Funny Dinner + Backyard Splash Pad

Not sure why, but dinner was super funny last night.  Greyson was cracking me up.  I was so relieved, because he loved his minestrone soup (even all the veggies!) and kept asking for more.  :)

Please??

Then, after dinner we briefly talked about heading over to the mall for the splash pad, but weren't sure how late they kept it running.  So, we went outside and made use of the hose and an ice chest and created our own impromptu splash pad!  Greyson loved it!

This one's a little blurry but it makes me laugh out loud!

Hey ladies!

Happy weekend everyone!

Greyson's "Walking!"

Well, Greyson is taking some steps now!  It's been a fun week, but I will let the video do the talking.  I asked Dan if I could just have raw video straight from the camera and onto my blog, no crazy editing business.  This is what I got.  I guess he just can't help himself. :)


201008 - Greyson Walking from Daniel DeZago on Vimeo.

C'mon, God, Why Won't You Fit in This Cute Little Box I've Made For You?

Sorry in advance for the long-winded post, just a lot on my heart lately!

The past few weeks have been faith-stretching.  Big time.  I'm not sure I like faith-stretching times (just being honest, folks).  But I do know its worth it in the end.  Big time.  Most of you know that Dan was laid off about a month ago.  This is the third job in three years he's been laid off from.  Talk about a kick in the gut.  If you don't know my husband, you don't know that he is the smartest, most technologically talented person I know.  And he is great at puzzles.  Like, figuring out solutions to tough problems (although he is good at the piece-together puzzles also :) )  Anyway, if you do know him, you already know all that.  So, its been SUPER frustrating for the last several years to watch him try so hard and never catch a break.

Over the past 6-8 months or so, we've had countless conversations about what he wants to do.  Let's be honest, running a telemarketing room is not a life commitment.  Obviously.  And I think he came to the conclusion that he wants to help organizations succeed.  And he wants to serve Jesus by doing that.  He wants to help organizations that serve Jesus be successful.  Flash forward to last week.  He was offered a job with a collections company working on the phone.  For a whopping $9.50 an hour.  Yikes.  And he was pursuing a great lead with the University of Phoenix, but they've been seriously dragging their feet.  So, it seems his options were, yet again, to settle for a crap job so we can pay the bills.  And look forward to being in this same spot yet again in however many months.

See, God will provide what we need to survive.  He's given us what it takes to pay our bills and to barely keep our heads above water.  But, is that what living life with Jesus is about?  Just keeping our heads above water?  Just living a life that is barely good enough?  We've both been reflecting on this thought and God seems to be using Dan's job situation to prove to us that living life with Jesus is about trusting when it doesn't seem logical, obeying when you can't see the end, and reaping the unbelievable rewards of a sold-out faith in Him.  See, God can give us a job we need to get by.  But, if we wait and trust and wait some more, I believe he will give us "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."

Dan was supposed to start that collections job on Monday (like 3 days ago).  Sunday night we went for a walk (yay cooler weather!) and had a long talk.  He was totally convinced that he wasn't supposed to take that job.  And I knew it too, because he had been a total crank all weekend, which only happens when something is really bothering him.  :)  He said, "What if God's been trying to get us to take this leap of faith for three years, and we have been so blinded by what we need RIGHT NOW that we haven't given Him the chance to give us something better?  What if I was supposed to do this three years ago?"  So, I relented, and this week has been awesome.

Every day since Sunday, Dan has received a paycheck of some kind for video work he's been doing.  He's also been landing new jobs and has been working his butt off.  Which, equals more checks in the mail.  It also equals more jobs coming in.  So, for now, we are treading lightly and believing that God has a plan that is bigger than our own.  If you think of it, please pray for us.  Please pray that we will keep being faithful and obedient.  That we will be wise with the money we are given, and that whatever God has planned for us will be revealed in His timing.

Now, Greyson is screaming, so I need to go be obedient to the plan God has for me TODAY.  :)  Thanks for listening!

Naps and Bottles and Binks, Oh My!

Well, since we now have a 1-year-old in our house, we have begun making some of the changes in routine that you are "supposed" to do at this point.  First up was the bottle.  I was READY for this change!  The week before Greyson's birthday, we started switching him to cow's milk slowly from formula, and he transitioned great.  No stomach issues at all.  Then we started slowly replacing bottles with sippie cups and snacks or meals.  Gradually, over the last two weeks he has slowly reduced down to just his bedtime bottle!  I am soooo glad we are done buying formula and almost done washing those stinkin' bottles!  I know the bedtime one is going to be a bit of a stretch, just because it is definitely his routine.  But, he is slowing down on how much he even wants to drink of it, so I am hoping he will just transition himself off of it pretty soon.

Next up is naps.  I am NOT ready for this one, and I have to admit I didn't think it would come this soon!  We are definitely in a nap transition time right now.  Some days he gets up late and isn't ready for a nap until 10 or 11.  Those days he definitely doesn't need an afternoon nap.  Other days he gets up really early and needs a nap by 9:30 or so.  Then by 3, I am ready for him to lay down again, but he doesn't seem to want to!  So, I can foresee a once-a-day napper in our near future.  Ugh.  I know, I know, its bound to happen sometime.

Third is the pacifier, or as we have dubbed it, "binks."  Don't ask me, it just stuck.  Before Greyson was born, I was one of those "My kids will never use a pacifier!" people.  But then Greyson had colic.  And eventually we came to where we are now:  the kid won't go to sleep without it.  Double Ugh.  We haven't tackled this battle yet, but it is coming soon.  Not sure yet how to do it or when, but I don't want to wait too long.  Sigh...we shall just see, I guess.

Also, I forgot to post this before.  We took a 3 generation Yankee photo when Greyson was a newborn, so we did another one for his b-day.  I can't seem to find the one from last year (its on Dan's computer), so here's the one from last week.  So sweet!

Whew!

We made it!  Greyson turned ONE year on Saturday the 17th and we couldn't have had a better time celebrating it.  We are fortunate enough to have parents with flexible summer schedules so we spent the last two weeks with visiting family who all want nothing more than to celebrate Greyson's awesome 1st year.  Thank you Mom, Dad, Amy, Mari & Ed for being such great and loving family for our little boy to grow up with.  He is truly blessed (as are we!)

We can hardly believe he is already 1.  I can hardly find the words to express what this past year has been for Dan and I.  How two became three.  How our world has been turned upside down, and how that seems like how it always should have been.  How the ups and downs have been the most rewarding experiences of our life and how we wouldn't trade one moment.  We are so proud of our big man and all he is.  Here is a little 1-year update:

Height: 30 1/2 inches (75th percentile)
Weight:  23 lbs 15 oz (75th percentile)
Physical Abilities:  pulling up on all furniture, standing on his own, stacking 3 or 4 blocks, turning pages in books, putting lids on and off, eating all finger foods, crawling everywhere, imitates basic tasks (cleaning, putting objects away, talking on phone, etc).
Language Abilities:  signs the words for more, please, all done, water and says "mama," "dada," "dog," "ball," "bye," "all done," and can sometimes say "more."
Favorite Pastimes:  looking at books, banging blocks together, playing with the tupperware cupboard, opening and closing doors, calling Java to the back door, talking on the phone, pushing buttons, watching mommy and daddy on their computers, swimming, riding in his wagon, and figuring out how things work.
Favorite Books:  Dog, Peek-A-Zoo, My First Book of Animals
Favorite Song:  If You're Happy And You Know It
Favorite Foods:  yogurt, cheese, beans, tomatoes, and most fruit

Not sure what else to add, other than he is growing and learning by leaps and bounds.  Every day there is something new.  He is waving bye-bye all the time, and loves to communicate.  The signing has really given him the ability to have his voice heard and he LOVES it.  He comprehension is way beyond what I thought it would be and it blows me away to watch him do what I ask him to do.

Here are some photos of the past couple of weeks (warning: there are a lot).

The "official" 1-year photo :)

Opening presents from family

Grandpa Ed handmade this awesome car carrier truck for him

Talking on his cell phone while working on his laptop being chauffeured in his "red convertible"  :)

I love my new clothes!

Blocks from Aunt Amy

Putting together the wagon from Grandpa & Grandma Hunter

Maybe the box is more fun!

Oh my...

Birthday breakfast.  "More chocolate chip pancakes, please!"

Party time!

Beautiful and yummy cake made by our talented friend, Jihae!

Hmmm....what IS this deliciousness??

I don't know and I don't care!!  Its amazing!!

All good things must come to an "end."  :)

Thanks all who made Greyson's birthday so memorable!  Here's to another great year!  We love you Greyson!

Oh Yeah...

Also, I thought maybe I should update you on Greyson's new skills of the week.  One of the reasons I keep this blog is so that I can look back and see where he was each month.  So, bear with my proud-mommy updates!

This week Greyson is standing on his own more than ever, but our cautious boy refuses to try and take any steps, even when holding our hands.  He knows he can crawl super fast, so why try anything new?  Also, recently tooth number 8 has poked through, giving us all some relief from the pain.  :)  It is bottom left (i think).  Greyson can also sign "more," "all done," and "ball," and we are working on "please."  He also can SAY "all done."  Yep, that's right.  :)  We ask him if he's all done, and he says, "all duh."  Pretty good if you ask me.  He loves swimming, and jumps off the side of the pool, under the water, and into our arms. He loves it and I think we might have a budding fish on our hands!  Alright, I think that might be it for now.  But only a week and a half left until his BIRTHDAY, so stay tuned!!  I really cannot believe its already here!

Happy 3rd and 5th of July!

Well Greyson had kind of an uneventful first fourth.  His third and fifth were great, though!  On Saturday (the 3rd) we went to the Diamondbacks game (for free!) and Greyson loved it.  He did so awesome all through the game and even stayed awake for the fireworks spectacular at the end.  Seriously, it was like 10:30 by the time it was all over (thanks to a horribly long game) and he still was clapping and pointing at the fireworks, which was super-fun.  On Sunday we went to church and just hung out, which was great.  Then, on Monday (the 5th) we had our small group peeps over for a fun bbq.  It was great to finally have other people using our backyard after all that work we put into in this spring!  I stole the photos from Cindy's blog because she (or Mike) actually took some.  I, the photographer, tend to forget to snap shots of the normal stuff you are supposed to take pictures of.  Anyway, here are some fun photos of last night :)

The amazing flying Braden King

Sweet little Brielle :)