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! ;)

Grayson's 2 Year Update!

It doesn't even seem possible that my baby boy is 2 years old! These 2 years have seriously flown by and I've loved every minute of it. I haven't done an update on Grayson since he was 18 months old and thought this 2 year milestone was a great time to write another update on everything going on in his world. We love him so much and can't wait to see what this year will bring!


Height and Weight: At Grayson's 2 year check up, he was 27 lbs. 14 oz. and 33.7 inches tall. He was right at the 50th percentile for both categories which was exciting. Grayson hasn't been weighed or measured since his 18 month check, so I had no idea what to expect. He's always been on the small side and he isn't the best eater, so it's encouraging to know that he's growing like he should be and he isn't too shrimpy! (Sorry Gray, you've got small parents! Haha.) Grayson has gained 4 lbs. and grown 1.7 inches since July. He has always been a size behind on pants, but he currently fits in the correct size (24 months and 2T), so I had a feeling he had caught up! He did much better than I expected at the doctor's office. Grayson had to get a finger prick to start off, then height and weight, then checked by the doctor and lastly shots. He wasn't happy during each of those parts, but was as happy as could be in between. He can be quite dramatic, but recovered really quickly after each "traumatizing" event. He kept telling me, "I brave!" and he was! After Grayson's shots, he asked mommy to kiss his leg and then asked for a hug and for mommy to carry him. Poor little dude!

Eating: Grayson's eating habits are still all over the board! Anyone who has followed his updates will know that he's never been a wonderful eater. It really just depends on the day! Eating is definitely more of a necessity to him than an enjoyable activity. (I'm not quite sure how he's my kid!) Right before he turned 2, his eating wasn't going so well, but recently, he is back to eating much more. I honestly think he is so active and engaged in his surroundings that eating is a pain to him. He doesn't want to take a break from the fun! That being said, he is also so active that he is starting to really get hungry and require more food to keep his energy up. I have never said he was picky but moody and that still holds true. Some meals he eats like a champ and other times, he is just uninterested. One day he will love grapes and the next day, he can't stand them. I don't buy anything in bulk for that reason! Ha! I've heard that with toddlers, you have to almost take it week by week instead of day by day. If you look at what they eat in a week, it will typically balance out - some days they eat more and some days they hardly eat at all. But overall, each week they balance out and I believe that's true at least for Grayson. He does love typical kid food -- chicken nuggets (with ketchup!), hot dogs, gold fish, french fries, pizza, and puffs, but he also loves grapes, strawberries, apples, beans, sandwiches, hamburgers, green smoothies, cereal, yogurt, and spaghetti. Chips and salsa (he insists on dipping them in there), popsicles, and fruit snacks as his "guilty pleasures". Yes, I believe in balance, even for children. Bread and milk is still his jam. The boy loves carbs (a plain piece of bread is exciting to him) and a glass of milk. Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets are a real treat for him and he demolishes them every time! He isn't always willing to try new foods, but when he does, he usually likes them. He is definitely a texture person which is something I'm learning to be patient about. I will eat pretty much anything, so it's hard for me to relate, but if it has a mushy or weird texture, Grayson will automatically spit it out. Overall, he is eating more and more and becoming more open to trying new things. We've been trying to make a bigger effort to sit down and eat together as a family at the dinner table and that also helps a lot. Grayson is automatically drawn to whatever mommy and daddy are eating! He also says a blessing before the meal which I love.

Sleeping: Although Grayson didn't sleep through the night until he was a year old, he has slept like a champ since! He rarely wakes up during the night and if he does, he goes right back to sleep after drinking some milk. He has done well with all the changes he's endured including moving and adding a baby sister to the mix. It took about a week for him to start sleeping normally again after we moved and he also went through a time of waking more often during the night after Emerson was born. Thankfully, that didn't last long. He takes 1 nap a day right now typically for about 2 hours in the afternoon. He definitely isn't to the point of cutting that nap any time soon, but he is much less dependent on it and can do much longer into the day before he needs a nap. There have been a few times where he will take a cat nap in the car and that's all he needs for the day. He is embracing sleep a lot more now and will tell us if he's tired and ready to go to bed. Can't argue with that! ;) He knows the routine at this point, so that really helps. For a while, he was going through a phase where he wouldn't immediately fall asleep and then he would call out for mommy over and over again. Thankfully, that passed! He doesn't immediately go to sleep every night, but he knows it's bedtime and just lays in his crib instead of fighting it. Grayson is still in a crib as of now. He sleeps really well in a crib and we aren't ready to rock the boat yet, especially since Emerson is still up during the night. Grayson is also learning about fear and his imagination is beginning to really be active, so he has experienced "bad dreams" in the past few months where he wakes up screaming and afraid. It was really sad at first, but now we've talked about it more with him and he's more calm about it. He tells me, "I have bad dream, mommy!", but then he says, "I'm not scared, I'm brave!". It really helps that we can start explaining things to him and he understands a lot of it! Grayson goes to bed around 9pm and wakes up between 7a-8:30a.

Clothes: Like I said, Grayson is in 24 months and 2T clothing right now. He is still wearing a size 5 diaper. He also wears a size 6-7 in toddler shoes. 

Mood: Oh golly, I could say so much about this! Haha. Since birth, Grayson has been very emotion driven and moody. He can be thrilled one second and on the floor crying the next. He has always been extreme in this department and that has only continued into toddlerhood. It's a combination of Grayson's personality, going through the "terrible two's", and being jealous of his sister/wanting more of our attention, that have made his mood quite unpredictable. He still has the best laugh ever and will laugh hysterically at anything and everything. He literally cracks himself up which I love. He can be so happy and interested in something, but if something doesn't go his way, then a meltdown typically occurs. Although he is getting better at understanding things which helps a lot and he is starting to catch on to the rules. He is very smart and extremely verbal which is wonderful, but he also knows what's going on and understands a lot. You can't get anything past him these days. He has a very specific picture in his head of how he wants things to be -- the blue truck needs to be here, my blocks need to be here, and Emerson needs to be in this corner -- and if things aren't the exact way he wants them, he gets upset. He has never been a go-with-the-flow kid and still isn't. He is still so fun though. He is energetic and all boy! Grayson is so adventurous these days and always into something. 


Grayson is so much fun and so smart these days! He talks like a champ and is so silly!

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.

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! ;)