Grady Turns 8!!!

Grady turned 8 years old!!!  All he wanted was to have his favorite people over for jumping and hanging out in our backyard--so that's what we did!  It was actually a really nice evening with friends and the kids had a blast jumping in the fancy jumphouse.  I can't believe he's just 2 years away from double digits--growing so fast!  

Cozy Grady

Grady is awesome at snuggling and being cozy.

I really can't make this stuff up

Grady is the child that will wear me out and wear me down. I thought it was Madison, but then we had Grady. He just asked to drink milk because if he drank water the seeds from the apple he ate earlier would start to grow and that would "of course cause problems mommy." This was after the imaginary warfare outside earlier and the dwarf planet debate over Eris we had when his teacher literally said "Just ask your Mom about it."
Yep, he's sumthin! Gotta love him...pictured here giving pitiful Puss in Boots eyes...

Grady Gran Aggie Game

Grady fell in love with the Corps, and I think a good amount of brainwashing set in about Aggieland!

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Since I'm posting anyway...

I might as well include some Fall Baseball & Tball pics.  None of my softball pics came out because most of our games were in the middle of the night.  Hopefully the spring will give us daylight games, and better pics!

This was Grady's second season in Tball, and Tanner's first season in kid-pitch.  We were a little nervous to move up to "real baseball" from machine pitch, but the boys surprised us!  They can actually throw, catch, pitch, and hit balls!  Tanner was a little frustrated with the transition, but hopefully by the spring we can work out the kinks in his "mental checklist."  This last Saturday we played in the playoff bracket, beating the hated Bandits, and coming in second for the championship!  Tshirts and trophies for everyone!  Pretty good for a team of bad news bears that had only won one game in the regular season.  :)

Go Scallywags!!

look what Grady can do!!!

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Five Years Old

Tomorrow Grady is turning FIVE.  I honestly can't believe it's already here.  Madison turned five after Grady was born, and now here I am with my baby being that same age.  It just doesn't seem possible!  :(  I know people say that over and over, and it's so odd how time seems to pass.  In some ways it feels like so long ago we brought home our last little baby, and in some ways it feels like just yesterday.  I'm taking the day off to spend with my little man, just Mommy and Grady, just to take a minute to slow down and watch him be four for one more day.  Next year he will be in kindergarten learning how to read, how to add, and how to be a real live student.

But for one more day he's still just my little baby.

We celebrated with a big boy birthday party yesterday at the house-with a fancy jump house and our bestest friends and family.

the little guy is turning five....

And is already so snazzy!!

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my flower....

Grady put this flower in his pocket at school, and gave it to me when I picked him up. Made my day!

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Mommy Grady Day

I took the day off Friday to take Grady to Museum School. We had great conversation about wolves while we picnicked under the perfect tree-complete with a special pumpkin cookie from a fancy bakery.

It was just what Mommy needed.

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Yearly Blood Draw

Every year since Grady was diagnosed with HUS, we have to get blood drawn to make sure his kidneys aren't backsliding in any way. Today was that day, and it was no bueno. I'm sure the labs will be fine, but Grady might be headed for a lifetime of avoiding those scary guys in white coats and needles. Todd met us over there to help him with hid bravery, and even treated him to his very own ice cream afterward. Whew...until next year...

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mommy's helper

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Best Swimmer Ever!

We finally finished and survived those swimming lessons! Despite his spastic personality, he managed to soar through 4 levels and almost earned the last patch to be a for real super swimmer. No more floaties for this guy!

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The Graduate!

Grady had his very own teacher again today, and she worked with him until he finished the Starfish level! Such a super swimmer!

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Grady Swim Lessons

Grady hasn't been the best student at swim lessons, mostly because he is a little fish. He's been swimming circles around his teacher for two days now, and today they gave him his very own teacher. So embarrassing!

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Grady's Prayer

"I love God
He loves me
Indivisible, one nation
Bless Mommy, Daddy, Madison, and Tanner"

The End

Birthday Party Extravaganza

Yesterday, we had Grady's OFFICAL birthday party, complete with a jumphouse and FRIENDS.  The jumphouse arrived at noon, and (as you can see) the kids were quivering with excitement about that part of the event.  But, the friends didn't arrive until ONE, and all day Grady asked me "when are my friends coming?  Who's coming over?  Are they coming for MY BIRTHDAY?"  I guess it was the first birthday where he really "got" that the celebration was all about him, and he just ate that up.

I knew bouncehouses were fun, but I guess I did not realize the degree of fun to be had when there is one IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD.  The kids seriously jumped, wrestled, "flew," and ran in that thing for about 6 hours straight, if not longer.  Definitely worth the $110.  Definitely.  The fun and excitement were contagious, even if I had hoped for a Hot Wheels jumphouse, and ended up with a Super Hero jumphouse.  Grady thought it was AWESOME.

I'm so proud of this little birthday party, too, because I think we FINALLY managed to achieve that relaxed, hanging out kind of party we always strive for.  We had the bouncehouse set up out back, beer/caprisons/water/some-kind-of-crap-koolaid-drink in the cooler, snacks in the house, music playing, and chairs for everyone.  It was very low key, which was what made it so very, very fun. 
Grady wanted a tractor cake for his party, but there was a little mix-up at the cake lady, so he had a Toy Story cake with Tractor accessories thrown in for effect.  It's hard getting that third kid's stuff all together, ya know!  The first two kind of wear you out!  But, Grady didn't care, we talked up it's awesomeness, and he totally agreed.  He thought it was the BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE EVER, and so really-that's all that matters.

After blowing out the candles, and blowing those crazy little blow things that drive me insane, but that I always buy, we handed out cake to all the kids and directed them to the trampoline to feast-again very upscale and fancy party plans.

Not sure what is going on there with Tanner's face-always something around here.  :)  The kids had a blast having cake on the trampoline though-who knew?  And even when all the kids had returned to the superfun jumphouse, Grady lingered just relishing in his moment, and his day.

Yes, that is cake all over the trampline.  I'm pretty much a genius for that part of our plan.  Absolute genius.  After all the friends left, the Scroggins Clan took a turn in the jumphouse.  The day was so beautiful, I snuck in there to hide from clean up and hope for a nap.  I was quickly caught, and jumped upon by all the boys-including Marley who was completely stressed out by the entire experience.   Finally, it was time to say goodbye to the jumphouse, which I was worried about.  I wasn't quite sure Grady understood the fact that we had BORROWED it for the day, and I was right-but after a little coaxing and bribing, he came down of his ledge, and accepted the fact that the jumphouse was going to go visit another little boy to give that boy an awesome birthday, too.

Four years old.  Man, time really does bounce along.

4, already?

Four years ago today we welcomed our little Grady Logan into our family.  It's amazing to me to think that it's been that long, and I know everyone says that about their babies, but it's true.  Time flies.  I took this pictures in the front yard of our house in Keller.  In fact, all the children look so holy because I couldn't get them to look at the camera with normal looking faces, so I just told them to look at the baby-ta-da!  Little holy sweet children.  :)  They are precious though-look at little Father Tanner there...it almost looks like he is blessing Grady.

By the time Grady turned one we'd made the big move to Decatur, and were living with my parents-trying to figure out how to find a builder, and build our "dream home."  Before long, we abandoned the idea of a dream home, and just wanted a home.  Nevertheless...it was a dream to finally be living back home, near family, and part of our new community.

The year of two.  Grady recovered from his stay at Children's.  Tanner started kindergarten, so it was just Grady and I at home.  He missed them both everyday when they went to school, and had so many hardships learning how to go to his own school.  He still tries to work me with some of that, and I think he just loves being home-loves his siblings-and loves to be cozy.  Who wouldn't?

We hung on to that highchair probably longer than we should have, huh?  I loved the highchair.  I'm not sure I'll ever part with it or the crib.  Grady turned into all boy for the year of 3.  ALL BOY.  He's loud.  He's fast.  He love cars.  Especially cars with doors that open.  My God, he loves those things.

And today, here's my little guy with his breakfast cupcake, excited about his fun day ahead.  This was the first birthday he really relished, celebrated, and explored.  He took advantage of our "anything goes on your birthday" philosophy, and had a pajama day at his Gran's, played in a really big box while he was at it, jumped with his brother and sister, blew out some candles on his birthday cake, and opened some AWESOME presents.  Right now he's snuggling with his big brother, exhausted from celebrating his four years-four years of adding that little something to make our little family complete.