A Shade of Gray

Our Little Toddler Gray

2010-04-26T11:17:00.004-04:00

Dear Graylon,

I can’t believe that you are 13 months old now, but I want you to know just how amazing you have been to watch and be around. I have enjoyed every minute of being your mommy! Every day you show me something new that you have learned. You really understand your daddy and I when we talk to you. I love how you point at everything you want to look at or get to. You are starting to eat table food better. You gave up the bottle the day before you turned 13 months. Even then it was just a night time bottle. You are curious about everything. You love to go head first off of the couch and mommy and daddy’s bed with us of course holding your feet and lowering you down to the floor. You are a tough little guy. You have bumps and bruises on your legs from all your fearless play. I love when you run over to me and put your arms around my neck for me to pick you up. You even came over and gave me a kiss for the very first time yesterday. I will always remember how great that moment was. I know you love me so much but I also love that you love your daddy just as much. You get so excited when you see him in the morning for the first time or when we meet him outside when he gets in from work. You love Ms. Pat at your daycare and you get along great with all of your friends there too. You are moving up to the next class next week. I am so nervous about it because you have to totally be on table food. I know you are going to do great and catch on very quickly. You just had your very first school pictures made. You look so grown up sitting there posing. You have eight teeth now…four on top and four on bottom. You have a few words in your vocabulary now. You can say “Thank you”, “Mama”, “Daddy”, “Stick”, “Balloon” (kind of), “Ball” and once you said “Please”. It is really cute when I ask you something and you just shake your head back and forth like you are telling me “no”. You are walking like a pro. You have just figured out how to step up into the garage and into the house, but you still want to crawl back down instead of stepping down. You love sticks and rocks. You love being outside and your favorite toy is your new car that you got for your birthday. You love to scream. You love to climb and maneuver your way around stuff. I love to hear you laugh and love to see your sweet smile. I even love hearing your fake cough. You love to do the Hokey Pokey and dance to just about any tune. You make me so proud to be your mommy! I love you Graylon and this last year for me has been the best of my life!

Love,

Mommy

Here is a short video of Gray emptying out my belt/scarf drawer. He loved every minute of it.

Mommy's 30th Birthday

2010-03-10T18:53:00.010-05:00

Yes, I am now 30 years old and feel like it has been the best year of my life. My family threw me a party back in February to celebrate all these years that I have been alive. :) Mike, Gray, and I made the trek to Dalton, GA. We first headed to Pop Pop and Meemaw's house to spend some quality time with them. Meemaw gave Gray his first "real" haircut. I had given him a few snips back when he was about 5 or 6 months old but it was time for another. We headed to Grandma Sharon's house on Saturday morning and she hosted an all day bash. It was Gray's first time celebrating his Mommy's birthday! I truly felt special. Thanks to everyone that joined us that day. Graylon got to visit with a lot of our family and had a great day. He took NO naps and was an angel! He was so busy chasing his cousins and playing with them all day. Check out the pictures from this great birthday weekend.

Jocey wanted Gray right by her side.

Meemaw cutting Gray's hair.

"Hey guys, does my hair look okay?"

Gray in his "Gray" overalls.

Newest cousin William and Gray playing together.

Gray and Pop Pop are best buds!

Gray, Grandma Sharon, and Granny Franny are just hanging out.

Averie, William, Gray, Michaela, and Jocey all together...this is the first time that Gray has had all of his cousins together at the same time!

Uncle Brandon was bobbing for pacis and came up with Gray's.

Jocey and Gray having fun in the bathtub. I think he was about to sneeze.

Granna and Pop love making a Gray sandwich!

Uncle J and Aunt Caryn gave Gray a squeeze before they said goodbye.

Christmas Morning (more catch up)

2010-03-08T21:44:00.007-05:00

Gray loved his first Christmas and our first Christmas together as a family was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Seeing Graylon all sleepy-eyed on on Christmas morning and trying to figure out what all the wrapped and upwrapped gifts were, was so much fun. We decided that being away from our home was okay until Gray gets a little older and we begin our own Christmas morning tradition.

We woke up at Grandma Sharon's house. Gray came out into the living room where Santa had left his gifts. He got a red Radio Flyer wagon, a stuffed puppy that sings and teaches him stuff, a swing, and a Little People train with blocks. Grandma Frances and Paul came over that morning and we had brunch. It was such a special morning.

After we left Grandma Sharon's house, we headed to Granna and Pop's house to visit with the LaBarbera family. Averie showed Gray and William how to open presents since it was both their first Christmas. We ate a wonderful dinner and spent the night with Granna and Pop.

Check out the pictures from this day below.

Mommy and Daddy showing Gray his new stuff.

Daddy teaching Gray how to build with his blocks.

Gray taking a ride with his puppy in his new wagon.

After playing with his toys, Gray had to take a break to eat breakfast.

Taking a another break after playing for soooo long.

Too cute not to put on here...who needs a diaper on Christmas Day!?!

This is an actual blanket. Gray's our little bulldog fan!

Hanging out with Granna and Aunt Caryn. This is like one of three pictures that we have from their house on our camera.

Video Catch Up

2010-02-27T10:53:00.005-05:00

Here are a couple quick videos to show off Gray's most current dancing, walking (with his toy), and playing skills. The song I overlapped on his dancing video is his favorite song, "Pennies From Heaven" by Louis Prima. Please enjoy our 3 feature presentations.

The Return of the Blog!

2010-02-21T10:37:00.009-05:00

To all of our loyal, wonderful, forgiving, understanding, and all around awesome blog followers, we are sorry for the gap in time between blog posts. I hope that you can all find it in your hearts to continue to read these posts. And to take a quote from the great Tiger Woods, "...to one day, believe in me (us) again."

First of all, Happy 11 month birthday Gray! Time has flown by! The blog has been out of commission and missed your 9 month and your 10 month. Sheesh! We'll have to make up for that some how, some way. We'll have to come back to that.

I am not quite sure how to get this train back on the tracks, so I think I'll opt for what you all really check the blog for...PICTURES! Since the last post came in December, and it was chronicling Thanksgiving, why not put up pictures that catch you all up on Christmas parties and Christmas Eve? I'll try and hold Heather and myself accountable and commit to rapid fire posts, so check back often. Complain often if we don't hold true. Let's try and say 2 posts a week until we are current and up to date. Now, without further ado, pictures!

Gray and Santa, aka Pop Pop

MeeMaw and a bundled up Graylon

A family pose from Granna and Pop's Christmas Party

Identical cousins...Gray, Averie, and William at the party

Gray and Grandma Sharon

Aunt Caryn lovin' her some Gray.

Averie was teaching Gray and Henry how to look out the window. She's such a good teacher.

Aunt Kelly helping get Graylon ready for bed after the party.

We put our tree up only 2 weeks before Christmas. Gray was critical in getting the tree up.

Christmas Beanie Babies helped decorate Gray's room and Christmas tree.

We found time to squeeze in a Lady Dawgs basketball game with Pop and Granna.

Steven and Sherry Beauchamp met us for dinner and a chance to get a picture with Gray.

The Stevenson's party was awesome. From left to right...Gage, Emerson, Emma, Gray, Lexi, Lila, and Abel.

Andrew took a break from law school to teach Gray a thing or two at the party.

Is there anything cuter than reindeer butt pajamas?

Gray and Pop Pop can't wait to open some Christmas presents.

Cousin Allen and Gray took a break from talking basketball to pose for a picture.

Neely and Tasia coordinated too well with Graylon's outfit to not pose for a picture.

Crazy Uncle Steve and Grandma Ophia with the man of the party.

Thanksgiving...Yeah, Yeah, I Know it's December

2009-12-15T20:53:00.005-05:00

There are no excuses. I've been a slacker. I was the only parent of Gray's to be with him on Thanksgiving, thus, I am the only parent able to blog about it. So here it is...a few weeks late. Sorry.

It all started on Wednesday. I needed to go through my mailbox at the Dalton office, so Gray didn't go to daycare. Instead, we headed for Meemaw's house. She watched Graylon while I got a little work done. Once I was finished we waited on Granna, Pop, Aunt Caryn, and Uncle J to come up from White. We met them on the interstate and headed to Kentucky to see Gran Gran and Grandpaw and the rest of the Kentucky crew. Gray hadn't been to Kentucky in 4 months, so he was fired up!

We got in late, but Gran Gran was still up waiting on us. The festivities had just begun. The next day, there was plenty of food (turkey, dressing, broccoli casserole, and vidalia onion cobbler, just to name a few), plenty of football, plenty of Wii, and plenty of photos. Of course a game of dominoes broke out, and Gray's second cousins were cute as could be. We headed back out Friday late, and Gray handled the 4 and a half hour car ride like a champ. He is such a good boy, and I was honored to show him what our family's Thanksgiving traditions are all about. Enjoy the pictures below.

Grandpaw was giving Gray some pearls of wisdom.

Abby with Kyleigh and Gray. Second cousins born just two days apart.

Gray and Gran Gran having "a moment."

Kyleigh, Brev, and Gray taking time out of their busy schedule to pose for a pic.

Birthday Party and Winterville Community Christmas and Santa

2009-12-07T21:38:00.014-05:00

I know that we haven't posted any pictures or talked about Thanksgiving yet, but since I wasn't with Mike or Gray in Kentucky, I will let Mike blog about Thanksgiving.

The Sunday after Thanksgiving was a fun filled day, not to mention a very anticipated day. When I got back from my trip from Hattiesburg, MS with the team on Sunday morning at 4 a.m., I immediately got in my car and drove to White, GA to see my two favorite people, Mike and Gray. It was the longest time I had ever been away from my baby boy and it was no easy task. I will never forget how happy I was to have Graylon in my arms again.

Once Graylon got up that morning from a nap, we all headed to Dalton for a 75th surprise birthday party for my Grandma Frances. She was so surprised! We got to visit with a lot of our family and friends. Graylon got to meet several people for the first time too. This day was also my Grandma Ophia's 71st birthday and we got to visit with her as well. Here are some photos from that day.

The birthday girl and her great grandson...Happy 75th birthday Granny Franny!

Jolie, Jordan, Gray, Jocey, Michaela, Grandma Frances, and Paul all hanging out on the couch.

This doesn't happen too often. Grandma Sharon is lovin' being with all three of her grandbabies.

Jocey watches Gray with his first balloon experience.

Anna Kate Swiney, Gray, and Jocey...how cute!?!

The other birthday girl and two of her grandkids...Happy 71st birthday Grandma Ophia!

Uncle Brandon cracks Gray up all the time.

Jocey is so attached to Baby Gray and she likes to help out whenever she can.

Granna was in the middle of telling Gray something important.

Gray loves his big cousin Michaela. She is so good with him.

The Crew (Jocey's expression is priceless!)

I couldn't resist this picture. Where does Jocey get her smile you ask? She gets it from her mama!

Gray and cousin Jocey playing together in Grandma Sharon's toy box.

This past Friday, we heard that Winterville was having a Christmas gathering in "downtown" with free food, train rides, and a visit with Santa Claus. We thought we would get bundled up and go see what all the hype was about. There was defintely hype. When we got there, everyone else had already arrived. I bet there was about 1000 people there and for the little town of Winterville, this was a lot. We got in line to see Santa but quickly realized that the line was barely moving and Gray would only last until about 8:30 or 9, so we took some pictures and took in the atmosphere and then headed back home. It was a great evening and it really got us in the Christmas spirit. Below are some pictures from that evening.

Gray was bundled up tight.

My sweet baby boy and I love the color green.

Gray was taking in all the Winterville festivities.

On Saturday, we headed to Georgia Square Mall bright and early hoping to beat the crowd to see Santa Claus. We did. We only had to wait a few minutes, and Graylon did so great with Santa. He kept looking up at him trying to figure him out. It was so cute. Gray also had his first shopping experience at Toys 'R Us. I had to take his and Mike's picture outside of the store. It is below as well as the picture of Gray and Santa.

That's Gray in the stroller.

He looks so big and so proud.

Gray's Slide Show

2009-12-04T16:51:00.006-05:00

All of our Thanksgiving pictures were accidentally unloaded on Grandma Sharon's computer. There will be pictures as soon as we can get them. In the meantime, enjoy this slideshow. Some of you may have already seen it on facebook, but it deserves a spot on the blog as well. Enjoy.

Henry turned 1!

2009-11-24T22:28:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday, Graylon got to experience his very first 1 year old birthday party. Our great friends Jon and Ashley threw their son Henry one of the coolest parties filled with all kinds of jungle animals, balloons, great food, and fun. We not only got to visit with the Lane's but also with Granna, Pop, Aunt Caryn, Uncle J, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Rick, and cousins Averie and William. That's right...we stopped by and hung out with the newest member of the LaBarbera family...William Anthony. I did not get any pictures which I was pretty bummed about but just getting to see him and Averie was so much fun. Graylon got a first class tour from Averie of her play area. I think he was a little overwhelmed with all the toys and puzzles and stuffed animals and baby dolls.

On Sunday, Gray, Mike, and Grandma Sharon made their way to the Lady Dogs home game against Rutgers. Before the game, Teresa Edwards, a five time Olympian and former Lady Dog was honored for her induction into the Olympic Hall of Fame and also the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. We also unveiled a display case of just her things in the training facility. During this ceremony and later the reception, Graylon got to meet lots of people even Teresa herself. He loved her. The Lady Dogs beat the Scarlet Knights by 1 point and Gray's record went to 2-0.

As Monday was a furlough day for me at work, Grandma Sharon, Gray, and I spent the day shopping in Commerce. It was a enjoyable day and Gray did great. Grandma Sharon bought him his first pair of Stride Rite shoes. They are adorable on him.

I am getting ready to go with the team to Hattiesburg, MS for a Thanksgiving tournament. We leave tomorrow after a home game against Alabama State. Gray and Mike will be in Dalton tomorrow and then heading to Kentucky to visit family. I will be reunited with my two boys on Sunday when we head to Dalton for a special day. Stay tuned to see pictures and hear details from the rest of this week.

Enjoy some pictures below...

Graylon got to meet two VIP in the women's basketball program...Hunter and Melvin.

Gray and Uncle Rick hanging out at the party in their stripes.

The birthday boy, Henry, and his Mama posing for a pic.

Gray chillin out at about 6 ft. 7 in. right before he had cake and ice cream.

So we are trying to get Gray interested in drinking out of a sippy cup. He is getting better.

It was cold on Monday for our shopping spree. We had to bundle Gray up.

This is one of several Christmas sleepers that Gray has. Too cute!

Gray can't get enough of this play wall.

"Hello?"

Daddy and Gray have sooo much fun together.

Happy 8 Month Birthday

2009-11-21T22:46:00.004-05:00

Gray,

Wow, you're eight month birthday really sneaked up on me this morning. I was talking to you and said, "...and you're almost 8 months old!" Your Mama then corrected me. I can't believe how grown you look and act. Even dressing you tonight after your bath I marveled at how long you looked from head to toe. Your personality is really starting to take shape. You definitely know who your Mommy and Daddy are at first sight. You seem to always greet me with a smile...either when I'm coming into your room when you're waking up in the morning, or when I get to pick you up from daycare after being out of town for 3 days. I love how much you love both of us. I can't wait for you to be able to voice your feelings and show your emotions with even greater detail. This month you have mastered crawling. I've witnessed aggressive crawling, u-turn crawling, carpet crawling along with kitchen tile crawling, crib crawling, and even couch crawling. You don't seem to be afraid of too much. It's not enough for you to just pull up anymore. If you can pull up higher or further, you try to. You've accumulated a handful of bumps and bruises, but yet, you aren't phased. I admire that about you, and even at eight months old, I'm envying your character traits. I can't wait to see all that you will teach me. I've always loved to teach or train others. I hope you have that same love and continue to teach me all that you can. Because you better believe that I will teach you every single thing that I know. You will learn each mistake I've made in an effort to help you avoid them. I'll share with you my proudest moments too, so that you'll be more likely to emulate the same moments in your own life. For the rest of both our lives we are a team. If we really put our heads together, I know we'll both be better because of it. But for now, you keep being fearless, and I'll keep being the sponge. I have soaked you up and soaked you up for eight months. I can't wait to see what you teach me next.

Happy Birthday Gray, and I love you,

Daddy

First Haircut and Playtime

2009-11-17T22:09:00.007-05:00

Yesterday started out great. I had the day off from work and was looking forward to spending it with Gray. We played, played, and then played a little bit more. When Mike got back from work, we also fit in a haircut for Gray. I was so nervous but ended up just doing the best I could. I swear he looks three years old now. He looks like a different kid. You can judge it for yourself. Keep in mind that Gray has two cowlicks in the very front of his hair so it does look a little uneven.

Mike, Gray, and I then headed over to my office so that I could get a few things done and then we went and got something to eat. During dinner, Gray just wasn't himself. He was fussy and would not eat anything. I thought maybe he was just tired, but when we got home, we figured out what was wrong. Gray was so hot and when we took his temperature, he was at 103! We called our doc and was worried for the rest of the night. I took him to the doctor today and he has an ear infection and the flu (swine and regular) was ruled out. He has felt better today and his fever finally broke around 5 p.m. today. He got some meds and is ready to get better. Mommy and Daddy are ready too.

I have to go out of town tomorrow. The Lady Dogs play UTC on Thursday night so I will miss my sweet husband's 29th birthday tomorrow. We will have to celebrate as a family on Friday.

Enjoy the pictures...

Before the haircut...

After the haircut!

Gray would rather play with a computer cord than just about anything.

He played with it for like 10 minutes...too funny!

He also likes this play wall thing which is compliments of cousin Averie.

Peek a boo!

Our living room doubles as Graylon's play room.

Gray looks tiny compared to Mike's large feet.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

PS - I don't think we have blogged about Gray's teeth. He has four now...two on top and two on bottom. It looks like he will have two more on top very soon.

Not Only Does He Crawl, But He Tailgates Too

2009-11-15T20:33:00.006-05:00

So Gray has still been busy crawling. He's covering more ground. He's moving faster. And he's pulling up constantly. His diet has added more baby food and eliminated one bottle per day. I can't believe that my son is already nearing his 8 month birthday! I love watching him grow.

Graylon begged and pleaded all week to let us take him to the Georgia/Auburn game this past Saturday. We compromised and told him he could come to the tailgate as long as he was on his best behavior. Well he was. He posed for pictures, ate a hot dog, and threw football. We have proof of the picture posing, but he did all the rest off camera. We had a wonderful time. The Dawgs won too. Gray was pumped!

Not pictured in this post, but also a monumental event...Gray attended his very first UGA Lady Dogs basketball game. He sat in my lap the entire game while Mommy sat on the bench. He would sit still until the crowd would get excited for a big play. Georgia won, so there were plenty of great plays. He was such a good boy, and I thought he seemed very comfortable inside a basketball gym and watching the sport of basketball for the first time. That's a very good sign don't ya think? Anyways, enjoy the pictures of the weekend below. For your viewing pleasure, there is also a video at the end of Graylon pulling up and doing a little crawling. Enjoy!

When I said he pulls up on everything, I mean it.

He had JUST finished his hot dog.

Gray learned every player's jersey number from Pop and the program.

Gray seemed very comfortable sitting with Kelly.

Graylon zonked right out when Aunt Caryn got a hold of him.

I think Jon's glasses look better on Gray than they do on Jon.

Chip and Elizabeth got their Gray time in too. He had just finished throwing football.

There's nothing like play time on Sunday.

Bunco and a birthday party and a wedding...oh my!

2009-11-09T13:06:00.007-05:00

Last Thursday, Graylon got to experience his very first Bunco party. I hosted my Bunco group at our house and Graylon got to meet most of the girls that play in our group. Two of them didn't make it but Graylon was amazed at all the pretty women. He totally loved it.

Friday, I took a vacation day so we could head to Dalton for a fun filled weekend. Friday night, we all surprised Pop Pop with a pool table for his birthday. Mike, Gray, and I also went to the rehearsal and dinner for cousin Chris's wedding. We got to spend some time with all the family and it was fun.

Saturday, we surprised Pop Pop again with a surprise birthday party. Then we all headed to the Chris and Neely's wedding. I must say that it was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been to. The day was beautiful and our entire Byers family was in attendance. Graylon got lots of love from EVERYONE. This was Gray's fourth wedding this year. Check out some pictures below.

Ann, Pam, Vita, Ann, Pam, Mama, Gray, Kay, Paula, and Bogie all pose for a picture to mark Gray's first Bunco experience

Uncle Steve and Cousin Melinda with Gray at the rehearsal dinner Friday night

Gray and Jocey played musical bowls Saturday morning

Jocey Lynn had to help Meemaw cook breakfast and also had to have on a apron just like Meemaw.

Uncle Ronald came to the surprise party and got some time with Gray

Grandma Frances stopped by the party and had to get a picture with two of her great grandchildren

Meemaw, Gray, and Pop Pop all dressed up at the wedding

Even though the sun was in their eyes, Brett, Tasia, Aunt Stacy, and Uncle Michael enjoyed the ceremony with Gray in their laps.

Uncle Michael hanging out with Gray at the reception

Uncle Brandon was telling Gray all about the dance moves that he was going to break out later.

LaBarbera family picture

Gray took off his vest and unbottoned his shirt to let loose a little toward the end of the reception

Congratulations Neely and Chris on your beautiful wedding and marriage!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-04T17:21:00.022-05:00

A lot has happened since the last post. Gray has added pulling up on everything to his crawling. He eats baby food 3 times a day. He has moved up in classrooms at day care to the "Crawlers" room. Also, Graylon enjoyed his first Halloween, and he did so as a pumpkin.

Last Friday was a furlough day at UGA, so Heather had the day off. She and Graylon joined me in Dalton. While I worked, Gray got to see Grandmas and Grandpas. They made their rounds during the day, and then we headed back to White to see Granna and Pop. Heather and I had a wonderful dinner at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen thanks in part to our friend and restaurant manager, Steven, while Gray stayed with Granna and Pop. Saturday was Halloween and we spent the day and the Lane's house to watch the Dawgs play, dress up the kids, take some pictures, hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters, and enjoy some of Jon's beef brisket. We had a great time! Enjoy a ton of pictures below.

Gray sporting his new winter hat was playing with a Halloween toy courtesy of Uncle Joe and Aunt Diane.

Gray in mid-swing with his ghost beanie baby.

"Don't I take a great bath picture?"

Graylon smiling with his first ever teacher, Ms. Rita. It was Gray's last day in her class.

Grandma Ophia got some long overdue Gray-love on Friday morning.

Grandma Sharon and her favorite grandson

Granny Franny and Gray from Schloztky's on Walnut Avenue

Pop Pop and Gray getting together for a business lunch

Gray got a bath from Granna. He showed her his splashing skills.

Jon was a Florida fan for Halloween. It was spot on if you ask me.

Gray had his first dissolving puffs experience. He wasn't too sure about 'em.

Ashley hanging out with the three amigos

The Dawgs were in the process of frustrating us all.

The Three Amigos were such great sharers.

Gray was beggin' his Mama to go trick-or-treating. We told him he'd be big enough next year.

The Pumpkin, The Cheeser, and The Monkey

Granna, Gray, and Pop

Tim Tebow, Henry, and Ashley

Daddy, Gray, and Mommy

Aunt Caryn, Graylon, and Uncle J

Weekend fun!

2009-10-25T20:34:00.009-04:00

First of all, I just want to thank Meemaw (Damaris) and Nanny (Damaris's mom Christine) who drove all the way to Athens on Thursday morning to clean our house and to see Gray and me. We were so thankful and greatly appreciated the help. It's so nice to walk into a clean home and know that all I have to do is spend time with my family and not worry about cleaning the bathrooms or sweeping the floor. Thanks again Meemaw and Nanny!

We had such a fun and enjoyable weekend. It started off on Friday with Mike getting to Athens in time to pick up Gray from daycare. Mike hadn't see Gray since last Monday morning and it was a nice treat for both of them. By the way...Gray moves up to the next class in daycare on November 2nd. Now that he is crawling and sitting up by himself, it is time...and time is just flying by. Mike, Gray, and I stayed home Friday night and just hung out together. We were anticipating seeing several of our friends who had planned to come visit us. Due to some issues, the only ones that got to come to our house on Saturday was Steven and his son Emerson. Emerson is only two weeks younger than Gray and it was great to see them both.

Saturday morning came and Gray pulled up for the first time on the little play table that you see in the picture above. We were so proud of him. He also had another first...he fell on that same table and busted his lip. Yes, there was blood and he was pitiful. He has never really had a "boo boo". We know that there will probably be many more, but I felt so bad for him. Gray sucked it up like a big boy though and it never bothered him again.

I had to work some on Saturday, but when I got home, I got to see Mr. Emerson...what a cutie! He is precious and it was so much fun to see them playing together. We visited the Terrapin Brewery on Saturday night and then went out for dinner.

Sunday, after everyone slept in, we headed to Sandy Creek park for some disc golf. Emerson and Graylon enjoyed being strolled around and Mike and Steven competed for 19 holes of disc golf. Steven won. I was the official score keeper. It was such a beautiful day. The weather was perfect. My camera battery died while we were there so I didn't get many pictures at the park.

Graylon also got another tooth today. One of his top middle teeth is peeking through. He has three teeth now! Also, now that Gray is always on the move, it is getting difficult trying to change his diaper. There is some proof below. Gray may not like this but I thought it was too cute not to share. Please no one tell Gray about the picture below. When you see it, you will know what I mean. :) All in all, it was a great weekend. Check out some pictures below.

This is after Graylon had pulled up on his play table. Way to go Gray!

Gray and Emerson playing together. They are such sweet babies.

Gray's is trying to get Emerson to crawl and Emerson is trying to get Gray to just relax...it is the weekend.

The two boys both in the back seat of our Honda Accord. They were so ready to go out on the town Saturday night.

It was a little chilly out on Saturday so Gray got to wear his new gray jacket.

Emerson in his gray jacket too.

Me and my sweet baby boy...check out the busted lip.

If you think Emerson looks like his daddy, you should see his mommy. He is such a good mix of them both.

Gray is teaching Mike how to keep your dukes up.

All the boys posing in front of the Terrapin at the brewery.

Someone could not sit still long enough to get a new diaper on before he was on his way to play.

Gray and Emerson were getting ready for their trip to the park.

Not really sure what they were looking at...probably a fresh bottle of milk.

Steven is getting some love from both baby boys.

Mike couldn't be left out.

Gray and Emerson were sooo good in their strollers for the disc golf game. They took it all in.

My baby Gray in his new hat that Granna and Pop gave us last Christmas before Gray was even here.

Happy 7 Month Birthday Gray!

2009-10-21T21:11:00.004-04:00

Dear Gray,

It has been seven amazing months since your daddy and I welcomed your sweet little self into this world. It has been such a learning and growing experience for not just you but for your mommy and daddy too. This month has been filled with a lot of Gray and mommy time which I absolutely love. You have been sick some this month, but you have been quite the little trooper. Every single day, I feel like you are doing something new. You have learned to sit up by yourself, you have learned to crawl, you love to splash in the bathtub, you eat like a hungry hungry hippo, and you love to love on your mommy. You eat solid food twice a day and love your high chair. You are so close to pulling up on everything. You will hold your own bottle if I put both of your hands on it. You still just need a little help from your mommy. Since you are on the move now, you love to crawl around in your crib. You get up on your knees and push the buttons on the mobile and also on the ocean aquarium toy. I think it distracts you sometimes from going to sleep. You love to have your daddy tickle your face and you love to have your hair brushed after a bath. I love the way you look at me. You study me and how my mouth moves when I talk or sing to you. I never want to take a day with you for granted because I don't want to miss anything. I am your biggest fan (your daddy is too) and I always want you to know that I love you so very much. I am proud of you and my heart overflows with "Grayness". "You are my sunshine". I let you know by singing it to you just about every day. It's your new favorite song. I only know the first verse but you could listen to it for an hour straight if I would sing it. I can't wait to see what's next. I love you!

Love,
Mommy

Catch up!

2009-10-17T20:10:00.009-04:00

I know that you all know that Mike, Gray, and I have been pretty busy over the last few weeks and the blog hasn't really reflected all that has been going on in our lives. Here is a quick recap...three weeks ago, Uncle Brandon, Aunt Heather, and cousin Jocey came to Athens to visit for the week before the LSU game. I got really sick and stayed in the bed most of the week and weekend. Aunt Heather and Uncle Brandon jumped right in and took care of everything. Graylon loves them so much. Grandma Sharon visited that weekend and got some Gray love. Cousin Jocey Lynn loved on her cousin nonstop and I when I say nonstop, I mean NONSTOP.

Then Baby William arrived! We headed to Canton the very next weekend to see the LaBarbera family and to stay with Granna and Pop. We also got some time with the Lane's. It all made for a great weekend.

Gray has had a cold this past week and we have had to use the blue aspirator a lot so that he can breathe. I feel really bad for him, but you would never know just how sick he was because he has still been his happy self.

The Lady Dogs preseason party was last Tuesday and it was the best one that we have had so far. Everyone got to meet Gray or see him again and the players and coaches were so funny. Even though there isn't a picture below, Ms. Ann helped me take care of Gray during the party. We had a lot of fun.

When I picked Gray up from daycare on Wednesday, one of his teachers, Ms. Robin, said that he had been crawling all day. I was in total shock because he had only really tried to crawl (see last post with the video). When I got home (Daddy made it home on Wednesday so he was there too), I put Gray down in the living room floor and sure enough, he could crawl. He is everywhere now and I love it! By the way, Gray sits on his own now too.

He is also eating a lot better. In addition to all of his bottles throughout the day, each morning, he eats oatmeal and a fruit for breakfast at daycare. At night about 7 p.m., he eats oatmeal and a vegetable. I know, you are thinking, oatmeal and a vegetable. Well, Gray's doctor told us to offer him oatmeal for a while because back when he was sick after he had started eating rice cereal, we thought he might have an allergy to it. So we will offer rice cereal again soon, but right now, he is really liking the oatmeal. Our goal is to eventually get to three meals a day, but he has really just started eating the two pretty well. We are so proud of him!

Like Mike said in the last post, Gray got his pictures made at Olan Mills on Wednesday and the pictures are adorable. I can't wait to get them back and share them with everyone.

This morning, we went to Watkinsville for the fall festival. It was wet and cold but we got out in it anyways. Gray was in his car seat in the stroller the entire time bundled up. He was too cute. We ate at breakfast at a place we had never been to before...the Big Easy Cafe. Gray had oatmeal and pears and Mommy and Daddy had omelets. It was nice to just go out as a family together. The rest of the day was filled with Georgia football and more football. Way to go Dawgs! Gray is now asleep and I am already looking forward to spending time as a family tomorrow.

Here are some pictures from the past few weeks...enjoy!

Jocey and Aunt Heather giving Gray a bath.

Shirtless Gray starting his "Gooooo Dawgs" cheer.

Uncle Brandon was just explaining how to get your opponent to "tap out" during an MMA fight.

Gray loves bubble baths!

Jocey Lynn loves her cousin Gray.

We just told Jocey that she gets to hold Gray for 5 whole minutes.

Gray sporting his new Halloween attire.

Gray trying to take a nap with Jocey attached to his hip.

Can you tell that they are buddies? They are watching TV and Gray is pointing out that Tom can never catch Jerry.

Grandma Sharon, Gray, and Jojo wishing Michaela was here too.

You go Gray!

Graylon was showing off his three point stance.

Gray finally got to meet the very talented Jermaine King at the preseason party.

Lauren and Mike Holcomb thinking about having baby number 3 after getting a little time with Gray.

Once again, Gray demonstrates proper football technique...check out that stiff arm on Chase White.

We caught Gray playing under his jumperoo.

He couldn't decide whether to play with Elmo or pull up after crawling over to mommy.

Gray Can Crawl!

2009-10-16T13:22:00.004-04:00

I wonder how many blog followers we lost during this drought between posts? Our schedules haven't really allowed us to blog lately. There are gobs and gobs of pictures to put up, but for the time being, I'm just gonna put up some cute ones with a video. Heather will chronologically put the rest up later.

The video below is a very special one. It is the first footage caught of Mr. Graylon crawling. This video was shot a few days ago while I was still in Dalton. He is much faster now. Hopefully I'll capture a little more video soon. I'm gonna have to be quick with the camera cause the little guy can scoot now.

He's also battling a little cold too, so keep him in your prayers. He's still as smiley and happy-go-lucky as he always is. Mommy and I just cringe though, every time he coughs.

This past Wednesday, Gray got his pictures made at Olan Mills. He posed with overalls, and a football uniform, and in a diaper. We picked several good ones. We can't wait to show them to all of you. We'll get them in 2 weeks.

Enjoy the rest of the pictures below. They're all long overdue. We apologize for the delay. We're all doing the best we can. Thanks for your patience. I hope all followers of this blog are still loyal and true. We'll pick up the pace as soon as we can.

Headed to see the Dawgs play at Averie and William's house

You can tell by the smile that UGA/UT game hadn't kicked off yet.

Pop feeding Gray some sweet potatoes.

Gray and Henry were finishing their secret hand shake with a chest bump.

Yep. He can hold his own bottle...most of the time.

Graylon's Got a New Cousin!

2009-10-06T20:06:00.010-04:00

The LaBarbera family welcomed William Anthony LaBarbera yesterday, Graylon's first boy cousin. He weighed in a whopping 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 21 inches long. Uncle Rick, Aunt Kelly, and Cousin Averie now have a little boy/brother in their family. We are so happy for them because we know how special little boys are. We can't wait to get to spend some more time with William and his big sister Averie hopefully this upcoming weekend. Congratulations Rick and Kelly! We love you and now we love that little man of yours too. He is beautiful! Check out some pictures before William arrived and some after he made his grand entrance into this world.

Graylon and Averie hanging out in the waiting area. Averie was on her second cup of coffee.

Henry and Graylon having a dance contest in the waiting room...shake it like a salt shaker.

Mama Kelly did a great job! This is when we first laid eyes on William. We were in awe!

William is definitely a LaBarbera...check out his hair!

William is a precious gift from God.

It's hard to see Granna for the cell phone but she was beaming with pride.

Pop couldn't take his eyes off of his new grandson.

Uncle Mike got his hands on Baby William and didn't want to let go.

"What's up ladies?"

What a beautiful family!

Everybody All Dressed Up

2009-09-27T12:54:00.006-04:00

Hello everyone. Heather has been holding down the fort that is this blog for the past few weeks as I learn all there is to know about life insurance. I am once again headed back to Dalton later on tonight, but I should be back home by Wednesday or Thursday. Continue to keep Heather, Gray and I in your prayers as we push through these tough patches apart from each other.

Yesterday was cousin Jonathan's wedding in Hiram, Georgia. He married Rebecca Watkins, and the wedding beat out the bad weather and was beautiful. The Byers family made the trek across the great state of Georgia to all congregate together and break out a dance move or two. Great food, great music, and all the great people made the evening a night to remember. It was a good excuse to put on some "purdy" clothes and snap a few pictures. There are a ton of pictures, so I'll shut up and let you see 'em.

Pop Pop posing with Gray as Jocey looks on in the background. She's very protective of her cousin.

Mee Maw and Jo Jo had been discussing how much fun four-wheelers are.

Uncle Brandon is grinning because he can't wait to show Gray the proper technique of the "figure four."

Aunt Heather has excited to see Gray to say the least.

Daddy was smiling for the camera; Graylon overheard someone say the word "bottle."

Jocey woulda held Gray all day if we'd let her. I think Mommy feels the same way about her niece and son.

Jocey was crawling over me to get to Gray. She graciously paused for a picture.

Heather and Brandon make a Graylon sandwich.

Uncle Ronald and Uncle Michael make a Jocey sandwich.

Aunt Brenda and Grandma Ophia spent the evening beaming with pride from all the babies and Jonathan's special day.

Kenny and Aunt Lacey also got their Gray on.

Jocey and Bride Becca...A wonderful photo opportunity.

There are no words for this picture.

IT'S ELECTRIC! Aunt Brenda and Pop Pop breaking it down.

Mr. and Mrs. Byers put on a great party and did a great job during the ceremony. We are so happy for them. Thanks for letting us share in your special day.

Another Great Weekend

2009-09-24T20:29:00.007-04:00

Last weekend, we traveled to White, GA to visit Granna and Pop, to watch the Georgia Bulldogs, and also to celebrate Uncle J's birthday. We got there on Friday night and we stayed in the "family" suite for the weekend. In Granna and Pop's new house, they have an upstairs bedroom and bathroom over the garage. They also have a crib in there so it was perfect for us.

Saturday was packed full of fun. Besides the entire LaBarbera crew, the Lane's and Payne's joined us too. While the girls were in charge of the dips and sides, Jon with the help of some of the guys, made wings...buffalo, Asian, and fire-que. It was all excellent! The Bulldogs won and we got some much needed fellowship with family and friends. Averie, Henry and Gray all had a blast playing in their homemade play area in the living room. See some pictures from the weekend below. Gray got love from EVERYONE!

Mr. Henry Patrick Lane showing Gray just how easy it is to stand up and play at the coffee table.

They share eye lashes and they shared an embrace on Saturday...Aunt Caryn and Baby Gray.

Granna holds her only grandson...only grandson for now.

Can you guess what Gray and Daddy's favorite team is?

Uncle Rick sitting with a little girl and a little boy. Get used to this combination.

Averie seemed to step in an Uncle Mike trap.

Pop seems to have his hands full. I don't think he minds.

Go Cubs Go. Well, maybe next year.

If it's a staring contest, Graylon wins. If it's a smiling contest, Ashley wins.

Aunt Kelly and Baby Gray discussing what they think William will be like. Both of them can hardly wait.

We have a few things that we are looking forward to coming up very soon. This Saturday, our cousin Jonathan and his beautiful fiance Becca are getting married. Uncle Brandon, Auntie Heather Lynn, and cousin Jocey Lynn are coming to Athens to visit us next week. And last but certainly not least (and may not even be last), Uncle Rick, Aunt Kelly, and cousin Averie are expecting a little boy/brother any day now. We can't wait to meet William Anthony!

Happy 6 Month Birthday Gray!

2009-09-21T17:08:00.003-04:00

Dear Graylon,

Happy 6 month birthday! I am so proud of you. It seems like you have grown and learned more this month than any before. You are really into me which I absolutely love. It may also be because you have been sick for the past two weeks, but you are such a happy baby despite your sickness. You are definitely more vocal. You laugh, squeal, and hum and I think your laugh is the sweetest sound I have ever heard. Sometimes, I don't know if you are laughing or if you are upset because it sounds the same. You started eating rice cereal and a tried a few fruits and veggies earlier this month but the doctor took you off of food altogether until we can get you healthy again. You smile every time I say "Wow" when I am bragging on you (I got that from your Daddy) and I can get you to smile pretty much any time I want. On Labor Day, you shocked us all...you got your first tooth! It is so much fun to now watch you suck on your bottom lip and push your tongue through your lips to feel of the new thing in your mouth. You are almost ready to sit up by yourself. You can do it for maybe a few seconds and then you topple over. I love to watch you in your crib in the morning or after you wake up from naps. You roll around everywhere and now you are starting to get up on all fours and rock back and forth. I think one of your favorite things to do is after you get your diaper changed on your changing table, I let you grab my fingers and I pull you up to a stance. You immediately look to your left at the mirror and start smiling. You love to stand in front of it and look at yourself. There are hand prints all over the mirror and I don't even want to clean them off. You have gone to daycare a total of three days...the first three days you started. After that is when you got sick and your haven't been back yet. You loved daycare and your teacher Ms. Rita. She is so sweet and good to you. She was so excited to see you the three days I dropped you off. We have had a trying time with your Daddy being gone some with his new job, but we are so thankful for the great opportunity that he has in his new job. You enjoyed your first Georgia Bulldogs football game on TV and also enjoyed your first tailgate the very next weekend. You have started laying your head on my chest when you get tired. It melts my heart and I think your Daddy and I secretly always want to put you to bed because we know you like to cuddle. It has been an amazing month and I feel so blessed to be your mother. You are my little "mister" and I love you way up to God!

Love,
Mommy

PS - Happy Birthday to Heather Lynn and my sweet niece Michaela! She is now a teenager! Happy Anniversary to Carl and Vickie aka Pop and Granna! Gray is so blessed to have you all in his life.

Gray's First Tailgate

2009-09-15T18:23:00.009-04:00

Gray experienced a first last weekend...his first tailgate. We had told him how exciting it was going to be, but I really don't think he had any clue until he was actually in the midst of Dawg fans, loud music, and the smell of Jon Lane's pork tenderloin on the grill. The Bulldogs beat the Gamecocks and Graylon couldn't have been any happier.

We also had lots of visitors at the house. Friday night, Aunt Caryn, Uncle J, Uncle Rick, Aunt Kelly, and Cousin Averie all came to get ready for the big weekend. The next day everyone else including Granna, Pop, Jon, Ashley, and Henry arrived. We had more people in our house staying the two nights than ever before. I'd like to say that it is a record for the LaBarbera household. We had a great time. Check out some pictures below.

The LaBarbera's

The Lane's

Granna and Pop with their grandbabies Averie and Gray

Daddy giving Gray the pregame talk

Henry just told Caryn that the Dawgs are totally gonna win. He's not even worried.

Three Daddies getting some tailgate love from their babies

The Three Amigos

What's Cuter Than Baby Laughter?

2009-09-14T23:09:00.003-04:00

I know that Heather has been carrying the blog torch lately while I learn a new job out of town and go parading all over the country watching the Bulldogs. Well here is one from me. Spending time away from Heather and Gray has been difficult to say the least. The only thing keeping me sane is knowing that it's temporary and knowing that the time spent away from them is for them. Once reunited Gray and I still played the same games, and I got him to laugh at the same stuff. The video below is proof. Whenever I change his diaper and he isn't sleepy, I'll do a combo of tickling his ribs while I put my face on his belly. It cracks him up every time. I look forward to the day that he is laughing at an inside joke that only we get and the time we'll spend pulling pranks on Mommy. Well, I know it's short, but it truly is sweet. Watch Gray laugh, and I'll try and get back to lots of posting as soon as I can.

For no reason at all...

2009-09-09T21:02:00.005-04:00

...I just love this pic. Gray and I miss you Daddy!

A Whirlwind of Fun and New Experiences

2009-09-08T20:28:00.012-04:00

So it has been a while since we blogged last and a lot has happened in our lives. Graylon is growing like a weed and is doing new "tricks" on a daily basis. We started out last week with Mike and Gray going to Dalton so that Mike could train for his new job at Liberty National. Gray stayed with Meemaw Damaris, Grandma Sharon, and Grandma Frances. He had many visitors including Grandma Ophia, Aunt Brenda, Nanny Christine, and a few others. It was great to finally get to spend time with Gray and Mike when they got back to Athens.

Then it was time for the weekend. While Daddy went to Oklahoma to watch the Georgia Bulldogs, Gray and I spent time with Grandma Sharon. We did a lot of shopping, a lot of loving on Gray, and of course we watched the football game on Saturday.

Sunday night, Graylon and I went to pick Mike up from the airport. It was so much fun to be waiting at the top of the escalator at the Atlanta airport. Mike was so excited to see Gray and Gray was equally excited to see his Daddy! We spent the night at Uncle Rick and Aunt Kelly's house that night so that we could have a cookout on Monday with the family. In attendance, besides our hosts, were Cousin Averie, Cousin William (still in Aunt Kelly's belly but hopefully coming soon), Granna, Pop, Aunt Caryn, Uncle J, Ashley, Jon, and little Henry. We had a great time visiting with everyone and are looking forward to seeing everyone next weekend when everyone comes to Athens to watch the Dawgs. Much thanks to Rick and Kelly for opening up their home to us for Labor Day.

Mike is once again spending the week in Dalton and training for his job. We said our goodbye's last night and headed our seperate ways. Gray slept most of the time until we got about 20 minutes away. He was starting getting hungry and I had to sing to him to settle him down which by the way is TERRIBLE. I don't know why, but he loves to hear me sing "Jesus Loves Me". He will be crying and then suddenly stop and just listen. So...I sang it probably 30 times. I love that boy! We got home, I fed him pears and rice cereal, bathed him, gave him a bottle, and then he was out.

Then there was today...Gray's first day of daycare. Needless to say, I was the baby in today's situation. Gray was f-i-n-e. I had to fight back tears when I dropped him off. I was not successful at all. As the day went along, I was better. I called to check on him once and he was great. Ms. Rita is his teacher. She is super. She made me feel so good about leaving him with her. She greeted me when we arrived and took Gray from me. She put him in the exersaucer while we went over everything. He didn't even give me a second glance once he was in that thing. He was playing and I did get his attention one last time for a picture.

It was the best feeling when I left work driving over to pick him up. I was like a kid at Christmas. Of course, when I got there, he was playing and loving it. We came home and we went through the nightly routine. Being a "single" mom this week has been hard. I am soooo thankful for my wonderful husband and Gray and I miss him dearly. We know that he will be back soon so until then....Daddy, enjoy the pics!

Gray watching his Mommy cook breakfast.

Watch out...it's the BIG man on campus.

Two cuties!

Look, ma, it's my new walker!

I love my Grandma Sharon. We had fun at the Mall of Georgia!

My new pj's are so tight...literally, they are fitted.

Dad, go long and GO DAWGS!

This is my Aunt Caryn. She gave me some of her long eye lashes.

Pop knows that the way to a growing baby boy's heart is through a full bottle and a lot of love.

I love sleeping in my Granna's arms. She makes me melt.

Averie let me sit in her big girl chair. I like to consider myself a big boy.

Averie is teaching Henry and me the different colors of the rainbow. She is such a big help with us.

Three amigos!

This is what I wore to my first day of daycare.

Ms. Rita is the best teacher and have I mentioned how much I love exersaucers?

Mmmm...pears and rice cereal are the best!

Awkward Sleeping Positions and Green Beans

2009-08-27T22:25:00.009-04:00

I haven't intentionally taken this long to blog. I was so proud of the last blog's video that I wanted it to headline as long as possible. This has been a very fun and memorable week. I start work with Liberty National Insurance next week, so this is my last week bumming around Daddy Day Care. I've had one of the most extreme cases of cabin fever of all time, but I'm not looking forward to giving another soul the responsibilities I've owned the past 5 months. I knew all along that this situation would not carry on forever, but now that it's here, I'm not pumped. I'm a tough guy though, and I'll be fine. We've spent more time wrestling this week, and Gray promised less poopy messes. We've had a blast.

This week has had it's fair share of milestones. Gray's sleeping habits and positions are ever-changing. He prefers his side and tummy now, but will occasionally mix in a back nap. He likes to root his face into the corner of the back of the crib and the mattress. Of course, I had to lay a hand on him a million times to make sure his breathing was not affected. He's sleeping harder and therefore growing a ton!

On Wednesday our friend, Shannon, came by to visit Graylon for the second time in his short life. She was smitten like a kitten. We ate dinner, and then she got to see Gray's bedtime routine. She also posed for a picture, and it's below.

I've also really wanted to get spoon food going with Gray this week. If I or Heather don't get it done, then it means that more than likely MeeMaw or Granny Franny will be trying next week while I train in Dalton. Or, the folks at the day care will be introducing him to bananas and green beans. Both scenarios aren't the way I would want if I could choose. I would prefer I or Heather do it. So we're REALLY trying to get Gray to love some green beans in the video posted on this site. Rice cereal is not cooperating with our boy so we skipped right into the beans. He did well. See for yourself.

Enjoy the pictures too. Bare with us between posts. I won't have our computer in Dalton while I train next week. I will, however, have Graylon and the camera. I may figure out a way to blog something. On this same subject, keep Heather and I in your prayers as Heather spends the majority of next week in Winterville without her boys. I'm training in Dalton while Gray spends time with a combination of grandparents to help us save one week's worth of day care tuition. We'll be reunited in no time. The "time" part is what we're not looking forward to though. In the end we will be just fine. Enjoy the pics in the meantime.

I told the most hilarious knock-knock joke. Gray is such a sucker!

"You talkin' to ME?"

Shannon offered to babysit like 100 times. I think Mr. Graylon charmed her socks off.

One of those new sleep positions I was referring to. He's in deep, deep sleep here...for real.

This was the moment he had anything with flavor in his mouth for the first time. Who wouldn't be smiling?

UGA Picture Day

2009-08-23T00:01:00.009-04:00

Saturday morning at around 4 am, and without having gone to sleep, Uncle Rick, Henry's dad Jon, and I set up three tailgating chairs outside Sanford Stadium and waited. We were waiting for 9 am. At 9 o' clock, the UGA promotions department would begin to give out tickets to reserve a spot next to Uga VII at picture day. This year will be only this Uga's second football season, and he was so new last year, that he didn't attend Picture Day. So we expected a crowd. 150 tickets were going to be given out, and when we got there I counted our spot in line. I calculated around 50th, so we felt satisfied and tried to make the best of the wait. I woke up two hours later. The sun was up, and there were approximately 100 more people behind me in line down East Campus Road. The time finally to stake our claim to a spot finally arrived, and we inched our way toward the booth. In the other direction was Coach Richt's line. Uga and Coach Richt are, by far, the most popular picture takers on this day. They are the only two with the need for prearranged tickets to get pictures. So we finally got our Uga ticket and thought we would just go get in the fast moving Coach Richt line, and try our luck. 250 Coach Richt tickets were given, and after Rick, Jon, and I GOT OUR TICKETS, the guy right behind us got the last one! We were lucky and exhausted. We headed home to tell everyone the good news, and we were to come back to the stadium with wives and children to take some pictures.

We got to the stadium around 1 pm, and did our best to track down Mr. Uga. The promotions staff did an excellent job of herding us all through as quickly as humanly possible. Everyone we encountered working this event were friendly and made the experience great. We finally got to see Uga VII, and he seemed pretty worn out and sleepy. All the kids did great with him. We then headed to see Coach Richt. Once again, we waited in a line. The Coach Richt meeting included one autograph, so his line moved a tad bit slower. Even waiting in line, we were all entertained. While waiting, the football players came through, and we got to see a glimpse of some of our favorites. We met with Coach Richt, and he was a pleasure. Heather mentioned that Gray's Uncle Brandon was in the Army, and Coach Richt wanted to send him a personalized message. He said Sgt. Byers, but the camera only caught the "Byers" part. So Uncle Brandon, here you go:

The day was long, but well worth it. Jon, Rick, and I can claim all the Daddy brownie points, but it was gratifying to us as well. We had a great time. Jon was the driving force behind the entire event, so I'd like give him a special "thank you." Here are a few pictures. There will be more to come. Getting Brandon's message didn't allow us to take a picture of the family with him with our camera. Aunt Kelly and Ashley were taking pictures though and the professional one was snapped, so we'll have it eventually. Enjoy the pictures we have, and an edited video of the day. I'm going back to sleep.

"Oh boy! I can't wait to see Uga!"

The Lane's were anxiously awaiting their first peak at the baddest bulldog in all the land.

The LaBarbera family epitomizes everything Georgia. They sure look good in red and black.

Heather and I had the privileged of posing with UGA's quarterback for the 2027-28 season.

Just moments before we got to see Coach Richt and Gray faints from excitement. Jk...he was sawing logs.

GOOOOOOO DAWGS! SIC 'EM!

5 Month Letter to Graylon

2009-08-21T07:53:00.002-04:00

Gray,

Happy five month birthday. When we brought you home from the hospital, your five month birthday was the furthest thing from our mind. At that time, I had realized being the daddy of a baby. At this time, I realize I am the daddy of a little boy. You have grown up so much, and I am floored when I look at pictures over the past months. I keep saying that I can't wait for you to do this or that, and I've known all along not to say those things because I'll never get THIS time back. I now know I don't have to wish those things because at this rate, they'll be here before I know it.

Gray, you have taught me so much in the 153 days you've been on this planet. You've taught me how to nap in a still position. I always was a tosser and a turner. I've learned that when I got you on my chest and asleep, if I want to keep you that way, I better stay still. And believe me, when you're napping with me, I want to keep it that way. You've taught me how to enjoy the simple things. I had a time passing my insurance certification test. I was frustrated and disappointed several times. All I had to do, was pick you up with your smiling face and I could forget all about that insurance license. I consider myself a laid back kind of guy, but you have helped me "keep it real." You've taught me to keep my cool in a messy situation. Sure, I played a couple years of college ball. Sure, I have had a couple of stressful, high paced jobs. And sure, I lived with Brent Bagby. But, until you pooped all over my shirt or until you pooped on a living room pillow I never knew how I would react to pure chaos. In those situations, terror initially registered with me, but my shaky hands calmed, and I cleaned you up.

I've learned from you and you're just five months old. I'm supposed to be the teacher, and we'll have to get you talking before you can tell me what I've taught you. I look forward to teaching you everything I know. I'm gonna coach you up. I'm gonna give you every piece of advice that could in any way advance you in this world. In the meantime, I'll stick to play time, bottle feeding, diaper changes, and bath time. I'll help you to laugh, talk, crawl, and then walk.

Happy 5 month birthday, Gray. I love you.

Love,
Daddy

A Couple of Minutes of a Typical Graylon Day

2009-08-20T15:44:00.006-04:00

Graylon is a day away from his 5 month birthday! Mommy and I can't believe it! He has turned into such a big boy. It's been a while since the last video clip, so I've attached one. It's a two and a half minute clip of how Gray typically spends his day. It's hard to lay him on his back to play. He immediately rolls over onto his belly to look around. He was talking a lot, so I thought I'd whip out the camera and catch him. Excuse the drool, and enjoy.

ATTENTION ALL NON-GRANDMOTHERS...He doesn't do a whole lot, (except be cute) so don't be waiting for a grand finale'. I could watch him do anything though. I've watched him sleep at length. I just wanted to put out the disclaimer, so that all of Gray's fans don't have a let down. If you're looking for a little of Gray smiling, talking, and grabbing then watch away. If you're looking for walking, basketball dribbling, or roller skating, then don't bother watching. Anyway...enjoy.

Random Pics

2009-08-17T20:29:00.004-04:00

Here are some pictures that I thought were fun...enjoy!

Do you know that your foot is as big as from your elbow to your wrist?

Graylon and his chubby cheeks

You look sooo cool right now.

Nice neckline Gray, and whatta ya say? "The Cubs are gonna win today!"

Aunt Caryn and Uncle J Get an A++

2009-08-16T17:18:00.006-04:00

Well, we headed out Saturday and arrived at Aunt Caryn and Uncle J's around 2:45 p.m. for Graylon's first visit with them at their apartment without Mommy and Daddy there. We got to see Granna and Pop right before Mike and I left to go to Frett's wedding. The wedding was great! Frett looked amazing and her and Dion were sooo happy. The ceremony was like no other I have ever been to. There was lots of laughing and clapping during the service and the wedding party was so tall. Four of the six bridesmaids were 6'3" or taller! The maid of honor was 6'7"!! A lot of my coworkers were there. Kim caught the bouquet so maybe we will be hearing good news soon. :) We got to visit with friends that we haven't seen in a while. They all asked about Graylon. It was a great night. Congratulations Keshia and Dion!

Throughout the evening, Caryn had sent us text message pictures so that we could keep up with Gray's night. When we got back around 11 p.m., we got to hear all about Gray's night. Sara, Elizabeth, and Chip all came over to get their hands on Gray. All in all, I think Graylon had a wonderful evening with his Aunt and Uncle. Thanks so much Caryn and Jason for watching our precious little boy so that we could have a date night.

We came back home today, but on the way home, we ate lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen and strolled Graylon around Discover Mills. We hit up some great sales at Children's Place and Carter's. It is so much fun buying clothes for Gray. Everything we bought was for next summer. We had a great family day.

Hopefully, Aunt Caryn and Granna will email us some pictures of their Saturday night so that we can put some on the blog, but here are some pics from Frett's wedding and our Sunday.

La'Keshia and Dion are so happy after their beautiful wedding ceremony!

Graylon and Daddy spending some quality morning time in the bed together.

Graylon taking a break at the mall. He loves his new umbrella stroller.

The Week of the Roll Over

2009-08-15T10:54:00.008-04:00

We had another great week with Graylon accomplishing a couple of firsts. He rolled over from back to tummy and from tummy to back. He's done the tummy to back before, but only when we had tucked his arms up under him to help him prop his head up. This week he did it from the normal crawling position. The back-to-tummy roll kind of freaked me out a little. I laid him on a blanket in the floor on his back while I was folding some laundry and watching golf. Next thing I know, I look down at him a few minutes later and he is on his tummy. I totally missed it.

Missing it was kind of the theme for his roll over firsts. Earlier, he was on his belly in the floor and just talking away. I thought I'd grab the camera and catch it for the blog. Once I started rolling the camera, he stopped talking as much. I kept going though, just in case. When he continually didn't do anything I started talking to him. As I got in position to do some up close talking, he rolled over. The camera only caught his feet in the air on the roll. I captured it, but I didn't. I was glad to have the moment recorded, even though it wasn't the most accurate camera pointing in the world.

We are headed today to Jonesboro to attend the wedding of a coworker of Heather's, La'keshia Frett. Aunt Caryn and Uncle J are getting their first baby sittin' gig with Graylon. Granna will probably show up as well as many of Caryn's friends, so Gray gets to be a celebrity today. We are so glad to have family around to allow us to go to the wedding as a couple. We'll surely miss him, but it will only be a handful of hours.

Graylon took several cute pictures this week. The famous "almost" video is posted. Included too is a quick video of him in his Bumbo seat. His neck is super strong and he can concentrate on his hands a lot easier while in it. He's growing up right in front of our eyes.

Graylon relaxing after a hard day's work.

"Mom, seriously? You're stilllllll taking pictures?"

No coincidence that the pillows are yellow, and his outfit has yellow in it.

He looks really long from head to toe in this picture. He's pushing 5 feet tall I think.

A Birthday Bash Weekend

2009-08-11T14:23:00.009-04:00

The weekend began like any other good weekend does...on Friday. We got to White, Georgia early evening and enjoyed some Chinese take out with Granna and Pop. Later Uncle J and Aunt Caryn arrived to help get the house ready for Ms. Averie's 2-year old birthday party. The new house is really taking shape and looks like a home. Granna and Pop have really put in the work. Later Friday night, the birthday girl herself stopped in with Aunt Kelly and Uncle Rick to bring a few things for the next day. Even though the next day was gonna be wild and long we were still up until 2 in the morning catching up.

Saturday morning arrived, and Averie Raye was officially two years old. The girls went to get their nails done, Pop did a little party prep, and Uncle J and I kept our eyes on Gray and XBox. Heather headed to Dalton to help throw a wedding shower for her cousin Chris. The party started at the neighborhood pool at 4. Gray got his sunblock on as well as a borrowed water diaper and swimsuit from his buddy Henry. He did a fabulous job in the water and was a natural. I would motor boat him around the pool and he would let his feet drag out behind him like a real swimmer would. He never whined and actually asked to go back in afterward. I explained to him that Averie Raye would be opening presents soon, so we needed to get home and take a nap. The rest of the party was a blast, and Averie turned into a big girl right before our very eyes. Heather made it to the party to see Averie open her presents. Everyone seemed to have a really good time.

Sunday, was a lazy recovery day. Caryn and Jason headed out early, but the rest of us hung out to watch the Cubs game and take a few more pictures. Averie got to hold Gray, and Uncle Rick and Aunt Kelly got their long overdue Gray time too. We headed out around 5:30 to get home at a reasonable hour Sunday night.

Monday morning we caught Gray asleep on his side. He is so close to rolling over, and he seems very comfortable on his side. We will definitely let you all know the second he is rolling over. We have recovered from the weekend, and we will keep you all posted on the next adventures of Mr. Graylon. Enjoy the pictures below. There are a lot of them.

Early Saturday morning before the party began, Gray and Daddy were bonding.

"I grab my toes ALL the time now."

"Daddy, where is the pool? And where is the high dive; I wanna try it."

Check out the guns on Graylon!

See, I told you he wanted to go back in the pool. Check out the look he's giving the camera.

It's party time!

Gray's buddy Henry and his mama Ashley also attended the party.

The birthday girl had a lot of presents. She deserves each and every one of them.

Sunday morning was time for more cute pictures.

Aunt Kelly, Uncle Rick, and Averie were feeling what it was like to have a baby boy around. They'll know all about it come October.

All the adults had errands to run, so we let Averie babysit.

Yeah I know; a Chicago Cub threw up on us.

Gray is in Chicago Cub camouflage.

Gray is mastering the time on his tummy. Crawling is coming.

Side sleeping. He went to bed with his feet on the other side of that pillow.

"My hair might be thinning, but what I got left is LONG!"

Sleeping Gray Equals Growing Gray

2009-08-07T10:29:00.004-04:00

After a week of sketchy sleep patterns, Graylon has found himself in the middle of another growth spurt. He is sleeping more and more, and his daily routine is rounding into form. His bed time is a little later now than it used to be. He is usually asleep for the night between 8:00 and 8:30 and doesn't wake up again until 6:15 to 6:30. Once awake, he usually just wants a bottle and thirty minutes or so of attention, and then he crashes again until around 9:00 or 10:00. We are so proud of our little man.

Gray is beyond giddy to take a trip to Canton to visit his cousin, Averie, and wish her a Happy Birthday. She turns 2 on Saturday, and Graylon will be there to celebrate. He was up all morning today just babbling and babbling about how he can't believe she is ALREADY TWO YEARS OLD! Mommy and I agree. It seems like just yesterday we welcomed her into this world. Happy Early Birthday Ms. Averie!

This morning we received a funny little curve ball that reflected Gray's growth. When Mommy went into his room this morning Graylon had turtle-shelled 90 degrees to be laying across his crib rather than vertically in it. He is much more active lately. He has even hit the music button on his mobile multiple times. He is getting so smart and so loving. Also, he is getting very good on his tummy too. He likes to lay on his side and is very close to going from his back to his tummy and from tummy to back. Additionally, I have a theory though that he might be one of those babies that crawl for 2 seconds and move right into walking. Lap time usually consists of Graylon standing on his own and grabbing our fingers for balance. We'll have to wait and see what step is next in the evolution of Mr. Graylon Michael.

Graylon has been a cuddle bug lately.

We reenacted this mornings wake up position.

"Actually, Dad, I think I like this better."

This Weekend, Graylon was a Handful.

2009-08-03T19:35:00.005-04:00

Last night was just like any other night at home getting Gray ready for his bath and bed...so I thought. While Mike got the little blue bathtub ready and was laying out Gray's pj's, I went to get Gray undressed on his changing table. I got a little surprise when I took off his diaper. Sure enough he had pooped. I got him cleaned off and picked him up and began walking out of his room toward the kitchen (where we put the little blue tub over the sink to bathe him). Good thing I had my hand under his bottom because I got a handful of POOP! I began semi-screaming but thought I held it together pretty well (no pun intended). After unloading my hand and cleaning Gray again, I headed to the tub for his bath. I put him in and right when I was about to start soaping up the washcloth, yes, he surprises me again...MORE POOP! He didn't care at all. He was just pooping and kicking his legs splashing. He was sooo happy. I let him finish, wrapped him in a towel, took him to the changing table, and cleaned him again while Mike ran water in our big bathtub for Gray and I to get in together. Afterwards, Mike took the little blue bathtub outside to spray it out and clean it up. I finally got Gray clean and ready for bed...whewwww. Needless to say, that was a first for all three of us.

Here are some pictures from yesterday. All of them are pre-poop. We had fun just hanging out.

Tummy time is sooo easy these days.

Every now and then, Gray's gotta rock the mohawk.

This is Gray's new Cubs hat. Thanks Granna and Pop!

Gray and Daddy were spitting rhymes. Gray was giving his sign of approval...thumbs up!

Guess what Graylon tried...

2009-08-02T16:00:00.005-04:00

"Rice cereal is sooo good!"

So we have spent the weekend in Winterville, GA and have enjoyed every minute of it. We started our Friday night by watching a movie at home and giving Graylon his first taste of rice cereal. He is not really sure about the whole eating with a spoon thing but hopefully he will catch on soon. I think we will take a few days off and try again.

Mike feeding Gray rice cereal while Gray thinks about if the Chicago Bulls will win a championship next season.

On Saturday, we slept in. Yes, Gray slept until 10:30 a.m. just like his dad. However, the past few nights, Graylon has not been sleeping too well. He wakes up to eat a couple of times where he used to not wake up at all once he was down for the night. He must be in the middle of a growth spurt or something. We headed out to eat an early lunch at the Marigold Cafe in Winterville. Mike and I both had the best cheeseburger around while Graylon sat with us and watched our every move. We had really great intentions of cleaning the house but we were somewhat lazy. Mike went outside to mow and Graylon and I held down the fort inside the house playing and eating and taking a bath. We had so much fun!

Gray sitting with us at Marigold Cafe. He can't wait to get teeth so he can try one of the best cheeseburgers ever.

Gray and mommy played while daddy was out working in the yard.

We woke up today and started cleaning. We had the music going loud in the house and I think Graylon really liked it. We had him in his blue bouncy chair with us in the kitchen and living room while we cleaned.

"I am so proud of mommy and daddy. They have worked hard this weekend."

All in all, we had a great family weekend. It feels good to have one of those every now and again. We are definitely looking forward to next weekend already. Our niece, Averie Raye, turns two years old and Graylon gets to go to her birthday party on Saturday. I am sure that there will be lots of fun pictures from next weekend to show.

Have a great Monday tomorrow!

Videos of Graylon and His Hands

2009-07-30T20:11:00.011-04:00

I promised video, and videos I'll provide. Gray is learning to use his hands as evidence will show in both clips. He grabs his toys and our fingers, but he doesn't limit himself there. He has been known to accidentally grab chest hair off me and head hair off of Mommy. The bottom line is he is figuring stuff out. It is truly amazing watching him grow right in front of my very eyes, and I wish you could all be here to witness it with me. In lieu of you all being here, I've posted a couple of short video clips. The setting is our living room, and the main character is Mr. Graylon LaBarbera. The first clip takes place Wednesday morning and the second was filmed just moments before this post. Making a guest appearance is Mommy, aka Heather, and the occasional narrating was done by Daddy, aka Me. Grab your popcorn. The clips aren't that long, but for the first time EVER there are 2 of them! Enjoy.

Video #1

Video #2

The Longest Blog Entry of All Time

2009-07-29T15:29:00.033-04:00

Once again, sorry for the delay folks. Six days between posts is unacceptable. In my defense, we've been busy since the last post. Many of this blog's followers know we've been busy because we were busy with all of you. Last Friday we headed to Dalton for the second weekend in a row. On Saturday Heather helped throw a wedding shower for her cousin Jonathan and his fiance' Becca. Graylon was fashionably late and was a hit. Most of the people there had met Gray before, but they still got in some Gray love.

Grandma Frances and Grandma Ophia with Graylon at the shower.

Becca and Jonathan at their wedding shower. Graylon told me to wish y'all a very happy marriage.

Once we left the shower it was on to a cookout at our good friends, Jim and Nancy Stevenson's home. Several high school friends were there. Included at the party were Andrew and Brooke with their daughters Emma and Lila. Steven and Ember were there with their son Emerson. Katie brought all three of her children, Gage, Lexi, and Abel. Bret and Alicia came by with their 3 month old daughter, Delilah. Also Michael and Shana Guess as well as Jeremy Shuler came by to see all the kids and catch up with what everyone has been up to. All in all, eight children from the age of 6 down to 3 months were in attendance. We all talked about how things have changed and really enjoyed catching up. We usually meet up each Christmas, so it was great to mix in an extra get-together. Any time we are allowed the pleasure of all being together as a group, it never disappoints. Thank you to Jim and Nancy for hosting, and another thank you to everyone else for coordinating their plans to allow us to get to see you all. We had a blast.

Emma, Delilah, Gage, Graylon, Lila, Emerson, Abel, and Lexi...whew...what an awesome group!

Gage, Mike, Gray, Steven, Emerson, and Emma enjoying a wonderful party on Saturday.

Brooke called dibs on feeding Graylon. Her youngest daughter, Lila, approved her Mommy's technique.

We spent the night in Dalton Saturday night with Grandma Sharon who got to love on Gray, and then we were on to White, Georgia on Sunday to see Granna, Pop, Aunt Caryn, Uncle J, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Rick, Averie, Jon, Ashley and Henry. We enjoyed a steak dinner courtesy of Granna, Pop, and grill master Jon. We also got our first glimpse of a crawling Henry. He was a very active crawler, and it was a real eye opener for Heather and I as to Gray's next phase. Henry was also chomping down some real food which was another next phase moment for us to witness. It was great to see everyone there. It seemed like it had been a very long time since our last time together.

Grandma Sharon and Graylon lovin' life.

Oh boy! Grandma Sharon has some pretty cool toys too.

Uncle J holding Graylon. Gray has had better hair days.

Aunt Caryn with her niece, Averie, and nephew, Gray.

"Hey Graylon, baby food is soooooo awesome dude."

Tuesday was Graylon's 4 month doctor's visit. He was to get 3 more shots and get a head-to-toe inspection from Dr. Aldridge. Graylon weighed in at 14 lbs 14.5 oz. His weight put him in the 50th percentile of babies his age. His length was up in the 75th percentile. He cried during the shots, but I thought his recovery was very impressive. We were so proud of him.

Graylon back at home playing with his new toy and showing off his new trick. He grabs everything now, and that includes his toes.

Gray taking a bath on the night before his big trip to see Dr. Aldridge.

"Hey everybody. I'm just sittin' here, shirtless, waiting to get needles stuck in my thighs. I'm pretty tough though, so don't you worry about me."

Gray seemed to fully recover fine. He woke up from his nap after the shots with what seemed to be a little discomfort, but he has been his normal, playful self ever since. He is really getting some serious neck strength and is able to play comfortably in his Bumbo seat. The kid seems to hit a growth spurt every day. You can tell he is growing a lot when a six day gap between posts requires the next post to be as long as this one has been. Enjoy all the pictures, and I'll try and put some video up the next time.

"I think these bandaids make me look tough."

Graylon alllllllll better late yesterday evening.

A worm's eye view of Graylon playing in his Bumbo chair. Look at how his feet have grown!

Gray...He's Growing Like a Weed!

2009-07-23T21:42:00.007-04:00

Well it's been back to Daddy & Graylon Days here in Winterville as Mommy went back to work. We have developed a nice routine for play time, feedings, naps, and diaper changes. Gray is growing both physically and mentally at what seems like a much faster rate. Mentally, he is grabbing more and recognizing things more. We used to sit him in his laying down bouncing chair and simply bounce him with our foot. Now, I can't put him in it without a teddy bear or a rattle or simply his burp cloth. Physically, he IS a weed! Just today I marveled at the growth in his head alone. He is super long, and currently is sleeping in a 6 month sleeper. We are so proud of him, and we're really anxious to get Dr. Aldridge's opinion on Tuesday.

Heather and I have been on a fit kick. We're trying to eat better and Tuesday and Wednesday we incorporated a family walk around the block. Gray was a champ both days and is a great motivator for his Mommy and his Daddy. He seems to be increasing his energy level too. Just today I walked in to check on him in his crib, and he had back-shimmied himself into a corner (pictured below). We are reminded often to always be on our toes as a Mom and Dad. We are aware he is growing, but we have to make sure to grow as parents with each change Graylon encounters. I am proud of our parenting evolution thus far, and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Once again the latest pictures are posted. The first two are from last weekend's trip to Dalton. The others are just from random nights around the house. Until next time...

Graylon is taking notes on what to do next March on his special day.

Grandma Sharon had all three of her grandchildren together for the first time. Can you tell she's a tad bit happy about that?

"Boy, that walk in the stroller was exhausting!"

"Look how far I can squirm!"

Look at Graylon in a 6 month sleeper. He's HUGE!

Happy 4 Month B-day My Sweet Baby Gray!

2009-07-21T15:16:00.006-04:00

Dear Graylon,

Happy 4 month birthday! I can’t believe that four months have passed since the day that I first met you. You have grown so much and continue to change right before my eyes. This past month, you have become more vocal. I feel like you are telling me stories each time I lay beside you and talk to you. You start talking the minute you wake up in the morning. You play in your crib and only fuss when you are hungry. You have also starting laughing which makes me laugh too. It is the sweetest sound I have ever heard. You are so good at your tummy time. I can lay you there for a while and you just look around like a little turtle with your head popped up. You really enjoy your bath time too. You have started kicking your arms and legs and splashing in the water. We have so much fun. One of your new favorite things to do is to jump. You love your jumperoo toy and when I am holding you, you start trying to jump yourself. I help you out of course. You still love your time with your daddy. You love to lie in his lap and talk to him. You have started using your hands more too. You are reaching for my face and your daddy’s nose now. You know what your pacifier is and when I show it to you, you grab my hand with both of your hands and pull it to you so that the pacifier goes right into your mouth. When you are hungry and your daddy or I are shaking your bottle getting it ready, you look at it in amazement. You know that you are getting ready to eat when you see your bottle. Your daddy and I keep up with your poopie schedule and we start getting concerned when you haven’t gone in two days. You always surprise us and put us at ease when you have a major blowout! I know it’s silly, but I love changing your poopie diaper and believe me your daddy let’s me change every single one I want…haha! I love watching you sleep in your crib. Your daddy and I only wrap your legs now and leave your arms out. You sleep with your arms above your head most of the time. It is so cute. You spit out your paci sometimes during the night and sometimes, we have to come put it back in. You are getting better at putting yourself to sleep in your crib when we lay you down awake. You are still not on a structured schedule, but we are getting there. At night, we have tried to get you into a routine of bath time, bottle, and then bed. You are pretty good at it too. You go to sleep around 7:30 p.m. and sleep until 5 or 6 a.m. This isn't every night but most of the time. I can’t wait to take you to your doctor’s appointment next Tuesday to see what your official weight and length are. I know you are going to do great with your shots again. You are such a big boy! I love you Graylon!

Love,

Mommy

Dalton for a Wedding, Pictures, and a Birthday Party

2009-07-20T14:49:00.009-04:00

Dalton was our host to another fabulous weekend of our family getting to know our son, Graylon. We headed out late Thursday to make our weekend feel longer, and it worked. We got in a bunch of stuff. Granted, we still be-bopped around constantly, but we had a great time!

On Friday, we got to see Granny Franny and Paul during the day. We ate at Ryan's and it brought back pregame meal memories from high school basketball. Later that evening Uncle Brandon, Auntie Heather, Michaela, and Jocey Lynn arrived at Grandma Sharon's from Clarksville, TN. We played some cards and caught up with each other. It was a blast. We woke up the next morning and headed to Pop Pop and Mee Maw's house. We were taking family pictures and then heading to Rome later to attend the wedding of Cousin Allen. The wedding was beautiful and we always have fun when all those Byers' get together. Uncle Steve caught the garter that his son threw, so one would think he'd be the next to get married. But he caught the one I threw too four years ago. I'm guessing the superstition might not come true. Gray was well behaved during the ceremony and hung in there like a big boy. Apart from a little spit-up mishap with Cousin Melinda, he was the man! Sunday was birthday time for Jocey Lynn. She turned 2 on the 7th of July, and this was our time to get together as a family and celebrate her. She is so beautiful and full of love. Graylon has some pretty awesome girl cousins on both sides of the family. **And we're getting really excited for that first boy cousin coming from Uncle Rick and Aunt Kelly in a couple of months.** We headed out Sunday evening, and we've spent this Monday catching our breath.

Enjoy the load of pictures. This is the tip of the iceberg. There are several of the Sunday pictures that I haven't even put on the computer yet. There will be more. Tomorrow is Gray's 4 month birthday, so Mommy should be writing another letter to Graylon. Stay tuned.

Graylon loved all the love. Can't you see all that excitement on his face?

We told Michaela not to pinch, but she wouldn't listen. Gray will get his revenge when he gets older...jk Michaela.

Grandma Sharon put the magnet in her cheek and the piece of metal in Jocey's mouth.

Brandon took the time to pose with Graylon, but then went back to trying to "make him meaner than a striped snake."

Granny Franny was explaining to Graylon that "E" in fact, does equal MC squared.

Family portraits drove us crazy! We took serious poses too.

Graylon is a great flier, but Pop Pop was the one on cloud 9.

Mommy and Gray were getting ready for the wedding. Umm...they look kind of like mother and son don't ya think?

The bride and groom, Allen and Alex, posing for their 500th picture of the day. It was a wonderful wedding. Thanks for allowing us to take part in your special day.

Melinda and Gray were good at this point. A few moments later came the spit up. Melinda handled with grace and sophistication though.

Uncle Ronald got his first taste of Mr. Graylon. Needless to say, Gray charmed his socks off.

Our Trip to Funroe, Monroe!

2009-07-16T16:28:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, Gray and I took a trip to Monroe, GA to visit our good friends Katie, Brook, and Mack. We had a great time. Katie gave me some pointers on making my own baby food for Graylon once he starts eating food and we caught up on everything. Mack is Katie and Brook's 7 month old little boy and he is adorable. It is amazing how fast these little ones grow.

Katie, Brook, and Mack treated Gray and I to lunch at the Monroe Country Club and then we went to the pool. Gray actually stayed in the pool for about 10 to 15 minutes. I was so proud of him! Thank you Katie, Brook, and Mack for such a great day! Here are some pictures from our day in Monroe and also some from today at the house.

We leave for Dalton today! When we get back from our weekend in D-Town, there will be more pictures to see.

By the way, we finally received Graylon Michael LaBarbera's official birth certificate today in the mail!

Gray and Mack hanging out after playing in the pool.

Look at Mack with his beautiful blue eyes and sitting up like a big boy.

Katie had to get some Graylon love before we left.

Gray's first time in his high chair. We just wanted to try it out.

Graylon having play time with his daddy after his bath last night.

Gray checking out his birth certificate. He is official. :)

Ahhh...These are the Days!

2009-07-15T17:24:00.007-04:00

Graylon has really enjoyed himself during these two bonus maternity leave weeks for Mommy. Heather and I are pretty convinced that he's been growth spurtin' right in front of us. We'll get his latest measurements later this month on the 28th at his next doctor's visit, but in the meantime, we've been speculating. I think the kid is over 2 feet long and is pushing 13 lbs.!

Heather and I each have our own play time specialties with Gray. Heather usually calls dibs on all bath time privileges. Her and Gray have their own unique specialty songs and jokes. And I, on the other hand, have developed several games with Graylon that involve me sitting in the recliner with my feet up on the prop and my knees bent, with Gray inclined facing me. He lets you know when we amuse him, and for the most part, he seems happy day in and day out.

We are preparing for a trip to Dalton this weekend to witness the wedding of Heather's cousin Allen. We are really excited to get to show off our son, and we are looking forward to the visit. Until the next post, soak up the latest pictures and videos of Mr. Graylon Michael.

If my hands are in my mouth, I'm one happy boy.

Play time with Daddy means I get to squeeze his nose. He makes that face when I do it to make me laugh.

Don't mind that spit up on my mouth...I just got a little bit over-excited.

Even though my Aunt Caryn got me this outfit, everyone take a good look because Daddy told me that I won't be dressed in orange that often. I'm not really sure what a Volunteer is, but I don't think I like them.

Strictly for Superstitious Purposes

2009-07-11T13:38:00.006-04:00

Sorry everyone. I am selfishly using this blog as a forum to break the current funk that my Chicago Cubs are currently in. They have not played as we've all been made accustomed to over the past couple of seasons. This year's season is nearing the half way point, and if the Cubs don't turn it around soon, then the 2009 season (my son's 1st as a Cubs fan) will be a disappointment. So Graylon, Mommy, and I took this beautiful Saturday as a chance to do OUR part to break the bad streak. We made our own "Go Cubs Go" video. I thought I would share it here on the blog, but this video will only break the misfortunes if all you viewers believe it will. Once again, this video was not made for cuteness (Although it has the highest cuteness factor of any video ever to appear on the blog.) but for superstition. I hope you all enjoy it, and please, for Gray's sake, help cheer the Cubs to a great 2009 season! Go Cubs Go!

Mommy and Daddy are Here? I Love It!

2009-07-08T11:37:00.009-04:00

Heather had went back to work early from her maternity leave, and she is taking her two remaining weeks now. Therefore, it is easier to make a blog post the day after the last one. Think of this frequency as the exception not the rule. Since everyone is pretty much up to speed on the events of Graylon's last few weeks, the purpose of this post is to show off some more pictures from the wedding, put up a video, and show any other pictures that I see fit. Enjoy.

Graylon cuttin' up on the couch.

Can you say early teenage years bribery?

MORE WEDDING PICTURES

Aunt Virginia is getting some much overdue Gray time.

A very helpful Grandma Sharon gladly watches over Graylon as pre-wedding stuff is going on.

Cousin Sara and Dan holding a very content Graylon.

3 generation pictures are so much fun. Pop Pop, Mommy and Gray @ the reception

Mommy and Daddy getting in a dance with Gray before he crashed and was out for the night.

Gray's First Independence Day

2009-07-07T15:58:00.009-04:00

Gray got to check off a 4th state on his "States Visited" list this weekend. Added to Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee is now Kentucky. Thursday evening we loaded up and headed for my grandparents house in Belton, Kentucky. We stopped by my parents house in White, GA on the way to combine vehicles. We barely fit in the F-150. Gray does not travel light. We hit a snag on traffic, but still got to Gran Gran's just a little after midnight. We arrived to the smell of pickles. Yes, my grandmother was jarring her own pickles. The finished product was very good, so I can't complain about the aroma present upon arrival.

Friday was golf for the guys and a taco bash in the evening for the early 4th of July arrivals. The next day was action packed as over 60 people flooded Gran Gran's neighbor's home. That neighbor is my Uncle Ric and Aunt Barb. The Independence Day celebration doubled as a quasi-family reunion. A variety of games were played from Corn Hole to balloon toss. Also, proof that my cousins and I are all grown up was obvious as babies and little kids were everywhere! It rained, but we didn't let that ruin the party. An adult slip-n-slide and fireworks prevailed and everyone seemed to have a very good time. Thanks a lot Ric and Barb for being such wonderful hosts. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

PS...Happy 2nd Birthday to my niece Jocey Lynn Byers. Her Auntie H and Uncle Mike love her so much and hope she has a great birthday.

There is he is...everyone's favorite stare down competitor.

Brev and Gray hanging out. Check out that smile on Brevin.

I told you...kids everywhere!

Emily's personality resonates through this picture. She is a lot of fun to be around.

Mommy and cousin Kyleigh trying to stay dry during a soggy Independence Day.

No offense Gran Gran, but you look like you're in hog heaven. She loves her two-days-apart grandkids.

Graylon, don't take it personally. Ole Grandpa just doesn't smile in pictures much. He loves you a lot though. **Side note** Gray looks just like me at his age in this picture.

The balloon toss picture puts the number of attendees into perspective.

I wasn't kidding about the adult slip-n-slide. Bring it on Rain!

The Present World of Graylon Michael

2009-07-02T08:45:00.006-04:00

Gray recovered from Aunt Caryn and Uncle J's wedding this week. He did a fine job of sliding right back into his routine, and he's had a happy week. Oh and by the way, he is officially sleeping THROUGH the night with very few hitches. His routine goes something like this: Bath time is between 6:45 and 7:45 every night. Depending on when he took bottles that day, either a bottle right before or right after the bath. He is ready for and in bed before 8:00 almost every night. Occasionally, he'll lose his pacifier before he's in deep sleep and he'll wake up, but paci back in is all it takes to knock him back out. And besides that, he is asleep until any time between 6:00 am and 8:00 am. Like I said, there have been a few exceptions, but they are becoming less common.

Another big first is in store for Graylon this weekend. He makes his first trip to Muhlenburgh County, Kentucky. The now annual, 4th of July Blowout takes place this weekend and Gray will be in attendance. Nearly 70 people will be there playing all kinds of games and enjoying friends, family, fellowship, and fireworks. I am personally thrilled to be taking my son to the place where so many of my vacation memories took place as a kid. And although he got to meet several family members for the first time this past weekend, he'll now finally get to spend some good quality get-to-know-me time with everyone. Gray is once again a jabber-mouth, and he won't shut up about it. We are all really excited about this weekend.

A little side note: Everyone please keep me in your thoughts and prayers this Tuesday, July 7th, as I take my state Health and Life Insurance exam. I will be prepared for the exam, but any and every bit of prayer helps. I'll keep you all posted on that front. Enjoy more Gray cuteness in the meantime.

It's Super Gray...Grandma's look the other way. I know you both got nervous just looking at this picture.

Ain't nothing like a shirtless Gray to make you say awww. Yeah, his unbiased father says he's cute.

"I'm good at a lot of things, but sucking on my fingers might be what I'm best at."

I swear he looks 3 years old in this picture. I guess no onesie, with a t-shirt and shorts, with tons of hair on his head will do that.

Family and Friends Galore

2009-06-28T20:43:00.009-04:00

It has been a while since we have updated our blog and so much as happened since then. We have had family visit us in Athens. Gray's cousin Michaela, her brother Max, and her mom Jennifer made the trip to see Gray for the first time. Grandma Sharon and Grandma Frances also came with them to see Gray. It was a short visit but it was so great getting to see them.

Look how much Michaela and Gray look alike. "They're cousins...identical cousins!"

Here are Jennifer and Max getting their Gray-on.

Then it was Mike's first Father's Day. I just want to say that I am so thankful for Mike and his love for Graylon. He is so good with him and I love watching them together.

While I worked all weekend, Granna, Pop, Aunt Caryn, Uncle J, and our good friends Jon, Ashley, and little Henry came to hang out with Daddy and Gray to celebrate Father's Day. Gray visited a tattoo parlor for the first time and watched Pop get an addition to his Cubs tattoo. He also visited his first brewery...of course he didn't partake. :) It was a fun filled weekend for sure.

Daddy and Gray are hanging out in the recliner on Father's Day.

I had to work our last summer basketball camp last week and Daddy brought Graylon by to see me. He got to meet some very important people.

Liz, Tori, and Betsy loved getting to see Gray for the first time. He loved getting to hang out with these girls.

Ms. Ann got her hands on Gray too. About 10 minutes after this pic, he fell asleep in her arms.

We then had the entire week to anticipate Aunt Caryn and Uncle J's wedding on Saturday. The wedding was held at the Carl House in Auburn, GA. It was absolutely beautiful! Caryn was stunning, and Caryn and Jason looked so happy. Every aspect of the wedding festivities were perfect. We had such a great time and Graylon enjoyed getting to meet some of his family for the first time at the wedding. Grandpa Wester, Aunt Virginia and Uncle Fred, Uncle Ric, Aunt Carol, cousins Sam with girlfriend Aryn, Rose, Sara with boyfriend Dan, Kole, Brevin, Emily, Hannah, Jill, Cale, and Steven all got their first glipmse of little Gray for the first time in person. He was so excited!

We are all at Chateau Elan for Caryn's bridal brunch. (Rose, Granna, Gray, Mommy, Grandma Wester, Aunt Virginia, Hannah, Jill, Caryn, and Emily) The blueberry dumplings with vanilla cream sauce were soooo good!

Gray loved being in Aunt Caryn's arms. He thought she was the most beautiful bride!

Brevin and Kole were showing Gray their dance moves and took a break to pose for this pic.

Congratulations Aunt Caryn and Uncle J!!!

There are so many wedding pics to post them all today. There will definitely be more to come...

Happy Birthday Graylon

2009-06-21T10:35:00.009-04:00

It's been three months since Heather felt Graylon coming, and we rushed to the hospital. It's been three months since I met my son. It's been three months since I first learned the proper way to change a diaper. It's been a great three months. I've learned so much. I feel like the luckiest dad on the planet. Well as promised I've written a letter to Graylon for his birthday. It's listed below. We've had several visitors since the last post, and I'll bring everyone up to speed with the next post, but this birthday post takes precedent.

Dear Graylon,

Happy 3 month birthday! You have grown like a weed on Miracle Grow. The growth has not just come in the weight and length department. You've absorbed so much information, and have developed one heck of a personality. You seem to eat more, sleep more, and poop more with each passing day. I've not been more than 100 feet from you for your entire life with just a very few handfuls of exceptions. And although you do look like both your mom and me, every time I hold you or talk to you face to face, I see myself. And I already wish children for you because it's such a thrill to hold a little version of yourself. I can't wait to teach you everything I wish I had known or the things I was so glad I had been taught. You'll have several teachers and coaches in your life, but none of them will be the end-all be-all teacher or coach like I will. I'll be able to verify or disprove anything that you've been taught, and for that, I am thankful. In the meantime, let me go ahead and coach you up for your fourth month and beyond.

**Although you aren't using words, keep up your excellent communication skills. You use such wonderful inflection, and in life and on a team, good communication yields great results. Say what you mean, and the only bad question is the one you don't ask. Keep up the good work there.

**You are so strong! I am so proud of the little muscle man that Mommy and I created. Keep eating your bottles and then all your baby food. Get a good night's rest, and take care of yourself.

**Follow your heart. We all have the pit of our stomach voice that tells us right from wrong. In sports, be prepared to make good decisions quickly, and in life trust that gut and stand your ground. You'll always have support from me.

You'll have to deal with these "pearls" your whole life, Gray. I'm a coach at heart, and you are my greatest project. I want the world for you, and I'll do my best to give you every avenue I can to have it. I love you Gray. Happy 3 month birthday again. I'll sneak you some cake when Mommy isn't looking.

Love,
Daddy

Someone Slept Through the Night!

2009-06-16T18:28:00.005-04:00

Congratulations Mr. Graylon! Or should I say, congratulations Mommy and Daddy? Gray had a later bedtime last night, but he did not wake up for a bottle like he normally does around 3 am. He went to bed about 8:45 and he woke at 6:30! At first, as I awoke, I thought I had just slept through the bottle feeding. I've done so many of 'em half asleep that it was very possible that I fed my son, and I didn't remember it. But Heather confirmed it. We had been asleep for about 7 hours without interruption. Gray is growing up so fast.

Friends of ours from Wisconsin, the Quinn's, sent a care package for Gray that arrived last Friday. In it were two tie-dyed onesies and some of the best shortbread cookies I've ever had. The onesies fit him perfect, and we broke one of them out today. Our little tree-huggin-make-love-not-war-hippy-baby rocked the outfit today in his bumbo seat, in his crib under the mobile, and out for lunch at Red Lobster today. The onesies have quickly climbed to the top of our favorites list, so thank you very much Sarah and Greg.

On a personal note, I'm really looking forward to my first Father's Day. It just so happens to also be Gray's 3 month birthday. I plan to copy Heather and write my own letter to Graylon on that day. In the meantime, enjoy some more pictures.

Last night after Gray's bath, Mommy combed his hair differently. He looks more grown up this way doesn't he?

Caught ya! Graylon was sucking fingers again. It's his favorite hobby.

Big boy Gray showing off his brute neck strength in his bumbo chair.

Graylon was chewing fingers and watching his mobile friends. Groovy dude!

Tummy time turned into nap time. He had his booty in the air just like his friend Henry.

Good Ole Family Fun

2009-06-15T19:26:00.007-04:00

Mommy post, Mommy post! I'm feeling pretty good. This is my third post, and I've really got the hang of it. We got back from a fun filled weekend in Dalton and White, GA yesterday. We got to Pop Pop's house late on Friday night and woke up to a wonderful breakfast on Saturday that Meemaw cooked for us. Graylon got to visit with Aunt Lacey and also Grandma Ophia before we headed to Chattanooga for Henry Lane's christening. Henry did so good during the entire ceremony and we were so glad to be a part of his special day. Afterwards, we headed to Hamilton Medical Center to see our good friends Kim, Josh, Luke, and the new addition to the Swiney family, Anna Kate who was born last Wednesday. Congratulations Kim and Josh! After we left the hospital, we went to Grandma Sharon's house for a birthday dinner for Paul. He turns 78 this week. Later that night, Grandma Sharon took a bath with Graylon and Graylon gave her a big surprise...he pooped on her! Cousin Melinda came over and Uncle Brandon dropped in for a surprise visit. Daddy and Mommy once again got a good night's sleep while Grandma Sharon took care of Graylon during the night. On Sunday, we headed to White, GA to visit with Granna, Pop, and Uncle Rick. We all enjoyed some pizza in Granna and Pop's new house. We arrived safely back home Sunday evening and Graylon truly enjoyed his trip to Mommy and Daddy's hometown. Here are some pics from the weekend...

The classic "Four Generation" shot

Aunt Lacey showing Gray how to sit up like a big boy.

Henry at his Christening and not crying. He's as tough as his nickname, "The Hammer."

What a coincidence. The kid from Gray, GA holding Gray LaBarbera. Good job Uncle J.

Henry's Godmother and aunt, Ms. Marcy posing with Graylon.

The Last pit stop was with Pop and Granna in White. GA. Granna got him the outfit he has on.

Baths and Tummy Time

2009-06-12T17:41:00.007-04:00

We're almost to another Saturday, so that means Gray is about to be another week older. Tomorrow marks twelve weeks. Who reading this can believe that? He's getting so big, and each day we find something new that he can do. Since his two month doctor's visit we've been putting a daily emphasis on "tummy time." His neck is really strong already, and the more we practice the faster he'll hit crawling. He's still got a ways to go, but we sure are proud of him.

He's also becoming more mature as it pertains to bath time. On accident, I found a calming tool for him during a bath. The small tub was getting very soapy, so to rinse his hair I ran the bath water into the big tub to get non-soapy water. He was crying and fussing before I turned on the water, but once it was on, he became silent. Not a peep out of him the rest of the bath. The next night I told Heather about my discovery, so we were ready for him once he cried. Sure enough...we dipped into the bath, and he started crying. We turned on the water immediately and no more crying. On the third day, we sat him in the water and he didn't cry period. We'll see where he goes from here. Enjoy the pictures. Additionally, Mommy shot some cute video footage of tummy time.

He's not crying. That's his work out face. He makes the same expression when he bench presses.

He's gotta make sure that Mommy is watching.

Gray is cool as a cucumber during his bath. Thankfully the wash rag keeps the blog rated PG.

No, he's not drunk. The camera was flashing extra bright is all.

Ahhh, now that the bath his over, I'll enjoy a little hand snack.

Since the Last Post...

2009-06-09T18:46:00.006-04:00

Well I one-up'd Heather. I now have two days without Gray under my belt, and believe me, I am NOT bragging about it.

Late Friday night Grandma Sharon arrived in Winterville. She was coming to spend some good quality one on one time with her grandson. To us, she was babysitting and being a huge help, but to her, it was paradise. To quote her thank you note after she left..."I wish every day could be like yesterday and today." We needed the babysitter because my brother-in-law to be, Uncle J-Bird, was having a golf getaway bachelor party about 45 minutes north of us in Homer, GA. I was to arrive at the course around 9:00 Saturday morning, and I headed back to Graylon around 3 pm the next day. It was the longest I had been away from him, and although the golf trip was a blast, the time without Graylon was not cool. At the same time, Aunt Caryn was having her girls' night out in Athens, and Heather was in attendance. Grandma Sharon took Gray to the hotel were the girls were beforehand, and he charmed their socks off. From what I was told, he was a hit. Atta boy son! Good job. Heather made it home later that night, so her days away from Gray count remains at one.

Since the weekend, it has been back to Daddy and Gray mornings and afternoons as Heather works the UGA women's basketball camps on campus. She is home in the afternoon, but has to go back for a late night meeting. Wednesday marks the end for this camp, and Graylon and I are glad. While I'm at home with Gray, I am currently taking an online study course for my Health and Life Insurance licence. I plan to go to work for Liberty National Insurance in the near future. So, any blog followers out there looking for any insurance, you know who to call.

Enjoy the pics. The video was on my facebook page, but those of you not on facebook...here you go. Talk to you all again soon.

Currently his favorite chew toy is his hands. We're trying to change that...hence, the teething ring.

Now you can't tell me that he doesn't look at least 3 years old when he's in this thing. He's gettin' huge!

Grandma Sharon and her muscle man grandson

Ok, ok...I'll admit SOME similarities in mother and son. I'm just kidding. He looks a lot like his Mommy.

Sara melting all over Graylon.

Kathryn was getting her Gray on!

Looks like Graylon was the center of attention. I'm sure Aunt Caryn didn't mind sharing her night with him.

Father and Son Week...SWEET!

2009-06-05T21:05:00.012-04:00

Hello again everyone. The week has been awesome. Graylon and his Daddy had a week of bonding, and fun, and games, and diapers, and learning, and bottles, and a bunch of other stuff. I have a new found respect for every stay at home parent I've ever known. The hard work was prevalent. The rewards were quickly reaped. And the experience was priceless. Heather and I have our hands full with Graylon right now, and all we want is to give him all the love and attention we can. But, we also talk about a second child somewhere down the road. I've thought this week about not having this with a future child, and I'm so lucky to have an opportunity like this that many dads I know did not get. He's getting so big, and Heather and I are hitting new phases in parenting. This week will forever make me slow down each day as much as I can when around my son. Although I can't wait to teach him stuff, and I can't wait to have a conversation with him, I need to enjoy the now. And I am. I love giving him a bath and feeding him bottles and all that comes with an infant.

The camera did not come out of its case much this week, so I apologize for just the few pictures. Let me remind you that, I'M ONLY ONE MAN...and, I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN! J/k...I love doing this blog; I've just had my hands full. You all understand ;)

I think the drooling phase is just around the corner. Right now, all we have are a few bubbles.

Tummy time is getting better. Stop staring at my son's butt!

Routines, They are a Changin'

2009-06-02T17:16:00.011-04:00

As you can tell by the five day gap between posts, our routine has been thrown off just a bit lately.

Since the last post, we had lunch out at Sandy Creek Park in Athens. We then traveled to Canton/White, GA on Friday to help move my parents into their new home. We then continued north to Dalton to surprise MeeMaw for her Over-The-Hill-40th birthday on Saturday. Then Sunday we traveled across town to visit with Grandma Sharon, Granny Franny and Paul. Later that afternoon we came back to Winterville for a new routine starting the following Monday.

Monday brought Heather's first day back at work. That meant that Daddy Day Care was officially up and open for business. I didn't fear difficulty; I was only concerned for Heather's well being. I knew she was dreading this day. To ease the transition, Gray and I took Mommy out on a lunch date to the park. The name of the park escapes me, but for those of you from Athens, it's the one behind the church on Milledge Avenue. We took sandwiches and Heather got to hold Gray and get some loving. Daddy and Gray Day #2 also was broken up by going to see Mommy at work because I had a dentist visit at noon. Again, Mommy got to break up her day with Gray, and this time, she got to show him off at work. Both new-routine-days went by without a hitch. Gray's behavior has been great, and he's really made it as easy as possible on both Heather and I. I feel very blessed to have had these days of just us. We missed Heather a whole lot, but the Mommy-side of my parenting skills are getting a well needed workout. This new routine has made me a better Dad. And likewise, I think Heather is getting the whole absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder bit down pat. She has gobbled Gray up each evening when she gets home, and she lights up like a light bulb.

We are all doing great, though, and we can't wait to see what change awaits us next. Check out a few more pictures we snapped since we last talked. Talk to you all sooner than 5 days from now...I promise.

Who needs a booster seat or high chair...not me!

Mother and son enjoying the beautiful weather at Sandy Creek Park.

Gray and Pop Pop hanging out (literally for Gray) after MeeMaw's birthday bash.

Granny Franny and Paul teaching Graylon a thing or two.

Grandma Sharon took a priceless nap with her grandson.

2 Month Doctor's Visit...aka, Shot Day

2009-05-28T09:01:00.006-04:00

Back when we were first in the hospital with Gray, I remember wishing that he could get the necessary shots then to protect him in the outside world. Then, once I found out that he wouldn't be receiving them for two whole months, I was eager for the two months to pass for his own protection. Well yesterday that day came, and Gray was as tough as a two month old could possibly be.

Our appointment was for 2:20 pm. Strangely, I kind of felt like I was betraying Gray a little by playing with him that morning and not being able to tell him what the day had in store for him. He was extra happy and totally oblivious that some random nurse would be giving him three shots in just a few short hours. I'm not one of those people that are frightened to death of needles, but I was unsure of Graylon's reaction. But flash-forward...as Gray took a bath that evening I made sure to tell him, "Son, you've over-achieved all day. Excellent job!"

We arrived to the doctor's office right at appointment time. They first needed to measure and weigh him. He tipped the scales at a very healthy 11 lbs. 10 oz. That's an increase of almost 4 and half pounds in two months. He then measured 23 inches in length, so he has grown 3 inches longer in the two months. Next, our doctor came in to answer any questions we might have and to go over a few tips for us for the next two months. We've been giving Gray a little tummy time thus far, but we are now going to be doing it up to five times a day for about five to ten minutes each time. Then, Dr. Aldridge said goodbye and in came the nurse.

He would be taking 3 shots by needle and one dose orally. The oral was taken first and Gray didn't seem to mind at all. Then the nurse prepared all three needles before any injection. What followed was a wild west style gun slingin' of vaccinations. She chained three shots very quickly while alternating thighs. One thigh got two shots, but once she was done only two Charlie Brown bandaids were needed. The cry that came out of our little man lasted less time than when he gets the dreaded lotion after a bath. The intensity, however, was a little more extreme. Mommy scooped him up, though, as fast as she could, and got him calmed down. He was a stud. He was soooooo over it in a minute or so. He actually said, "Hey lady, is that all you got?" I told him that taunting another person is never a good idea. On our way out the door we made our next appointment for the end of July where he'll get another check up and a few more shots.

Later on that night, Mommy had a booster club meeting, and I needed to get a few grocery items. That meant Gray got his first view of the inside of a grocery store. I put his car seat in the main part of the shopping cart since I was only getting a few things. He was wide eyed the entire time looking right at me with concern and wonder. He is quite the ladies man, as we were stopped twice by women who of course were marveled by "all that hair!" Later on we made it home safely, and he got some wonderful play time in with Mommy on camera. The footage is below. What an eventful day! Mommy and Daddy survived. Gray seemed to be completely unphased and proved to be rather unflappable. We are so thankful to him.

Extra side note: Today is the 4 year wedding anniversary for me and my girlfriend of 11 and half years, Heather. We are amazed at how fast time flies, but I am so thankful for her. I love my baby's mama so very much.

Look out paci, you have competition.

Playtime in the morning is the best way to wake up. I wanted to kiss him; he wanted to wrestle.

He used to just sit in his swing. He has now totally made friends with the lizards flying above his head. Look at that focus!

Graylon was smiling and shirtless just moments before his shots.

This is a little closer to "Go" time. Notice the game face now. He is such a gamer already! In the future he'll definitely sink a buzzer beater or hit a bottom of the ninth grand slam.

Our First Night Apart

2009-05-25T20:57:00.005-04:00

Well it had to happen eventually. Heather and I spent our first night away from Gray on Saturday night. Heather and I were married Memorial Day Saturday four years ago. The date was May 28th, but we always use the holiday weekend to take a trip to celebrate. This weekend we had planned to enjoy an evening together in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We passed through Canton on the way up and let Granna and Pop keep our little boy while we celebrated "us." Aunt Caryn and Uncle J-Bird were also visiting in Canton, and they helped with the babysitting.

We left Canton about 1:00 pm on Saturday and headed to the Chattanoogan Hotel for a 3:00 couples massage. Once done there we went to the IMAX Theater by the Aquarium for a pretty cool 3D movie. Later that evening, we enjoyed an amazing dinner at Niko's Southside Grill. This restaurant was special to us because we went to the same place for my senior prom ten years ago. Between each and every event on our date Granna sent us text message pictures of our son. We were definitely enjoying each other's company, but a good chunk of our hearts were still in Canton. We had to swing into the gift shop at the Aquarium to pick up a stuffed plush sea turtle for Gray. We did miss him so much, and on Sunday driving home, all we could talk about was him.

We got back to Canton around noon on Sunday. Total time apart was around 23 hours, but it felt much longer. Heather and I had a wonderful time in a beautiful city. It's amazing that in such a short time (63 days to be exact) we felt lost without Gray. Life before Graylon is such a distant memory. Our anniversary was a blast though. Thanks Granna and Pop for babysitting and making our night on the town possible.

Later on Sunday more family members got their first look and meeting with Graylon. My Uncle Joe and Aunt Dianne along with my cousins Gabe, Sean, and Sarah came over from Woodstock to my parents place in Canton to visit and see little Gray. They brought Gray a Snoopy outfit, a puppet, and bath toys. They were so thoughtful; thanks a lot guys.

Sunday night we cooked out at the Lane's. Jon broke out his tailgating specialty, pork tenderloin, in May. It was great impromptu party. Gray shared the spotlight with Baby Henry, and he was glad to do so. The two are a heckuva pair. The Payne's also got to see Graylon again and were amazed at how much he'd grown. The party was a great capper to the weekend.

The weekend was long and a blast. We are so blessed to have such great family and friends around us to share these holiday weekends with. It was also awesome to feel our love for our son grow so much in just one special weekend. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. We love Gray so much, and this weekend magnified that feeling. What a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Heather and I missing Graylon in Chattanooga down by the river.

Sarah, Sean, Gabe and Gray posing and smiling perfectly for the camera.

The entire LaBarbera crew getting there hands on Graylon: Sarah, Joe, Dianne, Gabe, and Sean.

Letter to Graylon

2009-05-21T15:20:00.004-04:00

First of all, this is Gray's mama again. I must say before I get going with this, I stole this idea from our very good friend, Mary Beth (Lycett) Smart. She has a blog about her twins Weston and Julia, and she writes letters to each of her babies periodically to tell them how they are growing and changing. So here is my go at this...

Dear Graylon,

Happy 2 month birthday! I can't believe it has been 2 months already. We are so thankful that God gave us you. I have learned so much about you and there are so many things that I love about you. I love how you look at me. I feel like you are looking into my soul when you stare into my eyes. I love studying your face and all your little parts. I love how your hair stands up for an entire day after you have a bath and how you have two cowlicks at your hairline in the front. Your favorite part of a bath is getting your hair washed. I love your long eyelashes that you get from your daddy and a few extra long ones that you get from your Aunt Caryn. I love the dimple that you have in your chin. We call it a sugar bowl. Sometimes you fall asleep with your eyes open and you make funny faces. I love the "concerned" look that you give as you try and figure it all out. Your lips are shaped so beautifully with the little humps. You have hair everywhere...on your arms, on your back, on your ears, on your head, and even on your fingers. You have the cutest little booty I have ever seen. You are a quick fix most of the time. You cry when you are hungry, when you are tired, when you want to be held after you are all played out, and sometimes when you need your diaper changed. I love how there are sometimes that you can't get your paci in your mouth fast enough, and then sometimes that same paci makes you gag and make a face like it had been dipped in Nyquil. I love talking to you when you are laying on your back playing. You smile almost anytime you hear my voice (which melts my heart every time). I love how you follow me with your eyes when I walk by you in the bouncy chair or when you are laying on your play mat. I love how you kick your legs and wave your arms and how you are responding to me with your sweet coos. I feel like I am figuring you out and how you like things. I know that when you are tired you like to be held tight with one arm tucked under my arm and your head resting on my arm while I pat your booty and make a "shush" sound in your ear. This works every time. You like to be rolled up tight when you sleep. I love your grunting sounds when you are trying to get your arms out. When you finally get them out, you love to sleep with them above your head. You sometimes startle yourself when you move your arms and wake yourself up. We have started letting you sleep in your crib in your room during the day and you have graduated out of the bassinet to just sleeping in the pack n play in our room at night. Two nights ago, you actually slept for the longest stretch so far in your life. You ate at 7:30 p.m., got a bath, went to sleep in your crib, and didn't wake up until 4:15 a.m. We were so proud of you. It won't be long until we let your crib be your permanent sleeping place. You are eating about 3 oz. at every meal...sometimes a little more. You burps are loud and sound like your dad's sometimes. You are not afraid to pass gas in front of everyone and you don't seem to mind when you do it on your mommy and daddy. You have just found your left hand and you have started sucking on it. It is so cute. I love everything about you. I am so proud to call you my little baby and I can't wait to learn so much more about you.

Love,
Mommy

Sorry For the Delay Folks!

2009-05-20T11:19:00.008-04:00

Evident by the delay in posts, it has taken some time to get back into our routine. Graylon adapted well to Florida life. He fussed a little on the way down during our overnight stay in Tifton, but once we got to the beach house he settled in. As the week went on, he broke out several new beach outfits and fit in perfectly with the group. Near the end of the trip Graylon got his first touch of beach sand. He made some wonderful pictures. Our trip was capped by going to the rehearsal dinner and wedding of Alissa and Brent Hudson. Their wedding was beautiful, and they really know how to throw good parties. It was good to see even more friends in such a fun setting. The trip was a blast and went by super fast as always. We made the trip home without any kind of stopover. Like a trooper though, Gray pushed through, and we are now resting comfortably at home. It's amazing to lay him on his changing table or other seats that he hasn't used in a week. He has truly grown so much in just the one week! Here are a few more pictures. Tomorrow is Gray's two month birthday. Mommy has already called dibs on tomorrow's post, so everyone make sure to tune in. Talk to you all soon.

World famous and never duplicated: The Concerned Face of Mr. Graylon Michael LaBarbera

Graylon was awake during his first sand touch. The sun was just very bright that day.

He wasn't THAT thrilled with his first trip in the pool. I'm sure it's just a phase.

Jon hogging his son's shade. All we had to do was dare Jon to do this. He's so gullible.

Ms. Ashley gettin' a little Gray love.

Averie and Kelly teaming up to feed little Gray.

Ashley got matching outfits for the kids. Gray, Henry, and Averie take postcard perfect pictures don't' they?

The Hudson's arriving at their reception. Alissa is an avid blog follower. Congratulations you two.

If this picture is any kind of indication, I'd say Graylon enjoyed his first trip to the beach.

Attention!...Graylon Has Left the State Border

2009-05-11T20:48:00.006-04:00

We've made it to St. George Island! None of our travel party have ever been here before, and most of us have already ranked it higher than Destin. It's very secluded, and our location is the best we've ever had in six years of our summer trips down here. We are 9 adults deep with 3 children until tomorrow night when Aunt Caryn and Uncle J arrive. Right now we've got Granna and Pop...Uncle Rick, Aunt Kelly, and Averie Raye...Jon, Ashley, and Henry...Grandma Sharon...and Heather, Gray and I. We're livin' the sweet life, and are praying for the slowest week of all time. Here are a few pictures we've taken so far. I'll holler back soon, but we ARE on vacation, and I'd rather be playing Monopoly at the moment.

Gray and Grandma Sharon at a pit stop on our way to the beach!

"Dad, I love the beach!"

Averie Raye and Graylon just chillllllllllin'.

Ashley on the blog! Ashley on the blog! Awww-some! Look at shiek Henry.

Graylon has always been our little waterbug. Ain't he adorable?

Granna with her little grandbaby. Gray had called her in advance to make sure they'd match.

Sorry...Technical Difficulties

2009-05-08T17:18:00.004-04:00

On Monday, our camera decided not to work any more. Target is giving us a refund, but in the mean time we have not been able to capture much of Graylon besides what our camera phones get. So just enjoy the magical words I can type, and let me bring everyone up to speed.

Wednesday we welcomed yet another visitor. Our friend Shannon stopped by to see Gray. Once she got her hands on him, she refused to give him up. Packers and Bears fan united as they became good friends from the start. I captured their picture on my camera phone, but as of press time, I was unable to get it loaded on the blog. There will be more pictures of the two of them in the future. I'll post it then.

Today, we took Graylon out with us to run a few errands and to see some more friends. We took him by my former place of employment, Devore and Johnson, to give several friends their first look at Gray. They all commented on his hair of course, and he slept through the entire thing. After a bank and Target stop, we went by Stegeman Coliseum to visit with women's basketball. Some of them had seen him before, but others had not. It was Ms. Ann Smith's birthday, so she loved seeing Baby Gray as a present. Coach Landers snagged him as soon as we arrived and hogged him from most everyone else. Coach gave Gray his first pair of Jordan's. Gray wore them home. Several gifts had been left for us since we had last visited, and we were very thankful for all of them.

We are now home, and it is time to pack up for our trip to St. George Island, Florida! I love our new Honda Accord, but I'm thinking it might have to turn into a Honda 12-Passenger-Van for us to fit all of Gray's stuff in it. I'm gonna have to get real crafty. Anyway, we are super excited to take Gray to the beach for a week. We are supposed to have internet access down there, so I'll try and post to the blog from down there. I'll have to put several pictures of Ashley Lane and Gray since I'm in her dog house for not having done so thus far. Maybe one post can be dedicated just to the two of them. We'll see. Until then, take care, and I'll post again from the Sunshine State.