Waiting for Christmas

Cheerio

Whereas Hansel and Gretel left a trail of bread crumbs to remember the path they had taken through the woods, Graham leaves a trail of Cheerios that reminds us where he's been in the house.

Cheerios on the bonus room floor, Cheerios in our bed, Cheerios on the changing table, Cheerios on the kitchen floor.

Graham covers a lot of territory, and his favorite snack is never far behind.

Watermelon Fun

We recently introduced Graham to the world of watermelon. Based on what we've seen so far, it seems he likes living in that world.

Spinning and Grinning

I'm always trying to come up with new and interesting toys for Graham to play with that aren't really toys at all. The problem is that most things either a) aren't that interesting or b) aren't safe. Today, though, I found a winner in both categories. Woo hoo!

Flounging

Today, Graham suddenly decided to start lounging in the floor...something I like to call "flounging."

Our Mobile Man

Graham is FINALLY feeling better (he's been sick for nearly two weeks now), so he's resuming his normal activities. These days, what's normal for him is to roll around our house at lightning speed. Rolling is Graham's preferred method of transportation these days...more suitable than crawling or walking, at least. : ). Below is video evidence of how good he's becoming at getting around.

Fun with Balloons

In Disney World, Graham was introduced to the world of balloons. And in his opinion, what a wonderful world it is.

Hide and Go Seek

Graham seems to have pulled together an entirely new bag of tricks these days. He seems to be doing something new almost every day. Tonight, he wiggled his way around the bonus room and played a bit of hide and go seek with us.

A Tribute to Grandfathers

On this Veterans Day, Graham wanted to send a special wish to two very special men.

Yay for Coffee!

We snapped this family photo during a visit to one of our favorite coffee shops tonight. Yay for coffee!

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Graham is a lot more active these days, and is getting around the house quickly by rolling his way to where he wants to go. This video doesn't really speak to how much he rolls and how fast he is while doing it, but it's a glimpse at his new method of transportation.

Wild Thing...

...you make my heart sing. Wild thing, I think I love you!

Fun Exploration

Since Graham is a bit more "handsy" these days and is getting into more and more stuff around the house, I often find myself telling him "no" or taking things away from him.  This morning, however, he came across a box of harmless things, so I decided to relax and let him explore.  He had a grand time opening the box flaps and removing its contents one by one.  And I had a great time watching him.

Got Yogurt?

Although Graham may be too young to understand the "Got Milk?" campaign, he sure could model for a modified version of it based on his look tonight after a dinner that included a dairy relative.

Happy Halloween!

Top Tooth!

Last night, we saw a tiny bit of white peeking through Graham's upper gums. Houston, we have a top tooth!

Graham got his bottom teeth pretty early (between 4-5 months), but since then, we haven't seen any other pearly whites.

We thought he was teething, and it looks like we were right. Yay!

Out of Control

Graham's hair is getting longer and longer, so we're always entertained at his post-nap look these days.

Kick up your feet and relax

Graham tends to be a pretty relaxed fellow. Here's a photo we captured on our video monitor of our little guy kicking up his foot and relaxing as he sleeps in his car seat.

Train Ride (Sort of)

I plan to take Graham on plenty of train rides over time. I suppose you could say this served as practice for the real thing.

Taylor Team 5 Visits Durham

Our home was filled with wonderful chaos this past weekend as Graham entertained his cousins from Maryland. Pete and Michele brought the girls on a surprise trip to North Carolina on Friday, sharing news of the excursion with Emily, Lindsay and Madelyn as they woke them up that morning.

Everyone visited my office on Friday afternoon; the girls photocopied their hands, and then we headed to lunch to kick off our weekend together. We stayed active on Saturday with a trip to the UNC-Maryland field hockey game. There was a party for kids beforehand and a clinic for them afterward. Emily learned firsthand from members of the No. 2 ranked Tar Heels team after their 2-1 victory.

On Saturday night, we celebrated the Maryland Taylors' second-place finish in the 2011 Great American Tobacco Duck Race at Tyler's in Durham. Among the prizes for that strong showing was a $50 gift certificate for dinner. It still pales in comparison to the duck trophy, if you ask me.

Here are some photos from the weekend.

Subscriptions in Our Future?

As I caught up on some computer-related tasks this afternoon, I let Graham play in the floor of our office. He was interested in his own toys for a while, but as you'll see, he was far more interested in catching up on Triangle-area events listed in the "Annual Manual."

Laughter

We never know what's going to tickle Graham's funny bone, but it's wonderful when we find something that does. This time it was the sound of the Velcro on his bib.

The Hat Says It All

I mean, honestly, how could I resist this hat? As soon as I saw it tonight, I knew it belonged on Graham's head.

Movement = Trouble

Although Graham isn't crawling yet, he's becoming very adept at scooting, rolling, and stretching to get to things he wants.

Today, I left him in the bonus room sitting on the blanket and playing with his spin toy while I went to his room to get dirty clothes from the hamper.

When I returned approximately 60 seconds later, this is what I found. Oh, how our lives are about to change.

First Word!

So I'm exactly a week late on this post, but one week ago today, Graham said his first word!

He's been babbling "mamamamama" and "dadadadada" for quite some time now, but he's not really said either one intentionally.

I was at a women's bible study last week, and I went to pick Graham up from the nursery. He had been fussy, but as I walked toward him, he stopped fussing and said "mama."

I began to tear up on the spot. It was so incredible and sweet to hear my little man recognize me and gain comfort from having me in the room.

I look forward to Graham's first utterance of "dada," because I can't wait for Matt to experience the same feeling. It's pure joy.

Sweet Little Man

As Graham was doing his signature scoot/push/roll move across the floor today, I was able to get this sweet photo of him. How we love this little man!

From the archives: Graham's Harry Potter Impression

I came across this video today and realized I never posted it to the blog as I had intended. Those of you who've seen Harry Potter may remember the "Accio" command, which summons things to you wherever they may be. Perhaps Graham is planning on using that command as a substitute for crawling.

Squash the Squash

Graham's introduction to foods of all kinds continued today with his first tastes of squash.
His first few bites were great, and by all indications, he liked squash. As the meal went on, however, it was clear that our little man was becoming less and less of a squash fan.

Mommy's Little Helper

As I was folding laundry today, Graham became very interested in "helping" me. Never one to turn down help, I welcomed the extra (little) hands.

Splish Splash

Graham has pretty much enjoyed the bath since day one, but his enthusiasm for bathtime was really on display tonight.

A Cute Mess

The past few days haven't been the best for our little boy, as he's in the thick of teething top teeth. We haven't seen them break through yet, but there are several signs that tell us that's what's happening.

At lunch today, I made Graham some hard toast since I've heard that helps with teething. The toast was "sandwiched" by a helping of avocado and a serving of yogurt.

I know the phrase "a hot mess" has become somewhat popular lately. Graham is the picture of a new twist on that phrase: "a cute mess."

Anything Hands Can Do, Feet Can Do Better

In a previous post, I shared Graham's ability to peck piano keys with his fingers.

Today, he discovered a new way to play his piano. Too bad this season of "America's Got Talent" just ended.

Pujols in Training

Today, I put Graham in his Albert Pujols tee, given to us by dear friends from the UNC J-School. Before you ask, no, we haven't abandoned our Orioles loyalties. Haven't you heard? They're doing pretty well...in September.

It appears that Graham channeled Mr. Pujols while in the t-shirt, as he used his bat to hit his teeball for the very first time.

Should Graham ever put together a recruiting video for baseball, his mommy sure will be tempted to include this. : )

Lip Smackin' Good

Today, Graham started something new at breakfast. I guess he really likes bananas. : )

The PJs Make the Man

Graham has "graduated" into two-piece PJs. His mommy is a huge fan of one-piece footie PJs (thus the reason that most of his PJs are still one piece), but I have to admit, these are pretty darn cute.

Bam Bam Sleeps

This afternoon, Graham and I drove to meet Matt after work. When we got there, this was what I saw when I turned around.

Graham's first football game

Graham donned his RU T-shirt and joined a solid showing of red-clad faithful at his first football game on Saturday, a non-conference match-up between Rutgers and UNC.

We found ourselves among good company at the game. In addition to the many fans from the local Rutgers alumni club, we were joined by my college buddy - and intramural basketball legend - Vinny T, who came to town with his lovely wife Jessica. Dad and Denise also made the trip to cheer on the Scarlet Knights and enjoy a weekend stay at 8107 Mackenzie.

Rutgers made a good showing in the stands and, for the most part, on the field as well. We had an enjoyable time even though the end result wasn't what we wanted.

Graham wasn't the only person having new experiences on Saturday. Vinny T led us all on an adventure that evening to Crazy Fire, a delicious Mongolian grill in Raleigh. Perhaps nothing speaks better to Vinny T's passion for the place than the fact that he once flew to North Carolina for lunch there. It's also the location where he asked his future father-in-law for Jessica's hand in marriage (Editor's note: "asking for her hand in marriage" is a strange phrase).

At dinner, we shared great food and more than a few laughs, some of which may admittedly have been the byproduct of sitting in the afternoon sun for too long. We also banged the Crazy Fire gong. If what they say happens when you bang the gong too hard is true, Denise's goat will soon be hairless. Who knew Denise had a goat?

It turns out that the best pictures from the weekend weren't our own. You'll have to trust me that the tailgate photos, featuring lots of scarlet and white in a Tar Heel blue town, were good ones. Not that any of the pictures below are bad; it's just that none of them are from the football game or our trip to Crazy Fire.

Graham clearly enjoyed his time
with Mimi and Pop Pop.

The traditional photo we take
with overnight guests.

Rutgers or UNC?
That's actually not a difficult question.

It doesn't get much better than this...

During the past few days, our house has somehow become home to a few flies.  Matt and I aren't sure where they came from, and we're certainly eager for them to go. 

If there's an upside to the situation, it is Graham.  His reaction to Matt's attempts to swat the flies last night brought us pure joy.  I think you'll see what I mean below.

Don't Get Between Our Boy and His Food

Much to our surprise, Graham is a fan of prunes.  A big fan.

Watch out, Linus!

In the past few days, Graham has learned how to work his index finger by itself. So, he's exploring his world a bit differently now and performing more intricate tasks with his hands. His daddy (a piano student whose skills have really improved during the past couple of years) will be proud of Graham's latest talent.

Recap: Taking Music City By Storm

In late August, Graham and I jetted off to Nashville to visit family and friends there while Matt settled in to his first week of school at Durham Academy.  Although we were there just a few days, I was certainly thankful for every moment, as I had been pretty homesick leading up to the trip.

Graham certainly didn't suffer from neglect during our visit, as he was loved on by his Nana and Papa nearly every second of the trip.  And when they weren't around, his cousins Rachel and Ryan, his Uncle Brent, and his Aunt Renee took over.  He also got some special time with his cousin Kora (who was born about a month after him) and the rest of his cousins and extended family.  As always, it was hard to leave, but it was a blessing to be able to visit in the first place.

Destination: Nashville!

Graham got lots of time with his Nana and Papa...

...and his sweet cousins...

...and his Aunt Renee (and Uncle Brent, not pictured).

We even got some pool time!

Graham had fun with his cousin Kora

An updated photo of Ella, Graham, and Kora

Here's what the trio looked like 4 months before!

Buckling up on the return flight

Destination: RDU and DADDY!

Did I brush my hair for this?

Matt asked a few days ago if there's such a thing as baby hairspray. If so, we're gonna need it...stat.

Calm Despite the Storm

We've had numerous tornado watches and warnings across our area today due to remnants of Tropical Storm Lee.

To make things easier on myself, I just set up a "campsite" in our half bath downstairs that we could run to on a moment's notice. We've had to use it twice so far, but thankfully, we haven't had a tornado touch down near us.

Graham hasn't been phased by all the activity. In fact, I think he's liked the new play area. He's also been fascinated by the lights and sounds of the radio. I'm so glad he's not older, because I think today would be a bit more traumatic for him. As it is, he's been a trooper.

We're under a watch until 9 pm tonight, but I'm hoping we won't have to go "camping" anymore.

If you're happy and you know it

Why non-mesh bags are a no-no...

Can you see me?

Graham tested out his new camo onesie today. He kept trying to hide from me, but I was one step ahead of him. : )

Food Facial Hair

Graham tried prunes for the first time today and found them to be very tasty. So tasty, in fact, that he cried when the first batch ran out. So, I quickly gave him the rest to keep him happy. Shortly after beginning the meal, I noticed that a prune mustache had formed on his upper lip. A few seconds later, the sides began to develop. And shortly before he finished, our little man had a full set of food facial hair. If you ask me, I think he wears it well.

Sweet Potato Redux

> Today was a big culinary day for Graham, as we revisited sweet potatoes and combined them with a lovely appetizer of avocado. It's not a meal you'll see on Food Network anytime soon, that's for sure. Despite the interesting combo, I'm happy to report that our little boy downed an entire bowl of both avocado and sweet potatoes. And he's got the "scars" to prove it. Please pray for us as we change diapers in the coming days. : )
>

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school here in Durham and the first day of school for Matt since he started his new job.

It was a fun morning, as Graham and I went to work with Matt to help out.  My job was to take photos of the middle school kids returning, and Graham's job was to look cute.  Although I took some decent photos, I think Graham did his job much better.

Class of 2028?

Comfortable with a coffee mug = Definitely our child.

Can you check Twitter for me?

Like father, like son

Love my little boy!

Having Fun with the Mobile

Graham is learning new things every day. Some of those lessons fill him with delight.

Memories of Hatteras - Part One

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, we're back from our first family vacation to Hatteras, North Carolina.  Lighthouses, beautiful scenery, and seafood were among the trip's highlights, as you'll see in the photos below.  More to come!

Graham and Daddy at the Hatteras Lighthouse

Photographer Switch - Graham and Mommy at the Lighthouse

The harbor side of beautiful Ocracoke Island

Graham waits for the sunset at Ocracoke

Father and son enjoying the rocking chair

Fresh steamed crabs - BEFORE

Fresh steamed crabs - AFTER

Our path to Hatteras Village beach