Mailman Grant

You've probably read in another post that Grant likes all things related to the postal service. We have been sending Levi a lot of packages while he's been on deployment so we visit the post office frequently. He enjoys getting the mail with Mimi everyday when she gets home from work. He even picked out a Post Office video at the library. Now, Grant enjoys playing "mailman." I gave him a bag of mine to put over his shoulder. I cut out some foam core for his envelopes and found some little boxes for him to deliver.We made a little mailbox out of an old shoe box, but it didn't last long. So I went to the hardware store, picked up a $10 real mailbox and he's been delivering packages and letters ever since. I think he might have found his calling!

This was before we got a real mailbox. He lifted the lid and flag so many times on his "shoebox mailbox," that within 10 minutes, it was broken! (You probably also noticed the scrapes on Grant's face- the night before he took a tumble down the front patio concrete steps- OOPS!)

Playtime is Funtime!

Having two kids makes for a day without a dull moment!! Grant has been very into playing with me and usually decides to either cry until I have time to play, or be my shadow until I have time to play. Either way, we play together- ALOT! Luckily, Wyatt enjoys watching Grant and I play, plus he enjoys his own toys as well!! So here's a glimpse at the things Grant and I have been playing!

Color and Shape BINGO! Since Grant turned a year old, I've been working on colors and shapes with him!! A year and a half later, we're still working!! At least we can have fun while we learn!
Driving the Police Car! This was my nephew Mason's, Christmas present, much to Grant's liking! That's usually the first thing he asks about when we head over to my sister's house. Luckily its been nice so they can go out and "patrol the streets."


This afternoon, I took Grant and Wyatt to a park the neighborhood where I spent my early childhood- a park where I spent hundreds of hours playing. It's totally different now, but both boys enjoyed themselves! Grant climbed on every piece of equipment, made me diet cokes at his "nemonade stand," and met a new friend. Wyatt enjoyed sitting in the swing watching the leaves blow in the trees!

Grant enjoys painting with watercolors in the bathtub! He not only paints the sides of the tub, but his body as well! I think he even has some green paint behind his ears as I type- I always forget to check there, darnit!

Grant and I spent about 2 hours playing "fireman" yesterday in the driveway. We have 3 radio flyer trikes and each trike was a different rescue vehicle. This bike above definitely got its use- I drove (yes, I really pedaled that thing, not graciously I might add!) and Grant stood on the back ledge hanging on to my shoulders and made the (most obnoxious) siren sound over and over until every "hot fire" was put out!! Phew, that was an exhausting (and butt-breaking) game!!

And of course, playing fireman in the basement. Grant is all decked out in his mask, air tank (the backpack), boots, and hose (the flashlight). There was hot fire all around us so we were constantly putting out fires!!

I have so much fun playing with him and am sooooo lucky that I get to be the one he wants to play with!!

The Cutest Thing...

...about a sleeping baby is a tushy in the air!! Not to mention, sleeping on top of his lovey!! Just too cute!

Getting Closer

Wyatt thinks its a good idea to try and start crawling! I don't share the same sentiment, but more power to him!! He is trying to inch along and is starting to actually make headway! He's totally not coordinated, as he pulls himself forward and then sticks his little tush up in the air, usually face planting into the floor!! I know he'll get it one of these days!! I really can't imagine how life will be with 2 mobile children, and actually- I'd rather not know for a few more months!
But I'm proud of you little buddy for all the effort!!

Grantisms

I have to write down all these cute things Grant says and does before I forget:

- Since his baptism, he keeps saying, "In the name of the Father, and Mason, and the Holy Beer. Amen. All done!"

- He refers to me as just "Mom" or "Aunt Laura"(obviously confused from his cousins!) and most often, instead of saying "Daddy" he says"Levi." I think that's a sign Levi needs to come home soon!

- Grant usually likes me to kiss his boo-boos, but since he's been asserting his independence, he will say, "I do it myself." Yesterday, he bumped into the corner of the coffee table, so he licked his finger and touched his boo-boo and said, "All better now."

- We were playing "beauty shop" yesterday (yes, its ok for boys to do that!) and he got a little carried away with the brush and wound up hitting my lip with it. I said not to do that because it hurt Mommy. He took his little hands, grabbed my chin and said, "Sorry Mom" and gave me a kiss! So sweet!

- When he wants to do something and I tell him not right now, he usually answers with "In two minutes?" or "When I get bigger?" or "How bout Friday?"

- He loves thinking about Wyatt getting bigger and ALWAYS says, "Wyatt get bigger, he _____" and the blank is usually whatever Grant is doing at the moment! I love how excited he is to see his brother get bigger!

I think from now on, I'll carry a notebook with me at all times so I don't miss a moment!

You Make Me Smile!

Grant keeps me laughing all day long!! He is talking so much now and everyday, I'm amazed at the things he thinks of!!

- He calls a volcano a "hotcano"

- He'll put his finger to his chin and say, "Got an idea: _________ We've got a mission! To Rocket!" Then he'll say, "Mission Copeken (completion)"

-When he doesn't know what something is, he'll ask "This thingy called?"

- He likes to say, "Goodbye Honey" or "Goodbye Sweetheart"

- He is constantly pretending he is a character from whatever TV show he's watching and he'll tell me which one I am and which one he is

- He gives his brother kisses and says in a high pitched voice, "Hi Little Punkin!" (His Aunt Summer likes to call Wyatt that!)

- He can tell you his entire name- Grant David Broeckelman- and his brother's entire name- Wyatt Daniel Broeckelman.

- When he gets to crying over something silly, I tell him to go to his room until he can calm down. When he does, he'll walk up to me and say, "Calmed down now. Now crying. I happy."

I need to really start writing down all his quirky little sayings!! I know Levi will be AMAZED when he comes home to find this giant kid running his mouth a mile a minute, since Grant was barely talking when he left!! I'm lucky I get to witness it first hand :)

Baptism Boys!!

My boys got baptized on Sunday, August 15th!!! It had been a long time in the making for Grant. The churches in Florida were really hard to work with, so Levi and I agreed I would have them baptized at Holy Trinity while he was gone. Grant was, forgive the pun, a holy terror during Mass, but was a little saint during the baptism!! Wyatt was a little angel the whole time! It was a great day and we're glad we were able to spend it with our family, even though Levi wasn't there.

Wyatt getting baptized!

Grant getting baptized!

Sara and Eric, Wyatt's Godparents

Mimi and PawPaw, Grant's Godparents

Just Call Me Spike

Wyatt was born with quite a bit of hair. He's lost most of it, but it's starting to slowly grow in. What was left of his "baby fuzz" is so fluffy and sticks straight up! I just love his little "spike" of hair!!

Our Trip to the Farm

Grant, Wyatt, and I headed out west to visit The Broeckelman family! It was Great-Grandma Edna's 87th birthday so we came out to celebrate with her!! We were there from July 29-Aug 7, so we got to enjoy a nice long visit. We not only celebrated Great-Mom's birthday, but it was Levi and I's 4th wedding anniversary the day we got there! (He surprised me with a bouquet of my favorite pink tulips and the prettiest earrings!) The boys got to meet their new cousin, Haylie, who is 25 days younger than Wyatt. They had alot of fun playing together!! We also went to a few different parks, and Grant got to go on a mower ride AND a tractor ride!! He loved looking for Grandpa's dog, Jeeps, and checking to see what Grandpa and Uncle Zach were doing out on the farm. It was a nice visit and we look forward to spending time out there again in the fall!
Grandpa taking Grant for a ride on the new mower

Grant called this the "spaceship slide"

Haylie and Wyatt just hanging out!

Hey cousin!

Grant Goes Bowling

We celebrated Grant's cousin Luke's 3rd birthday at Park Lanes bowling alley. Grant didn't have a clue what bowling was, but he was very excited to go nonetheless!! Mason and Luke had been bowling before, so Grant was able to pick up a few pointers from them! Park Lanes had this awesome dinosaur ramp that all you had to do was place the ball on top and the kids could push it down. It was a sure way the ball would actually reach the pins before stopping. I don't remember Grant's final score, but I must say his was probably pretty close to mine!! Thank you for inviting us Luke!! We had a fun time!!

Trip to the Lake

July 17-24th was spent at the Lake of the Ozarks on our annual family vacation! We've been doing this ever since I was a kid, and its something I look forward to every year!! Our week was spent swimming, eating popsicles and snack after snack, staying up late (and not sleeping at night, thanks to Wyatt) and enjoying a few adult beverages!
The boys enjoying yet another popsicle!

Sara and Mason, and Me and Grant swimming in the "lake pool"

Grant enjoying a swim!

Wyatt absolutely LOVED the lake! His feet were kicking the entire time and hands were splashing constantly!!!

The boys enjoying a morning on the swingset!

Wyatt baring it all!

4 Months and Counting

Little Wyatt had his 4 month checkup today (he's 4 months and 11 days). Here are his stats:

• Weight: 13 lbs. 13 oz. (25th percentile)
• Length: 26 inches (80th percentile)
• Head: 41.5 cm (25th percentile)

He has grown 2.5 inches in length since the middle of June, so its no wonder this kid wants to eat, day and night!!! I can't believe he's getting so big already!! His two bottom teeth still haven't broken through, but you can see the white dots and feel the ridges, so I know its any day now. He's rolled over from his back to his tummy one time, although no one saw him do it, he was just on his belly when we came back to him. But he does love rolling from his belly to his back- guess he's figured out how to get out of tummy time!! He's kind of a handful sometimes- prefers to be held, won't fall asleep on his own, wants to chew on your fingers constantly...but I wouldn't trade him for the world!! (Well, unless I could go to a world where he slept through the night!)

It's Calling Me

This...

this...

and this....

are calling my name!! See ya in a week!

Wyatt at the Moment

• Wyatt is a true blessing, and I don't even remember what life was like without him!
• He is 3 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days old.
• He is 12 lbs. 11 ozs. and 24.5 inches long.
• He wears 3 month clothes, but is starting to wear 3-6 months and is in a size 2 diaper.
• He usually (and I use that term loosely) goes to bed about 9:00 every night, wakes up for a quick bottle about 3:30, and sleeps til 7.
• He still likes being swaddled at night and prefers sleeping on his left side.
• He eats randomly throughout day, usually 3.5-4 ounces per feeding.
• He started baby food last week and so far, has loved sweet potatoes and squash! YUM-O.
• He loves standing on my legs and looking all around. He does NOT like being held like a baby.
• He is currently cutting his two bottom teeth.
• He just started reaching for toys that I hang in front of him.
• He has a HUGE smile that goes from ear to ear and his the cutest dimples!
• He tries to giggle, but it gets lost at the back of his throat, so it sounds more like a cough or clearing his throat.
• He is a snuggly boy and prefers to be held over laying by himself.
• He is a perfect addition to our family and I can't wait for his Daddy to get home to see what an incredible little boy he is becoming!

Grant at the Moment

• Grant is THE happiest little boy I know! He always has a smile on his face and he always puts a smile on my face!
• He is 2 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days old.
• He weighs 28 pounds and is about 36 inches tall (give or take on both).
• He mostly wears 2T-3T shirts and 18-24 month shorts.
• He's slowly starting to try new foods. The past few days he's tried applesauce and french toast. His favorite foods are: powdered donuts, fruit snacks, french fries, cinnamon toast (with sprinkles!), french fries, Moe's Quesadillas, and Frosted Mini Wheats Little Bites.
• He loves watching The Little Einstein's, Yo Gabba Gabba, Max & Ruby, Wonder Pets and pretty much everything else on Nick Jr. He has also become a fan of Mall Cops- thanks to his cousin Mason.
• He calls himself "Nant" and his brother "Ky" or "Wy-Wy"
• He loves playing with hot wheels, or "hot rods" as he calls them, cooking in his kitchen (while wearing an apron), and pretend games such as Sea World or Airplane.
• He is going on the potty about 5 times a day, although he's still in diapers. It's totally a work in progress!
• He goes to bed around 8:30 and wakes up about 8:00- I sure hope that pattern continues!
• He has had a major word explosion (finally) and usually speaks in full sentences, or at least 3-4 words at a time.
• He's an amazing little boy and I'm so lucky he's mine!

The Pattern

Can you find the pattern??

If you guessed that Wyatt is sleeping- you're right! But the more descriptive answer is that Wyatt is sleeping anywhere other than his crib! Yes- that's the pattern right there!! This kid is pretty much bound and determined to NOT take a nap in his crib!! I've always joked that he is the opposite of those baby dolls that their eyes are open and when you lay them down their eyes close. Wyatt's eyes will be closed, and when you lay him in his crib his eyes open! Oh well, at this point, I don't really care where he naps- just as long as he does!! He can sleep in my bed all he wants to! He is at least sleeping in his crib ALL night! He usually goes down about 9:00, eats a quick bottle about 3:15, and then is back to sleep until 7. So I guess I'd rather him enjoy his crib at night than during the day...so I can enjoy my bed ALONE at night!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Sadly, I think these shirts are about as festive as this year's 4th of July is going to be!! Between the cloudy weather and my weirdly senstive two-year old, 4th of July fun will have to wait a few more years! I can't wait for the day to go out on the driveway with our little boys and do smoke bombs and fountains and other little fiery things. I have a feeling if we tried it this year, all I would hear from Grant is "too loud," or "hot, hot, hot," or "no, no, no" while covering his ears in protest! So for today, we'll wave our little flags, wear our Old Navy T-shirts and chant "USA-USA-USA!" We're so proud to be American and we're so proud to have a Daddy who is fighting for our freedom!! I've always liked the saying, "We live in the land of the free because of the brave" and this year, that statment has never meant so much!!