Finally, Graham's drop-offs at daycare are going smoother! The last few mornings, he has taken off after a toy, or one morning, some bubbles and didn't fuss a bit when I left. So, that has been nice. He is also visiting the next classroom and will be moving up to it soon, since he is one of the older / bigger boys in his room. We knew he wouldn't be in this first room long, but thought he needed to start out in it to get used to sleeping on the cots and eating at the little table, versus the high chair. He has adjusted very well to both of those!

So, we were so excited for swim lessons on Saturday, but it didn't go quite as we expected....... we are taking them at a local Y that we don't belong too, so we weren't exactly sure what to expect this first day and didn't know if we could get in the pool before class. Graham was cautiously taking it all in, the pool was full of families playing and it was very noisy. When it was time for class to start and we got in the pool, he reverted to the mommy clingy, fussing, like when I am trying to leave him at daycare, we almost thought he was thinking I was gonna try to leave him there. Based on how much he loved the pool last year, we thought he would just take right too it. So, about the first 15 minutes, he fussed and wanted no part of the activities. He did a little better the second half and then we went over the shallow end and played for awhile after class and he thought that was fun (and finally let go of me!). The teacher told us to come early next week and play in the pool for a while before class starts, so hopefully that will help. We think maybe he was just a little overwhelmed, so we have five more weeks to go! He really liked watching through the observation window and got new some trunks and swim shirt too! (see below).

Graham is continuing to add more and more words to his vocabulary and definitely understands most anything we say to him, so that is exciting to see. He is still in full climbing mode, so we finally had to move the coffee table! He wants to climb on the couch and any chairs anywhere that we go. Needless to say, he continues to keep us on our toes!

We had a super crazy busy week this past week, lots of work and I ended up with a sinus infection. Graham is all recovered from his ear infection, so hopefully, he and Dean won't get the sinus infection.

Graham got lots of Valentines goodies and cards all throughout the week, so that was fun. He loves Winnie the Pooh and Veggie-tales, so we have been watching all his new videos, LOTS! Those are really the only two things that he will watch for right now, so we are seeing alot of them. He still mostly prefers to be playing and active than sitting in front of the tv, I am sure one day this will all change!

His class party was on Thursday and he particularly liked the cupcakes, based on the fact that his hands were still red icing stained that evening! He got several valentines and made a cute card for us! Very sweet!

On Saturday, we went to visit Dean's mom in the hospital, she had a procedure done that hopefully will only keep her in the hospital a few days. Graham enjoyed running up and down the hallway and playing with her get well balloon! Then, Sunday, after church, we just came home and took it easy!

We are very excited about next weekend, as the first swim lesson is on Saturday morning! And, finally, here is the infamous coffee table climbing...... and now it is just not the coffee table, he wants to climb on everything!!!!!

Graham seemed to be over his rash and ear infection by the first part of the week, so he finished out his meds and on Friday, we went back in for a re-check. Doc said they were all clear, so we were good to go! He weighed in at 26 pounds and 14 ounces when we were there on Friday, he gained about a half pound this past week. He is still super active, but his appetite is still really big too, so his weight gain is still very steady! He is a big drinker too, milk, water, juice, they even comment at daycare about how much he drinks (and eats, ha, his report is almost always marked that he ate seconds!) Guess he works up a big thirst playing so hard.

Speaking of eating, on Tuesday night, we went to church for the annual pancake supper, Graham had a big time and loved the pancakes and sausage! Then, we went back for Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday and he was konked out by the time we got home from that, around his normal bedtime of 8pm. I carried him to his crib still asleep and he slept all night in his clothes!

On Saturday, we had a nice stay-home day, playing and cleaning and just hanging out. On Sunday, my parents met us at church after service and brought Graham back home and Dean and I went out to celebrate Valentine's Day. We went to lunch at Carrabbas and then to see the Roanoke Symphony perform. Both were really good. Graham had lots of fun entertaining Grandma and Grandpa and showing off all his new tricks, like climbing up on the coffee table and the couch! Never a dull minute around here for sure!!!!

This week his class is having their Valentine's party and he is taking cheese puffs for the party and candy for his teachers and valentine's for his classmates!

Well, it was a week of doctor's appointments. Daycare called Monday afternoon and said Graham was running a fever, so we went on to the doctor and sure enough both ears were infected! He weighed in at 26.6 pounds and got to stand on the scale, like a big boy (but, minus his clothes and diaper), he has about outgrown the little baby scale he would sit up on. He started the antiobiotic on Monday evening and I worked from home on Tuesday to stay with him and Dean did the same on Wednesday. His fever finally came down and so he headed back to daycare on Thursday.

On Friday night, we started noticing a rash on most of his body. So, Saturday morning it was still there, so we headed back to doctor. The doctor ruled out a medicine allergy and determined it was the roseola virus, which starts with a few days of high fever, then develops into about three days of rash! And, since it is viral - nothing we can do for it! By Sunday, the rash was almost gone, so that was good and the doctor also checked his ears and said they were improving, so even better! We are gonna take him back on Friday for a re-check just to make sure.

Otherwise, Graham is continuing to learn so many new things and be so much fun, he does so many things that just crack us up and keeps us laughing. We are making out more and more words from him and his personality comes through loud and clear. He is still a little bothered when I drop him off in the mornings at daycare, but it is getting a little better everyday. His room is almost all boys, so that is a big switch from him being with almost all girls this past year.

I am trying to get the photo album updated for January pics...... I am behind again!!!