Weekend in Ventura

For Memorial Day weekend we went down to Southern California for a weeding and extended our stay in Ventura with Nick's best friends parents. We went to the beach, even though it was freezing cold. Grant thought it was really funny when the waves were coming, but wasn't quite sure what to think about when the actually hit him. He was completely shivering after 2 minutes of putting his feet in like this.

On the way home, Grant was perhaps dirtier than he ever has been to date. We stopped and saw Grandpa while he was working and he held Grant and got construction dirt all over him. Then, we stopped for ice cream in Fresno (and a break because Grant was driving us nuts!) and he got dinner and ice cream all over his face. We let him crawl around all over the ground outside Cold Stone and he got filthy (you can kind of see the tops of his feet). To top it all off, he also had a major poopy diaper that we changed soon after this picture was taken. Welcome to boyhood Grant (and Mommy).

Grant's First Birthday Party

My first attempt at decorating a cake. Who knows if I will ever try again (it's supposed to be Lightening McQueen). It tasted good at least...

First bite of cake...

Yum this is good...

Wow! It's so much fun to get cake everywhere!

(Fairly) Recent Happenings

Grant's first experience with a balloon. He was overly tired at that point, and so super goofy, but he just thought it was the funniest thing.

Already a Daddy's boy, Grant loved to sit on Nick's lap and "drive" the boat.

Grant ate dirt for the first time while helping Mommy and Grandma plant flowers. Yummy!

Not only does Grant now know how to open cabinets, he has started to pull everything out of them. How fun!

Thoughts on my pregnancy

Hum... where to begin. I guess with "It's ALIIIIVE!!" This ultrasound is from 4/20... I was 12 weeks along and the baby had a heartbeat of 171. I sure do hope that the baby is still growing because my belly sure is.

So, the pregnany was unplanned -- "concieved in a moment of passion" as my mom puts it. I think it was Karma's way of punishing me for being so judgemental of people who have their kids close together. I was never going to be one of those crazy moms! (That's what I get). Grant and this baby will be 17 months apart. Aside from them being close together, I also really wanted to wait until the new hospital opened next May. Maybe other women will and I'll actually get a room to myself.

As Nick reminds me, we wanted more kids, so this isn't the end of the world. And, I'm pretty bored with just one. Maybe this really will be a good thing...

I am due November 9th. At least, that's what the doctor measured from the ultrasound. I thought it was closer to the 3rd. Maybe we didn't get pregnant when I thought we did (which means, it wasn't my fault). In any case, the baby will be delievered two weeks early, probably while my mom is in Hawaii. I may actually have to be a big girl this time and spend some time in the hospital alone.

It has been a fairly easy preganancy. I was a little bit icky feeling, but I have nothing to complain about really. I feel tired but sometimes I think it's because I'm sleeping too much (trying to bank it now before the baby comes) =)

I can't decide if I want a boy or a girl. I was thinking boy, especially because Grant will be so close in age, but I did this stupid "Chinese" predictor thing on the internet and it said boy and I was kind of dissapointed. Maybe that's just because I want all of my nieces' clothes. Do I really want to deal with a girl and hair and hormones and all that crap? Hum... good thing it's not really up to me.

Our busy weekend

Next Monday is my "super birthday" where I turn the same age as the date. According to a family in our ward, on this particular birthday, the person gets to do WHATEVER they want to. I want to camp. I love it and we don't go often. However, our little monkey is not a great sleeper, and usually doesn't sleep well around us because he just wants to play. So, Friday night, we had a trial run. We set up the tent in the back yard and camped out there. We made it until 3am, when some crazy college students starting making a rukus. Nick says that we were crowding him too. It was good to know that Grant will sleep, and that we will be able to make it work, even if it's not the best night of sleep we'll get.

Saturday, we went on the boat. I love my husband for supporting me and my obsession with my childhood boat. We brought a family from our ward and spent the afternoon cruising around. The kids went on the tube and Nick skied (and did really well)! It was a little cooler than I thought it would be, but it was a great day and I'm really glad we went out there.

Saturday night, Nick packed up Grant and headed down to Bakersfield. Sunday, Grant, Nick, and his dad and brother went to Fabulous Fords at Knott's Berry Farm in LA. It was nice to have Saturday night off and a night of completely uninterrupted sleep, but I miss Grant and Nick and am anxiously waiting for them to get home (about 3 more hours).

What happens when you leave Dad alone with the baby at a BBQ place?

A BIG FAT MESS!! I went to the bathroom and came back to find my child had been helping himself to BBQ sauce while Daddy was having a conversation with his grandma. He'd caught Grant with it right before I got back, but not before the little cup of sauce was emptied all over Grant. He was pretty proud of himself. He even licked his lips, but the camera wasn't fast enough to catch that one. What a mess!

Downloaded pictures

So, I finally downloaded pictures from my diaper bag camera and was reminded of the fun thigns I've done in the past few months (I think since mid-February. Maybe things do actually happen in my life (it doesn't feel like it most of the time).

Visiting with Grandpa Ron in Bakersfield while we were there visiting Grandma in the hospital. She had meningitis, and it was nasty, but she's all better now. Thank goodness! Happy Valentine's day for us!

Visiting with great-Grandpa Joe in Roseville. It was a fun trip -- we played Wii with Great Grandma and Gramps. Grandma is better than me at the table tilt game on Wii-fit.

With Grant's new mobility, he ends up sleeping in the strangest positions. I think he's actually on his knees in this picture.

Grant's first time on a swing. He wasn't quite sure what to think about it-- he pretty much just hung out, no smiles, no cries.