Children's Books

I just posted this over at The Hip Homemaker Blog, but want as much feedback as possible, so I'm putting it here as well. Feel free to share your books on either blog!

One of my favorite things to do is read to Grayson while I'm feeding him. I feel like it creates an even deeper bond between us, as well as benefits his mental and language development. I have accumulated a very small collection of children's books over the years and they currently sit on the bookshelf in his bedroom. Among them are classic Dr. Seuss books, several by Max Lucado, and of course Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. But how many lesser-known authors am I missing out on?

I'd really like to expand Grayson's library. Tell me, what were your favorite books as a child? What are your children's favorite books? What is the one (or two or three or...) book that no child should live without? All books are welcome - boy books, girl books, board books, educational books, religious books, or just plain silly books! Please leave a comment with the book title and author's name. I want to hear from you lurkers as well! Thanks!

MY RECOMMENDED BOOK LIST:

1. I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg
2. Fanny's Dream by Caralyn Buehner
3. The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein

4. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
5. Just In Case You Ever Wonder by Max Lucado

I am so excited!

I got some very exciting news in my inbox this morning. I don't know the details yet, but it has something to do with this. I will know more by July 2. I can hardly wait!

Good grief

I'm falling further and further behind in my blogging. I just can't find the time to keep up between vacations, homework, housework, yard work, family events (three babies have been born since Grayson!), and Primary. I hopped on my computer today to post an update and wouldn't you know I spent an hour trying to organize all the videos and pictures from May and June instead? The good news is that's done. The bad news is we're leaving tomorrow (again) for southern Utah (again) to take more pictures and create more memories to write about for posterity's sake. My kids better enjoy reading this one day.

*sigh*

I really want to stay home next weekend, and, as of right now, I'll be able to. Woo-hoo! An entire weekend that I can spend doing whatever it is *I* want to do! All I really want to do is spend some quality time in the yards, scrub my shower, install the ceiling fans, mop my kitchen floor, and spend an evening alone with my husband and baby. Keep your fingers crossed that next weekend is it! My partner is teaching Primary, no one is getting born, blessed, baptized, or married, and it's the off-week for family dinners. I'll get to cook something nice for Josh and I and maybe we can go to bed early.

But since I need to finish doing laundry, packing and shopping for this weekend's trip, I need to sign off without finishing any of my blog drafts. I'll go ahead and leave you with a picture Josh took of Grayson and me at a park in Cedar City last Friday, June 6, when we went down to meet his new cousin, Joseph. It was really windy but I'm just happy to have a photo of me and my boy since I'm usually the one holding the camera.

My neighbor, Stuart

My neighbor, Stuart, is one of the cutest kids around. He lives right next door to me and walks through my yard to go to and from the bus stop and to find his dogs when they get out. He's also in my primary class, so he feels very comfortable saying hello to me and showing me the new toys he gets. He brings me flowers every day from said bus stop (so sorry to the neighbor's yard where he picks them!), and invited me to attend his class play where he got to play Jack in "Jack and the Beanstalk" on May 30.

Stuart's one of the best-behaved kids in my primary class, and I've inadvertantly punished him in the past when we didn't get through the lesson and on to games at the end because other children were acting up and being irreverent. I really wanted to watch his play to show him that he's important to me and that I think he's a good kid, so I threw Grayson in his car seat and we went.

I was worried about Grayson being good while we were in Stuart's classroom amongst all the proud parents and their video cameras, but he was a champ and let Stuart have all the glory. Stuart's mom, dad, siblings, and grandpa were all there; plus me, the neighbor. There were four plays in all, but I think Stuart's was the best, and not just because I'm biased. Go ahead and see for yourself how stinkin' cute he is:

The twins loved Grayson. Good thing since they're getting a new baby next January!

Stuart, Grayson, and Daisy Paige post production

4 months!

During the last month, Grayson...

• Grew to 14.5 pounds and 24.5 inches long
• Moved into his own room and started sleeping in his crib!
• Settled on a very regular 8-hour night: 9-10pm bedtime, 5-6am wakeup
• Got blessed by his Daddy
• Started reaching for and grabbing his toys
• Went to a restaurant with both Mom & Dad
• Decided pacifiers are for wussy babies and started sucking his own fingers instead
• Attended his first temple wedding
• Breast-fed in public for the first time
• Spent a glorious 4-day, 3-night vacation at Don & Holly's, including a trip to the cabin!
• Started rocking a lot, but doesn't quite roll
• Helped us plant a garden
• Started blowing 'raspberries' at us through all the saliva that has earned him yet another nickname - Slimey

Seriously. I can't believe Grayson's not dehydrated with all the liquid that comes out of that mouth. He gets a huge saliva ring down the front of his shirts/onesies/jammies and the second an object hits his mouth, it's covered in goo. Everyone says he's probably teething, but this has been going on for weeks now, and 3-4 months old just seems a little young for teeth. All I know is that if he wasn't my kid, I'd be pretty grossed out.