19 Weeks

Wednesday, November 11

19 Weeks

At 19 weeks Grant...

--HAS A TOOTH! I was totally freaked out yesterday when I found it...I was totally NOT expecting it...he has shown no signs of teething (besides drooling & chewing which he has been doing for months now). We were just at the doc...he said most kids get them at the same age as their siblings...both Seth & Kate were at 6 months. Plus the doc didn't tell me one was on the verge of popping through! Grant certainly hasn't been grumpy. I know my photo skills are rough...but you CAN see it...looking at his mouth, it's the lower right...you can see a tiny white line!

--is busted out of all 3-6 month clothes and 6-9 month onesies are getting tight!
--can roll over...but gets mad once he is over
--still has 0 interest in pushing up while on his tummy
--has this new habit of grabbing onto a ring on his carseat...and won't let go!

--adores his big brother...watches him like a hawk Grant will instantly stop crying when Seth is around. Plus...during bedtime stories...Grant watches Seth, not the book

--can sit with very minimal support...it won't be long (the top picture...I am just balancing him while holding onto his hand)

--is my little STUD MUFFIN!

How I spent my Saturday

Yep...that's almost 36 dozen (individually wrapped) cookies. And...I still have 18 more dozen to go! Obviously, I have a HUGE order due for my basket/gift business. The day has gone pretty well..considering I was caring for an infant too! I can't even count how many times I washed my hands today!

Andy and Seth went to Grandmas to cut wood and work in the yard. Seth stayed over night...and Andy was a huge help w/ Grant tonight!

My back hurts...gonna grab a shower, hit the sack and surely dream of butter & eggs!

18 Weeks

Wednesday, November 4

18 weeks...just over 4 months

--had his 4 month check-up: weighed in at 16 lbs (75%) & 27 3/4 in (above 95%) We've got a LONG boy! He grew 2.5 pounds & 1.5 inches in the past 2 months!
--got a GREAT, healthy report from the doctor
--got 2 shots & a oral vaccinne...which meant for a grumpy baby who only wanted to be held today
--is finding his voice....or screams at us whenever he isn't getting enough attention

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

--went trick or treating twice...wore him out and he slept through most of both of them

--spent another day at a campground..trick or treating at Chain O Lakes
--played with his cousin, Nia (no crying and frowns this time)


--is getting stronger everyday...especially in the sitting position
--ADORES his big brother...watches EVERY move he makes
--found my face...loves to grab at it
--still has no consistent napping schedule
--has found just his fingers...and sucks on those often
--has a bald spot on the back of his head
--is an AWESOME little guy who brings me so much joy!

3 days later...

and we still dump out our candy several times a day...sort it into various piles...and I guess just take inventory! 2 pieces a day....I think we're set for a year!

Halloween...State Park Style

What a fun day we had on Saturday.

My parents and several of their friends went camping at Chain O' Lakes State Park over the weekend. Seth was going to go up on Friday...but since it was cold and rained ALL DAY...he stayed home and all 4 of us went up on Saturday. My brother and his family were REALLY brave and set up tents on Saturday. So...the my whole family was up there.

It was a whole Halloween FESTIVAL up there... all kinds of festivities...hay rides, pumpkin decorating, costume parades and contests, ghost walks...AND...trick or treating. It was so fun...walking through all the campsites...trick or treating. It was such a fun atmosphere...and many of the sites went all out and decorated to the hilt. It was only an hour...but since the sites are so close...Seth came home with more candy than ever!

We were quite impressed and with all my parent's friends, their grandkids, plus the cousins...Seth had plenty of friends to play with. Plus...some friends brought pumpkins and we carved pumpkins on site. Andy, Grant and I chickened out and came home Saturday evening, since there wasn't room in the camper for all the kids plus us (and we were too much of whimps to tent it) Seth got to stay and continued to have a wonderful time.

It was a fun way to spend a chilly, but sunny Halloween. Can't wait for next year!

Happy Halloween

Can't wait to show more pics and tell you all stories of our great Halloween...but that'll have to wait till tomorrow...off to bed...so excited for an extra hour of sleep!

10,000

Can you believe it? This month, Kate's Kart will have passed out it's 10,000 book. With 10 hospitals, we aren't sure exactly when or where it happened...but it did! Totally amazing. We thought we might celebrate a little...it's worthy of celebrating I think.

So...we checked w/ the child-life specialist at Lutheran and asked her for a patient who she knew would be there. Together, we chose Austin...a 10 year old oncology patient, going through his 3rd round of chemo. We found out his interests and put the plan in motion.

So..last Monday, some volunteers and I go find Austin...take him some balloons and the complete set of Captain Underpants series (all 10 of them)...including a blow-up Captain Underpants himself! Austin was thrilled...the look on his face was priceless.



I could honestly say...that experience totally solidified why we do Kate's Kart...it made the countless hours I put into Kate's Kart each week work SO WORTH WHILE. I know for a few moments...Austin forgot what was going on...and found joy in a cartoon hero who only wears a cape & his underwear.

So...totally cool story in itself...right! Wait...it gets so much better. I'm talking with Austin...he mentions that his mom read Kate's mom's blog! Okay, I'm confused...I'm Kate's Mom...I don't' know Austin. We talk some more...find out where he is from...things start clicking! His mom is friends with one of my dearest friends, Deanna and through that connection, Austin's mom, Angie, began following my blog and praying for Kate during her hospital journey 2 years ago. Deanna...tells me about Austin a while ago via her blog and I have been praying for an Austin I never met and his journey w/ cancer. (are you following me?) And now...here we are...celebrating our commemorative 10,000 book...and Austin is the kid randomly chosen.

What's so cool...with God, this was not random. I totally believe God in his amazing way of dealing with the small details of life orchestrated this whole thing. Isn't it cool how God has a way of bringing His people together. I LOVE IT!



Plus...the newspaper is doing an article on Kate's Kart and it's success over the past year and so we even had a photographer there. I will cherish these pics...always. You can see the link to the article HERE!


Oh yeah...and after our completely amazing book drive through Borders...we are now the chosen recipients of the Barnes & Noble Christmas Charity Project! Both stores in Ft. Wayne will be collecting books for us from Nov. 1 through January 1. Plus...we have another exciting project in the works...I'm telling you...we are so blessed!

We're in the paper

Click HERE to see a link to the latest publicity Kate's Kate is getting. I haven't even seen it in print yet...but they already have it online. I'm guessing it will be in today's paper.

It's a great article and sums up Kate's Kart really well in such a short amount of space...I'm particularly excited about the pic of Austin getting a book (not of me...but at least of the experience)....more on that story to come!

Kate's Kart is blessed....thanks to all of you!

Zoo Halloween

My Nascar driver and little piggy!

My mom won free tickets to the Zoo Halloween on the radio...they were busy this week and couldn't go...so gave them to us! YEAH! It's another crazy week in the Layman house, so even though it was raining on Tuesday night...we loaded up the kids and umbrellas and headed to the zoo...only to find that they closed early! Something about the volunteers leaving early. I know it was raining...but not really THAT hard...just a drizzle. We were VERY disappointed.

Well...we had no other night to go as a family...so daddy so graciously called his mom and she drove up for the day. She was my hero today! I had so much to do w/ Kate's Kart...she came up early and watched the kids while I got some work done! YEAH...for Grandma!

So..we get there to find a HUGE line..everyone else in Ft. Wayne wanted to come out on such a nice evening. We waited in line for over 30 minutes...only to find out that with our free passes, we could go right in! Oops! Oh well, It was a beautiful night to stand in line...plus, it's fun to see all the kids in costume, right?

We had a blast...seeing all the decorated pumpkins...getting candy...doing mazes. The only thing missing...daddy! And the poor guy was stuck at school doing parent/teacher conferences! We love you and missed you daddy!

Grandma and Seth w/ Bob & Larry


Grandma and her 2 boys!

Broomhilda, the friendly witch
My two little cutie-patooties!

This trick or treating is HARD work! He was zonked for the last 1/2

Thanks Nana & Oompa for the tickets...thanks Grandma for going with us! We are truly blessed with great parents for us and grandparents for our boys

17 Weeks

Wednesday, October 28

17 Weeks

At 17 weeks Grant...

...rubs his eyes when he is tired...so cute

...went on his first camping trip

(that's him in his carseat...just waiting for us to get ready to leave)

...slept in a pack n play for the first time (didn't sleep well...woke up several times each night)

...sat by the campfire

...doesn't really care for his tummy...has NO interest in lifting his head, he just sucks his fingers

...loves watching his brother do ANYTHING
...went to see Where the Wild Thing Are...and actually stayed awake for the whole thing. He was quite startled at the loud digital sound announcement at the beginning
...turns his music player/mobile on and off during the night w/ his feet
...can take his paci out of his mouth AND put it back in....sometimes!
...makes mommy smile EVERYDAY!