Grayson turns 1!!!

I can't believe it!  This year has just flown by, and we have enjoyed every minute of it.  I will be honest, when the doctor told us we were going to have a boy, I was like "what do I do with that??"  Looking back, I am an idiot, and I wouldn't change a thing.  I love this little guy so much, he brings so much happiness to our lives.  Jocelyn absolutely adores her little brother, and loves on him every chance she gets.  Sometimes she is too rough with him, and I kindly remind her that very soon he will start walking and be her worst nightmare :) 

As I mentioned, Grayson is not walking yet, but Jocelyn didn't start until 13.5 months, so we aren't worried.  He is close though, and when he does start walking we are going to be in TROUBLE!!  This little guy is SO busy, holy cow!  He is into everything and is always on the move.  He is a super fast crawler and has recently discovered the stairs (insert scared mom voice).  He can get half way up the stairs in 2.5 seconds!! 

I am pretty sure I can write in his baby book that his first word is "bye-bye" and I am pretty certain he knows exactly what it means.  He says it all the time, even if the person is not going bye bye!  He also says Da-Da, but I really don't think he knows what it means....Derek begs to differ. 

We recently took him in for a post operation check up and a hearing test (ear tube surgery) and his hearing is right on target, where previously he couldn't really hear out of his left ear.  I haven't had a chance to take him in for his 1 year appointment, but based on other doctor appointments we have had, he weighs about 20lbs, which is average.  Disappointingly, Derek and I did not reproduce tall children :)  but they sure are cute. 

My sweet friend took Grayson's 1 year photos, and it was literally the MOST humid day and 1 million degrees!  ugh!  She was lightning fast and was able to get several precious shots in like 12 minutes, seriously! 

Pretty sure I am biased, but he is probably the cutest little boy I have ever seen! 

Enjoy!

Look at that dimple on his cheek!

My big boy had a tractor birthday party (of course) this weekend, and I will post those pictures as soon as my camera battery charges back up!  We have had a busy few weeks of a lot of picture taking!

England Family Reunion

Last weekend we went to Galesburg, Illinois for Derek's Family reunion.  We had a great time and it was so nice to see everyone!

The flight up there went well, Jocelyn was a perfect angel and G "had a moment" but quickly fell asleep.  The way home was a different story...one that I will not share....whew

4 Generations of England men

This little cutie loves tractors just as much as her Daddy!

Playing chase with Dad at the farm

Love this picture

Had to stop and take a family pic (minus G who was taking a car nap) on a bale of hay...because why not?!

Riding with Grandaddy

So sweet

Meeting great grandma for the first time

I took the kids to a cute children's museum, and they loved it!

My little stinker!

Galveston!

Last weekend Derek and I took the kiddos to the beach for the first time.  Overall, it went really well!  The kids did great on the ride there and back...thankfully!  We rented a condo right on the beach, so that was nice to be able to get back quickly for meals and nap time.  The weather was great and the beach was....well....typical Galveston beach (full of seaweed and bugs).  The kids didn't care though, and had a great time.

The view from our patio

I think Grayson ate 5lbs of sand

Jocelyn said her favorite part was building sand castles and looking for "mermaids"

Jocelyn did NOT like the water!

A nice lady took our only family photo on the beach.  She said we reminded her of her family 20 years ago.  So cute!

Little miss sass wanted to strike a pose in every picture!

This is my favorite picture.  We looked up and Jocelyn had Grayson by the hands and was helping him walk.  She is such a sweet big sister!

My loves!

I can't wait to take them to the beach again, next time Grayson will be walking and maybe he won't eat as much sand? :)

11 months already!!!

Holy cow...Grayson is already 11 months old!! 

After Grayson's ear surgery, he started babbling so much more!  Poor thing couldn't hear :(

Grayson is so much more active than Jocelyn was (we feel so anyway).  He is INTO EVERYTHING!  We have to keep a close eye on this guy!  His most favorite thing to do is open and shut doors and drawers.  Even though he has slammed his fingers in the doors and drawers many times, he continues to do it?  He loves to clap his hands, and most of all he loves his sister.  She, unfortunately, is so rough with him...she says it is because she "wuvs him sooooo much".  I can't wait to watch them grow up and be best friends. 

He looks so grown up here!

Such a happy little boy

Mom....I am so over these pictures!

10 Months old

So, I am not that delayed this time in posting Grayson's monthly picture??!!

This picture totally cracks me up, because this totally sums up their relationship.  I keep telling J that pretty soon, Grayson is going to start walking and pick on her!  I don't think she believes me :)

My sweet little man's 10 month photo!  So cute!

Best friends!

 

In other news....poor Grayson had ear tubes surgically put in last Friday.  Derek took him into an ENT and it was recommended that we go ahead with the tubes to alleviate all of the ear infections he had been having.  Kind of scary when you think of your sweet baby being put under anesthesia, but he did look so cute in his hospital gown!  He did SO well! He was the best baby on the face of the planet, and rode in a radio wagon car down the hall with the anesthesiologist to the OR....a total Daycare baby (will go to anyone with a smile). 

Obviously he was severely impacted by the tubes...haha!  We were at the park to enjoy the beautiful weather later that day.  He didn't skip a beat...kids are so resilient!

 

And, as if we hadn't crammed enough into our weekend starting off with Grayson having surgery...I got to join some good friends for a "pre-mothers day" brunch/mani-pedi morning!

And we came home to the guys preparing a craw fish feast!  Apparently we don't believe in taking it easy on the weekends?!  Derek did a great job and the craw fish was delicious!

The mom's got a little wild that night and hopped over the fence to take a picture in the neighbors new pool that was being built!  We wanted her to know how many moms could fit around the spa...I think we succeeded!

I just had to post this picture of sweet G.  Last night, we were feeding him dinner and Derek turned back around to give him more food and he was O-U-T!!  Poor guy was exhausted!  He is such a cutie!