Remember us?

It's been a long, long time since I blogged. And shame on me, because the whole reason for this thing is to preserve and share memories of my kids' childhoods, but it's those very children who are keeping me too busy to blog lately. The last month or so has just been a crazy combination of sickness, schedule changes, and a non-stop list of things to do. I'll try to give you a recap ...

Grant is officially down to just one nap. He was taking a really long time to get to sleep before both naps and bedtime, so Daddy suggested we drop the morning nap. I resisted at first because the two nap thing is just so nice, but of course it was what Grant needed. Now he's so sleepy before his nap that he often falls asleep in the highchair while we're having lunch!

It used to be that the two and a half hours that Hope is at preschool was right in between Grant's naps, so we would use that time to run errands and be out. But with the new schedule, his nap and her school are at the same time. I miss the freedom to be out and about with just one kid, but I'm beginning to see the benefit of being house-bound with that time all by myself. No, still not eating bon-bons, but getting more things done around the house and enjoying my Daily Message Bible again too :)

Hope still prefers games of pretend to anything else. "You be this doll and I'll be her and we'll make them talk!" It's exHAUSting. She's also really into painting and crafts lately, and loves making 'projects' at preschool. She loves to eat snow, always wants to help cook, likes changing the color of her bathwater with 'fizzies,' and still enjoys having friends over. She likes to go around the house half-dressed, but is getting better and better about being able to put on her own clothes/shoes/coat. Hope insists on having a "cuddle buddy" at bedtime, though it doesn't have to be any one stuffed animal in particular. She has confiscated a red throw pillow with beads around the edges, and insists on sleeping on it every night - red is a new favorite color.

(This is a 'get well' card that Hope made for Grandpa. The purple face at the lower left is Grandma, and the one above that is Grandpa making a 'sick face.')

Grant is still happy to walk around the house, exploring whatever toys or drawers he comes upon. He is still more interested in trashcans and outlets and toilets than I'd like, but at least now it's useful - he throws his own diapers away and claps for himself every time! We all had a cold that turned into various ear/sinus infections, but poor Grant was sick and getting four molars at the same time. And while it did cause him trouble sleeping, he was a champ about it. He likes to put things in their place when he's in the mood, and at other times he enjoys making a total mess of every room in the house. Also exhausting!

A week ago was my 31st birthday, and part of my celebration included a fancy date and a night at a hotel downtown. I believe it was Grant's first time to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house without me, and with his sleep issues lately I wasn't sure what to expect. But he did wonderfully! Such a relief! Now I won't feel so weird about booking that four day trip for our anniversary next spring ;)