garrison's big adventure part 2

Here is a picture from G's visit with his great-grandmother. (edited to add "great")

garrison's big adventure day 1

Last night I took Amos and G to the airport. They left for a big trip to see some important people.

They took the red eye flight to Chicago then a short flight to Little Rock. G slept most of the way, and I think Amos managed to grab some sleep himself. Then they picked up a rental car and headed to see Amos' Aunt Linda & Uncle Thomas. Amos told me that Garrison had a great time meeting them, and was really excited to see their dog. Garrison showed off how he can bark, "oeff oeff" and allegedly was caught trying to pull on Uncle Thomas' eyebrows (he kind of pinches faces these days, a weird new thing). After lunch there (thanks for feeding the boys, nice to know they didn't have to eat big macs on the road!)

Then it was back in the car to see Boochie. Amos also got to see his Aunt Mary, Uncle Fay, and Aunt Sarah there. Garrison apparently found lots of interesting stuff to "investigate" at Boochie's. He got to give her a big hug, and I know Amos enjoyed getting to see everyone.

After that Amos and G headed off to TN. They drove almost 3 hours and then stopped at a hotel for the night when Garrison started getting mad. Of course, now that they are stopped, G wants to play. They'll set off tomorrow and should pull into Oak Ridge in the evening.

Just typing all they did makes me tired. I think it is incredibly cool that Garrison got to meet his great grandmother. I never got to meet mine. I sure wish that my grandparents could have met G, I know they would have liked him. My Papaw would have liked his sense of humor. My Grammie would have knit him sweaters. My Grandmother would have filled him with delicious, lovingly made food, and my Granddaddy (who I don't remember myself) would have helped him open presents with his pocket knife.

Anyway, thanks, Amos, for doing all of this for G, it's really special.

garrison's new tricks

Lately Garrison seems to be blossoming. He has started doing a lot of new things all at once.
-he now can give 5! (it makes him very happy)
-said "go" and pointed to the door.
-waves
-daddy, says it like Da---dee.
-throws a ball from on the couch to you on the floor.
-climbs all over the furniture, a little too skillfully. We're trying to train him to get down feet first.
-he demonstrates some surprising ingenuity a couple of days we sat near him as he worked and worked to get a blanket piled on the floor by the couch. Then he grabbed a pillow and added it to the stack. Then he got on the couch and started to lunge face first off onto the pile. Obviously we stopped him as made the lunge.
-He ate his first pb&j
-He ate homemade chocolate chip cookies (by me)
-He gets that it is appropriate to clap when someone sings
-He can strum the strings on a guitar with his thumb
-He seems to have "sensitive" skin, we use a lot aquaphor healing ointment
-He can climb all over things, but can't walk yet, my theory is that he has his own priorities
-He wakes up every morning happy, until you try to change him. then he gets upset--not fun.
-And in the middle of all of this he's trying to work in two new teeth (the pointy ones on top) to add to the twelve (including molars) that he already has. These seem to be bothering him and he's drooling up a storm and wants to bite everything. He has a little biting ball that I try to get him to use, but pretzel sticks work sometimes too.

All in all time is whizzing by, just like garrison was in the picture above. I rarely have a moment while he's awake that we're not laughing and having a good time. He's still got a great sense of humor.

almost 15 months, really?!

So, Garrison is 14.5 months and I feel like I barely have time to post anymore, because he's just so much more active than he used to be. First of all it seems he has officially become a one nap kind of guy. Now he makes it until about 11:30 and then naps for a couple of hours, then up until 7.

Last night he went to Tom's bday party and stayed up LATE! He had such a good time, though. He got to see lots of people and he really liked watching all the cats. He got a little freaked out when a three month old who was there cried. He's kind of sensitive.

He seems to really be getting the hang of some communicating stuff. He says (in his own way) dog, that, go, dada, mama, and, of course uh-oh. Mostly, though he uses the typical toddler point-n-grunt to let us know what he wants.

I read that this is really when the terrible twos start. It's not at 2 like most people assume. I think what it means is that kids this age finally are having opinions, and can't get their needs/wants across because of the communication barrier. I notice it with Garrison lately. He clearly wants something specific, but can't get across to me what it is. It makes him mad. You know what else makes him mad?--having to go to bed when he wants to play.

We're convinced he can walk, but he's just not that into it. He can go all over the house pushing his little ikea push-cart, and let me tell you, it is light and without good balance you'd seriously mess up your front teeth on the push bar. So, I am convinced that he is far too practical to waste his time with walking when he can crawl almost as fast as I can walk (seriously, this kid has some jets!)

happy birthday, Eloise

Our friends, Amy & Kris are celebrating daughter Eloise's first birthday today. It's been fun watching Eloise grow this year virtually. She and G are so close in age I can't wait for them to meet in person some day. I think they'll be great friends. I remember waiting anxiously to see pictures of little Eloise a year ago. She was cute when she was born and she just keeps getting cuter. Happy first year, little Eloise!