Emerson's Birth Story

So if you've followed my pregnancy with Emerson for any length of time, then you know that from the beginning nothing has gone as planned. From a large hemorrhage, two emergency room visits, a cyst on my ovary formed from the pregnancy, to basically living at the specialist and OBGYN, growth issues in the third trimester, and many other small and large bumps along the way....I should have known that her birth would be just that: unexpected and full of surprises. This little girl has her own agenda. We are so thankful that our sweet Emerson Faith Gale is here with us. She's safe, healthy, and beautiful! I wanted to share her birth story and of course, I want to have it documented for myself, so that I never forget the details of that life changing day.

At the end of the second trimester, my hemorrhage finally healed, but I continued to see the specialist for a follow-up visit. At that visit, I expected them to say that I was finally released from the specialist and all the issues we had would finally be over. Well at that appointment, Emerson had started measuring behind. Her belly growth was slightly lagging and they wanted to continue to closely monitor her growth. I continued to see the specialist every few weeks and her growth continued to lag, but only slightly. At my 34 week appointment, she started measuring way behind. She was barely in the 10th percentile and the specialist was a lot more concerned. They wanted to see me twice a week for the remainder of the pregnancy. Not only was that stressful, but we had also just moved almost 2 hours away from the doctor and hospital. I knew I had a lot of driving and stress in store for the end of this pregnancy. So each week I went to an ultrasound appointment on Tuesdays and a non-stress test on Fridays. At every appointment, there was a chance for an early induction. Basically, if she didn't grow how they wanted or if her vitals were off, then I would be sent over to Labor & Delivery ASAP. Talk about nerve-racking! Thankfully, our little fighter kept growing enough and was always super active during the non-stress tests, so my specialist allowed me to "keep going" in the pregnancy.

Although Emerson was growing, she was still measuring very small (10th-13th percentile) and my doctor didn't want me going past 38.5-39 weeks because of her "restricted growth". He felt at that point, she would be better off outside the womb. So of course in my planner mind-set, I was pumped. I would get a scheduled induction and be able to plan out the details of her birth. After every appointment being full of surprises, I finally had something concrete to hold on to. Or so I thought. Instead of going to each appointment not knowing what would happen, I would get to choose the date of her birth, have Grayson completely taken care of, and not have to worry about making it to the hospital on time with the long drive and traffic. I felt more in control knowing all that than I had my entire pregnancy. So I prepared as much as I could and waited to schedule the induction, assuming it would be this week. Never once did it occur to me that I could go into labor on my own before that scheduled date. Okay, maybe I thought about it for a second and then thought, "NAH, won't happen." Well to true Emerson fashion, she proved me wrong and completely took me off guard.

On Tuesday August 16, I went up to the appointments at Kennestone Hospital. The specialist visit went well and he said he wanted me to go ahead and schedule the induction with my OBGYN. At the OBGYN, they told me I could schedule my induction for the following week. They did a cervical check and informed me that I was already 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. I had also lost my mucus plug a few days prior. The doctor immediately told me that I may not make it to the induction. I honestly just thought, well good by the time I get induced my body will be ready to go. I was 37 weeks 2 days, so I thought I had time left. Although my doctor considered me "full term" at that point. I really thought my body was just preparing for labor and it was, but a little sooner than expected.

So I drove home from the doctor and started to feel crampy. I had felt that way before after a cervix exam and just assumed it was from that. I got home and continued to feel crampy that evening. The pain was all in my lower back and felt like period pains. But they were minor and I could still function completely normally. I mentioned it to Josh, but we continued on with our evening. We went to the mall that night to exchange a few baby clothes for Emerson and while I was there, the crampy feeling persisted and got a little worse. I called my doctor and she basically said I was "on the line" of going into labor when I was checked earlier in the day and at this point, we just had to wait and see if things picked up or died down. I got home around 8pm and started to feel more normal. I assumed things were going to die down at that point. Being that I was only 37 weeks, I really wanted the baby to grow a little more before delivery, so a part of me was scared of going into labor at this point. Then I got my first real contraction. And I had my first "oh crap, this might really be happening" moment!

Up until this point, I think I was in denial. I pulled out a piece of paper and started timing the contractions. A lot of time would go by in-between them, so I began to relax thinking this wasn't really it. The contractions also felt much different than they had with Grayson. The whole experience felt different which is why I was so unsure if I was in actual labor for so long. With Grayson, I had pitocin, but this was a much slower progression and much more natural. It was also much less painful and felt very different than it had with my first labor. Again, all these factors made me question if I was actually going into labor....until the contractions started to gain some regularity. I started to really time them at 10 pm and by 11 pm, they were 10 minutes apart. Once Josh realized what was going on, he insisted that we leave for the hospital. Of course, I was hesitant because there was still so much time in-between the contractions, but figured we should head that way just in case. I still questioned if they would even admit me that this point...I have no idea what was wrong with me! Everyone knew I was in labor except for me! Thankfully, everything was basically packed in the car and ready for the hospital and had been for a few weeks. We scooped Grayson out of bed, grabbed a few things, and headed to Kennestone Hospital.

On the drive, we continued to watch the clock and time the contractions as we headed up the interstate. God really is good because we ended up driving there so late in the evening that we hit absolutely no traffic and got there in record time (and only part of that was Josh's speeding). We were so thankful for that! As we made our way there, the contractions slowly got closer and closer together and the pain became a little more intense each time. I could see the fear and panic in Josh's eyes as I would tell him, "I'm having another one". He raced up the interstate and got frustrated at anyone who even got remotely in our way. I know his only thought was, "I am NOT delivering this baby on the side of the road!" Haha! Can't say I blame him there. I was very calm the entire time actually. I knew we had time. But Josh was right on track and I was so glad we left when we did because by the time we reached the hospital my contractions were 5 minutes apart, the pain was worsening, and I was glad we were there! My mom met us at the hospital to get Grayson and he thought the whole thing was a blast! Since we woke him up in the middle of the night, he was so excited and was amped up! He was pushing his lawn mower throughout the parking deck thinking we were having a nighttime party all the while having no clue that his world was about to change.

The pain was getting more intense so I went and checked myself in while Josh handed Grayson off to my mom. While I was checking in, they were asking me all sorts of questions and it became more and more difficult to answer them during the contractions. The best moment of all though was entering the hospital. While I was walking to Labor & Delivery, I remembered that day back in February when I had walked through those same doors bleeding heavily and truly believing I had miscarried this baby. Walking through those same doors in labor with a healthy baby was overwhelming...I couldn't help but thank God in that moment for all He had brought us through to make it to that point. By the time Josh got upstairs, I was in a lot more pain and I was ready to have him by my side. They checked me in at 1am. I was at 5cm dilated and the contractions were about 3 minutes apart. I was immediately taken to a room and couldn't believe our little girl was indeed on her way! The contractions were so much different this time even while in active labor. They weren't as intense and there were breaks between them (something that didn't happen when I had pitocin). The contractions were tough but bearable especially with the breaks. I denied the epidural right when I got to the hospital and again when the anesthesiologist came in and personally asked me if I wanted one while he was in the area. But when they told me I was nearing 7-8 cm and getting to the point of no return and no epidural, I immediately asked for the anesthesiologist to return. You natural birthing mamas are amazing! I was too scared to commit to a natural birth at that point -- so I chose the epidural! I was in less pain than last time though and I realized this because I was much more nervous about the epidural. The whole time the doctor was doing it, I was very on edge. It also took a little longer to take affect which scared me. I had always heard about people's epidural not fully working and by that point, I wanted all the help and numbness I could get! Emerson's heart rate decelled a few times in the beginning while I was having contractions. I got very nervous about that, but it soon went away. Thank goodness.

After the epidural, the nurse said she would check my progress in about 45 minutes. I figured it would still be a while. I then realized my water hadn't broke, but within 2 minutes, I felt a lot of pressure and bam. ...water broken. I kept feeling pressure...lots of pressure. I swore it was the head, but the nurse kept saying it was just the baby making her way down. Another 10 minutes of intense pressure and I finally convinced them to check me. At 3am, only 2 hours after I had checked in, I was dilated to a 10 and ready to push! It seriously flew by! The nurses set everything up and I pushed for a while -- longer than I did with Grayson. I started to get discouraged, but just kept pushing (ha!) forward. And at 3:57am, Emerson Faith Gale entered the world! The nurses kept talking about her beautiful dark brown hair and how perfectly tiny and sweet she was. They laid her into my arms and I was so relieved. Everything that had led up to this moment was completely worth meeting my beautiful daughter. She weighed 5 lbs. 8 oz. and measured 18 3/4 inches long...and completely healthy! What a praise! I was so fearful for her life and God protected her all the way through my pregnancy, labor, and delivery. It is so emotionally overwhelming when I really think about how God has been working through her life since her conception. She's truly a miracle. Her middle name, "Faith", was inspired by God's faithfulness during my pregnancy and in her life. My pregnancy with Emerson was one of the most challenging experiences, but it has strengthened my faith more than anything I've ever been through before and for that I'm grateful. Emerson's life is already a testimony of God's goodness and I don't ever want to forget that.

We are now adjusting to life as a family of four and it's a whole new world! We are so thankful for our healthy and beautiful children and can't wait to see what our future as a family of four holds! Thank you all for the continuous prayers, encouragement, and love throughout this pregnancy. Our girl is finally here and we are smitten! 

23 Week Pregnancy Blog

23 Week Pregnancy Blog

Written on May 9, 2016

How far along? 23 weeks 1 days

Baby: The baby's sense of movement is now well-developed and she can dance and move.  "Oreo" is now more than 8 inches long and weighs just over a pound (the size of a mango). I may be able to see her squirm underneath my clothes. Blood vessels in the lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze Oreo when she hears them outside the womb.

 

                             23 Week Bump!

Total Weight Gain: I'm at a 9 lb. weight gain this week (115 lbs.) and I'm very happy with that! I've been continuing a slow weight gain, trying to eat healthy, and not over eat.

 

Maternity Clothes: I've been wearing more maternity shirts which I prefer a lot more than any type of maternity bottoms. I'm still wearing my belly band most days, so that I can wear my regular pants. One perk (there are few from what I've heard) of the second half of my pregnancy being in the warmer months is that I can wear comfy sundresses! I've been wearing them more often and love that I can wear my regular dresses and they still fit nicely. :)

 

 

Mother's Day 2015 vs. Mother's Day 2016! Grayson has grown SO much! It's crazy to think that next year I'll have 2 babies in my arms! :)

 

Stretch Marks: I've been doing a pretty good job at applying the stretch mark cream (1-2 times a day). I'm definitely growing, so hopefully the cream will continue to help prevent any stretch marks!

Sleep: I still wake-up somewhat frequently at night, but I have been sleeping better for the most part. I still don't get to nap very often, but I'm exhausted by the end of each day and seem to be sleeping hard! I am still having more intense and realistic dreams.

              Mother's Day Dinner

Miss Anything? I'm really missing going on walks now that the weather is so nice. Our family has always loved taking walks together, but right now, I can't go very far. I am also missing coffee! For some reason when I am pregnant, I want coffee more than ever. Well maybe equally as much as I did before Grayson started sleeping through the night ;) I've started drinking 1 cup of half-caff and if I want a second cup, then I'll have 1 cup of decaf. Some of it is wanting the caffeine, but I also just love the taste. Thankfully, I feel like I'm getting my coffee fix with the decaf!

 

Best Moment of the Week: I was able to celebrate my 2nd Mother's Day yesterday and it was wonderful! We didn't do anything too major, but it was a nice, relaxing day with family which was perfect. We went to church, then Grayson and I skipped the second service and played on the playground together (he loved the sandbox!), then we took a short family nap, we went out to Hibachi for dinner with my mom and her boyfriend and it was delicious!, and when we got home, we spent the rest of the evening outside enjoying the beautiful weather as a family. I got to see all my favorite people which was my favorite part! Normally Josh works on Sunday nights, so he took off, and he also got me roses earlier in the week which were beautiful. Quality time is one of my favorite gifts (and not having to cook!). :)

 

Movement: Still feeling a lot of movement! She wasn't as active this week (sometimes she scares me!), but she is still a fairly active little girl. She particularly loves sweets and music. Any time I eat something sweet or am listening to the radio, she tends to have a dance party in my belly! I do feel like she is especially low. I've carried both my babies very low, but her kicks are basically in my crotch sometimes (TMI, sorry!).

Food Cravings: I did fairly well with eating healthy this week. We've had a lot of events with food, but I'm doing well at eating small portions and not going crazy. I still LOVE sweets and have to make sure I actually get some real food in me! I had a Café Latte Shakeology shake this week that was delicious (anything coffee tasting is my friend) and I also love Hibachi! No real "cravings" except for coffee. Still trying really hard to drink lots of water! The lemonade flavor packets and gum have been back on my favorites list.

 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

 

Gender: Girl! :) I was given my first bag of used girl's clothes from a friend this weekend...so exciting!

Thyroid: I thought I would have my thyroid more under control this pregnancy, but it still went crazy the moment I got pregnant. I waited to go to the endocrinologist until I was 8 weeks along and the pregnancy had been confirmed with an ultrasound. (Last time I didn't go until I was 14 weeks!) By the time I went in, my thyroid was already completely out of whack! It took until just a few weeks ago to get it to the right levels. (Almost half my pregnancy!) It's a tough battle because each time I increase my dosage, my body is also naturally needing more each week. It takes a while to get my medicine caught up and into my system...and by the time that happens, I have to increase my dosage because my body needs even more! I'm now on 224 mg of thyroid medicine which is the highest dosage I've ever been on and a very high dosage in general, but that's what my body is needing. Thankfully the baby is developing well despite the thyroid battle and I'm finally at the right place with my levels. I'm going in every 4 weeks to get my levels tested.
 

Symptoms: For the most part, I feel great! My pain level wasn't nearly as bad this week. I will have random moments when the round ligament pain is intense, but it always passes and is much less frequent. I'm still very dehydrated if I'm not constantly drinking water and my acne was worse this week. Overall, I'm feeling good!

Happy or moody: Still somewhat stressed because of everything we have going on right now -- our house goes on the market this week, so that's been my main focus!

Looking forward to: My specialist appointment in 1.5 weeks and getting to see our new home this week! We are visiting Lizella and actually staying in the parsonage...I'm exciting to get a glimpse into the very near future.

Expectant

Each year my Aunt asks me, "So what's your WORD this year?" She chooses a word each year that God lays on her heart and that word is her theme and focus for that year. She started doing this years ago and each year urges me to choose a word and participate alongside her. Each year I try to pick out a good word that I believe will be fitting for that year or something I know I need to work on, but honestly no word from the past really sticks out as much as the word I've chosen for 2016. In January, I chose the word "Expectant" for this year. At that time, I knew 2016 would hold many changes for my family, but I wanted to go into this year full of expectation of what God was going to do instead of being fearful or anxious about the chaos that was soon to come. I really looked at 2016 as a "Here God, You can have it" type of year knowing that it would hold more than I could handle on my own. Between expecting our second child and moving to a new city for my husband's job, 2016 was going to be a big year for the Gale family. But this word has come to mean so much more as this year has unfolded.

 

Within a few weeks of deciding to be expectant and hopeful of what God would do this year, I had to go to the ER twice for a hemorrhage and was told I had a "threatened miscarriage". Already, 2016 wasn't going nearly as I expected and we were only a month in. The medical bills rolled in (and kept rolling in) and we were left helplessly fighting for our baby's life in a high-risk pregnancy, knowing prayer was the only thing we could really do to be active about the situation. In some ways, it felt like we were drowning. Asking God....why? I had expectations for this year, but this wasn't it. Despite this scary situation, God has remained strong and faithful to us. I never wanted to go through something like this, but in some weird ways, I can say I'm thankful for it. God has shown Himself as everything His Word claims He is to me during this time. He's worked things out in amazing ways. God has blown my expectations out of the water! He has shown up in huge ways and that is exactly what I had hoped for 2016. While it may not look how I would have wanted it to, choosing to expect big things from God this year was right on point.

The next month, Josh stood before 3 boards hoping to pass and become a provisional Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. Josh has been working towards this for years and it's been quite the process. He went through 3 years of seminary, wrote what seemed like a million pages worth of paperwork, papers, and Bible studies, sat through many meetings, and spent hours upon hours preparing for this moment. Thankfully, he passed!! While this was so exciting for our family, it also confirmed that we would definitely be moving to a new church in a new town in June. We are nervous, but trusting. Trying our very best to believe God will bring us to where we need to be. A month after he passed the boards, we found out that we would be moving to Lizella, GA and that Josh would be the head Pastor at Lizella UMC!

We are so excited for our new adventure, but also quite nervous to move to a brand new place. Or maybe I should say that I am! This is my first big move and if you haven't noticed over the few years I've been writing this blog, I'm not a fan of change. We are leaving behind family, a church family that we adore, friends, our first home, and the entire life we've build as a married couple. I'm moving to a place where I don't know a soul (thankfully we will have family somewhat close by) and everything about our life is going to change. While this is scary, it is also quite exciting and another chance for me to cling to the hope of being expectant for God to move in awesome ways during this next chapter. God has already allowed us to be placed at a wonderful appointment with a new, loving church family. We get to live in a parsonage that the church has so kindly been working hard to make perfect for our arrival. Josh and I are also getting to live out our dreams by taking this leap of faith and having high expectations of what God is going to do despite the unknown -- he will be the Pastor is his "own" church, continuing the process of becoming a fully Ordained Elder in the UMC and I will officially be a stay-at-home mom! We have both been dreaming of the day we would get to do these things for a very long time and are so excited the opportunity is finally here. God has truly taken care of us and provided above and beyond.

We are going into the month of May and I feel like my head is spinning. We have so much going on over the next 6 weeks. I always feel like we are busy and like our life is chaotic and I think surely one day it will slow down....but it only amps up! Each year life gets crazier, but despite the (extra long) laundry list of things going on in the next few months, I'm in a good place. Josh was preaching about God's timing last Sunday and saying that this concept has been quite prevalent in our lives over the past few months. He couldn't be more right. We have been so dependent on God and so trusting that God's timing and His plans will lead us to the right place. Josh and I have really been leaning on God more than ever to guide us and while there have been many ups and downs; there is something so peace-giving about trusting God and allowing Him to work in us. What an awesome thing to be able to say that God is changing the world and we get to be a small part of it, by allowing Him to work in us. Starting off the year choosing to be expectant and hopeful of what God would do this year was bold for me (normally I would be having a panic attack in the corner thinking of all the stresses to come), but letting go and allowing God to work in our lives has been such an amazing experience. God is working around us, working in us, and moving mountains for us and this world -- I had every right to be expectant of all the big things that God would do this year because He's doing them! God is moving in His way and His timing and I'm so thankful to be a part of it. While I have no idea what the future holds (more than ever), I'm going into this new chapter excited and expectant. It's such an encouraging and peace-giving place to be -- where God is.

 

Grayson's 15 Month Update!

Hey everyone! Long time, no blog. Life has been crazy for the past few months and I haven't been able to blog as much. The Gale household has been very busy and in the next few weeks, I'll be able to share some of the goings on with you. For now, I wanted to do an update on Grayson. For those of you who don't care to read these type of updates, I'm sorry. In all honesty, half of the reason I write them is for myself. He has changed so much in the past few months and I feel like if I don't document it, then I'll quickly forgot all his little habits and quirks that I so dearly love and define the stage he is in. Yes, I'm that obsessed mother and I'm perfectly okay with it. Grayson has been an awesome toddler so far and we are loving this new phase of life with him. I'm excited to share with you all the new and exciting things happening in our lives starting with this toddler update! :)

Height & Weight: Grayson went to his 15 month check-up last week and was 30.5 inches tall and 23 lbs. 4.5 oz. Poor thing is pretty small in both categories (30th percentile), but Josh and I are both small people, so I guess there's no shock he won't be a linebacker! ;) I do think he might have been wiggling too much during his height check because all his pants are way shorter, so it definitely seems like he's grown more than a half an inch. He also gained almost 2 lbs. since his 12 month check-up. Either way, he's growing and healthy! :)

 

Feeding: Grayson's eating habits have changed a lot in the past few months. He is no longer spoon-fed purees, but is able to eat everything on his own. He does a great job picking up small pieces of food and feeding himself! (Something I stressed about him not doing often right at 12 months) For the most part, his eating habits have really improved. He started eating much more and a larger variety right after his first birthday. With that being said, he still has days where he doesn't eat much at all and when he is teething (he cut 5 teeth recently), he barely eats. Can't blame him there. Grayson eats breakfast around 9 am, lunch after his first nap (around 1-2), dinner around 6, and a few small snacks in between. He still LOVES whole milk...more than any kid I've ever seen. He goes through a gallon of milk on his own in about 5 days. Crazy! He has about 4 cups of milk each day and gulps them down in one sitting. He is also obsessed with his "milk cup" which is a Ninja Turtles cup and would prefer to drink everything out of it if I didn't have to wash it once in a while. Grayson's favorite foods right now are Lil' Crunchies, yogurt, yogurt bites, eggs, cheese, grapes, hot dogs, peanut butter, graham crackers, most meat and blueberries. He also loves eating whatever Josh and I are eating (we end up sharing most things), so he gets in a lot of "real" food that way. He seems to really love snack food, but is doing better eating more substantial food. He still loves his straw sippy cups and really likes water. And yes, he loves sweets. What child doesn't? ;)

 

Sleeping: Grayson has been sleeping like a CHAMP! I am so proud of him. He sleeps through the night consistently and has since his first birthday. I don't know exactly what happened, but right around when he turned 1, he just started sleeping so much better. I think some kids just take longer to get that point, but once they do, they are golden. :) He goes to bed without a fuss and stays in his crib, asleep, all night. It's amazing! Most nights he sleeps 11-12 hours straight. If he does wake up, I give him a cup of milk or water and he goes back to sleep immediately. Thankfully, that has become rare and not the norm. Grayson goes to bed between 830-9pm and wakes up between 8-9am. He's a great napper and is in the awkward 2 to 1 nap transition. Depending on the day, he takes 1-2 naps. On the days he has MMO, he only takes 1 nap. Other days, he takes 2. Most days he can survive on 1, but other days he really needs 2. We are still in that transition and it just depends on the day. In general, I feel like he sleeps much better because he is SO active. He doesn't sit down from the moment he wakes up until the moment he goes to bed. He is running around every single second and he is exhausted by the end of each day. I definitely think that contributes to the major improvement in sleeping!

 

Clothes: Grayson is still in a size 5 diaper and size 18 month clothing. I just went through all his winter and spring clothing and put away his winter clothes (12 month clothes). We are now in 18 month clothes! Which is crazy to me...sounds so big!

 

Mood: Grayson is such a blast! He is a very happy child for the most part. He can be moody and opinionated as well, but still laughs and giggles constantly. It's so easy to get a smile out of him. Grayson is very silly and goofy. He knows when things are funny or silly and cracks up! He understands jokes and playing around much more now and is constantly messing around and being silly. He loves to pretend to give Cedric a treat then at the last minute yank it away....trickster! Grayson also thinks it's absolutely hilarious to put a diaper on your head....or on Cedric's head! We have way too much fun in our house....anything to make your child laugh! ;) Grayson is very chatty and always talking...his vocabulary grows each week! He is very independent these days and wants to do most things himself. He knows what he wants and what he likes (and doesn't like) and will tell you! Especially because he can say "no!" now. :) That being said, he can also be shy and will cling to Josh and I's legs while meeting new people. He gets over it in about 2 seconds though and is back to his outgoing self. We found out that at school he is "quiet and observant" which surprised me a little bit. At home, he is a wild child, but I was happy to know he is well-behaved at school. I think some of it is that he's an only child and not used to being around other bigger kids all the time. He's so interested in them and everything they are doing! Grayson is cautious yet carefree which is an interesting dynamic. He loves to explore and is into everything not meant for babies. If it's dangerous in any way, he will find it. But he usually walks over and gives it to you...knowing he shouldn't have it! Grayson is still stubborn and persistent. He is super sweet these days and gives voluntary hugs and holds your hand. It melts my heart! Grayson constantly keeps me entertained and on my toes! He has a big personality and I love seeing it develop more and more!

Teeth: Grayson has 13 teeth! He cut 5 teeth in one week recently. It was a shock! It all happened around the time he had an ear infection, so I just contributed his fussiness and fever to that. He's never had a fever while teething before, but this time it hit 104. He felt terrible and now I know why! He doesn't let me in his mouth nowadays, so it's hard to tell when he's getting teeth. He got all 4 new molars and a front incisor tooth right around the same time. He feels SO much better now! Hopefully he is done getting new teeth for a while!

Milestones: Grayson does a million new things. Every day he learns something new! I love this age because you can really see them understand concepts and watch their little brains grow each day. Grayson can now follow directions and understands what you are talking about and telling him to do. He knows how to close doors when asked, throw his diaper in the trash, dance on command, and understands let's go outside or bye-bye and heads straight for the door. He climbs the stairway like a pro and has learned to climb up onto the couch by himself. He knows the words....uh-oh, bye-bye, ball, mama, dada, car, Cedric, puppy, and when I count to one, he then says "twoooo". He knows how to say the word, "I" and points to himself. When you ask him what sound a lion or a tiger makes, he goes, "Rawrrr!". He knows where his feet, head, nose, belly button, and knees are. He also makes weird noises all the time...such a boy! ;) Every mama says this about their child, but Grayson is becoming a little smarty pants and I'm so proud of him! It's so fun to watch him learn and grow! As far as mobility goes, he basically runs everywhere at this point! We are way beyond the cruising and taking steps phase, Grayson is on the move! It's crazy to think he's been walking for 6 months now! But when I see him running around, I'm reminded of how far he's come. He's no longer a baby, but a little boy....a very busy little boy!

Loves: Grayson's current favorite thing to do is go outside. Now that it's spring, we spend the majority of our time in our backyard playing and exploring. Grayson also loves the park, slides, and swings. Grayson still loves dogs and animals. Our dog, Cedric, and Grayson are best friends! He is always on the go, constantly moving and running around. He does love to read books which has been a fun change in the past few months. Grayson loves to climb and has even climbed out of his high chair recently! (I now understand why every baby product has straps on it!) He loves sitting in anyone's lap and will just plop down on you without warning. He also loves sitting up on the couch with you and jumping all over the couch like a monkey! Loves throwing the ball (correction: throwing everything) and drumming on everything! Grayson still loves music and dancing. He loves helping mommy and daddy with anything we are doing and wants to be a part of whatever that is....including partaking in anything we are eating. Still loves technology and power tools! He is obsessed with the vacuum cleaner and the lawn mower. Grayson also calls everyone "Mama". That's what he says when he wants something or needs something. It's almost like what he says when he's whining, but Josh particularly dislikes constantly being called "Mama"! I personally think it's funny ;) Although Grayson is definitely in a Daddy phase and is obsessed with his Daddy. Mommy is fine, but Daddy is where it's at! Grayson gets very upset when Josh leaves nowadays and basically can't control his excitement when Daddy comes home! Another funny thing that Grayson does right now is put everything on his head and walk around. It cracks me up! We have so many funny pictures of Grayson walking around with random objects on his head.
 

Dislikes: Grayson really isn't the biggest fan of bath time or I should say he hates having his hair and body washed! It always ends in tears. Grayson also doesn't like having his hair cut. We end up having to hold him down by the end of the experience just so they can finish the haircut. He's going to have to get over that since his hair grows like a weed (3 haircuts already)! He still hates getting his diaper or clothes changed. He doesn't have time to interrupt his busy playing schedule!

 

Things I want to remember:

Grayson's 3rd Haircut: He hated it, but really enjoyed his first lollipop afterwards.

Easter: We had a busy day of church and an Easter lunch with family! Grayson also participated in his first Easter egg hunt this year. He was much more interested in wearing the bucket on his head than hunting eggs, but it was still an exciting first! I was so bummed we didn't get a picture with the Easter bunny. Unfortunately, we spent the Saturday morning we were supposed to do that rushing to the pediatrician's office to try to get Grayson some medicine. He felt awful that day! Life with a child....never goes as planned! I think I was more upset about not getting to meet the Easter bunny than he was! ;)