Labor Day Weekend Review

Saturday was great. Grant helped me run errands (having him with me while doing returns in a very crowded mall kept my temper in check) and then we rewarded ourselves with some yummy frozen custard.

It was downhill from there. After we got home he seemed fussy and lazy (very un-Grant). Husband took his temp and he had a slight fever. I figured he was teething or had a cold. However, since he was bitten by mosquitoes the previous week, Husband went into panic mode "OH MY GOD HE HAS WEST NILE!!!!"

Fast forward to bed time. My bedtime. Grant was sound asleep, Husband was snoring away in the bedroom (very loudly so I had planted myself on the couch), and I had just turned off my kindle and was ready for sleep too at 11:00 p.m. on the dot. Grant chose that moment to start screaming. Not the "I woke up and I want someone to come in here so I know it's ok to go back to sleep" cry but real screaming. I knew he hadn't fallen out of the crib because it wasn't preceded by a thud. I go in, pick him up and try to calm him. I stand him on the changing table to check him out, he reaches for me, gags and vomits all over. Then, of course, he wants a hug. Vomits again. Tries to hug it out. Vomits again. Husband comes in "OH MY GOD HE'S THROWING UP! WHAT DO WE DO?" I have said in the past, and he agrees, I handle this stuff much better than Husband.

So we get Grant calmed down, almost asleep even, after a change of clothes. We figure the worst is over but have to get the 103.3 temp down. We gave him Tylenol...and there we go again with vomiting and hugging. I smelled great. Husband: "WHAT DO WE DO IF HE CAN'T TAKE MEDICINE?" I'm not exaggerating his panic in the least, by the way. And there was a lot of it. I tell him to run a cool bath. A) It helps and B) Grant is wearing his last 3 meals. "ARE YOU SURE THAT'S WHAT TO DO?" Let me tell you, between taking care of Grant and dealing with my deranged husband, I felt like Supermom that night. But it all worked out and we all managed to find sleep around 2 a.m.

The rest of the weekend consisted of laying around in PJ's and watching more Thomas the Train  and Monster Jam than anyone should ever be subjected to. Slight relapse of fever but otherwise just fine.

I wouldn't let Grant play outside so he sat at the door and
watched Daddy mow the lawn. He loves the "tractor".

"Oh...someday I'll drive a tractor"

On Tuesday everyone went to their intended destinations. But when Husband went to pick up Grant in the afternoon they said he clearly wasn't feeling well. At one point having a crying spell that no one could calm and he eventually took a nap (at 4:30 which is very unusual). He came home and guess what? Threw up. So I kept him home yesterday for a doctor's appointment. She looked him over and when she got to his throat said "There's where that fever is coming from. His throat is really swollen. We'll do a strep test but he's really too young for that. It's probably viral." So we waited for the test results. She came back 15-20 minutes later with a weird look on her face. "OMG ITS WEST NILE Well, it's strep. It's strange, we don't generally see that in someone his age." So he's on antibiotics for a bit. Now we just need to keep our fingers crossed that we don't get it!

Oh yeah, we also converted the crib Monday:

Big guy bed!

But that's a whole other post.

Tricycle Joy

We have been blessed with a very happy child. Little things make him happy, big things make him happy...he's happy most of the time (everyone is entitled to a bad mood now and again). And the day after his birthday party, his actual 2nd birthday, we made him very happy. I might never forget Grant's reaction when he saw what we got him. He literally screamed with excitement and then laughed hysterically.

We got him this bad ass little tricycle that I'd had my eye on since probably January. Shiny and red with handlebar tassels and lets not forget the bell (I'm sure the neighbors won't). We waited until his actual birthday to give it to him and I'm so glad we did. Not only because then he had something on his birthday but also because I think it would have gotten lost in the overwhelming amount of stuff he got at the party.

Like I said, when Grant saw it for the first time he let out this excited scream and then said "Bicycle! Bicycle!"

Never lacking for energy (part of the reason he got this gift) he wanted to ride it immediately.

And since that day we've been working on teaching him to ride it. He's doing much better with it than I thought he would. The main issue at the moment is that he is just a hair too short to really get going on this thing, otherwise I think he'd be getting my groceries by now.

Saying "push with your feet" does not make him use the pedals.

I know I cut off the top of his head in this one but
I love how happy he is!
 

Feeling particularly energetic one night last week, Grant wanted to ride "my bike". So we took him out to the street. Our neighborhood is not a busy one so it's great for stuff like this. We got him out there and figured out that with very little pressure on his back we could get him to use the pedals. He still likes to do it Flinstone-style sometimes when he feels like really going...but that will end in scrapped knees sooner or later. So we're encouraging the pedals (not that a scraped knee, bloody nose, bruised forehead, or having his butt cheek cut open has ever kept him from doing anything).

 

 

So that night, for a very brief few seconds, Grant did manage to pedal on his own. In answer to my very excited "You're doing it!" he said, equally excited, "I doing it!". Then when he stopped he made sure to tell us "I did it!" It was all very exciting and cute. He still likes help with it, though. He'll tell us "Push it!" when he just doesn't feel like trying...or just knows he can get a ride out of it. But I'm really excited about how he seems to be getting it!

My favorite picture from that day of practice :)

Two Year Stats

Yesterday was Grant's two year check-up. Here's what's up:

• Weighing 25 1/2 pounds. I think this is wrong. He doesn't like their scale and was moving way too much to get an accurate weight. On more than one occasion he's weighed 26 pounds and he's been eating like a champ. Just sayin'.
• Height 34 3/4 inches (a.k.a. a couple inches shy of 3 feet tall)
• Under average in weight (30%) and average in height (50%). I asked if he was too skinny and the doc said no. She said there's nothing wrong with having a skinny kid (and that it's actually good) so I'm satisfied with that :)
• Advanced talker! I kind of knew that. She was very impressed with the sentences he speaks and how well he is doing with his talking.
• Apparently Time Out should only be two minutes. I was told my five minute Time Outs are a bit excessive (what would she think of the times that Husband says "Time out...uh...forever!")...she advised us to go down to two minutes next time it's needed and work with that. Humph!

• His regression in potty interest is not an issue. She said he'll get used to it again. To maybe let him sit on it with his clothes on and read if that's what he wants to do. So I'm not worried. He'll get there.
• In the next couple of months, she suggested the switch to a toddler bed. Grant loves his crib, which is great because it's safe, but lately has been using it like a trampoline while holding onto the side. When I told her that I was worried about him catapulting himself out of there she suggested transitioning soon.
• No shots this time! Not until he is four (which I have no doubt will come before I know it). Just a flu shot to be scheduled in a few weeks.

We were surprised at how well Grant did with this appointment. He's been such a grown up little guy lately. First no tears during his last hair cut, even walked back to the chair with the guy instead of with his Daddy. Then yesterday at the doctor the only time he got upset was with being weighed. He even giggled some with the doctor and high fived and hugged her when he left! Note, she did give him an awesome monster truck sticker. She gave us a checklist of sorts of what we should be expecting at this age and I can tell from the list that he's doing great. She did mention that he's got some molars coming in so I'm expecting an ear infection anytime (keep your fingers crossed that doesn't happen!). But overall we got a great report for our little man!

Two Years

My little man is officially two, hard to believe. Time really does go by fast. He is getting to be such a big boy!

Two Years Old

• I'm not going to guess how tall he is or how much he weighs. His two year check up is Tuesday so I'll do an update then.
• PACI FREE!!!!!!! I've been attempting it for a while, but two weeks ago before bed he reached for it and I asked him if he wanted to sleep like a big guy. He said yes and went to bed without it and has done really well every since. Hooray Grant!
• Huge appetite lately. Like a bottomless pit. I hear this means growth spurt!
• Loves to brush his teeth. If I try to do it without his hand at least touching the brush he says "I do it!!"
• Which brings me to talking...and a lot of it. Nonstop. I love it! And we're actually understanding a lot of what he's saying now. Complete sentences all the time and he's very big on repeating.
• He watches more TV than I'd like right now and I want to try to get away from that. But his favorite things right now, besides Monster Jam which remains #1, are Chuggington,Thomas the Train (very into trains), and Octonauts.
• Potty training has stalled, not that we were trying very hard anyway. But ever since he had his accident on the floor he hasn't wanted to sit on the potty. It's totally a comfort thing because he knows what's what. He tells us when he goes in his diaper and if I ask if he'd rather where underpants, he says "No, diaper!". He's hard-headed like his Mama and he'll get there, I know. When he's ready (much like the paci).
• Loves bath time...at least until he actually has to get washed. But once his hair is done he pretty much gets happy again. He likes to ask for soap so he can "wash" his squirty bath toy Percy (from Thomas the Train).

• Very independent. He doesn't like to be held much when we're out (or ride in a cart). "I walk!" he tells me. He doesn't like to be fed food anymore, even if it's coming from someone else's plate "I do it!". He just wants to do everything himself.
• Loves to play the "got your nose" game. He'll say "Gimme 'at noseth!" while pinching your nose. Too cute.
• Husband would tell you otherwise, but I think he listens pretty well for a two-year-old.
• Has some manners! We still have to prompt him with "please" but he almost always says "thank you" when he should. He even said "'cuse me" when he burped this weekend. It's so cute!
• Pretty good with sharing and I'm really hoping it stays that way!
• We've been working on colors, numbers, and ABC's. He can identify some colors (red, green, and yellow mostly but sometimes purple). He can count to 10 but can only apply it up to two. Doesn't sound like a big thing but I'm so proud of him. And he'll do his ABC's up to D and after that he starts over :)
• Time-outs, when needed, have escalated to 5 minutes. So far they seem to work when we need them to.
• He has learned how to work his Mama. Several times over the past month when I was trying to scold him for something he shouldn't do (nothing big) and he'd just look up at me with this big grin. I can't help but smile back at him!

While outside for pictures he heard a motorcycle.
"Hey! Mo-cycoo!" He loves anything with an engine.

Never sits still for long.

So that's that for now! I'll have another update after his check-up...but this is going to be the last of Grant's monthly updates. But I know he's got lots of stuff in store for me to post about!

Grant Turns 2!!!

So yesterday was the big day! Actually, today is technically the big day because today Grant actually turns two! And yesterday we had Grant's birthday party here at home where he got to celebrate with lots of family and friends.

I decorated a little out front because I ordered WAY
too much of that checkered flag banner stuff. Look at
my adorable balloon wreath!

A little cheesy but I think it's cute

 

 

Grant loves his monster truck tattoos!

 

 Some checkered flag chocolates for the party-goers to take home.

 

 So...the cake. I had told everyone I was going to make Grant a big 3D monster truck cake. In my head it wasn't going to be too hard. I figured that I've made harder stuff before. As it turns out, I was wrong. It was definitely going to be too difficult with the amount of time I had. So I made this instead:

A monster truck rally complete with spectators and
the Monster Jam logo turned into Grant's birthday logo :)

And he loved it! The first time he saw it he said "Oh man! Oh man!"

 

Posing with his cake in his birthday shirt

and his spikey new 'do

 

 After we all had lunch and visited some, Grant got to open his presents! It was a little tough to keep him focused, he really wanted to play with them as soon as he opened them. He kept saying "Open it? Open it?" or "Get it off" pointing to the box. He really loved all his presents!

Showing off his tattoo

Rooaar!

Monster truck pop-up card!

Trucks!

Silly Husband

He loves to play with his Daddy's drill but
now he has his own!

And there were a couple presents outside...

His very own tractor from Auntie Hollie and soon-to-be-uncle Travis!

It has pedals but until he learns I think it's going to be parent-powered

Handsome little farmer wannabe

He abandoned his tractor when he saw the trampoline from
Grandma and Grandpa

Having a great time :)

 

 We managed to get Grant inside to have some cake.

He has a sweet tooth like his Mama

 

But it wasn't long before he wanted to go back out and play with his toys. Since he still had guests...Husband made him compromise.

The tractor came inside...where he found a new use for his legos

And poor Brodie, who was stuck outside all day, got

to come in for a little treat of his own.

 

After the party was over - and Husband and I were struggling to stay awake - Grant asked to watch trucks (which means one of the 12 episodes of Monster Jam we have saved in the DVR). He started gathering up all his trucks to play with and that seems to be when he realized how big his collection has gotten...

I love his excited face!

Grant had the best day! Thank you SO much to everyone who came to celebrate with us!