Grant-i-locks and The Three Beers

The nail-biting day of the 4-month well-baby visit approached. An anxious mother worried that her son, who was most often described as "such a big boy" in a tone of shock and awe, may have jumped to the 75th percentile in weight while simultaneously dropping to the 25th percentile in height. Two months ago, Grant weighed in at 12 lbs. 1/2 oz. (which the nurse wrote as 12.5 lbs. and entered into the computer as 12 lbs. 5 oz.), placing him somewhere in the 60th percentile. Now, with more rolls and his mother's chubby cheeks, Grant balances the scales at 14 lbs. 3 oz. and measures 24 in. in height. That puts him in the 45th and 40th percentiles respectively. Not too big, not too small, but JUST RIGHT.
His extra weight may be a result of his father giving him apple beer . . . check out Grant's "drunken" expression. (FYI: Grant didn't actually drink the apple beer; he just posed for a picture with the bottle which he grabbed with great exuberance.)

Remembering the SLC Olympics

We started dating during the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics. So every year around Valentines' Day, we take the opportunity to reflect on our relationship and the event that brought us together. During those fabulous two weeks, we attended three concerts (Dave Matthews Band, Foo Fighters, and Air Supply), one Olympic event (cross-country skiing), and one week of no school! We'll never forget those great memories.

Now, six years later, we are approaching our five year anniversary. We are still living in the same town that we pledged to leave after a year of marriage (but we will likely be headed to State College, PA this fall). We are working on our masters' degrees (not a dental degree). And we have one wonderful son (instead of two or three). I'm so glad that life hasn't turned out the way we had planned. God's plan for us is always better than our own.

Just a comment on the picture. This is one of the first pictures of the two of us together. It was taken by one of our best friends, Kristen. We didn't have a digital camera at the time, so I "digitized" this picture by taking a digital picture of a printed picture (hence the pristine quality). I am also wearing my Russian hat, which Nathaniel HATES and refuses to let me wear now. I think he hid it from me; I haven't been able to find it this winter.

Calling All LDS Bloggers

Most of you are probably aware of Elder Ballard's technology talk given at BYU-Hawaii's commencement ceremony. Just in case you haven't had a chance to read it yet, I've included a link. Sometimes I forget how amazing the internet is. Just think, the invention of the internet is comparable to Gutenburg's printing press---with comperable spiritual ramifications (for good and evil). We can and should use the internet to spread the gospel. Consider this: On Monday, February 4, I was able to find an updated article about President Monson on Wikipedia just minutes after the announcement; I watched the parts of the press conference that I missed and rewatched the parts that I liked; and read several journal articles for my thesis without setting foot in the HBLL (BYU's library). What an amazing age we have been blessed to witness!

Here is Grant enjoying Scripture Scouts online. I particularly recommend the Hooray for Babies! video.

Top 10 Reasons it Took FOREVER to Vote

10. You strategically waited until after 5pm to be part of the peak voting hours.

9. You waited in line at the high school only to discover your precinct was moved to the middle school.

8. Expecting record-high voter turnout, they decreased the number of polling places.

7. You spent an hour looking for the end of the line.

6. The person in front of you let every relative, friend, and ward member cut in line with them.

5. You stood for an hour in one line to confirm your affiliation and an hour in a different line to vote, only to somehow end up in the line for the bathroom.

4. Everyone pretended to take their time weighing their choices even though they had loudly announced in line that "Romney was The Man."

3. There was only one giant book for everyone to sign (but six voting machines).

2. I don't know why, but it definitely was not because all six voting machines were being used at the same time.

And the number one reason . . .

1. It took forever to explain to the nice eighty-year-old lady recording your name and affiliation that you were voting Democrat even though your spouse was voting Republican.

Grant Reads the Classics

Upon attending a literacy course at the Provo City Library about emergent literacy, we have renewed our efforts to help Grant develop a love of reading. Here is Grant reading Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. He loved looking at the pictures, unless Mom was in the room. It took a little trickery to get Grant to look at the book instead of the camera. His current favorite book to read together is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? illustrated by Eric Carle.

And just in case you wondered whether or not Grant is spoiled, he is. Who could say no to this face?