Grandpa, DDS

When your grandpa is a dentist, you make your first trip to the dentist office a little earlier than most kids.  This week Grady accompanied me to my dad's office and sat while I got my teeth cleaned by his birthday buddy (my hygienist).  He knows how to get a lady's attention already.  He was a little fussy so the gals in the office took him out and passed him around while I got my teeth cleaned and Grady couldn't have been happier.
 

 

 

When your dad is a dentist and you have had cavities in the past, you get very nervous for routine check ups.  I am happy to report a noncavity check-up. Phew!  Grady got a clean check up too and was already given his first toothbrush.
 

Simple Joys

Grady has made us stop and take notice of the simplest things in a way that neither of us had done before.  Our days are uncomplicated, filled with crisp morning walks, staring at books, being mesmerized by a polka dotted lion, the occasional outing, and celebrating every day when daddy gets home like we just won the Superbowl.  Life is simple.  Life is good.  My days look very different than they did before Grady and I have also found a new appreciation for the simple things that are no longer so simple like being able to carry multiple packages into the post office without awkwardly carrying a car seat or being able to move my arms when walking without being attached to a stroller, but I wouldn't trade these days for anything.  Every day and every tiny little milestone brings such joy to us. 

 

It was thrilling to discover that Grady loves to look at books.  He will stare at books for minutes (yes, minutes seems like a long time these days). 

 



 

Grady loves his swing and will even stay awake in it now, also a big feat because this allows us to eat dinner with two hands free.  He got his last wear out of his SCU outfit before passing it on to the next 801 baby. 

He will also spend time on his playmat kicking his little legs up and down and waiving his arms in delight.  He is not big on cooing yet, but we get the occasional happy little squawk.  Notice his particular fondness for the little polka dotted lion.

 



He got all dressed up for the first visit to the firm, you know you gotta look your best for those attorneys.  This onesie is about the most adorable thing ever, thanks Whitfields!

 

The fact that Grady remains awake and alert to look at us and notice things is so fun!  A sleeping baby is great (especially at night), but he is just so much more fun now that he is awake!

 

 

 

But I also love how he sleeps so wonderfully through our morning walks and the way that he grasps his little blanket so sweetly, happy to be able to take a snooze with his arms free and unswaddled.

 

Grady Faces

I have to document these first few facial expressions of our little man.  We are loving seeing him react to and interact with us and the things around him. 

Here is his cute little shy face.

 

My all time favorite is his sad face.  I adore his pouty lip and cannot help but laugh at him when he gets this face. 

This is what I am calling his confused face, which is otherwise known as the Mom, you are acting crazy face.

And my other favorite face, the happy face!

 

Looking at baby pictures of Christopher, we discovered that he had quite the chubby cheeks. It looks like Grady may follow in his footsteps. I pinch those cheeks all day long.  

Friends, Old and New

This week we were paid a surprise visit by Miss Emily Braden all the way from New York City.  Emily is my oldest friend.  We are two months apart and lived just down the street from each other when we were first born.  We have so many sweet, mischievous, and comical memories together.  I love that I can say I still have a friend who I knew as a baby.  Emily shone brightly throughout her school years stealing the stage at every show that she was a part of.  She still shines as brightly and has raised the stakes and now sings her way through New York City.   She is amazing and if you know her from your past or are interested now, you can find her music and other details here and here.  I adore Emily and so did Grady.

It was the perfect week to be paid an unexpected visit by my first friend because Grady fittingly got to meet a little boy who I think he may also have as a friend for a very long time.  Every time Grady meets a new "friend", I am filled with anticipation for what fun memories he will create with that person in the future.  He has made me nostalgic about my own childhood and I am just so excited to see how he develops friendships of his own.  This is adorable Wyatt, born just a few weeks after Grady, but weighing the same as him now! 

I didn't even notice their synchronization until uploading this photos.  Too cute!

We told Grady to stretch it out to prove he was actually older than Wyatt and he obliged.

 

 

Perfect Priest

We thought that this would be the first summer in over 15 years that Chris didn't make it to Priest Lake, but with Grady's slightly early arrival we bit the bullet and bought airline tickets for a visit up to Priest Lake not really knowing if we'd make it.  Last weekend we held our breath when boarding a plane with our one month old, hoping that all would go well.  Much to our seatmates relief, he did great.  We are so glad we made the trip because we were blessed with an absolutely perfect 4 days up at Priest Lake with the whole family including our adorable new nephew Cameron (just two and a half months older than Grady).  See the Whitfield blog for more pics (in case the 20 something here are not enough!). 

We got everything in including Kim's famous lasagna and Long Islands, fishing, huckleberry daiquiris, visits with the lake people, a wonderful dinner at Elkins, boat rides, water skiing (Chris and Doug were the brave ones), games, reading, and lots of time on the dock.  Grady loved being lulled to sleep by the waves on the dock and getting spoiled with all the love around him. 

The weekend was truly packed with Love!
 

Grandparent Love!

Father-Son Love!

 

Uncle and Auntie Love!



 

 

 

 

Cousin Love!

  

  

Grady Love!

 

 

 

Love of Perfect Priest Lake!



 

We were so glad to see Priest this year and to have the opportunity to introduce Grady to a place that we know he will love as much as we do. 

 

Nowhere else on earth is the moonrise this breathtaking!




And in case you are wondering, Chris is not planning on enlisting in one of our armed forces.  As Chris was leaving the haircutting place, the gal noticed there were a couple of straggler hairs. When she went back to get them she forgot to put a clipper guard on the razor blade and as a result Chris has the shortest haircut I've ever seen him with. Now Grady and Chris have matching cuts, and I must say that I think they both look handsome. It has grown on me enough that Chris is considering keeping the new cut.