A Pumpkin Friend

I took Grant to Target this weekend to get a small list of things. I feel like I can't leave there without a little something for Grant, usually just a $1 bin toy!! But, being that is fall, I thought he needed a little pumpkin of his very own that he could carry around with him! He loves seeing all the Halloween decorations at all the stores, and we're slowly starting to see bins of pumpkins around town, which he just loves. Since its so hot here in Florida, we don't usually get our pumpkins til just a few days before Halloween, or else they turn to mush. But this pumpkin I got for Grant will always keep its shape! And he has carries it everywhere around the house- Pumpkin has become Grant's new friend. The other day, he insisted that Pumpkin eat lunch with us, and he had to sit right next to Grant. So Grant decided he would share his lunch with Pumpkin- so sweet!!! After a few minutes, Pumpkin had to watch from the counter, or else no lunch would've been had. Sharing his granola bar with Pumpkin

Giving Pumpkin kisses

Giving Pumpkin hugs (and if this was a video, you would see his left hand patting Pumpkin's back!)

I just love my new friend, Pumpkin!!

The Pantless Farmer

Well, Grant is halfway to his Halloween costume!! We had so many choices when it came to picking out Grant's Halloween costume this year, but since I'm neither crafty, nor an experienced seamstress, I decided store-bought would be our best bet. Well, Halloween in Jacksonville usually runs about 85 degrees, and if you've checked the racks of the average toddler costume, you would notice that its usually a one-piece furry suit of some sort, with a furry hat/hood on top- not so ideal for 85 degree weather! But I still wanted a costume to reflect Grant's interests at this time. So I decided on a farmer. Ever since we visited Levi's parents house this past August and he got to see Grandpa at work on the tractor and hang out on the farm, he's been very interested!! So we got him a pair of boots, some overalls, a plaid shirt, and he already had a cowboy hat (which may or may not stay on). These pictures are of the first time wearing the boots, and the first time he stood up to walk, it was like he was taking his first steps as a baby- he didn't know what to do!! But now he has the hang of them and loves wearing them around the house! I think he's going to like being a farmer, but we'll make sure he actually wears pants when it comes time to trick-or-treat!!

Checking out his horsey

Thought Bubble

I can just see the thought bubble popping out of Grant's head:

"My daddy is so lucky to get to mow the grass every week. I can't wait til I get bigger so I can use the mower like Daddy. It looks like so much fun- all those buttons to press and cords to pull. Yep, I think I'm going to like mowing when I get big!"

It's Potty Time!!!

Well, not quite, but we're definitely making progress!! About a month ago, Grant became extremely interested in everything that goes on in bathroom. He won't even let you go in the bathroom without him. He will tell you when he has a poopy diaper. He loves to sit on the big potty as he's getting ready to take his bath. He'll sit on the potty with the lid closed, fully clothed, and tell you he's pooping. All of these are good signs he's getting ready to start potty training! So this past weekend, we decided to get him a potty of his very own!! We know he's not ready to know how to use it yet, or even tell us he has to go to the bathroom, but we figured he can at least practice sitting on the potty. We probably won't start really training him til closer to his 2nd birthday, but he sure is enjoying the potty right now!!!
Very proud of himself!!!

You've gotta have a good book to pass the time!

Nothing happened this time, but sometime it will!!

What's Cookin?

So, I was reorganizing Grant's toys (yes you've probably read that in my blog before, that is something I like to do, and I do it often!) and I decided that he needed some new toys. Not that the kid needs MORE toys, just different ones. I was noticing alot of his toys were manipulative or geared more towards logical thinking, so I figured it was about time to get him some more imaginary and role-play toys. I was at my go-to store for buying baskets to aid in my reorganization of the toys, and Grant spotted a box of play food/dishes on the shelf. He insisted on getting them, and I agreed! We brought them home, and I scattered them on the coffee table and he played with it for AN HOUR while I started dinner! He kept bringing me different utensils wanting me to take a bite, and I'd say, "MMMM" and he'd run off to do it again! Looks like his imagination is already hard at work. And maybe while he's at it, he'll learn to actually eat some new foods!!!
It was a pretty random sample of foods- a carrot, a mushroom, 2 chili peppers, a fried egg, ketchup, and fennel...kind of a weird selection, right? See, he's already trying a carrot!!

Something Old, Something New

I have to admit this was a very hard thing for me to do- and maybe even a little embarrassing to share. I passed down my old teddy bear and blanket to Grant, which I lovingly referred to as Cuddles and Mimi. I received my blanket right after I was born, and I got my teddy bear when I was 7 as a consolation gift for not being able to go to the New Kids on the Block concert with my sister (funny how I would be interested in both at the same time, but whatever!). Grant is very fond of stuffed animals and loveys so I thought he would really appreciate them! And boy, does he!! He carries them around the house and sleeps with them at nap and bedtime. I do, however, feel a little bit of grief when I see Grant carrying them around, then just blatantly dropping them on the floor. To be honest- I go pick them up and put them gently on the couch or table, and I may or may not whisper "Sorry" to them. But it does make my heart happy to know that he will love them as much as I did...(or should I say, do!).

Baby B #2

Well, here is our first glimpse of Baby B #2. Pretty cute already, huh? When the doctor first got sight of the baby, she said, "We've got a wiggler!" That totally doesn't surprise me because I'm pretty sure Grant never stopped moving when he was in my belly- which was definitely some foreshadowing because I don't think Grant has sat still since!! So we'll see what this little peanut brings!! I could have my hands really full in about 6 months!! ;)

Gray Hairs

So this has been some week at the Broeckelman household!! Grant woke up with a runny nose last weekend...and a bad attitude to boot! It followed him into this week as well! Here is a glimpse of my afternoon on Tuesday: At our trip to the commissary, Grant screamed his lungs out up and down the aisles as I shopped- just for fun! We got home and I put him at the table for a snack while I unload groceries to try and keep him out of trouble. I lug all the groceries inside and notice Grant has decided to chew up his food, but instead of swallowing it, he spits it out ALL OVER THE FLOOR. Timeout for 1 minute. After timeout, I get on my hands and knees to clean up the chewed up snack, and little man runs off to play. I finally get the floor cleaned up and go to find my quiet (always a bad sign) little guy and find THIS in the bathroom!!! Yeah, this was all in a span of about 1.5 hours. No wonder I find new gray hairs everyday!!!

I have to hand it to him for trying to put the paper back on the roll so as not to appear guilty!

I might add this picture was taken after I already pulled out a huge wad of soaking wet TP!! Yep- an entire roll of toilet paper wasted!!!

The scary thing is....he's not even 2 yet!!!

But I love him nonetheless :)

The Big Boy Bed

Well, here it is...Grant's Big Boy Bed!!! This was one of my biggest concerns when I found out I was pregnant. I immediately thought, where are we going to put everything? Followed by...OMG Levi is leaving for deployment in about 3 months, so we don't have much time!! We knew we needed our house to be all set up and ready for baby before Levi even left, so we'd have a finished house when ALL 4 of US get back. This was our first step- getting Grant a bed. We decided to get a twin bed so he could have it until he left for college. We had a great dresser to use, so we bought an unfinished wood bed, and Levi stained the bed to match the dresser and they look great together!! Not only will Grant be switching beds, but he'll be switching rooms- big changes, I know! But with the layout of our house, it just makes sense! Plus, our office was blue- perfect for his new room! So we've been rearranging, reorganizing, and redecorating- three of my favorite things!! We still have a lot to get done, but so far so good!! I'll post pictures again when the change is complete!! I'm only hoping the transition between crib and bed doesn't kill us first!!

Grant Says...

So I've started keeping a list of the words that Grant has started to say. I feel like he should have started talking months ago since he seemed to do everything else so early. But I'm happy with his progress- he's had a word explosion lately, and I'm just amazed at the new things he says each day. This list is probably more for me, than it is for you, but I thought you'd enjoy it as well! It will be something to look back on and think, "Remember when he only knew a few words?" Here is what he can say as of now, at 17 months...

MaMa

DaDa
Dixie (sounds like diggy)- that's my parents dog
Diggy Diggy (Referring to a digger, or when he's actually digging)
PawPaw
more
pizza (sounds like peta-peta, like the Little Cesars guy- although he won't even touch the stuff!)
mower
hot
hat
please (sounds like ese)
ball
apple
cheese
stinky
poo-poo
BOO! (he likes to hide behind something, and pop up and say BOO!)
no no no (always shaking his finger while he says it!)
banana (comes out more like nana)
Amen (after we pray, it comes out more like namen)

I'm sure next month, this list will probably double!

Cheeseball

I fall in love all over again with this little guy everytime I see this face!! This is the face I get when I tell Grant to "smile for the camera." And now, do I not only get the face, but I get the "CHEESE!!!" each time as well!!!

How lucky am I to have a little boy who actually likes to have his picture taken, even if he does look like a cheeseball!!!

All in a Days Work

Grant loves all parts of Daddy's uniform!! Everyday when Daddy comes home from work and Daddy is taking off all his gear, Grant is putting it all on: the boots, the hat, and sometimes even the dog tags!! And now he's even learned to put in Daddy's earplugs he wears when he flies his helicopter! But what uniform is complete without a pair of cool sunglasses?

Very Top Gun chic, Grant!!

Trying to put in Daddy's earplugs

What a stud!!

Just About Anything

It's funny what you'll do when you're so darn tired, that you try and think of ANYTHING that will occupy a 17 month old for more than 5 minutes!! This was my solution: a donut picnic!! I was so tired, and HAD to lay down and do nothing, if only for 10 minutes. Seems like when I lay down on the couch I automatically become a target for Grant to climb all over- not so relaxing!! So I decided to turn on The Wonder Pets, and pull out the donuts. He's never had a "picnic" in the house, and I was leery about letting him be free to walk around with powdered-donut hands, but he surprisingly just sat on his towel and watched his Wonder Pets in peace!! It gave me the few minutes of peace I needed as well (well, after I took these pictures of course!)!!

Much Love for Cousins

Grant loves EVERYTHING about his cousins!! He is always so excited to see them whenever we go to Kansas- probably more excited than they are to see him, or so it seems!! He smiles and giggles and always has so much fun!! I'm glad he is so close in age with them, just like I am with my cousins!! I have fond memories of playing with my cousins when I was young, and I'm glad Grant will as well! They are the 3 cutest little boys I know!!

Giving Lukey a ride in the little wagon

Giving Mason a ride in the big wagon

Trying to hug Mason (although I think it came off as tackling!)

Giving Mason real hugs!!

Our New Gift

Yep, you read that correctly!! Grant is going to be a BIG BROTHER!! This was the paper Grant surprised Mimi and PawPaw with the day we arrived in KS!!! It's going to be a crazy crazy year with Levi preparing for deployment at some point, the two of us preparing our now seemingly too-small house, and Grant unknowingly having his life turned upside down! We are very excited and feel very blessed with our new gift!! More details to come...

10 Years Later

This is where it all began 10 years ago...August 14, 1999. A group of girls moved into Corbin Hall, not knowing they would remain life-long friends!!

On August 14, 2009, a group of my friends and I ventured off to Lawrence, KS to celebrate our 10 year anniversary of moving into the dorms!! Most people think I'm crazy when I say that I loved living in an all-girls dorm, but I wouldn't have done it any other way!! I met my best friends there!! We started off the evening with dinner at El Mezcal, an old tradition of ours! After dinner, we headed to the dorms for old times sake!! We were lucky that they let us in to look around, although we couldn't go inside any of the rooms. We all found our old rooms, and hung out in all our old favorite places!! Funny how after 10 years, it looks (and smells) exactly the same!! After a good hour of walking around, we headed to The Hawk, the first bar we ever went to! We knew it was pretty early to go to a bar in a college town (9:00pm) but we were the only ones there for about 2 hours. But that was ok!! We were able to reminisce and talk about all our memories we've shared!! After a few hours there, it was time to head to The Wheel , so we headed up the hill and across the street ! We definitely felt old when we were ready to leave the bar at 11, when everyone was just now showing up, but we aren't 18 anymore!! So we got our pizza and headed home!! It definitely wasn't what we would have done 10 years ago, but the laughs and the friendships will always stay the same!!

I LOVE YOU FRIENDS!!!!!!!

Dinner at El Mezcal

Fun at The Hawk

Ending our night at The Wheel

My old roomie, Laura, and I outside our dorm room, 411N

The Beloved John Deere

This was definitely Grant's favorite part about our trip out to Levi's parents house. They live in a very expansive farm in Western Kansas. Grandpa is a farmer and has lots of tractors and mowers and a whole bunch of other neat stuff! This John Deere mower definitely was well used by the end of our trip. Grant had a funny way of asking for a ride (I wish I had a picture)!! He would make a "WOOOO" sound and move his arms around all weird like he was trying to drive. We always knew exactly what he wanted!! After breakfast each day, Levi would take him outside and give him a ride around the farm. It was so funny because Grant is always full of smiles no matter what he is doing, but the entire time he was on the mower, he had the most serious look on his face! I'm pretty sure he would have been in heaven if he rode around the farm all day long!! But pretty sure Levi wouldn't have been!!

It's Been a While

I know I haven't done my usual few-times-a-week posting lately, but we've been super busy during our time here in KS! But don't worry- I'll make up for it and post about all our fun KS adventures when I get home!!