With Dad #7

That swing video I promised you

So unfortunately the really good video where Grady was apoplectic with swing-induced excitement? I had the camera sideways. And I would have to upgrade or something to edit it. And this just isn't that sort of operation. So you're getting the video where he'd calmed down a bit. He still shows some excitement, but also sometimes plays it cool. That's Baby Grady for you, anyway.

Five months

On the eve of Baby Grady’s five-month birthday, he decided to experiment with being the happiest baby in all the land. He grinned and kicked and screeched as though his baby might just burst with glee. It was really something. We laughed and shrugged and said “maybe we have a terribly happy baby now?”

And he is happier. We deduced early on that being a baby doesn’t seem to put Baby Grady in the best of moods. In fact, it is often a source of great frustration for him. So the more alert and capable he becomes, the happier he gets. Because doing stuff? It is the best. These days he is all grabbing and manipulating, though it’s clear he does not have total mastery of his hands. Sometimes they will betray him, pushing away the bottle he is trying to drink from or dropping a toy on his toe. Rude hands! What I’m saying is, he’s not ready for soldering circuit boards. But only because his hands aren’t that steady. Other aspects of the task would come easily, I reckon.

We had a big weekend. Grady’s Spokane grandparents came to visit (Grandma and Grandpa? G-Ma and Pop-Pop? Yia-yia and Pappy G?), we had a heat wave, and our nephew had his 4th birthday party. Grady had a hard time eating and sleeping with all the activity and heat, but he managed to lay on some serious charm amidst the fussiness.

Oh, and my baby? He can sit. He’s been sitting very wobbly-like for about a month, but in the past week he made great strides in stabilizing that baby. He’ll still spontaneously fall over, because he isn’t actually sure it’s his job to protect the baby from harm -- isn’t that what you people are for? -- but he’s getting dang good:

How much Baby Grady weighs: 19 lbs. 13 oz.
How tall Baby Grady is: 27.3 inches

Size of Baby Grady’s clothes: 6-12 month
Baby Grady’s shoe size: 3

Number of times Baby Grady has rolled over from his tummy to his back: 4 (Yes, still. He just doesn’t seem interested.)

Baby Grady’s eye color: blue-brown-grey-green; still calling that “hazel”
Baby Grady’s hair color: blond

Baby Grady’s new favorites: practicing his skiing, his new swing, trying to eat our flowers, golden retriever kisses, Do-Re-Mi, “This Little Piggie...,” chewing on Daddy’s beer bottle (classiest parents ever over here), nursing in the Target
Baby Grady’s new least favorites: when I say “OW!” when he bites me (I know; I’m so rude.)

With Dad #6

Someone was playing with my camera. I'm guessing the baby had an accomplice.

Daddy is funny and baby laughs are cute

Well that is just the world's silliest baby, being entertained (off-camera) by the world's silliest daddy. Baby Grady's little laugh just gets me so good. I feel like I'm hearing hints of how sweet his little voice is going to be. 

We've since upgraded the swing, to one that can handle our baby's chub-factor, and returned this little guy to its previous owners. Riding in the new swing was almost too much for Baby Grady. Video of that to come later this week. How do you like that for a teaser?

And do you think I could have managed to say "little" a few more times in this silly little post?

Happy Easter!

Yesterday morning we took Grady over to the village Easter egg hunt, even though he's still far too little cool to get too interested in it. (Yes, our neighborhood calls itself a village. Very quaint. We don't actually run outsiders off with torches and pitchforks, but we come close sometimes.) As you can see, Grady wasn't that impressed with the giant bunny, but he also didn't have a meltdown. Which was really something, as Grady does not typically care for gatherings.

Next year, Grady will probably be ready for the fun. There were lots of fairly new walkers and no one was getting trampled. They have a nice system with a small area cordoned off for toddlers. Also, all the eggs are empty. When you're finished hunting, you take your eggs to the "recycling center," and no matter how many you have, you get the same sack of candy. Helps to curtail competitiveness (and sobbing). I actually didn't see a single child crying, which just amazes me.

Grady thought the best part was his thumb, which he sucked with some vigor.

New friend

Sophie la Girafe is a new favorite around here. She is French and has the most delicious nobbins atop her (natural rubber) head.

With Dad #5

Yesterday was Jasper's birthday and, because we are lovely, Grady and I ran around town picking up the best possible lunch treats and then we drove all the way up the hill to the lab to deliver them to our main man at work.

Oh, and yes, I dressed them as twinsies. What?

Grady both loved and hated the lab. He really went back and forth on the topic. He adored Jasper's post-doc, which shows very good taste, because Andrew is one of my favorites too. He didn't so much care for the wind, or the machine room. (I have no idea. Do I even have the right words in that sentence?) He liked that the boobs were there too and he enjoyed getting a diaper change on Jasper's desk.

All told, I think Baby Grady and I may have found a new favorite adventure. And the Tilden steam trains are just up the road!