The Graham Family: Grateful

The past few days have been small pieces of heaven for me. There have been no significant changes or news or announcements. Just a few small moments that make my job as a mother absolutely amazing. We had a great weekend with our little family, my boys were sick most of the weekend. When I say sick, I mean it in the lightest sense possible. Low fevers and just sad needy boys. That's it. Dean was home all weekend, so we each took turns holding one of our boys, pretty much all weekend. Holding a child nearly every waking minute sounds like it gets old, but for a couple days, I actually enjoyed it. Now I don't intend to allude that I like it when either of my boys are sick, even a just a little. I do wish to say, there were a couple of pieces of time I would be cuddling with either Lincoln or Oliver, and I felt so blessed to have a little boy who would give their mom a hug. These were just a few gratifying moments where I realized, I was who they wanted to be with in that minute in their lives.
So now, the boys are healthy again, and life keeps rolling on. We've had a pretty mundane week, but with little snapshots of happiness for the mama. Yesterday we were eating breakfast. Lincoln in his highchair, Oliver was in his playing disk across the room, I was leaning against the sink and just watching them. Lincoln was dipping his waffles into his "peach jam and syrup", and Oliver was admiring Lincoln's every move. Soon they began to interact. Lincoln would talk to Oliver, and Oliver would laugh. Then Lincoln went back to eating, and Oliver went back to admiring his older brother. I told you, absolutely nothing amazing about this story, but for some reason, a huge feeling of gratitude for these boys came over me.
To me, the first month of Lincoln's terrible twos were difficult. In his defense, he was adjusting to having a sibling, and we were both frustrated because we had such a hard time communicating. Now that Lincoln is speaking so much, and understanding too much, our lives with a 2 year old rocks!
Lincoln is such a good brother. He loves to play with Oliver and make him laugh. He likes to choose toys for Oliver to play with. He likes to tackle Oliver which always makes me nervous, but 97% of the time makes Oliver laugh and laugh and laugh. Lincoln will copy everything we say which helps both Dean and I watch our words. Lincoln can say please, but hasn't learned question words, so he demands a lot. Never mind asking for something, he just tells us. With all of his demanding, he has also learned to be a big helper. Today he cleaned up his toys, picked up all of the stuff in the bathroom and I while I was feeding Oliver, I asked Lincoln to take one of Oliver's toys into the living room. He walked into my room and said living room? I told him the living room is the room with the piano. Later I walked by the piano and found the toy placed nicely under the piano.
Lincoln loves to make me laugh. Some of his latest jokes include. "ahhh! it scared me" He was walking to the trampoline when he saw the neighbor's dog behind a fence. I think it did startle him, so "Ahhh, doggy scared me." Earlier today, we were turning left at a yellow then red light when a car going straight didn't stop for their light. I quickly braked and my adrenaline rose. Then Lincoln said, "ah, car scared me". I told him it scared me too, then I began to be grateful for my life that didn't just end, then I was grateful for Lincoln and Oliver's life that didn't end, and then I was grateful for my 2 year old who knows just what to say to make me laugh. Lincoln has also been telling me when something is fun, yummy, or when he "likes that". These simple words make me smile.
Oliver is still a good baby, though he certainly doesn't like to be left alone. He's pretty good as long as Lincoln or I are in eye sight, but as soon as we leave the room, even for a second, he lets you know he was left behind. He spends a lot of his time sitting with toys around him, though he'll sometimes get them out of reach and then gets bored. He'll occasionally move from sitting to his belly, just for a change of scenery. Oliver is great at rolling from his back to his stomach, but still hasn't figured out how to get back onto his back. It is kinda nice to have a baby that is so immobile because I know he's safe even when I turn my back.
I could go on and on, (though I realize I already have) but I'll always forget one more small...simple part of my life that makes me not want to trade it for anything. I love my 3 boys and am grateful my 2 little boys have such a great daddy who loves them, plays with them, holds them and laughs with them.
Ok, enough talk, Here's just a couple pictures of our little life in South Ogden.

We finally made it up Adam's Canyon. Perfect hike day, it was just really cold by the waterfall.

Autumn time really is more fun with kids!

Lincoln loves his fruit. I wish he would let me cut it so he didn't waste so much.

And here is "grandpa's Kitty Cat". Can't leave home without it.

Happy Halloween. My parents came over on Halloween night to go trick or treating. It was a fun night. Everyone was taking so many pictures, I figured didn't need to. Now I wish I had those pics.