Grant's Trademark

Grant was born with a head full of hair. Pretty much everything on the sides has fallen out, but we still have a frohawk (sp?) up the middle. If we comb it, we get a major comb over. It's cute, but it was getting so long we finally cut it. But, Nick and I had to play first. We tried gel and hairspray and couldn't really get it to stand strait up, but here are our attempts. Oh, and because I can't figure this out, they are in reverse chronology. Our handsome little man
I make Daddy do the hard part

He he he. It's so fun to torture him!

A few weeks ago... the perfect example of why we needed to cut it.

Grant and Santa

Last weekend, we lent Grant to my Mom's friend to play with. Her husband was Santa for the morning so they took pictures. I'm so happy that Grant is actually smiling!

Did someone say chocolate?

My mom came last week to make truffles with me. Nick thought he would share a truffle with Grant. I'm afraid that we're creating a monster, who will have nothing to do with vegetables when we introduce them next week. Why eat peas when Daddy give you licorice and yummy truffles!?

Our little sitter

Grant's newest thing is sitting up. I love it! I finally put away his bouncer and his little mat that he just lays on and grabs the toys. He is rolling all over the place. This morning, I wasn't paying attention after changing his diaper and he rolled off the couch. Oops! He loves to sit up and watch the dog. Lily can't help but give him lots (and lots) of kisses. Poor baby.

Yum! Celery...

So, all the way back on Thanksgiving (its been a little busy around here), Aunt Bonnie sat Grant in this adorable little chair and Grandma gave him a piece of celery to munch on. He was as happy as a clam but wouldn't have anything to do with his oatmeal that day. Hum, I wonder why?

Happy 65th Grandma and Grandpa!

On October 25th, my grandparents celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. On the 23rd, we went to Roseville to celebrate with them. It was a neat experience to see them renew their vows. They have been through a lot together and I feel very blessed to be able to be part of their posterity, with a legacy of 65+ years of marriage.

When they first got engaged, Grandpa sent this picture to his mom, who was living in Ohio. When she got the picture, she hopped on the next train to San Francisco to figure out what kind of floozy her son was marrying.

Halloween

Grant got to be a pumpkin for Halloween. We almost missed Trunk-or-Treat because Grant fell asleep like 30 minutes before it started. It was one of those nights when it was good that he was Mr. Cat Napper.

We love bathtime!

The past week, Grant has been having so much fun in the bath. He kicks his legs and spashes so much water out of his tub. We finally moved him into the big bathtub and just let him lay down in there so we wouldn't have to clean up the big mess in the kitchen. The first night we did that, he pushed/kicked himself all the way to the other end of the tub like three times. It's so fun to watch him in the bath. I don't think it exactly counts as a soothing activity though. Hum...

The Fahrney Family supports Prop 8

I have decided to support proposition 8 for many reasons. Among them are:

1. Four people should not be able to overturn the will of the voters in California, especially because they are appointed, not elected, officials.
2. Marriage between a man and a woman “stabilizes and enriches society.” Thirty years of research has shown that the best environment for children is with a happily married mom and dad. While this isn’t always possible, we should do what we can to try to protect our children.
3. For the freedom of religion. There are a lot of scare tactics out there that I don’t necessarily agree with, but I do believe that my right to worship as I please be affected. Catholic adoption agencies have pulled out of Massachusetts because they refused to adopt to homosexual couples. It is believed that churches may lose their tax exempt status if they do not agree to marry homosexuals. This affects my ability to worship as I please, and infringes on rights that I believe are more important and fundamental than the right to marry.
4. THIS DOES NOT TAKE RIGHTS AWAY FROM HOMOSEXUALS. In California, gay couples are given all of the rights and benefits of marriage without calling it marriage through civil unions. I like the fact that my marriage certificate says husband and wife, not party A and party B.
5. Most important to me, and most difficult to “prove,” I believe that marriage is sacred, that “marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to God’s plan for his children.” I believe that the Lord wants us to fight for this, that if He were here, He would make sure that traditional marriage were protected and preserved.2

News from our family

I've been slacking on picture taking. It's so easy to start with a picture --- sorry there's no new pictures.

Grant is the same, still a monster. I've been pumping after every feed and taking fenugreek trying to increase my supply and hopefully help him feel better. He does take longer naps during the day (now he's on #2 and they have each been over an hour), but last night he still wouldn't fall asleep for the night until after 10 (monster, I'm telling you). I'll take him to the doctor as soon as I get him weighed.

Grant and I went and visited my family last week. While we were there, my brother got his mission call to the Texas, Houston mission. He'll be speaking spanish. He's been interested in hurricane clean up and now he may get to be involved with that. He's excited but worried about the humidity (he's supposed to take 8 short sleeved shirts and 2 long sleeves).

On Sunday, I was sustained as the Relief Society President in my ward. I've known for awhile now, maybe almost a month (thank goodness for conferences)! I'm excited for the new challenge but nervous about the enormity of it. I do believe that the Lord called me to this position, because I doubt the Bishop would really choose a new, young mom who has ZERO experience in Relief Society serving there. I am reminded of the quotation by Mother Teresa "I know the Lord wouldn't give me anything that I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much." I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing, and I'm grateful for the trust and the challenge.

Go Uncle Dillon!

We went to Nick's brother's JV football game in Madera on Friday. He caught this pass and then ran it quite a ways (unfortuately, I don't care enough about football to have paid enough attention to that). It was fun to be outside and supporting Dillon.


"Why would anybody watch a game would they could just watch me and my cuteness?"

Weeee Grandpa!

First Solids -- YUCK!

We took Grant for his 4 month doctor's appointment and he had only gained a pound in 2 months. He isn't malnourished, he's just very skinny. With that and the other problems he's having (or I'm having with him) -- gas and not sleeping much, the doctor recommended starting solids. I already had a jar of carrots so I started with those. Of course, more made it out than in his mouth, but it was really fun. I've since bought rice cereal and have been doing that instead. He seems to spit less of the cereal out. Hopefully it will help.

Adios Tio "Tickle" Sean y Buena Suerte

We went to Pleasanton last weekend for my step brother's farewell and for a family reunion. "Tickle" Sean enters the MTC to serve a 2 year mission in the Malaga, Spain area on Wednesday. We are all very excited for him.

The family reunion was on my grandparents side. My Aunt Judy and I planned it. It went significantly better than the one last year, except that we kind of ran out of space. It was great to see the family, especially my cousin Jo Anne, who serves in the Air Force and is currently stationed in Germany.

Happy 5th Anniversary!

So I know it's the middle of the night, but I just finished nursing Grant and was reflecting on some of my favorite moments in the past 5 (really 6+ years) with Nick. These moments are why I love him. I have a wonderful husband who I plan to spend many more anniversaries with.


1. Nick throwing Starbursts at me in a successful attempt to put me in a better mood.

2. "I'm not stopping to look at romantic things with you, you're going to propose!" (as Nick is fishing the ring out of his pocket).

3. Soon after we were married, Nick dumped water on me during a skit for a ward social (that was completely unplanned on my part). I was completely shocked but it was so fun and spontaneous.

4. Our first apartment. The cockroaches, the leaky wall, the tiny bathroom. The cool whip fight (gross picture huh?).

5. Nick sent me on a scavenger hunt for our first Valentine's Day as a married couple. It ended at a hair salon where Nick had prepaid for an updo because I had been complaining that I could never get my long hair to look nice. I chopped it off instead.

6. Watching our first home be built (good ol' Arbuckle).

7. Learning just how spicy jabeneros are (we tried to pick them all out and could still barely eat the meal).

8. Walking Lily through the almond orchards in Arbuckle, and now watching her chase bunnies and squirrels in the open fields.

9. The hot air balloon ride in Napa. It was beautiful and quite an experience. The naked woman in the hot tub was just a funny bonus! (we were too far away to see anything, just that she didn't have any clothes on. A man was with her, but when he saw the balloon coming, he got out and ran inside!)

10. Watching Nick play with Lily, Bailey, Rachel, Gabriela, Ali, and now Grant.

11. Hiking in Haiti (during our cruise).

12. Our particularly fun night for our first homework assignment during Kendall's marriage class.

13. The 427 Cobra hotwheel Nick gave to me to tell me that I am perfect for him (just like that car).

14. Nick's beautiful brown eyes calming me during my c-section as he kept me in my "happy place" until Grant came out. Nick also made up a story about the sucking sounds to calm me down during the surgery.

15. Nick giving Grant a name and a blessing (crying through the whole thing), as well as the blessings that he gave me at the start of each school year and for comfort as needed.

16. Being on the boat with Nick and continuing with some of my favorite memories as a kid.

We love the grapes!

We spent the day Saturday in the church vineyard picking grapes. It was one of the biggest harvets ever! One of our four rows had almost 600 trays (pieces of paper about 2x3 feet we lay the grapes on to turn them into raisins). Most rows in the vineyard were up by 100 trays this year over last. There were grapes everywhere! We got filthy (Grant even had dirt in his diaper) but had a really good time and were glad to serve. Grant was a trooper (until about 1:00 when it was just TOO hot to continue).

Why God made Moms

Answers given by 2nd grade schoolchildren to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knowswhere the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like forthe rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out ofclouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss,but she has to because dad's such agoof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the realpower 'cause that's whoyou got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's alreadyperfect Outside, I think some kindof plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Book Reviews

So, because I've spent so much time nursing the past few weeks, I've also had a chance to read quite a bit. It took me awhile to figure out juggling Grant and the book, but now that I have it down, I'm very grateful to be doing something other than watching TV.

The Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich -- They were stinking funny. They are about a woman who is desperate for a job so she goes to work for her shady cousin Vinnie as a bonds woman. She has no clue what she is doing and gets herself into quite a few sticky situations. The characters are really well developed and I feel like I know them. There are 14 books in this series and I loved them all (except for the bad language of course).

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer -- I have to say, I was disappointed by this book. I absolutely LOVED the other 3 in the series and have been looking forward to this one for months. However, I thought it was too long and everything turned out a little too perfect. Maybe there just wasn't enough drama or something. I also would no longer recommend this book for junior high students.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen -- This was a really fun read. It is about a man who find himself working with a 1930's circus train. The author did research to write the book and many of the stories told are ones she found during the research. ***Warning -- there is a chapter describing a strip tease, as well as a picture of a topless lady.***

Women's Murder Club by James Patterson -- Another series, this time action/suspense. I actually listen to these on my MP3 player while I walk. I finished book 1, am in the middle of 2, and already listened to 3 and 5. I have really enjoyed these books and have had a hard time stopping listening to them when I get where I'm going or finish my walks. There have been moments when I thought they were a bit predictable, but for the most parts, I've really enjoyed them.

Now, I'm working on Lies my Teacher Told me. I've been wanting to read it for a while, but I still can't seem to get into reading non-fiction. I may have to pick up something else instead...

The Many Faces of Grant

Taken at 10 pm, Nick's way to cope with the endless nighttime crying was to laugh and take pictures of the funny faces Grant makes.

SMILES!! Smiles come out of such a monster!?

Ahh... what an angel! One day after a particularly bad night, he slept for 3 hours in the middle of the day. This was a huge improvement on the 20 minutes he usually naps for.