Grant got to go on a Father and Son Campout the weekend of his birthday with Grandpa Versey, Josh, Benson and Porter. Grandma Yeaman and Chris were also in town that week so when the boys got back from the campout we had a little party ready for him.
The weekend before Grant's actual birthday we celebrated Grant, Uncle Jacob's, and Uncle Nathan's birthday as well at the park. 
Aunt Karli made each of them their own cake. She went all out with hamburgers and gave Grant 20 $1 bills. He thought he was in heaven between that and all the candy he got. I love this picture below. Even the big boys look so excited about their cakes.
Within this last year I feel like Grant has really grown up. He is becoming helpful and thoughtful, growing out the "selfish" toddler stage. He still loves to be wild and crazy and definitely causes his fair share of trouble but I am beginning to understand him better and his heart when I look in his eyes. I am learning to be more patient, to not be so quick to accusations or reactions because he struggles to communicate his thoughts. I think his brain is just going a million miles an hour and often has the best of intentions but forgets to ask or doesn't always think through the consequences of his actions.
One Saturday Josh was out mowing the lawn and Grant came inside and got into the cleaning closet. My first thoughts were, "There is nothing in there that he could possibly need and if he did have a good reason for something, he needed to ask." So when I irritatedly asked him what he needed he said he was getting a hat for dad. I forgot I had put Josh's hats in there and without being asked he thought he would help his dad out by getting him a hat so his balding head wouldn't get sun burned.
Grant will still occassionally complain that he doesn't want to go to church but it doesn't happen as often anymore. He struggled with the idea of paying tithing because he says it's like throwing your money away, but I haven't heard him complain about it for a while. Josh and I would take every opportunity we could to point out how blessed our family is and how thankful we are for the good food we have to eat and the fun toys we have to play with; "Heavenly Father has really blessed us for paying our tithing." I think he might be getting it.
Occassionally Grant would complain about not wanting to pray at night because he said it was like talking to no one. I feel like Josh and I are constantly praying for Grant to recognize the hand of the Lord in his life. A few days after he had made a comment like this he lost his pocket knife. He LOVES his pocket knife. He feels like the king of the world because he is "old enough" now to have one. He knew he lost it the day before and could remember having it when he was playing by the ditch. I reminded him that when we loose things we can pray and ask Heavenly Father to help us find them. He walked around looking for another minute when he finally came in and said, "Ok, let's say a prayer." I didn't realize he was waiting for Josh and I to pray with him. He got on his knees and said a quick simple prayer asking for help to find it. As soon as the prayer was over Josh walked outside with Grant toward the ditch and right in line of the direction they walked Grant looked down and saw his pocket knife in front of him. We said a prayer of thanks and pointed out to Grant that Heavenly Father really does hear and answer our prayers. Josh and I were SO grateful Grant could have this experience and I am so grateful I could witness this small miracle in my child's life. Witnessing these miracles your child's life is one of the greatest rewards of being a parent.
Some things that are unique to Grant:
- Grant loves cooking and helping in the kitchen
- He is really eager to read and learn
- He loves hard manual labor
- He loves chopping wood
- He loves riding the dirt bike but wishes it were a four-wheeler instead
- He loves little babies
- He loves to tease
- When he gets tired his eyes glaze over and he can no longer hear anything you say to him
- He loves waking up at 5 a.m. to eat breakfast with his dad
- He wears his play clothes under his church clothes every Sunday no matter how hot it is outside
- He loves to accessorize with watches, parachord bracelets, key chains, his pocket knife, etc.
- He always styles his hair in a mo-hawk for church
