Summer's over

At the beginning of the summer, I had a rough bucket list of things I wanted to do although I never got around to writing it down. But, I think we got most of my list accomplished! 

We went to a few new-to-us splash pads and parks around Des Moines and also got some visits in to places we love. We took 2 week long trips- to Mount Rushmore in July and Colorado in August. The boys and I spent time at our family lake house in Fremont with Grandparents Benakis. We also celebrated a family wedding in Chicago  and got to spend that weekend with our immediate family in St Charles, and did the same with Kevins family at a family wedding in Minnesota. 

Over the last 2 weeks, it has really dawned on me that summer is officially over! We were busy- but in a good way of having events on the calendar to look forward to- but not so busy we couldn't find time to just relax. Now, even though our boys aren't in school I've noticed a big difference in our rhythm of life now that school has started, or fall has come. It's kind of like "now what?!" so I'm having to readjust my expectations and excitement factors after our summer of things to look forward to doing. 

In the last 3 weeks, we have been settled at home for long enough to: 

-Wean Grant completely! Grant and I made it 13.5 whole months of nursing which is an accomplishment I was (and still am) super proud of. (Note to self- I could write a whole post about my experiences with Tyler and Grant, and I'd like to soon so it's all recorded for history's sake!) Grant and I are both (extremely?!) happy about weaning too. 

-Graduate Tyler into his big boy bed! He had 3 glorious years of crib time but was ready for his bed and has done so well since we switched him. 

-Spend lots of quality weekend time with neighbors. The summer is so full of vacations and random trips that it seems like we went through most of the summer without spending a lot of time with our neighbors. We had an end-of-summer block party and that really kicked off the start of spending a lot more time with neighbors on weekends. A few have tvs in their garages and with football seasons arrival- watching games, food, drinks, kids playing outside has pretty much been the norm for Saturday and even some Sunday afternoons. Having friends for our boys (and us) was always our hope when we thought ahead to buying a home in a neighborhood and moving out of our townhouse and so far our little corner of Waukee has far exceeded our expectations. 

So, summer may be over but fall has begun and as that old song goes "for everything there is a season" and we seem to be navigating this new one well (for now!) 

Grant 12 months

Grant's 1! And if I thought Tyler's first year went fast, Grant's went by at light speed I think. 

He is beyond walking into almost running, people comment all the time about how fast he is. 

His hair is getting blonder and curlier and I don't see haircut plans in his near future. 

He's really starting to pick up more words now and so far his favorites are mama, dada, no!, dog, ball, down and please (ssssssssss) 

We are just starting to work on weaning, which I may regret saying- I am really looking forward to in a way that I didn't with Tyler. I have been much more present during Grant's first year than Tyler's because I was still coaching then. Feeding Tyler was always a way that I felt instantly connected to him especially after Id been away. Feeding Grant has been just something I do often throughout the day (and night!) and since he never really took a bottle, I've never really operated on my own timeline always his. It's been a good year for us and I'm proud we made it this far, but I'm ready to let him grow up a little and gain a little distance- literally and figuratively between us. I hope he feels the same! 

Grant 11 months

His new favorite word is Na (for no). He hears it so so so much and now he says it right back! Usually with a smile! 

Grant is really starting to play and can even engage with Tyler, they'll chase each other around the house or share the same toy for a few minutes without a fight. Can't wait to watch them keep growing and getting into new adventures together. 

Grant has recently taken a big interest in books and will bring them to whoever is around to read to him. He even signs "please" while holding the book! We got a book called "old hat, new hat" from the library recently and he literally squeals as the first page is read to him. 

He recently had his first fever...stemming from a sore throat of some sort. We then experienced the worst stomach bug sickness to date! I think grant and I picked it up at the doctors office when I took him in for said fever. Ugh! It wreaked havoc on our house for days and took us all a few days to get back to life. I hope it built up his immune system! Silver linings are a stretch sometimes. 

Grant 10 months

ThWe have a 10 month old walker! A few short days after reaching the 10 mo milestone, Grant started taking his first wobbly steps! 

We also have a 10 month old talker! Mama was his first word...yay! Dada came shortly after. Ba (ball) is also on the short list of words he says.

I dare say that sleeping is starting to come around. He naps twice a day now as opposed to 3 times. He wakes up once a night now as opposed to 2 or 3 times. 

He is still hovering around 17 pounds and is definitely smaller than Tyler was at the same age. I can tell easily because Grant wears all of Tyler's old clothes, and he's starting to have a hard time keeping up with his brothers growth. I think he's going to be our small and mighty guy. 

He's got 3 teeth, bottom two and top right, plus the 4th top left appears to be about to break through. His hair is growing and curling like crazy. The front is all curly while the back is perfectly straight, the exact opposite of his older brother who at this same time had curls in the back and perfectly straight and organized in the front. Because of his curls, Grant looks a bit haphazard...but it kind of fits his style at this point. He's rambunctious and interested in all the places he's not supposed to be! 

Things Tyler Says..

Liberry aka library 

Hairplane aka airplane 

G-money as a nickname for Grant. Kevin and I sometimes say this, and Tyler has picked it up too and will say it, very seriously in conversation. 

Grant 9 months

New skills- standing for long stretches on his own and even starting to bounce and dance while doing so, cruising along furniture faster these days and even seems to take tiny steps while not holding on sometimes- I don't know how much longer he'll hold off on actually walking. He loves walking while holding our hands or his walker toy. 

He is starting to babble more and more although no actual words have come out. He makes sounds and noises at seemingly appropriate times as if he's having a conversation or has something to say. I'm pushing hard for mama first! 

Lots of firsts this month remind me that he's so not a little baby anymore...first time at the church nursery, first time riding in the shopping cart instead of being worn by me, first time playing in the grass, first time opening cupboards and pulling stuff out! 

His weight is still less than would make sense for a 9 month old so we are following up with the pediatric GI Doctor just to have more eyes on him. He crushed the milestones and his doctor appointment on all other accounts though so we waver back and forth about how he seems so healthy and happy and fine but then why isn't he gaining very well?! Regardless we are  sure that on a day-to-day basis he smiles enough to make up for it! 

Old habits (die hard)

Still waking up all the time (it seems like!) really it's just 2-3 times per night- once around 12/1, once around 3/4 and then his actual morning wake up between 6-7am. I'm really ready for him to grow out of this but we've tried a few times to skip one of the wake ups (by letting him cry a little and learning to soothe himself). It always works for a night or two but then he goes right back to waking up which makes me feel like he's just not ready yet. 

Grant 8 months

Sat down to write the 9 month post and realized there's no 8 month post! Whoops. 

So Grant- 8 months

New skills...walking along furniture and trying to stand on his own but not successful for very long, playing peekaboo and "so big". Also dances when music starts playing by bouncing and waving arms around. 

Still isn't a big fan of eating but we keep trying and his grasp is getting better so he can easily get puffs into his mouth now. Actually, he also gets crumbs from the floor into his mouth too somehow, even the tiny ones! We vacuum almost daily...hope this phase passes soon. 

Tyler and Grant interact more and more...they will crawl around on the floor chasing each other, they both always want whatever toy the other has. Grant usually goes along with it and doesn't put up too much of a fight when Tyler grabs something from him. That won't always be the case, I'm sure! 

Grant went to ChildWatch at the Y a couple times this month...once I went to get them and they were both sitting on the floor in the big kids (not infant) play area looking at a toy. The workers told me that Grant had been crying in the baby area so they brought him over to see his brother and he had been fine ever since! Seeing them sitting there together playing with a toy (and not fighting over it) was the best! All in one moment I thought how awesome it was that they have each other AND that we must be doing something right since they don't always act so agreeable at home but apparently they do in public! 

Grant is also more of a snuggler than I remember Tyler being...he always lays his head down on my shoulder when I shut the light off for naptime or bedtime. He's still a thumb sucker, which multiplies the cuteness factor. 

I took him to get 8 mo photos taken, he did NOT smile. The "stranger danger" phase is in full force right now too. I'll have to dig those pictures out and get some posted! Here's one from Easter- so the end of 8 months- 

Grant 7 months

Grant at 7 months...smiling with his whole face! 

This month, I boycotted feeding Grant solid foods because it was turning into one of the most frustrating parts of my day. And "food before one is just for fun" and it wasn't fun so I went on a mommy time out. Sorry buddy. He doesn't appear to be too concerned and if he is, he can't talk (see 6 month update!) so I'll never know. Goal for month 8- try again. 

Grant went on his first family vacation this month- to Omaha for a valentines weekend getaway. Children's museum on Saturday, zoo on Sunday with a hotel stay in between (Grants first, I think). We also went swimming in the hotel pool! A first for Tyler and Grant at the same time and they both loved it! 

He also met my dad's family for the first time after we made the trek to Chicago for a long weekend. And the following weekend, he was baptized at our church here in Waukee! It was an awesome day that I definitely won't forget, and Tyler apparently won't either. The other day, while driving in the car, he randomly said "good job staying still Grant while mister....-"mom what's that name?"-me, sorta confused "pastor pat?"-...pastor pat poured water on you".  Love it! 

In other news, Grant has been practicing his standing a lot. Never lasting more than a second or two before falling backwards onto his bottom, but he's getting better balance and barely holds on when he is "holding on." 

Oh! And stairs! I'm off to buy another gate soon because today, before I could catch him, he had made it almost all the way up our flight of stairs. I foiled him with this set-up but I doubt it will last long...

Whoa! I can't believe I've gotten this far into this post before the all-important sleep update. He's sleeping. So. Much. Better. It is glorious. That is all. 

I still see his bright and shining face once a night, but not seeing it 2-3 other times per night is a small miracle. 

March 8th is coming up soon!

Grant- 6 months

Oh no! We've gotten behind by a month. It's already time for the 7 month post but have to get this one in first. 

The picture above pretty much represents what Grant was up to during his 6th month- pulling up on everything! 

We had his 6 month appointment which was good. He missed the verbal milestone because he wasn't babbling Ba-Ma-Da sounds. Tyler missed this too and I remember worrying he'd never talk. I'm not worried this time around, since I know once Grant starts talking, he won't stop. Our house just keeps getting louder! He is also still losing weight percentiles (but not actual weight) so we followed up with a pediatric Gi Doctor who literally took one look at him and said "oh he looks good." He weighed 16 lbs and some change. Also notable, his head circumference is on the charts! (Which Tyler's wasn't at this age)

Tyler- 2.5 years

This guy is closer to 3 than 2. This is mind-boggling. And since Grant's been getting most of the face time on the blog recently, I figured it was Tyler's turn to shine. 

He's got a lot going on in his world too. Potty training was our most recent success!!! We just tried one weekend and he just picked it up and ran with it. So much so that I just said to Kevin tonight, I barely even think about it anymore. He just goes, he either tells me or he doesn't, and it all works out pretty much ok. So there's that...huge victory. 

Tyler's imagination is also running rampant these days, he cooks a lot of really hot things that no one should touch, he sees an alarming number of dinosaurs in our house, etc.  

Things he says these days include "hugemidifier" (humidifier) 

"So, let's talk about this" 

"Potty dance" 

"nine zero badger lane" (our address) 

"I do it mineself" 

"I love you mommy/daddy/Grant" (randomly throughout the day, many times a day!!! So sweet) 

Tyler also loves singing and randomly breaks out in song...just tonight he busted out head, shoulders, knees and toes at the dinner table much to our surprise. I heard once that a child who sings is a happy child. Tyler must be happy! 

He also has grown into quite the big brother. When (not if) Grant cries in the car, Tyler will always start singing twinkle twinkle little star to him. That's been Tyler's bedtime/naptime routine song since he was as tiny as Grant...so love that he finds comfort in it and thinks to comfort Grant too. He is still adjusting to Grant's most recent success...crawling...because now his toys are becoming Grant's toys whether he approves or not! 

All in all 2.5 is treating him right, and he's just fun, unpredictable, curious about everything and big on doing things "mineself" 

Grant- 5 months

Today is Grant's 6 month birthday so here's his month 5 recap! 

He was a busy 5 month old...learning to crawl, sit up, eat food and "talk" during the past month. He also had his first Christmas, spending time with the Benakis family and experiencing his first Gerken Christmas in Fremont Nebraska then onto the Hockemeyer Christmas in Grundy Center Iowa. He has yet to meet the Oak family contingent in Chicago but he's planning a trip there soon! 

Current recommendations say wait until 6 months old to start solid food. We cheated the system by about 10 days, suspecting that Grant would approve and he did! He loved his first few bites of oatmeal and quickly learned to open his mouth for the approaching spoon. Green beans were not a big hit, carrots were and avocado seems to land somewhere in between as he ate it but didn't seem too sure of the thicker texture. We didn't try food with Tyler until the EXACT day he was 6 months old and he didn't actually eat it until he was 8/9 months old. Grant is obviously ready and enjoying it, and it felt like a parenting success when we tried (early) even though the experts say "blah blah blah" and he did great! So we DO know our son best. 

We also think Grant is an easier smiler than Tyler was although our memory could be inaccurate. 

Grants doctor appointment is next week so I'm not sure of his height and weight stats yet but he wears 6-9 or 6-12 month  clothes already and wears size 3 diapers. 

He recently started sitting up on his own and he looks like such a big guy just sitting and playing with his toys. Here he is earlier today...