Countdown to Deployment

After our trip to Orlando, Will still had a week off work and we enjoyed every minute of it!  The weather has been crazy and will be cold one week, then warm the next.  One day when it got cold (i.e. 60 degrees which is cold to us southerners now!) Grayson insisted on wearing his hat, scarf, and mittens to the park. :)  

Then like I mentioned.... it warmed up the next day!  At school for Halloween it was "Pajama Day".  After nap Grayson wanted to play outside and push Ryley in the swing so you'll notice both the boys are still in their PJ's. :)  Grayson loves to give Ryley "under dogs" in the swing.  Ryley loves his big brother and grins from ear to ear as you can see in one of the pictures.

Daddy also tried to teach him how to hit the golf ball.

 We decided to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my birthday early before Will left.  On my "birthday" we went to the Ice Cream Stop of course! :)

Grayson got his new tricycle for Christmas early so Daddy could see him ride it. He needs to get just an inch taller and it'll be perfect.  He did pretty well though peddling for a short time but would get frustrated if there was a slight incline since he had a hard time getting the pedals all the way around.  

We had been talking about getting bikes for Will and I, so for my birthday Will got me a bike and a trailer for the boys.  Now we'll be able to bike to the park or to the store when we need a few things! :)

We had a mini-Thanksgiving dinner with some turkey, corn, and deviled eggs.  I was looking forward to mashed potatoes as well, but somehow they turned out sticky like tapioca pudding!  Don't ask me how!

Sesame Street came to Ft. Stewart last week to put on a short little show with Elmo for free.  We were able to take the boys and Grayson loved it.  It was the perfect length since Grayson wasn't paying attention to the storyline (a new girl comes to town who's dad is in the military) anyway!  He was just excited to have the Elmo light up spinning toy each kid got when they walked in the gym. :)  His friend Addie met up with us there too.

Grandma and Grandpa Campbell sent an early Christmas present as well for the boys to open with Daddy.  It was a Noah's Ark play set.  Let's just say it's a great way for Grayson to learn that he has to share toys with his brother.... even when it's new!

 Deployment day came sooner than I would have liked and we spent the day at home and going grocery shopping.  For those of you that know Will, he LOVES grocery shopping!  We played at home, Will took the boys on a bike ride, and we ended our evening with a "Popcorn Movie" (that's what Grayson calls it).  

He finds it a lot easier to carry things in his mouth so he can get where he wants to go these days.  In this case he was headed straight towards my lap!

After our "popcorn movie" the boys played upstairs for a bit before it was time for Ryley to give Daddy one last snuggle before bed.  :(

 Grayson and Daddy read books and snuggled before bed too.

Bedtime was the hardest part of goodbyes for Will and I both.  I look forward to next summer when I can take pictures like this again of Grayson and Daddy snuggling at bedtime.  I'm not in a hurry for Ryley to become a toddler and Grayson to grow up, but I am in a hurry for their Daddy to come home!  Thank goodness for internet access and the technology we have today so that we can be able to send pictures to him and Skype with him!  

We love you lots Daddy and can't wait to see you again soon on Skype!