Back In the Swing!

The dishes are all caught up.

Laundry is finished.

The suitcases are all unpacked.

There is food in the cupboards.

Toys are all put away.

It's fun to be away, but it feels so good to be back! I'm home today (Tuesday), and I just love it. James had to go to Wheatland this morning, so I took the day to watch the baby. I absolutely love being home! Grant and I read books, played with his learning table, and practiced walking with his push cart. We also had a play date today. Our friends the Daly's invited Grant and I over to their house. Grant and McKinley (Lyndi's daughter) didn't really "play" together to say the least, but Lyndi and I had a great time! I hope we get to do it again soon!

Grant's physical therapy session was funny this week. He is getting more and more independent, and really didn't want to have anything to do with the activities the physical therapist had planned. He crawled everywhere, so he pretty much ran his own session! She just sort of rolled with the flow-she watched him crawl, and practice walking (he's keeping his right leg stiff when he walks, so we just need to help him bend his knee when he walks down the hall at least twice a day), and she also managed to squeeze in some container play. Grant needs to practice, bending down, picking up something, and letting the something go in a container. I tried practicing with him yesterday, and he pretty much had his own plans. We'll keep trying though!

The only way I can make dinner:

Making dinner in the late afternoon used to be so difficult. I was thinking back to when Grant was a newborn, to about 4 months old, when he would want to be held all time. Making dinner was a huge task. I had a sling, and a Snugli that I would put him in to help me, but those were just so awkward to work around. My back would hurt at the very end, and I was super conscious of the stove, and stood away from it, so Grant wouldn't be in the heat. I think he also didn't like being in those so much. It took a lot of work to get him those, and he would cry and fuss till he would finally settle down. Now, things are so much easier! Cheerios in the high chair seem to do the trick. I can get dinner made and on the table in no time flat. So while I am sad, that my little baby is growing up, it's also fun to have him be more independent.

It's also fun to have him eat dinner with us. He's getting introduced more to real food, and this week he had his first pancake:

I think it helps to have him eat with us. It's fun to eat together as a family!

I asked James what he did this week, so he can be in the blog, and he replied with, "Nothing." (Huge help, huh? :))He actually loves his job and works with two ladies who are fantastic at running things. We are able to go on trips (like spring break to St. George) without having to worry too much about what goes on at the office.

James is also huge into the March Madness. I have learned a lot since being married to him about college basketball. First of all, James is CRAZY nuts for college basketball. He fills out his brackets (teams who play against each other till there is finally one winner left for all for four regions). He watches or listens to most games when he can, which sometimes includes watching on the computer and the TV when the TV doesn't show his favorite team. (This actually happened this week. If they don't show Duke, that takes care of the TV AND the computer.) He makes me fill out MY brackets (I think so he can make fun of my choices and rub my nose in it when he beats me.) If I don't choose Duke, (which I actually did one year, but then had to change it :)) I get the third degree! So, in short, James has been totally tuned into basketball and claims that these past two days are the greatest days in sports all year. So all I have to say is, "Go Duke!"

When I did manage to pull James away from the TV, we went for a walk in PV Park. The last time we took Grant for a walk in his stroller, he cried, but this time we brought Cooper, and Grant was totally tuned into him the whole time:

The weather was a beautiful 77 degrees, with a light wind. We had a great walk, and I am sure glad Grant enjoyed it too!

Cooper gets a little tired when we get home. He completely wears himself out after a walk. Here's what I mean:

Have a great week!