More post-birthday fun

We haven't had a very exciting week -- Baby Grady's been feverish, it's been rainy, Jasper spent half the week in Colorado, and well... we've just been treading water, really. So, I give you a surfeit of pictures from happier times. Baby Grady playing with his new birthday toys last week:

One

Baby Grady is one today, and it's such a big deal that we've been celebrating all week, like a jubilee, really. (And why should the Queen have all the fun, that's what Baby Grady would like to know.) First we had a little birthday party with friends and family last weekend. Then, because he was born on Thanksgiving morning last year, we also considered Thursday to be something akin to his birthday, poetically speaking. And of course, today, the official day.

We've rationed out gifts and he's been eating cupcakes and pumpkin cheesecake all week. Of course, even with all this fuss and celebration, he has no idea anything is happening. He figures this is just how we do. Pumpkin cheesecake for breakfast and all. Which, sometimes, yes, that is how we do.

So, right, somehow we all survived the year and went from this:

To this:

Yeah, you got that right. From this:

To this:

Can you even believe that nonsense with my baby wearing sneakers and looking like such a little boy? Sneakers! On a baby! Such nerve, I swear.

This was, of course, Baby Grady's second Thanksgiving. Here he is on his first:

And on his second:

Yes, in case you were wondering, I could do this all day. From angry slug to playful toddler in just a year! Mind. Blown.

And now, because what else are we going to do... a whole slew of pictures of Baby Grady doing birthday things.

How much Baby Grady weighs: 24.5 pounds (he's growing again!)
How tall Baby Grady is: 30.5 inches

Size of Baby Grady's clothes: 12 month, 12-18 month, 18 month; he even still wears some 6-12 month pants, but they are capris now
Size of Baby Grady's shoes: 4.5 or 5

Baby Grady's hair color: blond
Baby Grady's eye color: brown

Number of teeth in Baby Grady's mouth: still just eight, but oh, the teething! So much teething, for no more teeth!

Baby Grady's favorites: cream cheese; Thanksgiving dinner, but especially stuffing and pumpkin cheesecake; the giant bumblebee bouncer at the playground; bathtime; Mr. Puppet and Rizzle the Dizz; unloading his bookshelf; Dr. Seuss's ABCs; his will.i.am video; watching big kids and trying to play with them; and, over the past couple of days, That Daddy Guy has, for the first time, been enjoying clear preferred status over Milk Lady

Baby Grady's least favorites: elevators; going to sleep; staying asleep; waking to find that he does not have a boob in his mouth; sandwiches that are made of things that are not cream cheese; teething; diaper changes; sometimes, getting into his carseat or the stroller; being spoon-fed when he wants to DOITHIMSELF

Toddling

The cinematography on this clip is lousy, but I had to share while it's still new and he's so darn pleased with himself about it. I don't even want to think about the day when he's all, "walking, whatever. just how I get places. no need for applause." Because right now? He is loving the applause.

Unsupervised again

That's what the majority of my pictures look like now. Because of the nonstop movement. Oh, and the tendency to attack the camera. (Gleefully.)

Grady the Gus and I are on our own this week, as Jasper is in Switzerland teaching the Europeans how to count ions with rocket ships. Or something. It's very brainy, I'm sure. We miss him, but we are keeping ourselves occupied. These are the things we have done since Jasper left town:

1. Hiked up our neighborhood mountain, and also explored some of the side trails. One was lovely and made me wonder why my husband hadn't thought to tell me about it. The other was terrible and I had to slide on my backside at one point to ensure that Baby Grady and I did not slide off a cliff.
2. Sliced open one ankle on the lovely, non-treacherous path, because seriously, I am phenomenally talented at lightly maiming myself. 
3. Did laundry.
4. Took lots of Frankenbaby steps.
5. Started wearing winter jams.
6. Endured the busiest Target since ever, and got decorations and drinks for a certain birthday party this weekend.
7. Took a snack break in the fitting room of the busiest Target since ever, because please, we are trying to grow a baby here.
8. Received absurd and tottering heaps of packages from Granny J and Gumpa, in honor of a certain impending birthday.
9. Acted all totally chill at daycare drop-off.
10. Came out eating a sandwich at daycare pick-up, and was all, "oh, hey Milk Lady, I have a sandwich."
11. Signed one incident report chronicling the biting of one of Grady's friends by Grady himself.
12. Cleaned up the yard.
13. Picked up Reese's fuzz.
14. Ate lots of green soup, collard-green crustless quiche, and strawberry yogurt. Also: leftover Halloween candy.
15. Went for two runs at the lake.
16. Tried to learn to high-five, because pushing that stroller is hard work.
17. Discovered a quite wonderful new-to-us playground near the lake.
18. Placed one Amazon order.
19. Filled one more Amazon cart.
20. Watched two Daily Shows.

Fashion Friday #8

Baby Grady was extremely pleased with himself for turning his onesie into a mono-sleeve. He's pretty sure he (and his onesie) are completely hilarious.

One November Day

Daredevil

Right, so, that happened. Many times.