Grayson Sings and Talks

Grayson has been learning more and more words every day.  It is so fun to watch him take everything in and just grow so fast. 

He says lots of words like:
treat
no
yes
bye bye
hi
go
quack
cracker
cat
octopus 
hat
duck
car
moon
Elmo
Mom
Dad
Boop {my sister's nickname}
nana {banana and Nana}
Kyky {Kyla}
Pa {Grandpa}
apple
cheese
all done
play
one
two
three
five
six
eight
nine {we're working on counting}

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few, but that's most of them. Recently he started saying yes or yeah when we ask him questions.  It's pretty cute.  :)  Here is a video of him singing and then saying yes.

Grayon's Surgery

My sweet little boy had to have surgery on Friday.  His tear ducts were not fully open. When he was 9 months old I noticed one of his eyes got a little goopey most days.  Also they both watered a lot.  So at his next doctor's appointment I asked his doctor about it.  She wasn't quite sure what the cause of it was since he hadn't had it since birth.  Apparently it's pretty common in babies.  But almost all of them have the symptoms right away.  Not months and months after being born.  We went to see an ophthalmologist and she said it was in fact the same thing, not fully open tear ducts.  She recommended he have the surgery to open them up. 

It was a very simple procedure, nothing to really worry about.  Unless you're a mom.  And you don't want anything to hurt your baby ever!

waiting and waiting

 They checked his vitals before and after with this little thing wrapped around his big toe.  Grayson was NOT a fan of that!  He kept trying to take it off.

I was SO very grateful Josh was able to come.  He went to school first and had to ask if he could take a few hours to come.  Thankfully they let him.

watching tv in a waiting room

We had to wait a long time before Gray actually went to have the surgery.  We got to the hospital at 7:45 and he didn't get taken back for the surgery until 10:30.  There was some stuff going on in between, but mostly waiting.

After he was bored with the tv, we watch Blue's Clues on the iPad.  So glad I thought to bring that!  It was a lifesaver during all the waiting.  And the hospital had free wi-fi.

The moment finally came where the doctor came to get my baby and take him to the operating room.  Oh, it just broke my heart! Handing my baby over and watching him leave... *sniff*  After about 45 minutes it was done and he was awake again.  The anesthesia made him very fussy.

good thing he had paci and blanky!

"I just want to leave this place Daddy."

 We went home and he had a nice long nap.  After that, he was good as new.  Playing outside in his pajamas and everything!

I'm so grateful everything went smoothly and for the great care by the nurses and doctors. Boy do I love this little guy!

Delicious Chocolate Cake {from scratch}

Over Christmas break I got the urge to bake something yummy.  That happens every once in awhile.  :) I had to make something my mom had all the ingredients for cause someone else was out with the car.  And this is what I made!

This cake was heavenly.  So moist.  So delicious.  So perfectly chocoately. 

My family ate it all in no time flat.  It was that good.
I had to restrain myself from eating it all on my own!

I found the recipe from this blog.   Who got it from Hershey.

Here is the recipe.

hershey's "perfectly chocolate"
chocolate cake

ingredients:

2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

Directions:

   1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 in. baking pans. 2. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on med speed 2 min. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans. 3. Bake 30-35 min or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min/ remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "perfectly chocolate" chocolate frosting.
10-12 servings.

"perfectly chocolate" chocolate frosting

ingredients:

1 stick butter
2/3 c hershey's cocoa
3 c powdered sugar
1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

directions:

  1. Melt butter, stir in cocoa. 2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on med. speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Use every last bit of frosting on the cake, trust me.  And serve yourself up a big slice.  Try to eat just one piece, I dare you!

linking up the deliciousness here!