The one with Two Redheads

Shortly after we brought Grady home, I remember sitting in the living room and looking out the window at a tree full of green leaves, offering shade to the house. Through my maternity leave I watched the season change and those leaves turn yellow. It was only fitting when I returned home this past week after returning back to work on Monday and looked out at the yard, I saw the wind had stripped so many of the trees of their leaves.  It's hard to believe so much time- a full season, has passed already from the time we brought him home and that we are already heading to the office on a daily basis. I don't think I was ready to come back to work but in order to keep up our elaborate lifestyle of having a house and eating, I don't think I have much of a choice. I'm still getting used to having the two and figuring out how to juggle them, the house, Matt, and myself appropriately and now we are adding work back into it.

The ladies at work have been looking forward to having him there on a full time basis as we've had to stop in here and there because of the conference wrap up. They've already commented that he's grown so much. And he already knows how to work them.. he was offering up smiles where he could on day 1 and 2. What a flirt! I can't believe he's already 2 months old... he's grown a bit into his face and personality but also is filling out sleepers and clothes.

It was a busy weekend... a lot of credit going to my mom who came not once but twice over the week to watch the kids for us. The first was so I could attend an all day meeting on Friday. She only had Grady. The second, she had a helper with Alaina as she had both kids so Matt and I could have a date night. He had gotten me tickets to Deuces Wild, dueling pianos for my birthday and promised me a fancy night out. He didn't disappoint. It was a great meal, a great show, but spending time with him was great... and the hand holding and him opening my car door for me was additional icing on the cake.

On Sunday, John, Allison, and Oliver came down to visit! It's been practically a year since we've seen them and it was so good to catch up. Oliver has gotten so big and grown up. He's still just as sweet and to hear him say his name and talk made my heart smile! It was great to see him and Eleanor play together. They are at an age where there isn't always harmony... such as when Oliver got smacked by our little bully but then they would crawl up in her stool or color in the box or stand together and it would just make me smile... there was an attempt of a hug when they left and it was a hot mess of affection!

We also had a chance to ask John and Allison if they'd be willing to be Grady's godparents. We had already got to ask Cousin Kevie if she'd also be his godmother, so this completed his set. I wish we would have had the opportunity to ask Kevie in person too but we'll see her when we are able to have the ceremony, next June.

best meal: date night meal which started out with cheesy pickles at the Frog, followed by shrimp scamp for Matt, Pecan crusted salmon for myself

John: Oh, you want to see Baby Grady?
Oliver: Grady is sleeping.
ALR to Allison: Oh, he said Grady's name really well!
Allison: We've been working on names. We tried Eleanor's too and he struggled a bit... "Nellnor" so we asked what he wanted to call her, El, Ellie, Len, and he said No, Nellnor.