Getting to Know Grayson

The first three months of life are really pretty amazing, when you think about it. An infant goes from a sleeping/pooping/eating lump into this interactive little person with a distinct personality and (unfortunately for his Mom and Dad) firmly held opinions already formed. We often wondered in the first weeks and months if Grayson was ever going to do anything other than scowl at us with a furrowed brow. It was his favorite expression, followed by eyes wide open in a look of shock and amazement. Happy face? Never. Excited? Not so much.

Then all of a sudden he started to become animated. He suddenly started to smile. He laughed! He began to become aware of his surroundings and of these two strange, very tired looking people who feed him and (despite his protestations) suck boogers out of his nose. For those two very tired people, this Grayson awakening is like a light at the end of a tunnel.

Happy Grayson

Grayson is really a pretty happy kid. It just took a while for his face to catch up with the rest of him. When we took him for his 2 month check-up the doctor asked if he was smiling yet and we had to report that he wasn't. She chatted and played with Grayson for a while and he started kicking and squirming. She said, "that's his smile. His face just doesn't know it yet." Well, sure, we'd seen the kicking. Nobody told us that counts as a smile.

Fortunately, Sharon caught this early one by chance.

Finally, a real smile!

Eventually Grayson figured out the whole smiling thing. Now he smiles all the time!

Grayson has a Lot to Say

Another distinct element of Grayson's personality to emerge is his love of conversation. Grayson will talk to anything and anybody, at length, on a variety of subjects. We ask him about his day, and he's usually willing to tell us.

Here's a quick video of Grayson talking to a book that Sharon put in his napper. As you can tell, he has a lot to discuss with his book.

Here's another one of Grayson telling his Dad all about the day he had. Both Sharon and Matt would like to apologize for the silly voices they make on these videos.

 
Grayson the Clandestine Thumb-Sucker

Parenthood will make a liar and a hypocrite out of you. We're coming to understand that. Many times Sharon and Matt would say how they would never give their children a pacifer. Or, certainly, not let them suck on one all the time. Well, Grayson decided to put that notion to the test by attempting, 24/7, to suck his thumb. Finally we had to decide if we wanted this:

Disobedience at 12 Weeks Old

Or this:

Point - Grayson

As you can probably imagine, the binkie won out. And so now you are very likely to see Grayson happily sucking a binkie whenever he can. Ultimately it was decided that a binkie is much easier to hide one day than a thumb. His parents are now sufficiently humbled on the matter.

48 to 72 hour Grayson

What most parents would consider a blessing is our constant struggle. Grayson doesn't poop. Well, he does, just not often. We can usually count on a good 48 to 72 hours between dirty diapers. That doesn't sound very pleasant to us, either, but the doctor didn't seem too alarmed. When he finally does go, everything appears to be in order. But, we have had to employ some "bottle additives" to get the kid moving.

Medicinal Purposes Only

And so, of all the many faces of Grayson, this is actually one we enjoy seeing the most.

In Process