Bridal Shower with my Besties

Last Saturday, I helped host a bridal shower for my great friend Brittany in Raleigh, NC. It was the first of many showers and parties I've been able to attend recently. I was thrilled to be there for this special occasion and honor a dear friend. I had so much fun catching up with all of the girls and watching our babies play and interact together. Grant was the only little guy there. He had his pick of beautiful ladies that day!

The bride-to-be, Brittany, is next to me on the right. Next to her, is Meagan. Meagan is also getting married the weekend after Brittany. I have to travel back to NC two weekends in a row this coming October to be a part of their wedding weekends!

Brittany opening her shower gifts. Check out our ironing board bride the hostesses gifted Brittany! She's decked out in an apron and oven mits from Anthropologie, she has Brittany's china for her face, a mop for her hair and a bouquet of cooking utensils!
Shelley and I with Grant and Emory
Maggie and Grant flirting

Maggie and Grant playing with cups

Group shot of all the kiddos. This is the only one that Grant is not crying/screaming in. He did not like having his picture taken with all the Mom-togs crowded around. Yes, the babies do have on matching outfits. Part coincidence, part planned.

The hostesses with the mostess and the Blushing Bride

Group shot of all the showers attendees.

My Mom and Mother-in-law were in attendance as well!

*Britt~ I can't wait for your big day, I'm so glad I was able to come to your shower and spend some much needed quality time with you and the gals. Love you lots!

XOXO, Jena

Grant and Sam, Best Friends Forever

Last Friday, Grant and I embarked on a quick trip to North Carolina to visit friends, family and celebrate a great friends engagement with a bridal shower in her honor. We flew into Raleigh in the early afternoon and were greeted by my longtime BFF, Jessica with her newborn, Sam in tow. Sam is now 12 weeks and I was itching to get my hands on that little man. My last visit to NC was in May when Sam was just born and Grant and I were lucky enough to visit them both in the hospital. Sam is quickly growing and is the sweetest little guy. He is also way ahead of the curve and is letting his Mommy and Daddy sleep through the night. (Sigh, if we all could have been that lucky early on... right?) Grant and Sam had a fabulous time getting reaquainted and we spent Friday night at their house playing, grilling out and just enjoying our boys! I know these two studs will be the best of friends just like their Mommies!

Grant and Sam's first introduction in May

We HAD to attempt a photo of them together. It was actually a lot of work and took all three of us to try and get a decent shot. Grant, of course, was trying to climb all over Sam.
And then, he had had enough. My little escape artist was over the photo session. I love the smirk on Sam's face here, like "ha, I'm the only one who can behave!"

We got him to sit back down for one more

and then another, but we weren't fortunate enough for Sam to look up for the photo.

Finally, Grant wanted out and stepped all over Sam in the process.

Thank you for a wonderful visit Aunt Jessi! We miss you tremendously already!

eleven

11 Months. How did it get here so fast? I have an eleven month old, wow! How do I describe 11? Fun! Grant is so much fun. We have the best time laughing at eachother and just playing. He is such a sweet boy with the best sense of humor. Grant received a very special present on his eleven month birthday... his first tooth! I always thought babies got their first teeth on the bottom. Not my little one, he is getting in his top left tooth, my new nickname for him? Snaggle-tooth! I haven't gotten a decent photo of it just yet but I will share it with you when I do. Grant has become very brave and independent at eleven months and jumps from furniture to person to jungle gym. Along with his new sense of bravery has come a lot of uh-0hs! We're getting use to him face planting a lot around here but he's great at brushing off his falls. What can I say? Grant is the best and everyday is such a blessing with our baby boy.

Grant's favorite time of the day, when Daddy comes home!

Look at my new smocked rubber ducky bubble my Mimi made for me! Look at that funny face!

Grant gives Mimi a round-of-applause for making him such a great outfit!

Thank you Mimi!

Spiderman, Grant works his way around the kitchen

I think I Can...

Lately, Grant has been trying to pull up on everything. We have been seeing a lot of this in the Yaeger household recently...

What's Ron Been Up To?

Most of you know how hard my husband works. Since the day we left Auburn 14 months ago he has been pouring his heart and soul into his job as project manager of Alabama's Criminal Justice Training Facility in Selma, Alabama. I wanted to share a few photos with you from Ron's recent trip to Selma. The facility hosts two dormitories, two academic buildings, a dining hall and fitness center. Grant and I are so proud of Ron/Daddy!

The main entrance

Dept. of Corrections Dorm

Dept. of Public Safety Dorm and Academic Building

Dining Hall

Interior of the Academic Building

Grant Videos

Here's the latest crop of Grant videos. These are mostly for his Grandparents sake showcasing his latest accomplishments.

Grant is such a good natured little boy, case in point: this video was taken after I had to pick him up from daycare because he had a fever. Yet, he was playing his little heart out. I included this video because I love his little laugh at the end after dancing.

Grant's first word with real meaning besides the babbling of "Mama and Dada" was Bye! His second word is ball which still sound similar to "bye," and "ba" but he does really try to pronounce the l's. He loves to play with balls and has gotten really good at throwing them. I think what's interesting about this video is after Grant takes the balls out of the hole, he switches the ball from his left hand to his right to throw it.

On Ron's parents recent visit, Grant's Poppy tried his hardest to get Grant to mutter the word, "Poppy." We were not expecting what happened next. Watch as Grant makes a Pop-Eye-the Sailor-Man mouth movement as Jim chants, Poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy. Grant continued to do this all weekend when his Grandfather said these words.

Grant cruises and once again, loves throwing things!

Heat Wave... Solved

Remember my post about the summer heat?

Well, Grant has his favorite outdoor activity + the heat situation temporarily solved.
Thank you to my wonderful neighbor Laurie for tracking down this attachment for Grant. His little fan came all the way from Hong Kong!

The Fourth of July

The Fourth of July was a beautiful one here in Spanish Fort. Ron and I were thrilled having our parents here to help celebrate and help us with our little guy. We went to church and then to a holiday get together at our friends, Allen and Gina's. They have a fabulous pool and Grant loved every minute of playing in the water while his Grandparents watched entertained to the max! On another note, Grant is growing by leaps and bounds daily. He now waves and says, "Bye!" He's cruising around the coffee table and can jump over to the sofa or chair and then on to the end table. I wasn't certain before but now I am that Grant will most likely skip crawling all together. It's an indescribeable feeling when your child does something new for the first time. I love seeing and discovering the world through Grant's eyes for the first time. At Allen and Gina's, Grant had his first encounter with a kitten. He was not smitten to say the least. He made a horrible face when I held the kitten up to his face and pushed the cat away with his hands. I also tried putting the kitten in his lap and he picked the kitten up by the extra skin on its back and threw it. He had us all rolling with laughter. This was the first time he had an aversion to any "thing."

Happy July 4th! My patriotic little man

Family photo outside of our church
Kitty Kitty

"I don't think so Mom!"

Ron was proud that Grant felt the same way he did about cats...

Grant and his Mommy

Kimmy and I watching our little ones play

Grant and Daddy enjoying the pool

Jim and Jody fondly watching their Grandson in the water

He loves the pop-up "suprise" fountains!

My Mom eating up every minute spent with her Grandbaby

Grant and his girlfriend Savannah celebrating their first Fourth of July together!

The Third of July...

Mimi and Poppy came to visit the Yaeger clan for the fourth of July holiday. We had a fantastic, fun-filled weekend and Grant loved all the love and attention! On the third, we enjoyed oysters for lunch in downtown Mobile and decided to be patriotic and visit the USS Alabama. Grant loved playing with the big guns with Daddy!

Poppy suprised Grant with a John Deere Tractor!

USS Alabama
Yaeger's

My two Mom's and I

Sweet Grant

Such a big boy!

Lookout!

"Look how strong I am!"