Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Pancakes

Yesterday, Gary woke up early and made us chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes. What a treat! Since Grant is no longer a baby, you would think that meal time would be a little neater. Alas, he is my son. He can't eat a meal without getting some of it in his hair...

All day long, Grant had a brown eyebrow (from all the caked in chocolate). I told Gary it was

just a small preview of Grayson. For some reason, I think he will have brown eyes and brown hair like his daddy.

Can You Say...?

Grant is talking more and more. I can go through a list of about twenty words that Grant will say on command. He will even say sounds of letters. There are a few words that he can say, but won't say if you prompt him. He has to think of it on his very own! :)

I try to show people what he can do, but he always gets stage fright when others are around. So I thought I would take a video of some of his words.

Pouting & Tantrums

Grant has learned a little emotional manipulation here lately. He is generally a very sweet boy, but has taken to using pouting and tantrums as a means to an end. Recently we have started giving juice to Grant on occasion. In the last two days if I hand him water instead, he takes a sip, throws it on the ground, runs to the refrigerator and throws the biggest tantrum you have ever seen! I have read you have to ignore tantrums (a lot easier said than done). Yesterday I ignored his tantrum for at least five minutes, then finally picked him up and told him he wasn't allowed to have any juice.

It is really hard for me to say no to this face, but I am very proud of myself for sticking to my rules. At least when no one else is around! Does anyone else find you give in quicker when there is someone else with you (husband, friend, mom)? There is not strength in numbers for me... I just feel guilty for not giving my child what he wants!

Warning: Here We Come!

Since Gary has been at inservice all week, Grant and I took the opporunity to go see our dear friends, the Ballards. I woke up at 5:00 AM, finished packing the car, ate some breakfast and pulled my sweet son from his crib. My goal in leaving so early was to 1.) miss rush hour traffic and 2.) hope that Grant would sleep during our car ride.

We pulled out of the driveway at 5:40. Not bad! I didn't get 20 minutes down the road before I had to pull over. Grant was just screaming. I found his pacifier and his blanket. I put the car back in drive and we were on our way. Grant stayed awake for about 45 minutes but finally passed out and slept until we got to College Station! We stopped here for breakfast (Grant's first and my second) and to stretch our legs. We only stopped one more time before we got to the Ballards, so it took us about 4 hours. Not bad with a one-year-old!

Elijah and Erica were waiting for us in the driveway. It was so good to see their pretty faces! Grant immediately got excited to see his old buddy and they spent the rest of the morning like this:

Grant and Elijah did such a great job playing together. They kept each other entertained for hours! Erica and I hardly had to do anything! Plus, they slept extrememly well because they wore each other out... bonus! Erica made us dinner both nights (yumm-o). The first night we had lasagna. At first glance it looks like Grant is eating all the yummy food. But if you look closely you'll notice he is hiding it all under his cup! What a stinker! Erica told him he could just tell her he didn't like it. Wednesday morning we woke up and headed straight for a splash park and a playground. Let's just say this experience was better than my last one! We had yummy chicken salad (a fave of mine... only Erica's recipe) and found out that Grant is a sucker for hummus. The park was great... completely shaded and there was even a nice breeze. You can't ask for more! Grant was loving the swings... And the tunnel! "Cheese!"

Grant and Elijah tickling each other on the couch. They had way too much fun!

I joined in!

It was so great to see them! I miss them all already and can't wait until our next visit. It just goes to show you that a little distance only makes a strong friendship grow stronger. Thank you Ballards for all your hospitality!

No Good, Horrible Day At the Splash Park

Tuesday, Grant and I went to the local splash park (this time with MOMS Club). Apparently, the splash park is closed for maintenance on Tuesdays. But at least there is a playground! Well, Grant heads straight for it. It is a big guy playground, so I climb up behind him and follow him everywhere so he doesn't hurt himself. I'm telling you... I have a 16 month-old going on 5 years. He thinks he can do everything that the big kids can do!

Well, Grant decided to climb UP a slide. I have no other way to get to him quickly, so I climb UP the slide. As I make it to the top, Grant crawls THROUGH a tunnel. So I climb THROUGH a tunnel, but I am not as fast as Grant. At the end of the tunnel there are two large openings (five feet off the ground). Grant looks around and picks one. About this time, I have lost my shoe and I am squishing my other son because I am shimmying on my belly. I reach back to get my shoe, but look up in time to see Grant about to take a step off the edge. It's either my shoe or my child, so I choose my child. I reach up and grab his arm just as he steps off the edge. Well, now I am holding Grant dangling by one arm, I am stuck on my belly and don't have the energy to get either one of us back to the platform. Luckily, another mom sees what is going on and props Grant up for me while I gracefully climb out of the tunnel.

Grant's had enough, right? NOPE! He starts running DOWN a bridge. So I follow, but now I only have one shoe and the playground equipment is scorching HOT! We finally make it back down to the ground level. I'm safe... not so fast. Grant makes a beeline for the other side of the playground. I follow because who knows what he is going to do. I have my head down watching Grant, and SMACK! I run straight into a five-foot tall pull-up bar (I'm 5'3").

By this time, I have a headache and I'm tired. Oh, look! For some reason, they have turned on the water at the splash park! Let's go play! I get Grant over there and he wants nothing to do with the water (weird). But he heads straight for the grassy hills that separate the park from the ROAD. He climbs them with no problem and makes a beeline for the cars (his favorite thing in the world right now), so I climb up the hill, grab him and run back down. We did this maybe a dozen times.

At one point, I stopped and looked around. All the other moms are peacefully sitting on the side of the park in the shade watching their children happily play. When do I get to be that mom? At least for a little while, we are creating our own splash parks at home. Where no one can get in trouble...

It's A...

Boy!!! As evidenced by the photo below...

We posted Grant's "boyness" for everyone to see, and I don't want to start playing favorites! I have to embarrass my children all the same! Little 'Grayson/Greyson???' is looking right at the camera. He must have been sleeping the whole time because he hardly moved despite our best efforts. He is 8 oz which means he is right on for a January 9th due date. We are so excited for Grant to have a little brother. I already bought them matching outfits and I can just see them growing up as each other's best friends!

We Have Learned to Say "No"

I knew it would happen eventually, but Grant has officially learned to say "no." He hasn't yet said it in a defiant way, but I am sure that will quickly follow. I always try to say, "No, sir!" when talking to him in the hopes that he will at least be polite when he refuses to follow directions. For some reason, "sir" is not following "no." My plan has failed! :) He said it yesterday for the first time during Cradle Roll. Ms. Dina gave Grant some goldfish, which he quickly stuffed into his mouth. Ms. Dina asked Grant, "What? Your parents didn't feed you any breakfast?" As clear as day, Grant shakes his head and emphatically says, "No!!!" He's tattling on us already!

Belly Shot - 18 Weeks

Hello all! Well, we took our first belly shot of the pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Grant, we took our first picture at 18 weeks, too. I like looking at the comparisons.

18 weeks. 18 weeks (Grant). It is very true what they say... you pop out much faster with your second baby!

I will try to blog tomorrow about our doctor's appointment on Friday. Very exciting stuff! I would have blogged sooner, but I am having a few problems with the ultrasound pictures.

Weekend With Oma and Grandpa

Grant and I drove to my parent's house Thursday morning. We haven't had a chance to make it up that way, so we thought we would spend a long weekend relaxing with the grandparents. Thursday afternoon, Mom and I took Grant shopping. Any trip that includes Barnes N Nobles also includes a stop at the train table...

Grant loves the Thomas the Train playset. Everytime I have to take him away from this, he screams like I pinched him. But we were meeting Dad and Michael for dinner, so I had to pull him away! It is a nice relaxing dinner. We stayed at the restaurant for an hour and a half and Grant was perfectly content. If you have talked to me recently, you know that is not usually the case. We are not fans of restaurants at the moment! Hopefully, it is just a phase!

Grant and I share a moment before I leave him with Grandpa. Mom and I went to do some ceramic painting and have lunch. Dad took Friday off just so he could spend some quality time with Grant. Gary drove up that evening to join us... Grant was ecstatic to see his daddy! Saturday afternoon, we all packed a picnic and headed to the neighborhood pool which we had all to ourselves. Grant, as always, loved the water. Erica - you're not allowed to make fun of me for wearing a shirt over my swimsuit (another one of your pet peeves)... since I don't have a maternity suit (and refuse to buy one), it was necessary to maintain a certain level of modesty!