love is in the air

On Thursday, Gray and I drove up to Annapolis to see our good friends Kim and Fitz and their baby, Miss Casey Elizabeth. Casey is soooo stinking cute, and now that she's walking, she is all over the place. She and Graydon had a great time playing with her toys (he would pick up a toy, she would take it away, he would wildly flail his arms trying to get it back from her, usually hitting her in the process, she would cry, or he would cry, or both- it was fun!). At any rate, not too long into the visit, something became increasingly evident. Graydon was smitten. He was behaving like a boy totally besotted. It was clear that he had a crush.

But, I am sad to report, it was not on this pretty little lady:

No, instead, Gray was in love with this.....thing:

Is it a dog? a bear? a wildabeest? I have no idea. All I know is that it was big, it was hairy, and it was pink. But he rolled on it, and climbed on it, and hugged it, and tried to eat it, whatever it is, for a good half hour, which is a lifetime for someone of his short attention span. He couldn't get enough of this crazy stuffed animal. And so, we are on the hunt for a similar one (maybe not the pink, though). Kim got it as a gift so she doesn't know where it came from. Any ideas? Because, clearly, it is a must-have item:

In the meantime, Graydon plays with his favorite toy at home- a coffee can filled with beans:

His other favorites are the dog leash and a plastic spatula. Seriously. At least he's not costing us alot of money. Yet.