Graham started the week off with his move to the Panda Room, he was very excited and there were some noticeable differences, including getting to play on the big playground! Most of his class moved up and there were a couple new kids and he seemed to really have a good transition. On Tuesday, Tyler from work and I went to have lunch with Josephine and Graham. It was so much fun, they both ate great and Graham was the door holder and I had fun watching him take his role quite seriously! The schedule is a tad different, but for the most part, he transitioned just fine.

Evan is starting to roll over and over and flip back and forth, have to be careful where I lay him now! He is trying to scoot around a little on his belly, but just can't quite lift his belly up off the ground. He is sitting better and longer every day and will even stand for a few minutes. He still continues to be so smiley and good natured and just so much fun. Graham and I got him in the best little mood and had his 7 month photo shoot on Tuesday evening. Graham loves making him laugh and smile for the camera, so we had a lot of fun!

Everyone was up bright and early Saturday morning and we were all super excited! Daddy, Kenneth and I went to visit Granny on Saturday morning. She had gotten much sicker over the past few weeks and Kenneth and I had not seen her in a couple months. She was not very alert, but we talked and talked to her and she finally roused around and followed us with her eyes. It was a bittersweet visit, good to see her and talk to her and love on her, but said to see how close she probably was to the end of her life. Kenneth and I left pretty shaken, and daddy stayed awhile longer. We headed back to mom's to get ready.

Graham was watching tv and being the best little thing and then we said time for baths and gave him and Evan baths. I noticed that Graham seemed a little warm when I put him in the bath, but more in retrospect than at the time. Sure enough after bath, Graham said he was freezing and it seemed like he could not get warm. He laid around under a blanket until time to eat lunch and get his tux on. We had talked alot about his tux and he had seemed excited, it started out okay, but went downhill fast. The shirt was too little in the neck and there was no way that it would button and after messing with that then he woudlnt let me tighten the tie up to try to get it up close to the neck to try to hide the button and he would not put the coat on. So, we needed to get out the door, so we headed out. He rode with my parents and he napped on the way there.

When we got to the church, he was being very clingy to me, which was not good since I was directing the wedding and running in a hundred directions. Dean was taking pics and focused on that. Luckily, Sandy joined us to tend to Evan, but Graham just seemed off. We went in the sanctuary to take the pre-ceremony photos and Graham started saying he was tired and laid down on the pew and said his neck hurt and pointed to his throat. I felt him and he was on fire! Thank goodness I had some infant tylenol in the diaper bag, I gave him two big droppers full and made him some orange juice and just let him be. He perked up a little bit and posed for a few photos, but clearly he was not himself!

We got through all the pre-ceremony photos and everyone looked beautiful. Graham and the girls played in the nursery for a bit until time to take places and get ready. Graham got his pillow and headed down the aisle. He wouldnt let me put his flower on him and he was concerned about why there were not rings on the pillow, but he went up the aisle. I told him he could sit with my mom on the front pew if he got tired.

The ceremony was going great, I was standing at the back, Lillian was running all over the church and Graham was looking very pale. He was saying mommy, I am tired, softly, mama tried to get him to sit with her, but he wanted his mommy! I motioned for him to come to me, so he quietly walked up the aisle to where I was standing in the back. He wanted to sit on my lap and cuddle, so I sat down on the floor in the entry way and he sat on my lap and we watched the remainder of the wedding. Evan was passed around a few times from Dean's sister Michelle to me, to Dean and then to Sandy. Graham stood with me as everyone filed out of the church and I was able to get him to go with Michelle and Dean's parents as they filed out past us. Kenneth and Danah received guests outside the church as everyone filed out and then we went back in for pictures. Michelle brought Graham back in and he laid down on the pew and put his head on her lap. It was so pitiful. She was able to get him to walk up front for the wedding party pic and for our family pic and he even tried to smile!

We headed to the reception and once I had everything situated, I checked in with the kids and Michelle said Graham was on fire, could he have some more meds, so sure enough, enough time had passed so I gave him another dose and got him some juice. Then, he said he wanted a blanket and was tired and just wanted to go to sleep (remember this is a kid who never naps on the weekends and certainly not at a "party"). So, I went out to the car and got one of Evan's baby quilts and made Graham a pallet on the floor to cover up with. He asked for a pillow and Michelle grabbed his ring bearer pillow off the table and put it under his head, he actually laid there and went to sleep under the table while the reception was in full swing!

We finished up all the wedding festivities and Graham perked back up again and we got him out of what was left of his tux (he had been shedding bits and pieces) and we got on the road. He would not eat anything and that was another clear sign that something was wrong! Both boys napped all the way home and we got home and finally got to take Graham's temp and it was 103!!!! We gave him some meds and drinks and he said he just wanted to go to sleep! I woke him again a few hours later for more meds and drinks and he was very out of it!

So, first thing Sunday morning, we headed to the doctor! The only other complaint that he had was his neck / throat hurting. The doc did a swab for strep throat and we waited for the results and it was negative, so basically it was a viral version of strep throat and it just needed to run its course and to keep doing what we were doing. So, we headed home and gradually over the course the afternoon, the fever broke and he ate and started perking back up! So, in retrospect, I truly think he started coming down with it on Friday, and when he told me at the rehearsal that he was tired and being so "good" he was actually not feeling well!

So, all in all, the wedding was wonderful and we are so happy for Kenneth and Danah and Lilian and their family! I hate that Graham was not up to par, but he was a little trooper and hung in there as best he could! Evan didn't nap the whole day other than on the way to the wedding for about 20 minutes in the car, so needless to say he konked out hard on the way home and all night!

And, then, the weekend turned yet again. Mama called around 4pm on Sunday afternoon and said that Granny had just quietly passed away. I am so thankful that Kenneth and I got to visit her on Saturday and I am so happy that she is no longer suffering. We will switch gears this week in light of attending the funeral and visitation and I will not be going to MN as planned. We will not take the boys to the funeral and are making arrangements for them. So, an emotional weekend all the way around!

We got on schedule with a pretty normal week this week. Graham had his last week in the Giraffe class before his big move to the Panda room on Monday. Most all of his class is going and so that should make for a pretty easy transition. Graham had been saying for awhile when he got bigger he got to be a panda, so he is very excited. We went for his last make-up swim lesson on Tuesday evening to finish out his summer lesson and he did great again. We have a little break until we start back with Saturday lessons after Labor Day. That will be much easier! We are very glad we got him back in lessons for the summer, but the weeknights were a little crazy for us!

We had a big day at the lake on Saturday, probably one of our last full days over there. Graham was a little fish in the pool and Evan really enjoyed the water too. Then, Dean and Graham kayaked and Graham played in the sand a long time, while Evan curled up on the blanket and took a good long nap. It was a bit cooler than those super hot July days, and we had a really pleasant time.

On Sunday, we headed back to church, it will be the last Sunday that we are able to go for summer session and that Dean will be able to sit with us. Evan was awake all through service and jibber jabbering like crazy. Dean went and got Graham and he was very quiet and did very good at the communion rail and after sitting in the pew. Evan was definitely the noisy one! He wasn't ever fussing really, just making baby sounds. They both ate their lunch after service and then we got on the road.

Evan weighs in at about 20 pounds and 4 ounces and his little feet are hanging over the end of the infant carrier, so we made the big carseat switch this weekend and retired the infant carrier and Dean installed the big convertible seats. He is still rear facing until at least a year, but has a lot more room and looked very comfy and he even slept on the way home from church, so that was good. Graham, of course, thought it was very neat that Evan was in a big boy seat like him and could even reach over and hold his hand, so that was sweet. It will be different carrying him around in and out of places and having to hold on to Graham too, but that carrier was just way to heavy and hard to handle. So, it was time.

Evan is still eating and drinking and sleeping all right on schedule and being the easy goingest little thing. His teeth seem to bother him here and there, but still no signs of any more. Those first two are really far along now and we are pretty sure atleast one or two more are really close behind. He will put anything and everything in his mouth! We have heard da - da a good bit out of his babble, but even Dean admits that it doesn't seem to be in correlation to "daddy," but he is definitely getting more verbal.

We have a big weekend and fun couple weeks coming up. I have some work travel but in the midst of all that, we have Kenneth and Danah's wedding next weekend, in which Graham is so excited about "carrying the rings," so we are very excited about that. Then, the following weekend, we have our last summer outing of going to Baltimore for the weekend. So, it is gonna be busy busy, but lots of fun!

Here are a couple fun shots from the lake.

We all survived our week apart and were happy to be reuinted under one roof on Friday. Graham had a great week at my parents, they hiked, played in the pool, did some visiting, got to see ABFs truck up close, did lots of art and just had a great week. Graham didnt get homesick a bit and loved all his play time with mawmaw, pawpaw and of course Lillian! Dean and Evan faired pretty well, also. Evan is settled in to a pretty good schedule, he eats a couple jars of food when we get home, has a little playtime and then settles down for his bedtime bottle and is typically asleep by 8pm. He makes things pretty easy.

On Saturday, we had plans to get back to the lake and Dean's parents were going to join us. Summer is slipping away and we dont have many chances left to go, but unfortunately, it was cold and rainy all day, so we had to cancel and just stayed home all day. On Sunday, Evan and I went to a bridal shower for Kenneth and Danah and Dean and Graham stayed home and hung out. They did head outside and get some ball practice in, so that was fun and then both boys cooperated for a little photo shoot fun before bed. Graham loves to hold Evan in pics and really gets in to having their photos made together, so I am gonna enjoy that for as long as it lasts!

We started off the week at Evan's six month check up. We had to see Doctor Nelson, since his doc is still out on maternity leave, but it was a pretty uneventful appointment. He weighed in at 19.1 pounds(73rd percentile) and 27.5 inches (80th percentile), and his head was 17.4 inches, 59th percentile. He was on track with all his milestones and sat up really good for her and of course showed off his teeth with lots of smiles. He got two shots, for which he screamed for about two seconds and then flashed a big smile at the nurse! Then, he drank his one vax and we were on our way. It was probably the easiest well baby appt ever! She said he is right on track with his 28 ounces of formula day and to increase his stage one jars to 1 - 2 jars per each feeding until about 8 - 9 months and then switch over to the stage 2 jars! It is amazing how much of that I had forgot! We go back the end of October for his 9 month appt. I was really surprised he wasn't in a higher percentile for his weight since everyone goes on and on about what a big baby he is! By, his Sunday weigh in, he was already up to 19 pounds and 11 ounces!

So, now Evan has some fruit with cereai in it for breakfast and then a fruit and veggie for lunch and a fruit and veggie for dinner, so he is becoming quite the litter eater! Graham still gets a big kick out of watching him eat and finding out what he is eating. So, far he eats everything about the same, so that is great!

On Tuesday afternoon, I head to Philly for a quick 24 hour trip, so the boys were on their own for the evening and the next morning. Everything went well and I actually caught an earlier flight home and surprised both boys with an early pick up and I wasnt even supposed to be home before bedtime, so that was great! We were supposed to finish out the week with our final swim lesson on Thursday evening, but bad thunderstorms bumped us out a week before we wrap up. It was Dean's bday, so we got some takeout for dinner and headed home to celebrate with him. Then, we got registered for the fall session, which will start after Labor Day and we will switch back to Saturday mornings.

On Saturday, we stayed home and caught up on work around the house inside and outside and got me and Graham all packed up for our trips this week. I am heading to Minneapolis on Monday and Graham will be at my parents for the week. On Sunday, we headed back to church for the first time in a few weeks. Graham asked a couple weeks ago when we were going to go back to church and then on Sunday morning when we were getting ready and told him that is where we were going, he cheered and said he has missed church! He was very well behaved, so that was great, but Evan was the nosy one! So, I stepped out with him a couple times and then finally gave him a bottle, but the real issue was that he really wanted to be asleep and quite frequently when he is really sleepy, he is nosy for about 5 minutes or so before he konks out!!

We had a birthday get together for Dean on Sunday afternoon, both of our parents came and Graham was so excited we were having a party. Dean requested a chinese buffet and so I fixed several yummy dishes and mama brought him an angel food cake (decorated with sailboats per Graham's instruction). We had a very fun time and enjoyed the day. That evening, Graham loaded up all his bags and headed home with my parents. He was as excited as could be and told us all goodbye, talked to Evan about being a good boy at school and was on his way! They have lots of adventures planned and surely will have a great week. I get back late Thursday night, so he will come home on Friday and Dean and Evan will have the whole week and the house with themselves (and Madison). It is so quiet in the house with Graham gone, I already look forward to us all being back together!

Graham had two more swim lessons this week with two more date nights for us, so that was fun. He is working on his strokes under water and his kicking more and more, it is still so amazing how much he has improved through this summer session! He has one more lesson this week and then we will take a break before the fall sessions start and we will switch back to Saturday morning sessions. He has truly enjoyed it so much and it has been a great accompaniment to our all time at the pool this summer!

Evan finished up his pears and moved on to bananas and then peaches, he is still doing great with all of them and has seemed hungrier and hungrier, so in addition to his cereal in the mornings, we started sending a veggie to daycare for lunch and then having a fruit and a veggie for dinner. He is still just eating the small stage one jars. He weighed in at 19 pounds and 4 ounces this weekend. We head to his 6 month appointment on Monday morning and I will be anxious to see what percentiles he is in, as everyone always says how big he is! His two teeth are still working their way in and he seems to be working on a couple more. He is a little fussy for Evan but not too bad overall. Great shot of his teeth below.

Graham had a really good week at school all week, so that was great! Hopefully he will have another good one this week! Dean is still getting over his infection / viral junk and so far, knock on wood, the rest of us have not caught it. It amazes me to think of all the sickies that Graham had by the time he was six months old and again, knock on wood, Evan has had such a different first six months!

We had a rainy dreary weekend, so no visit to the lake for the first time in quite a while. We stayed in most of Saturday and had a fun day at home. Dean wasn't feeling well, but Graham and Evan and I played and played. The three of us went to a party that evening, a post wedding reception for a co-worker, the one we went to the fair with, so Graham was glad to see Ally and get to play with her again!

On Sunday, we had a big day, we headed to Dean's parents for lunch and to spend the afternoon and my dad picked up our jeep and took it to Kenneth to fix the AC. We had a yummy lunch and then lots of playtime. Graham and Evan were most cooperative to pose for some updated brother pics on the new parkbench that Oma and Opa got them and then they had a big time rolling around on a big pallet on the floor. It was a fun day and even better Daddy brought the jeep back with the AC all fixed! Both boys slept all the way home after a full day!