quick pics

A couple of quick photos from our time spent at home this past week.

I attempted to make play dough for the first time, it didn't turn out half bad but was stickier than Grant seemed to like.

The cousins paid a visit on Sunday and all LOVE to swing!

Trying to tromp around in Daddy's shoes...I wonder how big Grant's feet will grow to be someday?

out of commission

We've been out of commission for the past week due to the lovely cold and flu season hitting our home. Grant started it with a cold early last week so we cancelled almost all activities in hopes of a speedy recovery, but like usual we've been passing it amongst ourselves so it has seemed to drag on and on.

We did start his "creative babies" class last week before the cold set in and he had a ball. His favorite was standing at 2 art easels with 3 paint brushes in hand dripping with paint. By the end of class he was the most covered in paint in the whole class and I mean covered in paint. A friend of ours had mercy on us and left her little guy to play by himself in attempt to help me clean Grant up. I reminded myself countless times this is the reason I signed him up for this, I would never attempt so much paint at our house....and after that I mean NEVER will I attempt it.

We also have started a Community Bible Study and are loving it. Grant has "class" for 2 hours while I do a study with a group of women and we are studying the book of Luke so I'm excited to see what this year has in store for us. His first class seemed to go smoothly but last week we weren't well enough to attend so I'm hopeful for another great class tomorrow.

Lastly, another video I took most recently of the little man. He was standing at our sliding glass doors just "talking" up a storm so I couldn't resist, I'm guessing it all made sense in his little head?!!

muscle man

Since we got home from Hawaii Grant started doing "muscles," it's hilarious and it took me forever to get this on video but alas I was victorious!

DAY 4

I didn't want to write about this until I was for sure we were going to stick to our plan but today is day 4 for Grant WITHOUT his pacifier! He's been a champ and I must say the first night was the hardest and I think it was the hardest on Frank & I not the little guy!

Lastly, a quick photo of Frank installing yet another round of safety latches in the kitchen, Grant has about driven me mad with the Ziploc bags EVERYWHERE...today that has come to an end!!

A New Week

Tomorrow is Monday so I have some updating to do in effort to catch-up with what has been going on around here. We've been busy since Grandpa & Grandma O left on Tuesday....I like to stay busy after they've visited so it's not quite such a rough transition for all of us but we miss them terribly!

First, here are some noteworthy little man updates from the past couple of weeks.

--The week before we left for Maui Grant was up multiple nights in a row because of his molars coming in, this being two weeks later he has 3 new molars that have popped through and one new bottom tooth. Poor guy, I would've been crying all night too with so many new teeth making their home in my mouth.

--How big is Grant? Result= Grant opens his arms as wide as possible

--How tall is Grant? Result= he holds his hands as high in the air as he possibly can

--Ask Grant what he does when we turn on the music? Result= Grant wiggling his shoulders all around and picks his feet up and down really quickly on the floor, it is hilarious to see him "dance"

--What's in your mouth? Result= mouth open wide and tongue out (Grandpa O gets credit for this one)

--Blows kisses if you do it to him first or if you ask him to blow you a kiss

--At meal time he holds out both of his hands in the air to hold hands with everyone around him to pray. If we say the word "pray" he immediately sticks his hands out for ours, soooooo sweet.

--He climbs on anything and everything...

--Thus we have started "the wall" which is basically the same thing as having a naughty step and/or time out. When he's climing on top of the coffee table, and we've told him to get down countless times, he gets to sit in front of the blank wall in our living room for a minute or however long I can hold him there. He doesn't like it and it usually results in him crying and screaming...however, he doesn't crawl on top of the coffee table once this occurs ;) So far so good!

--If we're playing outside and decide it's time to come inside Grant now screams bloody murder, it's really charming

--He says "up" when he wants to get up on something or just mimics us when we say it

--He says Mom/Momma much more freely now, yea!

--When I get out of the car to run into a store quickly, while Frank sits in the car with him, he screams in protest of being left

--His walk is almost a run now...a couple more weeks and I bet his little legs will be in a full out run. I love hearing his busy little feet on our floors.

--This weekend he saw a dog on the tv and starting going "woof," "woof"

Lastly, we had a fun weekend with Grandpa and Grandma R watching Grant on Saturday night so Frank & I could enjoy the Mariners/Yankee game with our friends Kurt & Sarah in Seattle. We enjoyed a night out but were happy to get home to see our little guy ;)

We visited Grandpa R's great pumpkin patch, Grant loved the dirt (I love this picture but Grant was NOT cooperating and smiling until Bonnie decided to join them, it turned out just perfectly)
Enormous sunflowers in the garden
Do you see what I see Grandpa?
Another great family photo op I couldn't pass up
Hmmmm Grandpa, I think there are more potatoes down there you just have to keep digging ;)

And, in anticipation of it being Monday tomorrow...we're on #20 of the 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for your Kiddos: Compassion. "Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Col. 3:12).

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Abby

Maui

Maui was amazing, we had a tremendous week of vacation with family & friends. We were so blessed to have both Frank's family & Grandpa & Grandma O with us which made it a true vacation for us. There were plenty of hands and watchful eyes to put us at ease with Grant around.

Everyday we were in the water, both the ocean and the pool, we were able to snorkel just off our beach where there were big turtles & manta rays, we went for many walks and did a tiny bit of shopping; it was pure relaxation on the beautiful island of Maui.

We're pretty sure he had as much fun as the rest of us ;)

Fun on the beach with our little bud
He ate a LOT of sandWe took a helicopter tour and the views were breath-taking...Grant slept through the entire flight

Out on our lanai, Frank all dressed in his linen duds for Bill & Tracie's wedding

This totally cracks me up, Grandpa O & Grant deep in discussion in our condo

I love the Birds of Paradise flowers

Aloha!

Aloha from Maui, we're enjoying a fantastic week in the water and sand. Many, many more photos to come next week but for now a quick shot of a rainbow during the wedding yesterday afternoon, it was simply beautiful!