Monster Trucks! Plus lots of helping

Last weekend Grady and Matt had some special Daddy-Son time while I unpacked.  They went to the event of all events for our truck-obsessed toddler - MONSTER TRUCK!

Grady was a bit overwhelmed by the noise of it at first, but after a small break and Daddy learning when to cover Grady's ears, Grady was enthralled.

Grady hasn't stopped talking about it since.  He plays with what used to be just regular trucks but are now "Monster Trucks" with increased intensity, sings songs about "MONSTER TRUCKS" and so forth.  It was a lot of fun for both of them.

While the two of them were away, I was able to get a lot of unpacking done.  And Grady has been quite a help with the unpacking, too!

He's actually been great with all the unpacking.  He is often able to independently play for 30 minutes at a stretch or more.  He is most engrossed by pouring - pouring marbles into bowls (or into the concrete mixer), pouring crayons into buckets (or into the concrete mixer), pouring little people into the concrete mixer, pouring "monster trucks" into the concrete mixer....  The concrete mixer can hold a LOT of stuff!

Grady's also been enjoying the fruits of what we've been finding in the boxes.  Here's Grady taking his first shot at the flute:

ALMOST figured out

Another fun game for Grady lately has been playing train.  He will set up the dining room chairs into a train, sit in them - with or without friends - and then make his way to "the station."

Grady has been really wanting to help, and we've been trying to find ways to let him.  Sometimes he actually is quite helpful.  At Trader Joe's last weekend, he pushed the shopping cart the whole time, explained all our purchases to the check-out clerk, and only made one impulse buy (dried blueberries).

He's also been enjoying helping me cook.  He likes to help dump ingredients into the bowls, and manages to hit the mark with about 85% accuracy.

Another big help was putting up some butterfly decals in his little sister's room.  He is quite pleased with his work, and asks to see the butterflies often. 

I feel guilty for the amount of time we've spent doing chores around the house to get things ready, but the end is actually in sight.  We have one or two boxes of toys to go through in the basement, a goodwill run to make, and pictures to hang, but we're otherwise pretty close.

Here's baby girl's room, which I think is done.  No crib yet - we're hoping to keep her in a travel crib until Grady outgrows his crib and transitions to the toddler bed.  It will eventually go where the rocker is now. 

I'm most excited about this last picture of her closet - Matt spent much of Saturday afternoon putting it together, and it looks fantastic!  So much usable space out of a rather unusable closet. 

Another big accomplishment has been the completion of the baby's baby blanket.  I was nervous it wouldn't get done in time, and I'm glad to have one thing done that I've made for her other than a hat.  I'm about 1/3 of the way done with a sweater, and I'm guessing that won't get finished in time.

Grady has learned that a lot of fun stuff is happening when his sister comes - grandparents coming, etc.  The other day we were having lunch and he asked for hot chocolate.  I told him vaguely he could have some later.  He said "hot chocolate when sister comes?" to which, how could I say no?  He of course remembers this, and reminds us daily "hot chocolate when sister comes." 

I'm full term today at 37 weeks.  My last day of work before leave is next Wednesday.  I'm hoping she holds off until 40 weeks so I have a chance to catch my breath and spend some additional special time with Grady, but we are pretty much ready for her if she comes a bit early.  I do need to pack my hospital bag still and we need to do the car seat....

Getting settled

But still a looong way to go.  It's been a pretty disrupted week, although lots of good stuff happening too.  Progress on the house continues, though slowly.  We are waiting on the paint to get touched up - which should be done tomorrow or the day after - before going into full unpacking mode.  There are other small things to be done inside that I'm less worried about, and the porch is actually starting to look like a porch.  It still feels unsettled, with boxes in many rooms and covering the basement, workers in and out, etc.

It's also been a bit disruptive for Grady because Matt and I actually got away for our first overnight trip over the weekend.  We spent a lovely day and evening at Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast, enjoying unseasonably warm weather, a beautiful hotel, and way too many cookies.  It was so nice and restorative to get away and reconnect a bit before baby whatsername arrives.  Matt then left for NYC for work.  So things just aren't quite "normal."  For Grady, a toddler who likes his routines, this has been a bit difficult, compounded by having a pretty nasty cold.  He's still our sweet boy, cracking us up and making us smile - just a bit more, hm, how to say this, opinionated than usual.

Anyway, with all the turmoil, not a lot of pictures still.  But I have some shots of Grady modeling his new hat from his Auntie Mimi and the new blanket she made for the baby.  I am so relieved Mimi sent the blanket - takes the pressure off me finishing the one I'm working on!

Two funny stories about Grady.  One would be better on video, but I tried to get him to do it tonight and he refused.  When we went to Tucson over Christmas, Grandpa gave Grady the book "Uncle Wiggly and the Sugar Cookie," a hand-me-down from my childhood.  Grady LOVES the book.  He especially loves the bobcat who tries to nibble Uncle Wiggly's ears.  Grady asked to read it so many times that Matt started getting pretty into the characters, giving Uncle Wiggly a southern accent, and Mrs. Moo Cow a high voice.  I was reading the book to Grady and we got to the page with Mrs. Moo Cow on it.  She says something like "Hurry Uncle Wiggly.  It's Sammy!  He's stuck in the mud and can't get out."  Anyway, we got to that page and I said, "Grady, what does Mrs. Moo Cow say?"  He puts on this super high voice and says "Hurry Uncle Wiggy, Hurry and help Sammy!  Stuck in mud!  Help!" and then in a deep voice "MOOO!"  It was so funny.  He's done it a bunch since then, and I'll keep trying to tape it.

The other funny story.  Grady was having a snack.  I had been petting Besa, and there was some cat hair floating around.  I got up to do something in the kitchen and I hear Grady say "NO cat hair!  Mine milk!  Stop it!  Time out!"

Okay, revised poll for baby girl.  We are currently thinking about three names: Clara, Shay, and Tessa/Tess.  Here are our concerns for each.  On Clara, I'm worried that it's becoming too trendy.  It's jumping in popularity, although is still not even a top 100 name.  I also don't love the obvious nickname of Clare, although I do think Clara is lovely.  On Shay, it's sort of a departure from all our other favorite names, which are pretty traditional - Shay has probably never been a character in a Jane Austen novel.  Matt's also not sure on the one syllable thing.  For Tess/Tessa, again with the cat.  I'm not sure you all understand how often we talk to/at Besa.  It would sort of be like naming the girl Trady.  So - poll #2, to the right.  Let me know what you think.  And as always, feel free to contribute your own suggestions by email or in the comments.

Oh, and quick addition.  I forgot to mention that I had agreed to do some maternity shots for a photographer in town for her portfolio.  I've never been much of a maternity photo sort of girl, so I wasn't sure what the outcome would be.  I actually think the pictures came out beautifully.  Here's my favorite.