Four Weeks.

Grady is 4 weeks old today. Where have the days gone? We are most definitely experiencing time-warp acceleration. The Gobbly-Goo is chubbing up, getting those precious rolls under his neck, arms and knees. Something endearing about G: he laughs in his sleep. Tim has yet to witness this, but today alone he has done this twice. And I'm not exaggerating what would be a gassy smile, no...this is a giggle-laugh that ends in his mouth saying (I kid you not)..."goo". I can't imagine what his little brain is dreaming, what could be funny to him at this emotionless (well, except for the crying for bare necessities) age? His sisters? My lack of sleep or showering (Gross. On both accounts.)? The mind reels.
Both of The Little Girls fake cried in their sleep at this age, 

Grady laughs. Search me. 

Great Lengths.

 

 Savannah's Ballet School doesn't do recitals. When I first asked Teacher Pam if she held recitals she rolled her eyes, cringed and mumbled in her posh British accent, "ugh...recitals are so tacky." Instead she directs two performances a year (The Nutcracker and a summer show), all students are encouraged to participate. These  productions are exquisite, I dare say worth the $20 per ticket. The costumes are handmade by a Mom whose daughter is a Company Girl, the details of these costumes and the stage props are magical. The talent as far as the school goes is top notch and never disappoints. Last night we saw Coppelia. It was fantastic. Savannah wasn't in the performance, she wanted desperately to be dancing with her classmates but it was poor timing considering the practices were held the weeks of and after Grady's birth. Now that I see how serious she is about dance, I am starting to get nervous about the future investment impact (time/financial commitment) this ballet school may have on our family. Before last night's final curtain Savannah asked me when The Nutcracker was and to which part will she dance. Oh Boy...let the time commitment begin.

 Ballet School.

Cabin Fever?

Whenever Eva and David invite us to their family cabin, we throw Botting clothes/swim suits in our ridiculously huge L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bag (the best bag for a family of 5 ever!) jump in the car and head to Lake Tahoe. We got lucky this last weekend when they made a spontaneous trip and daring phone call to invite a family with a newborn. 

 Always a treat...David's BBQ.

 Checking out the cabin's yard.

 Playing at the Beach.

 The lovely Eva.

Photography was limited since my hands were full of The Gobbly-Goo, but Robbie and The Little Girls had fun together playing t-ball in the yard and making sand castles on Tallac Beach.
 Thank you Nybo's for a weekend away. Last year's trip here.

Property Kids.

Recently while at a birthday party, I overheard a conversation between two elementary school teachers. Their conversation put a smile on my face as well as eased my mind to an endearing habit/normalcy of raising children in the country. These teachers were talking about recess duty and how easily it is to spot the "property kids". These young, nature's children are the ones who take their clothes off when too hot in the classroom and on the playground or choose to pee outside under an inviting tree instead of using a public restroom. 

Anyone who has spent any length of time with The Little Girls is quickly clued in to their "property kid" status. While Savannah has grown out of peeing outside (she is a bit more sophisticated, and besides "princesses don't potty under trees."), Ivy prefers it when spending time in The Great Outdoors. These girls are more frequently running around the house in their underwear (January or July, whatevs...) than in clothes and so just this week I had to make a new rule of being properly dressed while playing outside on the play-set, thus preventing all manner of naked side effects; sunburns and bug bites in unfortunate places, possible creepy people lookie-looing through the fence while driving by and owies made worse by way of zero cloth protection. When I explained this new rule to The Little Girls they looked at me confused like I was speaking backwards and in a foreign language. Funny how they don't wonder how telephones or televisions work but telling them they must wear clothes outside seems incredibly complicated. They struggled less with understanding how Grady was born. Being raised on property myself I struggle with this new rule too. I want The Little Girls to feel free to be however and whatever they want to be without casting a shadow of cultural conformity and body image perversity. Saying this now I feel like perhaps they still have a few good years where their birthday-suits are appropriate childhood attire.

As evidenced by Ivy:

Kinder Kamp.

 

(first day)

 I am severely indebted to Savannah's near future Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. "R". Every summer she runs a two week preparatory day camp for the first 20 students who've signed up for school. She is not paid for this two week program and could be spending her cherished summer hours with her grandchildren or having a bit of much needed down time. Instead she is the answer to my prayers, prayers fearfully whispered after interrogation-type questioning from Savannah about what school might be like for her and how she won't be able to stand being away from me. But these last two weeks she has done better than I have. Every morning she excitedly dresses herself, arms herself with her locket and bravely rides the school bus on her own. When she gets home I hear stories about Gracie, Quincy and the other kids, snack, recess, art and how many times she did or didn't look inside her locket.

 

(ballet pose)

 (tears over a scratch from Ivy, tears that couldn't clear up by the time I was ready to take her morning photo.)

Milestones.

Today Grady is 1 week old.

Tim thinks I'm ridiculous getting all teary-eyed when I lament that time is already slipping away. Hormones...right?

We call him The Gobbly-Goo. 

He eats so much... well, let's just say we go through a lot of diapers.

I am so proud of The Little Girls. They are handling his addition to our family like champion big sisters. They are so helpful and want to hold him, change him and kiss all over him. Savannah always has him wrapped in her blankie and now that Ivy has his name down (yesterday was the first day she got it on her own. "what's your baby's name again?"), she is eager to fetch whatever he needs even when he doesn't need it (french fries).

Grady.

 Grady Andrew Botting was born on Wednesday July 13th at 3:34 in the afternoon. Words can hardly express the magnitude of our love for him nor the joy we have shared together as a family these last few days of his life. As Tim says, "He kicks ass."

 Tuesday night.

 Wednesday morning. Monitoring progress.

 Grady: mere seconds old.

 After first bath.

 6 pounds, 6 ounces.

 Meeting his sisters.

 Checking in on baby Grady with Nurse/Auntie Shannon. My sister was in the room as he was born, waiting to receive him in case of any complications. Having her there as a coach, nurse, cheerleader, friend and sister is surely one of the sweetest moments in my life. I'm so glad he waited to be born until she was working next!

 First meal.

 Grady is the most mellow of babies. 

He cares for three things; Eating, Snuggling and Sleeping.

What more could we ask for?