Doctor

Kate and Grant's newest thing is to play doctor. They play on each other, on Grant's stuffed dog and on Kate's baby (that she named Oliver). Their favorite thing to do is look in each other's ear and say which animal is hiding in there. Grant's pulmonologist does this and Grant thinks it is so funny.They are doing a great job playing independently these days.

Mono

Big bummer- I seem to have caught mono! My doctor said to let my body guide me so I'm alternating between resting and playing with the kids throughout the day. Please pray for a quick recovery.

Oh Happy Day

Sleeping

Grant: Mom, who are you sleeping with these days?
Me: What?
Grant: I know you used to sleep with dad, but you don't seem to be sleeping with him anymore so I wondered who you are sleeping with?
Me: (brief explanation about how dad goes to work before he wakes up)

Flying High

Sweet Peggy

Sweet Peggy was sent to us by God while I was on bedrest with Kate. She and Grant had all sorts of adventures while I laid at home with my feet up. During this time we all grew very close to Peggy and she became a dear friend. Yesterday she came over to visit. This picture captures what Grant looks like when he sees Peggy.

Kate's birthday

Kate's birthday began by opening a special box from grandma Ned that contained all things princess! (See photo of Kate in her pink tutu and slippers.) Then we went to a park where we met family for a picnic. Grant's highlight was getting to have his first can of pop. After playing at the park we went back to our house for cake and presents. Kate was enamored with both her new pink shoes and her fabulous pink tea cart. She also got some giant paint brushes that looked like mops (to Grant). Grant stole them right away and calls them his "dusters." Kate didn't quite understand the concept of eating the whole cupcake but she did manage to lick the frosting off of four. They are just coming down from their sugar high today.

Fresh Veggies

We are trying to teach Grant to be generous and give to those who are without. Today during dinner he looked up and said, "I have an idea. See those vegetables on my plate? I think we should give them to someone who doesn't have any." Good try buddy.

Potty

Mom: Grant, hurry up and go potty before we go to the park.
Grant: No thank you.
Mom: Yes, Grant. They don't have a potty at the park.
Grant: Yes they do. They are called trees.

ABC's

Out for ice cream

Swimming

Kate and Grant continue to take swim lessons on Tuesdays at Goldfish. We always try to get dressed as quickly as possible after naps to arrive early to play with the chalkboards. At 4:30 Kate and I head to the small pool and Grant goes by himself to the big pool. He grabs some goggles and immediately starts talking to his instructor. Even as he is swimming he's trying to keep his mouth above water so he can keep talking! His teacher tells me he's making huge improvements. He can swim a little over half the width of the pool by himself and he loves doing cannonballs. Kate is in a phase where she doesn't like to get her face wet, except when she's going down the slide, because it is worth it!

My Sweet Kate

Today Grant, Kate and I were having a stuffed animal fight. Grant took a big wack at me with a dog that had a hard collar on it and I doubled over wincing in pain (it was a bit of an exaggeration, but it hurt!). Grant ignored my pain and continued throwing things at me while Kate came over and asked, "what happened mom?" When I told her she said, "hug, hug," and gave me a big hug. I started down a train of thought centering on how much more compassionate females are etc and was trying to explain to Grant what he should do if he hurts someone when Kate came up behind me and slammed a giant hardcover Bible against my head. :)

Hike

Today we took the kids on a "hike" along the Rouge River trail and then had a picnic under a shady tree. The kids spent most of their time throwing sticks in the river. Grant was so happy he literally galloped through the woods singing. He said he wasn't very hungry until I told him how sad it was because we were going out for ice cream afterward. When he finished his ice cream he came over and snuggled up to me and said, "if you want to share, I'm here."

Junk Food

Today I took Grant for his pulmonology check up and then out to lunch. (The doc put Grant on new meds bc his cough is still not gone.) When I was paying for lunch I bought Grant a mini Reese Peanut Butter Cup. Here's what he said when I gave it to him:

Grant: Mom, is this bad for me?
Mom: Well, it's not the healthiest thing, but I thought you'd like a treat for doing so well at the doctor.
Grant: So, you mean this is like, junk food?
Mom: It is okay to have a treat once in a while kiddo.
Grant: Wow. I can't believe you are giving me something to put into my body that is really bad for me. I don't know if I should eat it.

He did end up eating it. Is he his father's son or what?!

What they're into

Grant-playing "kitchen", mopping and doing dishes (hopefully this theme will continue when he's older), playing in sandboxes, eating watermelon, playing in the water fountain at Shain Park, swimming at Goldfish (can almost swim the width of the pool), adding a "ie" to most words (ball = ballie, book = bookie etc.) and continuing to be just about the most joyful kid I know!

Kate- riding her big wheel, using the "big" potty, trying on my shoes, going down the slide at the park over and over, doing the "hot dog dance", making calls on her cell phone, talking in complete sentences, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and rocking in the rocking chair with me after she naps while we sing and pray.

Happy July 4

This year on July 3 we went to grandma and grandpa's lake house with our cousins and their families. Unfortunately, Kate had to be quarantined because she was just getting over the hand-foot-mouth virus. The kids had a blast playing in the water, running through the sprinkler and taking boat rides. Grant even got to ride on the jet ski for the first time. What a treat! Oh, and did I mention Grant liked the dessert?

Call to Papa

Home Alone

Single moms, I don't know how you do it. God bless you! Jim just got back from being gone for 5 days. We are all so glad to have him back on the scene. Grant is still fighting a cough. We're doing breathing treatments twice a day and have two weeks to go until we see the doc again. Hopefully he will be better by then. In the mean time it is not slowing him down.

The Persistant Cough

Grant's cough is back. It disappeared for only a few days when taking the antibiotic for his pneumonia. Thankfully, we got in to see his pulmonolgist today. After listening to Grant cough and wheeze he was pretty sure it is asthma. We are going back for allergy testing in a couple of weeks to find out what Grant's triggers are. Most likely he's been dealing with this since back in October when he first came down with the cough. (He's been complaining that his stomach is hot which was probably the only language he could come up with for what was going on. Poor guy!) The many antibiotics and brief breathing treatments over the last 9 months have temporarily supressed the asthma but now we can actually deal with it head on. Grant will be on steriods for the next few weeks and then use a nebulizer as needed.

The pulmonolgist was a bit concerned by the chest x-rays that were taken recently at the ER. He wants us to repeat the x-rays again in four weeks to compare the two. Please pray that Grant's lungs totally heal and that the asthma would be gone!