Dear Becca & Grant,
            Granny is still with us but barely. She was taken to the hospital about the middle of last week and against the better judgment of the majority of the brothers & sisters Donny decided to authorize a blood transfusion. There's a lot of tension and differing outlooks on how best to care for Granny at this point. Even though I have absolutely no say in how things will be I most definitely have an opinion about how things should be done. I know that Granny has fulfilled her plan that God had for her. She's always been one of the most Godly women I have ever known. Her race has been run and now it's time for her to claim her reward in heaven. She needs to be allowed to pass pain free with dignity and honor. Granny will pass at any moment.
      Becca, Granny is at a point now where she can no longer respond to any of us. The last time she smiled was when you and I were playing a game you called "upside down Granny kisses" where I would hang you upside down over top of Granny and I would lower you down so that you could give her a big kiss. Grant, I have made sure that when her obituary is published that even though you have not been born yet you will be included in the list of great grandchildren. I thought that was important.
      I know it's been awhile since your Mom or I have posted here but I am sure you will understand that with Granny being in the condition that she is in we really don't have the time. Last Saturday evening your Mom and I went out and bought you a few items for your birthday. Allison watched you while we were gone. Allison is such a sweet girl. If you turn out even a little like her then your Mom & I will be happy. Sure, Allison has her teen girl moments where she loses her mind but I know that is simply what teen girls do.
      This past week you have come off with some really cute sayings. The other day in Granny's bedroom Mamaw was talking to you about Granny. She told you that Granny would soon be going to heaven to be with Jesus. You looked at her and with a knowing look in your eyes you said "That's all right Mamaw; we're going there next week". We all needed a laugh at that moment and you came through for us.
      Thursday or Friday Mom was getting you dressed and you got a case of the hiccups. You told your Mom you needed some water. As she dressed you she asked if you knew what was happening when you hiccuped. She told you that when you hiccup that means you are growing. You thought about that a moment and then informed her that you didn't need any water; you wanted to grow big so you could play soccer and be on a soccer team.
      I'm really tired so I am going to go to bed. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
               I'm over here at Granny's. The boys are hanging over my shoulder wanting to know if they can play with this laptop. They want to play the Sims. I feel bad for the boys. The tension over here is thick because Granny is at her sickest.
      Jacob just informed me that it's not The Sims; it's The Sims 2. He said he didn't want you to think that we were second class citizens. Jon wants me to include his name in this blog so let me just say that Jon is every bit as annoying as Jacob, maybe more so.
      Anyway, Granny is at her lowest point. Everyone is stressed out and on edge. Poor Jacob & Jon have the boundless energy of two active boys and they want to be active and talkative. They are gone now.
      Mamaw just came in here and said that Granny's kidneys have stopped working all together. She said that her catheter tube is totally empty and that there should be at least a small amount of urine in it. Auntie Lynn told her she needs to empty out the bag and keep an eye on it. I really don't think Granny has much time left in this world. She'll soon be going home to be with Jesus. I feel that at this point that would probably be the best thing. Granny has lost the ability to speak. She hasn't been mobile for quite some time but now she is totally bedridden. She hasn't been eaten or drank anything in days. I would hate to lose Granny but we should all think about what would be the best for her and in my opinion seeing Jesus and walking on the streets of gold is much better than lying in there waiting to pass.
      Today's news isn't all bad. As you may or may not have known, Allison turned sixteen Sunday. She went to take her permit test today and she passed it with flying colors. She's already driven quite a bit today. Auntie Lynn says that she has a habit of accelerating into a turn. Papaw is going to teach her how to drive. I feel for Allison because Papaw taught me how to drive and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Mamaw says that when Granny rode with me while Papaw was teaching me how to drive that she felt so sorry for me because Papaw can be such a bear.
      The past few days you have been complaining about your teeth hurting. Your Mom thought that you had one final set of back molars coming in but she scheduled you an appointment with the dentist anyway and it sure is a good thing that she did because as it turned out, you have three cavities. The problem is all your Mom & Dad's. Since you were able to hold onto a bottle or sippy cup we have been putting you to bed with chocolate milk and occasionally juice. I told your Mom a long time ago that letting you sleep with a sippy cup with sugary contents was bad for your teeth but she told me that you needed the calories. Tonight will be the first time you will not get your nightly chocolate milk and I don't look forward to that at all.
      You have two appointments scheduled. The day before your third birthday you have an appointment with the dentist and they will attempt to fill your teeth while you are on laughing gas. Your Mom said that you did very good while you were getting your teeth examined. You did everything they asked you to do and it didn't bother you at all when they were inside your mouth. Your Mom said that one of the dental staff commented on how mature you were to be a two year old. They seem to think that it might be possible to fill your teeth using the laughing gas but if they can't then you will go back a second time and you will be put under and they will fill your cavities that way.
      Well, I'm gonna close out this blog post. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  You did indeed have a very big week last week, Becca. Like your Mom said, we all went to the Woodford County Fair on Tuesday. I really didn't want to go. Since I have been an adult I have hated the fair. I just can't stand carnies. They are usually rude and low class people. I also doubted there would be enough attractions there for a little toddler like yourself. Your Mom got you all excited about going to the fair and of course I couldn't deny you. We went and actually we had a pretty good time. The carnies were indeed as rude and as low class as I had feared but you had a grand time and your Mom & I had just as grand a time watching you. We got there and discovered that they had quite a number of rides there for you. You started out riding the motorcycle ride. We then found a semi-truck ride, a train ride, a helicopter ride, a carousel, a dragon ride which was actually like a tea cup ride only with dragons instead of tea cups and the big bouncing castle. Like your Mom mentioned, we all shared a funnel cake and a soda. We only took $40 with us because everything at the fair is so expensive and we knew that if we had more cash we would have spent it. We payed for you to play the sledge hammer game where kids always win and that is where you won your inflatable baseball bat and you played a game where you picked a boat out of a pool of water and you won your horn on that game.
      You spent so much time in the bouncy castle and while your Mom & I watched you I thought about how county fairs and the fun we were all experiencing is such an All-American activity and I just drank in the experience of accompanying my little growing family to our local county fair. After we finally drug you out of the bouncy castle we decided to try you out on the ferris wheel. Mom couldn't ride it with you because she is pregnant so I climbed into the gondola with you. We moved up into the air and then we stopped while they loaded the next gondola. You wanted to look down to see your Mom so you leaned forward and I became petrified. As you may know, I am not too fond of heights. I was holding onto you so tight because I was afraid you would fall out. You kept taking my hand away because you just didn't want to be held so tight. You didn't have any problem at all with the heights of the ferris wheel; I on the other hand was a nervous wreck for two hours after we got down. You rode the motorcycle ride one last time and then we left the fair. You didn't want to leave but it was getting late. We stopped by Dairy Queen for an ice cream and then we went home and we all went straight to bed.
      The next day, as your Mom said you saw Surf's Up and then you and Mom went down to Mamaw & Papaw's and swam all day long. I stayed here at the house for the day so I could relax a little bit.
      Thursday I joined you down at Mamaw & Papaw's for some swim time. We all had loads of fun swimming, eating popcorn and pizza and playing with Jake & Jon. We got home late so we all went to bed right away.
      Friday I got home from work and your Mom wasn't feeling too well so we let her take a nap while you and I played out back in your little pool. We had lots of fun; not as much as we have at Mamaw & Papaw's but we still had some fun. We came inside and I fixed you some supper. You had a chicken patty with ketchup, green beans, a big pretzel stick and a diet pepsi. We then just hung around the house until you went to bed.
      Saturday we once again went down to Mamaw & Papaw's. This time we went down there to celebrate Allison's sweet sixteen birthday and Father's Day. Both events aren't until tomorrow but we all figured that we would all have a better time if we could relax and enjoy the day and a late night in the pool if none of us had to work the next day. You and I went down together while your Mom stayed at the house so she could go pick up some cakes she was having made at Kroger. We had a grand time. Finally it was time to eat. We had hot dogs, mac & cheese, chips, baked beans, pea salad and for dessert we had cake and ice cream. By then it was getting dark but you and I and the boys got back in the pool. Mom, Allison, Jacob, Jon, Uncle Rodney and Auntie Lynn joined us. We swam until almost eleven O'clock. You eventually climbed out of the pool and told us you wanted to go home. That was a first. You are usually the one to get mad when we leave but this time you are the one who told us that it was time for us to go. You were so very tired. We got home and you and Mom took a shower together and then you went straight to bed without one complaint.
      That was our week. It was an unusually busy week for all of us but we all had lots of fun.
      It seems you have taken up cussing. The other day you dropped your cup and said "Dummit!"
      Your Mom says that I say the real word all of the time and I suppose I do but it just doesn't register with me. You only rarely say Dummit, usually you use the word Crap. You got that from Jon. You are a huge Jon & Jakey Hoard fan. You will follow Jon around and try to do everything he does even if you get hurt in the process. One day this week he took a flying leap off of the stairs on Papaw's deck and you followed right behind him. You cleared the stairs but you fell back and hit your tail on the bottom stair and you cried big time.
      Grant, there's still not a whole lot I can say to you just yet because we haven't got to spend any time together yet like you and your Mom. I am anxiously awaiting your arrival. I am so excited. I was in awe of the fact that I was going to be a dad when Rebecca was born and now I am even more in awe that I am going to have two when I truly thought I wouldn't have any at all. I can't wait to refer to you and Becca as "My kids". I know it's such a small thing but it will be so cool. I know I am going to love you every bit as much as your sister but not one iota more. Ya know, when I first found out that we were having another one I felt guilty because I thought there is no way that I can love another child as much as I love Becca and a good dad isn't like that. But as your arrival draws ever nearer and I can see the evidence of your existence in your Mom's tummy and the rare occasion when I am able to feel you kick I have come to realize that I will love you every bit as much as I love your sister.
      It's time to close out this blog. I gotta go to bed. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Rebecca & Grant,
               We've had a big week. Tuesday night we went to the fair, Rebecca, and you rode every kiddie ride they had, twice. You bounced in their big bouncer thing three times for at least half an hour total. I told Dan we could have went down and got on the trampoline and saved twenty four dollars. But, you had an ever loving ball riding the motorcycles, helicopters, trains, trucks, and carousel. I rode the carousel with you twice. We shared a funnel cake and watched some clog dancers and you attempted to mimick every move they made. You won two games and got two dinky prizes of an inflatable baseball bat and a toy horn. You haven't quit 'playing' that toy horn since you got it. It sounds more like a child screaming.
               Wednesday we went down to Mamaw and Papaw's and stayed all day. You swam like the little fishy you are, rarely getting out of the pool to do anything. We came home late and had supper with Daddy and then it was into the bath and off to bed with you. You do a good job in that swimming pool. I've never seen a child so little be so unafraid of anything and everything. You and Jacob & Jon started this thing where you will stack up on each other three high and fall over. You think that is big fun. It scares me half to death but I let you do it because I am a bit of a stick in the mud anyway I guess.
               Thursday we got up and went and saw an early showing of Surf's Up. You did extremely well in the movie but I think you were bored throughout. We were watching a preview of a movie called "Underdog" where this dog is exposed to radioactive chemicals and gains the ability to fly and talk, etc. You piped up after the preview and said "Hey Wait A Minute, DOGS DON'T TALK! They bark!" That cracked the man who had his three little boys in front of us up. He told you that you were right, that's what they do. You liked Shrek the Third much, much better. You even told me once you were bored and you didn't like that movie. But after we came out of the movie all you did was talk about it and you even said you wanted to go down to Mamaw's and play Surf's Up. So that's what we did. We stayed all day- I do mean all day and into the night Thursday and you played and swam and had a great big time with the boys. Mamaw even ordered pizza for dinner which we all ate up quickly because mostly all we had eaten all day was peanut butter and crackers and popcorn. Daddy even came down after work to watch you swim. He even got in with you, as did Papaw. We all had a big, grand time. Especially you. I love when you have a lot of fun. I think, however, today we are going to hang out around here and I am going to do some laundry and tidy up a bit and later on we are going to the grocery store. I need a day to chill out at home because my back is kind of sunburned and sore and I am feeling kind of icky like you do after too much sun. It may rain today anyway but if it doesn't maybe later this evening you can go out & get in your little bittty pool. Right now you are still groggy and laying in your floor in the bedroom watching TLC cartoons.
         Grant, it's not long until you come out. You had me worried a while this week but yesterday you started moving up a storm and it made me feel better. Daddy pointed out that you were OK but I pointed out to him that I was sure you were, but I was NOT. I like to feel you move. I don't even mind when it makes me have to pee or keeps me awake. I can't wait to see you and see if you look like your sister or see if you look different- I am so excited to meet the little man I have carried in my tummy for seven and a half months now. I get to see you again on the screen Thursday and I am VERY excited about that. I always like to see you and know that you are OK.
         Sunday is Father's Day and Allison's birthday. Rebecca calls Allison sissy so I am pretty sure you will, too, Grant. I wonder what we will all end up doing for either day. It's going to be Sissy's sweet sixteen birthday party. She said she doesn't think she'll have one where she'll invite all her friends. I told her she'd regret that and she should really do it. Maybe she will. We'll see. Right now Rebecca, you have wandered into the kitchen and are demanding my attention. Remember - Mommy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
            Well, your new nursery is finished and ready for you to move in. We just finished hanging with the wall hangings just now. We worked all weekend on it and your Mom & I are both very tickled with the results. Your room is done in a theme from Babies "R" Us called Soft & Fuzzy Pooh. We kind of mixed and matched a few of the touches but it all worked out perfectly.
      Becca, you & I spent the majority of time Saturday down at Mamaw & Papaw's swimming in the pool. As we may have or may not have mentioned previously in this blog we bought you a new floaty bathing suit. You absolutely loved it. Jon & Jake came up and swam with you for a good long while and then Martin's kids Brittany, Tiffany and Martina came over and all of y'all had a great time. You came up with this game where you would get on your knees right on the edge of the pool and then you would slide into the water head first. The girls and Jon all thought that looked like a great game so they joined you in the game you invented and all of you had a great time. You jumped off of the edge of the pool more times than you can count. Of course you can only count to two or maybe three sometimes and you jumped into the pool many times more than that.
      Your Mom and I are watching House right now so I'm going to close this one out and pay attention to the show. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
            The three of us went to Lexington yesterday, Becca. I had a doctor's appointment and after that we went to Sam's Club, we ate at Mi Mexico and finished up our day out with a trip to Babies "R" Us. We are just about finished buying stuff for you and your room, Grant. We have to take some pictures we bought back because they are messed up and even if they weren't they still wouldn't be worth the $30 we paid for them. We are going to trade the pictures in on big wooden letter to spell out your name, Grant.
      We came home and had a quick supper and then your Mom & I went into what used to be my office and hung border. It was kinda late when we finished with the border so we decided to quit for the evening but we ended up nearly finishing up the whole room. We still have to hang pictures but if you came home today you would be well set up. I knew that when we had cable set up in the kitchen for our computer that the room would come along very fast. The house is a wreck right now because we had a lot of moving around to do to get done what we had to do. Mom is a good Mom so she will whip it back into shape in no time. I hope y'all truly appreciate what your Mom has done for you from even before you were born.
      Becca, you are still loving the pool down at Mamaw & Papaw's. We had to get rid of our pool here because we needed level ground to set it up on and even though the yard may look level it most certainly is not. We bought another one that isn't quite as big and deep but I think maybe you will use this one more often.
      Granny is still not doing much better. She has her good days and her bad days. The day before yesterday she couldn't even hardly swallow her medicine. Eventually your Mom got her to take her pills but she couldn't keep them down. They had to take her to the hospital so she could get her meds in shot form. Yesterday she was doing much better. She was talking with us and laughing at jokes that your second cousin once removed, Kenny Robinson was telling her. She still enjoys seeing you, Becca. You can make her smile but your Mom says that you know something is wrong with Granny and visiting her puts you in a foul mood when you leave. I know how you feel, little girl. It disturbs me as well.
      Your Mom has decided to take some time off from work until the end of the year. She has really pushed herself these past few months but she has made enough money that we won't need her income for the rest of the year. Y'all really do have a wonderful Mom.
      Well, I'm gonna close this post out and finish the show I am going to close this post out, finish watching the show I am watching and then go to bed. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Rebecca and Grant,
                     Today was pretty busy because we all decided to go to Wal-Mart in Frankfort and also to Steak -N- Shake for a late lunch/early dinner. First, though, we decided to go and visit your Great Grandmother, Annetta. You have taken to calling her Granny Grunt, and when you do that she just smiles at you. When anyone else does it, she proclaims that she is "Not a Grunt." She dearly loves you, little girl.
               Grant, I have had a difficult pregnancy with you. I don't suppose being almost thirty and having a badly beaten up - not to mention chubby body helps, either. I am going to do everything I can to lose some weight after you are born.
I had to go and buy a maternity support so that I could just be able to walk comfortably with you. It seems I have some internal varicose veins in my lower abdomen and pelvis. Some days it bites to be a woman, so be glad you will never be one, little man.
            We bought some more baby stuff for you this weekend Grant. I believe we are nearly there as far as your stuff goes. We have everything for your room except your mobile (which we are getting at K-Mart) and your temporal thermometer and your diaper bags. You have plenty of onesies and Alicia gave us some clothes from her four boys. We're going to the Disney Store to look into getting you some stuffed Pooh characters for your room, too. We may need a few more pictures for your room but we will cross that bridge when we get there.
            Becca, I have to say that you are really developing your own little attitude. It's hard sometimes not to lose my patience with you when you tell me 'No' when I tell you to do something or when you misbehave on purpose. But on the other hand, it's great to watch you develop your own opinions about things, and feel your own way towards things. It's only normal for children to push their limits when they are at your age and push you do. That's alright though because Dad and I have both agreed that we don't want a Robot child.
            You were a very good girl all around today, except when we got home. You were so very tired that you got a little spanking from Dad for telling him 'No'. I bought you a little toy at Wal-Mart and you've torn it up already. It was a Spiderman 'Personal Fan' that blew air and lit up when you pressed a button. You bit the foam blades off of it. You've only bitten one or two people that I know of (Me and Dad) but you seem to have a pension for biting every single toy you get. I should have known better to get you anything with foam blades on it. Live and learn, I reckon.
            You and I sat in the floor and played music on your new bucket you got at Babies-R-Us and sang silly songs for almost an hour while Dad sat in his chair and read his paper and watched us. We had a grand old time. We sang "Froggy Went A Courtin'", and "Ten Little Monkeys", and "Met My Boyfriend At The Candy Store", "Cinderella, dressed in Yella" - and many more. You are quite the little singer. You are so bossy, too. You'd keep saying, "Here you bang the bucket" or "Now bang the floor". I guess some could look at it as wrong for me to cater to you so and think, 'Well, no wonder she pitches a fit and puts up a fight when she doesn't get her way!"- but the truth is I only cater to you when it comes to unimportant things. And every time you tell me to hit the bucket or bang the floor, hit and bang I shall.
          Dad went to bed pretty early and you stayed up until about nine o'clock. You were hungry so you had some cheese and doritios with a side of strawberries for a late snack/dinner. I think that was a lot of what was wrong with you last night. This morning when you got up and ate a little something you went back to bed and slept for almost three hours. I guess me and Dad feel full all day when we eat and you only eat bits at a time and we just kind of let it slip our minds that you might need a bedtime snack. You also had a persimmon. From now on I will make it a point to come up with a healthy, filling bedtime snack for you. I think tomorrow night you can have some yogurt and granola.
         Grant, you've been wreaking havoc on my sugar levels, too. My gestational diabetes is not NEARLY as bad with you as it was with Becca, but we caught it early with you and I have been eating healthier ever since I found out we were having you. Maybe that has a lot to do with it. It has indeed been a hard pregnancy and I don't think I'm going to be able to work any more. I am going to ask Dr. Youkilis for a note on Wednesday to state that I need to be off for the remainder of the pregnancy and so that way I don't have to just up and leave them and they can have some time to find someone new. I missed this weekend because I just couldn't put myself through being there twelve hours in two consecutive days. It gets difficult whether you are sitting, standing, even napping on the bed when I have a moment - I can't really rest like I need to sometimes and like I can do it here. I know that every bit of this is more than worth it, though. I can't wait to hold my baby boy in my arms and kiss Him for the first time. I love you so much, Grant! It's crazy how much I love you, but not really because I felt the same way with your sister, and I still do. Whoever said that Motherhood was like your kids were "Your heart walking around outside your body"- was defiantly right. I am so glad we are going to have our little family of four. You and your sister mean the world to me, as does your Daddy.
         Well, I guess I need to try to get some sleep myself sometime tonight, so I will talk to you as soon as I get another moment free, Rebecca and Grant. And remember! Mommy loves you both! And you, too Daddy!