getting close to going all the way over!
-anna

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Playing Together

What sweet laughter! Grant's playing with Gracie - he put her paci stap on his pacifier, and would dangle it over her until she pulled it out of his mouth, and then he'd just crack up laughing! If she missed the strap and hit his arm or something he'd laugh and say "Gracie tickle me!"

A picture comparison...

I think when you can see Grant's forehead, he looks a little like my toddler pictures. Matt and I think it's weird because to us Grant looks so much like Matt as an *adult*, but resembles my *baby* pictures. What do you think?






But, here's a picture of Grant and Matt together, and to me Grant looks so much like his daddy! It just must be the way you pick up on different characteristics in each picture.

Monday Morning

1. Grant is doing SO GREAT going to the potty! He hasn't had any accidents, as long as he's been bare-bottomed, since Day 1! (and, on Day 1, he only had one accident!) This morning we were playing with his stuffed Elmo and Cookie Monster that had his underwear on, and we were showing Elmo and Cookie how to go potty by pulling the underwear down. So, Grant wanted to wear it, so we'll see how he does!

2. Big To-Do list today! Laundry has GOT to get done, as my previous post about having to buy more underwear just might have to happen! I'd also like to get the house cleaned up more, and get the kiddos' clothes organized some! Whew. off to do some dishes before Grace wakes up! (She's actually asleep - in her crib!)

He's Ready!

Grant's ready for Thanksgiving!

Yay for Grant!

We have had zero accidents this morning! The kid can for sure hold it, though! He went 3 1/2 hours this morning with zero pees, anywhere! He happily sat on the potty several times this morning, and even sat on the potty to eat his lunch! lol! He didn't do anything on the potty and was just playing in the living room, and then he all of a sudden ran over to the potty and went! A LOT! yay!!! exciting stuff in the world of a 2-year-old!

thursday afternoon

Me: Look Grant, I drew a brown rectangle.
Grant: good job.



Seriously, he said, "good job!" like it was just the most matter-of-fact thing ever. Good job, Mommy!

Potty Training Boot Camp, Day 1

It's Potty Training Boot Camp, Day 1, here in the Walker household, and...

...the beds are not made.
...dishes are all over the kitchen.
...my breakfast was a cup of coffee, a diet coke, and some M & M's.
...I've done more potty cheers and songs than you'd think possible.
...I haven't showered.
...I'm still in my pajamas.
...if I don't do some laundry soon, I just might have to buy more underwear.

BUT,

we've had two successful pees on the potty! and only one mishap on the carpet.

More of Grace...

Almost Sitting!

Happy Sunday Morning from Grace!

Few more things...

1. grace is now napping in her crib! She just all-of-a-sudden started NOT LIKING her swing (how she had been napping the previous 5 months!). I can remember with Grant when he would change his napping routine it'd take us about 2-3 weeks to smooth through it and get the new routine figured out. The same has been with Grace - about 2 weeks ago I started noticing that she was just not napping as well has she had been, and it was harder and harder for me to get her to nap. And then this past Monday she seriously slept for TWENTY MINUTES from 11:30 in the morning until 6:30 that night. Definitely not enough for a 5 1/2 month old! So, I had to figure her out again! So, yesterdya morning she took her first nap in her crib, the sweet girl. I think she's still doing 3 naps/day (which Grant didn't have a schedule like that until he was 8 months old!), in her crib now, though, instead of her swing. They grow up fast!! However, we are definitely ready to get rid of the swings! they take up a lot of room! And, since Grace is in her room now, her doorknob now has a childproof cover on it so Grant does go in there to "roar" and wake her up! (he will literally run in there and yell "Roar!" and make "dinosaur hands" and wake her up! and then say "awake! gracie's awake!").

2. Do you like the new background? I think I might have *finally* found a background I like.

3. I ran last night in the cool weather, and it was just SO FANTASTIC. Only did 30 minutes because it was dark out and I knew Grace wouldn't be able to go much longer (she was happily playing with her daddy!), but it felt SO GOOD to run with it cooler out. Though, I think I will need to look for a pair of running tights for under my shorts and running skirt for when it gets even chillier! Got to be able to stay outside as long as possible, although I'm sure the treadmill will get its fair share of use this winter.

Grace

asleep in her carseat!

-anna

Nice Morning

My mom brought my nephew over for a playdate with Grant this morning. They had a fun time, but wore each other out, i think! Grant readily went down for a nap, which I'm SO thankful he still takes!! And, Grace was happy for the hour or so that she was up and was *really* checking her brother and cousin out and watching them play. She's *this* close to rolling over. She has about 1 more week to do it if she's going to beat Grant's schedule.

So, i'm off to make some hot chocolate and read some, before one of the kiddos wakes up!

He knows the drill!

Grant was just running around the house (saying he was "running like daddy!" and when he ran into the living room he said "no bump the wall!" I said, "nope, be careful!" and then Grant said, "go around and around and around and bump my head!" I realized that he was talking about when he did run into the wall so I replied, "yes, you bumped your head, but you're okay now!" Then Grant said, "right here! (holding head "get band-aid and bumper and popsicle!" He knows the drill for what happens after he gets hurt, the poor kid. He's just too cute!

Lesson Learned

Dawn is not an acceptable substitute for dishwasher detergent! The next time I run out of Cascade, I'll wait to run the dishwasher.

Whew!

hope you enjoyed all of the pictures from Matt's computer! :)

And, here's a current one - of Grace's piggies.

During my second ICU stay my best friend took her day off work to come hang out with me. She brought me some good books, candy, some Qdoba for lunch, and some pink nail polish! i told her that i was so embarrassed about my toes (although I'm sure my specialists were more concerned with the health of a 24-week pregnant woman with blood clots in her lungs than her naked toe nails, but, anyway), so she brought me this fabulous shade of pink toe nail polish. (I even blogged about it). So, when I wanted to paint Gracie's toes a couple of weeks ago, i thought there would be no more appropriate shade than the pink I painted my own toes in February, while sitting in the ICU, eagerly awaiting and hoping and praying for this sweet baby girl.

Blueberry Stomp!

My mom, my brother-in-law, Matt, and I ran a 5K over Labor Day weekend! It was so much fun! They have this festival-type deal afterwards, so we all walked around. I loved this shot, because almost everyone's holding a different type of fair food! (What do we all do? Run 3.1 miles, then eat funnel cakes! )

We should have turned Grant around! He IS in the stroller!

State Fair

We had a ton of fun at the fair in August. Matt's mom came with us and it was just such a fun day!! Grant looooved looking at all the tractors, but was actually pretty scared of all the animals. He liked them as long as they were far away:





But as soon as Matt would take Grant anywhere near the animals, Grant would try to climb his way up Matt - he was so terrified!






and a family picture:

Dress

I just loved this dress on Grace - it was a true halter style - isn't it just adorable?

And another proud grandfather...

Proud Grandfather...

Uncle Mike's

From a pond at my uncle's house:

Monkey Joe's!

Matt and I took Grant to Monkey Joe's Tuesday Morning - he had so much fun! It was fun for Matt to see Grant play, and Matt and I had a nice morning together while Grant ran his 2-year-old energy off!

Some pictures:















This is at the start of an obstacle-like-course - we were trying to get a picture of Grant standing there with me, but he was way too eager to go into the course - you can see him running in!




And, BTW, I LOVE seeing him climb at Monkey Joe's - you'd never guess that he only started walking about a year ago! :) Nothing like an indoor climb zone to prove the gross motor delay is no more!

2nd Birthday

I came home from the hospital from my first pulmonary embolism on the day of Grant's second birthday. (January 10th) My best friend, Leann, had been SO awesome - she brought me a sweet care package at the hospital (with fun girly stuff to make me feel better!) and asked me what she could do. I said that she could make cupcakes for Grant's birthday! I hated not being able to do it for my sweet boy, but I was glad his Aunt Leann could make them for him. (banana cupcakes, with cream cheese frosting, btw ;-))

Here's one of my favorite pictures of him eating the cupcake - he's like "mmm - cupcake! aaaaccch!"

Be Prepared!

I just spent some time on Matt's computer going through pictures that he took with his camera (that's not compatible, for whatever reason, for me to download the pics to my computer). So, he has a lot of pictures on his computer that I don't have on mine - so, I'll share some of my favorites with you. :) Be prepared for lots of pics!