backing up a bit

I know I kind of left everyone hanging after that last post, but I only had a minute to blog and just haven't felt like it since! (: Thursday morning Gray and I headed over to run errands and get some groceries. We dropped by Amber's with some donuts (one of our favorite treats) and he played with Ella while she and I chatted & ate some of her yummy pasta salad. After that we came home for naptime and the guys were here pruning our trees & cleaning up our yard. I can't even express how awesome it was to see that. It looks beautiful! (Don't mind the disgusting grass-unfortunately our neighbor's animals see our yard as a dumping ground). They hauled out a HUGE trailer full of branches, weeds, bushes, etc., and it just looks awesome. Grayson loved watching them.
After naptime, I dropped Gray at Grami's to play for an hour while I went into town to the coffeeshop to meet Tasha. I had a yummy smoothie and muffin and we chatted for an hour and a half. It was so nice to meet up without kids distracting us and to catch up for a while. She is a dear friend and I love her much. Thanks Tasha! That night we hung at Grami & Papa Alan's house and Kelsey & Lance came over too. We had a delicious dinner and watched Biggest Loser which is always fun. Grayson has just recently become enthralled with "holding" Jaeger and I love it. I love how patient Jaeger is while Grayson pretty much mauls him-pulling him closer to hug and kiss him, etc. They are so cute!
Friday afternoon Grayson went to Grami's again so I could go pick up Zac at the airport. It was SO good to see him! I had missed him so much and have more respect for my girlfriends whose husbands have to be gone often! We went to my doctor's appointment and I already updated about that. It went well. He didn't strip my membranes but said he would if I made it till next Thursday...which we'll see about. I didn't have it done with Grayson because I heard it hurt pretty bad, so I may just be willing to let things go on their own timetable! As far as progress goes, I am still feeling okay. Just uncomfortable. I have had a few contractions off and on, but nothing to get too excited about. That's okay though, we'll take him when he's good & ready to come! (: Afterward, we dropped of payroll, visited with the accountant, and drove home to see our little man.
Lance & Kelsey invited us over that night for pizza & a movie which was a nice distraction for me too. Zac was SO tired from his trip and slept most of the movie! We headed home and got Gray to bed and then laid in bed talking and catching up. Sure love that man!

Saturday was a good day too. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we spent a lot of the day outside at Nana & Papa Cleaver's. They were watching 5 of their 7 grandkids, so we added a 6th to the mix and let him play with the kids while we chaperoned. Gray loved playing in the dirt (I think he'd live outside if I let him) and just adores Madelyn. He is so good to follow her and listen to her so well. The kids had built a fort and they played in that for a while, jumped on the trampoline, ate ice cream, and just had fun together. I'm glad all his cousins are close enough to play with on a regular basis. Just a sidenote: in the middle of the night (3:00am), Gray came into our room and stood by my bed and said (in a totally normal, but excited voice), "Mom...I heard a bug in my room!" Seriously?! At 3:00 in the morning? It was pretty funny. Took him back to bed and he went right back to sleep, but super funny.
Sunday we went to church for the first two hours. Zac encouraged me to bear my testimony and said if I did, he would, so I literally waddled up there (in my slippers because they are the only shoes that fit!) and it went well. I'm glad I did it because mine is always strengthened when I bear it. Gray seemed a little flushed and hot and then there were two subs in nursery and he wasn't too sure of that, so I just brought him home and tried (unsuccessfully) to get a nap in with him. He has been pretty bad lately about naptime and I'm not sure what the deal is, but am trying not to let it bother me too bad since he really is a joy to have around & one thing I've definitely learned about mommyhood is that every time we get used to something, it changes! Stages come and go & I know eventually he'll get back to where he is loving naptime.

We spent the evening at my folks and it was a good night. When we got home Grayson insisted we all sit on the couch and talk as usual and Zac and I just relished in him. He is getting so grown up and has a photographic memory. He expresses himself so well and I love listening to him talk about things he's passionate about-which at this point is about everything. Just a couple of his latest loves:
-Summertime: he talks about things we'll do in the summertime all the time. He says, "We'll pick apples, apricots, flowers, peaches...what else mom?" "We'll go wimmin in the pool, ride the mawn mower with Papa Alan, the tractor with all the guys, and dig in the dirt!"
-Says actually often & in the right context
-Upon leaving people's homes or them leaving ours, he says-with much gusto-"See you later aligator...crocodile! Bye everyone!"
-Super attached to me for comfort lately. I don't know if he's feeling that there is going to be a big change coming and he's uneasy about it, but he totally prefers Zac to play with & me to cuddle or be comforted with. Hopefully this won't pose too big an issue when Hickory Baldwin makes his appearance!
Love this kid! So grateful to be parents...and despite all my insecurities, questioning, inadequacies, I know the Lord will help me make up for my flaws and that we are so blessed to be raising such a great little boy...and that this next one will be so fun to get to know as well!