The Grant Family

It is cold outside

2012-01-21T08:25:00.001-08:00

KTTC video coverage of Goodhue vs. Hayfield match

2012-01-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

KTTC News was on hand to catch some of the wrestling action at our home triangular with Hayfield and Rochester John Marshall.

2012-01-14T14:13:00.001-08:00

Adam just told me,"My mommy's my special friend."
Aww...

Adam has a rough "2 year old" morning moment

2012-01-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

A tale from this morning, as told by Sam to me, the father implicated in the story below:

Adam was horrible this morning. After I told him no letter crackers because he pinched and hit his sister, I gave him a second chance to get them. I asked him, "What do you have to say to your sister?" He got the face that comes only from you and said, "Nothing."

Batman

2012-01-09T07:19:00.001-08:00

Adam went to daycare today in his batman pajamas. How can you argue with that?

Life is good

2012-01-07T08:17:00.001-08:00

Life with a 2 & 4 year is awesome. (Don't get me wrong, we have many tantrums and the whining can get to you.) This morning Josh left for wrestling and Adam jumped in bed with me. The whole crew slept until 8:30. I can handle almost anything with that much sleep.

Last day of vacation

2012-01-02T07:46:00.001-08:00

We are sad to be at the end of Christmas vacation. To celebrate we're playing tent in the living room. Elizabeth woke up this morning and said, "Can we make a big mess while daddy is at wrestling?"

They already know the drill!

Lesson learned

2011-12-30T14:58:00.001-08:00

Don't tell a 4 year old that Santa left a big present under the tree because we were at grandma's house. A nap on the 4.5 hour car ride is out of the question.

Holiday lights

2011-12-24T13:25:00.001-08:00

I just got an iPhone. Pictures and post all came from it. So cool.

Little Smartie

2011-12-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

Daycare is closed for 12 days, so I'm home with the kids today. I apparently must be tons of fun because nap time is always a struggle for me- although both kids will sleep nicely with Josh.

Today I gave the kids a 10 minute warning before nap. Adam flew into the room and yelled, "No mama, 2 minutes." I agreed with him, only to hear Elizabeth say, "No twelve minutes." The two of them started going back and forth, and finally Elizabeth said, "Adam, 12 is more than 2, so you have to ask for 12 more minutes."

Gotta like that thinking!

(And right now only one kid is sleeping. It just isn't my day!)

Hell on Wheels

2011-12-21T06:33:00.000-08:00

Adam is definitely full swing into the terrible twos, and his big sister is catching the brunt of it. He is constantly pinching, pulling hair, biting, and overall just causing chaos.

Yesterday I picked him up at daycare, and Jackie reported that he was "hell on wheels."

I had to laugh at the very accurate description. So should I be pleased that he isn't just naughty for me or upset that he acts in such a way?

Unfortunately, I was happy that it wasn't just for me...

Crazy Kids

2011-12-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

We are almost a month into the wrestling season, and oh my is it so much easier with a 2 and 4 year old. We have been having a blast playing, snuggling, and being messy in Josh's absence.

Some funny things:
- My children love goggles, although they never really use them for their proper purpose. It's hard to be mad at the fact that my bathroom floor is soaked when I'm greeted with these faces.

- Adam's favorite book right now is "Pinkalicious." Not your standard book of choice for a little boy, but I love that we are progressing to books with more than 5 words on a page.

- Adam will cry for me from his bed in the middle of the night. I ask him what's wrong, and he says, "I need you too much." Gotta love that sap!

- Elizabeth is always decked out in some random dress-up outfit...usually a dress that shows off her big belly. She still can't understand why most people don't want to have a big belly.

Overall we are having so much fun and can't wait for Christmas!

Over the River and Through the Woods

2011-12-04T11:44:00.001-08:00

... On a hike around Oxbow Park we shall go!

With the new snow on the ground from yesterday, we went for a hike with the Gupta family Sunday morning. Here are some pictures:

Elizabeth enjoyed body flopping into the snow in addition to tasting as much as she could.

Adam was a true hiker, hitching a ride as often as possible.

After our hike, we went through the zoo and saw, among other things: snakes, wolves, coyotes, a mountain lion, lynx, and more.

Happy 30th Birthday Sam!

2011-12-03T19:03:00.000-08:00

So Sam is now officially not a 20-something. But that doesn't mean that you don't get presents or cake! Friday night we had a pizza party before presents, and tonight the kids and I made a chocolate cake that Elizabeth and Adam picked at the store. And though you can't tell with the frosting on, that cake is in the shape of a bona fide Thomas the Tank train engine. That is one invaluable cake pan for one invaluable and newly minted 30 year old mother!

Happy 30th Samantha!

Spiderman Adam

2011-12-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Another awesome cake from Jackie. Adam had a great time at his daycare party with all of his friends.

Happy 2nd Birthday!

2011-11-28T18:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T13:01:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. I had to post these pictures because it was so beautiful here- over 50 degrees! Elizabeth and Adam were able to run around outside and look for the skunk in the tunnel in Grandma Donna's front yard. Elizabeth was rocking it in a super cute dress that we forgot all about.

It was a calm holiday, but we ate yummy food and spent time with family. Then Coach Grant was off for more wrestling fun this morning.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Coolest Cake

2011-11-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

Jackie made Elizabeth the coolest cake ever for her birthday. When she saw it, she was speechless, which is a feat with my children!

Happy 4th Birthday Elizabeth!

2011-11-14T05:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T12:27:00.000-07:00

Belle and Spiderman

Apple Orchard

2011-10-23T19:04:00.001-07:00

We had a trip to the orchard to pick apples a couple of weeks ago. The kids love going with their cousins Kylie and Cael. Our favorite orchard was closed that day, so this Friday we took a trip. Feeding the goats was a major highlight. Adam kept saying, "Hi goats, hi goats." We also ran around the pumpkins, got our annual picture by the apple growth chart, and ate doughnuts. The best is always picking out mini pumpkins. All weekend they "decorated" the house with their 5 pumpkins and also the squash that we bought. They lined my headboard with them, so each night I had to take them off to avoid being knocked out by an acorn squash.

This trip is our big indicator of fall. Happy fall!

Time for a Vote!

2011-10-17T14:23:00.001-07:00

Time for a vote. We are fairly certain that we will be in our 2 bedroom house for at least 6 months-2 years. Elizabeth is still in a toddler bed and will need to transition out of it in the next year, and Adam will move out of his crib. Because they share a room, we've been talking about options that don't require their whole room to be beds (especially since we don't have a play room.)

So...I found this loft bed that could fit a mattress underneath on the floor and become a bunk bed. It stands under 4 feet tall and although my kids have tumbled off beds, tables, and couches, I'm somewhat nervous about the bunk. So, what are your thoughts- will they be catapulting off this? (Leave your response in the comments or send me an e-mail).

22 Months!

2011-09-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Adam turned 22 months old! I look at this picture of him, which hangs in my office, and I'm totally the most biased mother on the planet because he is so cute! His cuteness gets him very far in life. The tantrums and insistence to do everything himself is easily forgotten when he flashes that smile.

Some of my favorite things this month include: his love for Spiderman, his need to put his shoes on himself, his love for washing his hands all by himself after eating, saying, "I cold" which means I have a cold, and his need for snuggling even though he's a big boy!

Happy 22 months little man!

Wedding Critic

2011-09-25T13:39:00.001-07:00

We have been a stretch of weddings- Will & Steph, Erin & Alan. This weekend Elizabeth attended her third wedding in a row. She wasn't in this one, so it only required showing up for the ceremony and reception. Josh took her home after eating, and once they got in the car she remarked, "Well, this one was short!"

Congratulations Will and Steph!

2011-09-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

Finally...on 9-10-11 Will and Steph were married. Benjamin and Elizabeth were the cutest ones in the wedding (well besides Steph, of course!) The whole affair was so much fun, and the kids had a blast getting dressed up and dancing the night away.

Congrats!

Some of My Favorites

2011-09-06T12:57:00.001-07:00

My Cheeky Monkey Studio, mycheekymonkeystudio.com

Sneak Peek

2011-09-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

We just got our images back from a photo shoot taken by Cheeky Monkey Studio, www.mycheekymonkeystudio.com

Here's a sneak peek of the fabulous photos. More to come...

Back to School

2011-08-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Sending your kids to daycare is always filled with mixed emotions. Unfortunately we don't have the choice, so we worked hard to find an A++ daycare provider.

This morning the kids went back to daycare for the school year. As soon as Jackie opened her front door, Adam squealed with delight. It was so adorable. He was SO excited to be back!

Talk about making me feel like I made the right decision!

Loved This

2011-08-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

21 Months

2011-08-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today Adam is 21 months old. He is nearing the two year mark, and his behavior proves it: He is either absolutely adorable or a complete terror. Thankfully he doesn't stay angry too long.

At 21 months, Adam:

Loves "driving" the car more than anything else. He would probably play in one of our cars for over an hour if we let him. (Consequently he screams every time that we put him in the car seat because he wants to play in the car.)
Is really progressing in his language skills. He is putting sentences together, and you can see the wheels turning as he tries to express himself.
Can almost get his pants on by himself. He fights putting on his pjs by himself, which ends up extending bedtime by 10 minutes.
Uses the potty whenever sister is hanging out in the bathroom. He is nowhere near being ready for training. I'm sure he'll wait until the wrestling season!
Runs everywhere, and is constantly trying to keep up with his big sister. They are pretty close in size, so he can carry his own weight in a fight now!
Is a loveable, huggable little boy. Those blue eyes melt my heart!

Funny Photos to End the Summer

2011-08-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some funny pictures from the week long stay at Grandma's house. Every Grandma has a ball pit in her living room- right?

Adam thought riding on the big mining trucks was awesome. I love these photos because Adam is happy as can be, and Elizabeth is in anguish in the background. (Usually it's the other way around.) The passenger seat was much closer to all the buttons, so there were big fights about who got that seat.

Random

2011-08-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Adam's thing in the last month or so is to ask "why?" about everything. It's pretty cute and funny.

Example: Mom- Adam, don't climb on the chair. Adam- why?
Adam- Mommy's home. Why?
Mom- We have to get ready for bed. Adam- why?

He also is exploring the Grant spitfire personality. I had both of the kids in the pool the other day. Adam insisted on climbing on the slide (the lifeguards think it's a big no, no. I just want to let him fall hard once so he can be done with it.) After minutes of screaming and crying, I passed him a pretend "naughty ticket." He willingly grabbed it, shoved it in his mouth, and said, "I ate it. All gone." Guess he showed me!

Kid Free

2011-08-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

For the past three days, Josh and I have been without our kids. Adam and Elizabeth are staying at Grandma's house for four days and are having a blast. So what did we do without children? Paint the ceilings and clean the house. (How's that for fun?!) We debated between taking a trip and getting something done and decided that working without our two little helpers was the best choice.

We squeaked some fun in too. We went out to dinner, slept in late, and peed with the door closed. Now it's time for a House marathon...

A funny story from the weekend- Adam was pretty sad to go to sleep without his mom and cried into Kate's shoulder. The next morning, he woke up and said from his pack-n-play, "Momma?...Momma?...Josh?

20 Months Old

2011-07-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Adam turned 20 months old. Here is a picture of him in his element. Adam is a total motorhead and loves anything with wheels. He got to go to the fair this week and most of his time was spent checking out the tractors.

A couple of weeks ago, Adam was having a total meltdown in our driveway. In the midst of his stomping fit, he heard a motorcycle passing and stopped, said "cycle", and then proceeded to finish his fit.

Happy 20 months old!

Most Words Together

2011-07-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight Adam put four words together in a sentence. We were excited even though they were...

"I didn't hit sister."

(And for the record, he did hit sister.)

Land of No

2011-07-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

First Cycle

2011-07-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today Josh picked up a hot find on Craigslist. Adam thinks his new cycle is awesome!

The anguish of having to share. Being the first born means that Elizabeth is usually the one having the cool coveted items. She didn't care for it when the tables were turned.
Note that this picture is fuzzy because it's so humid right now. I hate being outside in this weather.

Still Rocking

2011-07-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's 9 o'clock at the Grant household, and I'm starting to think that either: a) my children hate me or b) my children think I am the most entertaining person alive. Why do you ask? Because as all the good little boys and girls around the world are sleeping at this hour, BOTH of my children are rolling around in their beds talking to each other. I just did another scan, and Elizabeth was sitting up in bed. (Belle, you can't sleep sitting up. Don't even ask about the new name.) Adam is kicking his legs and throwing out one and two word phrases in his loudest voice possible. At least his head is on the mattress, so I let him be.

Sleeping is awesome. If someone told me that I could go to bed at 9, I'd be snuggled up dreaming away. Why me?!

Fun in the Sun

2011-07-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

We finally dug the trike out of the box in the basement. A Christmas gift that never got opened. Our new cement is awesome for riding. I tried to talk Elizabeth into buying a bigger bicycle and after many attempts she finally said to me, "Mom, we'll talk about it when I'm in kindergarten." Guess she told me!

New sunglasses. Adam looks like Ray when he wears them because his head is always tilted back.

The kids are having a blast at home with Josh this summer. It's been lots of playing outside, sleeping in, and doing whatever they want. I think Josh is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel because a 1.5 and 3.5 year old are so much easier than having babies!

The biggest update is that Elizabeth finally got to ride in the canoe with Josh. She was so excited and said that the best part was, "Having my own paddle." Check out the pictures to see how cute my wilderness girl is!

19 months old

2011-06-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today, Adam is 19 months old. He has made a huge leap in his vocabulary and enunciation this past month! It's been fun to listen to him echo our words, and to hear him catch on and use them correctly later on. He's nearing the end of teething, with only his 4 molars left. He had his 18 month check-up recently, and he's still relatively tall for his age (don't worry, it won't last) and average for weight. He's becoming a lot of fun, and the tantrums are occurring less frequently. Tonight we had a nice hike at Chesterwoods, and Elizabeth and Adam had a great time picking flowers along the trail. When Adam is outside, he is in his element.

Below is a list of what we think are our favorite words that we like to hear him say. As Sam and I compiled the list, we now think we need to get these on video and share them with you. Stay tuned.

Cycle
Sister
Train
Adam John
Mouse
Digger
No No
Hot
I did it
Ruby
Share
Stop it
Elmo

Swimming Adventures

2011-06-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

I've started to get over the fact that my children are crazy little animals. Before I was afraid to take both of them out of the house by myself because someone always ended up having a meltdown or bleeding. Now that Adam is 18 months old, I've decided that I have to work with the hand I was dealt. Today I decided to take the kids to the pool, which ends up being enjoyable except for the changing at the end in which Adam tries to streak out of the locker room and I end up chasing him in a towel.

Today we had the pool to ourselves for 40 minutes which was heavenly. Finally another little girl showed up, and Adam was on high alert. She was a little younger than him but super cute. At one point the two were standing close together and then leaned in to kiss. (What a flirt!) After staring her down post kiss, he shoved her away. Romeo needs to work on his moves!

Loved this Photo from Daycare

2011-06-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Kate!

2011-06-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend we attended Kate's high school graduation. (Thanks Auntie Connie for watching the kids!) We had some camera issues, so these were the best shots we got. In two weeks we will see everyone for the graduation party.

Congrats Kate. We are so proud of you!

Summer Has Begun!

2011-06-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Does anything capture the beginning of summer like little ones eating watermelon?!

In other exciting news, Josh finally pulled the trigger and bought 2 canoes.

Congrats Christian!

2011-05-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Christian's graduation. We've been attending graduations for many Memorial Day weekends, but this was the last in the line of siblings. Congrats!

Helena and Magnus surprised everyone by attending the party, so we were able to get pictures of all 9 grandchildren together. With only one crying baby, I think we did pretty well. (I love Adam's pose...reminds me of Austin Powers!)

The kids had a great time playing with their cousins at the party. With 5 kids all within a year of each other, you never know what you'll get, but they kept each other busy!

Congrats Christian!

Med City 5K 2011

2011-05-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

Sam, Emily, and Erin ran the Med City 5K today. Despite the warmer weather, all three ran well. I'll post a link to race results when they're online. More importantly, they all had fun. Hopefully there are more races for these competitors in the future. For crowd support, Elizabeth and Adam snacked as they cheered the runners coming into the homestretch, and I was on spot patrol to point out Elizabeth's aunts/mom as they ran by (Adam was paying more attention to a) his crackers, or b) the cars passing by).

Good work people!

Adam is 18 months

2011-05-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Today Adam has reached the 18 month mark. So what is he about at this milestone? Well, he's still a remarkably happy, good-natured little boy. When he is happy, at least. Which is most of the time. But when he's not, watch out. The causes of his unhappiness is a short list, and essentially boils down to either not getting what he wants or (you guessed it) his big sister doing something to bug him.

At 18 months, Adam is:

Saying lots of words...

Trying to put multiple words together...

Still has full conversations with you, most of which is still incoherent... but he doesn't seem to mind...

Loves to be outside...

Loves to play at the park, especially going down the slide...

Eats more than his older sister...

Can climb anything...

Is very friendly, and likes to say "bye" and "hi" to anyone...

Gets excited to see birds in the sky and any truck or motorcycle that makes loud noise on the road...

Happy 18 months Adam!

3.5 Years Old!

2011-05-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Elizabeth celebrated her half birthday. (She was a little ticked about not getting cake for the birthday, but we did let her pick out cookies from the Farmer's market.)

Here's the list of her favorites at 3.5.

Color- blue
Food- chicken patties
Movie- Dumbo
Book- Dumbo book and Beauty & the Beast
Friend- Max
Animal- elephant
Snack- cheddar bunnies
Treat- sucker
Thing to do- "play with my baby brother Adam"
Song- Alex and Leah
Drink- water and milk

**For the most part, she was pretty accurate. She is loving the movie Beauty and the Beast and makes me listen to her stupid Sesame Street CD over and over in the car.

Problem with Colored Bubbles

2011-05-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

Here's your advertisement to not purchase colored bubbles! I will admit that my kids can make just about anything messy, but these were pretty bad. (Auntie Courtney, we owe you!)

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day! We spent the day with the GUS clan. We went to the Big Band Bash on Saturday and the girls had a blast dancing together.

Elizabeth was so excited to hold her baby cousin. I love that they both smiled for the picture.

Birthday presents were a highlight at the princess birthday party.

Uncle Jacob loaned Adam his tractor. Adam was very excited with his new ride and didn't seem to mind that he couldn't make it move. There's something about a guy and his tractor!

Spring Has Sprung

2011-05-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

Spring took a long time to get to Minnesota this year. The kids have been eagerly playing outside whenever it is warm enough. Here they are ready for a bike ride. (And yes the safety freak has no helmets on her children.)
This week Josh was in the yard with the kids. Later I came out and realized that a bucket was full of daffodil petals. I love looking out of my back window at the flowers in the morning with a warm cup of coffee, but now this is what I see. How Josh missed the 3 year old picking flowers in our yard is beyond me. Elizabeth's reply was, "I didn't pick all of the petals mom."

17 Months Old

2011-05-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Adam turned 17 months old. This post comes late because April was the worst month of my life. But Adam has kept us hopping this month. This picture really sums him up. He is so darn happy when he is outside doing what he wants to do. (Now trying to get him inside shows the other extreme of his personality.)

We are looking forward to sunny spring weather so we can spend it outside. Happy 17 months little guy!

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T18:20:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth finds another egg.

Adam looking for Uncle Jacob.

Elizabeth found her Easter Basket behind the chair.

Adam found a few eggs and some sandbox toys in his Easter Basket.

Elizabeth at an Easter Egg Hunt.

It was an excellent Easter weekend for the Grant family. Elizabeth got to participate with lots of kids at a local Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday.

Adam and Elizabeth awoke Easter morning to eagerly find their Easter baskets. Afterward, Uncle Jacob and Ruth Ann came down for lunch. We went non-traditional, and instead used the mild weather to grill steaks, chicken, sausage, sweet corn, garlic, and vegetable skewers. Other menu items included potato salad, chips, and brownies.

The Easter Bunny came again while we were eating, and 19 eggs needed to be found in the backyard. Actually, there were only 18 eggs worth finding. Apparently one greedy little squirrel used the natural visual barrier a tree afforded him and gobbled down one of the Easter treats. One less peanut butter cup for Elizabeth I guess.

The Post I Never Wanted to Write

2011-04-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

It is with deep sadness that I share the horrible news of the death of my lifelong friend, Alison. Words can not express the profound sadness that has swept over me this week. I truly feel like a piece of me is gone forever.

Alison, you were the kind of friend that I can only hope to be- kind, genuine, witty, and nonjudgmental. I know you would have hated all of the e-mails and Facebook entries that have circulated. I was torn in writing this post, but I wanted to share with those that I love that someone so special to me has left this Earth.

Tomorrow I head home for her funeral, which will surely be the worst experience of my life.

Please keep Alison's husband, baby daughter, and family in your prayers.

I will miss you forever, Alison. I love you.

The Flu House

2011-04-12T13:57:00.001-07:00

Living in a house with one bathroom hasn't posed a problem (honestly even if we had 10 bathrooms, I still wouldn't get to pee in peace)...until this weekend. The flu bug hit the Grants and three of the four of us were out. Thankfully Adam had been sick earlier in the week, so we didn't have to worry about his high needs. I have cleaned puke off more surfaces than I thought was humanely possible- yuck! Elizabeth aims and succeeds over half of the time, and she acts like a rock star when it's all in the toilet. Gotta love her enthusiasm.

Elizabeth and I are home again today after both being sick last night. This is the bug that will not die! But we've had some fun being stuck in the house, and I posted some silly pictures of the kids playing dress up.

April Fools

2011-04-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

We woke up this morning to find snow falling! Nothing like snow in April to make you wonder if spring will ever come.

Life is Good

2011-03-31T17:43:00.000-07:00

Finally Grandma got a picture of Adam and Elizabeth smiling in one photo. It took 16 months and a ride on the dinosaur to do it. We are having a great time on vacation- sleeping in, playing at the park, eating treats, and getting to break all the rules. We're in for trouble once we go back home, but for now, it's fantastic.

16 Months Old!

2011-03-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

Adam is 16 months old today! He is enjoying a week of being spoiled at his grandma and grandpa's house. As usual, we sang Happy Birthday to him, and he said, "More!" At 16 months, Adam is a crazy little guy, running around trying to keep up with his sister. When life is good, he is nothing but smiles, but when things don't go his way, he is more than vocal about the injustice.

We are hopeful that his language skills will pick up soon. He is learning lots of words, just not always the ones that he needs to communicate what he wants.

Happy 16 months little guy!

Working on Her Name

2011-03-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

Her name is starting to resemble something legible. 2 more years until kindergarten, so I think she'll be okay, but she does have a long one to work with.

First Haircut

2011-03-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

Before

During

Tonight Adam got his first haircut. His hair was starting to curl in the back, and I finally said enough. Everyone went because we knew that Adam is a big crybaby. So my son who cries about EVERYTHING (I mean, four times in the process of washing his hands every night) didn't make a peep during his haircut. He sat like a little angel for over 10 minutes even when she took out the noisy clippers. The final product is absolute cuteness.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

The kids had a great St. Patrick's day thanks to Jackie. The leprechaun left gold coins under Elizabeth's pillow this week. Today at daycare, the leprechaun had hid treasures all over the yard for the kids to find. How fun! They also made these lovely hats.

I had a crazy St. Patrick's Day story too. On my way to pick the kids up from daycare, I drove past a little girl, probably around 2, who was playing on the side of the road. Our daycare provider lives in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in our town, so while this wouldn't have surprised me in my neighborhood, it made me stop in hers. The little girl had a dress on and tights but no shoes. I got out of my car and figured out where she lived, which was difficult as she only wanted to tell me about the puppies that she was chasing in the nearby yard. (I wanted to say "focus sweetie!") I figured out where she lived and started to bring her there when a woman burst out of the house frantic. It was a really scary experience, and I'm so glad that I saw her, and she was safe. There's a bit of luck today!

15 Month Stats

2011-03-14T18:13:00.001-07:00

Adam had his 15 month check-up today. He is a big boy!

32.75 inches (88%)
25 lbs. 6 oz. (60%)...which would explain why I get so tired carrying him around.

Enjoy being a big guy now because genetics are not in your favor to keep it up.

15 Months Old!

2011-02-28T19:25:00.000-08:00

Today Adam is fifteen months old. He is in the middle of a big developmental stage, and it seems like every day he learns something new. (Like how to climb on new things, say new words, or understand new directions.)

At fifteen months, he is busy running everywhere chasing his sister and is adding new words to his vocabulary. Dada is the cutest one that he's mastered and will follow Josh around saying it. He also said sister a couple of days ago which Elizabeth loved. He has a new fascination with books and wants to sit on mom's lap and look at the pictures of the puppies.

Happy 15 months old little guy!

Cry baby

2011-02-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

For all of you who say Adam is so good, here's some proof of why I'm going crazy. (And just so you know nothing horrific happened. I think I had to move a chair so he couldn't climb on the table.)

Winter Carnival

2011-02-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

Keep in mind that Elizabeth can't swim. My little dare devil

We needed to get out so last weekend, we stayed at a hotel and went to the Winter Carnival. The kids had a blast! We also got to see Grandma and Grandpa Senich and Uncle Jacob and Ruthann.

Never Thought I'd Hear...

2011-02-04T06:19:00.000-08:00

"Mom, I like marshmallows with glue on them."

-Elizabeth after discovering her project from dental awareness week at daycare was also a yummy treat. Adam agreed with Elizabeth's statement.

Sums Her Up

2011-02-03T14:31:00.001-08:00

This photo pretty much sums up Elizabeth at this point in development.

She insists on wearing her hat backwards. What a little goof.

14 Months Old!

2011-01-28T18:17:00.001-08:00

Today Adam is 14 months old. Sometime in the last month he changed from a baby into a toddler- and it felt like overnight it happened.

At 14 months, here's what Adam is up to.

- Done nursing. He ended this with the lack of grace that he's exhibited his whole life by screaming in my face. (After over four years of being pregnant and nursing with only 2 months respite, I'm not too sad!)
- Loves putting buckets on his head, playing tea party, reading touch and feel books, and running with his sister.
- Hates putting on his jacket or snow clothes or having the bathroom stool taken away.
- May have a future as a football player if you could see the way he runs and dodges his sister when he has her blankie.
- Saying more recognizable words. Only wants to say them when it's convenient for him. Can say mama, dad, tee-tee (Katie), Ace (Grace), sit.
- On a quest to climb on every chair in the house. We have to tie the chairs together to keep him off.

Happy 14 months little man! We love you so much.

Valuable Lesson

2011-01-22T13:22:00.000-08:00

Here is your public service annoucement from the Grant family:

Important points:
- You can have strep throat without having a sore throat. Fever is often a good indicator as well as bad smelling mouth and upset stomach.
- Strep does need to be treated or it will spread.
- Three year olds should not put everything in their mouth.
- Moms need to go to the doctor too when they are sick.

We should now be referred to as the Strep family. There was an update at daycare that strep was found, so Jackie requested that all kids got tested. I have had a sore throat for two weeks but haven't taken care of myself. The three of us went in and all came back positive for strep. I feel like the worst mother in the world, as there are four confirmed cases now at daycare. Elizabeth started the sickness. Looks like we're never going to make any friends!

p.s. The doctor will treat another family member even without a positive test. I'm sure he was thinking that both of us were stupid parents.

Family Planning

2011-01-18T18:44:00.000-08:00

This weekend Elizabeth decided that we weren't going to have any more babies. Instead, we will be having reindeer- twins named Clarice and Rudolph. Now that's family planning that I can get behind!

Reading and Writing

2011-01-17T05:36:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I checked on Elizabeth in the bathroom only to find her on the pot writing on her Magna-doodle. Talk about maximizing your time in the bathroom. Of course I ran to take a picture, but I don't want to post it to the blog. Just try to get the visual of a 3 year old hanging out on the can writing on a Magna-doodle. Way too funny!

First Wrestling Meet

2011-01-09T14:03:00.001-08:00

On Thursday, Adam attended his first wrestling meet. We watched the Wildcat's JV dual Byron. In our twenty minute visit, Elizabeth got to go into the locker room and get fruit snacks from the concession stand, and Adam got to run up and down the hallways.

Photo Shoot

2010-12-29T19:23:00.000-08:00

Adam and Elizabeth had a photo shoot while up north. If you see us in the coming weeks, ask for one to take home- we ordered many. A personal favorite was Elizabeth trying to be a good big sister by keeping Adam in the photo. Clearly, he didn't care for this. Adam was in motion the entire photo shoot, but we got a couple of good photos. We're still waiting for Elizabeth to get rid of her goofy smile, but I guess it's an accurate representation of her right now.

13 Months Old

2010-12-28T13:10:00.000-08:00

13 Months old and cute as a bug!

At 13 months, here is what Adam is up to:

- Eating everything he can get his hands on (edible and nonedible)

- Running, running, running, and chasing his big sister

- Speaking gibberish and believing everyone should understand

- Saying "mama"

- Signing lots of words

- Crying if mom is too far from view

- Breaking out the dance moves

Happy 13 months little guy!

Naughty List

2010-12-22T08:34:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure if a one year old can be on Santa's Naughty List. Adam is making a gallant effort. Elizabeth even agreed this morning that Adam was in peril of crossing over to the Naughty List.

Santa, I would like a baby who screams a little less for Christmas.

Dinnertime Mishap

2010-12-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me know that I'm an eater not a chef. Getting dinner ready every evening with two little, hungry kids running around and Josh gone for wrestling is enough to drive me crazy. I made a goal this year to not resort to our usual meal of cereal for breakfast until we passed the one month mark of wrestling.

Preparations for dinner took me less than 10 minutes tonight. In the span of those ten minutes, Adam dumped the humidifier all over his floor, which required a fast clean up and two children sliding through the puddle. Elizabeth then proceeded to put sprinkles all over our cedar chest because, "It was a little saucy." (Not sure where she was going with that statement, but she actually had no clue that decorating furniture with sprinkles was not allowed. Apparently my communication or rules have gotten a bit lax.)

Gotta love my life.

Welcome Charlie!

2010-12-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

On December 9th, Sam's cousin Toni delivered a baby boy- Charlie Thomas. Charlie also couldn't wait to make his arrival and came almost 8 weeks early. He was 5 lbs. 2 oz. and is receiving extra help in the NICU. He is amazingly healthy for being a preemie and is expected to do just fine.

Congratulations Toni and Matt!

(As a note, as kids, Toni and I were certain that we would name our first children after each other. I'm still holding out for a Samantha when they have a little girl!)

Check-ups

2010-12-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Today the Grants spread a good dose of birth control at the clinic. The kids had their annual check-ups, and Josh was unable to attend due to wrestling. I realize that many moms take bunches of kids the doctor, but it felt like chaos. Within the hour appointment, both kids took a poop, Adam pulled garbage all over the floor, Adam stuck his hands in the toilet, Elizabeth removed her clothes, and 6 shots were given. Wow was I ready to leave...and the sad part is that I thought it went pretty well.

Here are the kid's stats...

Adam- 31.5 inches (91%)
23lbs 13oz (63%)

Elizabeth- 37.25 inches (48%)
32.6 lbs (65%)

3 Year Favorites

2010-12-04T12:39:00.000-08:00

For Elizabeth's scrapbook, I want to be able to document some of her favorites. These are according to her, and I would like to protest a couple of them.

Color: yellow
Movie: Toy Story
Food: pizza
Friend: Max
Book: Little Quack Counts and Bambi
Toy: puppy
Thing to Do: play monkey games
Animal: penguin, elephant
Song: Ting-a-lay-o
Treat: M&M

Searching for the Perfect Tree

2010-12-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

This year goes on record as the longest it has ever taken us to pick out a tree. It was hard to rush with weather around 40 degrees! The kids had a blast running around looking at the trees and getting all muddy. We finally settled on one, and Elizabeth was amazed to watch Josh cut it down. I didn't get a good picture of it, but Elizabeth wore a bumblebee costume to pick out trees- definitely an appropriate outfit!

Cael Thomas

2010-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

Cael Thomas couldn't wait to enter the world and was born this morning, weighing 6 lbs. 9 oz. and 19 inches in length. Because he came 28 odd days early, he will be staying in the hospital until his lungs get stronger.

Happy 1st Birthday!

2010-11-28T18:32:00.000-08:00

Today Adam is one year old! It has been so much fun seeing him grow and change over the last year. Looking back to his birth, it's amazing how much he has changed in such a short time.

I'm more than a little biased, but Adam is the cutest one year old on the planet. He is a bundle of energy and always has a smile for you. He is a mix of his mom and dad- when life is good, he's low key like daddy, and when he needs something, the fiery side from his mom shines through.

At one, here's what Adam is up to:

- Walking with fewer and fewer tumbles.
- Eating like a pig. Loves bananas, meat, apples, peaches, and anything sweet. Those seven teeth are working!
- Speaking gibberish. Everyone he loves is "mama"- including both mom and dad.
- Signing many words- eat, nap, more, diaper, puppy.
- Aspiring to climb on top of anything.
- Loves puppies, books with real pictures, and driving his cars.
- Incredibly entertained by his big sister.

Happy Birthday Adam. We love you!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving. We celebrated with the GUS family and had a great time. Elizabeth was in love with the meatballs and Adam loved the stuffing. We are very thankful for our little cuties. Below is a video of Adam making turkey noises. We really don't think turkeys sound quite like that, but it was too cute. Check back to our Thanksgiving 2008 to see Elizabeth's impersonation.

Birthday Party

2010-11-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Family Grant photo. Getting Elizabeth to smile is impossible, so I guess we'll be able to document this year as the one where she looked like a dork in all pictures. We were able to get her to smile in her Snow White costume. Elizabeth got a tub filled with costumes from her Uncle John and Aunt Courtney. Each time she put on a costume we would say, "Hello mermaid Elizabeth," at which point she would say, "I am not a mermaid, I'm a mom" and proceed to wash the dishes. (I can assure you that I never wash dishes dressed like a mermaid.)

The coveted dump truck- the most fought over toy.

On Saturday we had a joint birthday party for Adam and Elizabeth. A great time was had by all, and we are still cleaning blue frosting out of Adam's nose. Honestly, could that first birthday photo get any cuter?!

Buttons

2010-11-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

Adam is home sick with pneumonia. Last night was a long one with a 2 hour trip to the urgent care and three visits to the pharmacy. By 11:30, Josh and I were exhausted. Thankfully Adam slept through the night and is doing really well.

Clearly tired getting Elizabeth ready for bed, I told her to stop pushing my buttons. She looked at me and said, "Buttons? What buttons? Don't you mean boundaries?"

You can definitely tell that she has heard about pushing boundaries more than a couple of times!

3 Years Old!

2010-11-14T12:26:00.000-08:00

Happy 3rd birthday Elizabeth!

It's been so much fun celebrating Elizabeth's 3rd birthday now that she really knows how to get into the festivities. On Friday she had a pj birthday party at daycare. We made cute cupcakes with elephants on them, and Elizabeth was so proud of her decorating job. I think we used a whole bottle of sprinkles for 12 cupcakes!

For her birthday today, she wanted to have pizza lunch, so we went out to eat. She has also opened presents today and is getting ready for her family party next weekend.

It's going to be two weeks of birthday celebrations for the Grants.

Cowgirl Elizabeth

2010-11-07T12:50:00.000-08:00

Future Gym Teacher?

2010-11-05T14:39:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

The kids have had two Halloween parties and a night of trick-or-treating in the last three days. Here are a couple of photos. Adam sampled his first candy, and Elizabeth will surely wake up tomorrow asking for more treats. More pictures to come...

He's Walking!

2010-10-31T14:04:00.001-07:00

Adam started walking on Friday night. He can string 5-6 steps together if he's concentrating. It's so cute to see him trying. We'll post a video soon.

11 Months Old

2010-10-28T19:43:00.001-07:00

Today Adam is 11 months old. It's pretty unbelievable that he is within one month of his first birthday. Watching you grow over the past 11 months has been so much fun. You are a driven little guy who makes sure that everyone knows how you're feeling. When times are good, you're the happiest person, but watch out when you're crabby!

At 11 months, this is what you're up to:

- Taking one or two steps and then falling down
- Eating only table food (you need to feed yourself)
- Love taking baths and crawling/rolling on blankets
- Hate putting your socks on in the morning and getting into the car (seriously everyone in the neighborhood knows that you hate this!)
- Think your big sister is the best- and you love to pull her hair (especially when she's waking up)
- Crawling up and down the stairs and would do it all day
- Signing "puppy", "milk", "more"
- Speaking Russian. You are sure that you're saying something that we should understand.

Happy 11 months old!

Name Change

2010-10-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Elizabeth developed a split personality. Her name is Heather and she is quite shy, can get on and off the potty without help, and sometimes does naughty things. She is a mom to baby Howeepy (Adam).

We have to laugh at our almost 3 year old who is never short on creativity. She now wakes up in the morning asking, "Mom, do you remember what my name is?" Yes, it's Heather, sweetie. (Heather does not like to be called sweetie.) Josh just rolls his eyes, wondering when this will be over.

This is the stage of development that I love!

Fall hike at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

2010-10-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

This afternoon was hot for October - approaching 90 degrees or maybe more in some spots. We were able to take advantage of this warm weather by taking a hike to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Everyone enjoyed the fall colors on a 3.5 mile loop before cooling off by playing in the Prairie Creek just above Hidden Falls. Plus Elizabeth experienced her first "water break" in the woods!

Works of Art

2010-09-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

Aren't those the nicest H's you've ever seen?!

Adam's first finger painting. The fact that Jackie paints with a 10 month old elevates her to sainthood.

10 Months Old

2010-09-28T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today Adam is 10 months old. It's amazing to think that Adam now has spent more time in the world than he did inside my body- a true testament to how long pregnancy lasts!

At 10 months, Adam is busy exploring his world. He loves pushing his walker around the house but shows no interest in trying to walk on his own. Crawling is much more efficient, and he has gotten to the point that he can cover some serious ground in pursuit of his big sister.

Adam's voice is starting to be heard. If Elizabeth steals a toy for him, everyone within a mile can hear his screech. He has some serious emotional highs and lows, but he's having more periods of happiness with the freedom of moving around on his own. He has the most adorable smile and has become quite the little charmer- especially if it can get him out of being told "no". He holds a special place in his heart for his mom and whimpers if she is too far away.

Happy 10 months old little guy!

Apple Orchard

2010-09-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took our annual trip to the apple orchard. Emily, Eric, and Kylie joined us for the second year, and the girls had a blast picking apples, running around the pumpkins, and looking at the animals. Adam thought eating apples was the best and refused to smile for any pictures- he was too busy eating. Both Josh and I got bit trying to take chunks of apples from his mouth.

Every year, we take a picture to see how the kids are growing next to the measuring tape and apple. Elizabeth is getting bigger! Going to the orchard is a sign that fall is officially here.

Four Letter Words

2010-09-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

Raising kids is hard work. For you parents who can make it through the day without dropping an f-bomb, I give you kudos. Unfortunately, I am not that good of a mother, so consequently my toddler's extensive vocabulary includes a sampling of four letter words.

Yesterday Elizabeth was breastfeeding Dumbo on my bed. Adam and I came into the room, and she was clearly annoyed. As I put Adam on the bed, she sternly looked at me and said, "For fucking sake, don't put Adam on the bed. I'm feeding Dumbo."

I'm still laughing about it today.

First Day of School

2010-09-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

Today Josh started his fourth year of teaching. It is customary in our house to take the first day of school picture. It's fun to see how our family changes throughout the years. This year Elizabeth slept through the before school picture, but Adam was ready to rock for his debut. We tried our best to get a family shot at the end of the day, but Elizabeth was too excited to focus at looking at the camera. I guess the photo shows a bit of the personality of our kids.

And I'd like to comment that Mr. Grant looks just as good at the end of the day as he did at the beginning. Looks like another successful start to the year.

Elizabeth's First Camping Trip

2010-08-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Elizabeth and I enjoyed what I hope to be the first of many camping trips and other outdoor excursions together.

Friday night we drove the 7 miles to Olmsted County's Chesterwoods Park. She was excited all week, and the buzz didn't stop until 11:00 that night. We got there, unpacked a bit, and had roasted sweet corn courtesy of the Gupta family we were camping with in adjacent sites. You can see Adam enjoyed it as well.
After the customary smores for dessert, it was time to get settled in. Inside the tent, Elizabeth walked in circles as she explored the tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, etc. The first major test of Elizabeth's compatibility with camping was if she could safely stay out of the fire and all of its attendant dangers. After round 1, so far so good. The second major test now began inside the tent: Could Elizabeth actually get to sleep and sleep well enough to warrant another camping trip? I am happy to report that Elizabeth got to sleep and slept through the night. In the morning, I opened my eyes to find her perpendicular to me, lying on her stomach and looking at me with a big smile. Immediately she said "Good morning Daddy!" Yes, Elizabeth was pumped to be a camper.

Saturday morning found the group at the lake fishing and stopping at the playground before lunch. After the kids napped, Sam and Adam rejoined us for time at the beach and supper. All the while, Elizabeth had fun playing with Angie and Ash's two kids, Milan and Amani. Sunday morning would ultimately bring Sam the opportunity to save both Amani, who is not quite 2, and Adam from the lake. Amani simply lost his balance on the dock, and Adam flipped his beach toy while attempting to lunge out. While both were in about 2 feet of water, neither were in it more than a second or two. Clearly these back-to-back encounters reinforce the necessity to supervise children around water.

Overall, Elizabeth had a great time with her first camping experience, and is eager to go again. And I can't wait to take her.

Ash with Elizabeth and Adam

9 Months Old

2010-08-28T13:40:00.001-07:00

Adam is 9 months old! He's still our crabby little baby, but new mobility has brightened his days. He loves exploring the world around him and is a maniac crawler. He can also stand and cruise, so walking is the next frontier. Terrorizing his sister is his favorite especially now that he can grab all her toys and put them in his mouth. There are many moments where the two of them are face to face screaming.

Adam hates when anyone shuts the back gate on him, locks the door, or shuts a door to keep him out. He is a stubborn little guy and will let us know that he doesn't appreciate being denied entrance to anything he wants.

Happy 9 months old little boy!