Herring Family Happenings: What I want to remember: Graham at 1 year (and some change)

a rare still moment!

Where to begin?! I'm pretty sure I've never been so late in posting an update. I think it's safe to assume that this will be Graham's last "monthly" update for a while as it is becoming more and more difficult to find the time to blog with two toddlers running around. I'll just have to do updates as I get the chance.

Although he can still be quite a handful, Graham is becoming so much fun to be around. He is practically running around (and Piper is helping him pick up speed as she thinks it's great fun to chase him around the house!), so he's much more likely to get into things he shouldn't than just a month or two ago. Our house is mostly baby-proofed, so I really don't have to worry too much and can let him putter around to his little heart's content, although today I found him in my bathroom squirting my lotion all over the floor (and himself).

He loves to be around Piper, but he is also content to play by himself. He loves balls, and we joke that he is getting lots of practice spiking a football because he's always carrying one around and throwing it straight down as hard as he can. He also likes most anything that makes noise, especially our play musical instruments. He even learned recently to blow through a whistle. He still likes little cars and trains, but he's also interested in playing with Piper's dolls and her dollhouse. He will kiss on her babies and then poke their eyes out! Bath time is still a highlight of his day, and he's learned to make big splashes that soak the bathroom floor. He still loves to play peekaboo, and now that he's mobile, he plays hide and seek by running and hiding behind furniture or walls. He consistently stands at the door asking to go outside, but it's just been too cold and/or wet lately. I know he's going to love it come springtime!

Graham still loves to eat, but he has his definite favorite foods. He would eat cheese and applesauce all day long if I let him. I'm ready for him to get a set of molars so he can eat more of the same foods as Piper, which is what he'd REALLY like to eat. He currently has 5 teeth with the sixth just begging to burst through his gums. And when Graham wants to eat, I'd better be prepared to feed him! Cooking dinner each night is just tortuous to him. He doesn't understand why I'm standing in the kitchen prepping all this yummy food that he can't eat! Because this distresses him so, I have to do most of my meal prep during naptime. He was completely weaned from the breast and bottle two weeks after his first birthday and drinks 16-32 oz of cold milk throughout the day.

Speaking of naps, Graham still takes a short morning nap (1 hour max) and a longer afternoon nap (1.5-2 hours). I thought last week he might be cutting out his morning naps after he refused it several days in a row, but he's back on his current schedule now. If I let him sleep longer than an hour in the morning, he fights his afternoon nap. I will probably begin phasing out his morning nap in the next month or so. It's not a process I'm eager to start, but the result (having our mornings completely open to get out and about) will definitely be worth a few weeks of early bedtimes and a cranky baby. Graham goes to bed between 7:00 and 7:30 and sleeps until 7:30 in the morning.

Graham says mama, dada, ball (ba), and dog (da), and he signs more and please. We are hoping to hear more words quickly--ba is wearing us out! He will stand at his high chair and cry if he is hungry or thirsty.

For a baby who LOVES his mama, Graham is getting better at being left places. I take him to the YMCA daycare for an hour almost every day, and he rarely cries now when I leave. He is also doing better when we leave him in the church nursery and with a babysitter at home.

We love the adventure that Graham brings us each new day!