Cole's blessing

There has been a one month gap in my blogging due to technical difficulties and lots of family in town. I had my sister here for about 10 days and then the motherboard on our computer went out so our computer has been with HP for awhile being repaired. Thus the delay. I now have lots to catch up on.

Cole was blessed on November 9, 2008. My dad, brother David and sister's Shelli and Kristen came to town. Chad's mom and Chad's friend Mike Wadley and his family also came for the event. On the day of the blessing my Aunt Betsy and cousin Peter came from Phoenix. Cole was blessed in the Valencia Ward by Chad. My dad, David, Peter, Mike and our friend Lars stood in the circle. After sacrament meeting we all came back to our house for lunch, which included croissant sandwiches, pasta salad, chips and dessert. We had a full house and so much fun. Kristen stayed through the week, until the next Monday but David, Shelli and my dad headed out of town on Sunday afternoon. The Wadleys stayed over night with us and Barbara stayed through Wednesday.

These are the men who blessed Cole: Richard (Papa), David, Chad, Mike and Peter (missing is Lars Studley)

The Mellen family: Grant, Chad, Lindsay and Cole

The greater Mellen family: Lindsay, Cole, Barbara, Chad and Grant

The Glenn family: Kristen, David, Chad, Lindsay, Cole, Richard, Peter, Betsy, Shelli and Grant

Chad and Mike being themselves

Lindsay with her boys, Grant and Cole

Barbara (Grandma Mellen)

Shelli, Cole, David and Grant

David and Grant

Papa with Grant and Cole

On Monday, Chad took the day off of work and Chad and Mike went to the driving range while KaySea, Mike's wife, Kristen and I headed to the zoo with the kids. Grant and the Wadley boys, Bryce and Mitchell, had a fun time feeding the ducks and looking at all of the other animals. After the zoo and golf, we all went to El Charro for lunch. We had our own private room, which made it so nice given we had several kids with us for lunch. After lunch, the Wadleys headed back to Las Vegas.

Lindsay and Cole

Lindsay, Cole and Grant

Grant with Bryce and Mitchell Wadley

Grant

Chad had Tuesday off for Veteran's Day so he and his mom went out shopping for a birthday present for him and an Indian food lunch buffet. Kristen and I did some of the errands I needed to do and just took care of the kids. The rest of the week was mostly like that for me and Kristen. We took walks, played with the kids, went to the mall and just hung out. She only comes a couple of times each year so it was nice to have her visit for so long.

Thursday was Chad's actual birthday. We got him a new BBQ set, which he was in desperate need of. My brother, David, came down the following weekend and he and Kristen babysat for us on Saturday night so that Chad and I could go to the opera. We saw Mikadao. It was an interesting, modern opera, done in english. Here is a link if you're interested in what it is about. http://www.azopera.com/learn.php?subcat=operasynopsis&subpage=TheMikado It was nice to get out and get some culture in us.

Kristen finally had to depart our home on November 17, 2008 and we were sad to see her go. She was such a huge help with Grant and Grant loves her tons.

Grant and Cole having some brother "tummy time"

Cole

Aunt Kitty with Cole and Grant

Singing Grant's praises

My little Grant is turning out to be a big help with Cole. While I take a shower Cole lays on a blanket in my closet and usually cries. If Grant hears him crying he comes upstairs, gets Cole's binkie and sits by Cole to keep it in his mouth while I'm showering and getting dressed. Grant also loves to help with Cole's baths. He gets Cole's bath and puts it in the tub. He turns on the water and fills up the little tub. He also helps pour the soap onto the washcloth and combs Cole's hair after the bath. Grant's favorite thing to do is help me pump. He loves to open the bag and attach the tubing to both ends. He would even hellp me hold them on me if I let him. The one thing he really wants to do but I won't let him is turn the machine on. There is too much risk of pain in allowing that one. Grant loves to put up Cole's giant mobile, put the toys on and have floor and tummy time with Cole under the mobile. Grant loves to look at Cole and give him loves. The greatest thing is that if Cole is in a good mood when Grant is around he just looks at Grant with big eyes and often smiles. You can tell Cole likes Grant as much as Grant likes Cole. I'm excited for when Cole is older and they can play and fight together.

On Monday, I took Grant to one of the community parks to play. He loves to slide and swing and is learning to climb (making mom a bit nervous). We were at the park for about two hours and there was still a meltdown and huge protests when I said it was time to go. I got some great pictures though. They are below.

Halloween Day #3

Halloween Day was a fun day for Grant. I bought a pumpkin a week or so ago that we tried to carve. When I told Grant I was getting a knife he ran to get one of his own knives. I started cutting the top of the pumpkin and Grant tried to cut the pumpkin with his knife. When his plastic knife would not cut the pumpkin he started getting very upset. He was very frustrated that the knife would not cut the pumpkin. After about 10 minutes of trying to get him help me use my knife, we finally decided to paint the pumpkin instead. I pulled out Grant's finger paints and he went to town. We both had a great time painting the pumpkin. Cole sat in his car seat on the table and watched the fun. After finger painting Grant took a bath with his new Cars bubble bath we bought earlier that day. We then waited for Chad to get home so we could have dinner and get ready for trick or treating. Grant asked all day when he got to go to Halloween. He kept talking about the animals at the zoo because he associated trick or treating with the zoo trick or treating we did last weekend. He also kept asking if we were going to Jack's because he also associates Halloween with the party we went to at his friend Jack's house. I had to keep telling him we were trick or treating at houses in our neighborhood.

When Chad came home we got the boys and the dogs dressed up and ready for trick or treating. I even came up with the idea to use red finger paint on his cheeks and nose. I had been avoiding painting his face because I could only think of using make up and I didn't want it everywhere. Fingerpaint comes out of clothes. He looked so adorable. He had a great time trick or treating. It took him a few houses to warm up to the concept of saying trick or treat but once he got used to it he was the cutest trick or treating clown around. His little voice was so sweet when he said it at each house. I wish I could have tape recorded it. After every house we went to he would say, "No go home." We didn't trick or treat for a very long time because Cole started fussing but he came home with a very full pumpkin. When we came home Chad and Grant dumped the pumpkin on the ottoman to start eating. I'm not sure who was more excited about that part, Chad or Grant. Barry and Sooner also had a fun time being out with the crowd. Barry was his usual ScoobyDoo in one of Chad's tie dyed shirts. Sooner wore the Christmas reindeer antlers but they were turned upside down so it looked like she had two red antlers coming out of her chin. Chad wrangled the dogs and I took Grant up to the doors in his stroller. We all had a great time.

(Grant painting his pumpkin)

(The finished pumpkin product)

(The boys before we headed out for trick or treating)

(The crew after trick or treating)

(Dad and Grant examining the haul)

(Cute pictures of Cole)

(Our sassy Grant)