FIVE!

Today, Grayson makes 5 months old!!!!! I have been looking forward to today for weeks. There isn’t anything special about 5 months in particular. Every month’s 9th day just means another month since he was born. Just as I’ve said before – in so many ways, it is hard to believe it has already been 5 months. It seems like just yesterday that we checked ourselves into Labor and Delivery! I’ll never forget how nervous and excited we were! A few hours after we did the paperwork, we know we’d be telling the world we had a son who we named Grayson Koa after keeping his name secret for 9 months! :) But on the other hand, it seems like we’ve known Grayson forever. It seems like he’s been with us since Ray and I met. While we couldn’t picture what he would look like, I think we were pretty on queue with his personality. Our little boy is vibrant, smart, funny, determined, expressive, sweet – and most important of all: HAPPY!

Ray and I have so many things to be thankful for. We have our health, a home, vehicles, clothing, food, family, friends, pets, each other, etc. If we were to experience declining health or if we had to find a way to get to and from places without a car, it wouldn’t be easy. Actually, it would be very challenging and a real inconvenience. While we need all those things listed above and we truly enjoy them, I could find a way to live without them. But I cannot picture my life without Ray or Grayson. Sometimes in life, you have to be thankful for the experience. You can visit the beaches of Antigua and have the vacation of a lifetime, but it isn’t very realistic to move there and spend the rest of your days there. Therefore, you have to enjoy the time you are there and be happy with having had the experience.

One thing Ray and Grayson definitely are is a trip! ;) They are not an experience because they aren’t borrowed, stolen, or rented. I’ll never have to return them or worry about someone hunting me down to get them back. They are MINE! I OWN them…just kidding! :) Exactly how mine and Ray’s paths crossed and how Grayson came into existence are nothing short of amazing. While it kinda seems that they came into my life by a stroke of luck, I don’t believe that is the case. I do feel very lucky, but it was actually a miracle…or at least that it what it feels like to me. But if you were to ask the higher power, he/she/it would probably say that Ray and Grayson were written in my Life Plan since Day 1. :)

So anyway, today, my perfect match and I celebrate our little one’s 5 months of life. The last 5 months have been challenging, needless to say. But all those things we had and are having to figure out are so minute compared to all the wonders of having Grayson. He’s the most amazing little being who has already taught me a lot, brings me so many smiles, and warms my heart time and time again. The only person who knows Grayson better than Ray and I do is Grayson. While Ray and I do make time for ourselves, we have molded our lives around Grayson. It has been a big change, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We love admiring him, watching him change and grow, interacting with him, being here for him, protecting him, taking care of his every need, and loving him to pieces. He is definitely the best of me, the best of Ray, and the rest is all Grayson. :)

One day here recently, our friend, Billy, said, “He will definitely be….well, I won’t say it”. I said, “What?” He said, “No, I won’t say it. I might jinx you”. I said, “Just say it. What?” He whispered, “a handful”. I said, “I know! And I wouldn’t have it any other way!” He laughed! I could be dead wrong, but I think Grayson will be a handful! I imagine he’ll keep us very busy. Instead of being negative by saying we’ll kill ourselves keeping up with him, let’s speak positively. He’ll keep our minds and bodies young and active! :) I think he’ll have an endless supply of energy, be the furthest thing from shy, quite talkative, an extremely happy kid – always smiling and full of laughs, inquisitive, determined (maybe even hard-headed), very creative, adventuresome, spirited, and downright gutsy! :)

There are so many amazing, cute, funny, and noteworthy things Grayson is doing at 5 months old! I am like a 5 year old writing out my Wish List to Santa…it could go on and on. So, instead of exceeding the blog length Blogger will accept, I’ll just write out a list of things on the top of my head. :) They are in no particular order – just how they come to me.

1. He tries to eat soap! When I’m washing his face, going all around his eyes, nose, and mouth, he tries to lick the wash cloth! And for that matter, when Ray is washing his chest and neck, Gray will try to reach the rag with his tongue!

2. He uses the back of the rocker recliner in his room as an easel. Used to, he made it very obvious how much he disliked being over my shoulder when we sat in that chair. But now, he doesn’t mind because the fabric is good for drawing on with his fingers!

3. He loves looking at himself! The mirror is his good friend! It is so funny! Every day, either Ray or I will tell G there’s this cute little guy who wants to meet him and that we know he’ll just love him! Of course, he LOVES him every time! :) The two of them exchange squinty eyes and big smiles!

4. He will destroy anything in front of him in effort to reach it! The days of us looking at any kind of newspaper, magazine, bill, letter, etc in front of Grayson are gone! The boy gets it in his hand, clinches it, crumbles it, and won’t let go. And if he can’t reach it, he sticks out his tongue (an indication of aim and concentration) and swats at it! Yesterday, Ray was holding him while dumping some chicken out of a bowl he was de-thawing. Gray wanted the empty bowl but couldn’t reach it. So what did he do?! HE KICKED IT! :)

5. He laughs uncontrollably so often. Two things that always crack him up - #1, when Ray blows on ticklish parts of his tummy and #2, when he lets Gray run his fingers through his hair. :)

6. He studies the dogs’ every move. Gray loves watching the dogs walk around, play with each other, toss around their toys, etc. As my mom said, he’s come to enjoy watching the dogs more than his Baby Einstein videos!

7. He smiles when I go get him out of bed. He will do his “Mom!!! Come get meeeeeee!!!!” yell. When I go in there, he usually has his eyes closed as he’s fussing and doesn’t even realize I’m there. I say, “Hey Gray! Good mornin’, boy! What are you fussin’ for?!” He opens his eyes and smiles. Moments like those are priceless.

8. He prefers sitting up over lying down. This is something new and exciting! Gray gets very bored doing activities lying down. He can’t do it on his own yet, but he prefers sitting up. He seems to be fascinated by the new ways he can view things.

9. He talks so much he starts coughing! Gray will talk and talk and talk using different tones and at different volumes. We laugh at how much he wants to talk (non-stop when he gets going!). Sometimes he won’t pause until he has to cough to clear his throat! :)

10. He loves to watch his Dad cook! Many times, Grayson and I will hang out in the kitchen with Ray while he’s cooking. When Ray turns to tend to something, I’ll lean Gray over to look into a bowl or a pot to check out what’s inside. He really enjoys it! We sometimes get in the way because our kitchen isn’t real big. Also because when Ray is cooking, he means business. He’s opening this drawer, pulling out a big knife, turning burners on and off, chopping this up, stirring that up, etc. It is chaotic and always results in a big mess, but it is fun to watch and the end result is always delicious!

11. He is so vocal! Grayson loves yelling, screaming, and squealing with his Dad and I. The neighbors might think we’re nuts, but we have such a good time!

12. He is getting teeth! G’s two bottom teeth have been working on him for a while now. His gums have been swollen, itchy, and painful. A few days ago we felt those two bumps right below the surface of his gums. Then, yesterday morning, I felt tiny slivers of teeth poking through on one side. And today, I feel the tiny sharp tops of both teeth at the bottom! When we rub Tylenol on Gray’s gums before feeding him, he clamps down on our finger. I know it feels good on his gums.

13. He grabs my nose! Gray is so funny! When I bend over and talk to him close to his face, he grabs my nose with his entire hand and holds it tight! I laugh and say, “Hey man! That hurts!” He starts laughing too! :)

14. He enjoys big people TV more than baby videos. Someone tell me if “Age of Love” comes on tonight! Our son wants to know! ;)

15. He loves books. His favorites are his crinkle book (it makes a loud crinkling noise), his pop-up book, and this book called “Who Loves Baby?”. “Who Loves Baby?” is basically a soft, chewable, plastic book with blank pages bordered by crazy colors and designs. On each page, you insert a photo of someone who loves the baby. It is such a simple concept, and I love it! I shown Gray this book before, but I think he was too young to focus on the pictures. I pulled it off his bookshelf a week or so ago, and he loved it! On the first page, there is a picture of Ray and I. He studied it for a few seconds, got a surprised look on his face (as if to say, “My mom and dad are in a book!!!!”), started kicking wildly, and screaming! The next page is a picture of Daisy, Mya, and Hobbes. He looked at it and then looked at me as if to say, “Wow! They’re picture is in a book too?!?!” Again, he started kicking and screaming with excitement! The next page is of Yoshi. He closed the book! Coincidence or not? You decide! ;) I opened the book again to show him the person on the next page – his Mimi (my mom). I’m sure what he recognized was her smile. He started kicking wildly and pulled the book to his face. I guess he wanted to give her a slobbery kiss! The next page is of Ray’s mom and step-dad. He studied the picture for a minute or so and then looked at me. I said, “You know them…that’s your Grandma and Grandpa. They love you very much.” He looked back at the picture, studied it a little more, and started kicking! The last page is of Ray’s dad and his grandmother. Grayson has met his Grandpa (Ray’s dad), but he was so young. And unfortunately, he hasn’t yet met his Great-Grandmother. But he’s heard her voice many times. She calls often to see how he’s doing. Gray studied and studied that picture. I said, “Do you know who that is?” He looked up at me as if he were waiting for me to answer my own question. I said, “That’s your Grandpa and Tai-Ma. They love you so much. And they hope to come see you real soon!” He turned his head back towards the picture, started kicking, and squealing. :)

16. He helps hold his bottle. Grayson can’t hold his bottle by himself yet, but he sure wants to. Up until a week or so ago, we didn’t let him help because he didn’t do a good job. He made a mess and aggravated himself when the bottle wasn’t position right for him to get a good flow! But now, he can help hold his bottle with both hands very steadily like a big boy!

17. He is exaggerative! When Grayson has had enough of his bottle, he sticks out his tongue and makes a loud gagging sound! We can’t help but laugh when he does that…and then he laughs!

18. He is now wearing size 5 diapers! The size 4’s got too tight around the legs and started leaving big red marks! So we moved on up! :)

These are just a FEW of the things Grayson is up to these days!

Ray and I always talk about how Gray is ever changing. He does new things every day. Watching him grow is so fun! The last 5 months have been the BEST! Happy 5 months, GKT! We love you so much. :)