Since my last post we have been busy, busy with the daily grind....Hayes has started Mothers Day Out at Christ Methodist and so far, so good. It gives me a little bit of time each week to dedicate to the event I'm planning and teaches her flexibility, trust, and social skills that I know will take her far. I completely contribute Gray's demeanor to his early exposure to childcare and hope that it provides Hayes with the same benefits. She will be 4 months tomorrow and is growing like a weed. At her appointment last Friday, she was 13.5 lbs (55th percentile) and 25.5" long (95th percentile). She's going to be tall and skinny like her Daddy I suppose. She has started teething, although no teeth are actually visible yet and the doctor says it could be months before they show. She's getting up at night (sometimes 4 and 5 times) due to her discomfort which is making for really long days for all of us. I had forgotten how tough the teething phase was. Hopefully, as with Gray, she'll learn to cope and her teeth will come in back to back and she'll be done quickly. Wishful thinking is key. We attempted to give her rice cereal for the first time about a week ago without much success. Whether it was just bad timing or sheer disgust, she was extremely unhappy about the experience all together. We'll try again this week and see how it goes, but I'm in no rush. She is learning to grab at things and laughing out loud in response to our laughter. I am enjoying every milestone so much and trying to make them last, though I know there are so many more ahead.
As for Gray, he has changed so much over the last few months. This time last year when we first found out that we were pregnant again, it terrified me to think about having two "babies" to care for. Everyone promised that around the age of two, things would get easier with him. The difference from when Hayes was born to now is amazing. At his two year checkup two weeks ago, he was 28 lbs (50th percentile) and 35" tall (75th percentile) and had hit all of the other benchmarks for his age. He's talking so much and doing so many things on his own. He can count to 10, say some of his ABC's, he knows his colors and shapes, and even tries to help with Hayes now. I think I'm starting to actually believe that it might be easier with two so close in age someday.....someday soon even. For now, it's still busy and constant and nearly exhausting, but fun. Oh so fun. And wonderful. Quite wonderful. I am in love with my family.
Two Sundays ago we made a long overdue trip out to Collierville to visit with Gray's Godparents and their kids, Airey and Campbell. It was so much fun to see the boys together and to sneak some adult conversation in and catch up. We had a delicious dinner and so did the kids! Last Sunday we met Lauren, Andrew and baby Greer out at the River Arts Fest. It was the most beautiful day here in Memphis and the kids did great in their Double Bob (that thing is a lifesaver!) while we shopped, visited, ate, and listened to some music. Have I said I loved this time of year yet? If not, I do.....especially the festivals!
Friday, the kids and I met Adam at his office's annual Halloween party. It was a blast to see everyone's kids all dressed up, trick or treating from desk to desk, and high on sugar. Gray looked precious in his frog costume, but kept insisting that he was actually a dinosaur. I guess I confused him when I had him try on a dinosaur costume that ended up being too small....hence the frog costume. Whatever he was, he was darn cute! He dressed up again on Saturday to go trick or treating with our friends the Coles and the Thomas'. This was the second year in a row that we headed over to the Thomas' for Halloween and it has become such a fun tradition that I know the kids will enjoy more and more as they get older. Even Hayes dressed up as a little ladybug and was a good sport watching her big brother and his friends run from door to door. Gray had really gotten the hang of it by the end of the night and was the first to run up to the door, grabbing handfuls of candy at a time! You would think that after all of that excitement, he would have slept soundly last night. But he was still up at 6:00, or rather 5:00 thanks to Daylight Savings. Someday we'll be able to reap the benefits of it again. But not anytime soon I'm guessing.
Until next time,
The Pattersons
