Diving Right In

These past few weeks have gone pretty well. The first week of full-time work, while also coming home and doing "Mom" stuff was pretty tough, but I just needed to get used to the new routine. Each day, I'm working non-stop, but I'm enjoying it. I really like the people I'm working with and I see a lot of potential in my company and what I'm doing. I still feel behind and like I'm playing "catch up," not to mention the fact that I walked into a bit of a mess (just as an example, items for employee files haven't been filed since last summer and are just piled up around the office), but I've only really been in the job for two weeks, so I think it's going okay. I survived processing my first payroll this week with no errors, at least not on my part, and for that I'm quite grateful!!

Grayson is loving the new school. I'm not sure he's learning too much, which upsets me a bit, but he's having a blast. At his old school, they had already gone through the entire alphabet and were working on learning numbers. In his new class, they haven't even started either. This week there's going to be a change and he is moving into a class with older children. I'm hoping this will make a difference. We'll see. Considering I didn't really get to do any research on a school, I'm quite happy with the place.

Change is Coming

This past week has brought a lot of changes. Back in December I decided I was ready to return to work full time. It took a lot of soul searching and discussion with family and friends, but it felt like the right thing to do. I started applying for jobs at that time and received a job offer last week. They asked me to start on Monday, so in just a few days I had to prepare myself for work and get Grayson ready for a new school.

Which is the other change...Grayson will be switching schools on Monday. I'm a little nervous, as much as I couldn't stand how often Grayson's school closed due to weather, I knew he was learning a lot with his teacher. I really do like the new school we chose, but it seems the class he's joining is a little behind compared to what Grayson has been studying. Plus, I think he's the oldest kid in the class. I know he's going to like all the activities and outside play, but this will also be the first time he's away from me all day long on a regular basis. Hopefully all will go well.

I took this picture to mark his last day with the old school. Here come the changes, we better get ready!!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Or should I say Dad. Yes, Grayson has decided we are no longer "Mommy" and "Daddy," but now just simply Mom and Dad. It's been a little strange to me. I know he's getting older, but for goodness sake, he's only three!! I didn't really expect he would jump away from the mommy-terminology so quickly. But I digress, this post is supposed to be about Dominic's birthday.
Dominic turned 35 on January 29th. Yep, he has moved into a new demographic. We hosted a birthday party with family for the Super Bowl. This was extra special thanks to the Steelers win - Dominic's favorite team. Poor Dominic was picked on all night by almost everyone since they were rooting against the Steelers just to bug him, but when most everyone left after half time (which was a startling performance by Bruce Springstein, I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it) and only a few remained, it got much better.

Grayson had a blast as well. He wore the Steelers jersey he got last year for Christmas with his football uniform and had fun playing with his cousins. He didn't learn quick enough to stay away from the TV during the game, but by the end of the night he had it figured out - "Dad does not want me near the television screaming and running around while his football team is playing." A good lesson to learn.

All in all, a good night!

Snow Day!!

Poor Grayson. He's never been allowed to play in the snow. It's not that I have issues with going outside when it's snowing. I actually really enjoy it, I find it peaceful. But, every year I haven't been able to justify purchasing new snow boots and snow clothes every year (and it would have been every year, he hasn't slowed down when it comes to getting bigger) on the chance that it may snow enough for him to go out and play. So far I've been right. We really hadn't gotten enough snow each year to justify the expense.

This year he was given a pair of snow pants for free. They are HUGE, which is good because he'll grow into them for years, but I could still make them fit. As for boots, I still haven't bought him a new pair, but he has a pair of water proof boots, so I could double up his socks to keep his feet warm.

And so it goes...he got all bundled up and was very excited. After he got dressed, I got myself ready. I then grabbed my camera for this momentous occasion. I go to take a picture of him all dressed and the battery died. Yes, my wonderful camera that gets amazing pictures was dead. Luckily, we still have our old digital camera, so I grabbed that one.

Grayson really did enjoy the snow. We weren't outside for very long - maybe 30 minutes - but he had a blast. I think the only reason he wanted to come inside was because his hands were cold and he wanted to drink the hot chocolate I had promised. He enjoyed that too. Overall it was a good experience and I think I'll invest in some snow boots for next year. I'll just get them extra-large so they can last a little while!!

Happy New Year!!

Happy 2009 everyone!! I hope it's a great year for you all. 2008 brought a lot for us - remodeling our home, Grayson started preschool, I started working from home with Learning is an Art, etc. I'm eager to see what the new year will bring.

We said goodbye to 2008 and hello to 2009 with another great party at my sister's house last night. It was the perfect way to cap off our year and this was the first time Grayson was a true "participant." He was up until after 1:00 AM because he insisted on not sleeping at her place. He actually slept in until after 9:30 this morning. That has never, ever happened.

Christmas this year was a ton of fun. Grayson really enjoyed himself and his gifts. This was the first year he really "got it." I don't think I ever realized how much work goes into creating the magic of Christmas, but it was worth it. I was completely exhausted by the end of the day - between going to church the night before and singing, to getting all the presents out on my own after Grayson went to bed (Dominic was working all night), then preparing all the food for the family, trying to entertain over 30 people, and then ending the day at my Aunt Dee Dee's house - I was beat!!
I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season and has a lot to look forward to in the coming year. Good luck with your new year's resolutions!!

He Did It!!

Last year Grayson wanted nothing to do with Santa Claus, this year was a completely different story. Grayson was on a mission. He wanted to see Santa so he could tell him what he wanted.

It was funny, a few weeks ago someone asked Grayson what he wanted Santa to bring him and to my surprise, he replied that he wanted a Mickey Mouse. I had no idea where this came from since we don't watch anything on the Disney Channel and the only thing we have at home with Mickey on it is "Once" and "Twice Upon a Christmas" which we had only watched maybe two times. But, every time he was asked after that, he responded that he wanted a Mickey Mouse.

When I found out Santa was going to be visiting my sister's store, I decided to take Grayson so he could tell him himself. And tell him he did. He walked right up there, sat down, and was serious about his Mickey Mouse. Thank goodness Santa found one on eToys about a week ago!!

Yep, He's Three!

Here we are. We've survived another year. Grayson turned three on November 17th. He celebrated with a family party on the 15th and then he had his friends over for a playdate on the 17th. Because Grayson loves puzzles, we decided to go with a puzzle theme for his party. There are absolutely NO puzzle-themed decorations anywhere on the planet. At least not on the web. So this meant that I made my own. I used the large pieces from some of Grayson's puzzles and cut out the shapes to make "Happy 3rd Birthday!!" and then I also cut out a bunch of smaller pieces and taped them to the wall. Overall, I think they worked out. As for his cake, it was also a puzzle. It was a half of a sheet cake cut into puzzle pieces. The cake itself was chocolate and just melted in your mouth. You can see more pictures here.

Grayson had a blast at both parties. He got a little wound up, but it was nothing unusual. At the playdate party, I invited Grayson's friends from his school in addition to the friends he's had since he was a baby. It was weird to mix groups, but everyone seemed to have a good time. Each child was given a blank puzzle to color. They could then take those home to play with. We also gave them each a regular puzzle as a thank you gift for coming.

Thanks to wonderful friends and family, we now have new toys to play with and it's terrific!!! I could tell Grayson had gotten incredibly bored with the toys we have and the new toys have made a huge difference. I can also tell I'm enjoying them more. Now that he's three, the toys are so much more fun and engaging!! Definitely beats shaking a rattle at him, like when he was a baby.

Now that he's three, I'm preparing myself for a rough year ahead. Most everyone has told me that three's are worse than two's, so we'll see. He most certainly is strong-willed and I know that's not going to change, so I'm sure the older he gets and the more independent he becomes, the more fights we're going to have. With that being said, I'm enjoying the toddler years as well. The things that come out of his mouth are often a riot. For example, the other day he scolded our dog Sookie by yelling, "Sookie Jordan Paul!" Just like when I use his full name to scold him. I couldn't stop laughing! So even though I'm sure I'll be facing quite a few challenges with this coming year, I'm sure I'll have even more great things to enjoy!Oh, and let me share a few stats with you from his doctor's appointment. He's doing really well and now weighs 37 pounds and is 39.5 inches tall. That's 90th percentile for both. He's going to be a big boy!!

The Most Candy, Ever!

I think I posted last year that I had never been trick-or-treating. Every year, I would hear "maybe next year." I still got to dress up every Halloween and go to parties and have a great time, I had just never experienced trick-or-treating until last year with Grayson.

Well, this year Grayson went to his cousin's school for "Trunk-or-Treat." I'm sure those of you with kids in preschool or other types of schools have heard of this. The parents come to the school, decorate their trunks, and the kids come to each car to get candy - like going from house to house, only from car to car.

I couldn't go with him because I had a show, but I saw the results. It has to be one of the biggest bags of candy I've ever seen. Grayson barely even gets candy, so this is pretty much enough to last him an entire year. BUT, we still have trunk-or-treat at his school on Thursday and then regular trick-or-treating next Friday. I'm starting to understand why we never went.

Getting Candy from Aunt Linda

For more pictures, click here.

How is it possible?

One would think that after Grayson started preschool, there would be TONS of time for me to regularly post on my blog. Alas, that has not been the case. The good news is that I've been working quite a bit as a consultant with Learning is an Art. Business is good and I'm still loving my job. I really can't ask for more. And really, that's what I do with my spare time. When I'm not a Mommy, I'm running my own business. I'm making phone calls, planning fundraisers, scheduling parties, going to events and expos, etc., etc. The bad news is that things like my blog, which was already receiving a minimal amount of my time, are getting even less of my time. I'm here posting today as I'm multi-tasking. Grayson is in the bathtub playing and I'm sitting next to him blogging. Normally I'm doing some kind of work during this time, but after receiving an email from a friend of mine in Tennessee today who said she tries to read my blog every now and then, I was reminded of how long it had been since I posted. So here I am.

As for Grayson updates, a lot has happened. He adores school. He would go every day if he were able. He's really growing leaps and bounds when it comes to what he can comprehend. He's even starting to recognize words, as in reading them. I'm sure this has some to do with school, but I also think it has to do with the games we play at home (yes, that's a major plug for my products, I'm amazed at how much they have helped Grayson these last few months).

He has become increasingly independent. I love it and hate it. Unfortunately, the independence has also caused an increase in arguing. He'll argue just for the sake of arguing. If you tell him there are clouds in the sky, he'll disagree and tell you otherwise as he's staring right at them. It's very frustrating, but I keep telling myself it will serve him well in adulthood.

He is showing an amazing desire to put things together. He's never been interested in trains, but we received a hand-me-down train set from my nephew and Grayson just likes to put the train tracks together to see how many different combinations he can come up with. He also loves to put puzzles together having graduated to the much more difficult ones and he does them with very little help from me.

We had another trip to the Urgent Care Center in September. When Grayson was fishing with his cousins, he got a fish hook in his finger. He handled the trip like a real trooper, but we were also prepared for him. As the PA removed the hook, there were four of us working together to keep him still. Overall, though, he really didn't fight it that much and he barely cried. He's a tough boy.

There are calm moments, like when we read on the front porch or when I'm pushing him on his swing, which is one of his favorite things to do. One day when we came home from school, I saw some mushrooms growing in the front yard. We went outside to look at them and Grayson was very accomodating as I took pictures of him (a rarity). This was also one of our peaceful moments and I'll leave you with that thought and a picture from the day. Until next time...

A Draining Week

Last week was draining, to say the least. There were so many things going on and so little time to do them between parties, playdates, preschool, and work. Also, the week was made especially difficult because of Grayson's decision to not take naps.

The week started with a great birthday party!! Our nephew, Paul, had his fourth birthday party on a pirate ship in Annapolis. Dominic and I took Grayson and our nephew, Brooks, down with us, and our other nephews, Tevyn and Trevor, came as well with Willie and Karena. I had hoped Grayson would sleep on the car ride down, but that didn't happen. He was too excited to have Brooks in the car with him, so he stayed awake the whole time. He was still good on the ship, but he didn't participate in any of the activities. Brooks, Tevyn, and Paul had a blast and it was so much fun to watch! I highly recommend this as an outing if your children are at all interested in pirates. The crew really kept the kids entertained and you get to sit back and watch. I had so much fun watching the kids I barely noticed the Annapolis harbor!! You can click here to see more pictures.

The rest of the week was a nightmare of a schedule thanks to the starting of preschool. Grayson did very well. Of course he didn't like me leaving him there, but overall he handled it well. Unfortunately, he got himself so worked up in the afternoon that he wouldn't take naps. This went on until Thursday!! I was so beaten down by the end of the week I really didn't know what I was going to do. Some people have said that he may be growing out of naps, but I don't think that is the case at all. Unfortunately, when he doesn't get some down time in the afternoon (even if it's just quiet time in his room for an hour), he gets wilder and wilder as the day progresses. This results in extreme temper tantrums, bad behavior, and non-stop energy. All a bad combination for a two-and-a-half year old. Luckily on Friday, we stayed home for the day and I was able to get him to sleep that afternoon.

Dominic was off both Saturday and Sunday this weekend which really helped. For the first time in ages, I actually "did nothing" on Sunday afternoon. I felt terribly guilty about it - I should have been making phone calls for work, cleaning, doing laundry, something - but I tried to allow myself to enjoy it. I watched a movie and enjoyed the peace and quiet. It was refreshing and a great way to get myself ready for the week. I'm now ready to tackle the week and make it a great success!! I even survived shoe shopping for Grayson yesterday at the outlets. We even walked away with a great pair of shoes. Ahh, success already.

Countdown to Pre-School

That's right! In less than two weeks, Grayson will be heading off to pre-school at Small Scholars. Many months ago I wrote about the research that went behind choosing a school for Grayson. Because of his late birthday, I had to find a school that had a program for two-year-olds. I also wanted a school that was somewhat nearby (a difficult task given where we live) and a place that taught Spanish to help us continue to embrace Grayson's heritage on his birth mother's side. Small Scholars fit the bill.

Last week our packet came in the mail. I was really excited about it, but also a bit apprehensive. I really wanted Grayson to go to school, but for the first time on a regular basis, someone else will be taking care of him and teaching him. I'm over it now and can't wait for the first day!!

Grayson can't wait either. Ever since Bible School, Grayson has asked to go back so I told him that instead of Bible School, he'll be going to pre-school. We even created a count down chart to help with the wait.

One of the forms included in Grayson's enrollment packet asks for his likes and dislikes. I thought this would be a good opportunity to share that here as well. A way of earmarking this part of his life, so here goes.

Likes

• He loves to ride his bike - we have been working on pedaling for months and he finally started this past weekend, of course while I was at my Learning is an Art convention, but it was still exciting to see when I got home. Now there's no stopping him.
• He enjoys playing outside, especially in the dirt, which we still have plenty of thanks to our construction.
• He can't get enough music. He loves to drum, sing, and dance. He's also a little interested in playing the guitar, but I don't think it's loud enough for him.
• He adores eating. This hasn't changed since he was a baby and I'm very proud of him because he'll usually try new things at least once.
• He loves to play games and be crafty - this is very helpful given my business.
• He loves his family, he can't get enough of his Meemaw, D-Daddy, Aunt Linda, Britnee and his dogs and they love him.

Dislikes

• He's not a big fan of sleeping. He finally takes naps and he sleeps very well, but if it were up to him, he would run around all day and night.
• He hates it when I'm on the phone. This means he's not getting any attention and he's sure to let us all know that. This is not so helpful, given my business.
• He doesn't like to be quiet or sit still. The louder, the better, and the more action, the happier he is.
• He doesn't like to have his picture taken. Thank goodness for the Nikon D50.

It Just Doesn't Get Much Better

This was an incredible week for both Grayson and me. He was able to go to Vacation Bible School for the first time and he LOVED it. He wasn't quite old enough, the children are supposed to be three, but because the teacher of the pre-school class knew him and her son loves Grayson, she said it would be okay for him to come. I can't even explain how excited he was each day that he came home and how he looked forward to going the next morning. He really enjoyed it and I'm so grateful.

The last day of Bible School, the Church set up water slides and pools for the kids. This was so much fun to watch. At first Grayson was hesitant because the water was cool, but after realizing it was almost 100 degrees outside and the water actually felt pretty good, he jumped right in. Literally.

For more pictures of his last day, click here.

Friday night, Grayson went to a local carnival with his cousins, Tevyn and Trevor. As you know, Grayson loves the rides so I knew this would be a good time. He did have a blast on the kid rides, but we also rode along with them on the Tilt-A-Whirl and the Scrambler and they couldn't have been happier. Before we left, we allowed the boys to throw balls at the fish game. Grayson actually got one of his balls in a fish bowl and won a fish! Willie (Tevyn and Trevor's dad), then got two in, so each boy won a fish. We brought them to my house and put them in the pond. We'll see how they do! I'm surprised Grayson hasn't already asked to go down to see them. (FYI, it's a real pond, not a little garden pond.)

And as for me, it was an amazing week! Since Grayson was at Bible School each morning, I was able to use that free time to focus on Learning is an Art and it really paid off. My business is doing great and I'm even more excited about it. I can't wait to see watch the future holds!!

The Sweetest Place on Earth

Last Friday Grayson went to Hershey Park for the first time with two of his friends. I thought he would love it because he loves to ride the rides at the carnival. When we got there, he didn't want to get out of his stroller, didn't want to get on any of the rides, and was generally being contrary. He asked to eat (surprise, surprise) so I got him a grilled cheese sandwich and he sat in his stroller while his two friends rode the rides. As soon as he was finished eating it was like a light switch was flipped. He decided it was time to have some fun and boy, did he!! We even got on a bit of a thrill ride, the thing spun in different directions and went very fast. He wasn't able to get on it by himself, so I rode it with him. I had no idea how he was going to react but he LOVED it. I was then afraid he wouldn't get back on any of the "kiddie" rides, but he did. We were there until after four and he had a blast. It was definitely worth the trip.

As for another update, he is fully potty trained during the day now. I can't even remember the last day he had an accident. This is a really great feeling. I'm not sure when we'll start working on the night time. The poor kid still has to have his diaper changed in the middle of the night so that it won't leak by the morning, so I have a feeling that night time potty training is going to take a while.

I'm also doing really well. I'm thoroughly enjoying my new business. It's nice to get out of the house and I also feel very good about what I'm doing. I had no idea what it felt like to love your job. I can actually say that now and mean it!! Speaking of which, this month we are running a special. For every Safety Brainiac sold, we are donating $5 to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This charity is obviously one that is very near and dear to my heart and if you have any children in your life, this game is an excellent one to add to their collections. It's a great way for them to learn about safety issues while having a fun time. Now, get to ordering!!

A Lot of Catching Up!!

To say these last few weeks have been crazy and hectic is an understatement. We have moved into the newly remodeled house and have been unpacking and trying to decorate. All while an occasional worker still needs to have access to finish something (like painting or today, replace our shower door for the third time). Since the house isn't completely finished we still haven't been able to convert our construction loan to a true mortgage and this is causing me a lot of stress. I hate this feeling of limbo. Hopefully that will happen soon, but really, how long does it take to replace two cabinet doors??? I mean, come on!! It's been like two months!

Grayson has been loving the new house. Lots and lots of room to run around. He also absolutely adores his dinosaur bedroom. We have had no problems with him sleeping in his "big boy bed." He is getting up a little earlier nowadays and this is causing a very grouchy toddler to emerge at about 11:00 AM, but we're surviving.

As for me, I got to spend four glorious days with my high school friends in New York City. I also got to see one of my best friends from college while there. It was a very nice, relaxing weekend and a much needed break.

This gets me ready for a very busy week. In May I started my own business with Learning is an Art. I have mentioned before that I was doing a lot of research to find something I could do that would get me out of the house while also bringing in some income. That's when I found LiA. We sell educational games and toys for kids, teens, and adults and 100% of our profits are donated to charity. For the first time I actually love my job. In the past I have loved the people I worked with or the company I worked for, but I never actually enjoyed what I did. I love the products, I love going to the parties, and I love that we actually give back to the community. This week I have three parties booked, so I'm going to be a little busy. Wish me luck!!

And Now For Some Good News!!

I can't believe I'm posting this. After five months of living in our basement, we have finally come from the underground to live in our newly remodeled home!!! I feel like I am seeing the sun for the first time. I have a lot of other stuff to talk about - Mother's Day, Memorial Day, moving (in general) - with a bunch of pictures, but today is going to be very busy and I need to get started. We've been "living" in the upstairs since Friday night (which, BTW, Grayson did an EXCELLENT job in his new big boy bed), but we really haven't moved, and that's what we plan to do today. So, off I go, but before I do, here's a picture of Grayson "helping" one of the workers in the house. They are putting up the new railing around the basement steps. Grayson has really enjoyed having all the workers here.

Sloooooow Progress

Well, we were supposed to be in our new house by the end of April, but that didn't happen. Now I'm wondering if we'll be in it by the end of this month. The subcontractors just don't seem to want to show up, when people do show up to do the work, they often mess it up, and then when the reliable people come to work, the supplies they're give are wrong. I can't even count on both hands the number of errors our supplier has made. They range from building the roof trusses wrong to ordering roping for our kitchen cabinets that I specifically requested not be ordered to putting the wrong color hinges on ALL the doors. Those are just a few that pop into my mind. I actually don't walk through the house that much right now because all I can see and think about are the things that are wrong or messed up. And then there's the stuff that's simply not complete - like our hardwood floors. So going through the house puts me in a rather bad mood. I know it will be all worth it in the end, but living in the basement is starting to take its toll on all of us. I have uploaded new pictures that show some of the progress, just click on the picture of the house below to view them.
In some good progress news, Grayson and Dominic planted grass seed on part of the yard the other day. Grayson had a blast riding on the mower with his Daddy and I had fun watching them. (I hate yard work so watching them suits me just fine.) We also bought a new play yard for Grayson this week. I've been researching them for over a year and finally found a great deal. We're now waiting for it to be delivered. I can't wait to see how excited he gets when he sees he's going to have a swingset in his yard!!

Whatta Week!!

And it's only Tuesday. On Sunday, Dominic, Grayson, me, and a few of Grayson's friends went to Baby Loves Disco at Ram's Head Live in Baltimore. We had a great time and it was a wonderful way to start out the week. If you've never gone, it's a lot of fun. They close down the bar for parents and their kids and they get to dance the day away. Grayson was a little hesitant at first, but once he warmed up to the idea, he had a blast. We definitely plan to go again.
Then things started to go a little downhill. On Monday, I was scheduled to have minor surgery. The surgery went very well, but the after effects of the anethesia and pain killers were awful. They couldn't get my blood pressure up high enough, so I was stuck in the hospital for three hours after the surgery (it was only supposed to an hour max). Then, once I got home - and the car ride was terrible - I was sick all day and the pain killers barely worked. I had never really had this kind of reaction, so it was a little frustrating for me. Thank you to Dominic for taking care of me all day, and for handling Grayson and the household chores! Luckily today I feel better, just very tired. But...

This morning we had another problem. Grayson is a pretty rough and tumble kid and he's had his share of falls. Well, this morning he ran into a table corner and cut the area above his eye. I was hoping it wasn't too serious, but when I had my sister take a look, we decided he should probably get stitches. We went to the Urgent Care Center in Charles Town and didn't have to wait at all. The staff was wonderful, but the experience was terrible. It was only three stitches, but that was enough for me. I felt so bad for the poor guy, but he survived and I have a feeling this won't be the last set of stitches he'll get in his life.

Tough Guy

Just a Moment

I very rarely "just post" on my blog. Since the title is "All About Grayson" I try to stay focused on the subject - my son. Also, I simply do not have to time to log in and share thoughts or feelings randomly. But at this moment, this very peaceful, quiet, calm moment, I have some time.

Grayson and Dominic are travelling to the firehouse so Dominic can say goodbye to a co-worker who's last shift is today. My house is silent. It's strange. But I thought I would take advantage of it.

A lot is going on right now. We are about to move into our newly remodeled home. I'm excited, anxious, nervous, etc. I wish it were over and done with. I'm tired of living in the basement without any windows or a "real" bedroom. I'm tired of waiting for a worker to get something done so the next worker can come in and do his job. I'm tired of the mud that surrounds my house. I'm just...tired. I can't wait to sleep in my bed (we're on a futon right now), cook in my kitchen, work in my home office - I can't wait for all of it!!

I'm also looking into some new business opportunities. I'm trying to find a good match for me and the family. I don't want to return to work full time and I definitely don't want to go back to Human Resources or Corporate Training, but I want to find something that gets me out of the house every now and then and also will allow me to use my brain. I'm hoping my friends and family will support me in whatever I choose. I had thought I found a great opportunity last fall, but that didn't work out, so I'm hoping my research works this time. I have already spoken with the founder of the company and it sounds absolutely amazing, so as soon as I'm ready, I think I'll jump in. We'll see, and I'm sure I'll post more about it soon.

In addition, we've decided to get ready for our next adoption. We're in the middle of our homestudy process right now. I'm mentally prepared for another child, but I'm also rather nervous. Grayson and I have a pretty good routine going and a newborn is going to change all of that. That's scary, but I guess everyone goes through that when they plan to add another child to the family.

So there you have it - a few updates and a few feelings. I'm going to use the rest of my quiet moment to relax on the couch and enjoy the peace. "Talk" to you later!

Jump, Baby, Jump!!!

If you have a child who loves to climb, jump on the furniture, and has tons of energy, then buy them a bounce house! I have been debating the purchase of one of these for months. I was going to buy him one for his birthday, then Christmas, then just because we were stuck in the basement during the winter and he had nothing to do with himself, but I was afraid he wouldn't use it and it wouldn't justify the cost. I finally broke down this week because I couldn't stand it anymore, so I bought one on eBay. And he loves it!!! He's been jumping on it for the past two and a half hours and still doesn't seem to be slowing down. I have a feeling this is going to be one of my favorite purchases for a while.

Hellooooo, Toddler Bed!!

There really has been a lot going on lately - Grayson's first trip to the circus (which he really enjoyed), Easter, another egg hunt, house construction, paperwork for our next adoption, etc. - so I apologize for not posting much, but last night was a big deal for Grayson so I had to stop by and give an update.

Grayson started climbing out of his crib this past weekend. No matter how much I told him not to do it, he continued playing on the crib like a jungle gym. When the house is finished, we plan to transition him to a "big boy bed." The bed was actually my nephew's when he was little and it's a loft bed with a desk and dresser underneath. It will be perfect for Grayson but way too big to bring into the house right now. Also, since we plan to move into the addition very, very soon, it makes no sense to buy a net for over the bed or to buy a toddler bed.

Earlier in the week, I started taking off the front piece of his crib so he no longer would have to climb over it and he loved it during the day when he's playing in his room, but refused to sleep in it that way. Well, last night I had had it. I just knew that if he continued to climb in and out of the crib that he was going to fall and break an arm, or worse. I decided to take it off and it was going to stay off. He put up a big fight when it was bed time, but finally fell asleep and then only woke up once in the middle of the night and came out of his room. He did really, really well!! One more milestone to check off the list.