Grant is 15 months!

 Grant turned 15 months old on January 29. He had his check up and weighs 19.15 pounds (5th percentile) and is 31 inches tall (above 50th percentile). He is finally getting another tooth--his top right tooth--making the total tooth count a whopping 3! Even though he so small weight wise, he loves to eat! He is constantly signing "milk" which he uses interchangeably as milk or eat. He will also occasionally sign "more" and "all done" (but mostly when he's done eating he just starts throwing his food on the floor) After he's done with meal, he'll come over to where Blake and I are eating and beg for food off our plates. And since he's the baby and he's totally spoiled, we usually give in and just feed him from our plates. He went through a horrible sleeping pattern in January where he'd wake up randomly during the night screaming his head off. I'd go in, thinking something was wrong or he was sick, and he'd just be so mad! He'd push away from me if I tried to hold him. If I tried to give him his binky or a drink he'd throw it on the floor. It got to the point where I just started to ignore him (the best I could amid the screaming) because going in and trying to help him didn't do any good. He's finally come out of it--thank goodness! And is sleeping through the night once again. He's a super napper too and will wait patiently in his bed for me to come get him when nap time is over. He's so friendly and loves to play peek a boo with us and with any stranger he sees around town.

Grant is also a climber. We have to be careful to push in the kitchen chairs or he'll get on the table. And sometimes even if they're pushed in, that doesn't stop him from trying anyway!

 

 Grant's big accomplishment earlier in the month was walking! He's taken about 5 or 6 unassisted steps, but since then he's shown almost no interest in walking anymore. I'm sure he'll warm up to it soon. At his check up, the doctor suggested we encourage him to walk. I nodded in agreement, but in my mind I was like "I'm okay if isn't walking right now" Besides the fact that I'm afraid what mischief he'll get in with two free hands, I want him to stay my baby just a little while longer.

Like I said, Grant is our super eater. He loves when we make pop-corn.

 He also loves his books. Especially the touchy-feely ones or lift the flap. When I show him a regular book, he always tries to touch the pages like there should be texture or a flap and then when there's not, throws it on the floor.

 More walking practice

 Love this boy of mine and he loves his baths! In the tub Grant plays with little plastic ball. He tries to get the ball into the drain hole and doesn't understand why the ball just floats to the top when he lets it go. He keeps trying and trying.

 And finally, Grant observes his brother and sister playing outside while he's stuck in the house. He loves to lick the glass while he watches.

 Grant totally rocks his baby mullet.

Oh baby boy, you are at such a fun stage right now. I can just see the way your eyes light up when you discover something new. You love going down the slide, wrestling with daddy, and rolling or throwing the ball back and forth. You are very curious and I never know what you're getting into next!

How We Did January

 January is usually the never ending month for me. But this year it has actually gone by relatively quickly. I made a goal around Thanksgiving that I wasn't going to fall into my usual unhealthy habits through the holidays so we bought a family pass to our local rec center. It's been a heaven sent! They offer child care so I can drop the boys off (Brooke is at school) and go work out. Then, twice a week they offer an "indoor playground" with bounce houses, tricycles and other indoor fun things for kids to do in their gymnasium. Porter and Grant both love it! We also take advantage of their "toddler time" swim sessions that happen while older kids are at school. The pool water is warm and we usually have it mostly to ourselves. It's been a great way to get out of the house in the winter time.

And speaking of water, I was busy doing some cleaning around the house and noticed that it seemed awfully quiet. I found these two giving their feet a bath.

 I'm grateful that, for the most part, they get along and play well together.

Brooke seems to have grown up so much lately. She's learning to read so well and is starting to grasp and understand deeper concepts at church. She is enjoying school and loves her teacher and friends there. One thing I think school has taught her is how to play in the snow. She'll come home from school asking to go back out again to play in the yard. And she'll stay out there for hours! She and I still have our power struggles so I've had to really back off and choose my battles. One battle I've stopped fighting is telling her she needs to wear her coat when it's cold. If she tells me she's fine, I just shrug and let her go out. I figure she'll learn soon enough she needs to wear her coat to stay warm. Not wearing one definitely didn't bother her on this day.

 Blake had a weekend off from work and the sun was shining so we spent the day at his parent's house sledding in their field. Porter liked being pulled by the four-wheeler but he really wanted to just ride on the four wheeler with Pinch.

 They drove and pulled Blake.

 Then it was Brooke's turn to go for a ride.

 Porter and Honey

 So this house in town build a giant snowman. We stopped by to see and the kids loved it. Porter talked about for days afterward.

 Some brotherly bath time togetherness

 I love Grant's expression. He does not like being hugged by his siblings.

 I ordered some things from amazon that arrived in a giant box. The kids love boxes and were so excited to play with this one. They colored in it, pretended it was a boat and a rocket ship. Brooke used it to play a game with Grant and it entertained them all day long.

 I had to grab the camera to capture this sweet moment between Grant and Brooke on the stairs.

 More playing in the snow. Brooke told me, "Mom, I'm making an igloo, and look I'm almost done!"

 Porter and I get to spend some one on one time together each day while Grant is napping. This may sound awful, but I'm still trying to figure this out. When Brooke was this age I was working full time so having Porter around all.the.time is kind of weird and sometimes we're both just doing our own thing and I realize that we should probably have some quality time together. Porter got a superhero matching game for Christmas and we like to play together.

And it's a wrap January! See you next year ;)