Some random recent pictures

Daddy and Grant sitting on the couch. Grant doesn't sit and watch TV for long.....I think he was sitting there for maybe 10 seconds before wanting to be on the move again!Trying out the spoon! At Grant's 15 month checkup, his doctor told me to start letting him feed himself with a spoon (I don't tend to do this because it gets messy!). But he enjoys it, and he's getting better. I got the idea from Leah last weekend to give him oatmeal in the mornings, and he really likes that (esp made with milk). This morning he got so excited when he saw me get it out of the microwave! I'm trying to teach him how to grab it with his fist, because right now he's just trying to poke at the food, and nothing sticks on the spoon.
Playing with his pull-along puppy. He likes pulling this little doggie around, and I think it's just about the cutest thing.
Usually when he pulls it, though, the doggy looks more like this (it doesn't stay on its feet for long, but Grant doesn't care).

These past couple of days have been rough. Apparently Grant's stretch of easily going down for naps is over! The past few days he's cried and cried in his crib before finally going to sleep (and after I've made a trip or two back up to his room). Yesterday, I was determined to go back in his room, hand him his pacifier and leave. But poor thing, he just looked so pathetic and miserable after crying for 20 minutes, and I just couldn't bear to turn around and leave him. So I picked him up and rocked him again, and he never went to sleep. By then it was almost 4pm anyway, so I just decided to keep him awake. We (meaning Dean) put him to bed pretty early. He was almost falling asleep in his highchair at dinner!

Sometimes I just don't know what I'm going to do with another one. Grant has been, in many ways, a very tough baby. I love him to death and I can't imagine life without him, but sometimes I get so frustrated! And it's easy for me to feel selfish and sorry for myself, especially on days like yesterday when I don't have any real time to myself. I try to remember that 20 years from now, I'll wish I could do this all over again. That does help to put things into perspective a little, but then I think of all the moms whose babies take regular naps and who DO get some alone time during the day. And I get frustrated and selfish again! Aahh!

Okay, that's the end of my ranting. Today I was able to leave Grant with Dean in the morning, and I went to our church to work at a baby/children's bargain sale. It was a lot of fun, and I found a couple of fun toys for Grant (including this little tunnel that they have at the library but he's always been a little scared to go in). All the other kids love the tunnel, so I'm hoping he will too once he gets a little older.

Then I went over to the mall for a while, but Dean called and said he needed me home immediately because there are problems at the plant. So he's there now, and Grant and I are here by ourselves for the afternoon. And this is a little blessing that I had to thank God for: I took Grant up for a nap at 2pm, dreading a repeat of yesterday. While I was reading him a story (only the 3rd one), I looked down and he was asleep! That never happens anymore!