Bopril

G Stats: 15 Months

We visited with Doctor Cherian yesterday, and our boy continues to grow at an impressive rate and is reaching and exceeding all milestones. We're thrilled with his clean bill of health and with his sweet, smiling face. His feet pitter patter over every inch of our home in enormous loops now that he's an officially minted walker, and he radiates joy to all around him.

Here's a peek at Graham at 15 months:

23 lbs, 10 oz -- 50-75th percentile

32.5 inches tall -- 90th percentile (thank you Daddy!)

95th percentile for that precious head and leveling off with each month -- he's growing into all of that brain power just like his sister. :)

I never take a moment of these healthy visits for granted. It's always a great reminder of what really matters. 

Love, love, love this baby boy!

A Baptism for G (at last)

Last weekend, we baptized G. At thirteen months he was considerably older than the other babies, but was also the best behaved of the bunch, which we chalked up to more life experience. (Wink).

The occasion brought us boat loads of family which is our favorite by-product of any event. Uncle Matt and Aunt KC proved to be stellar godparents and our assortment of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins displayed in stark detail what a blessed bunch we are.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the responsibility of exposing my littles to the concept and experience of faith. I am working through what that means for us specifically, but this felt like a great step in the right direction and it made official Catholics of all human members of Team Carretta.

Gratitude feels like too small a word to express what I feel when I step back and observe this fantastic life and these fantastic people. As they say (and I believe this in the various contexts in which each person of faith finds herself), God is good.

And whether or not it's sufficient, I am indeed grateful.

G Diaries: Twelve Months!

Dear Graham,

Your first year is in the books, buddy, and it was tremendous. Mommy is a little slow with this recap, and you're actually a big thirteen-month-old already! We quietly celebrated your first year last month with family and a few close friends, and you really embraced the concept of birthday parties. :)

You smashed your cake with fanfare and shoveled fist-fulls of cake and icing into your mouth until we removed the sugar bomb to prevent tummy troubles. You opened gifts with the (somewhat aggressive) help of Rowan, and you mostly just basked in the love of everyone who gathered to celebrate you.

You are FAST, Graham. You crawl and boot scoot constantly and can easily get wherever you want to go. In the last week, you've conquered stairs, and can crawl up them, but require close supervision given your tendency to just hurl yourself backward onto your bum, with no regard for the tumble that surely awaits unless someone stands at the ready to catch you. You cruise happily around the furniture, the kitchen island and cabinets, the walls and bedroom furniture. You have stood unassisted for a few seconds, but when you notice that you're doing it, you can't plop yourself to the floor fast enough. You aren't yet ready to walk upright, so we'll just wait and see. :) You will however, dart all about the house and neighborhood grasping tightly to our fingers. 

You're consistent in your typical ways: you eat heartily and readily, you transitioned with utmost ease away from bottles and to milk (although we're trying lactose-free as you've displayed some tummy issues of late), you babble all day (mama, dada, bye-bye, gah, uh, nana, etc.) and you grin as you wave, blow kisses, play peek-a-boo, and display that you're "so big." Your growth continues to impress, and you're in 12-18 months sized clothing and we recently moved you into size four diapers. You remain a steadfast sleeper, but a faithful early riser. Lately, that sometimes comes as early as 4:30 a.m. which for the record, is WAY TOO EARLY, kiddo. You're napping twice daily, but I think the morning nap is nearing its end. 

You splash giddily in the tub, soar skyward on the swings giggling and squealing, laugh constantly and loudly, chase after your sister and your fur-brothers faithfully, and remain laser focused on doing everything you shouldn't. We've gotten creative with child-proofing this last month, and now even the oven door and stove knobs sport devices intended to keep your busy hands at bay. 

You lean in for slobbery kisses, pat my back unprompted, snuggle onto my shoulder for nighttime prayers and songs and books. Speaking of books, you've bloomed into quite the little reader, dragging as many books as you can carry out of the various bins and baskets that contain them, and then flipping through the pages with sweet, pudgy fingers and leaning down so far you're practically nose to nose with the words as you "read" out loud, at perfect pitch. 

To state the obvious, you are a joy and you make me a very happy Mama. I hope that you know how loved you are, sweet boy, how perfectly you fit with this family, in this home, in this life. I hope that being part of our family with fill you with love and security and safety and peace, and that you will turn around and pour out those same blessings in your immediate circles, in your community, in the world. As your first year fades to your second, I am so proud of you. My heart bursts with love for you, and every day, I hope you'll be happy and increasingly capable and aware of/comfortable in your own wonderful skin. I hope you will love and be loved, push the boundaries when needed, take the high road almost always, ask tough questions, seek out truths everywhere, on your own terms. And as you do all of these things and more, I hope you will know deep in your heart and with every fiber of your being that you are greatly and unconditionally loved.

Happy birthday, my perfect boy.

Mama

 

 

 

Good Night, Baby Boy

“When I have said my evening prayer,

And my clothes are folded on my chair,

Mommy and daddy switch off the light,

I’ll still be a baby boy tonight.

But from the very break of day,

Before the children rise and play,

Before the darkness turns to gold,

Tomorrow I’ll be one year old…

One kiss when I wake,

One candle on my cake.

A goodnight kiss for the baby boy

To send him to sleep and to dreaming.

And blessings to the one year old

Who’ll climb out of bed in the morning.”

-from The Birthday Book

 

Thank you, Graham. For an enlightening, warp-speed, heart bursting, stretching, loving, awesome year. You light up my world, sweet boy. I can't wait to kiss your one-year-old cheeks in the morning.

We adore you.

G Diaries: Eleven Months!

Sweet Graham,

You are careening toward your first birthday, my love, and while I feel like I've got whiplash part of the time, I am enjoying this ride so immensely I don't even mind.

You've had a really tough winter so far, little man. Multiple double-ear infections, a lot of teething, the stomach flu, your first ER visit and so much coughing and snotting and bucking away from us as we attempt to wipe your nose, I can't even quantify it (nor do I want to). I am hoping we're near the end, but winter promises to stick around for quite a while, so we'll see. Keep hanging in there with your strong little spirit and your heart-bursting smiles, ok?

Movement is your thing. You do not want to be held or contained, and you cover every square inch of our home with your unique crawl. I hope I'll always remember the sound of your hands smacking the floor and your high pitched squeal as you get yourself to your intended destination. You like to stand up, but only briefly and don't seem interested in doing it unassisted just yet. I think you're content to leave standing and walking to the future for now. For the record, I am content with that too.

You babble constantly..Mama, Dada, gah, dah and a million other gibberishly lovely sounds. You can wave and throw your arms into the air to show us you're "so big." You lean in a hundred times each day for an open-mouthed, slobbery kiss. You laugh hysterically at your sister and at your fur-brothers, and you want so much to capture and pet them, but they will not allow it. Keep trying, sweet boy. If anyone can charm them, it is you.

At eleven months, you want to eat ALL the food. All of it. We've begun lovingly referring to you as "hank the tank" at mealtimes, because it is astounding what you can put away. You'll eat pretty much anything, and you'll keep eating it as long as we offer it. You've discovered that you can lean over your chair and drop food to the dogs, and all sorts of fun has ensued. This is your final month of formula, and you're still enjoying a bottle a few times each day. We'll offer you regular old milk in the weeks ahead and think about saying goodbye to bottles, too. I expect that you'll take to each transition mostly with ease, because that is your way. We've begun the "no, no Graham!" with accompanying wagging finger when you're being particularly naughty (attempting to open drawers, going for outlets and cords, attempting to dive into the fireplace). Your response is adorable and quite telling of the future we face: you turn to look at us, grin from ear to ear, and then return to the task with a vengeance until we physically remove you. 

Sleep is still mostly your jam. Bedtime remains 6:30-7 and you (mostly) sleep soundly until 6-6:30. Recently you've had a few nights where you wake around 4am and have a very difficult time settling back down. I'm hoping that is mostly just teething and general sickness, because G-man, that is TOO early! You're still napping twice a day, and your best days are when both naps are closer to two hours in length. 

You're a gorgeous, big boy, wearing size three diapers and size twelve months clothes for the most part, although you can easily wear eighteen months in certain brands and types of clothes (footie pajamas, onesies). 

You are adored by many, especially your Mama, and we'll celebrate that one year milestone with great fanfare. We are the luckiest to have you to laugh at and with every day. I know I am biased, but I think it would be a tremendous challenge to find a sweeter boy in the entire world. Happy eleven months, Graham.

Mama

G Diaries: Ten Months!

Darling boy,

Last week, we enjoyed a lovely holiday vacation and in the midst of it, you quietly hit double digits -- TEN MONTHS OLD! The curve from here to your first birthday really is so short, and we'll be watching you with cake and candles in a blink. Isn't that the craziest thing? And also the awesome-est? (That's totally a word, sweet boy.)

Ten months means mobility, little man. You have a crawl that is uniquely you, and you cover impressive ground at warp speed, your little right leg tucked beneath you as you go. Of course, your preferred paths are those that lead to the heaviest drawers, the sharpest corners, the smallest of choke hazards that your sister has left strewn about the room. Suffice it to say that we spend a lot of time running after you and diverting you right now. We've installed the baby jail for you, and you'll give us small stretches of time playing in there, but the truth is that you're happiest where we are, and you don't suffer isolation much at all.

The bouncer is tolerable, but only just, and I think we'll say goodbye in the month ahead. You'll crash around in there for a bit, but it is limiting to your mobility and you typically demand to get out within ten minutes of getting in. I understand, sweet boy. :) 

Eating and sleeping continue to go swimmingly, and you are a master with food now. Your pincher grasp is professional grade and you shovel in whatever we put in front of you with gusto and a constant accompanying "mmmmmmm!" You're napping twice daily and hitting the hay around 7pm each night after books and prayers and songs (and a bath on alternating nights), waking with a smile between 6 and 7 each morning. I remain certain that retrieving you from your crib is one of the great treasures of this life -- you light up when you see me, and everything within me lights up too. Thank you for that. It's a wonderful thing to be loved that way. 

Teething has been a full time job for you lately, and you've got quite the mouthful. Coupled with your second double-ear infection and a recent stomach bug, we've seen the inside of the doctors office and remote urgent care facilities more than I'd like, but your sweet spirit never wavers and we snuggle you through each episode with antibiotics and motrin and cold things to chew and your favorite soft blankies. 

You're shaping up to be quite loquacious, and you babble all day long..."mama, dada, mmmm, ack" and lots of gibberish and squealing mixed in. You mimic us too, and it's the greatest. You'll shake your head no, lift your arms adorably to display that you're SO BIG and perhaps best of all, you'll demand our attention in your own special way. If I'm looking at my phone while holding you (or really doing anything other than giving you my full attention), you lean around and put your face directly in front of mine as if to say "hey, I'm over here, lady!" My heart explodes every time. 

I pray that I'll always remember the way you fit perfectly against me right now, your head nestled onto my shoulder. You'll be off and running in no time, but at this life moment, you still strongly prefer your Mama, and we enjoy plentiful snuggles. I don't know how to accurately describe the bittersweet feeling that washes over me: a conflating tangle of wanting to enjoy the moment, remember every sensation and of course, the useless wish to freeze time and keep you -- and us -- right here, right now where things are safe and warm and lovely. Time doesn't work like that, little guy, it marches on as it should and I will joyously welcome each and every day that I am able to march alongside you. 

We love you mightily, Graham. Happy ten months, love bug.

Mommy

G Diaries: Eight AND Nine Months!

Little guy, you’re nine months old. Nine! As in the final single digit month. I’m combining your eight and nine month updates into one because I wrote your eight week post a couple of weeks ago, but the internet ate it, and I just didn’t get my act together in time to rewrite that one and then write this one separately. Such is life these days, sweet boy. Hectic and loud and wonderful. I wouldn’t change a thing.

These two months have been busy ones, and you’ve gone from zero teeth to nearly a mouthful. You’ve got two on bottom, four on top and I counted two more breaking through up there this morning. It explains your fussiness lately, and my heart breaks for you because even through some fussing, you’ve still mostly been smiley, and I know those teeth must be causing you lots of pain. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, G-man, and until then, I’ll have a constant rotation of cold things at the ready for you to chew to your heart’s content. 

You also experienced your first double-ear infection — I took you to the doctor for what sounded like a croupy cough, but it turned out the cough was fine and normal, but your little ears were on fire. Mama felt pretty bad about that situation, but we got you on antibiotics straight away, and you seem to be no worse for the wear. You have your official nine month appointment today, and I can’t wait to see where you tip the scale. You’re not so tiny anymore, Graham, and someone seems to have pushed fast-forward on your growth button. I’d like a little more access to the pause button, pretty please. :)

You’re in size three diapers and nine or twelve month clothes. You’re moving all over the place, but not quite yet officially crawling. This has been quite the transformation these last two months, and your Daddy and I are having great fun watching it unfold. You started with this hilarious booty scoot and you could navigate the length of a room with impressive speed. You also continued your backward inch-worming when you wanted to go on your back versus upright. You’ve now got a mixture of army crawling and the boot scoot happening for the most part, and I think we are days away from the real thing. Where oh where are those baby gates?! 

Your default mode remains laid-back, carefree and full of joy. You giggle and give gummy grins and as of two weeks ago, lean in for open-mouthed kisses that melt the hearts of all in your path. Your sleep has been a little wonky in the last month, mostly due to teething and the aforementioned ear infection, and you’ve been waking up occasionally and having a hard time settling back down. Mama finds it very interesting that you will fall promptly back to sleep if we carry you into our room and lay you down in between us. Sneaky, sneaky…but the snuggles are magic, so I’m keen to let the behavior slide. 

Food is a source of immense happiness for you, and while we’re working to drop from four daily bottles to three, you’re still guzzling them for now plus having your cereal for breakfast, then lunch and dinner with puffs as a snack a couple of times each day. You’re hilarious with the puffs, and you have no patience for your pincher grasp and instead, shovel them into your mouth by the fistful. You’re learning to navigate the sippy cup and you’ll happily throw back sips of water and sometimes I’ll even put formula in there for you just to switch things up.

You were quite the traveler in these two months — visiting Nana and Grandad in the mountains in October and then hanging out with your friends the sweet P’s and meeting Mickey Mouse and crew at Disney in November. I really must pull together separate posts on those trips, but you navigated the flying perfectly, and adapted with ease to your new surroundings. It’s hard to believe, but tomorrow we leave for Mimi’s to celebrate your first Thanksgiving, and then in a few short weeks, we’re off to a week at the beach with Nana, Grandad and Uncle Matt for your first Christmas. In between, we’ll make sure you meet Santa and do all sorts of other awesome things — a boy only has his first Christmas once, after all. 

Our love for you is bottomless, Grammer-Jammer, and it’s appropriate that I’m finalizing this post a few days prior to Thanksgiving, because there is nothing in my life that I’m more thankful for than you and your sweet sister. What a blessed and lucky Mommy I am. Keep growing, you little dreamboat. Double digits await.

XOXO,

Mama

G Diaries: Seven Months!

Dear Graham,

I am a little behind with this post, but I skipped your sister's seven month post altogether, so I am counting this as progress! What is it about seven months?!

You're working your way through a cold right now and your most prominent symptom is a hacking cough that wakes me from a dead sleep at least once each night and that's already had me running you to the doctor for a check-up that is really a "reassure Mommy" visit. For the most part, you remain a sunbeam of joy, but your eyes betray you. In those gorgeous baby blues, I can see that you're tired and feeling icky and a little out of sorts. It's the weekend, and on multiple occasions, I have snuggled you into your stroller and hit the neighborhood streets with you. I think the crisp fall air and the semi-upright positioning help you to comfortably drift off into dreamland, sweet boy. I hate it when you're sick and I'm hoping you'll be better in no time, but I've enjoyed these moments of soothing you and pacing our neighborhood while you slumber.

You sit up like a champion now, and while you'll take the occasional tumble straight forward or straight back, you mostly just sit upright and reach for your toys and flap your arms like an excited bird. It's adorable. You reach for your sister and for your fur-brothers from this new-found position, and you're quite proud of yourself for hanging with the big kids at their level. :) 

Graham, you love food. A lot. You still devour four bottles a day along with your morning cereal, lunch and recently, we've added in a little dinner, too. I think the time has come to purchase puffs and let you give those a shot. You don't quite yet have a pincher grasp, but I think you might master it if your reward is in the form of food. You love sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash, apples, pears and bananas so far. Peas remain the only dish that you refuse. We'll keep trying. 

You sleep so well overnight, although you are still quite the early bird, beginning your days between 5:15 and 6. That feels pretty early on the weekends, little dude, but your beaming grin makes it worth it. You are still a fine napper, but you revert to your short 45 minute bursts here and there, which can make you a little tired and cranky. The best solution for that is to hit the streets in your stroller, and I'm always happy to oblige (see opening paragraphs).

We've just pulled out the fall clothes and snuggled you into your fleece and hat for the first time -- you are rocking nine month clothes (sometimes even twelve months, depending on the brand!) and size three diapers, and growing all the time. Teeth are still stubbornly trying to make their way through the gum-line, and your drool, constant finger-in-the-mouth and unusual fussy periods lead me to believe we're very close. 

You've begun bathing in the ducky tub that your sister loved at your age, and it is a big hit with you, too. You lean forward and splash, splash, splash while you're in there, and you giggle when the water hits your face.

Go-with-the-flow remains your default setting, and so that's exactly what we do. We go on errands and on adventures and on walks and trips to the park. We read books and sing songs and cuddle on the sofa and the floor and in Mommy and Daddy's big bed. You jump and bounce like there's no tomorrow in your jumper and on our laps, and you grin and giggle all day, every day. You also "talk" quite animatedly, too -- you babble and squeal and cackle and it is the greatest. Lately, we have been practicing "Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma," and I am sure you will have it down in no time at all.

You're easy-going and sweet, and your first year is speeding by way too fast for Mommy. But we are enjoying the moments and the milestones, and life is so blindingly awesome with you and your sister front and center. Onward to month eight, my love.

Mama

Six Month Stats

Graham saw Doctor Cherian yesterday for his six month well visit. It was great to catch up with her, even if we were a few weeks late on the whole "I turned six months old" thing. :) We've only been seeing the good doc for a little over two years, but she really feels like an important part of the family. She's been a huge source of comfort for this Mama, and I'm grateful that we found someone we like and trust.

Anyway, back to our little guy. He clocked in healthy and happy and right on track, if not ahead, of those developmental milestones.

He weighs 17 lbs, 4oz (25-50%), is 27.5 inches long (75%), and trends off the charts again with adorable noggin (98+%). He got two shots, and was mostly a trooper through the whole process. They haven't received the flu vaccine yet for littles, so we'll have to go back for that (joy). It's rumored to be a rough season ahead though, so vaccinate those babies, parents!

We're thrilled with our perfect little man, and can't wait to see where he lands at his nine month appointment. Actually, we can wait just fine, so slow on down, time! :)

Graham Diaries: Six Months!

Dear Graham,

Buddy, we've reached your half-birthday and while you're still little overall, it really feels as if you've always been here. I've been describing you as a dream boat for a while now, and it remains absolutely accurate. You are sheer light and joy almost every hour of the day. Your smile swallows your entire face, and you now show your happiness with full body wiggling and flailing of arms and legs. You are especially dramatic about it when Mommy gets home from work in the evenings, and it is my favorite thing, ever. I've been back at work about two months now, and while we've got our rhythm down pat, I still struggle mightily leaving you and your sister each day. But your glee when I come back makes it easier, sweet boy. That's you in a nutshell -- you make everything easier, happier, more fun.

It's been a big month for you, and you're a solid foods enthusiast. You adore your morning oatmeal cereal and have welcomed with an open mouth and many shrieks and "mmmmmsss!" sweet potatoes, carrots and apples. Peas are the only thing that have elicited a yucky face, and you steadfastly refuse them. Time will tell on the green things, little man. I have plans of trying squash and bananas in the week ahead, and maybe avocado after that. I had forgotten how much fun it is to test new foods for the first time, and I'm thrilled that you love it so much. Formula still rounds out your nutrition, and you're doing four bottles a day, eight ounces each (6, 10, 2 and 6, with occasional variances on the half hour). Just today, you tried a little water from a sippy cup, and took to it like a pro right away. The cold prompted a bit of a startle, but a grin immediately followed and you slurped down a few more gulps. We also switched your bottle nipples over to level three and increased your pacifier size which had an interesting impact: where before, you were only ever mildly interested, you suddenly love your paci, keeping it the entire time you're sleeping and even wanting it off and on throughout the day. Perhaps you've inherited your sister's binky affinity after all?

Speaking of sleep, you're still such a champion on that front. You go down around 6:30 each evening and routinely sleep until 6 or 6:30 in the morning. You cuddle your little giraffe blanky and your monkey lovey and drift off into sweet dream-land. I always find you on your tummy when I come in to get you in the morning and after naps, and when you see me, your grin lights up my world and we play a bit of peek-a-boo through the bars of your crib. It's the greatest, and I'll remember those moments forever, even when you're a teenager who is way too cool for Mama (please never be too cool for me, buddy!).

You are exceptionally active these days. You roll like a maniac and can get yourself across a room with impressive speed. Even our largest quilt fails to contain you when you get going. You reach for toys and in the past couple of days have started pushing up onto your knees and rocking back and forth. Crawling may soon be a reality in our lives, little man (I'm not ready!). You can sit up for a minute or so unassisted, but still topple over after that. I often fear you're going to shatter the springs of your jumperoo -- you are a wild man in there! You squeal and giggle and talk as you jump, and it is definitely one of your favorite ways to hang out. Just today I packed away the bumbo seat (you're too jerky-motioned in there and I'm afraid you'll topple the whole thing over), your boppy pillow and your wee baby activity mat. It was time, none of those things could contain you or hold your interest, but I tucked them into your closet with a little sadness. Wasn't it just yesterday when we pulled each of them out for the first time? I think your days in the bouncy chair are also limited; you strain and turn to the side and can almost sit upright in it, and by next month's update, it's likely to join the others in storage. The same can be said of the rock-n-play, and I have no idea how I will manage to shower and get ready in the mornings without that blessed gadget. 

You adore Rowan and the dogs, and you cannot keep from grinning in their presence. Rowan is mostly patient with you, but I am sure the months ahead hold some frustration for both of you as you test your mobility and independence and she tests her new-found love of space and two-year-old defiance. In between all of that though, I glimpse the beginnings of such a beautiful relationship, and it makes my heart sing. I am thrilled that you'll always have each other, and I hope that you'll find a unique solace and comfort in her that you can't find anywhere else. 

You've blessed this family and my life in more ways that I can count, Grammer-Jammer. We adore you, and I can't wait for what's ahead. On our way there though, I'm going to snuggle and kiss and relish you at every available opportunity.

Happy half-birthday, beautiful boy.

Love, 

Mama