Please- spare me paparazzi!

Graham has been getting really upset when the sun glares in his eyes as we drive around town, so I bought him some new shades the day after Christmas. Now he wants to wear them indoors and out-it just goes to show that the Sun never sets when you're cool.

Bathtub Crayon Mania

On a whim, the other day, I bought some bathtub crayons for Graham while out with my Mom. He is so into them. Every night now, at bath time, he creates a magnum opus on our shower walls- which I then have to scrub off the next morning when I shower, but whatever- he has such a good time!

Right about the time the crayons run out, I'll be ready to stop scrubbing I think...

Creativity at Work!

Here is Graham learning some artistic skills from the master...his Grammie! They drew on his new chalk board easel for hours. Graham even learned what eyebrows were because they drew so many faces.

Santa Has Come!

Graham was so shocked by the Christmas spread left by Santa that we could scarcely get him to enter our living room. Once he was in, though, it was on!! He was all of the time elated, and at times frenzied! Next year will be even crazier I am sure. The video is sideways at first, but straightens out...

Graham Plays Santa

One of the best times Graham had on Christmas morning was delivering presents from under the tree...here he is- Santa Graham in action!

Graham Jam

Graham has been waking up supremely early here, so the other day we set him in bed with us and turned on some cartoons at about 5:15am, and what did we come across , but a Monster Truck rally. It was love at first site for Graham, who now calls Monster Trucks "bobos". I found it funny, but I have no complaints- it's completely bad language and sexual content free. I just hope that he doesn't select it as a profession.

Babies at the Buffalo Corral

Horse-riding cavalry was a big part of how Fort Huachuca got started way back when, so they still have an active corral on base here. Sunday morning we took Graham to see the horses and this one very friendly little donkey named Speedy. Graham took more interest in the tractors we saw. Oh well. You can't win them all. Plus, it's been hard for him to get excited since that darn Christmas Parade!! Everything else pales in comparison!

Graham's First Parade

Graham enjoyed his first parade on Saturday night- the local Christmas parade. It featured many large trucks, fire engines, floats, and even goats with antler headbands on. He was so excited that Andy and I both agreed that it was worth us completely freezing every appendage off of our bodies to go. He either waved and/or pointed at every single thing in the parade.

Water Babies

Graham had a great time splashing at the indoor aquatic center today. He loved having some weekend time with his Daddy and they both loved sliding down this pirate ship slide many times. Check out this short video!

Tree Lighting

For the first time this year Graham got to wear mittens and a parka. Here he is all bundled up watching the Christmas tree lighting in the tiny town we're visiting. They lit up a Cypress tree-it was the most unusual choice of Christmas tree we have ever seen!

A Bit of New Scenery

This is a scene not seen by the Nichols in a while- snow covered mountains. We are out of town for a bit while Andy does some training and loving the cold snowy weather. Tonight snow is supposed to hit altitudes as low as 5,000ft. so Graham may just get to play in it before we leave!

Turkey Day Toddler

How wonderful to share Thanksgiving with Graham now that he's a bit older! He ate mashed potatoes and gravy with his own spoon and enjoyed some Martinelli's sparkling cider, cranberry sauce, and even destroyed some pumpkin pie. Of course, we did not think about how much sugar was in the pie and Cool Whip and after he ate it, he was a wild man. A small price to pay.

Pretending at the Childrens Museum

For the first time Graham enjoyed some attractions at the Childrens Museum that were a little over his head before. He is just beginning to do some pretend play and really enjoyed "grocery shopping" and "cooking pizzas" in a little mini restaurant kitchen. It was awesome.

Pink Flamingo

Graham's favorite animal on our recent trip to the zoo was the Chilean flamingo. He couldn't get enough of these cute birds...

Holiday Cards...with an almost two year old.

We asked my aunt Colleen to take some nice pictures of us for our holiday card this year. Out of approximately 20 pictures, we had one good one. That's what happens when you ask a toddler to sit still. Here were some of the close contenders...You'll just have to wait for your card to see the one good one.

Spoon Man

Graham is getting more and more independent- he now says two word phrases- "Bye bye, Daddy!", and shakes his head to indicate "no". My favorite new development though is that he can feed himself with a spoon. It helps if the item he's eating is thick, but he is getting better every day and I am hoping we can start having more soup again soon in the Nichols household!

Trick or Treat!

Graham ended up visiting about five houses this past Halloween. After the second one he was running up to front doors and sticking his hand into people's candy bowls, so we are pretty sure he "gets it".

At one point I looked in his little pumpkin and he had no candy. I couldn't figure out what had happened until I realized that his friend Ethan ("The Steeler"- literally and figuratively) had been emptying his candy every time we put them back in the wagon!

Here are a couple of pics of Graham on Halloween night and one of Mr. Sticky-Fingers Ethan in action!

Pumpkin Time

Though Graham has already lived through one Thanksgiving, he didn't really take part in much besides sleeping. This time, he was much more invovled and helped to carve his first Jack-o-Lantern. We stripped him down thinking that it would get messy, but all he wanted to do was spoon the guts back into the pumpkin. Here are some action shots and the completed work of art.

Et tu Brute!

This year for Halloween it was decided (by me) that Graham would be Julius Caesar. First of all, it's so warm here that to make him an animal and cover him in fur would be cruel. Secondly, a toga is easy to sew! He definitely wore it well as I am beginning to realize that a toddler already thinks that he is a dictator...even before you ever put that laurel wreath on his head. This pics are of him at a Halloween party the week before Halloween- temperature: 85 degrees.

Graham's 1st...Bloody Nose

In a move that I don't expect will be his last, Graham gave himself his first bloody nose yesterday. Even with 5 other moms standing around he was so fast we couldn't seem to get to him in time. He stood up on a little car toy that had wheels and when the car came out from under him he face planted so hard that he looked like a falling tree. I don't think anything but his nose broke his fall. Fortunately, he still has all of his teeth, which is miraculous, and does not seem to have broken his nose, though this morning when he woke up his face looked pretty bruised. When you see the pic below note how different he looks- it's because his eyes and nose are puffy. Poor kid!!

Pumpkin Patch Fun

I took Graham to Mother Nature's Farm here for their pumpkin festival today. He got to take a hayride, bounce in a moon bounce, decorate a pumpkin, and tried to feed a number of animals hay straw- which he would have happily done all day! We definitely have an animal lover on our hands.

Steam Powered Fun

Graham and I went to the train park this past weekend and for the first time ever we went on a weekend day. It turns out that on weekends they pull out all of the stops and bring a special steam locomotive engine for the kid's train. Boy did Graham notice the difference. He insisted that we sit in the front car and couldn't get enough of the steam whistle! I must admit- it was pretty cool.

He Keeps Us Running!

Graham's new kicks are really working for him. He usually wears crocks but he has been covering some serious ground lately, so we thought that some shoes with a bit more support might be called for. This little monkey's on the move!

Mud Pie Anyone?

A mom should know better than to think that because a child is quiet they are occupied doing something constructive, so I suppose I should have been less surprised when I spotted Graham looking like this after I tried to work at the garden this morning with him there. I am not sure how much mud he got into his mouth, but there was plenty that made it to his face and strangely he wasn't hungry for lunch (just kidding).

Botanical Garden Fun

Today Graham and I enjoyed the Monarch butterfly exhibit at the Phoenix Botanical garden. Other than the butterflies, I think Graham's favorite thing was the cinnamon roll he got share with us. Oh well- plants aren't too exciting to kids.

Flossing-Graham Style

Graham gave me a little tutorial on flossing tonight. He's pretty good for a first-timer!

Feeding the Animals!!

Graham and I happened upon a new attraction today at the zoo- Giraffe Encounter! We got to feed the giraffes and Graham loved it!! I thought he might be scared because they were quite big!! We were up on a platform about ten feet above the ground and they were still this tall! However, he loved it. He just laughed and laughed and then got mad when he couldn't pet them.

The Terrible Twosome!

Graham and Ethan are up to their usual tricks- and some new ones! We did not come up with the idea of Ethan pulling Graham in the wagon. They invented that one completely on their own.