Man of Leisure Monday

About six months ago Grayson earned the pseudonym and hashtag #manofleisure. Originally I snuck a few photos of Grayson in his bathrobe, which he wore with abandon because it was, "so comfy." The hashtag was born out of Instagram wit, but it quickly developed into a reoccurring feature of my photos of Grayson. The thing about Grayson is that he is an old man. He is particular in his ways, and very deliberate about relaxing. I don't know any other 3-year-olds who request to "relax."

None of the photos of the Man of Leisure are staged or prompted. They are all organic moments from our little old man.

Personal Style, No Excuses

Each week that goes by Grayson is fleshing out his personality more and more. Thankfully, I really enjoy Grayson's personality. Does any parent not like their child's personality? I would imagine that would be very difficult. Any rate, Grayson is becoming his own little man. My dad told me that Grayson is like an old man because he has figured out his style and he just rolls with it. I agree.

This morning I caught a glimpse in the rear view mirror of Grayson dancing. I had to put precaution aside and video Grayson in his element. He was in the zone, lip bite and all.

We Invaded

This past weekend Lu and I crashed guys' weekend. John is such a good husband; when he was offered a guys trip to Colorado he said he would not go unless I was able to tag along. While the guys fly fished, I spent a day reliving my youth in Frisco with Morgan, and then Lu and I took on some high altitude adventures together.

I was expecting the weekend to be relaxing, which it was, but an added bonus that I did not expect was that I got to know Lu better. I hated to leave Grayson in Georgia while the rest of the fam was gallivanting through the mountains, but the trip was too short and would be too expensive to justify him coming. I am not a fan of taking trips without the entire family, but this trip may have changed my mind a little. It seems like everyone won. Grayson had a blast while we were gone, and I feel like I was able to bond with Lu even more. It was so great to see Lu's sense of adventure and curiosity. She is a very fun travel companion. Maybe our future does include some weekend getaways with one kid at a time.

Here are some photos.

Name That Baby!

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I understand that my recent posts have been simply reposting NPR content, but there have been a number of interesting features lately. Yesterday I ran across this  post about baby names. I have some anecdotal data of my own about popular baby names across socioeconomic groups. I worked with a number of women who looked to America's Next Top Model for their baby names. By the way, are the names on America's Next Top Model real? Or, does it really mean if you name your child something whild she is likely to make it in the world of reality television?

Coming up with the perfect name for a child can definitely be tricky. We chose names we felt gave enough wiggle room for our children to develop their own personality, not have their personality defined by their name. We wanted names that were known, but not super common. Both names we have chosen are starting to trend a little. I'm always fascinated how within one year a name can boom, especially if that name is not involved with some pop culture phenomenon (I'm speaking to you, all you Twilight babies!). I am not sure how common Grayson and Lucy are becoming, but on a regular basis I am told about other little children with the same name. It's not a big deal to me, just as long as there are not more than four or five Grayson's in his class. Interestingly, there were four Shannons in my kindergarten class. After elementary school I never had anyone in my class with the same name. Is my name for underachievers? Where did all the Shannons go?

I easily get sucked in to looking at name trends. The name mapper on the Baby Wizard is so fun! It turns out Grayson appears to be a name only folks in the deep South use, and Lucy spreads from the Midwest to West, with Utah taking first in favoring it. Trends!

What do you think about baby names? It's funny that we call it "baby names" when the term should be "person names".

What They're Known For

I have found that after having children I have had the same conversations countless times. When I am not having the same conversation verbatim, I am at least discussing the same topic. The most frequently recycled conversations happen with strangers, the conversations about what is physically striking about Grayson and Lucy. At least once a week a stranger will tell me that he or she loves Grayson's haircut. I always respond the same, "We have no choice but to give him that haircut." The other day someone asked me, "Is your son the one with the hair? (while gesturing a straight line across her forehead to signify bangs)" Grayson is known for his straight locks. He always receives comments on his pouty lips and expressive nature. More frequently I receive comments about how liberal Lu is with her smiles. Seriously, the girl shows no discretion for smiling. I have one child who is very discerning when it comes to deciding what to validate with a smile or laugh, and the other who validates so often that I wonder if she has any standards for comedy at all. Lu has also received several comments about her eyebrows. She has been told a number of times that she has a good natural shape to her eyebrows. I am certain she is storing those compliments in her heart.

What are your kids known for?

What Endears Me

I wish I had my camera on me at all times. Grayson and Lu have some of the funniest moments together. I love watching them communicate. So many giggles and sequels. I love how much they love each other. Grayson can put a smile on Lu's face like no one else. I pray that they will continue to grow together as close siblings. I really hope they will be good friends.

The other night Grayson tried to show Lu how to brush her non-existent teeth.

Friday Favorites

Instagram
About a year ago I downloaded the Instagram app. I took one photo and completely forgot about it. Recently John got hooked on taking pictures through Instagram. When I tried to download Instagram on my phone a couple of weeks ago I sheepishly realized I had been sitting a gold mine for almost a year. My rekindled affair with this app has me obsessed. I am sure the folks following me on Instagram are already tired of seeing pictures of Grayson and Lucy, but they are my muses at this point in time. Do you follow only folks you know or also celebrities?

Inexpensive Celebrations
Grayson's Birthday is Saturday. Being almost 2-years-old means that Grayson is obsessed will all forms of transportation. He gets so excited when he sees cars, buses, plains, trains, you name it. To celebrate Grayson's Birthday we are going to take the MegaBus. We aren't going to Paris... but we are going to the Paris of the South, Atlanta (ha!). It's only $1 each way! Grayson's Birthday celebration is costing us a total of $6. I am hoping that we get to ride a double-decker bus, and that we get the front seat so Grayson can get the full effect. We are leaving Athens at 7am, arriving in downtown Atlanta around 8:40. The plan is to walk to J. Christopher's for breakfast and then head to Piedmont Park. We will hop back on the bus at 11am to Athens. This will either be an amazing experience, or incredibly stressful and tiring. We will see. Either way, it will be a memory in the bank.

Happy weekend!

Since I Missed Friday: Sunday Update

Since we closed on the Artist Bungalow last week things have been busy. It's all real now. Once I got into the empty house I quickly saw a list of things we needed to do. We started painting on Saturday. I got one room painted and I was ready to call it quits. A friend from church is a painter; he did an assessment of our space and may take on the job for us. A week ago I would have been eager to do it ourselves, but at this point I am more than happy to outsource. I'm ready to make this move as simple as possible.

At times John and I have felt like we have bitten off more than we can chew. We have had to force ourselves to keep a sense of humor during this chaotic time. Here are some of the things I have found especially humorous lately:

Grayson continues to try to share everything with Lucy. Today he balanced his peanut butter sandwich on Lu's head, in attempt to entice Lu to eat it.

One of my dearest friends is due in just a few short weeks, on April 1. In some ways I have been more excited for her pregnancy than I was for my own. Since we live across the country from one another, I have been begging Morgan for a bump photo. She thinks bump photos are awkward so she tried to convey her feelings in the photo. I think she did a good job. 

Weekend Recap: Laughter

I don't know when Grayson first laughed. Somehow I missed his initial laugh. Or maybe I didn't miss it, but I don't recall it. This evening John and I were chatting while Grayson was taking a bath. I was holding Lucy and she started making a noise. After Lucy made her noise a couple of times we realized she was LAUGHING! Her belly laugh was so endearing. The best part of the entire moment was that Lu was laughing at Grayson. Once Grayson realized he was making Lu laugh he hammed it up even more. It was one of those moments. 

Thought-Provoking Thursday: Life Without Children

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During the past couple of weeks Lucy realized she is alive. The endearing "fourth trimester" most babies experience after birth has come to an end and Lu is beginning to take on her personality. It has been fun to see glimpses of what Lu's future personality may be like. Most signs are pointing to the fact that she will be feisty, but we will see who she actually becomes. I don't want to typecast her too early.

Grayson's recent developmental growth spurt and Lu's decision to tell us how she feels, has left very busy on the parenting front. Throw into the mix my return to work and our upcoming move, and there is a recipe for exhaustion. I keep reminding myself that in a few months this wild time will be just a memory and it will not seem as tough, even though every parent I talk to affirms that these months are a total bear - which tells me that they remember how tough things can be. I stare at mothers with older children and I tell myself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I would be lying if I said my heart was boiling over with maternal joy every moment of the past three months. There have been many times when I have thought, "How did I get here?" The combination of tiredness and lack of personal time has led John and I to jokingly say to one another, "Our life!", when things are particularly tiring. Frankly, every morning this week I have started off by saying to myself and aloud, "My life..." The more tired we get the more John and I tend to reminisce about life before kids. Yesterday when I was in Atlanta I drove past so many places that John and I frequented before kids. We can never go back in time. Even when we go on dates or have a weekend away we are still parents. We still have little human beings depending on us. We still have the logistics to figure out just so we can get time for just the two of us. Pretending that we do not have children for a night or weekend will never be the same as when we did not have children.

Not every moment is this stuck-in-a-dark-damp-tunnel kind of moment, though.  That's kind of the paradox of having children. We have so many rich moments with the kids. I love watching Grayson and Lu interact. I thoroughly enjoy days like yesterday, where we just get in the car and go on an adventure, even if that adventure is simply going to IKEA. Whenever John and I are away from the kids and free from their immediate needs, we find ourselves talking about them, quoting Grayson, or looking forward to getting back to see them. When we went to Asheville for a weekend away from the kids we spent a  good portion of our time looking for fun gifts to bring back for Grayson and Lu. We missed the kids. A lot.

I am learning that raising children will be one of the hardest - if not the hardest - things I ever do. When I think back to my life before kids I briefly wonder why we gave up so much freedom to raise children. As quickly as that thought comes to my mind it is pushed out by the fact that for every minute that tough or tiring, there are so many greater riches to outweigh those hard moments. The kids bring riches that we could never experience without them. KJ Dell'Antonia's rebuttal on Motherlode to this New York Times article came at the heals of our weekend away from the kids. I like her take on things.

What do you think?

Mr. Miyagi

This morning Grayson changed up his routine a little. Instead of requesting that I take pictures of him and Lucy he wanted to teach Lucy how to throw a ball. Grayson is big on showing Lu the essentials in this world. Grayson is a patient and persistent teacher, even when Lu is a not-so-eager student.

Teaching Lu the basics of what a ball is. 

Trying to show Lu how to hold a ball by forcing her hand on the ball.

Grayson then started his demonstration of how to throw a ball. 

Lu was intrigued by the demonstration. Grayson was eager for Lu to throw the ball to him. 

Even though Lu did not attempt anything, Grayson was proud. 

And So it Begins

Today was the first day both Grayson and Lucy showed signs of irritability towards one another. It was the kind of irritability that only occurs between siblings. I wanted to live in a land of make-believe where both Lucy and Grayson would always adore each other, but I knew one day their reciprocal infatuation would give way to annoyance. I still hope that they will be good friends as they grow older, despite the times of driving each other mad. This morning Grayson decided he wanted to pretend that he was going to bite Lucy's face. Grayson very methodically opened his mouth, leaned slowly towards Lucy's face, and when he was within millimeters of biting her, Grayson puckered his lips and gave Lucy multiple kisses. The look of terror on Lucy's face as Grayson moved toward her with his jaw wide open, and then Lucy's confusion when she got kisses instead of a bite only encouraged Grayson to repeat his trick over and over. Eventually the terror and confusion wore off and Lucy got mad. As self-defense, Lucy started batting at Grayson's face every time he leaned in towards her. I probably could have stopped this interchange sooner, but I was intrigued. It was like watching wildlife. Later, both Grayson and Lucy were sitting in my lap. Out of excitement Lucy swung her arms and accidently scratched Grayson's face. Grayson took the scratch personally and you would have thought by the way he reacted that Lucy had just taken a machete to Grayson's face. When Grayson was able to gather his composure he asked that we put Lucy on the floor. I think both Grayson and Lucy have taken off their rose-colored glasses and are entering the world of sibling relationships.

30 Seconds of Expression With Lu

Lucy is starting to come out of the newborn fog and wake up a little. I am not exactly sure what her personality will be like, but I do know she will be different from Grayson. It took Grayson forever to start smiling. Not because he does not have a happy personality, but more because he is a very observant old soul. I am not sure Grayson had time to smile as a newborn; he was too busy computing the world. I think Lucy may be our free spirit with a hint of sass.

Here are some photos within a span of 30 seconds taken with my iPhone.

Friday Favorites

Have a calm and happy weekend.

FAVORITE SPECTATOR SPORT
Grayson has made a sport of trying to touch Lucy's tongue. Whenever Lucy yawns really big, Grayson readies his finger and sticks it in her mouth at the very last second. For most folks the game would be to get your finger in and out of someone's mouth before they finish yawning, but Grayson loves getting his finger stuck in Lucy's mouth. I am pretty sure he is trying to tickle Lucy's tongue.

The yawn. See the anticipation in Grayson's eyes?

The finger stick. 

FAVORITE STYLE
I have quickly become obsessed with infant leg warmers. Thank you Japanese stylists for pushing this trend! Leg warmers are so convenient and, let's face it, extremely fun to see on a baby. Even John can't resist commenting on how cute Lucy looks in her leg warmers.

Happy Weekend!

Morning Tradition

 We have an unspoken weekend tradition in our house. John is so gracious to get up with Grayson each morning, even when Grayson wakes up at an absurd time like 5:15 am. I am lucky enough each morning to stay in bed with Lucy while John keeps Grayson entertained. I usually feed Lucy while I listen to Grayson pitter patter - actually, gallop -  around the house. I try to stay as quiet as possible with Lucy. Each morning, as soon as Lucy or I begin to stir I hear "Baby!", followed by fast footsteps, and a moment later Grayson bursts through the bedroom door. On the weekends there is no morning rush, so Grayson climbs into bed next to his sister. The tradition has become that Grayson hands me my phone and asks that I take pictures of him and Lucy. This tradition leaves me with dozens of very similar-looking photos on my phone, but every photo is priceless to me. I don't know how long this tradition will last. I am certain I will miss it.

So Much Anticipation

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Am I the only one that gets anxiously excited as I wait to find out what my child's eye color will be? The anticipation slays me! When Grayson was one week old the pediatrician told me that he was almost certain Grayson's deep blue eyes would ultimately be brown. I secretly, or actually not-so-secretly, really wanted Grayson to have my light colored eyes. I knew genetics was not on my side, but I thought that maybe, somehow, Grayson could pull through with light eyes. Sure enough, as the months went on Grayson's eye color changed from the deep blue to a deep almond brown, John's eyes. I am pleased that Grayson has almost the exact shade of brown as John. Now it seems impossible for me to think of Grayson with light eyes. His round almond eyes are perfect.

When Lucy was born I mistakenly thought I matured enough to not be partial and impatient about her eye color. At this point finding out the eye color is as exciting to me as finding out the sex of the baby when I was pregnant. And truth be told, I would like for Lucy to have light eyes. The past few days I got my hopes up and  believed I saw flecks of light green in her deep blue eyes. Today, however, the shade is back to being murky, making me think she will have brown eyes. Each day I questioned Lucy's future eye color made me anticipate Lucy's upcoming pediatrician appointment. I figure that since pediatricians see so many babies they are the experts in the area of determining eye color. After all, it was a pediatrician who predicted Grayson's eye color. I realize that I view pediatricians as not only being medical doctors but also being fortunetellers of sorts. Lucy's pediatrician is a very astute and no-funny-business doctor. Not exactly the fortuneteller type. He has been known to call school teachers who have questioned his prescribed medical treatments. John and I know a woman who recently underwent thyroid surgery because Lucy's pediatrician happened to notice that this woman's neck looked irregular while he was examining her son. Very astute, indeed. So at today's appointment I focused more on the pediatrician's astuteness, and less on his seriousness, and took the risk of asking about Lucy's eye color. I figured I had nothing to lose, but I had a great deal to gain - the unfolded mystery of what will come to light in a few months. I was wrong. I did have something to lose. I am confident I lost a lot of credibility in the pediatrician's eyes. The one question I had during the exam was, "Well, do you know what her eye color will be? I'm so curious!" The pediatrician looked dead at me, rolled his eyes, pulled open Lucy's eyes, rolled his eyes again, and said, "There is no way of me knowing. Any other concerns?" I just shook my head. I tried to play it off like I was not that serious about wanting to know Lucy's eye color, and I had to hide my disappointment that Lucy's pediatrician refused to divulge what the future looks like for Lucy's eyes.

Does waiting for your baby's eyes to change color make you as anxious as me?

I always grew up hearing that people with light eyes can see in the dark better. Is this true? I consider it an advantage in playing sardines.