Manni, Daddaddy and Emlaerley

Graham saw some of his favorite people this weekend and had an amazing time with them. One of the memories captured in photos is Graham being awoken from a nap by Granna, who he now calls "Manni" or "Manna":


































And I nearly forgot a wonderful one: Graham "sharing" a corn on the cob with Aunti Em:
















Thank you so much Brandons for spending the weekend with all of us.

I was just watching this video clip I'd recorded of Graham earlier in the day, one in which he is throwing a wet pair of his shorts (from an impromptu swimming adventure) at Kate and I and laughing and laughing when it hits us, and part way through his gales of joy I had to stop watching it.

The intensity of emotion that stuck me while thinking about what a wonder and magical delight this boy is, the sweetness of him, that toe to head tension of his little body when he is hugging me with all his might, overwhelmed me, and the thought of him feeling any pain, or not feeling loved, or feeling lonely--all these human things--was so painful. Too painful.

It's hard to be a parent, even this early, because of the fact that you can't always be quick with a band-aid, and realizing that someday when you snuggle him tight as his eyes brim with tears that love just won't fix it, whatever "it" will be.

It's hard to realize that from the second Graham was born, eyes open to the world, he was ebbing ever so slowly, but relentlessly, away from me. Into his own family, into his own life, out of the fullness of my arms someday, into this world so full of the chaos and confusion of being human...

To think that I will someday lose these days, this particular moment of Graham's life, is heart breaking.

But the amazing thing is that I find I somehow enjoy him even more the next day, and that delight is not a finite thing when it comes to loving my son; that I can somehow love this small man with even more of a full heart tomorrow, and the next day...

and the next.

Is this too high?

So Graham and I love to play a game where I throw him in the air and catch him. Often when I do it Kate gets very nervous, but I've never really understood why until I saw this picture that Debbie (more about her in a moment) took of us at the beach:




















Yikes! That does seem a bit too high!










Just kidding, that was photoshopped, but the real one is a bit alarming to me anyway:




















I'm reconsidering whether that height is necessary to provoke baby giggles. More experimentation seems in order...

Anyway, we've had a wonderful few days with one of Kate's very best friends, Debbie Head:















Graham really loved Debbie a lot, and one highlight was a trip to the beach, were Debbie took some pictures so I can prove I am actually Graham's dad and do spend a bit of time with him as well:












Anyway it was an awesome time with her and we miss her already, but we're so excited about seeing Grandaddy, Granna and Aunt Emily this weekend. Yipeee!!

a special message from Graham

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j vjj aaaaaaaaaazzv v v vz hnbyggg[-03

love,

Graham

Phrases!

Hello Everyone!

Just wanted to do another update with some fun new details: Graham said his first 3-word phrase today! He has been putting two words together occasionally (his favorite "lights out" started maybe 2 weeks ago) but today he repeated "that's the ball" many times. Very funny! He's actually pretty good at the "th" sound, it sounds somewhere between a "d" and a "z". It is SO much fun to hear his vocabulary expanding, and to watch him realize that he can communicate.
This has, of course, brought its own challenges as well. Graham is now aware that he has an opinion, and that if talking about it doesn't work crying might be worth a try. He is already pretty responsive to reasoning, unless he's tired or hungry. In fact, today he made his first really obvious positive decision to behave; when asked whether he wanted to put on shoes and go outside, or else stay inside (this was after throwing a brief fit about having to put on shoes), he went over and chose the shoes! What a smart boy...
The above pictures are from a few days ago, we were filling up water balloons for our Ridley Soccer Team's cookout (we coached 7-9 yr olds, which Graham LOVED). We looked up from our balloons to find that Graham had taken the opportunity to make leaf soup, and then pour it over his head. He loves to be dirty!