absolutely exhausted this week! I've been fighting a sinus infection for a few weeks now and that's really worn me out. Between being sick, taking care of Grayson, and all the stress of a high-risk pregnancy, I've just been worn out this week. I've been napping a lot more. I have moments where I can't keep me eyes open or I start to feel sick or just terrible and need to sleep ASAP. I can't seem to get enough rest!

Miss Anything? This has been a very emotional and stressful week for me. The complications were so bad in the beginning of this pregnancy and it was so hard. The past few months have been so much better, but now that additional complications are back, I'm so ready for all this to be over. I hate to say that because I still LOVE being pregnant and have felt great for the most part, but the complications are so hard to deal with sometimes. I can't wait to meet our girl -- but I want her to stay in there until it's safest and healthiest for her to come out! ;)

Best Moment of the Week: We had another busy week filled with getting things done, doctor's appointments, and spending some time with friends! We now have baby's car seat installed (it's so weird having 2 of them in the back seat!) and we have a secondary crib for her as well. She will be getting Grayson's eventually, but we have a backup crib for now. The best moment of the week was probably purchasing a new car! Josh's car has been on the brink of death for a long time and we are so excited to have a safe family car for baby sister's arrival!

Movement: The baby is still super active! At her non-stress test on Friday, she moved around so much that the test took double the time. They kept losing her heart beat and having to adjust the monitors. The doctor even commented on how crazy the baby was! Haha! I'm so thankful she's still active and happy in there though. During her ultrasound this week, she had her foot literally on her face and her hand was grabbing at her foot. I keep feeling kicks super low which was confusing because each time they check she's head down, but now I know that she's constantly playing with her foot which is why I'm feeling the low kicks! The tech commented on how strong her kicks and movements are. She's wild already and I love it! 

Food Cravings: Still loving sweets! Enjoyed homemade peach cobbler and ice cream (made by me!), homemade chocolate chip cookies, cake, homemade peach and strawberry ice cream and Dairy Queen ice cream this week. All were delicious! Also, I've been continuing to eat a lot of protein and trying to eat more meat! Chick-Fil-A chicken has (and always does) hit the spot this week.

Anything making you queasy or sick?No, but I did have a dizzy spell this weekend that was a little scary. It was very hot outside and I hadn't had enough to drink. All of the sudden, I felt like o was going to pass out. I had to immediately sit down and I was very light headed with blurry vision. Once I got some ice water, a cold rag, and into the air conditioning, I felt much better! I actually passed out when I was pregnant with Grayson, so I was fearful of that happening again. Thankfully I caught it quickly and prevented it.

Gender: Girl! :)

Symptoms: Dizziness, nesting, always thirsty, consistent Braxton Hicks (they are getting more painful), round ligament pain, exhausted, constipation, and pregnancy insomnia.

Happy or moody: Moody and stressed!

Looking forward to: Getting Grayson's "Big Brother" shirt in that I ordered, finishing up some nursery preparation, and seeing how my doctor's appointments go this week! 

33 Week Pregnancy Blog

33 Week Pregnancy Blog

Written on July 23, 2016 

How far along? 33 weeks 6 days

Baby: This week Oreo weighs about 4.5 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark (the size of a pineapple!). The baby is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and the skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Total Weight Gain: Still holding down the 15-16 lb. weight gain! The baby feel like she's grown, so I'm excited to see what she weighs at her appointment this week!

Maternity Clothes: I feel like I'm really just going for comfy these days. Lots of baggy t-shirts that fit my belly, staple maternity tops, and comfy shorts. I'm rarely dressing up or even putting together any kind of "nice" outfit. It's hot and I'm far enough along that I just want to be comfy in my t-shirt, Soffe shorts, and flip flops!

Stretch Marks: Still being consistent with the lotions and so far, very few stretch marks to report! I have this little patch where a few started showing up weeks back, but they don't seem to be worsening or spreading. The area is very low and it's hard for me to even see it at this point without a mirror! 

Sleep: Unfortunately, I've been fighting off a cold for a few weeks now. This week it went from a cold to what feels like a sinus infection. I've been sleeping really hard and been taking naps almost every day. I'm absolutely exhausted from taking care of Grayson, being in major "get it done/nesting" mode, and feeling awful. I'm thankful for the rest, but I wish it weren't because I was sick.

Miss Anything? Besides not feeling well, I've had a good week! I guess I miss having a stronger immunity system that seems to be lowered during pregnancy. I got sick when I was pregnant with Grayson too and it just takes me a really long time to finally kick it!

Best Moment of the Week: We had another super productive week! I am loving constantly checking things off the to-do list. The baby's nursery is almost completely out together, so that was probably the highlight for me. I had a moment where I was standing in there looking at how beautiful it was and was almost in tears. We are just so excited for her arrival and can't believe she's almost here! I'm thrilled with how the room turned out too...so perfect! I also ordered a beautiful picture for her room that I'm super excited about.

Movement: The baby has very active moments and not so active moments. There were a few days this week where she was moving all day and almost looked like a alien flopping around in my stomach! Then there were a few days where she wasn't moving as much and I really had to work to see any movement. I know she's running out of room, so she won't be flipping around much, but she still kicks all the time. I am still feeling her body parts very distinctly and I love it! I feel her feet and heels kicking me most often. I feel like I'm almost holding her foot through my skin...it's crazy amazing!

Food Cravings: Still loving sweets! I really like my peanut butter and chocolate protein bars and my rich chocolate protein shake. I've been trying really hard to keep up with my protein intake. I've been eating Greek yogurt almost every day and trying to make sure my snacks are protein filled. My guilty pleasure this week was Oreos and peanut butter...SO good! I've had a few days where I've indulged a little more, but I'm still staying on track for the most part!

Anything making you queasy or sick?No.

Gender: Girl! My best friend gave her a bunch of bows and got me even more excited about having a little girl. Her room colors are purple and gray and I love being in there. It's so pretty to me! I also ordered her baby monitor this week and it should be here tomorrow!

Symptoms: Having Braxton Hicks much more frequently, back pain, very thirsty all the time, tummy issues, and tired. Nesting is been crazy...My head has been spinning with lists and trying to have everything perfect for when the baby gets here! Between moving and preparing for her, there's all sorts of things that always need to be done. 

Happy or moody: Moody/Stressed about getting everything done before the baby arrives!

Looking forward to: My doctors appointments this week (specialist and OBGYN) and continuing to work on our to-do list! We also have friends coming to visit on Saturday, so that should be fun! 

32 Week Pregnancy Blog

32 Week Pregnancy Blog

Written on July 16, 2016

How far along? 32 weeks 6 days -- 8 months!

Baby: This week the baby weighs 3 3/4 -4 pounds! (about the size of a head of lettuce) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in the uterus. At her ultrasound this week, Oreo weighed 3 lbs. and 11 oz.! She's gained almost a pound in the past 2 weeks! :) I'm gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. In fact, the baby will gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. Oreo now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

                  32 Week Bump!

Total Weight Gain: This third trimester weight gain is no joke...I remember this from my last pregnancy! I have done so well with weight gain in my pregnancy, but recently it seems like rapid weight gain is inevitable. I am still eating mostly healthy (high protein) and smaller portions. The baby is squishing my stomach, so I can only eat so much at a time right now. I feel better when I eat many small meals throughout the day rather than 3 bigger meals. I've still been trying to walk each day and I'm enjoying that. This week I am weighing between 121-122 which is a 15-16 lb. weight gain. I know my belly is bigger, so the baby is growing! She went from being in the 24th percentile for weight to being in the 33rd percentile for weigh over the past 2 weeks, so I'm happy about that! That part is exciting, but seeing the numbers increase on the scale isn't too fun. Since she's had some growth issues, I've been instructed to increase my calorie and protein intake, but it's all for our sweet girl, so it's worth it!

Maternity Clothes: The bigger my belly gets, the more limited I am. I am still wearing my regular shorts with my belly band and mostly wearing just maternity shirts. I am a little bored with the selection, but I am too close to the end to spend money on a bunch of new maternity clothes. I've continued to wear the maternity clothes that I was given in my last pregnancy. Baggy t-shirts, comfy shorts, flip flops, simple maternity shirts, maternity sundresses, and bigger tank tops are my best friend! 

Stretch Marks: Still doing well with the stretch mark cream and belly butter and my belly is still looking pretty good (one small stretch mark) ...hoping it stays that way as my belly runs out of room for this baby! 

Sleep: I definitely have less energy than I did for a while, but I still struggle with sleeping. I'm a tummy sleeper, so pregnancy is always tough in that respect. I feel like I can't get comfortable and I naturally wake-up every few hours (usually twice a night). Still eating during the night :) Hence, the small meals every few hours...I don't take breaks! Overall, I'm really not getting much quality sleep, but that's just how the end of pregnancy goes. It's always hard for me to rest and relax at the end when there's so much going on and my mind is always racing with everything that needs to get done. I have been able to nap a little, so that helps me get through the extra tiring days. With that being said, I'm still in "get it done" mode and have majorly been nesting recently. I'm staying very active with all of the preparation for the baby and still feeling good being active! 

Miss Anything? The weight gain has been the biggest struggle for me this week. I'm still wanting to gain healthy weight and not just from overeating and eating junk. It's hard to find the balance sometimes, but seeing that the baby grew and was doing better definitely helps with the weight gain struggle! Also, I'm just feeling pregnant this week. I can tell I'm carrying around an almost 4 lb. baby and she's heavy! I'm just feeling it more and more, especially since I'm still taking care of an 18 month old who doesn't slow down full time! Picking Grayson up or running after him can be challenging sometimes.

Best Moment of the Week: We got the nursery painted this week and I love it! The nursery is gray with a purple accent wall and I think it's really pretty. I'm excited to put the room back together and see how it all looks! Getting closer to baby girl's arrival and feeling more prepared! 

Movement: The baby was a little less active this week, but I can feel her body parts so much more distinctly. There are days where she moves all day and days where she moves less. Her movements are powerful and strong and I can tell she's getting bigger and bigger. I can feel her head, feet, elbows, knees, punches, and kicks....it's great. She always has her hands in her mouth during the ultrasounds and I feel her arms move a lot, so it's cool to see what's she's doing in there! While movement is my favorite part of pregnancy, nothing compares to holding your baby in your arms on the outside of the womb. I can't wait! I'm trying to cherish these last weeks of baby kicks because I don't know if this will be my last pregnancy or not, and I don't want to wish it away.

Food Cravings: I've done so well with my protein intake! It's amazing how well  and disciplined you will eat when your baby's health is at stake. I am still really enjoying all my high protein food finds (protein bars, shakes, string cheese, Greek yogurt, scrambled eggs, and chicken), but I still love sugar and find it hard to make myself eat the "real" foods some days. I've had a few days where I've eaten a lot of sweets, but thankfully a lot of it has been ice cream which has some protein in there. ;) My favorite food this week has been this high protein, high fiber, and low calorie ice cream I recently found and a delicious pound cake given to us. I normally don't love pound cake, but this stuff is amazing. I've been on an ice cream kick this week and can't get enough of it! Baby girl is definitely a happy camper in there! :) 

Anything making you queasy or sick? No.

Gender: Girl! We received 2 handmade blankets and a beautiful handmade hat this week. I've also organized her dresser of clothes, shoes, and accessories and all her blankets, burp clothes, and bibs. Everything is so stinkin' cute! She's spoiled already.

The proud and excited big bro! He already loves his "baby"! 

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks contractions but not as often this week, constipation, painful gas and bloating have been issues this week -- my tummy has just been off because of the baby's growth and the major increase in protein, feeling more pressure really low, insomnia, more tired, harder getting up and moving around, always thirsty, colostrum has come in, major nesting going on...definitely feeling pregnant! It's always hard for me to list pregnancy symptoms, because ultimately I have had it so easy! No heart burn, very little pain, a good amount of energy, no sickness, and still feeling good! I count myself lucky. :)

Happy or moody: Moody! This week was especially bad.

Looking forward to: Continuing our long to-do list! Once we get the nursery put back together and the decorations hung, we just have to get the baby monitor, baby book, and some more newborn diapers, and then we are done! I also need to pack my hospital bag and make freezer meals sometime soon. Lots to do, but getting closer and closer to meeting our little girl and I can't wait!

32 Week Ultrasound -- I love being able to see little glimpses of her face! 😍

Doctors Appointments: I had all 3 of my doctors appointments in 1 day this week! I scheduled them all together, so I only have to make 1 trip to Atlanta. My thyroid dosage was lowered a month ago, so we will see if my levels are where they should be! The regular OBGYN went well for the most part. My iron was abnormally high at my past 2 appointments, so I'm getting extra blood work done to check on that. (Always something!) But the specialist appointment (the most important one) went really well! The baby's belly growth is still lagging, but her belly went from being below the 10th percentile to the 16th percentile at this appointment and her overall weight and growth went from the 24th percentile to the 33rd percentile! The doctor was very happy with her growth and said she seems happy and healthy! I go back to the regular OBGYN and the specialist again in 2 weeks, so I'm going to keep focusing on drinking enough water, resting, and getting lots of protein in the mean time! :)

31 Week Pregnancy Blog

31 Week Pregnancy Blog

Written on July 9, 2016

How far along? 31 weeks 6 days -- almost 8 months!

                 Happy 4th of July! 

Baby: Oreo measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3 1/3 pounds (about the size of a coconut!). She's definitely growing! The baby is heading into a growth spurt (which is crazy because the baby has already been in a growth spurt). The baby can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath the skin. The baby is moving a lot too!

Total Weight Gain: I have now gained 14-15 lbs (120-121). While I don't love it, I am happy to see my weight increasing since the baby is having some growth issues and is only in the 24th percentile for weight. This week I majorly amped up my protein intake (my doctors suggestion to help with growth), so my diet has been much different. I don't naturally eat a lot of protein, but I'm finding protein packed things that I do like after some searching. Hopefully the protein is helping the baby grow and allowing me to put on some healthy weight. I've also been walking some each day which I am loving. It feels so good to be active again, even if it's just a mile walk around the neighborhood.

Maternity Clothes: Maternity clothes are my friend right now! My belly is getting bigger and bigger, so options are becoming increasingly limited. Still wearing almost all maternity shirts and dresses and then some maternity shorts and regular shorts with my belly band. I'm filling out the bigger maternity shirts better, so at least they look like they fit me properly now. I've settled into my favorites as far as maternity wear goes and am kinda rotating those items. That's how I know the end is (kinda) near!

Stretch Marks: I'm still being consistent with the stretch mark cream and moisturization. I am applying lotion to my belly each morning and evening. I have been trying to be very consistent with this because I know now is the time I am growing quickly. 

              31 Week Bump! 

Sleep: I am still sleeping very lightly and wake up 2-3 times each night like clock work. I wasn't able to nap this week and I struggle to get comfortable more now. I just can't seem to chill out long enough to take a nap (even when everyone else is), but some days it catches up with me. I'm still waking up between 7-8am with Grayson each morning and he completely wears me out by the end of each day. Yesterday I did end up taking a 1 hour nap because I just didn't feel well. Sometimes the lack of sleep hits me and I start to feel almost sick. That's when I will take a nap and wake up feeling much better. Pregnancy insomnia is legit for me! 

Miss Anything? For most of the day, I feel great! But the aches and pains do kick in especially on active days and by each evening. Carrying around and chasing after a toddler at 8 months pregnant (add constantly having to go up and down the stairs in there) is exhausting. Back pain and round ligament pain have been prominent this week. I just miss my body being able to do whatever I want it to do without being in pain. Besides that, I still love pregnancy! Very few complaints here. 

Best Moment of the Week: We made a bunch of progress with baby things this week! I ordered and received my new diaper bag and baby girl's dresser. I was given a bunch of little girl clothes sizes newborn - 12 months from a friend at church along with baby gear. We got rid of some older baby things and were given used but newer baby gear items. We also bought decorations (pictures and a rug) for her nursery. So overall, it was a great week as far as baby preparation goes!

Movement: I can tell she's getting bigger -- her movements are big and powerful! I can really feel her different body parts and little booty constantly moving. She is still very active most days. She does have days where she's less active (which scare me), but usually she moves very often. I make a big effort to make sure she's moving every 1-2 hours, but usually it doesn't take long to feel her. I love all the movements and being able to tell there's a fully formed baby in there! I can also feel her at night and during my sleep. She tends to be very active at night before bed. 

Food Cravings: I did well with food this week. I was instructed to eat more protein to help with the baby's growth and that's exactly what I've been doing. I'm really making to effort to have every calorie count by eating nutritious and protein filled foods. My favorites have been apples and peanut butter, Boost Chocolate nutritional drink (kind of like a protein shake), peanut butter and dark chocolate protein bars, Greek yogurt, cheese sticks, and scrambled eggs with cheese and tomatoes topped with salsa. Yummy! This week we had a few days filled with eating delicious food -- 4th of July, birthday party, lunch with friends, family dinner, and church staff dinner. I ate a lot of protein (meats) at all of those meals and just ate some good hearty food. I was told to increase my caloric intake, so that's what I'm trying to do -- within reason. I'm sure that helped with the weight gain this week, but no complaints from me! I've been really limiting the sweets lately just because I know that they do nothing for the baby as far as nutrition, BUT I did have a brownie and ice cream twice this week, 2 pieces of cake at a birthday party, and delicious homemade blueberry pie that a church member gave us -- and it hit the spot!! I'll always have a sweet tooth...just trying to control it until she's born and not dependent on me for all her nutrition. :)

Anything making you queasy or sick?Just not getting enough rest.

Gender: GIRL!

Symptoms: More Braxton Hicks contractions (a few each day), back pain, round ligament pain, tired, difficulty sleeping, and just feeling more pregnant as the baby grows. Acne and constipation have been great this pregnancy which is a change from my last pregnancy. Funny how each pregnancy has its specific challenges!

Happy or moody: Moody

Looking forward to: My 3 doctor's appointments this week (specialist, thyroid, and regular OBGYN) and continujng to work on getting ready for the baby to come! Also, a busy week with play dates and meeting new people here in Macon, so I'm excited about that. 

Grayson's 18 Month Update!

Grayson's 18 Month Update!

Grayson is 18 months old! In some ways, I can't believe it's only been a year and a half...I feel like Grayson has always been part of our family. But at the same time, I cannot believe how big he is and how fast he is growing. Ironically, on this day 2 years ago, we announced we were going to have a baby! How life has since changed :) Grayson is our pride and joy (anyone who follows my social media knows my obsession with this handsome kid). Happy 18 months, Grayson Otto Gale! I never knew I could love a little boy so much until I saw you. You make life so much better and so much more fun. You are my everything and "Mommy" (as he recently started calling me) loves you more than life! Muah! 😘💙 

So I'm going to go ahead and warn you that this update is LONG and super detailed with way too many pictures. I've said from the beginning that this is like my online baby book for Grayson and I don't want to ever forget this age....so I wrote it all down! Hope you enjoy! 

Height & Weight: Grayson went to his 18 month check-up last week and was 32 inches long (42nd percentile) and 24 lbs. (24th percentile). He's grown in height and weight since his 15 month check-up and the pediatrician was very happy with his progress. Grayson is hitting all his milestones and exceeding a lot of them, so we actually didn't have many questions for the doctor this time around (that's a first!). He absolutely HATES the doctor's office though and cried the entire time. He was crying so loud that I couldn't even hear the doctor speak! He definitely knows what's up right when we step into the room. Good thing he doesn't go back again until his 2 year check-up! I can't believe that. 

Feeding: Grayson has been eating like a champ for the past few months and it's been wonderful. Now that he's almost completely done cutting teeth (yay!), his appetite has returned in full force. He just eats so much better all around and is much less picky. The only time he won't eat as well is if we are out somewhere and there's a lot going on. He's easily distracted and may not eat as much. Overall, Grayson is eating great. His favorite foods are eggs with cheese, strawberries, cereal, raisins, turkey, blueberries, pineapple, any type of cracker (graham crackers, peanut butter crackers, Teddy Grahams), yogurt, yogurt bites, and puffs. He really likes pasta, chicken, and ground beef in different dishes. He usually eats whatever we have for dinner and absolutely loves fruit/veggies smoothies. Grayson has always liked more flavorful food, as opposed to, plain food. He actually likes (mildly) spicy food which is funny to me. Grayson has figured out what chips (pips as he calls them), ice cream, and juice are purely by observation. He naturally knows what the junk food is and will ask for it over and over again until we give him some. Grayson still loves loves loves his drinks. I'm pretty sure he would have a liquid diet if we let him. He is still just as obsessed with milk and I've actually started watering down his milk on the days where he's drinking too much. I know this sounds gross, but if I didn't, he would only drink milk and would never eat food. It doesn't bother him! He loves water, juice, and drinking anything through a straw! He has also started using a fork. He's not great at it, but he's constantly trying and learning. He loves to feed himself and is very independent and stubborn in that way (won't let me help him!). He will actually eat a lot more if I let him do it himself, so that's usually what we do! Grayson eats 3 full meals a day with a snack in between each meal.

Sleeping: Grayson is still sleeping wonderfully! I'm so thankful he finally got to this point (even though it took him longer than most). He sleeps through the night consistently and usually sleeps 10.5-11 hours straight a night. Grayson goes to bed between 8-9pm and usually gets up between 7-8am. He was struggling with sleeping through the night the first week we moved, but he's back to his normal sleeping habits now. We've officially moved to 1 nap a day. Typically the nap is about 2 hours long and is in the early afternoon. He is definitely requiring less sleep, but as long as he sleeps through the night, I'm happy! He is a great sleeper now which makes the first year of no sleep totally worth it! He also sleeps with a big boy pillow now (with trucks on it). He literally gets distracted saying, "trucks, trucks" and won't go to sleep! Hopefully he will be able to sleep through his little sister crying during the night in a few short months....we will see how he adjusts! Also, we are wanting to move him to a big boy bed within the first few months of the baby being born. We will see how that goes! 

Clothes: Grayson is still in a size 5 diaper and size 18 month - 2T clothing. It's so strange that he can fit into some 2T stuff....I'm not ready for him to be that big!

Mood: Grayson continues to be our firecracker! He's happy, moody, smiley, giggly and the opposite of a "go with the flow" kid. Now that he's older, he's usually very happy. He knows what he wants and can communicate it well, so that makes life much easier! He continues to be full of life and personality, always the life of the party! (So strange for me because I'm naturally an introvert). We make friends wherever we go because Grayson is far from shy. He is still very silly, always laughing and giggling. He has the best belly laugh of any kid I know. Grayson is extremely chatty and so smart. Yes, every mother says this, but it's true! He is very independent especially for his age. While this makes me sad, it's a good big brother quality. He plays well on his own and isn't very clingy to Josh or I (unless he's in a new setting). He is very curious, adventurous, and has very little fear. Grayson is always into everything and making a big mess! He loves to explore. Grayson is also stubborn, opinionated, and will have the occasional fit. He's definitely learning what's right and wrong and he gets over his temper tantrums much faster than he used to. Grayson usually does well in public and is fairly well-behaved. He loves new places and surroundings, so he is usually observing or playing with whatever he finds that's new and exciting. He has started reaching for different food or toys at the store though and he doesn't get why we can't just take it all home. He's so sweet and gives the best hugs and kisses. Grayson loves to blow kisses and will randomly come over and plop down in your lap, just wanting to sit with you. He is also rough and ALL boy (always dirty, sweaty, and covered in scrapes and bruises). Grayson is a ball of energy....always active and moving! He is clumbsy and falls...a lot. He is currently sporting a face wound from one of his falls....he is determined to forever make me nervous (and get a permanent scar on his face!). He has been more attached to things random lately and will insist on bringing different stuffed animals, pillows, or blankets with him. Grayson loves his life-size Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man pillow and blanket, and Ninja Turtle cup. 

              Always missing a shoe!

Teeth: Grayson has 16 teeth! Thankfully he just has his second set of molars left. We've enjoyed the break from teething! 

Milestones: Grayson continues to learn something new every day! He's like a sponge right now. He continues to surprise me with the things he says and does. He picks up things really quickly these days and is very teachable. Recently one of our youth taught him how to "pound it!" (so cute). He also learns things constantly on his own and surprises me by saying and doing things I didn't know he knew how to do or say. He understands me and can comprehend what I'm saying even if he can't fully talk back. He follows directions well and loves to help out (or what he thinks is "helping"). Grayson speaks really well and is constantly talking....and actually making sense! ;) That's probably the biggest thing that's changed in the past few months. He talks SO well. He says at least 20 plus words and is constantly saying something new. His favorite words are: puppies, outside, lawn mower, Mickey, water, juice, milk, trash, thank you, and shoes. Grayson will voluntarily say thank you (after some training) when we give him things which makes me so proud! He also comprehends what he's saying or asking for which is great. He is willing to try to say any word you ask him to. Because he is constantly talking and attempting new words, his speech just gets clearer and clearer. Each morning I walk into his room and he just starts chatting away...usually starting with lawn mower (his favorite word) and just keeps going down the list. He doesn't speak in sentences yet, but he will say bye-bye to different things. "Bye-bye Dada, bye-bye puppies, bye-bye Mickey" etc., so he is getting better at putting words together! We actually have conversations (very basic ones) nowadays and it's the most amazing and weirdest thing! I'm so proud of how well he talks!

Loves: Grayson's current favorites are Mickey Mouse, puppies, balls, cars, trucks, lawn mowers (he is obsessed!), music, especially the Caspar Babypants CD (loves to dance, clap, and will stomp his feet on command), walking around with things on his head, climbing things, going outside and exploring (usually coming back with sticks and rocks), and going on walks. He also loves other kids (especially our MVUMC youth) and animals! I'm so happy that Grayson has no fear of animals and loves petting random dogs that we meet. He is especially interested in Cedric these days and loves to play with him! Grayson loves to wrestle, jump on, pet, hug, and pretend to walk Cedric around the house on his lease. Sorry Cedric! Grayson seems to make friends with little girls wherever we go. They are always older than him and love to help take care of him and play with him. He, of course, goes right along with that! Grayson loves to sweep, vacuum, and push his toy lawn mower...if only these things actually worked, then our house would always be clean! Grayson has a killer arm on him and throws pretty much everything (future baseball player 😉). He loves to make car sounds and is naturally attracted to everything "guy". He thinks his feet being "stinky" is absolutely hilarious and loves tools, remotes, airplanes, and anything dangerous. When he is riding or pushing something, he turns it into a car and starts going "vrrrrm vrrrrm!" Funny how it can start so young! Grayson also loves to jump on the bed! He is constantly telling me, "Up! Up!", because he wants me to lift him into our bed. Lastly, Grayson is ridiculously Daddy obsessed! He loves doing "guy things" with Daddy and gets very upset any time Daddy leaves the room. Grayson constantly asks me where Dada is and gets so excited when he comes home. I love their sweet relationship! (He also calls his daddy "Josh" sometimes because he has picked up on his first name!) That being said, he is equally a mama and daddy's boy. He is just really into his parents (can't say I hate that)! Grayson has already started calling for me (Mama! Mommy!) all day long...if he needs anything, he automatically calls for me. Can't say I mind it too much though :)

Dislikes: Grayson currently hates being left! He knows when mommy and daddy are going to leave him and freaks out. He always recovers within 5-10 minutes, but he throws down like there's no tomorrow when I walk out. The nursery at church has been especially difficult. He is also scared that we are going to leave him a lot and will sometimes cry if we go somewhere new in fear that he's getting dropped off. Hopefully this is a phase! I think he's just very aware of what's going on right now and knows when he's about to be left. 

He still HATES hair cuts...very       traumatic, but always end with a lollipop!

Things I want to remember:

Gale Family Beach Trip -- Jekyll Island -- May 2016

 Grayson's Baptism -- May 15, 2016

Uncle Taylor Visits -- May 2016

Moving to Lizella -- June 2016

We have stairs in our new house that Grayson loves to play on!