100% boy

We have some good friends who have some property outside of town, and we had a chance to go out there this evening. We had a blast, and Graham had a little too much fun by the water. He sat there for a really long time just throwing rocks and using a shovel and a stick in the mud. It was all I could do to get him to look up at me, so sorry no smiles (Graham takes playing in the mud very seriously), but trust me...he was having a good time as you can tell by the dirt all over him. His Uncle Jason will like this post, showing his boy side. I don't think he appreciated the post where Graham was playing with a baby doll :) I'm laughing to myself as I'm writing this, because Jason would've been really unappreciative of the outfit I had to put Graham in after he did this to his clothes. The only thing I had with me was Evie's pink Pooh Bear t-shirt and some of her daisy duke shorts! Don't worry--I'm not posting pictures of that!! Another concerned grandma disclaimer: we were watching him closely and the water he is standing in is not deep at all; it got deeper but at least not for another 10 feet.

start praying (but don't hold your breath)

My friends tell me I need to write this one down, so here I go. Tonight at our small group meeting, we were all sitting around eating pizza. Evie and Graham were smothering a 2 week old newborn that our good friends just had. I don't remember exactly how the conversation went, but I think they were joking how Evie and Graham need a baby brother or sister (a statement I just can't agree with at this point). When all the other kids had gone on to play and had gotten over the baby, Evie and Graham were still touching her and loving her, and you thought carseats were a safe place to keep your infant! Anyway, the father of the baby told Evie that if she wants mommy to have a baby, all she needs to do is pray and that his two older boys prayed for months for a baby sister...and God had answered their prayers. I laughed and took a bite of my pizza, looked back at Evie and there she was, on her knees with her hands folded by her mouth, praying for a baby.

Here she is several months ago strangling..I mean hugging...her baby brother. I don't think we need any more victims just yet :)

baby baboosh

Evie's favorite doll is the first one she ever got, a $5 purchase at Wal-Mart. Recently Graham has adopted this baby--whose name is Baby Baboosh. He rocks her in his arms and feeds it a bottle while singing, and I use the term singing loosely. I'm quite biased, but it's so cute it brings tears to my eyes. I don't know how he even knows that he should feed a baby a bottle--we've never shown him, and he's not been around another baby. Perhaps he remembers? And how does he know to rock the baby? This kid's heart is so big, and I hope I've captured that. I didn't post the ones of Evie and Graham fighting over the baby, but that followed shortly after these were taken.

Almost, buddy, but the bottle goes in her mouth...

baby come back

i'm just really really looking forward to warm weather and more beach time!

straight from the tub

can you hear the silence?

My favorite part about snow is the stillness. Last week when I took the kids out to play in it, we just laid in the yard and listened to the silence. I don't know if the snow absorbs noise or what, but it just seemed so peaceful; the peace was interrupted by a screaming 3 year old who accidentally put her face in the frozen goodness and realized how cold it was, but until that point it was really nice. I love me a good snow picture because you can almost hear the silence. Don't know if this is a good snow picture or not, but I needed to even things up around here as far as pictures go. For all of the concerned grandmothers following the blog, he literally only had his gloves off for one minute for this shot. Long enough for me to place him there, run away, snap it, and carry him back to the car!

GK Willhelm, Custodial Engineer

Graham is really partial to our dust mop. If the laundry room door is open, he does everything he can to get in and snatch that thing. Here he is practicing for his future career. Him wearing this shirt was just a fluke--didn't plan it that way but it is funny...a present from his uncle Jon and his future Aunt Jess. Jon said his only regret was not getting the shirt that said, "I cry when ugly people hold me." If you know Graham, you know he cries when other people try to hold him. Except for me. Hmm...nah, the shirt can't be right.