Graham's First "Real" Meal

Graham started solid foods on Saturday with a one-course meal of sweet potatoes and water. The taste didn't go over so well at first, but Graham soldiered on and got nearly as much of the meal in his mouth as he did on his bib. We loved having our little sweet-potato stained baby at the table with us for our first family dinner.

Graham's first meal: sweet potatoes & water.

The little man is excited for his meal.

Did he like it? Certainly not at first.

Let's wash that down with some water.

All in all, a satisfied customer.

Six-month Check-up

Graham weighed in at 22 pounds, 1.3 ounces during his six-month check-up on Monday, which puts him in the 97th percentile. His 18.3-inch head circumference is in the 98th percentile, and his height of 27.6-inches rests in the 83rd percentile.

To summarize: Graham is a big boy.

The official weigh-in.

Pleasant patient.

A Visit from Mimi and Pop-Pop

We always enjoy when Mimi and Pop-Pop visit North Carolina. They spent an extra day in Durham last weekend thanks to Denise's new work schedule. There were many fun moments, including the video below where Graham got the giggles. Needless to say, he had help.

Some of the things we did during our long weekend together were celebrate Mimi's birthday at Top of the Hill with dessert and coffee nearby in Chapel Hill; hold an impromptu summer party in the bonus room (baby pool and all); visit Papa Mojo's for brunch; cheer the Orioles to another loss; and watch Billy Elliot on Netflix.

Erica and I also had a date night, although we wound up leaving the movie early and getting a refund. So much for the excitement of going out to the movie theater, which isn't as easy these days.

Graham now has a stuffed monkey that Mimi couldn't resist buying while we waited in line at Elmo's on Saturday morning. Something told me the two of them would have a hard time wandering into the toy store and not coming out with something new. As much as Graham enjoys his new toy, he enjoys the time with his grandparents even more.

Two Front Teeth

Graham's first tooth came in nearly two months ago, and his second tooth followed closely behind. Both teeth have been difficult to spot until a few days ago, but not anymore!

A Boy on the Grow

As I mentioned in the previous post, Graham recently turned 6 months old.  Here's photo evidence of how he's changed during the past 181 days:

Six Months of Blessings

Last week, our little boy turned 6 months old!  It was an exciting milestone for our family of three.  To support his "big boy" status, Graham marked the day by riding in a shopping cart for the first time and sleeping in his own crib for the first time.

He loved the new view!

Those weren't the only ways we'll remember the big occasion, though.  Matt and I celebrated Graham's "half birthday" that evening with donuts, candles, bubbles, and singing.  And before you ask, yes, Graham's mommy and daddy were a bit more excited about the occasion than he was. : ) 

A happy boy who's given us a very happy 6 months.

Taylor, Party of Three

Contagious Laughter

There's not much better than a baby's laugh.  Fortunately for us, Graham has started laughing more lately.  Mommy and daddy can't get enough.

When it's too hot outside, bring the party indoors!

This afternoon, Matt came home from his trip to Target with treats for the four of us (Mimi and Pop Pop are visiting from MD) and a summer surprise for Graham. With the temperature topping 100 degrees outside, Matt decided to bring Graham's pool indoors. As I type this, Graham is splashing around in our bonus room. Points for Daddy's good idea!

Graham puts in time at the office

Graham visited Durham Academy today and took right over. Here's what I saw upon returning to my office after talking with a colleague. Looks like I've got some competition.

Take Care of Mommy

One of the things I tell my little man before leaving the house in the morning is to take care of his mommy. He's clearly serious about that responsibility. Here's a photo of him keeping guard over Erica this morning.

Afternoon Chat

Graham got some quality time with one of his stuffed animals this afternoon, one we call "Madrid"...named after the city where Daddy bought him while Graham was still in Mommy's belly.

Bedhead

Graham's hair is growing...well, at least parts of it are. He's got quite a little tuft of hair on top now...enough to have bedhead!

Our Big Guy

Each day, I'm realizing how big our little boy is getting. I smile each time I see his fat rolls, his chubby cheeks, and his adorable belly. Graham isn't just a solid boy, though, he's super long (like his daddy). His length--not his width--is what's responsible for him already being in 9 month clothes (with some of those even getting too small for him!). I'm eager to learn his measurements when we visit the pediatrician for his 6 month appointment.

Just for Kicks

Although it's hard to believe, Graham didn't have a ball until last week. I saw a super cute one at Sports Authority, so we got it for our little guy. I know I'm biased, but he's pretty good with his feet for an almost-6-month-old.

Pre-bath Laughs

Graham got the giggles before bath time tonight.

Saturday Picnic

Here's a photo of Erica and Graham from our impromptu picnic on the UNC campus on Saturday. It was Graham's first trip to Chapel Hill, where his parents first met.

Summer Hat

I couldn't resist buying Graham this cute hat, which was on clearance at Babies R Us. It made its debut this afternoon on a walk to Target. Something tells me Graham will end up with a lot of hats, just like his daddy.

Fourth of July Recap

We enjoyed an active visit to Catonsville last weekend for the Fourth of July.

From Friday night through Wednesday morning we managed to fit in, among other things, the following activities: a swim meet; a surprise 70th birthday party for my dad; the Fourth of July parade and fireworks; a visit to Camden Yards (even though the Orioles were out of town); and a family trip to the pool. The Fourth of July was made even more exciting by the fact that Dad was named the official town crier of Catonsville, which in one biased son's opinion is long overdue.

Here's a sampling of the many videos and 225 photos we took during the course of our visit.

Graham at his cousins' swim meet.

Emily & Ryan at the swim meet.

Aunt Michele gets quality time with Graham.

Happy Birthday, Squire Fred!

Mimi and Graham on board the boat.

Dad's surprise party.

70 years young.

Catonsville's third annual hot dog eating contest.

Graham's first Fourth of July.

The bands couldn't keep Graham awake.

Fun at the parade.

Mimi and Pop Pop at the parade with Graham.

Getting ready to head to Camden Yards.

Squire Frederick leads the annual Catonsville parade down Frederick Road:




Dad becomes the official town crier of Catonsville:

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Despite the rainy weather, we made it out to Durham Bulls Athletic Park tonight to see the Bulls take on the Norfolk Tides, the Triple A affiliate of the Orioles. Graham looks really cute in a baseball cap...maybe he'll take up America's favorite pastime when he grows up.

Hide-and-go-sleep

What you can't see in this photo is that Graham is asleep behind the blanket. I couldn't resist capturing this adorable scene.

Graham has poolside fun

It would appear that Graham enjoys being squirted with a water gun. Here's video from his trip to the pool with his Catonsville cousins, aunt, uncle, Mimi and Pop Pop.

Happy 4th of July!

Graham's first Independence Day has been filled with fun, food, and red, white, and blue.

Sitting Up

Graham is gradually getting more stable, so it won't be long before he's able to sit up on his own without "hovering support." Check out our big boy sitting up and sporting his new sleeper!