What the 18 Month Sleep Regression Really Does to Babies...

Well, Folks! We're somewhere around Day 10 of what's known as the 18-month-sleep regression. If you're not familiar with this phenomena, don't feel bad. I wasn't either until 10 days ago. Now I know it simply means the baby sleeps neither by day nor by night. Moms and Dads, you weren't thinking about sleeping either, were you? I know what the regression has done to me. Now we see the footage of what it's really doing to Grant.

Grant's First Steps

At just a few days shy of 16 months, Grant is WALKING! Must be copying Big Brother. Archie walked at 15 months, too.

Piano Recital 2015

Grace played in her very first piano recital last Saturday. She played the "Doxology" and it sounded great! She wasn't a bit scared either.

Archie played in his second recital. He played his first duet with his friend, Lucy. They did a great job on "Holy, Holy, Holy," too.

Myrtle Beach 2015: Grant's First Beach Trip

Grant LOVES the beach! When we first went out this morning, there was a long two-inch puddle by a sand bar. He loved it! Later, when the tide came in and the water was deeper, he still loved it! I think I'll have an early swimmer!

Grace loves it, too - especially digging holes. She also loves the mini lazy river at our hotel.

If you're wondering why Archie isn't in our family picture, he's at his first sleep-away camp in North Carolina. He started having fun as soon as we arrived, and we anticipate that continuing all week. Here he is at the putt-putt course. He has a buddy from Maryland with him.

It's a Hard Knock Life!

Archie and Grace have been enjoying ice skating lessons. (Archie's only taken seven; Grace had a few more.) They did super in their first recital. My favorite part is when they skate together in the middle.

Smash the Cake, Grant!

Thanks to our many friends and family who came out to share this special moment with us!

I posted the short version of the video. He actually spent about five minutes picking each candy confetti piece off the cake, examining it, and putting it aside. Then, he sampled icing off a fork for several minutes. Finally, he went hog wild with the cake smashing. Go, Grant!

Grant's Funniest Home Videos: Christmas Edition

We celebrated Christmas early with my parents since this is our year to spend Christmas at Hunt's. Grant loved opening his first Christmas present ever. He was a little distracted by his favorite giraffe, though.

This dancing tree has been in the family since Hunt was a boy. Grant is doing his best to jam with it. I think it could make America's Funniest Home Videos!

Merry Christmas to all!!! Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Brilliance in Flight

Hats off to my brilliant hubby who finally got his quadcopter flying. Little did Hunt know when he signed up for a personal enrichment master's level course in August that every waking non-work moment (weekends, evenings, even Thanksgiving break) would be devoted to getting his little baby in the air. Tomorrow night is the final class and the school is sending a camera crew to film the flights. I told him this project was kind of like having a baby. Months of suffering (for both of us) but it was worth it all when the little darling took off. I would even be up for him building another one with Archie (BUT NO MORE FORMAL COURSES WITH DEADLINES EVER)!

 

P.S. I designed the Styrofoam shoes the copter is wearing. We knew it would crash before it flew, and it would break without a cushion. It saved us several times tonight. Not often I come up with an engineering innovation, but I'll give my self credit where credit is due ;)

Grant goes for the Good Stuff

Even at the tender, young age of six months, Grant has a discriminating palette. One glimpse of that Halloween candy and he knew he had to have some! Sorry, Boy. Maybe next year. Glad you could enjoy the pretty, shiny paper for this year, though.

Scooting and Sitting

At six months, Grant is doing great pushing sort of up onto all fours and scooting backwards. He can also sit unassisted for short periods of time (with someone's hand behind to catch him if he falls).

Talent

Archie has always loved to stand on his head. He can do it now for over 1 minute!!! Gymnastics are in his future, I think.

Grace really mastered "snowboarding" sled style this winter. I was proud of her for holding a standing position so long.

Happy 2014

This was the kids' first time ice skating, and they had a blast! Archie finally got it shortly before our time expired. They are both begging to return. I think Grace has visions of being a champion figure skater! She kept asked me how she could get in the Olympics :)

A Need for Speed...

What can you do in 1 min. 9 sec.?

Enough time to throw a load of laundry in the wash? Run upstairs to grab something and be so distracted by a screaming kid you forget what you were going to grab and head back down? For Archie, it is now enough time to swim a length (25 meters) of the pool. This is his first year on swim team, and he is loving it. We worked hard in the indoor pool for about two weeks to get him ready for the K.C. Waves time trials.

Archie is getting quite brave in the water. This is the first day he jumped off the diving board.

Archie's Gymnastics Party

Archie loves gymnastics. He stands on his head half the day while at our house (feet propped against something) and is constantly rolling around. He had a blast this summer at gymnastics camp so Virginia Techniques gymnastics was the only logical place for his birthday party. While we were in Blacksburg last week for Hunter's defense, he got to have a birthday party with all his friends. I think gymnastics lessons might be in his future. Here are some videos:

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Coasting on the Flat Lands!

One really great thing about Chesapeake is how FLAT it is! That makes biking easy and fun. Grace loves her new Dora bike. Archie got his first 16 inch bike and is now riding it without training wheels. Archie wasn't exactly thrilled with the prospect of learning to ride it the "hard"way, but I think it was worth the effort.

Swim Like a Fish!

I am SO happy for Archie and Grace. They are both going underwater now. Archie is even swimming with his face in. Way to go!!!

Singing the New Testament

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, First Peter, Second Peter, First John, Second John, Third John, Jude and Revelation!

CHINABRATION 2012

Chinabration. Such a funny word yet such FUN! This was Archie's second year performing with the Blacksburg Chinese school at the Virginia Tech annual Chinese American Student Association event. Last year, they had a Kung Fu Panda theme. This year, they did somewhat of a spoof on a classic Chinese legend. The kids work really hard on their dance for weeks before the performance. They danced to a song called "Celebrate." I really liked the lyrics to the chorus. I'll write my translation at the bottom.

Here's what the hard work produced:

Grace before the show:

Celebrate!

Every dream receives a blessing

Every tear becomes a treasure

Every light is a candle of promise

Every day is worth CELEBRATING!

Flashback to Winter: Grace and the Giant Hill

I forgot I made this video but when I ran across it thought it was too cute not to post!