Saying Something Creative

Audio is pretty quiet on this one, but Grant makes cute talking sounds. 

(I had to record it from the side because if he sees my phone he just goes into a trance stare and stops talking.)

Ready for Work

Grant has his first try at walking with some help from mom.

And shows off his new suit...

Movin' Into the Family Room

We moved the Pack 'n' Play into the family room last night and Grant did just fine. Now if we can only get him to sleep more consistently after midnight, it'll be perfect.

Since we were up early and the weather was lovely, Grant and I went for another walk. When the sun hit his car seat it made him look like he was under an orange Halloween lamp... BTW we have his first halloween costume and I can't wait to show it off! Here's a hint... We got it at Costco.

Bald is Beautiful

Samantha the Baby Whisperer

Samantha came all the way from Florida to visit us and she is so great with Grant!  It's so wonderful to see her again.  I can't believe it has been almost exactly three years since we've seen each other.  We still crack each other up.  :)

Should out to Jen from the old Ontario crew!

A Little Like Costanza

Grant is developing an odd hair growth pattern where it's growing faster in the back and sides than in the front.  That plus the chubby cheeks gives him a certain George Costanza flair.  Just sayin'.

Rollover, Good Boy

Just Discovered His Tongue

The little dude discovered his tongue yesterday and loves making faces at Mommy while cooing.

      

Amazing Eyelashes

I swear they just keep getting longer.  Nick and I can't figure out whether they're his or mine.  :)

Active Morning

We had a happy and active morning today.  It started off well because we got enough sleep.  We went to bed early last night and Grant slept for 4 hours and then 3 hours. (what a delight!)  Then Daddy took care of him from 4 to 6:30 this morning so Mommy could get even more sleep.  (what a prince!)  After Daddy left for work we had a little play time and went for a walk around the neighborhood. (hello golfers and seniors!)

 I just love this onesie.  It's so silly.

Arrowhead golf course is in the background.  

What gorgeous 78 degree weather!  It might not even reach 100 today.

Fascinated by the Ceiling Fan

It's a mystery, but he loves the ceiling fan. It doesn't matter what color, or whether or not its moving, it's a stare-worthy object. Any predictions on how long this fascination will last?

Beautiful Morning for a Walk

We went on our first family walk this morning and the weather couldn't have been nicer.

        

Playtime with Grant

More Interaction and Smiles Everyday

While yesterday started out rough for Mommy with very little sleep, Grant was all smiles for over an hour in the morning.  Lots of smiles and his silly antics make rough mornings bearable.

(sorry this is sideways - can't figure out how to rotate it in this blog)

Road Trip to Flagstaff

A Little Snoring

He was a little congested this weekend and on Saturday night he developed the cutest little baby snores.

Daddy in the Woods

Today was the first time we were able to spend time outdoors since Grant was born. The 80 degree weather up north was such a lovely change! A big thanks to Jeremy and Bree for their hospitality.

One-Hand or Two?

Having a new baby has given me a whole new perspective on everyday household chores like cleaning, cooking, and even just getting ready in the morning.  If I can do it with one hand, it'll still get done, although it might take twice as long and not be done with much precision.  If it requires two hands, it could be days until I have a window of opportunity to do it because a daily shower and eating take priority!  How do people with crawling (or running) kids do it?  

Have you ever tried to do your hair one-handed?  It just doesn't work.  

Loves a Head Rub

This is even cuter with the sound on.

One Month Checkup

At today's doctor appointment, Grant weighed over 9 lbs and measured a long 22.5 in. He also got his second Hep B shot and was such a good boy, crying only a few seconds afterwards. Daddy dressed him in his new festive orange robot onesie and even the doctor said he's awfully cute.  We're proud parents!

Smiles and Sounds

Grant is smiling more and more.  It melts my heart every time!  I finally captured a little smirk to share.  Hopefully I can get a full-fledged smile captured soon.  

He also says, "Bah!" a lot and has even started cooing, which I love.

A Big Smile for Mommy

When I was getting ready this morning, I had Grant sitting up in his carrier on the bathroom counter and we were talking to each other. I would tell him what I was doing and he would say, "Bah!"

When I got closer to his face to say hello so he could see me, he looked me right in the eye and gave me the biggest smile. It was so sweet it made my eyes well up with tears. I love my baby boy!

Close Up

Good Sleep & Tummy Time

Grant slept a full four hours straight last night and it felt like heaven, then he fell asleep again at 5:00 (which never happens) and Mommy didn't have to get up until 7:00. Wahoo!

This morning's activity was tummy time on the floor, which he doesn't seem to like quite as much as on the soft couch. We'll try Jen's super cute sheep next time because Mr. Grant loves variety.

Weekend Playtime

Afternoon Smile

He's Thinking About It

First Bath

Grant had his first full-fledged bath today. It started out really well because he was happy and full, but after just a few seconds he made a funny "I'm worried" face and then there was poop everywhere.  Thank goodness Grandma Ruth was helping because it was quite a challenge getting him and everything else cleaned up without a full baby meltdown.

The good news is he seems to find baths very relaxing, but I think we'll go back to sponge baths for a while.

Tasting Grandma's Hand

Grant grabbed Grandma Ruth's finger and popped it right in his mouth. He must have liked the pork verde flavor because he gummed it for quite a while.

New Grant Pictures for August

Loves His New Swing

Nick suggested a swing to help calm Grant and get him to sleep. Great suggestion daddy! It works like a charm.

New Grant Pictures!

Morning Calisthenics

Grant was super cute and active this morning.  He learns a new movement every day.  Here's a 30-second video of this morning's calisthenics.

The Delivery

On Friday the 22nd, my back was pretty uncomfortable and Saturday wasn't much better.  By late Saturday night it looked like we were in business with bona fide contractions, but even though they got progressively more intense, they never picked a good pattern.  Nick and I were up all night watching Cops (because that's about all my attention span could take).  They subsided around 4 a.m. and I decided it was just false labor, but when the sun came out, they started up again.  By 10 they were closer than 5 minutes apart and we got ready to go to the hospital.

Unfortunately, the ride there turned into a nightmare when the 101 was unexpectedly closed and we had to take surface streets.  Accelerating (at what seemed like 100s of stoplights) triggered near constant back labor pains which were incredibly intense.  With only one photo radar ticket, we got to the hospital and a couple hours later I was much more comfortable with an epidural.

Grant had a little trouble getting his head in the right position, which made labor pretty difficult.  But with lots of helpful encouragement from Nick and our awesome doctor, Brenda Martin, I was still able to deliver naturally.

Hallelujah for little Grant Ralph Reed!  Seeing him was such a relief!

 Born 10:52 p.m. weighing 6lbs 13.7oz and measuring 20" long

 He did great on all his tests, too.  Nice and healthy. :)

 Grandma Ruth (wow, it's funny to say that) hurriedly moved up her flight and arrived just an hour after Grant was delivered.  We're SO thankful to have her help these first few weeks! She's been AWESOME!

Nursery is Ready (7/18/11)

Dreaming up a nursery that evoked my love of Northern European design absorbed weeks daydreaming and a never ending struggle with the no-VOC paint that took four coats to cover off white walls.  I'm delighted with the nursery because it's airy, cheerful yet quiet, and versatile enough to work for our little boy for the next several years.  Hopefully he'll like it enough that it will last him past kindergarten!  A big thank you goes out to Nick for his tireless carpentry, refinishing, and electrical work to bring it all together.

There are some special items in the room worth noting:

• Curtains, bed skirt, and mattress pad masterfully sewn by my mom, Ruth
• Fish mobile originally carved for me by my mom's brother, Tom
• Wooden penguins carved by my great grandfather, Floyd
• Side table made by my dad for his mom, Polly, as his first woodshop project
• Two pottery piggy banks from my dad's pottery friend Pat Brown, who still lives in Utah
• Wind up robot, a favorite childhood toy of mine
• Wall art handmade with love by me and Nick