Grandma and Grandpa Gant come to visit!

God Bless Them! Grandma and Grandpa Gant came to visit us in the hottest July on record! I don't think the high temperature was less than 100 degrees any day this month. G&G left the really nice Ohio summer of low humidity and highs in the 80s to come see us. Well ... they mainly came to see the boys. The boys are changing so much every day. Thankfully, Drew and I have reached a point in our development where we are not changing rapidly. We're pretty much the same (a few pounds more for me - perhaps a few less for Drew) since the day we were married.


Jasper has a memory - especially as it relates to gifts for him or the potential for gifts for him. Grandma told him early in their visit (perhaps on the ride home from the airport) that she had things for him in her bag, so every day, multiple times a day Jasper was asking her "what's in your bag, Grandma?" It was a never-ending source of goodies, art projects and learning games ... all things you'd expect from a preschool-running Grandma. And then Grandpa started hiding surprises in his pockets. So after nap or in the morning when he got up, Jasper would be able to ask Grandpa "what's in your pocket, Grandpa?" That too did not disappoint. He got trucks from Grandpa! (Just last week, a month after their visit, Jasper put on a tshirt with a pocket in it and ran to find a little car that he could fit in it. Then he came back to me saying, "it's like Grandpa!")


For whatever reason, we've just started singing the Mickey Mouse Club theme song with Jasper's airplane. (He's had it for almost two years.) He loves it! And then we topped ourselves and added flags (from our wedding) to wave as we march around. Grandma and Grandpa got in on the action, too. Jasper thought it was great!

While they were here, Tom helped Drew get some work done in the backyard. Jasper wanted to be outside with daddy and Grandpa, so Grandma supervised. Jasper was great - he was very obedient and didn't do anything that was dangerous. But after the work was done, everyone was dirty. So we decided to bring out the slip and slide for Jasper to clean off. Grandpa rigged up some method to zip him down the slide, and he LOVED it. He got drenched, and he didn't care.

We were in a rush to let Jasper play, and consequently we didn't put him in a swim diaper. Regular diapers really soak up the water and become ridiculously heavy. He has a hard time running with this weight between his legs, so I did change him soon after.

Grandpa wanted to check out the fun of the slip 'n slide.

He thought it was great!

Benjamin was a bit tired, so he wasn't his typical smiley, animated self. He hung out, snug as a bug, with Grandma.

Jasper got to do all sorts of fun things with Grandma and Grandpa while they were here. We went to the water park; he spent lots of time at the park; Grandpa tossed around the frisbee with him, and he improved a lot.

We also took him to buy new tennis shoes. He's never complained about his (size 8) shoes, but the toe area was wearing through - and it just seemed like he needed an upgrade. So Drew and I took him to a children's shoe store to get measured and find some new tennies. We found a pair of Sauconys, and just after he tried them of - he started running around the store saying "look at my new shoes!" He thought it was awesome, and it was fun to do something with just him. Benjamin got some quality one-on-one time with Grandma and Grandpa while we were on our shopping trip. Oh, and he was measured at a size 9.5-10 shoe!

A noteable achievement while Grandma and Grandpa were in Texas is that Jasper started eating asparagus. Yes - asparagus! Some of you might think it odd for me to dwell on this. But consider that it took both Drew and me into our late 20s to develop a taste for asparagus, and Jasper is a totally picky kid who determines in his mind that he doesn't like and will not eat something - and thus it shall be ... yet he willingly tried and liked and proceeded to eat all of his asparagus. I was floored and so proud. Every once in a while they just shock our pants off.

Grandma and Grandpa watched the boys three nights while Drew and I went out for dinner with friends. It was great to get out of the house and eat dinner without cutting someone else's food first. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

Doing a favorite activity while babysitting: reading books!