HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRAYSON!!!

Today is Grayson't FIRST BIRTHDAY!!! I really can NOT believe it's been a whole year -- the fastest year of my LIFE!!!! I really wish he'd just slow down a little bit -- he's growing up WAY too fast! I think I'm going to tell people he's 12 months old, not 1 year -- it sounds better, don't you think?! We celebrated the day thusly: Gray slept in today until 8 am -- his present to ME! I immediately sung him the "Happy Birthday" song, and he laughed and thought it was great! (I sung it to him like 10 times today, and he laughed every time! Guess it's a funny song!! Who knew?!) I made him french toast for breakfast -- cut it into strips so he could feed himself -- and he LOVED it! And breakfast was extra special today because Steve actually had time to sit down and eat with us this morning! Gray loved having his daddy there, and babbled to him between bites. He kept peeking around me to see his daddy, too -- so cute! He cried when Steve left for work -- I think he was thinking Daddy got to stay home today. Poor guy. But then I broke out the Tonka cars with racing ramp that we got him for his birthday, and he was immediately distracted. We played with those cars ALL day long! He is a BOY through and through! Loves the cars! We also played with his nesting/stacking blocks -- they have pictures of endangered animals on the sides, and big, bright letters -- he would walk around the tower and look at the pictures before gleefully knocking the whole thing over. We then went and read some books he got on Sunday from my family. Gray LOVES books, and will sit quietly (well, quietly for HIM) and flip through them for a long time! He made me read the Peek-a-boo Elmo book my brother JD gave him FOUR times this morning. Then flipped through it himself another 5 or 6 times. Gotta love that kid. Then he went down for a little nap. Then he got up and played with his cars and ramp some more. We ate lunch -- chicken pot pie, strawberry applesauce, a peach, and some juice. Then I had to change Gray, cuz of course he likes to feed himself, and got food all over himself. But when I went to put clothes on him, he wigged out. So I decided not to fight him on it -- it's his BIRTHDAY, after all! So he ran around in his birthday suit for a good part of the day! He played with his balloons, and the Happy Birthday pin-the-candle-on-the-cupcake game. We played lots, we read more books. Then we watched Sesame Street. Then he slept a little more -- but the dog woke him up early, and he wouldn't go back to bed. Then his Nana came to see him, and brought MORE books for him (best birthday EVER -- he was lovin it), and she played with him more. He loves his Nana and of course had a GREAT time and laughed a whole lot! We had a snack, too -- and I let Gray have a fig newton -- he loves those things. Then Daddy came home early (YAY!) and played with him, too! BONUS!! (Sometimes Steve doesn't get home til Gray's already in bed!!) Then we ate dinner, and I let him have another cupcake (I do believe he's getting quite the sweet tooth!!! Oh dear!). Then all of the celebrating started to take it's toll - and he started rubbing his eyes and getting cranky. He fought me the whole way, but I finally got him into his PJ's, read him his book, and got him in bed. He was loving his birthday so much, he didn't want it to end -- he cried in his crib for a few minutes before finally crashing. What a fun day!!
Gray, I can't imagine a better year! You are the sweetest little guy ever, and I have LOVED every second of seeing you grow and learn this year. Here's hoping the next one is even better! It'll be hard to top :) I love you so much, my not-so-much-a-baby-anymore baby boy! Love you forever!

Let the Birthday Suit fun begin!!


The pin-the-candle game! So cute!


Studying the balloon


I just had to post this one because of his eyelashes! Can you believe how impossibly LONG they are?! Good heck!


Nakey baby dances!


He's always so happy to be nakey


He's excited because he found a cough drop. Simple pleasures...


Finally got some clothes on him!! Just in time to be covered in cupcake! :)