The holidays are upon us, and, as usual, we feel busy and lucky and stuffed with baked goods. The first real snow storm happened this weekend, and we discovered that this year Graham is ready to love the snow, as long as he can wear his baseball hat under his snow hat. 

Happy Holidays to our friends and family. We are headed to Utah this week; here's hoping we'll have a lot of pictures to post when we get back. 

Una and G and Curious George

Boy with cake (and new Boston hat)

Me, proud mama, with cake

Presents!

G with Unkie Trav

This year we had a pretty relaxed birthday for Graham (which means no video). Breakfast came first, and we celebrated then with Travis and Ryan (the unkies, as G calls them). Later that night, a few neighborhood friends came over for pizza and a subway cake. 

I made Graham an Orange Line train cake for a reason. First, my mom was great at making birthdays special, and I want very badly to keep that tradition. Second, every day since school started this fall, G and I have stopped at the bridge and waited for the trains to come by. When one heads our way, we wave and yell in the hopes the driver will see us, wave, and honk. If she or he does, we dance, hug, and celebrate. If there is no honk, I watch G trying really hard not to show his disappointment. It's just one of those magical accidents, this little routine we have grown into with each other. I know it will be gone someday soon, and this cake I made celebrates and memorializes it. It's one of the examples of how wonderful it is to watch him grow. 

In the better late than never category, I submit some great pics of G at his preschool Halloween party. The last picture includes his best friend, Una, and her dad (whom Graham loves), Eric.

Happy Halloween, everyone. 

Graham on his way to preschool!

With a short pitstop to watch the trains pass

And yes, his very first awkward/exciting nametag experience. 

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I'll let the photos tell the story, with one exception. This weekend he threw a giant fit because he couldn't go back, screaming, "I love schooooooooool." Yup, we've hatched ourselves a nerdlet. 

We made it home! We've been back since Tuesday night, but a double whammy of colds and jet lag have made it near impossible to get anything done. I'm finally attacking the vacation laundry today. 

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As many of you know, we had some serious reservations about traveling so far with G. Toddlers are unpredictable, and the thought of him being trapped on a plane for 7 hours made me, well, nervous. The trip would definitely also mess with our routine: dinner, naptime, bedtime would all be up in the air for two long weeks. We love our routine- it keeps us sane. To give it up seemed to invite trouble. 

Le bebe francais

I realized that Graham is actually at a very good age for traveling.  He likes people. He likes getting attention from people. He is also particularly interested in How Things Work. He likes to look at machines and gadgets; he likes to hear engines run; he likes to see the people who wear uniforms and run thosemachines. Thus, a plane ride is really a whole lot of the things Graham enjoys. The long train ride that followed our arrival in France presented Graham with another set of new experiences. Thus, by the time we arrived in Angers, about 20 hours after we had left Boston, he had not slept more than an hour, but was still holding on to a surprisingly good mood. 

Graham and Lola the night of our arrival. Still truckin' after 24 hours of no sleep. 

Once we got to Jen's grandfather's house we knew we would be fine. We were four adults and something like 9 or so young adults and teenagers (the numbers varied from day to day). Graham loved the attention he got from them. The house is big and mysterious, with lots of corners and cubbies to explore. The garden is really big, and Jen's grandfather grows both blackberries and raspberries to eat right off the plant. There are also various cabins and huts in the yard that the family built when Jen and her cousins were young. They are spider filled, but totally fascinating. 

Jen and G exploring the garden

Essentially, Graham knew he had found heaven. He stayed up really late, fought napping, played cards, learned a little french, and ate a lot of red meat (which he loves, but does not eat regularly at home). Even Paris, where we stayed with Jen's wonderful aunt and his favorite cousin, was fine. We had to adjust our expectations of what we would do in the city, but, on the other hand, got to see some new corners of the landscape: parks, for example. The French know how to build an awesome park. 

I am very, very thankful he loves  boulangeries as much as I do. 

So, readers, I will say this: our family has never really been the adventuring kind. We like to be home for naps, home for bedtime. But this trip taught me that Graham can be flexible- more importantly, we can be flexible, and relaxed, and have a marvelous, marvelous time all together. We are already talking about going again next summer. 

G with his great grandfather

 

I'm writing tonight to provide a little background to the big adventure our family is undertaking, beginning tomorrow. Graham, Jen, and I are flying to France to spend two weeks with Jen's grandfather, her aunts and uncles, her legions of cousins. I've met these very friendly, gracious, and funny people a few times before, but this will be the first time we've flown with Graham across the Atlantic. At first I just felt proud- not every two year old has a passport or French relatives. Now, I feel overwhelmed- from tomorrow night to the next day we will be spending something like 15 hours on planes, then waiting, and then on a train. This is a long time in Graham's world- it's a long time in mine, too. To add to this chaos, I have a pronounced, late developing anxiety about flying. I just have no idea how it will all pan out. The last time we traveled I was better, but he was a baby then, needing me in a very different way than he does now. 

All nerves aside, I can't wait to take pictures of my boy doing all the things Jen remembers so fondly from her own childhood- hopefully, he will quickly develop a taste for triple creme cheese; he already does fine with pastry dough. 

So, for now, au revoir. We'll have a lot to tell you when we return in two weeks. 

A couple of things, quickly:

1)  Graham likes to pretend he is a baby turtle and that Jen or I are the mama or mom turtle (respectively). This game involves him hanging out on the bed with a pillow on his back (a shell, naturally). This is only irritating when he wakes up in the middle of the night wanting the shell to be re-applied. 

2) Graham likes to run away from me in public places, especially if I am saddled with the stroller or a grocery cart. He cackles as he does this. It makes me really, really mad. 

3) Graham and I are making a big effort to spend more time in the city together. We take the T and go to the park, the library, the grocery store, whatever. It's a great way to kill a morning. 

4) Graham likes to pretend to be a singer. After Michael Jackson died, I bought a few old Jackson 5 songs I had always loved. They are now his favorites, especially "Dancing Machine." He pretends something is a microphone, stands on the table by the speaker, and shakes it. He has so far refused to do this for the camera, but we will get footage, I promise. 

What we've been doing the past few weeks...

Not so hot on the beach

Boats are awesome

Lifeguard chairs are also awesome and, even better, forbidden

Dancing at the festival

Notes on our first real vacation:

This week we headed to the Cape for our first vacation together. We've traveled quite a bit to friends and family's houses, but this was the first time we stayed in a hotel on our own. It had been raining for something like 2 weeks in New England by the time we left Wednesday, and we were ready for storms. (I nearly convinced myself to buy a new rain coat the day before we left.) Instead, we got lucky- we saw blue sky as we drove from Boston to Provincetown, and it showered only twice (and then at night) over the four days we were there. Otherwise, it was perfect: bright blue skies and warm and sunny. 

We used to go to Ptown fairly often. It's one of my favorite places in the world, but our old trips involved a lot of beach time, shopping time, and napping. None of those things happened, really at all, this week. Graham isn't that keen on sand; the water was really cold; stores in Ptown are small and filled with expensive, breakable objets. He also was a little weirded out by what he called "the strange room." It had lights in interesting places and a shower with a bunch of different heads all over the walls- this in particular freaked him out. He did LOVE the train table in the breakfast room, the pancakes, all the dogs, and the fact that a boy (really an 18 year old) lived at the inn. The first two nights we were there it took him an hour or so to finally sleep. 

So, after we adjusted to vacationing with Graham, we had a great time. We walked around the pier and looked at boats; ate ice cream and lobster rolls; found all the good parks; watch movies together, and had a really good time at the Portugese festival, where we discovered Graham has an affection for bad Europop.  

It was a great time, and very good practice for our trip to Europe in August. My other goal for the summer is to get this kid to be more excited by the beach. 

Holy Big Boy, Batman

I know, I know. We're now the MonthlyGraham. I submit this picture heavy post to satiate our readers.

Our lives seem to get busier and busier, and I almost (almost) miss the quiet days of Graham's younger life. Now, we are up and OUT early in the morning. In fact, requests to go OUTSIDE begin well before it's possible to do so without irritating the neighbors. This suits me ok on sunny days, but this crazy wet spring we've had here is, uh, challenging my sanity. 

A few awesome things have happened this month; first, a new park opened up just a block away from our house. We are very, truly, eternally grateful to the families who agitated for this change. The park is now Graham's main territory, and he struts around the place introducing himself to parents and kids. The city threw a big party to introduce the site, and the mayor came (election year, anyone?). Graham was not at all intimidated, and chatted up all the officials. It was the first of a series of events that have made me realize that he is no longer reserved- he is, in fact, hell bent on social interaction. Here we are with Mr. Menino. 

 Graham's new demands for what he wears every day are another new hurdle. Jen took him to a party last night, and he was wearing green striped shorts, crocs, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, a yellow construction man vest, and the ever-present GD Red Sox hat. No substitutions, thank you, because workers and garbage collectors wear hats and vests and sweatshirts. I've included a picture of a typical day's outfit here. Thank goodness it's been a cool spring. I have to imagine that some of this will need to go when it's 90 degrees. And yes, that's a Swiffer, which he also takes with him on walks from time to time. 

Touch-a-Truck, or the best thing that has happened to Graham in his WHOLE LIFE

So, we had heard a little about these events- businesses donate use of their vehicles and kids come climb all over them, usually to benefit a charity. Sounds cool, right? What we didn't realize was that our own 2 year old's mind would be completely blown at the thought of so. many. trucks. I guess we hadn't realized that the kids are invited, no, encouraged, to climb on, in, over, and around the trucks- that is, to do all the things they are told not to on a daily basis. So, once they get the fact that they can play WITH the trucks, they freak out. Graham ran from one truck to another all morning, as if we would soon realize that what he was doing was against the rules and force him to stop.  It was amazing, and, I must admit, kind of cool to be able to sit high up in a cement mixer, a garbage truck, and a UPS truck. 

I went to Utah last week, by myself, so this isn't a true DailyGraham post, except that I saw our family: Papa Wilson, Uncle Kyle, Aunt Michelle, and cousins Abbie and Oaklee. I missed Graham and Jen alot, and am already scheming a trip to Utah again maybe in the fall. 

Here's Abbie, who looks a lot like G, especially if you compare baby pictures. 

Here's Oaklee, who looks to me like her mom, though my dad swears she takes after my mom. 

Here are two of the things I miss most about Utah, the summer sky and the mountains. These two aspects took my breath away on this trip. 

A couple of things:

Graham is becoming more extroverted. We had Sarah M. here last weekend, who he has met before, but couldn't really have remembered. He warmed up to her immediately, which was unusual. Then, Monday, we went to Maria and Grace's for a BBQ, and he was the only child there. He LOVED this; he flirted, charmed, and giggled his way through the night. Both these events are a little unusual- could it be that my reserved boy is hitting his stride, socially?

We are still fighting the battle of words vs. fists here. Graham would rather throw or hit to communicate impatience or anger. Today, however, he was in the car with Gus on the way to the Children's museum. Gus was really persistently offering Graham Veggie Booty. After a couple false starts, Graham said, "Gus, I don't want any." Very clearly. He seemed very relieved that he could communicate exactly what he felt.

What else? He's still wearing the damn Red Sox hat obsessively. We had to wash it because it started to smell. We did, however, get him to switch from Crocs to Converse this week. An upgrade for sure.

Graham has started to be more and more interested in hanging out with other kids, especially other boys with the same driving need to run around and look at trucks. I took these photos this week at the park- isn't it clear that he and his friend Gus totally dig each other?

It's been a tough couple of weeks, friends. Graham makes it better: he's so funny and smart. Did you know he can recite along with us as we read his favorite books? And he sings now- something I've been waiting for; nothing is sweeter. There's this one kid's song he loves- called "I'm Not Perfect."  It goes like this:

We're not perfect

No we're not

But we've got what we've got

We do our very best each day

It's schmaltzy, sure, but the message is a good one, right? I'm not sure it had the right effect, however. Graham now will walk up, point to one of us and say, "You're not perfect." We'll agree, that's true. Then he continues,  "But I am perfect." So much for that. 

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We send our love to all the moms (and mom stand-ins) we know today. May you be celebrated and loved this and every minute.  

We visited Vermont this weekend, and Graham is giddy with enthusiasm for the pond, the lawn, the mud, and, especially, Granddad's tractor. It really is a 2 year old's dream. It's a dog's dream, as well. I think Molly would trade us in for Vermont, if she could. 

Here are the out-takes of our recent passport photo session:

More imagination:

This week Graham has made new friends in the house: a flashlight, a water bottle, and a sunglasses case (which he calls Mama). He talks to them, comforts them when they are hurt, and feeds them dinner.

I guess those people who claim kids can do without toys are right. He also, however, continues to love his train set. He can put the tracks together now, and doesn't really liked to be bothered while in the middle of the project.

In the past few weeks, G has developed a pretty kick ass imagination. He's particularly interested in cowboys, pirates, and, recently, car washes, so we play a lot of hybrid games, like pirates go to the car wash. Fun stuff. In the pictures below you see him having his first dinner party. In photo 2, you see his "cowboy hat," adopted from my stash of old summer chapeaux. It is not, of course a cowboy hat at all, but it does nicely in a pinch- cowboy by way of England summer of 1920.

Note to all parents of new (and not so new babies). 2 year olds, though exhausting, are hilarious and joyful and rough playing. Just be prepared to run, a lot. Prepare as well for a sudden transformation; is it me, or is there very little baby left in this energetic guy? He even gets mad at me when I call him "my baby." Unless he's been hurt, when he prefers to be called "poor baby." 

We had a great time this weekend at the Mystic Aquarium, which, sorry to say, kicks the Boston Aquarium's butt. They have a beautiful outdoor setup for a group of beluga whales. If you asked Graham, he would tell you that he liked the pumps (water filtration? we're guessing); the crane (construction); the tunnel; as well as the hot dog, fries, and Coke (!), he had for lunch. So, essentially, the fish weren't the draw for him. 

In the past month, Graham has shown an accelerated interested in all things boy, especially trucks and balls. God knows he never was exposed to those items in our house, but he knows the difference between a football and a baseball; a backhoe loader and an excavator. You can often find him camped out on the rug, creating work for his team of guys: Uncle Travis, Joey, Mr. Darcy, and Seamus. They drive trucks, go to the gas station and car wash, and, generally, get it done.  

This post is for my dad, who called and asked if we had died or broken our camera or something.

We're doing better today, after 10 days of pneumonia- then Jen being sick - then a foot of snow on Monday. I, personally, have been diagnosed with a severe case of cabin fever. We've been getting outside as much as possible, exploring the community garden (in snow) and playing in the house as creatively as we can. Graham is suddenly really, really interested in the pets, as well, which they alternately like and, well, really dislike, depending how enthusiastically he pets them. He's also fascinated by letters and totally disinterested in numbers, which shows that he is definitely my child. Maybe we can learn to do long division together someday.

Soon, Spring!