Walk to D'Feet ALS

Hey everyone - Serious topic today. Mommy is sad and I wanted to know why. She said she was missing her dad. She told me that Grandpa Dennis had this really bad disease called ALS. He lived with it for 4 years. She said he lost his battle with the disease before she and Daddy got married so definitely before I was born. It makes her sad that Grandpa had to miss out on meeting me. She said he would have LOVED me to pieces and she can just imagine how much fun he would have had playing with me and having me sit on his lap. She loved to sit on his lap so she is sure I would have too. I wanted to know what caused Grandpa to get this disease. She said no one knows what causes it and there is no way to cure it. She said sometimes people get diseases from not eating right or other unhealthy habits. It didn't make a difference that Grandpa didn't smoke and it didn't help that he walked a lot for exercise. He liked unhealthy foods, but that didn't do it either (she said he had an operation that fixed the effects of that). What really impressed me was how she said he was so brave. You all know how much I like to move. Well Grandpa overtime lost more and more of his ability to move. That would really stink! He got around by driving a wheel chair. I think it is fun to be pushed in the wheelchair at church, but I wouldn't want to be in it all day. I guess Grandpa Dennis was really strong and didn't feel sorry for himself. I sure wish I could have met him.

Mommy has been thinking about Grandpa Dennis because the annual ALS walk is October 10. Her and Daddy are going to a wedding in Chicago so Mommy is a virtual walker. Grandma and I are going to walk in memory of Grandpa. The walk raises money to help people living with ALS (PALS). PALS need a lot of extra things to get by day by day - different chairs, things to hold onto, things to move them from a chair to their wheel chair. Of course some money goes to research too. This cause is really important to my family. Grandpa accepted his fate, but he wanted to know that ALS would not always result in the end that it did for him. Click here if you would like to support me. http://web.alsa.org/site/TR/Walks/IowaWalk?px=2460107&pg=personal&fr_id=5777

So Smart!

Hey Graham Fans! It was another football weekend! It isn't really a big deal to me, but Daddy loves it! For most games, Mommy would rather watch the Food Network or HGTV. We went to my first football party today at Judy's house. There were all kinds of people there and a bunch a kids and a bunch of dogs too. You know how I love dogs - tails and ears to pull plus a few hugs too! Judy's nephew Luke had the coolest car. I wanted to take it home with us. Her niece Amanda pushed me in for a long time - she was a good pusher! I am not sure I like to share stuff, but overall it was pretty fun!

Speaking of dogs, I have met some new ones lately. When Mommy and I go to the park in the afternoon, there is a grandma and her granddaughter that come with their Border Collie. That dog is ball CRAZY! I like to throw his ball. Sometimes the little girl cries because I am throwing the ball - I just don't get it! The neighbor's have a Chocolate Labrador - he is bigger than Dakota. Two of the girls have come over to play when Mommy and I are outside. Toby has come over too. He is a BIG dog! I like to throw his ball too. Yesterday, the girls pushed me around the cul de sac in their stroller. They seemed to have fun, but Carly got jealous so Mommy took me home and Carly (who is 4) rode in the stroller. That is fine.

Mommy thinks I am getting so smart! When she says "Let's go upstairs and change your pants", I trot over to the stairs. If she says, 'we need to wash your hands', I walk over to the sink and then go to the towel to dry my hands. The funny thing is I don't seem to hear her when she says "no" or "stop". I like to stand on things - my rocking chair, my Big Cat, my race car walk and ride. Mommy helps me to sit down, but then I just climb right back up to standing. It is a really fun game. Mommy doesn't seem to like it, but I do. I also like to throw things - ball or otherwise. I don't hear Mommy and Daddy when they tell me to stop. Funny how that works.

So what have we been up to lately? Well we are back at story time and Brighter Beginnings. There is a bear, Dewey, at story time and I love to get him, even after Miss Suzy tries to hide him. My friend Mia likes him too. I like to go to Brighter Beginnings - the ladies there are so nice and we get a snack every week too! On Friday, they got the broom out, Ashlynn and I were sweeping. I LOVE to sweep!

A couple of weeks ago, Daddy went out of town to a BBQ contest with Grandpa and Uncle Brad. They placed 13th overall - pretty impressive! Grandma came to keep Mommy and I company. We went shopping - not a fan, but they picked out a winter coat for my. My first winter coat! Uncle Greg came over to play too. He took me around in the wagon which is always a good time! I sat on the rock in the front yard. There was also a big block in the front yard. Uncle Greg kept sitting on it, which I didn't like. I would push him off so I could sit on it. It was my size not his....

Hey did I mention, I can open doors? I can't reach all of the handles, but several important ones. One particular favorite is the hall closet. That is where Mommy hides the vacuum. I can get it out by myself. Another important door is out of Daddy and Mommy's room. If they want to confine me, I can get out. The other day, Mommy was folding clothes, I opened the door and went downstairs by myself, then climbed back upstairs to check on her. The last door I can reach is the one out to the garage. Very important if I need to escape.... Well once again life has been busy since my last update. I will post again soon. I hear that I am going to participate in the ALS walk. Once I have more information on that I will include it with my next update. Right now I just know it is really important!

Go Bulldogs!

Hey Graham fans! Happy September! Daddy is so excited because it is football season. He and Mommy took me to my first football game this past weekend! We all had fun! I had some room to roam which was good. You have probably figured out I don't like to be confined. I walked back and forth, stood by and on the railing at the bottom, and tried to make friends with some boys nearby. They were older than me, but not near as tough as me. I touched one boy and he said ouch - I don't think he will grow up to be a football player! I got to meet the mascot Spike - I didn't really know what to think of him - looks kind of like a dog, but walked on two legs. Hmm... I also got to meet a real bulldog. I love dogs so that was a great evening! Oh yeah, I also met the athletic director, Sandy Hatfield Clubb. Mommy said her husband is from Sigourney and went to school with Uncle Greg. I think Sandy was pretty impressed with me and saw I have potential to be an impressive football player. Maybe I will play for Drake like Daddy!

We have also been on the road lately. Last weekend we went to Kansas City. We hung out at Nanny's and at Grandpa and Susan's. Grandpa has a cage for his dog - I just had to climb in and check it out. It was fun to explore, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in there! We also saw Uncle Brad, Aunt Lisa, and Benjamin and Nan too. Mommy, Susan and I went to the Farmer's Market. I got to ride in my wagon, which I like. Mommy put on my Kansas City Chiefs outfit so I looked pretty spiffy!

This past weekend we went to Grandma's for the day. Aunt Deb, Uncle Tim, Sam and Kayla were there along with Uncle Greg and Grammy too. I played outside a lot! Sam and Kayla will take me outside as much as I want. I explored a lot inside too - just in case Grandma has changed anything you know. Daddy took me for a ride on Grandma's lawn mower.

I keep learning new things which is a lot of fun! I can now get down the stairs as well as up them. I am getting big enough I can climb on more stuff. Hopefully I can get access at more things I want. I also figured out how to unscrew lids. Mom doesn't seem to like the aftermath - spilled lotion, hand sanitizer, and vinegar. She should be happy I am developing new skills. I want to learn how to open a can of pop, but Mommy tries to take it away before I can. The first step I believe is to shake it, which I have done.