Grayson: four and three quarters

I'm not believing I have an almost 5 year old. CRAZY. 

But man, I sure do love this almost 5 year old!

 He's 40 pounds!

He has really phased out of naps since 4 and a half. I really realized it when we were traveling to Durham and the beach and we were super busy and around lots of people and he never fell asleep for naps. He naps every now and then, but is usually awake at night way later than normal if he does nap. He now has an hour of quiet time on his bed, then he can get up and get books and play in his room quietly for about another hour. Lately, if Miller is up, he asks if Miller can come hang out in his room during his "room time". Listening to them back there is the sweetest. I think they both love the time. Miller will just talk and talk to Grayson. And Grayson takes such good care of him!

I've been spelling alllllll the words for him lately and he wants to write notes all the time. It amazes me how quickly his handwriting has developed and how much better he's getting with letters/words. 

He's been sock obsessed lately. I blame Bryn for giving him TONS of fun socks and choices. I've had to make the rule you pick ONE pair and wear them for the day because I was seriously finding like 10 pairs of socks out around the house each day. He loves wearing tall ones. 

He's also been obsessed with playing/being a sheriff lately. I blame Eric for this one. He always is wearing his badge and wallet that Eric gave him, and will probably try to handcuff you if you come to our house (sorry to all who have been cuffed to our refrigerator). One small group night, he spent the whole time cuffing people and "taking them to jail". 

He loves wearing "basketball clothes". And his Aunt Jeanne has fully fed this obsession with outfitting him in "basketball clothes".

Grayson and Bowen love to play together and can be the best of friends and then get the most frustrated with each other. 

He loves to be read to.

He has really outgrown riding in the stroller, but I don't think he likes that he's been booted out by Miller. So sometimes when we go on long family walks in the evenings, we roll like this...

I can't even get over how proud I am of him with Miller. He is SO helpful, SO sweet and SO responsible with him. He loves to tell me "don't worry Mommy, I'll keep an eye on him!" if I walk out of the room. And he loves to tell me how many smiles he got from Miller.

This kid wants to do things just like his daddy. He wants to go to work with Chad, go early with him on Sundays, go to Fike to play ball with him, and is elated anytime Chad takes him. When he goes to Fike with Chad, he puts on his armband, takes his "basketball shoes" in a bag just like Chad's and beams with pride as they pull out of the driveway.  Just last night he asked me if I could not get out of bed in the morning before he got up, and not get Bowen up, until he had quiet reading time with/like Daddy.  

A recent favorite: 

me: "Grayson, can you go get me something for Miller to wear?"

G comes back with a onesie.

me: "Oh sorry, that onesie is too small for him now, can you go get him something else to wear? 

Grayson: "sure, where are his twosies?"