Months 2-3

First off-- I wanted to say that Jay and I are very thankful for the support from our friends and family  the last few months. It has been very difficult trying to budget the simplest of things like groceries when your rent takes almost 2 unemployment checks. Add in extra necessities you never had to get before (formula, diapers, wipes, clothes, etc.), and you start feeling like you are going crazy.


We have been keeping busy--Jay has been hired on as a contractor for Alaska Air. He will be starting soon, which means going back to me in charge of Grant all day and night. Jay has had so so many interviews and whatnot the past few months, so I am happy for him. He deserves it! 
It will be an adjustment after having him home the past two months. I feel like I already have these long lists of things to get done every day, so we will see how it goes.  This also means we will need to move closer to his job when our lease ends in March.  We had already planned on moving since we want Grant to get his own room, but now that means we definitely want to.

As for me, I am doing okay. I am not sure what I am going to be doing. I really wanted to go to grad school, but that is on hold for now--too much going on all at once. Working might be do-able if I can find some cheap cheap babysitters. I am interested in working at a tutoring center or possibly getting into ABA therapy, but we will see how it goes. For now my main focus is figuring out routines for Grant and me when Jay goes back to work and trying to get back into some kind of shape so I am not so tired all the time! I have also been dealing with some postpartum anxiety problems, particularly panic attacks while driving. I am hoping they go away soon as being afraid to drive is never a good feeling.

Grant's 2 month shots went OK--he only cried for about 5 minutes and then fell asleep.  He was actually fine after the first one, had this look like "what just happened?", but then 2 & 3 came and he wasn't a fan! I had a hard time keeping it together too; I got all teary eyed. Grant ended up with an upset tummy from the oral vaccine, but after a couple days was okay.Not looking forward to the 4th month vaccines!

First Christmas with Grant was also a lot of fun--he has no idea what was going on, but watching his eyes bulge as we opened his gifts was hilarious. It really is more fun for him to get gifts than us!

Hmm Grant's milestones lately:

He is starting to giggle more and also drool...a lot (eww).
Grant has been trying to sit up, swinging his arms at objects,  grabbing and holding items (including rattles).
Some of his favorite toys lately include the O-Ball Rattle


and the Fisher-Price Rainforest Gym (Christmas gift from his Grandma and Grandpa R.)

Grant has been learning about cause-and-effect: If I hit the toys on the gym, it plays music and lights up. He also enjoys the PhonyPhone App (free) on the iPhone:










He has also really been getting into pop-up books and particularly touch and feel board books.  Jay and I are going to be starting Baby Sign (Language) time with him in the near future with the basics--mom, dad, milk, etc. I would also like to get him some bilingual (Spanish/English) books to start him on.  Grant is already becoming quite the talker, shrieker, and squealer particularly when he is excited or mad. Do I need to be worried ? lol . If you turn him away from the tv when we are watching a show or turn the page on a book when he's not ready, he gets hysterical--yikes!

The past three days or so, baby boy has slept 6 hours at a time at night in his crib--hurray!He will then wake up every 1 or so after that, but a 6 hour stretch is about twice as long as we have been getting. We are hoping this trend continues!

 Oh, and Grant also enjoys pulling and eating hair now:

He's a great baby boy, and he brings a lot of joy to our lives.

Now that I've spammed you with enough text and pictures.... We hope that you all have a great 2012, and we are looking forward to what the future brings :0).