When September Ends

It's September and you know what time it is--UT Football and Oktoberfest! We got both this weekend.



Thanks Grandma Kay! See what a great guy Grant is?



As Parents, we look back to a child more simple, more easily handled, and nevertheless look forward to an October Child more infinite in possibility and potential.





With a kiss, Grant, and a tear, Grant, on your ever lifting brow. -- "Yates"

Back and Forth Grant

This weekend wasn't as fun as last weekend (notice how he still doesn't have the "going down a step" move down, he just kind falls off the step hoping for the best):



This weekend we were rained out, but we got out for a walk (thanks Jason Owen of Castle Rock, CO for the raincoat, it really came in handy):



Had a tantrum in a parking lot (he'll make a good protestor some day; he's got that "go limp and scream injustice!" tactic down):




Met a horse (he galloped right up to Grant, which Grant thought was cool):



And the nice policeman:




But, hey, we kept our cool:



Actually, most of the events depicted in the photos didn't happen this weekend; we really were rained out!

It Was Always About the Cars

How do you get a kid to eat?! Shouldn't food be a given. One precious scholar says, "They'd rather play, than eat." This guy takes it to a new level. If you will, imagine a thin child, in his underwear, and it's late. He has a car in one hand, and a fish stick in another. He's got stuff to do, places to go. No time to sit with the family and discuss the day, much less eat. We could have talked about the park:






We could have talked about all the neat places we visited:



And the memories:



We had a good day, but he wouldn't stop to tell you. Grant will continue on with his schedule, his agenda:

He likes cawrs; don't touch them! But if one should fall, and roll beneath some structure, then pay attention 'cause he's gotta a job for ya.

"Play now; eat later, much later."

Sat Night

Corn and a Johnny Cash cover

Summer Revue

In the tradition of "Grease" and other summer flicks that tell us to hold on to summer before we get beat down with back-to-school blues, here's a look back at the Summer of Grant:

1) We went to the pool.



2) He got a hair cut.

BEFORE:


AFTER:


3) He likes cars.



3A) And trains.



4) He has a hat.



5) He likes his Space Pee-Js, both pairs, at once, over other clothes, during the day.



6) He likes cookies.



7) He got a tan!



8) He rode the Lazy River, in Florida.



9) He has a serious side.



10) To everything, turn, turn, turn. . . and avoid your meals.



11) He thinks the yard is neat.



12) He learned to ride a mower.



14) He's practicing with his teeny teeny back pack. . . Oh no. . . did you say "back pack". . . don't say "team work"! ! !



15) It's either a cookie, his car, or number three?

Happy 4th!!

Happy Fourth of July! Hope your Continental Congress successfully resolved to be independent. Well, Grant's did.



In a month, since our last post, he has gone through quite the changes. He can drink from a straw, has a knack for running, thinks that he can magically descend stairs without injury, has a vocabulary (ebel, ni-ni, na-na, ehh-ehh, ba, bye, gesh gesh...), has a first love (besides the precious blanket(s) or "ni ni"). He won't stand for hand holding, always loves to explore, and can't eat from the hands of mom or dad. We apologize, on behalf of Grant, to all those parishoners and diners who experienced the fully liberated Grant this weekend. He's taken this independence thing a little too far, the parents think.



Time to get to the work of nation building...

An Alien World

Welcome to Grant's Alien World, where the secrets of the cosmos are revealed. What's that smell? It's only the Genie of Diaperitus emitting a gas commonly found near carbon life forms. Perhaps we could seed Mars with that gas; there's plenty of it, like a renewable resource; oh yes, there's the gas on Mars,now--turning the Red Planet into the Blue we know.



Let's ask the cow to help. "Hey, cow! Stop that jumpin' and help us seed Mars with methane, you know to produce our own greenhouse effect, but for good, not for harm." We'll borrow the dipper, ladle some of it onto Mars, melt those ice caps, and make a new world!

Grant's Alien World rocks! We should get that alien to come help, with his ship. "Hey, how many miles per gallon you get from that ship?" The Alien answers, through a translating Babel fish, "Gallons, you mean light years per micro-ounce, if British units are alright with you. And the answer is 1.5." "Whoa, that's cool." "Yeah, but's it's just a lease, and any light-days after 3,000,000 light years costs me $USD 0.15 per light-day. Kind of a scam."



Despite Grant's apparent restraint in Enthusiasm, many thanks to Kristi for making Grant's Alien World happen. And also thanks to Kay and Al for laying the foundational colors for Grant's Alien World; without them it would be like having a Universe without a space-time fabric, what would hold the planets in place?

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And speaking of seeing stars, welcome home Emily! You have been in our prayers for a speedy recovery, and it's good to see you back on your feet, or at least foot. You have the heart of Evel Knievel, a dare devil, but please make life a little more boring and stick to vehicles with airbags. We love you, Hot Rod.