Camden's Birth Story

Long time, no blog! It's been almost a year and a half since I published my last blog, but it feels good to be back. A lot has happened since the last time I blogged back in November of 2017. Grayson is now 4 years old, Emerson is 2.5 years old, and we've recently added a new baby, Camden James, to our family! We are now a family of 5 which seems crazy to me. When I first started this blog, I was newly married with no children, so life has definitely changed! I was really good about blogging through my other two pregnancies and also documenting all of the monthly updates. For a few different reasons, I didn't do any pregnancy updates this time around. I really wanted to write Camden's birth story down because I already love going back and reading Grayson and Emerson's birth stories and all the other updates I did for them. It's crazy how quickly you forget all the details unless you write it down. I don't know how often I will update, but I would love to get back into blogging all of Camden's monthly updates. I have no idea who this would interest, but at the very least, I like to write it all down for myself to look back on! All that to say: here is Camden's birth story! (Lots of TMI and birth details in this blog, just a warning!)

Walking into the hospital for my induction -- last pregnancy picture!

My first picture with Camden right after he was born -- feeling all the emotions!
 

From the start, this pregnancy was stressful for me. It was definitely different from my other pregnancies, and it was by far the most challenging for me mentally, physically, and emotionally. There seemed to be small bumps in the road from the beginning including being told this was possibily a chemical pregnancy and that I would likely lose the baby to a very painful cyst on my ovary throughout the entire first trimester to crippling anxiety at the thought of anything happening to the baby to intense and chronic pelvic pain. By the grace of God, I made it through each of these trials and the baby remained healthy and growing! At my 20 week ultrasound back in December, I was told I had placenta previa. The baby looked great, but I would have to come back at 32 weeks to see if my placenta had moved out of the way. If it hadn't, then I would have a c-section at 36 weeks. I spent the next few months on pelvic rest (no lifting my other kids) and worrying that I may have to have an early c-section. At 32 weeks, I went in for my ultrasound and was relieved to find out that my placenta had completely moved out of the way. I was in the clear! Or so I thought. I happened to ask about the baby's size while they were doing the ultrasound. The tech checked the size of the baby's belly just for fun to give me an estimate on how much the baby was weighing. She immediately looked concerned and said the baby's belly was measuring 3 weeks behind, and overall, the baby was measuring 1 week behind. After talking to my doctor, she did a few more tests, and I was diagnosed with IUGR (growth restriction). I had the exact same thing in my pregnancy with Emerson, so while I was nervous, I was also pretty comfortable with the diagnosis. I know this meant more monitoring and possibly an early induction. After talking to my doctor, I found out that I would be induced between 38-39 weeks as long as everything they were monitoring (blood flow through the umbilical cord, baby's movements, etc.) continued to look okay. I was supposed to be induced early with Emerson also, but I went into labor on my own at 37.5 weeks, so it never happened. The next few weeks went by, and everything looked good at my appointments. I assumed they would let me go to 38-39 weeks and that I would probably go into labor on my own before then.

So happy that he is finally here!

He weighed 5 lbs 4.7 oz.

At 35.5 weeks, I went into my appointment and unfortunately, something was off. The blood flow through the umbilical cord was restricted, and while the baby was okay at the moment, they wanted to induce me right at 37 weeks. I was really torn about it. Obviously, I wanted to do what was best for the baby and would never put the baby in danger. But I also really didn't want to be induced. I ended up having Pitocin in my labor with Grayson, and it was really awful compared to my labor with Emerson which I never had to get Pitocin. I knew there was a good chance I would go into labor early based on my past pregnancies, but also knew I probably wouldn't go into labor on my own before 37 weeks. But whether I liked it or not, I was going to get induced  right at 37 weeks and quickly tried to mentally prepare myself. Thankfully, I was already 1-2 cm dilated and 30% effaced at my 35.5 week appointment, so my body was already slowly preparing for labor. I had multiple appointments over the next 1.5 weeks with the same diagnosis (elevated doppler levels in the umbilical cord) that confirmed that this baby needed to come out at 37 weeks. I spent the next week and a half trying to prepare my body for labor. I went on long walks, drank red raspberry leaf tea, and took evening primrose oil. I also did these things in my previous pregnancies once I hit 36 weeks and felt that they couldn't hurt, but would helpfully help progress things along. At my 36.5 week appointment, I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. The doctor was confident that it would be an "easy" induction and that it wouldn't take much Pitocin to get my body going. At the appointment the day before my induction (April 4), I was 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. She also said the baby's head was very low and ready for labor. My doctor felt like it would be a quick induction and it wouldn't take very long. My body seemed to be very close to going into labor on its own anyways. I had been losing my mucus plug slowly for almost 2 weeks at this point and on the evening before my induction, I had my "bloody show." There was a part of me that felt like my body was racing the induction clock! Ha.

 Meeting their baby brother

Emerson was a little unsure at first. When she was done holding him, she basically threw him off of her and said, "All done!". Camden was unharmed and thankfully we have taught Emerson to tell us she is "all done" before moving him off of her. Ha!

We were told to report to the hospital at 11pm on April 4 to begin the induction. I tried to nap throughout the day, but I was way too anxious. We said goodnight to the kids and headed to the hospital soon after. I had never been officially induced, so it was a weird feeling knowing we were going in to have this baby. In a way, it was nice to have it all scheduled and planned, but it was very different for me. When I got to the hospital, I checked in, got settled, and then they started me on antibiotics around midnight, right as I hit 37 weeks. I tested positive for Step B, so I had to have two rounds of antibiotics before they started me on Pitocin. I tried to sleep on the delivery bed, but it was super uncomfortable. I also started having real contractions right around the time we got to the hospital. When they hooked me up to the monitor, I asked if I was having a contraction (I had so many intense Braxton Hicks throughout my pregnancy that it was hard for me to even tell at this point) and the nurse was like, "Yep, you are!". The contractions continued randomly throughout the early morning hours but never grew consistent enough for them not to do Pitocin. The induction was still on, but this was just another sign that my body was ready to have this baby. I truly believe I would have naturally gone into labor very soon on my own especially since I started having many contractions right before the induction. It made me feel a lot better about being induced, like I wasn't kicking the baby out early, but that he/she was ready. At my appointment, the day before, the blood flow through the umbilical cord was the most restricted it had ever been. This was a huge confirmation for me that induction was the right decision. Not that I actually had a choice in the matter, but it reminded me that this was what was best for the baby. And that my preferences ultimately didn't matter. I just wanted a healthy baby in the end! I was really anxious, excited, and nervous when getting to the hospital and even more so after starting to have contractions. So after they started the antibiotics, sleep was just not happening. At 5am, they started me on Pitocin. Finally! I was so ready to get the show on the road!

I slowly started having more longer and stronger contractions. Every 15 minutes or so, the nurse would come in and bump the Pitocin up. This only happened a few times though before the baby's heart rate started to decel during the contractions. Basically, the baby's heart rate always drops a little during contractions, but if it drops too much and too often, then it can be an issue. This same thing happened in my labor with Emerson, so at first, I wasn't worried, but then it became a constant issue for the next few hours. My nurse would come in and get me to turn into different positions to get the baby to "handle the contractions" a little better. There were times they thought the baby was playing with or messing with the umbilical cord and that's what was causing it. Changing positions seemed to be the only thing that would temporarily help. I absolutely loved the two nurses I had during my labor and delivery. They were wonderful! They were so encouraging and kind. They really took care of me. They were really good about not scaring me and gently letting me know what was going on and asking me to switch positions. My doctor came in at 7:30am and broke my water. She said my membranes were "bulging" and that it would be very easy to do. She was right. It wasn't bad at all! I was having contractions, but nothing super painful at this point. I expected them to get worse once she broke my water, but I also knew this would speed things along. Over the next 1.5 hours, the nurse and my doctor watched me like a hawk. It was the scariest part of my labor. My contractions were picking up and starting to get more painful, but because the baby's heart rate kept dropping, I was very distracted from the contractions. I was watching the monitor like crazy because I could tell if the baby's heart rate was decelling or if the baby was taking the contractions well. As each contraction started, I watched the monitor and prayed the baby's heart rate wouldn't drop too low. My new nurse came on shift at 7am and she was in my room fairly often getting me to change positions to try to help with the heart rate. My doctor stayed in my room for a while after breaking my water watching the monitor. She very gently told me that she didn't want to do a c-section on me especially because I had never had one, but if the baby's heart rate kept doing this, that it might happen. I was panicking inside because I don't think anyone wants an emergency c-section. At 5am when they started the induction, I was still 3 cm dilated. At about 8am, I was dilated to 4cm which was good because my doctor wanted to make sure I was progressing at this point with the baby's heart rate continuously decelling. Also, they didn't increase my Pitocin much after the first few times because of the heart rate. They basically gave me enough Pitocin to jumpstart labor, and my body did the rest. Which was an answer to prayer because that is exactly what I wanted to happen -- limited Pitocin. Anyone who has ever had Pitocin knows how awful it is! The baby's heart rate kept decelling until about 9am. At that point, I called my mom (who was driving down to the hospital from Atlanta) about in tears because I really thought a c-section was going to happen. She was good about reminding me that they would only do a c-section as a last resort and for the baby's health. I was still really scared and hung up with her because, at that point, the contractions were getting more intense. I sent out a text to a few friends and family and asked them to pray for the baby to be able to tolerate labor and at that point basically let go of "control" of the situation...not that I had any anyways! Ha. It seemed like the prayers were heard pretty immediately. My body was doing better with the new position they had me in -- sitting up completely Indian style. I asked if I could get out of bed and walk around the room at this point. I knew if I was going to handle these contractions without an epidural, I needed to walk around.

Camden's first bath

 

I have been like this in all my labors, and I know some people think it is crazy, but you have to do labor; however, you feel is best for you! For me, I like to go as long as I can before I get the epidural. I had an epidural with both Grayson and Emerson, so I am not against them at all. I just like to get to the point of not being able to go any farther on my own before I get one. So while I was in a good bit of pain, I was feeling good enough to keep going at this point. I walked around for a little bit and then Josh asked me if he could go get a cup of coffee really quickly. He hadn't slept much all night either, and I think he knew that it was now or never. Haha. I told him that he could go, but to come back quickly. He was gone from about 9:45-10am. While he was gone, my contractions got to the point where I was really struggling with them. I could barely walk around, and my legs were shaking during the contractions. I buzzed the nurse while he was gone and told her that I think I wanted the epidural. Josh came back, and so did the nurse. She told me that she wanted to check me and then we could talk about the epidural. At the time, I was annoyed! Haha. I just wanted the epidural, but I let her check me and was shocked at what she said. She said that I was 7cm dilated and that the baby's head was right there. She told me that I could get the epidural, but if I wanted a natural labor, that she believed I could do it and that it wouldn't be much longer. I opted to keep laboring on my own and not get the epidural. She said I was entering "transition" and soon it would be time to push. She said I could have an IV drug if I wanted and I told her that's what I wanted. Over the next 15 minutes or so, I completed the transition. It was definitely extremely painful and intense, but thankfully there were breaks in between the contractions. My eyes were closed most of the time, and I was squeezing the hospital bed for dear life. My arms were actually sore the next day because of how tightly I was squeezing the railing of the bed! Ha! I was yelling out some in pain and was definitely the most vocal I have ever been during a labor. The nurse checked me again around 10:30am and told me I was at "completion." I cried out, "What does that mean?!" because I had no clue. She said I was 10 cm dilated and it was time to push! I couldn't believe it! It seemed that once my body really went into labor, things went really quickly. And just like they say, I suddenly had the urge to push. It just happened all on its own. They told me to try not to push, so that the doctor could make it in time to catch the baby. I couldn't really control that part! I kept pushing, and thankfully the doctor showed up in time. For whatever reason, I thought pushing was going to be the easier part, but because of the baby's positioning (which we didn't know at the time), I was wrong. Pushing was the craziest and weirdest and most painful feeling! It definitely burned like I've heard it described before and it was just extremely uncomfortable. Pushing took about 15 minutes although it felt like an eternity. I felt like I was in an alternate universe. It was like some weird out of body experience. It was definitely one of the hardest things I have ever done! Josh later told me that there were many people in the room at the birth including a few students (which they had mentioned to me at the beginning of labor) and I had no idea! I was so focused on pushing the baby out and managing the pain that I really had no idea what was going on around me! At 10:50am, Camden James Gale was born! He weighed 5 lbs. 4 oz. and was 19 inches long. My doctor was shocked because when he came out, he was "sunny side up" or "face presentation" which means that he was facing the wrong way coming out. That explained why pushing was so difficult. They later told me that if he was in the regular birthing position, I would have pushed him out before my doctor arrived. But because he was turned around, it took a little longer and a little extra work on my part. Thankfully, he was perfectly fine though! It all happened so fast thankfully! Later, my nurse told me that even if I had wanted the epidural, I wouldn't have had time for one. And she never got around to giving me the IV drugs either -- again, no time! Definitely a blessing for a natural birth.

Daddy is in love.

Mommy and her 3 babies

Grayson's first time holding Camden

Snuggling my girl

The first thing I saw was Camden's face -- in the moment, I just knew it was a BOY! He looked so much like a HE. They laid him on my chest, and I quickly checked -- yep, it was a boy! I had thought it was a boy my entire pregnancy, so I wasn't completely shocked. It was still really fun to wait to find out though! I can't believe I had TWO sons! My initial reaction was different with Camden that it was with the other two purely because I had just had a natural birth. I think I was in shock for a little while after he was born. It was the craziest experience and I couldn't believe I had done it. So while I was so happy to finally meet him, I was also in a very weird headspace and recovering from the intense pain. Camden cried the most out of all my kids right after he was born, but then quickly calmed down and was so relaxed and happy. The hospital let us have an entire uninterrupted hour of skin to skin time right after he was born which was amazing. No one was in the room, not even the nurses, and it was a really special time. I was still really nervous about his health and was anxious to make sure everything was okay. They weighed him, and he was 5 lbs. 4 oz. and 19 inches long. They did all the tests and checked his lungs, and everything was perfect! I had to have 2 steroid shots the week before he was born to make sure his lungs were developed at birth. They had also warned me about a possible NICU stay just because he was born early, so I was prepared for that. I was so relieved to find out he was perfectly healthy!

Grayson was beyond thrilled that he was going to have a brother! He was giddy with excitement and so interested in him!

Grayson checking out Camden's hair

The closest picture we got to all 5 of us! Ha!

The past 9 months and really, the past year (the months leading up to getting pregnant with Camden) were some of the hardest of my life. I dealt with extreme anxiety and fear and a lot of physical pain and restrictions. It tested me in ways I had never been tested before. I was so nervous and scared about so many things, but God was so faithful! He worked together every detail and got our Camden James here safe and sound. The middle name James was inspired by the Bible verse, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -- James 1:17. I truly believe Camden is a gift from God. I believe that of all my children, but this baby was truly a gift from the Lord and God showing His goodness to us. Camden is so special to me, and his life is so precious. We are truly blessed beyond measure. We are now adjusting to life as a family of 5. Besides lack of sleep, we are doing really well! Camden is the sweetest baby and the perfect addition to our family. Grayson and Emerson are in love with their new baby brother and that has made the transition a lot easier! If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I'm excited to share Camden's updates as the months go on and to hopefully keep this blog updated!

Grayson's 2.5 Year Update!

Grayson is officially 2.5 years old! It seems crazy that we are already half way through his second year and his next big milestone is turning 3! Cue the waterworks! I've been doing updates on Grayson since his birth and it's been so fun for me to look back at everything I've documented and see how he's continued to change, grow, and learn. I can't believe how big he is! If you know him, then you know that he doesn't act like much of a "baby" and hasn't for quite some time. He has always demanded to be treated like an older kid and acts accordingly...except for those terrible two tantrums! Ha. Anyways, he will always be my baby, but he has definitely grown up so much especially in the last 6 months. Here's an update on life with Grayson at 2.5 years old! (I never published his 2 year update, but if you are interested, here is the link: http://brittanyhgale.blogspot.com/2017/01/graysons-2-year-update.html.

Height and Weight: Grayson recently had his 30 month checkup and we got his current stats. He weighs 29 lbs. and is 35 inches tall. He is in the 30th percentile for height and 40th for weight. He has always been slightly below average and that has continued. Grayson wears mostly 2T clothes and a few 3T shirts. He wears a size 7-8 shoe. He is also rocking the big boy underwear nowadays -- no more diapers for us!

Milestones: Grayson is now potty trained and has been since around 27-28 months. Potty training him was actually quite easy, so I'm very thankful for that! He was very "ready" in my opinion which made the whole process go smoothly. He still isn't night trained (wears pull-ups), but does fantastic during the day! He also transitioned to a toddler bed just recently. I thought it might be a big deal which is why I had prolonged it, but it wasn't. He has done really well in it! Grayson slept in a crib until recently because he loved his crib and had never attempted to climb out (surprisingly!), but a few weeks ago, he finally climbed out and we knew it was time. He scared me to death that day because first thing in the morning, he just leisurely comes walking in my bedroom and says, "Hi, mommy!". I was like...where did you come from?? Then he told me that he climbed out of his bed and even reenacted it for me, so that I could see. He was so graceful getting out which is why I didn't hear a thud that morning! Haha. Another really exciting milestone is that Grayson learned to swim this summer! He did a 2 week swim class and with a lot of practice, he is really catching on! He loves the water and it's been so fun to see him go from being scared to swimming like a fish! Grayson also knows his colors really well. He can count to 11, but he always leaves out 6. He loves to sing his ABC's. Grayson knows his left and right and has recently started to put his shoes on himself! He is also very good with his manners and says "Please" and "Thank you" most of the time. Grayson has also learned to climb up into his car seat and climb back out of the car by himself. At first, it was a little scary when he demanded that I let him do it himself, but now that he has the hang of it, it's wonderful! (He even buckles himself halfway in the car seat by himself now and knows how to lock/unlock the car door...a little scary!) Based on the way he writes, holds a fork, throws a ball, and grabs objects, we believe he will be a lefty. Time will tell, but his left hand is definitely dominate right now. 

Grayson loved the music class that he attended this spring!

This kid has the biggest smile and best belly laugh!

Sleeping: One of the only downfalls to the toddler bed is nap time. Grayson has been struggling with nap time for quite some time now, but this just makes it more difficult. If he's not super tired, he just gets out of bed. He doesn't "need" a nap every day anymore. He can go all day without a nap or take a short cat nap in the car and be perfectly fine. It's been tough for me to accept, but I do cherish the days when he does nap! Every few days, the lack of sleep will catch up with him and he will take a nap. If he's at home, the nap will usually last around 2 hours. If he takes a car nap, it can be anywhere between 15 min - 1 hour and he's good to go. If he doesn't take a nap, we at least try to have "quiet time" for mama's sanity! Grayson still sleeps through the night and will only wake up during the night on rare occasions. He goes to bed around 9pm and wakes up around 8pm most days. His only "lovely" objects that he likes to have every night is his Ninja Turtles cup and his trucks blanket. He also loves his trucks pillow and insists on having all three at bedtime. Grayson talks in his sleep (just like his daddy) and will say really random things! He also tells us about his dreams in detail. Each night before bed, Grayson says his prayers all by himself and then requests for Daddy to tell him a story. It's a really sweet time that they share together and Grayson looks forward to it at bedtime. He loves Daddy's stories!

Visiting the fire station was a highlight for Grayson!

Hiking as a family for Mother's Day! 

LOVES playing in the dirt with his construction vehicles! 

Eating: Grayson has continued to be a moody and picky eater as time goes on. He has never been a big eater and still isn't. Some days, he eats like a champ and other days, he barely eats. He isn't very interested in food and would much rather play. But when he does eat, his favorite foods are meat and bread! Grayson will eat pretty much any type of meat and dipping sauce (ketchup, ranch, bbq) and any type of bread or carb. He still loves milk! I swear he has to have the strongest bones of any kid I know. Grayson would probably have a liquid diet if I let him. He loves drinks and is always thirsty. He could live off of water, (watered down) juice, and milk. We also give him Pediasure to drink sometimes which he calls "special milk" and he loves it. Grayson has also discovered soda and sweet tea (thanks to his daddy) and we have to basically hide it from him or else he will drink an entire glass and ask for more! Grayson still goes through phases of being obsessed with certain foods and then losing interest. He absolutely loved watermelon at the beginning of the summer and was eating huge amounts of it. I ended up buying an entire watermelon and then he decided he didn't really like it anymore and I was stuck with an entire watermelon! Ha. His favorite place to eat is Chick-Fil-A and he can put away their chicken nuggets! He usually eats a 6 count and a juice box...he actually knows his order by heart and tells it to me when we pull in the parking lot. His favorite treats are popsicles, chips, and ice cream (although he usually only eats a few bites before moving on). Grayson loves when daddy makes waffles for the family and requests them often. He also loves pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, cereal, and peanut butter sandwiches. Grayson has really started to improve with feeding himself with a fork and spoon lately! I feel like this is one of the few areas that he's a little behind on, but he's more interested now. Grayson does get frustrated easily when the food falls off or he can't quite get it, but he's almost at the point of doing it completely by himself which is so helpful for me!

Visiting the Atlanta Children's Museum!

Personality: Grayson has a BIG personality! Grayson is hilarious and brutally honest. If he does something wrong, all you have to do is ask him what he did or what happened and he will just tell you! He has no sense of hiding things or not telling the truth yet -- which is good! -- but it is funny how blunt he can be. He has told me to stop singing in the car and that he would rather hear the radio multiple times and he has also asked me what my moles are and why I have a breakout on my face. He just speaks his mind! Ha. Grayson is extremely silly and goofy. He makes us laugh all the time! He also cracks himself up which is something I've always loved about him. He can make himself laugh hysterically! Grayson speaks really, really well for his age! Verbal skills have always been his strong suit. He carries on entire conversations with anyone and everyone. Grayson is very friendly, outgoing, and definitely an extrovert in all ways. He understands exactly what we are saying and repeats everything we say. He evens calls us "Josh and Brittany" all the time because that's what he hears everyone else calling us. Grayson is a chatterbox! He is always talking and is extremely loud. He also loves to sing and is constantly making noises (typically firetruck, ambulance, and police car sounds). Grayson is extremely smart. You can't get anything past him and you can't fool him at this point. He picks up on everything and remembers everything. Grayson is ALL boy! He is adventurous, fearless, energetic, rough and tough, constantly dirty and sweaty, into anything with an engine, loves "potty talk" and repairing anything with his tools. He continues to be fiercely independent while still being a mama's boy, strong-willed, passionate, persistent, determined, and stubborn. If he wants something, he will not give up until he gets it! He can be very challenging in that way, but I know one day, he is going to make an awesome adult who works hard and fights for what he wants and believes in. At least I hope! ;) Grayson is very extreme and expressive. When he's happy, he's on the top of the world with the biggest smile on his face and the best belly laugh ever. But when he's upset, he can throw one heck of a tantrum! He is an emotional kid in that sense and his feelings tend to be extreme. Grayson has started to talk back and argue with us. He is definitely becoming a know it all and will correct us often. (I was the same way as a child! Payback, I guess!) Grayson is also quite opinionated and knows exactly what he wants. He is very specific about what he wants and what he likes/doesn't like. Grayson knows exactly what he wants to wear, what he wants to eat, and what he wants to watch on tv. It's taken some time for him to adjust (without having a meltdown) to one of these things not going his way when he has a very specific vision in mind. I will say this has improved over the past few months because we can reason with him and talk through things with him now. It helps when we can explain the reasoning behind why things don't go the way he wants and he can understand us.

A trip to Noah's Ark with Grammy! Grayson loves seeing all the animals!

Grayson had his first dental checkup and cleaning and he did surprisingly well! 

Loves: Firetrucks, police cars, emergency vehicles, and anything to do with construction sites! Ask Grayson anything to do with cars (car transporters, concrete mixers, excavators, tow trucks, etc.) and he will tell you exactly what it is and correct you if you are wrong. He also loves throwing and catching a ball, playing in the dirt, exploring, going through the car wash and jamming out to music. Paw Patrol, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Mighty Machines are some of his favorite shows. Grayson loves Emerson and can be super sweet and caring towards her, but also loves to mess with and pester her! He can be very protective of her and tell people, "That's MY sister!", but he also gets jealous of her. He loves attention and being the center of attention and he demands our attention most of the time. He's just not one of those under the radar type kids. Grayson also speaks for Emerson a lot. He tells us what she wants/ doesn't want or what she likes/doesn't like. He even answers for her when I ask her to say "Dada" and "Mama". The poor girl can't get a word in! Ha. I've heard this is common for the older sibling and I can definitely see it with Grayson. He is very good about helping me throw away Emerson's dirty diapers and getting her up from a nap is one of his favorite things! Grayson is really starting to use his imagination and starting to play pretend. He plays better independently with his toys and loves making up scenarios about car chases. While he does okay playing with toys on his own at home, he could play with new toys at other friends' houses for hours. Any time we go to a play date at someone's house or visit someone with kids or old toys, Grayson is usually silent and well-behaved because he is in heaven just sitting on the floor playing with all the new (to him) toys. He still loves animals and loves helping take care of Cedric. Grayson loves to read books in the car and really enjoys checking books out each week at the library. He loves going on adventures and asks us each day what we are going to do that day and if there's an adventure in store. Grayson loves to ask questions these days and is very inquisitive. He is constantly saying, "What is that? Why? What happens if I do/don't do this? Where are we going? What's his/her name? What's his/her mom's name? What's going on?". Half the time, I am not even sure how to answer him! Haha. He loves to learn and to understand how things work.  Grayson also says phrases like, "That's weird!", "Aw man!", and "Oh my goodness!" and  uses them in correct context. Grayson loves to sing songs and catches on to the words really quickly. He currently loves the song "Firework" by Katy Perry and asks to listen to it over and over again, but his ultimate favorite song is "Wheels on the Bus". We sing it constantly and he will insert anything and anyone into the song lyrics...he gets creative! Grayson has never been big on coloring, but started drawing recently. He makes all these scribbles and then tells me about this elaborate scene he has drawn. I love it! Grayson loves helping daddy and going on little adventures with him. Sitting on the riding lawn mower with daddy while he cuts the grass is still a highlight of his summer days! I have found that Grayson tends to want to destroy things while I do chores, so instead of having him be a hindrance, I've learned that involving him helps a ton. Like I said, he loves attention and loves to be treated like a big kid, so having him think he's helping mommy is huge! He especially loves to help me unload the dishwasher or make dinner by adding ingredients to the bowl. Grayson is extremely hands on and wants to be right there in the middle of the action! He loves to help and is actually very encouraging to me and others. He tells Josh and I, "Be careful, mommy!" and "Be careful, daddy!" all the time! His "tender" moments are really sweet. He loves to play with other kids and has a lot of "friends" at church, school, and playgroups that he looks forward to spending time with. Overall, he does really well with other kids and really likes to play with them. He even has conversations with them and will tell them his name and say hey. He still struggles with sharing though (as I've heard most toddlers do), but is getting better. Grayson also loves spending time with his cousins and his grandparents! We are lucky to have lots of people in Grayson's life who love him and pour into him.

Touring the Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island with Grandma!

Looking forward to: Grayson really loved school (Mother's Morning Out) this past year and it became something he got excited about each time he went. He has gotten much better about being left and is really starting to understand that we always come back for him. We talk about it all beforehand, so that he knows what to expect and that helps too. Grayson is also much better about being left in the church nursery. He loves going to church and loves playing in the church nursery. He runs around like he owns the place...because it's basically his second home. PK kid for ya! ;) We are looking forward to Grayson starting 2K in the fall (no more MMO!) and for another awesome year of church activities.

Enjoying our yearly trip to Jekyll Island with our Gale family!

Grayson is officially a forward facing big kid!

Grayson always wants to wear bows and have his hair done in a pony tail like his sister! I'll save this picture for his wedding day! ;)