Grace's Garden

Second Post of 2010, and It's Not Even May!

2010-04-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

Do not adjust your monitors. Seeing is believing. Yes, I'm back. Hard to believe, I know. But I have a few days off from work, and all of our SD cards are full, so now's the time to finally download some pictures and catch you all up on the past six months or so of life in the Teigen household.

It's a new year (OK, OK. We're almost five months in, but I like to think of myself as a glass-half-FULL kinda girl...), so I'm trying something new for picture sharing. Instead of posting pictures here, I'm posting them to our Windows Live account. Here's the address: http://cid-52d767639fdc418c.photos.live.com/summary.aspx

You'll have to set up a Hotmail account if you don't already have one. It's super easy. Then create a password and go from there. Once you've established yourself as a user, you can come back and view our online albums any time. I'll still use this blog to keep a record of Grace's developmental milestones, but please go to Windows Live to see photos.

So how does one sum up an entire six+ months of toddler development in a single blog post? I have nobody to blame except myself. My priorities have shifted in recent months and I have only about an hour of down-time each evening. Blogging is not what I want to do after being on the computer at work for 8-10 hours/day, and our weekends are even more full than usual for some reason. It's all about doing more with less these days, it seems. So here goes:

Potty Training: Done. Pretty much. It's rare for Grace to have wetting accidents, but she still struggles at times with pooping in the potty. In a given week, I'd say she chooses to poop in the potty at least 90% of the time. We can't even call the other 10% 'accidents' because after they happen, she usually tells us she didn't want to go on the potty. It's all about control, right? But she's getting there. In fact, most days she wakes up with a dry Pull-Up!

Growth/Health: Although Grace has a bit of a cold right now, she has been remarkably healthy this winter. She's had a couple minor illnesses, but only one especially virulent virus that kept her out of school for almost a week in January. Grace has always been an awesome sleeper and eater, plus she gets lots of fresh air and exercise, so it's no wonder she's so healthy! She's also growing like crazy. She weighs 27 pounds and wears size 3T in clothes. We'll be taking her to the doctor soon for her 3-year check-up, so we'll find out how tall she is then.

Vocabulary: There is no way I could list all the cute/funny/endearing/brilliant things that come out of Gracie's mouth, but here are some especially memorable Gracie-isms I just have to mention:

Go 'way/Leave me 'lone! (usually spoken in frustration when she doesn't get her way; not that we condone it, but it is awfully cute.)
Solly, solly. (sorry, sorry)
Pease picka me up.
He a mean guy? (Grace loves the villian in every movie she watches. She can identify the 'mean guy' right away but usually asks just to confirm.)
Her is my friend.
Us going bye bye?
I wanna go to Gamma's house.
Nu not a mean guy. (nu = you)
Seeping Booty (Grace's favorite Disney princess)
May I please be excused? (as in, from the dinner table. Yes, my heart beams with pride every time she says it!)

There are so, so, soooo many more but these are just some of our faves.

Interests: You might recall that right around Christmas, Grace was obsessed with all things Pocahontas. Well, after watching the movie approximately 46,982 times and being inundated with Pocahontas-themed Christmas gifts, she moved on to a new fixation: fairy tale princesses. My friends with daughters warned me that, like most little girls, Grace would eventually uncover an innate penchant for princesses regardless of our efforts to redirect her interests, but I figured that Gracie would be the exception. Alas, it's as if the love of 'pinky princesses' is embedded in little girls' DNA. It's not that Chad and I actively discouraged Gracie from playing with/taking interest in princesses, but we certainly did not encourage her in any way. Yet here we are, a few days after Grace's princess-themed third birthday party with a house full of new princess-themed toys, books, room decor, apparel, and even dinnerware (!), and it seems we've only scratched the surface of Grace's new-found fascination. I suppose there are worse things, right? :-)

Well, that's all I have time for tonight. Be sure to check out our pictures at Windows Live. As we add new pics to that site, I'll try to post little reminders here to let you all know. In the meantime, set up your account and bookmark the site so you can access our albums as we create them. Enjoy!

Halloween 2009

2010-01-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned in years past, Halloween is one of our favorite holidays. Each year, we decorate our front porch and yard in anticipation of all the trick-or-treaters who will ring our bell on All Hallows Eve. Of course, we love Halloween even more now that Gracie is part of the celebration!

Since Halloween fell on a Saturday this year, we invited my mom, Noelle, and her family to join us for a day of fun. Grandma Jan arrived first, so Gracie got to spend some 1:1 time with her before everyone else came. For a few weeks, Gracie was really into pretending she was a baby. Here she is, all swaddled up:

After everyone else got there, we went to lunch at Chevy's. Here's Gracie feeding Rubie some chips:

Wow. Apparently they wanted to share that one. Silly girls!

To occupy the little ones while our lunches were being prepared, the server brought out some coloring pages, crayons, and tortilla dough for them to play with.

Gracie was quite pleased with her tortilla-dough cookies:

After lunch, the girlies napped while B and I made gourmet caramel apples:

This is such a great pic of my mom and B:

Here are the guys, hard at work carving pumpkins:

I had to include this shot of Brenden comforting a terrified Rubie after she saw him dressed in his scary costume. It's too precious!

As a pre-cursor to trick-or-treating, we visited a local harvest festival. There were all kinds of fun activities for kiddos and their families to enjoy.

RuRu doing the chicken dance. It was so funny, she literally drew an audience:

This is Queen Gracie perfecting her bumblebee flying technique:

I thought this was a great family photo:

... and a nice one of Grandma and her grandkids:

Seriously? Have you ever seen a sweeter bumblebee?

I would like to take this opportunity to share some of our spooky Halloween decorations.

Marcus the Carcass:

Squash Face:

Vomitron:

... and some other decorations behind Grandmother Willow and Buzzy on their way out the door:

First stop: Our next-door neighbor Jake's house.

Grandma really is a good sport! She wanted to surprise the kids by wearing a costume of her own, and this is what she came up with. She made it herself! We all got a kick out of it.

The rest of us weren't quite as creative:

I don't think I'd want to run into this guy, alone in a dark alley:

What a haul!

Their candy buckets got so heavy, they couldn't even carry them anymore!

Now for the best part: Taking inventory of the loot. Grace's favorite treats this year? M&Ms

There's nothing like a day of fun to wear out a couple of little ghouls:

PS: I was worried about how to get rid of ALL that Halloween candy without Gracie having a major meltdown, but it turns out it wasn't a big deal. She forgot about her candy after a couple weeks (up to that point, we let her choose a piece after dinner a few times). In fact, I think there's still some up in a cupboard somewhere, but thankfully none of us thinks about it anymore. Crisis averted!

Pumpkin Patch 2009

2010-01-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

Before Grace joined our family, I had no idea there were so many pumpkin patches and harvest festivals in our area. Each one offers something unique, so it was quite the decision this year to choose the farm we wanted to visit. Ultimately, we (and the Sages) opted for the Fall Festival at Liepold Farms way out in Boring, OR.

In addition to the standard-issue pumpkin patch and corn maze, there was a whole kids' entertainment area. Here's Chad taking Gracie through the children's mini-maze. Grace loved her glow stick necklace:

... and here she is on a John Deere "triketor" (get it? trike + tractor = triketor):

... riding the merry-go-round:

... and peeking through the playhouse window:

Here we are just being silly:

Both kids really enjoyed riding these ponies. It was great because the ponies got to freely walk around in a field rather than around in a circle while tied to a hitch. We learned that all of the ponies were rescued from abusive/neglectful situations, and the cost of each ride went toward future rescue efforts.

Look what GG found!

Chad with Ben sitting on a GIANT pumpkin:

"Come with me!"

Even Baby Maddox got in on the fun this year:

Shortly after we took this picture, Gracie jumped in a huge mud puddle and got drenched. Luckily, we came prepared with an entire change of clothes (including jacket):

These pumpkins were just her size!

Mama and Gracie on the hayride out to the pumpkin field:

Two little pumpkins hitchin' a ride:

Ummm, would you like some help with that?

I love how she picked one of the only non-orange ones:

What a great day we had! Can't wait to go again next fall!

Jessy's 3rd Birthday Party

2010-01-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

If there's one thing Miss Gracie loves, it's a birthday party. When Grandma Heather planned Jessy's third birthday party to coincide with our October visit to Central Oregon, Gracie couldn't have been more excited!

Before the party, we visited Ashley at her new house; then we went to a nearby park to let Gracie run off some pre-party energy. As you can see, it was a beautiful, sunny fall day:

At last, it was time for the party. It was at Papa's Pizza, a fun pizza parlor that has a huge indoor ball pit and jungle gym for kids to play on. There were lots of other kids there, so Grace had a blast. But first, Grace had to check out the party hat and favors:

... a little while later, Papa Mike came by to say hello:

... then it was time for Jessy to open her presents:

... and blow out her birthday candles. The cake is Grace's favorite part of any birthday party. Notice how she's eyeing it covetously:

I love this sweet picture of Grandma Mickey kissing the birthday girl:

Here's a shot of what Grace and Jessy did for the majority of the party: Play! They were inseparable all day.

We were so lucky to see Gracie's Great-Great Grandma Ora this trip (she and Duane drove all the way from Eastern Oregon for Jessy's party).

Loves for Mama Ashley:

... and more loves for Papa Mike:

We stopped by Grandma Mickey's on our way out of town so we could change Gracie into her jammies for the long drive home. Tell me this isn't the most precious picture!

Saying good-bye to Great-Great Grandpa Duane:

It was a really fun day, but our visit felt much too short (especially since we won't make it back over there until Spring due to the icy roads). Luckily, we have phone, email, and Facebook to keep us connected until then.

October Trips to Eugene and the Coast

2010-01-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

October was a very eventful month for us, second only to April. Coincidentally, those are my two favorite months of the whole year. Hmmm, there must be a correlation there somewhere. As a result of being about eight weeks behind on my blog posts, I do not recall the exact order of October weekend events; however, I know Gracie was one happy girl because she got to spend every weekend with a variety of family members.

One of the weekends, Grace and I drove down to Eugene to spend a few days with Grandma Jan and Rubie while Chad was home studying and Noelle, Jeremy, and Brenden were out of town. One of the highlights of that weekend was making cupcakes:

... decorating them:

... and eating them!

We also took the girls to a children's arts & crafts fair and tea party (regretfully, I neglected to take photos during those activities). But here's a priceless shot of two very lovable cousins on their way to an indoor playground:

Another weekend in October, we went to the coast to see my dad and Debbie while they were staying with Nina and Chris. It was such a gorgeous day, so we took a walk and ended up at the beach. Rubie and Gracie couldn't wait to get their toes in that sand!

Back at Nina and Chris's house, the kiddos thought it was great fun to play in Bogey's kennel. They ran back and forth between Bogey's bed and his kennel while the rest of us cracked up at how silly they were!

Luckily, Bogey didn't mind. He's a good boy. And those cousins are so precious together!

Portland Nursery Apple Tasting

2010-01-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

It seemed like we did ALL the fun things there were to do around Portland last fall, but somehow we missed a few gems. Take, for example, the Portland Nursery Apple Tasting event. It was a two-weekend affair that featured a multitude of children's activities, apple and pear sampling (who knew there were SO many varieties of apples and pears grown right here in Oregon?), and live music set amidst the lovely backdrop of the Portland Nursery.

Some of the highlights included making pine cone bird/squirrel feeders:

... and painting mini-pumpkins:

While waiting in line to sample the apples, Geege spotted this HUGE terra cotta pumpkin compost bin:

... and this very unique scarecrow:

It was a brisk fall day, to say the least. Here's Gracie all bundled up on her wagon:

Grace was really curious about the fancy balloon hats she saw other kids wearing, so we HAD to get her one.

She specifically asked for a flower:

Someone was getting tired:

We can never leave a children's event without a little face paint. Here's Daddy CAT and his little kitten:

Mish-Mash

2010-01-01T08:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Twenty-Ten, blog watchers! Here is a collection of random photos we took this past autumn for your viewing enjoyment. Stay tuned for new posts coming soon!

Back to School & Cider Squeeze

2009-12-26T21:55:00.000-08:00

When summer ended this year, autumn literally swept us off our feet. After 14.5 years since stepping foot in a college classroom, Chad returned to school. Here he is on his first day, all ready to go:

That first week of classes was intense, and Chad definitely needed a break from all the hard-core studying he'd been doing. So on a brisk Saturday morning in September, we set off for the 32nd annual cider squeeze and harvest festival at Philip Foster Farm. It turned out to be a really great way to welcome autumn! There was live music:

... ready-to-be harvested veggies (here's Grace checking out the broccoli plants):

... super realistic scarecrows (oh wait! That's Chad!):

... and of course, bushels of apples just waiting to be squeezed into fresh cider:

Elsewhere on the farm, Grace got to feed a pony:

... pose next to a sunny sunflower:

... and peek out the window of a little cabin:

She even got to build her very own cabin out of life-size Lincoln Logs!

After all that, we took home some freshly squeezed apple cider as a souvenir of our fun day. Yummy!

Mike and Ashley's Late Summer Visit

2009-12-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

Right around Labor Day weekend, Mike and Ashley came to visit us. On Saturday, we took them to the Lake Oswego Farmers' Market where they posed for this beautiful picture:

For lunch, we went to Pioneer Courthouse Square for Festa Italiana. We all enjoyed lo cibo e bevande molto delizioso.

Later that afternoon, we spent some time at the playground behind our house. It seemed that Mike and Ashley loved playing as much as G did!

That night, Mama Ashley gave Gracie her bath.

Check out Gracie's new look!

The next day, we walked around the Portland Saturday Market.

Gracie helped Mama Ashley pick out a pretty new cell phone cover:

Here are some shots of Gracie sitting perfectly still while getting her face painted:

After a fun-filled weekend, it was time to say goodbye. Here are some cute photos we took before we went our separate ways.

West Linn Art in the Park

2009-12-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

Waaaaay back in late August while looking for a fun and inexpensive way to spend a Saturday afternoon, we stumbled upon the annual West Linn Art in the Park event. The initial draw, of course, was the park.

There was a lot to see and do at the event, despite Gracie's reluctance to leave the playground. We thought this old tree was pretty, so we stopped for a quick pic:

On our way to the 'art' part of the event, we found this cool splash fountain. We couldn't resist letting Gracie play for awhile. Good thing it was a warm, sunny Indian Summer day:

In the distance, the sound of bagpipes beckoned:

... so we decided to stop for lunch and watch the entertainment line-up. Our favorite acts were the Bollywood dancers:

... especially the children's performance. (The little girl in pink was a hoot!)

We never actually made it to the art show that day. But... we had such a great time on Saturday that we returned on Sunday!

The art was wonderful, but once again we found ourselves enjoying the other activities. Grace really appreciated this red balloon:

And luckily, we knew to bring a swimsuit for Gracie this time:

But naturally, the playground was the highlight for Miss G.

Here's an adorable parting shot of my Hula Honeys. Aren't they sweet?

Baby Maddox

2009-11-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

After months of anticipation (nine months + a couple weeks, to be exact), Maddox Reid Sage made his big debut on August 25, 2009!

During the last few months of Megan's pregnancy, we took the opportunity to explain to Gracie that when she was a tiny baby, she grew in her Mama Ashley's belly just like Meggie's baby was growing in hers. Now that Maddox is finally here, Gracie really seems to understand! In fact, she regularly tells us about how she was in Mama Ashee's tummy. I love it!

Anyway, when we got the call that Maddox had arrived, we could not wait to meet him! Here is a beautiful shot of the proud/exhausted mamas, and Gracie welcoming her new little friend:

Here's Jilly showing off her sweet baby boy:

... and his adorable monkey-bottom outfit:

BTW: Benji is conspicuously absent from these photos because, for a short while after Maddox was born, he just wasn't quite sure about him. He came around pretty quickly thereafter, though, and now he loves to show off his baby brother.

Gracie, on the other hand, can't get enough of him!

Here are some pics we took a week or so later. I'm pretty sure I was thinking, Wow, it was just yesterday that Gracie was this tiny...

Gracie is completely enamored with Baby Maddox. She loves it when he comes over and sleeps in her bed. She takes every opportunity to hold him and kiss him. I think someone will be a fantastic big sister someday!

Splash Fountain and Beach Trip

2009-11-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

Oh wow, this is as behind as I've ever been with the blog. I feel like I need to list all the monumental things G has said and done since I last updated this site (which was, um, over two months ago. But who's counting?) and worry about posting pictures another time. Or vice versa. Or maybe I'll just do a little of each. Where to start, where to start...

Sweet Gracieisms:

"Where did [insert name of whoever she last saw, talked to, or thought about] go?" (She repeats the question at least 158 times in a row, regardless of the answer/explanation. :-)
"Whakack?" (What's that?)
"Cuz why?" (Because why?)
"Ashee Teigen!!!" (This is what Gracie excitedly says anytime we ask what her whole name is. She leaves off the Grace Evelyn part every time. So cute!)
"I wanna see moon." (Sometime in late summer/early fall, Gracie discovered the moon and has been asking to see it every night since.)
And my personal favorite: "I wanna see God."
One day last week, I showed Gracie the most amazing sunrise and explained that it's one of God's gifts to us each morning. The next day, she woke up and immediately wanted me to open her blinds so she could see God. I almost cried.

Potty training was going really well until a couple weeks ago when Gracie decided to exert her control by refusing to use the potty. We know it can be a normal part of the process for toddlers to pull back for awhile, so we continue to encourage and reward her as much as possible. She's really excited about wearing panties and chewing gum when she's a "big kid" so hopefully she'll come around again soon.

I know it's not polite to gloat about one's child, but why stop now after 2.5 years of professing my pride on this site? At the ripe, young age of 2.5, Gracie can count to 10! Isn't she awesome? She also loves to sing her version of the ABCs (with a lot of emphasis on LMNOP and S throughout the song), and just this evening she busted out with the Clean Up song all on her own!

Colors, though? That's a different story. We're working on 'em. For a long while, everything was pink. Now, everything is yellow. Everything. Although she may not remember the names of all the colors, she sure can match colors like nobody's business! We'll be at the breakfast table, and Gracie will announce that her blue spoon matches Daddy's blue shirt. Or, when she's brushing her teeth she'll tell me that her purple toothbrush matches her purple hair clippy. The girl's got an eye, what can I say?

Last, but not least, I must report on Grace's fascination with all things Pocahontas. A couple months ago, Chad let Gracie pick out a Disney movie to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Without a moment's hesitation, she reached for Pocahontas (on VHS, no less) and has since asked to watch it at least once per day. When I ask her each morning what she dreamt about the night before, her answer is invariably "Pocahontas!" If you ask Gracie who her favorite princess is... can you guess the answer? Yep! How the heck does she even know that Pocahontas was a princess?! Needless to say, Santa is on a mission to find Pocahontas-related Christmas presents this year. You would be amazed how hard it is to find anything!

OK, now for some pictures. My mom and her friend, Sue, came to visit one warm August day and took Grace to this fun splash fountain. Although G liked to play in the water, she wasn't so sure about the 'splash' part at first:

... but then she warmed up to the idea:

... and we couldn't get her out of there! She saw other kids filling plastic baggies with water, so she asked my mom for a snack just so she could have the empty bag to play with!

Behind the fountain was a big duck pond. Here's GG chasing a duck into the water:

The next weekend, we took a trip to the beach to stay with Nina and Chris. It was such a gorgeous weekend! One of the days, we visited my Grandma in Newport where Gracie had such fun playing catch with my mom:

... and being chased by Aunt Nina:

I love this photo of Gracie with her Great Grandma Z:

We spent the whole next day at the beach. Gracie was in hog-heaven!

Here she is, just taking it all in:

After a day of fun in the sun, we went back to Nina and Chris's so G could rest before we had to leave. Here she is with my mom:

... and here she is with Bogey after waking up from a quick nap:

Bye bye, Uncle Chris! Can't wait to see you again soon!

Two Terrific Toddlers

2009-09-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, we got to have Rubie for an entire weekend (by herself, sans parentals). Noelle dropped her off Friday night, and we kept her until Sunday afternoon. Taking care of two toddlers was an awful lot of work, but it was also a whole lotta fun.

One of the highlights of the weekend was picking raspberries in our backyard. The girls took turns holding the bowl while I picked the berries; then, after dinner they got to enjoy the sweet fruits of their labor:

Rubie and Gracie were fascinated by the apples and pears that had fallen from our trees, so to prevent them from eating/squishing/playing with the fruit, we encouraged them to gather it up for the squirrels. What a fun game!

The next morning, we told the girls we were going to the Children's Museum. They were so excited!

Once we got there, Gracie led the way to the water play area:

... then, Rubie found the face paints:

We spent quite awhile in the clay studio. These girls were very serious about their artwork:

Next was story time, although Gracie had more fun playing on this log than listening to the story:

No trip to the Children's Museum is complete without a stop at the supermarket:

... and here they are riding off into the sunset:

Before we left, we let the girls pick out a souvenir. They picked these bouncy sport balls.

After a picnic lunch at a nearby park, we called it a day. This is what tuckered out looks like:

The next morning, we took the girls to Gracie's favorite park. Here's Rubie being a monkey:

... and here's GG concerned about Rubie playing on the 'big kid' structure (she's very aware of what's for the big kids vs. the little kids at her playground):

When we got home, they had lunch and played in the backyard for awhile:

... then, they did a little reading before naptime:

Noelle picked Rubie up while Gracie was still napping. So for the next couple weeks after Rubie went home, Gracie asked us daily, "Where'd Rubby go?" I'm pretty sure Gracie wanted Rubie to move in with us.

The Giraffes Are Sleeping

2009-09-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

For the better part of a year, Chad has been keeping Gracie out of daycare on Tuesdays so they can spend one-on-one time together. Chad always plans something fun for them to do on their special day together, and one week I was fortunate enough to join them on a trip to the zoo.

Like many kids, Gracie loves the zoo. The elephants are usually her favorite attraction, but on this particular day when asked which animal she was most excited to see, she immediately replied, "Giraffes!" So off we went in search of the giraffes.

First stop: Monkeys.

... then tigers:

... and then, reluctantly, zebras:

Although the other animals were nice, Gracie was getting impatient to see those giraffes! And wouldn't you know it... when we finally found the giraffe area, there were none to be seen. Regretfully, we had to inform our little giraffe girl that the giraffes were sleeping. From that day forward (and I'm not exaggerating), she has informed us that the giraffes are, indeed, sleeping.

After that small disappointment, we decided it was a good time for a picnic lunch. We found a spot on the lawn just in time to watch the birds of prey show.

The highlight of the show was the majestic bald eagle that flew directly above us to its perch onstage:

After the show, we decided to take a ride on the zoo train. Despite the many times Grace has been to the zoo, she has not ridden the train since the very first time we took her when she was only two-months old! She thought it was silly when we told her she slept through the whole ride that time.

Here we are on our way back to the zoo entrance. Gracie is showing us her monkey impression:

After a quick stop at the zoo store (Gracie picked out the beaver she has in her hand, as well as a fun I Spy Zoo Animals book), we called it a day. It sure was a fun one!

Rubby's House

2009-09-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

Whenever we can, my sister (Noelle) and I try to get the kids together for Saturday playdates. It is especially fun for Gracie to go to 'Rubby's house' because they have a cool play structure in their backyard. One of the times we went to see them this summer, it was pretty hot outside so we set up a mini waterslide with Rubie's dinosaur pool. They had a blast!

Although he's a bit too big for the kiddie pool, Brenden was a great sport. He hung out with the adults and had fun watching the little girls play. Here's our favorite 10-year old muggin' for the camera:

After splashing in the pool for awhile, it was time for a refreshing snack:

The rest of the day, the kids rode bikes:

... drew on the sidewalk:

... and played ball:

Once inside, Rubie showed Gracie her impressive mask collection. Here she is being scary:

... and silly:

Gracie got in on the dress-up action, too, with these stylish shades:

Luckily, it wasn't long before the cousins were together again. It was just a few weekends later when Rubie came to our house for a sleepover! Those pics are coming soon...

The Day the Binky Fairy Came

2009-09-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

Ever since Gracie was a few weeks old, she was easily comforted by her may may (her word for pacifier). At around 18-months old, however, we limited her use of the may may to naps and bedtime only. Once Gracie turned two, we knew it would soon be time to break her of the habit once and for all.

So a few weeks before we left for our vacation, we started telling Gracie that the Binky Fairy would soon be coming to take all her may mays to give to the tiny babies in the world who need them. We explained that it might be hard to say goodbye, and she would probably miss her may mays at first, but it was a very brave and generous gesture for such a big girl to make. She actually seemed to understand, and really didn't object to the idea. So the day after we returned home from vacation, the Binky Fairy came.

Here's Gracie reluctantly waking from her nap, savoring the last few suck sucks on her beloved may may:

The Binky Fairy left this fancy basket for Gracie to fill with all her may mays. At first, Grace just wanted to snuggle with us and look at the basket. But after a few minutes, she very methodically placed each of her may mays into the basket, one by one.

Chad and I braced ourselves for a few difficult nights as Gracie adjusted to bedtime without her may may, but she was incredible. Other than a few quiet tears immediately after she handed 'em over (I think all three of us mourned her loss that afternoon), she seemed completely unphased. No sleepless nights. No meltdowns. No sweat!

After dinner that night, we celebrated her bravery with some cake and ice cream (plus, she moved from her high chair to a booster chair at our dining room table). Does this look like a child in mourning to you?

The morning after the Binky Fairy came, Gracie awoke to find the fancy basket filled with special little gifts (including a cuddly stuffed bunny, some bubbles, a tiny embroidered tote bag with lollipops inside, and the Binky Fairy's wand). She tore into it so fast, we didn't even have time to take pictures! Additionally, to prove that her may mays went to a good home, Chad showed Gracie a website featuring photos of three newly adopted babies from Africa whose primary comforts were -- you guessed it -- binkies.

Although it makes our hearts ache to see Gracie grow up SO FAST, Chad and I are incredibly proud of what a strong little girl she's becoming.

Homeward Bound

2009-08-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

On the road again. I just can't wait to get on the road again... - Willie Nelson

Because we were in for another 10-hour drive, we left Tahoe the evening before we planned to arrive at home and stayed overnight at the half-way point (this time, in the town of Yreka, CA). It didn't get dark until after 9:00 PM, so to encourage sleep we gave GG her binky, a book, and some sunglasses to block the light. It worked like a charm!

In fact, Gracie slept so well she didn't want to get up the next morning.

On our way out of town, we stopped for breakfast at this cute little place:

Gracie was confused to no end when we told her the restaurant was called Grandma's Place. She couldn't find her grandma ANYWHERE! Haha!

She did, however, find this pretty little patch of flowers outside:

... as well as this gorgeous butterfly:

Get a load of this giant teddy-bear shaped pancake!

A few hours later, we stopped again to stretch our legs. Gracie made friends with this baby Chihuahua outside a little children's boutique:

Later that afternoon, we made a quick stop to see Rubie and Brenden (since we were in the neighborhood and all). We loved Gracie's special way of wearing her shades:

Here's G enjoying an icy pop:

... and B being cool:

GG and RuRu were mesmerized by Brenden's toy that shot hundreds of feet in the air (and kept getting stuck in trees and/or on the roof):

You could NEVER tell by these pics, but I'd say that these two cousins kinda like each other.
:-)

Although we made lots of stops along the way, we finally arrived home later that night.

P.S. Mission Catch This Blog Up By the End of the Week = NOT accomplished. Oh well. At least I got through our vacation photos. Check back again soon for our remaining summer pics. There are STILL a bunch of 'em.

Final Few Days

2009-08-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

Some of the best times during our vacation were those spent relaxing at the condo with the kids. Grace and Ben were a constant source of entertainment! One morning, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire had a dance-off on the coffee table:

... then they did some painting:

One afternoon, we drove into Tahoe City to see the "Fanny Bridge." It's a bridge located above the mouth of the Truckee River where you can watch tons of HUGE trout swim by. The bridge's name comes from the tendency for people to line up along the bridge and bend over the rail to see those big fish (so from certain vantage points, all you see are a bunch of people's fannies). It wasn't very busy the day we visited, but you can see the bridge in the background of this shot:

... and here's one of the enormous trout:

There were some pretty flower beds nearby. Here's Gracie checking out the lupines:

This is a nice shot of Meggie with Baby Gunk on the way:

And here we are using our camera's self-timer mode:

For two evenings, the Sages and we took turns staying back at the condo while the other couple went out on the town. For our night, Chad and I hit some local casinos to play a few slots. Here's Chad pointing at the Welcome to California sign from the Nevada border:

On our final day of vacation, Chad took the kids to a nearby park while the rest of us packed up to leave:

... then the kids got to go swimming one last time:

Sadly, our 2009 summer vacation eventually had to come to an end. We took these parting shots as we got ready to go:

Now we're just counting down the months until our next family vacation!

Rafting the Truckee River

2009-08-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, we couldn't WAIT for our family vacation this year! Once we started planning the details of our trip to Tahoe, we booked a self-guided rafting trip on the Truckee River. I love to go river rafting, so that was the part of our trip I was looking the most forward to. Here are Grace and Ben waiting to get in the water:

Grace wasn't so sure about things at first. Just as we were pushing off from the dock, we were told to steer clear of rocks. So the entire time we were rafting, Grace took it upon herself to point out every single rock she saw. She was so helpful!

Here are some shots of the beautiful scenery. It was really peaceful on the river.

At a couple spots along the way, Benji was brave enough to jump out of the raft and float along beside us!

... he even let his toy boat have a run of its own:

Since this was a self-guided rafting trip, Chad and Jill were our engines while Megan and I helped steer and watch after the little ones.

Here's a nice family shot:

A couple hours into it, we pulled off and had a picnic lunch. Grace really enjoyed a chance to snuggle with her daddy:

... and Ben had fun playing in the dirt:

But the piece de resistance for Grace was the bus ride back to our car. She was SO excited!

For me, rafting was the best part of our entire vacation. Where we live, there are an abundance of navigable rivers, so hopefully rafting will become a regular part of our summers throughout Grace's childhood.

The Wild, Wild West

2009-08-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

This will be just a short post, but I wanted to share our photos from a little side trip we made while we were in Tahoe. The Sages wanted to relax back at the condo for the day, so Chad, Gracie, and I decided to visit the Old West ghost town of Virginia City, about an hour's drive from where we were staying.

For as long as I've known him, Chad has wanted to get our picture taken at one of those old-time photography places. Well... where better to finally do it than at an historic old place like Virginia City? We don't have a scanner anymore, so I can't show you our photo. But... here's a pic of the place we had it taken:

This is a store we went in that had lots of funny gag items, old-fashioned candy, and other fun stuff to look at. Notice the sign Chad's pointing at. We thought that was hilarious.

We stopped for lunch at the Delta Cafe, home of the World Famous Suicide Table (everything in Virginia City was "World Famous"). According to Virginia City legend, more than a few unlucky gamblers offed themselves at that particular table after losing their shirts at a card game called Faro.

After lunch, we took a guided tour of the city. We thought this place sounded interesting. The tour guide told us there were so many gruesome brawls at this saloon back in Virginia City's heyday that when the floors were mopped each night, entire buckets would become filled with blood. Ew!

Gracie was dressed appropriately, dontcha think? Needless to say, she and her outfit got LOTS of attention from passersby. Here she is being silly, trying to entice Chad or me to chase her down the clapboard sidewalk:

Aha! Gotcha!

We had a great time, just the three of us. But then again, we usually do...

M.S. Dixie and Heavenly Village

2009-08-27T20:22:00.000-07:00

On the final day of Julie, Steffen, and Hannah's visit, we all decided to take a sight-seeing cruise around the lake on the M.S. Dixie. Here are Chad and Gracie waiting in line to board the big stern wheeler:

Cruising the lake was a beautiful and relaxing way to spend the morning. I'm pretty sure Grace and Ben were thinking: What better way to enjoy the gorgeous view than with a delicious lollipop?

This is a nice shot of Jill with Baby Hannah:

Grace was all decked out for some fun in the sun with her sunhat and sunglasses:

And here's a cute pic of Meggie and Ben:

Here we are in Crystal Bay (one of the most photographed areas of the lake). In some places, the water alternated between turquoise blue and emerald green. It really was stunning!

I thought this was such a nice family photo of Julie, Steffen, and Hannah:

... as was this one of the two sisters and their families:

Sometime during the second half of the trip, both Benji and GG zonked in their mamas' arms.

After two hours on the lake, we were famished. So, we drove down to South Lake Tahoe to have lunch at Heavenly Village (an outdoor shopping/dining plaza at the base of the Heavenly ski area). At the recommendation of a friend, we dined at an Asian fusion restaurant called Fire & Ice. Gracie had a great time trying out the chopsticks:

Before heading back to the condo, Ben and Grace made their wishes in a fountain:

Whatever their wishes were, I hope they all come true!

Stars and Stripes Forever

2009-08-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the 4th of July? For me, it brings back memories of being near the water all day, soaking up the sun, having a picnic on the beach, then snuggling up with loved ones after the sun goes down in excited anticipation of the grand fireworks show. That's exactly what we did for the 4th of July this year.

After exploring our surroundings the day before, we decided to return to the beautiful beach with the playground. Chad, Gracie, and I found an awesome spot on the sand, so we set up our umbrella, chairs, and blankets and settled right in. Grace was so FREE, playing in the sand and water all day.

That afternoon, the rest of our party joined us (they spent the morning miniature golfing). Grace had even more fun playing in the sand once Benji got there!

Chad got in on the sand-castle building, too!

By the time late afternoon rolled around, Gracie was exhausted! She fought taking a nap all day, but she finally succumbed to sleep. Doesn't her little cocoon look cozy?

At one point, Steffen let Benji bury him in the sand. Hannah thought it was pretty funny to see her daddy like this:

Once the lifeguards were officially off duty that evening, Chad, Gracie, and Benji assumed their positions on the deserted lifeguard stand. It was a fantastic vantage point to blow some bubbles and look at the gorgeous view (bright blue water for miles, flanked by snow-capped mountains on all sides).

Here's Meggie and Hannah settling in for fireworks (dusk was a few hours away, but it started to get kinda cold as the sun began its descent).

... and here's our girl re-hydrating herself after a long day in the sunshine:

When it started to get dark, we gave the kids glow sticks to play with (unfortunately, none of the pictures turned out). Boy, were those a hit! In fact, the little ones could've done without the fireworks in favor of those malleable tubes of fluorescent light. The fireworks were spectacular, but the view of Lake Tahoe at twilight was truly awe-inspiring:

It was a fantastic day, filled with all the things I hope Gracie will associate with the 4th of July for years to come.

Tahoe or Bust!

2009-08-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

Ever since our 4th of July trip to Cannon Beach in 2008 with the Sages, we had been counting the months until we could take our next family vacation. Originally, we planned to go back to Cannon Beach with the Sage family to repeat the wonderful experience we had last year; in fact, we had hotel reservations and everything. But earlier this year, Megan's uncle generously offered the six of us the use of his huge, luxurious condo in Lake Tahoe over the 4th of July, so how could we refuse?!

Chad and I hadn't been to Tahoe since January 2, 2000 (the day after we got married), and neither of us had been there during the summer. We couldn't wait! It's a 10-hour drive from our house, so we decided to leave a day early and stay overnight in the tiny border town of Weed, CA.

Here's a shot of the majestic Mt. Shasta just after daybreak:

The drive to Tahoe was beautiful, but unfortunately we didn't stop to take any pics. We just wanted to get there! Grace was so funny. Once we hit the road, we told her we were going to a big lake. So for the ENTIRE drive, she kept saying "beach?" and "Grandma's house?" We have since come to understand that, to Gracie, any large body of water is the beach. I think she equates "vacation" with Grandma's house, and for good reason. Haha!

Anyway... about an hour outside of Tahoe, Gracie discovered that she could open one of the bags in the backseat and retrieve her diapers. This was the hilarious image we saw when we looked back at her:

As we neared our destination, we climbed to an elevation of over 9,000 feet in the Sierra Nevadas. Here's a shot of the landscape just before we rounded the summit.

... then, at long last, we got our first glimpse of "the beach":

Coincidentally, my dad and Debbie were staying at a condo in the same town we were. We arrived the day before they were scheduled to leave, so we spent a few hours together as soon as we got into town. We hung out at their condo for awhile, and GG had lots of fun feeding the chipmunks and blue jays from their balcony. (For some unknown reason, we did not get any pics of that.)

Later that afternoon, we hit the beach for the first time. Here's G with her Gma and Gpa "Cuddles."

Gracie wasted no time before dipping her toes in that crystal clear water:

That evening, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. After meeting up with the Sages and settling into the condo, we all went to bed early to rest up for the coming days.

The next day (our first official day of vacay!!), Megan's sister Julie, her husband Steffan, and their daughter Hannah joined us at the condo for the 4th of July weekend. (They live in the Bay Area, so it's just a four-hour drive for them to get to Tahoe.)

Here's a pic of Gracie and Ben settling into vacation mode:

Chad and I wanted to explore the area a bit, so we took Gracie to another local beach where she had fun playing in the sand:

... and wearing Daddy's shoes:

That beach had a great playground just steps from the shoreline. Grace thought it was pretty cool that she could run back and forth between the water and the park.

That night, we all met back up at the condo for dinner; then the kiddos took a bath in the huge whirlpool tub.

Well folks... that's just the beginning of our 2009 vacation! There is MUCH more to come, so please check back again soon.

Father's Day Fun

2009-08-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

You know, parenthood so far is really pretty awesome. Every day is a celebration when you're the parent of a fantastic kiddo like Gracie, so it seems downright indulgent to observe the two days devoted to mothers and fathers. But... that didn't stop us from enjoying the heck out of each other during Father's Day weekend this year!

We woke up Saturday morning and decided to head off to Sauvie Island for the Strawberry Festival. Don't ask me why, but we did not take any pictures at the festival itself. Isn't that craziness? It took place at a big farm on the island, and there was live music, lots of delish food (including fresh-grilled corn on the cob, which Grace thoroughly enjoyed), and a hayride out to the fields to pick your own berries. Well... it started to drizzle right as we were heading to the berry fields, so we opted out of picking our own and bought some from the farm stand instead.

Afterwards, we explored the island a bit and came across a little lavender farm.

Of course, there were hundreds of fuzzy, buzzy bumblebees feasting on the lavender pollen, but that did not deter us one bit. Gracie was positively intoxicated by the glorious scent of the flowers:

GG found this little lady having tea in the middle of the garden and decided to say hi:

Elsewhere on the farm, Gracie discovered a blackberry patch; however, the berries weren't quite ripe. She sure was cute, though.

Gracie also found this pear tree, which bore a striking resemblance to the one we have at home. We had to remind her that the pears weren't ready to be picked, despite the temptation.

Just as we were leaving, we stumbled upon a berry... tree? Turns out it was a mulberry bush! We had never seen one before, so Chad and Gracie had a closer look. BTW: We didn't see a monkey or a weasel, but we did see a lot of happy birds with bellies full of berries.

On Father's Day itself, we headed out to the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival. Chad, being of Norwegian descent, has always wanted to go, so this was the year. Grace slept for much of the drive, but right as she awoke we found this incredible playground.

Here's Chad peeking out of a tower. Notice the river in the background. Isn't it a pretty view?

Daddy was having too much fun up there, so G decided to join him.

Of course, Gracie LOVED all the slides. This was just one of many:

But Grace's favorite part of that playground was this little trolley. She kept going in that thing and just chillin'. It was too funny.

No trip to the playground is complete without a ride on a giant turtle:

Grace could've stayed at that playground all day, but the festival (and lunchtime) was beckoning.

On the way from the parking lot to the festival itself, we crossed this bridge with all the Scandinavian flags waving from it. I thought they looked pretty against those big, fluffy clouds.

Once inside, we listened to a live polka band and watched some traditional Scandinavian dancers. I particularly admired this lady's beautifully embroidered dress.

We also listened to this man play his accordion and yodel. He was really talented!

We sat on some bleachers while we watched one of the performances, and Grace could not resist the temptation to climb. Luckily, there weren't a lot of people sitting near us at the time.

This man was making wooden shoes... by hand! I thought wooden shoes were a Dutch thing, but I guess not.

Gracie decided to make herself at home in one of the gigantic shoes.

Here we are in front of some big painted signs:

And here's a shot of the Midsommarstang (Midsummer Pole) outside the welcome booth.

On our way back to our car, we spotted a pretty little garden area with a gazebo.

Someone left this little wind-up zebra toy, so Grace had fun playing with it for awhile.

Out of the blue, G began dancing around the gazebo. She was cracking us up! She just ran around and shimmied to her own little beat.

On the drive home, we made a quick stop at the beach. In this shot, Grace was in awe of a HUGE flock of pelicans landing in the water. It was a pretty amazing sight, but I was more interested in capturing Grace's reaction to it.

Here, you can kind of see some of the pelicans.

We definitely had a fun-filled weekend exploring some nearby areas, making happy family memories, and celebrating the gift of parenthood. We are so grateful for our blessings!

Just a Little Randomness

2009-08-24T12:56:00.001-07:00

As you've probably already gathered, I like to blog about specific events that occur on a given weekend, holiday, etc. But... I've come across a lot of random pics we took this summer that didn't really correspond to any significant event, yet they are still blog-worthy.

For example, earlier this summer Chad took GG to The Day of the African Child at the World Forestry Center. I was home sick with a nasty summer cold (those are the worst, right?), so it was a nice opportunity for Chad and Geege to spend some quality one-on-one time together.

The celebration featured traditional African music, dancing, artwork, etc. Here are some pics of a drum performance that Chad and Gracie got to see:

Chad said there were also some displays like this African house. It appeared to be a scaled-down model that was just Grace's size!

Grace's favorite part of the day was this dance performance. They got a great up-front spot, so their view was completely unobstructed.

Chad and Gracie shared a yummy African lunch, then did a little shopping. Grace was particularly interested in the hand-made baskets and jewelry, as you can see from these pics:

I'm so glad they enjoyed their day together, but I definitely want to join them next year!

One afternoon, Noelle and Rubie stopped by on their way up to Seattle. It was a short visit, but Gracie and Rubie had a great time running around together in the backyard.

As I've mentioned before, one of Grace's favorite places is the park. We have been to nearly all the playgrounds in our community, so on a quiet Sunday afternoon, we decided to take Gracie to a park she'd never been to before. It had several slides (her favorite):

... as well as this climbing structure she seemed to enjoy:

Here, she's showing us a treasure she found (probably a seed pod or something):

These are some shots of Gracie playing with Eas. Although Eas is her all-purpose word for candy of any sort, she also uses the term for playground bark dust. I just LOVE her little imagination!

She looks a little unsure about this endeavor, but she made it across without incident.

During one of our shopping excursions, Chad and I found Gracie a new winter coat, a tiny white belt, and some hot pink cowboy boots. When we showed them to her, she insisted on trying them ALL on at the same time with only a diaper underneath (my mom does fashion shows with Gracie, so as a result, Grace LOVES to walk the runway with her new duds). Notice how the pink poodle purse ties the entire ensemble together so nicely:

So guess where the next pics were taken?! Yep, you guessed it. We were at Grace's favorite park. I'm telling ya, the kid LOVES the park. If, at any time, you were to ask Grace what she wanted to do, I guarantee you she would ask to go to the park. Such simple pleasures make her happy. Isn't it great?!

It had rained the night before, but Gracie didn't mind the water one bit.

We've been taking Gracie to Gymboree since she started walking, yet I realized I haven't really posted a lot of pics from her time there. It's crazy to think that when she first started going to Gymbo classes, she could barely walk. Now, she runs circles around the place!

Here's a pic of Gracie during the balloon song. Everyone holds onto the balloon (the stretchy rainbow-colored fabric ring), and they all spread out as it gets blown up bigger and bigger until it gets so big that it finally pops (everyone lets go of the ring). It's one of the regular songs at Gymboree.

Here she is going down a slide on her tummy:

Not sure what's going on here, but Gracie certainly looks delighted:

Ah, the parachute song. First, the kiddos run under the parachute while the teacher and parents dance around with it. Then, after it falls to the floor, all the littles run to the middle in anticipation of bubbles!

Gracie LOVES to have bubbles blown on her belly:

Here's Gracie having fun with the swinging tambourines.

On this particular day, Gracie got to have a snack at her table outside. It looks like she's tentatively saying 'cheese' in this shot:

Now THIS is the quintessential Gracie face. Look at those eyebrows! I love it!

And this happy, giggly face is just as beautiful:

Well, that's it for today. My goal is to be 100% caught up with this blog by the end of the week, so be sure to check back often!

Balloons Over Bend

2009-08-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

During the past year, we have made a few day trips (as opposed to overnight visits) to see Grace's birth family. This works out really well because we leave home around 8:00 a.m., and we stay all day until Grace's bedtime so she can sleep in the car the whole drive home. This enables us to make more frequent trips since we are saving on hotel expenses.

Our last visit was in June during the hot-air balloon festival. Although it was a gorgeous day, it was just a little too windy for the balloons to go up. But there were lots of other fun things to see & do, especially in the Kid Zone. Gracie had tons of fun in the inflatable bounce houses (sadly, we did not get any good action shots):

She even got to ride a pony!

After exploring the festival for awhile, we stopped to have lunch. Gracie had her favorite (spaghetti and meatballs), but she really enjoyed sharing Mama Ashley's lunch, too.

After lunch, we walked along the river, listened to some music, and took some cute photos:

Later that afternoon, Mike and Ashley shared a special treat with GG.

To round out our day at the festival, we did a little shopping. Mike and Ashley bought Gracie her very own pair of pink "Mama Ashley" sunglasses. Grace LOVES them and wears them every chance she gets!

As we were leaving the festival, Grace REALLY wanted to go to REI. We could not figure out WHY she was so fascinated by that particular store, so Chad finally took her inside. Well, it turns out she spotted a tent through one of the windows and she really wanted to go in it. She was so proud of herself!

After leaving the festival, we went to visit Grandma Heather and Jessy. Grace and Jessy are only six months apart, and they always have such a great time together! Here they are riding on Jessy's car and tractor:

... going down the slide:

... and playing in the dirt:

At some point, Chad got these adorable shots of Jessy hamming it up for the camera. When Grace sees these pictures, she mimics Jessy's facial expressions. In fact, just tonight as we were looking at these photos again, Gracie told us she misses Jessy. So we called Ashley, who happened to be with Jessy, so Grace got to talk to them both!

As you can see, Gracie couldn't get enough of Mama Ash and Jessy tickling her feet:

Heather was so sweet to make dinner for us (which enabled us to extend our visit a bit), and afterwards we changed Gracie into her jammies and said our goodbyes. I love this pic of GG and Jessy hugging:

This one is super sweet, too:

Saying goodbye is always hard, but thankfully we're just a few hours away. We always look so forward to the next visit.

Frolicking Through the Flowers

2009-08-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

In the short span of time since Gracie joined our family, we've visited quite a number of flower festivals. One of the smallest (and most spectacular) is the iris festival about 30 minutes south of where we live. In early June, we spent a gorgeous Sunday morning meandering through the display gardens, trying to capture the beauty of the day.

Grace briefly went through an adorable phase this spring wherein she carefully placed fallen flower petals back on the flowers. The petals didn't necessarily need to match the flowers; she just couldn't bear the thought of them being on the ground.

Painted Adirondack chairs were placed throughout the garden for people to stop and, well, smell the flowers. Gracie chose this pretty blue one to rest upon:

Chad and I were both quite fond of this coppery iris, so I thought this shot would be especially nice with the flowering dogwood and white bench in the background. It turned out pretty well, dontcha think?

Although we were there to celebrate the regal iris, there were lots of other late-spring blooming perennials and flowering trees to admire such as this show-stopping clematis vine:

... an exquisite poppy:

... and these cascading wisteria tendrils:

(Actually, I'm not sure if the yellow ones were wisteria. They were quite striking, whatever they were.)

In the middle of the garden, Gracie found a cute little tree with long, willowy branches that were just within her reach. She danced around it as if it were a May Pole.

It was just this spring that Grace started to actually smell flowers (rather than eat or lick them), and you can bet that her little sniffer got quite the workout at the iris garden that day!

Although GG has a healthy fear of spiders and other creepy crawlies, she is not the least bit afraid to explore the great outdoors. I love that Gracie is in awe of God's creations, and we will continue to expose her to the natural beauty that surrounds us.

Multnomah County Fair

2009-08-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, we met the Sages at the Multnomah County Fair. We thought it was kind of strange that the fair happened in late spring rather than late summer, but whatever. It was fun. As opposed to the state fair that we took the kids to last summer, this fair had tons of kiddie rides. Grace and Ben had a blast on the motorcycles:

... and race cars:

Of course, no trip to the fair is complete without some yummy fair food. Here's G sharing an ice cream cone with Chad:

Next, we hit the carousel. Ben was all about the chicken:

... and, of course, Grace chose "Ginger" the giraffe. (She has really been into giraffes lately.)

We elected Jill as the official "Big Pink" slide-goer-downer. I think she made four runs up & down the slide that day.

At one point, Gracie spotted the big roller coaster. She called it a "choo choo" and was mesmerized by all the loops and screaming passengers.

Although I am not a fan of toy guys, I can never resist the allure of a good midway game. This is an easy one for the kittens. In fact, with just a little assistance, Gracie sprayed that clown ALL the way to the top and won a little stuffed kitty!

To round out our day, we took a train ride around the fairgrounds. The fair was at Oaks Park, so there were lots of fun things to look at along the way.

On our way out, we stopped to see the baby farm animals. Here are some adorable piglets:

... a lamb:

... and some baby goats:

It was a great day, and perhaps the start of a new Memorial Day weekend tradition.

Chillaxin' in May

2009-08-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

During the past week or so, I've been going through our photos and came across some cute shots we took during a low-key weekend at the end of May. We started the weekend by attending a baby shower for one of Chad's cousins at a super kid-friendly pizza restaurant.

Here is a cute family shot of Chad's cousin Aaron, his wife Tandy, their 3-year old daughter Acacia, and baby Eden (on the way):

And here's Chad with oh-so-cute Avery (Chad's other cousin, Teek's, baby boy). BTW: Grace was NOT happy about her daddy holding and playing with another baby. It's a good thing we're not planning to adopt again anytime soon. :-)

The pizzeria had a cool play area for the kids. Grace enjoyed the slide...

... the merry-go-round:

... and the ball pit:

It was nice to catch up with family and see the kiddos play together.

Later that afternoon, Benji and his moms came over for a BBQ. They brought chocolate cupcakes for dessert. Grace really liked hers.

Here's a cute shot of Ben on the miniature trampoline:

The next day, we went to Grace's favorite playground...

... then spent some time at a local farmers' market. After shopping for farm-fresh produce, we stopped to listen to a folk band play some tunes. The band leader must've noticed how much Grace was enjoying herself because he called her up to the stage to get her very own kazoo! (It turns out that GG is a very talented kazoo player.)

It was a beautiful sunshiny day, so we spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out in the backyard. Grace played with sidewalk chalk, splashed in her pool, and relaxed in her Elmo tent.

It's hard to believe that weekend was 2.5 months ago. Wow, this summer is flying by! Hopefully I'll have time to post the rest of our summer pics before autumn is here. Ha!

Rhody Days

2009-08-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

Happy August, everyone! We survived the heat wave that plagued the Portland metro area last week (100+ degrees for several days). All I can say is thank goodness for central air...

I am overwhelmed with the enormous amount of new pictures we have for ya'll. That's what happens when I go so long between posts. But before I start uploading, let me just share a few of Gracie's recent developments.

Potty training: After what felt like a jump start, Grace kind of pulled back on the whole potty-training thing for several weeks. We followed her lead until recently, when we decided to incent her with a Skittle for each time she successfully does her business in the potty. Well, that is definitely doing the trick. We are hoping she'll gain momentum in the coming months. Diapers are not cheap!

Vocabulary: In contrast to one of my last posts, Grace's lexicon is now so vast that I couldn't possibly list everything she says. She puts words together to form rudimentary sentences, and when she really has something to say, she can conduct a full-blown conversation. Grace might possibly be the MOST animated story-teller of all time. She gestures wildly with both hands, makes all kinds of facial expressions, and uses voice intonation to really make her point. She definitely commands her audience!

Fine motor skills: For months now, no matter where we go, Grace is always drawn to those little play kitchens. For the longest time, we resisted getting one for her because they're so big. But... we finally caved when Chad found one at a garage sale that came complete with pots, pans, dishes, food, etc. Needless to say, that kitchen is a big hit at our house.

Gross motor skills: I've suspected it all along, but now I'm convinced that GG is part monkey. Due to all the Gymboree classes she's taken over the past couple years, Grace can climb and jump and swing from anything! She's so brave about trying new things at every playground we take her to, and she has even started to climb up her changing table when it's time to get dressed. GG has always been such an adventurous little soul who isn't afraid to try anything; now she's starting to recognize her own accomplishments, which is such a joy to witness.

Social skills: Due to a magical combination of genetics, teaching, and lots and lots of practice, Grace is incredible around other kids. With very little prompting, Gracie is quick to share with others and take turns. Chad and I think she's a true extrovert, and sharing is just her way of relating to others. Whatever the reason, we couldn't be more proud of her.

Please forgive me for gloating about our nearly perfect child, but she really is extraordinary. (Oh who am I kidding. I never miss a chance to tell people how awesome she is...)

OK, so back to the pics. I will try to go in chronological order this time, starting back in May.

The weekend after Mother's Day, we went to the beach to see my mom. On that Saturday, we decided to make a leisurely day trip down to Florence for the Rhododendron Festival. We thought it would be a nice, quiet flower festival like the tulip or dahlia fests we've been to before. Boy, were we mistaken! Apparently Rhody Days is more like a mini Sturgis. Holy moley, we've never seen/heard so many Harleys, Orange County Choppers, or Honda Goldwings in one place!

I swear, this was the only rhododendron we saw all day:

Here's what Chad thought of all the motorcycles:

The noise of revving motorcycle engines got old really fast, so we did not spend much time in town. Instead, we found a quiet park with a great playground for Gracie:

On the drive back to my mom's, we stopped to take some pictures of the gorgeous scenery. If you look really closely, you can see Haceta Head lighthouse in the background:

A trip to my mom's would not be complete without spending some time on the actual beach. That Sunday, we packed a picnic, a blanket, a few sand toys and headed out. Here are some shots of Grace enjoying the sand and surf before the fog rolled in.

We had a great time at my mom's and cannot wait to go back. I am 100% confident that Grace's favorite places in the world are: Grandma Jan's house, the beach, and the park. Lucky for us, we were able to hit all three in one weekend!

Something appears to be wrong with the photo formatter on this site, so I'll have to try adding some more pics tomorrow. Be sure to check back soon!

Out of Commish

2009-07-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Sorry for the extreme delay between posts. I've been a bit preoccupied lately. But... I have some time on my hands, so I promise to add tons of new photos and updates very, very soon. Please stay tuned!

Eas! Eas!

2009-05-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

So as I eluded in one of my posts from earlier this week, Grace was quite enamored with all things Easter this year. Although she doesn't exactly grasp the true miracle of Easter yet, she certainly appreciates the seasonal festivities. By the time Easter Sunday rolled around, Grace had participated in three Easter egg hunts and quickly learned that delightful treats come in those little plastic eggs. For about a week, we let Gracie have one of her eggs each night after dinner, but we had to eventually cut her off for fear of developing a bad habit. Here we are more than a month later, and there STILL isn't a day that goes by without Gracie asking us for "Eas! Eas!"

A few days before Easter, Gracie received a package in the mail from Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Allen. Here she is tearing into her presents.

She got a gigantic blue bunny, a Cabbage Patch doll, and a set of puzzles with coordinating books. Although Grace loves to play with puzzles, her favorite part is the deconstruction phase after we've put the whole thing together. She cracks us up!

The day before Easter, Chad took Gracie to a children's health and wellness fair at a local hospital. There were workshops on bicycle safety and proper carseat installation, plus GG got to walk around and sit in a real school bus (hmmm, maybe that's where her fascination with buses began...). But the true highlight of the event was the Easter egg hunt. Thankfully, there were no 'real' Easter bunnies this time. (Grace freaked when we tried to get her picture taken with the Easter Bunny a few weeks earlier.)

The following day, we went to my mom's to celebrate Easter with my side of the family. It was a very rainy day, so once again we opted for an indoor Easter egg hunt. Brenden, er, I mean the Easter Bunny, hid all the eggs downstairs; then Rubie and GG went nuts finding them all.

Because my Grandma Z could not be at Gracie's birthday party later in the month, she decided to give G her present a little early. She gave her a classic red Radio Flyer tricycle with streamers coming out of the handlebars and a little storage compartment in the back. Here are some pics of the girls riding it in the garage:

And here are some other pics we took throughout the day:

If you can believe it, I think I'm finally all caught up. If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out the photos in the previous four posts. I haven't mentioned it for awhile now, but we LOVE it when people leave comments for Gracie on this site. In my former life, otherwise known as PGG (pre-Gracie Girl), I used to spend a good amount of time scrapbooking. Because I don't exactly have time for that these days, this blog is like a virtual scrapbook. Someday, Gracie will be able to look back through all the posts, photos, and comments and see for herself how much she was loved from the very beginning.

April Adventures

2009-05-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I found the photos I was searching for. We take A LOT of pictures, so it's easy to lose track.
After our day at the tulips, Benji stayed at our house for a sleep-over. We decided to have a little birthday party for Chad that night, so Grace and I made some chocolate peanut butter brownies for the birthday boy.

Chad needed some help blowing out ALL of those candles, so it's a good thing the kiddos were willing to assist.

Here's GG being silly with her happy meal box.

The following day was Chad's actual birthday, and he wanted to go somewhere to test out his new Garmin GPS. We eventually decided on a day trip through the Gorge. Here we are having lunch at a cute little place in Hood River.

We walked around town for awhile, then found a nice park for GG.

On the way to our next stop (the Bonneville Dam and Fish Hatchery), Grace and I were playing "peek." She loves that game, as evidenced by that great, big smile.

Here's Gracie taking a gander at the scenery through the binoculars at the visitor's center:

But Gracie's favorite part of the day was at the hatchery where she got to feed the fish.

So those are all the pics from our birthday week.

A few weeks earlier, we went to the Trillium Festival at a state park near our house. One of the harbingers of spring -- the trillium -- was in full bloom along the trails.

There were lots of fun children's activities at the festival, including a diorama table...

...arts and crafts...

...and face painting.

When we got home, we did some backyard exploration.

Then Gracie rode her rocket car down our driveway.

That just about catches me up to Easter. I know, I know. My timeline is just a bit out of order. We have quite a few Easter photos to share, so it looks like I'll be back here again tomorrow for one last post.

Words, Words, and More Words

2009-05-12T20:35:00.001-07:00

So, I reported on Grace's physical growth a couple days ago, but I definitely need to document some of the adorable things she has started to say. You might've noticed in the tulip photos that Grace is holding a little bottle in almost every shot. Those are her bubbles. She does NOT leave home without them. We have a bottle in the car, in her diaper bag, in the bathroom... you name it. "Bubbles" was actually one of her first super-clear words, and she still says it any chance she gets. Aside from some of the obvious ones (Mama, Daddy, bye bye, hi, etc.), some other oft-repeated words in Grace's ever-growing vocabulary include the following:

"Buckees" (breakfast)
"Tacos" (tickles)
"Eas!" (Easter/egg/candy. Easter was pretty much the first time we really gave Gracie any significant amount of candy, so now anything that reminds her of that time is "Eas!")
"Pazza" (pizza)
"Spaggi" (spaghetti, her favorite)
"Crackers"
"Cookies"
"Blana" (banana)
"Cheeeeeese"
"Fruuuuuuit"
"Juuuuuuice"
"Waler" (water)
"Mo! Mo!" (more! more!)
"I'm done" (accompanied by the sign for done)
"Bonkie" (blankie)
"Baby"
"Bus!" (Gracie loves herself some buses. We'll be driving around town when all of a sudden, she'll shout "bus! bus! bus!" and point wildly at a bus on the road.)
"Choo choo!" (train -- she has started to plug her ears when she hears a train whistle off in the distance)
"Purple" (everything is purple, dontcha know)
"Bed"
"Potty"
"Diaper"
"Bye bye poopy/pee pee" (She says this when I change her diaper in the morning and when she sees the garbage truck picking up our trash.)
"Up/down"
"Hot/cold"
"Please/thank you/sorry"
"Pool"
"Park"
"Hoooooome"
"Side" (outside)
"Close" (pronounced like Glen Close)
"mmmbise" (I wanna bite, please.)
"Boo boo"
"Two" (she's working on holding up her two little fingers)
"My bella" (my umbrella, even though it's actually MY umbrella. We play a game on the drive home from daycare wherein Grace announces that it's her umbrella, then I say it's mama's umbrella, and so forth..."
"Go, go, go!!" (usually shouted from the backseat when we're waiting at a red light or in traffic)
"It's loud!" (when she wants us to turn the radio down in the car)
"Bidle" (beetle and/or spider)
"Teeth"
"Shoes"
"Sockies"
"My boots" (her red cowboy boots, of course)
"Bath"
"Row, row, row" (She says this when she wants me to sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat while she's in the bathtub. She even does the rowing motion with her arms.)

And my favorite is when she snuggles up with me and tells me "back" because she wants me to rub her back. I've always rubbed her little back when I rock her to sleep, so I love that she asks for it.

One of my not-so-favorite words that she has started using a little too frequently (and with way too much conviction) is "No!" I appreciate her assertiveness, but there's a fine line between that and precociousness.

Of course, she knows the words for most animals as well as her body parts, and several of her toys. She calls Ron "Papa." We've been working with her to say "Grandma" but instead, she says "Mamaw" (one time, she referred to my mom as "Nana" because that's what Rubie calls her). She calls Mike "Mikey" and Ashley "Ashee." She (and everyone else) calls Brenden "B." She also knows how to say the name of our next door neighbor's little girl (Deli). She truly comes up with new words every day. It's so awesome!

OK, so back to the photos. I know that's what ya'll come here for, right? :-) I posted a few on the sidebar, but I'm searching for some specific ones to post here and I cannot seem to locate them right now. Soooo, I'll be back again tomorrow. 'Night.

Cowgirl Party and Tulips

2009-05-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

OK, so back to Gracie's 2-year birthday celebration. Noelle and Jeremy were kind enough to host a cowgirl-themed birthday party for Grace at their house this year. As an added bonus, my dad and Debbie, Mom and Ron, and Mike and Ashley were all there to celebrate with us. In addition to the usual birthday party highlights (balloons, presents, and cupcakes), other standouts included a bubble machine and a brand new play structure in Rubie and Brenden's backyard.

Here are some shots we got right before we left for the night. It was a really good day.

So, Grace's birthday definitely kick-started our birthday week. The following weekend, we went to the tulip festival with Jill, Megan, and Benji (Grace calls all 3 of them "Meggie"). Grace could've been the poster child for the event in her adorable little tulip outfit (thanks Mom!).

Our day at the tulips marked the 2nd year that Gracie got to be part of our springtime tradition with the Sages. Next year, Baby Sage #2 will get to join us (for now, Benji calls him "Gunk").

Believe it or not, we STILL have a bunch more photos to share. I guess I know what I'll be doing each night this week. ;-)

Word to My Mother

2009-05-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Mom's Day to all you mamas out there reading this! I honor my wonderful mom, step-moms, moms-in-law, grandmas, aunties, sisters, and friends on this celebratory day... but I am MOST grateful to Ashley for giving me the magnificent gift of Gracie. Thanks to Ashley's loving courage, I am able to experience the richness and joy of motherhood. For that, I am truly blessed.

Every day is a celebration with our Gracie Girl, but today was really special! We spent the day at a beautiful garden about an hour away from home. It was sunny and warm, so we walked around the pathways and saw a huge bullfrog near a pond, tons of flowers and trees in bloom, and some really cool birds. When we got home, Gracie played with her puzzles before dinner. Here are a few pics:

Yesterday was the opening day for one of our favorite farmers' markets, so we took advantage of the sunshine and spent the morning checking out the local goods. Gracie liked being pulled in her wagon and taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells of the market. There's a fun playground and water fountain close by, so we also spent some time there. Of course, Grace got soaked in the fountain.

Last weekend was pretty special, too, and it wasn't even Mother's Day! See, I told you that every day is a celebration with GG! Before I go into that, I must report on Grace's growth. Last week, Chad took GG in for her 2-year check-up and found out that she weighs 28 (!!!) pounds and is 34 inches tall. What a growth spurt, huh? She's around the 50th percentile for both measurements. She got a clean bill of health and doesn't have to go back until July (for a booster shot).

Then, that same day, Grace had her very first dental exam & cleaning! Chad took her to a highly recommended children's dentist, and Gracie did so well in the dentist's chair. She wiggled her tongue for the hygienist and showed off ALL of her teeth (it's confirmed: the dreaded teething phase is officially over for Miss Gracie). She got a thorough cleaning, including a fluoride treatment. Chad said she was a champ. And guess what? No cavities! In addition to twice daily brushings, we just started flossing her little teeth; so hopefully she'll be cavity-free for a long, long time to come.

Anyway... back to last weekend. In celebration of May Day, we took Gracie to a children's fairy festival at a local farm. We dressed her up as a ladybug fairy with wings, wand, and a tutu. There were dozens of toddlers dressed as all types of fairies, but Gracie was the only ladybug! Here are some pics of our little lady making a fragrant fairy potion, creating a fanciful fairy garden, and enjoying other fun fairy festivities:

And this one is just so stinkin' cute. Have you ever seen a more precious child?

As you might know, Gracie, Chad, and I have birthdays all within a week of each other. So, the end of April was chock-full of birthday reverie. For one of several celebrations, Grace had a little party with her friends at school. Here's the birthday girl in her party hat:

In an effort to encourage the kids to abstain from eating until everyone is served, the teacher has them hold their arms in the air. We thought this was so cute:

We brought mini-cupcakes and stickers for Gracie to share with her friends. Here she is enjoying her little confection:

On the day of Gracie's actual birthday, Chad took Gracie to one of her favorite places: the zoo!

Nice collar :-)

Later that night, we had a mini-party with Benji and his moms. Chad made Gracie her favorite dinner (spaghetti and meatballs), and I made her a cake. As you can see, she was a little freaked out by the candles.

Then she opened all of her presents.

Here she is with the supermarket from Mike and Ashley, and the cash register from Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Al:

Afterwards, we played outside. It was warm, so we let the kiddos splash in Gracie's new pool.

Well, it's late and I still have a ton of photos to share from as far back as Easter! So, I'll be adding more to this site later in the week. Be sure to check back soon!

Poopy in Potty

2009-04-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

As you might recall from my last post, Gracie has been trying out the potty quite a bit lately. Well, a few weeks ago we took her to Target to pick out her very own training toilet. After we brought it home, she wanted to sit on it in the living room while we watched the Elmo Potty Time video that she and Daddy picked out at the library; then she let her baby sit on the potty. She was so excited about it that the next day when we were driving home from daycare, she kept saying "poopy in potty! poopy in potty!" over and over. THEN... when we got home, she went right to her potty and pooped!! It was so awesome! We made a huge deal out of it, of course (we even took a picture). She had to call Grandma to share her big news and everything. We haven't had a repeat performance since then, but we are quite proud of our little pooping wonder.

A lot has happened in the past month. Of particular note is Grace's move from the Butterflies classroom at school (1-year olds) to the Ladybugs (2-year olds). In just the short amount of time since she's moved up, we have already noticed a marked difference in her vocabulary. One of our favorite Gracie words right now is "beetle." She moves her tongue around in a very pronounced way as she articulates the word. So cute. Also, as we're driving home from daycare each day, I've come to rely on Grace to repeatedly announce our arrival. With her lips in an elongated "O"shape, she says "hoooooome! hoooooome!" about a dozen times before we finally pull into the garage. (Then it's "Daddy! Daddy!" until we walk in the door.)

Several weeks ago, Chad and Gracie had a daddy/daughter weekend at Grandma's while I enjoyed some much-needed alone time. They had a great time going to the beach, playing with all of Grandma's toys, chasing Bogey the dog, and relaxing. A couple of weekends later, we made a quick trip to see all of GG's birth family. It was a whirlwind visit, but we had a nice time catching up with everyone.

Gosh, it's hard to remember all that we've been up to since mid-February. We keep finding cool new playgrounds for Gracie to explore, and it seems like there's always something fun going on around town. Tomorrow, we're going to a little-kid carnival at a local high school where GG can get her picture taken with the Easter Bunny. And on Sunday, we're taking GG to her very first circus!

For the past few weeks, we've really been struggling to get G to pick up her toys before bath time. When she finally decides to do what she's told, we reward her with big hugs and kisses. Well, it's so cute because now she gets so excited about the hugs & kisses that she races to put her toys away and comes running at us with her arms outstretched to redeem her hugs. She runs back and forth between Chad and I several times before she feels sufficiently rewarded. It's the best thing ever! Then... after she brushes her teeth and gets stripped down for her bath, she comes flying down the hall - buck naked, giggling, and squealing - and hides in the living room. It's a fun game that none of us tire of, especially Grace.

Oh, I am so bad for not updating this site since February. The longer I go between posts, the harder it is to capture all of the amazing feats that Grace accomplishes on a daily basis. I wish I could just bottle up all of the sweet, hilarious, oh-so-Gracie things she says and does. In the blink of an eye, she has grown from a baby to a full-fledged toddler and I know I'll soon be looking back at these days thinking, "where has the time gone?"

Our Very Special Valentine

2009-02-09T20:07:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I've provided an update about Grace's goings-on, so I thought now would be the perfect time. Since she turned one, Grace's well-baby exams are scheduled only once every six months so we don't get the frequent growth chart updates like we used to. We estimate that she is around 25 pounds and 33 inches tall. And in other news:

Chad's dad - Grandpa T - came for a quick visit a few weekends ago. We went to the park one afternoon and hung out at home the rest of the time. Wanna know a very cool fact that Grandpa T pointed out? He and Gracie share the exact same initials: Grace EAT and Grandpa EAT.
We've been to two children's concerts in the past couple of months (Lorna Miller's Little Kids' Jamboree and The Animal Tea Party). Portland is truly a mecca for family-friendly events. We have been lucky enough to stumble upon a couple of really cool venues.
Grace started a new Gymboree class for 22-36 month olds. She and Chad go every Saturday morning for an hour.
Thanks to Rubie's influence at a sleepover during the holidays, Grace learned how to climb out of her crib. The first time she did it was during a nap. She just came toddling down the hall, proud as can be. The second time, she fell and scared her poor mother half to death. So now the mattress is as low as it goes before she'll move to a toddler bed. How is that even possible?!
Grace is constantly (and, for the most part, appropriately) nodding and shaking her head in response to yes/no questions we ask her. Yay for communication!
I'm not quite sure how this happened, but in the past few months Grace has developed a bit of a Sesame Street addiction. Yes, it's educational, but it's still TV & I'm not sure how I feel about her liking it so much. 20 minutes a day can't be all that bad, right?
In addition to dozens of framed photos in our hallway, we have a few photo albums designated for Gracie's use with pictures of all the people who love her. She loves to flip through the pages, and she's so cute how she squeals with delight when she recognizes someone.
We have spent several recent weekends with my sister Noelle and her family. The three kids have soooo much fun together! I wish we lived closer...

At the beginning of February, we celebrated the Chinese New Year with our BFFs, the Sages, at the Portland Classical Chinese Gardens. We spent the whole day exploring the beautiful landscape and watching some traditional Chinese performances. Our favorite was definitely the colorful lion dance.
Earlier this month, Grandma Jan made lots of new outfits for GG: Two super warm, fleece hooded sweatsuits; one pair of adorable granny-style pjs with ladybugs printed all over (the buttons are even ladybugs!); a country-western patterned dress with fringe trim and horseshoe-shaped buttons; and THE cutest red bandanna-printed top and coordinating denim skirt (with a matching bandanna belt) to go with Grace's red cowboy boots. Words do not do ANY of her creations justice. We'll just have to post pics of Grace wearing everything.
Since trying out the big-girl potty for the first time in October, Grace has become quite familiar with the process. In fact, she has done her business in the toilet on two separate occasions! We're very proud of our little potty pooper...
Speaking of newly developed bathroom habits: In the past few weeks, Grace has really started to embrace her new oral hygiene regiment. She used to brush her teeth in the bathtub without any complaint; then all of a sudden, she didn't want any part of it. We tried everything to avoid a nightly meltdown, but nothing worked. Finally, we discovered that the trick was to let her mimic Chad. They stand at the sink together; she turns the water on/off; when Chad spits, Gracie spits; and when Chad is finished, Gracie is finished. It works like a charm.
In celebration of Valentine's Day, Grace helped me decorate some pink, strawberry-flavored cupcakes to give to her friends. It was certainly an exercise in self-control, as GG really wanted to lick/eat every cupcake we decorated. In the end, she enjoyed one of her very own lovely creations and learned a small lesson in sacrifice for the sake of giving to others...

That's about it in a nutshell. As you can see, we're all having fun and staying busy. Although most aspects of parenting so far are pleasant and rewarding, we've certainly faced some recent challenges. Chad and I are learning that the 'Terrific Twos' can start early. Like most toddlers her age, Miss Grace is not the least bit shy about asserting her desire for control, independence, and autonomy. And just as we continue to teach GG about boundaries, she is teaching us a thing or two about patience. And love. And all that it means to raise a happy, healthy little person.

Welcome to Twenty-Ought-Nine!

2009-01-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! So far, so good. We made it through the 'snowpocalypse' that hit the entire NW just before Christmas. Chad measured 13 inches of accumulation in our backyard after the biggest storm blew through. The snow was really fun for a few days, but cabin fever definitely set in after awhile.

We hope everyone reading this had a great Christmas. We spent the weekend before Christmas at the coast with my side of the family. Here are some shots of Gracie at Grandma Jan's. Our camera battery ran out of juice shortly after we arrived that weekend (and of course we forgot to bring the recharger), so these are about the only pics we got:

Here are some pictures we took of Gracie at school a few days before Christmas. Isn't she cute in her Christmas dress and coat?

This is GG with her friend, Natalie. They are BFFs.

We spent Christmas day at home, just the three of us (and Normie, of course). We did not set up a full-sized Christmas tree this year due to the dangerous combo of GG's naturally inquisitive personality and the irresistible allure of a twinkling tree in the middle of our living room. Instead, we opted for a 24-inch, pre-lit, potted variety which sufficed quite well, I must say.

My mom and Ron got Gracie a miniature table and chairs set, which Chad put together on Christmas Eve after G went to bed. Then as a surprise for Gracie on Christmas morning, we set the lit Christmas tree and all of the gifts on and around the table. Santa even knew just where to leave his presents! Here are some precious photos of our baby girl's 2nd Christmas:

The next two pics are of Gracie in the new bathrobe that Grandma Debbie made for her:

And here's GG playing with the fancy dollhouse she got from Great Grandma Z:

Beyond the excitement of the holidays, another significant event that occurred since my last post was Gracie's very first haircut. It was a tough decision for us because we truly loved GG's funny hairdo just the way God made it. But... it was getting a bit unruly, so we took her to a place called "Little Snippers" where all the stylists specialize in cutting kids' hair. It was such a cool place, and Grace did really well! Now she's all sassy with her big-girl bob.

Well, just like the last time I uploaded photos using this format, it took forever. So I'll add more to the sidebar after I take a short break. See you back here soon...

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

2008-12-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

You would never believe the winter wonderland outside our window. The snow is more than three inches deep in our driveway, and it keeps coming down in blustery little flurries! Grace, of course, is a true snow angel. We bundled her up in two coats, three hats, mittens, woolly socks, and boots so she could experience, first hand, the wondrous white stuff while it lasts. Her button nose and apple cheeks turned pink almost immediately, but she would've stayed outside all day if we had let her!

With only 11 days until Christmas, it seems like we are constantly on the run. If this 'Arctic Blast' sticks around for another day or two as forecasted, maybe we'll get a much-needed snow day to relax and stick close to home (and wrap a few gifts, write a few cards, etc.).

Last weekend, we tried to get Gracie's picture taken with Santa; however, when it was her turn to sit on his lap, she did not want any part of it. We made two separate attempts, but each time Chad or I sat her down, she cried and reached her little arms out to us. It just about broke our hearts. We eventually just gave up for fear of Gracie developing a permanent Santa-phobia. As we later learned, a lot of kids Gracie's age are terrified of the jolly ol' elf. Oh well. We'll try again next year.

As I mentioned before, the holidays have been a whirlwind of activities for our family. We went to the coast for Thanksgiving and spent the entire four-day weekend with my family. Grace and Rubie had a great time together, as usual. All the grand kids made Christmas cookies with my mom, while my sisters and I hit the sales on Black Friday. The guys hung out at Chris and Nina's most of the time so they could play Wii and watch movies. We are going back over there next weekend to celebrate Christmas, and Rubie has already requested another day of cookie making. What has my mom gotten herself into!?!

It has been quite awhile since I've uploaded any new pictures on this blog, but that's because Chad and I have been doing some photo-sharing on Facebook. Check out Chad's profile, in particular, where you'll find lots of Gracie photos & videos. I wish I could remember every hilarious thing Grace does and says these days so I could record them all. She is hilarious!

One thing GG has started to do is smile on command. We're talking full-on nose-crinkling, teeth-baring, eyes-squinting, ear-to-ear grin. It is priceless. We try to capture it on film as often as possible. She continues to chatter up a storm with more and more words becoming discernible by the minute. With all the Christmas decorations everywhere we go, Grace has become fascinated with lights. On the drive home from daycare every night, she points out the window and shouts "light! light!" the whole way home.

I'm sure we'll have lots of Christmas photos to share in the next few weeks, so please check back soon (and don't forget to visit Chad's Facebook profile). Until then, Merry Christmas!

GG the Monkey

2008-11-16T21:53:00.001-08:00

Create your own FACEinHOLE

Hap-a-ween!

2008-11-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

That's a Rubie quote. According to my sister, Rubie couldn't quite say "trick or treat" or "Happy Halloween," so "Hap-a-ween" was the next best thing. I love it! Grace, on the other hand, was happy to just run up to our neighbors' front doors & say "Hi!" while holding her little trick-or-treat bag wide open.

Grace was a fantastic giraffe for Halloween with her great big eyes and long body. She did not know what to think of the whole trick-or-treating thing at first, but after she got the hang of it she did not want to stop! Grace puts everything in her mouth, so she immediately tried to chew each little treat she received, wrapper and all. It was only after she discovered the sweet candy beneath that she began to understand what all the Halloween hubbub was about.

The weekend following Halloween, my mom came and stayed with us for a few days. She and Ron had just returned from a vacation to Colorado, and they brought Gracie back some authentic Durango cowboy boots. They are red leather with little silver kick plates on the toe and fancy stitching up the leg. Grace loved them from the minute she saw them! We got some hilarious pics of Gracie and Grandma Jan doing the "boot-scootin' boogie." Grace knows they're something special because she even does this funny little swagger when she walks in them. These boots were made for walking, dontcha know...

Gracie is talking more than ever these days. She has her own special sounds for words such as socks, shoes, boots (hmmm, I wonder why), car, milk, done, gone, kitty, down, thank you, and please -- and most of the sounds are very similar to the actual words! It is very clear that Gracie knows EXACTLY what we are saying to her much of the time; she can even repeat some things (albeit not word for word). She follows directions beautifully and is very eager to please. In fact, Grace has earned special recognition at school two times for helping her teacher pick up books/toys in the classroom. We are so proud of what a little helper bee she is!

During the past month or so, and with the influence of my mom and Rubie, Gracie has really started to enjoy playing with her baby dolls. She wraps them with blankies (which are actually washcloths), carries them around, pats them on the back, feeds them milk from a toy bottle, and pushes them in her baby buggy. The other day, she even tried to cover Norman with a "blankie" and feed him with the bottle. Norm just lays there, completely helpless. He knows it's no use to object. Besides, it'll be no time before she can lift him and carry him around!

I know I sound like a broken record, but Grace is just a great kid. She's sooooo full of spunk! Every day, her little personality reveals itself more and more. GG is truly a treasure, and Chad and I are soooo lucky to have found her.

Grasshoppers Are Yummy!

2008-10-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

You would think that Gracie does not get enough protein in her diet based on a recent report we received from one of her teachers. Grace was covertly crouching in a corner near a door in her classroom when Ms. Rose noticed that she had something in her mouth. When Ms. Rose prompted Gracie to open her mouth, a tiny grasshopper hopped out!!! Apparently, Grace did not have time to chomp down on the little critter before Ms. Rose caught her. Thank goodness! Nevertheless, we have been offering Gracie a more protein-rich menu just in case she's trying to tell us something about her nutritional needs.

Shortly after my last post, we went down to Eugene for the day to visit my sister, Noelle, and her family. Because it was a gorgeous fall day, we decided to go to a local pumpkin patch to let the kiddos pick out their own pumpkins. We had a great time riding around the big farm on a hay bale-filled, tractor-pulled cart. The kids got to pet goats, ponies, and bunnies; and we took home some delicious fresh-picked apples.

Then the very next weekend, we went to another pumpkin patch with Jill, Megan, and Benji. It was really cool because in addition to the petting zoo, hayride, and pick-your-own pumpkins, this farm had a super tall slide for kids (and their parents) to go down. Lots of kids even older than Grace came off of that slide crying because of how high and fast it was; but not GG. She was laughing and trying to get us to take her down again! She's a daredevil, that child. The best feature of that pumpkin patch, though, was the pony ride. Grace absolutely loved it! She had a smile on her face the entire time! Now I understand why parents want to give their little girls a pony.

We just got back from a short trip to Southern California to visit my dad and his wife, Barbara, as well as several other family members who had yet to meet Baby Gracie. We had a great time! Grace was a pro on the plane. She was not afraid, nor did she have any plugged-ear issues. In fact on the flight there, she had fun opening and closing the seat-back trays and flipping through the in-flight magazines. She also made friends with two small children seated in front of us (Elizabeth and Jack, who were on their way to Disneyland). She slept almost the whole way home.

GG had lots of fun with "Pee Paw" and Grandma "Bee." We visited several places my dad and I used to go to when I was a kid, such as Fashion Island and the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach. While at Fashion Island, Gracie spent time exploring the beautiful koi pond, running through the "plip plop" fountain (it's a platform with several holes through which little spurts of water pop out at irregular intervals), and riding the carousel. It was Grace's first time on a carousel, and she loved it!

Later that day, we rode the Balboa Island ferry across Newport Harbor and walked to the end of the Balboa Pier. While walking on the pier, Gracie squealed with delight about how close the seagulls hovered overhead. We even saw a fisherman catch a small leopard shark!

We spent one day at my Aunt Susan and Uncle Bobby's house and got to see lots of people we hadn't seen for a long time, including my cousin Alex, his wife Shari, and their baby boy Brian. We were so busy visiting and watching the babies play together that, regretfully, we did not get any pictures worth posting to this blog. I guess that means we need to get together again soon for new photo opps.

The next day, we visited my Grandma and Grandpa Baca for a few hours at their house. Grace spent the majority of our visit playing with a pot of pebbles in their backyard. It's funny because Grace always gravitates toward containers of rocks. We have a cedar planter on our front porch with a few polished rocks we use to fill in around the plants. Grace loves to rearrange the rocks in that thing. Then, when we got to my dad's, Grace immediately honed in on a bowl full of decorative polished rocks and played with them the whole time we were there. She liked to take them out, walk around with them, and put them back (with our urging, of course).

The day after we got back from California, Gracie had her 18 month well-baby check up. She had to see a new doctor because we couldn't get an appointment with Dr. Jan. Grace was a champ! She had to get a shot, but she barely even cried. We are so proud of what a brave girl she was. At just over 18-months old, Gracie weighs 23.5 pounds (45th percentile) and measures two feet, eight inches tall (60th percentile). Because she's eating so well and growing just right, we got the go-ahead to switch her from formula to whole milk, but Gracie isn't very happy about it. We decided to keep feeding her a bottle of formula first thing in the morning and at bedtime to make the transition a little easier, but we'll gradually replace those feedings as she gets more used to the taste of milk.

Grace is awesome. We have been taking her to a lot of new playgrounds in our area, since the weather will be changing soon and we want to take advantage of the nice weather we're having. She climbs and jumps and runs and slides and swings. She's so full of energy and life. It is incredible to watch her learn and grow and change so rapidly. Grace comes up with a new word or skill almost daily! Her latest and greatest animal sounds are "oo oo ah ah" (monkey), and "ssssss" (snake). We're working on elephant sounds, but that one's kinda hit or miss.

It's getting late and Monday morning comes really quickly, so I better wrap things up. I posted a few new photos to chronicle our California trip and the past several weeks since my last post. Enjoy!

Happy October!

2008-10-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like we missed September altogether. How does that keep happening?

It has been a fabulous fall for our family so far (try to say that three times!). I am happy to report that Gracie was able to wear 100% of her spring/summer wardrobe at least once while it was warm (even the 18-month stuff). Now that we've switched seasons, we are trying to get a head start on her fall/winter collection of frocks and britches. Lately, Gracie's feet have been growing like crazy! She went from a size 2 to a size 4-going-on-5 in just a few short months. No wonder she runs so fast!

Grace's vocabulary is growing just as quickly as her feet are. In addition to mimicking most animal sounds ("tweet tweet" is the newest and sweetest), she repeats a lot of what she hears. It takes a few tries before Chad and I catch on to what she's saying, but that's not her fault! She knows exactly what she's saying. A few weeks ago, we were hanging out in the backyard when all of a sudden, Grace stopped what she was doing, turned her ear toward the sound of a train in the distance, and said "choo choo!"

Another new thing Grace has started to do is clean up after herself. We call it the clean-up game. After she plays with her toys for awhile in the evening, we'll tell her it's time for dinner; then she puts everything back in her toy box before she runs to her highchair. In the bathtub, after she's all clean, she'll take the washrag and "wash" the tub. It's hilarious! She's a baby after her mother's own heart!

It seems like we've been really busy since our last post (big surprise!), so I'll just briefly touch on some of the highlights.

We went to the beach to stay with my mom over Labor Day weekend. Grace had a great time playing with Grandma's toys, walking on the beach, visiting Great Grandma Z at her new house, and going to the Oregon Coast Aquarium with Auntie Nina and Uncle Chris.

At the end of September, we took a trip to Central Oregon to visit Mama Ashley, Papa Mike, and much of GG's birth family. We went to the play cafe where Ashley works, visited lots of family on both Mike and Ashley's sides, and spent some time at an outdoor craft market.

Last weekend, my mom and Ron came to stay with us for a few days. Of course, they spoiled Gracie rotten! Well, she could never be rotten, but she's definitely spoiled. Anyway... we had fun going out for ice cream on Saturday; then GG had some good one-on-one Gma and Gpa time that night while Chad and I went to a movie. On Sunday, we spent the day at the Saturday Market and rode the trolley around downtown. Geege even got to stay out of school on Monday to hang out with Gma and Gpa!

This weekend, we're planning a trip to the Children's Museum to check out the Bob the Builder exhibit. Then on Sunday, we're going to visit Brenden and Rubie and their 'rents. In a couple weeks, GG will go on her very first airplane trip! We're going to SoCal for a long weekend to visit my dad and Barbara, as well as other family members in and around LA. I'm sure we'll have lots of pictures to share!

Right now as I write this, Chad is watching the Oregon State vs. University of Utah football game and wants me to report that Grace's favorite colors are orange and black. I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but based on her tiny OSU cheerleading outfit and baby Beavermobile (Chad totally decked out GG's outside car with OSU stickers, orange cheerleading pom poms, and a sign that says "Beaver Girl"), one would definitely think that she's a Beaver fan in the making.

Anyway... that's about all I have time for tonight. We are just enjoying the heck out of our little girl. She's a bundle of energy, and we're having a great time trying to keep up with her!

Just a Quick Note

2008-08-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Has it really been six weeks since the last update? Yikes! Despite my delinquency, everyone has been really patient about not seeing any new photos in a long time. Thanks for hanging in there.

Hasn't Gracie grown a lot? She gets more beautiful by the second, I swear. She really is more difficult to photograph these days, though, because she is constantly on the move! You might wonder why there are so many pictures of Gracie eating; well, that's because it's one of the only times she is in one place long enough to get any good photos! Plus, she's so cute how she hams it up for the camera and makes silly faces.

Because I know that most people come to this site for the pics, I won't spend a lot of time on this post. Of course, Grace has grown and changed and learned a whole lot of new things in the past several weeks, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!

More Words

2008-07-12T20:26:00.001-07:00

OK. I'm back. Circulation to my fingertips has resumed. Because I'm beat after a fun day with my girl, I'm going to try to keep this post a little shorter so I have time to add more pics to the side bar. It turns out that the technique I used in the last post is waaaaaay too time-consuming. Although the larger images are an improvement over the smaller ones to the right, it's a pain in the neck to format.

Soooo, back to our recent goings-on. Last weekend, to celebrate our country's independence, we spent 3 nights at our favorite resort in Cannon Beach with our best friends, Jill, Megan, and Benji (and their 2 pups, Ruby and Murphy). It was incredible! We spent hours in the sand and near the shore; Gracie could not have been happier. She loved the feel of sand between her toes (and apparently in her mouth because she ate quite a lot of it), and she even went for a little dip in the Pacific! On the morning of the 4th, we went into town and had a front-row seat to the 4th of July parade. Gracie even got to pet a horse!

One morning while searching for seashells, Chad and Grace found 3 perfect sand dollars laying in the sand. Another morning, we spent time at the hotel swimming pool, which was a huge hit for both kids. Saturday night, we had a camp fire on the beach where we made s'mores. Grace got so much gooey marshmallow on her face and hands that she needed an extra long bath just to get it all off! All weekend, Gracie got lots of puppy love from Ruby and Murph, and she had unencumbered playtime with Benji. On our last day there, Gracie got to touch real, live sea stars, barnacles, and anemones in their natural habitat at Haystack Rock. Even though we do a lot of fun things with Gracie, we have never seen her as happy as she was on this trip. We all had such a wonderful time that we have already made reservations for 4th of July 2009!

Then... the day after we got back from Cannon Beach, my mom and Ron came to see Gracie for 2 whole days! They lavished her with love and attention, and Gracie relished every second of it. Come to think of it, I'm not sure who enjoyed themselves more: Gracie or mom and Ron! When they weren't playing "I'm gonna get you" and chasing each other down the hallway, they went out to lunch, to Gymboree (a make-up class for last weekend), on lots of walks, and out for ice cream. It's a goooooood thing Gma and Gpa are going to be retiring soon because Grace can't get enough of them!

Other than lots of fun weekend stuff, we've just been enjoying the summertime. Grace is using a lot of sign language lately. Most of her signs have to do with mealtime, but hey, it's a start! She can do the signs for eat, milk (only in her case, it's a plea for a drink of any sort), more, and all done. She has also perfected the nod when asked if she's hungry (that's really the only time she nods). One of the most precious new things Grace has picked up is blowing kisses. She knows how to do the hand motions for the song "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and loves the rain part. "Peek" has long been a favorite game of GG's, but she has recently started to use her own hands to cover her eyes (so cute). Oh, and she says "bub bub" for bubbles! Right around her birthday, Gracie was saying "dye dye" (bye bye) to everyone and everything, but abruptly stopped soon after. It was a little concerning to me until I read that it's common for babies to temporarily forget some of their old tricks when they're learning new ones. She clearly knows what "bye bye" means because she waves to everyone. She has "hi" down pat.

What else... Oh! Grace is trying all kinds of new foods and is especially fond of mandarin orange segments. The child slurps them down whole, I swear. We took her to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner the other night, and she tried all kinds of new veggies from the salad bar. Turns out she hates purple cabbage but enjoys garbanzo beans quite a bit. Her all-time fave summertime food? Watermelon. She would eat the rind if we let her, she loves it so much.

There's a ton more I could report on because Chad and I find every little thing Gracie does to be absolutely brilliant, precious, spectacular; but there are not enough words to capture the wonderment that is Gracie. Plus, I'm done with the blog for tonight. I'll have to save the pics for tomorrow. Check back soon!

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words (x 29)

2008-07-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

Has anyone heard about global warming causing the days to get shorter? I could swear that as it gets hotter and hotter, the days are getting shorter. Certainly, there are fewer than 24 hours in a day because I NEVER seem to get everything done. Scientific theories aside, the real reason for the lapse in postings is that we have been having waaaaay too much fun to sit down and write an update! My good friend, Kary, maintains a blog for her 3-year old son, Ben, and uses photos to tell their stories (so to speak). So I'm going to give that blog-writing method a shot today, starting clear back in early June.

For GG's birthday, Pee Paw and Gma Bee gave her a one-year enrollment to Gymboree Music and Play. So Gracie and I have been going to a Family Music class every Saturday morning for several weeks, and she loves it! She plays instruments, dances, sings, and is learning about different types of music from around the world. Of course, we've picked up a few new toys since we started going. Here's a picture of GG playing in her Gymbo tunnel. Her favorite tunnel game? Chasing Norman through it, of course.

Although our little sweet pea is only 14-months old, she is already exhibiting some willful 2-year old behavior. For example, if she does not immediately get her way, she has been known to turn on the crocodile tears and throw a mini-temper tantrum. Some battles, however, are not worth the effort. Here's a pic of Gracie feeling very proud of herself because, after some resistance, we finally let her sit on top of the coffee table to play with her wire/bead toy.

The next 3 photos were taken in our yard on a warm, sunny day. Benji very generously loaned Gracie his rocket car, in which GG loves to ride down the driveway. It goes really fast, but as you can see, it delights her to no end. We are still on a quest to find a toddler-sized helmet.

For Father's Day, Chad got a brand new, 2008 Nissan Rogue. He has taken a ton of pictures of it, so maybe we can post a picture next time we check in. Anyway... he wanted to take his fancy new car on a short road trip, so we drove down to Eugene to visit Noelle and Jeremy and the kids for the day. We all hung out and visited while the babies played in the yard and Brenden rode his bike; then later we had a nice BBQ. Here's a shot of Gracie dumping her cut-up hot dog on her head.

The monkey bandage and red mark under her eye were the result of a nasty spill she took earlier in the day. GG and Rubie were playing on the grass in the front yard and somehow, G slipped and rolled down a small embankment and bonked her forehead on the sidewalk. It was her first official scrape requiring an actual band aid. It was very sad, but she shook it off and played happily the rest of the day.

Here's sweet B-Boy showing his sister and cousin how cool his wad of Silly Slime is. The girls were mesmerized until one of the grown-ups captured their attention.

At the end of a fun day, RuRu and GG got to take a bath together. Rubie Toots thought it would be fun to help by washing Gracie's hair.

The weekend after Father's Day, our little family of 3 spent a relaxing Sunday brunching at a place called Old Wives' Tale in NE Portland, where they have a really cool ship-themed play structure for the wee ones to play on. As you can see, Grace LOVED the "ship."

...but she wasn't so sure about the orange.

After brunch, we visited a local park.

The next weekend, Mike and Ashley came to visit us. They were only here for a short time, but we definitely jammed a lot of activities into the 2 days we had them. On Saturday morning, we went to a park:

After the park, we went to our new favorite lunch/coffee spot in Vancouver (Cafe Sip-n-Play). There are 3 play areas with tons of toys, books, and climbing structures for small children to explore while their adults enjoy a much-needed afternoon coffee pick-me-up.

Later that afternoon, Gracie played in her rubber ducky swimming pool...

...and we all took turns giving her rides in her wagon.

On Sunday, we paid our first visit to the Children's Museum. We had so much fun that we got a one-year membership so we can return again and again. Everyone's favorite exhibit was the water room.

But we also had fun painting...

Creating things with clay...

Playing "dentist"...

... and walking like dinosaurs.

It was a great weekend.

Believe it or not, we have a bunch more photos to share, but it has taken me two hours to write this post and my hands are going numb. I will log on later to finish our update...

And Now a Word from Norm

2008-06-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

Meow. This is Norman the cat. I used to be my parents' pride and joy, but that all came to a screeching halt about 13 months ago when they brought little Gracie home. I did not know what to think about her at first. She didn't do a lot except sleep those first few months. Then, in the blink of an eye, she started moving all over the house, making a ton of noise, and getting up in my business. Don't get me wrong, I love the little tyke. But can a cat get a little peace and quiet around here?

I don't quite know how I got roped into this, but I agreed to write a little something on Gracie's behalf. I would rather be napping right now (that's cat napping to you human folk), but maybe I'll get some belly rubs or extra kibble for my efforts.

So, let's start by talking about Gracie's teeth. At last report, she had about six little Chiclets. Now, she has nine-going-on-eleven, including two molars. She's working on a third molar as well as a new tooth on the bottom front. The teething pain seems to come and go, but she fancies my tail as a teething toy. Hey, I do what I can to help a sista out.

In addition to nibbling on my tail, Grace also loves to pull on my ears and bury her face in my fur. I especially love it when she wraps her little arms around me and squeals with delight. She has recently figured out that if she gently pets me (rather than maul me), I'm more apt to stick around. Sometimes, she corners me and I have no choice but to bat at her with my clawless paws. For some reason, that just makes her more gleeful. She thinks we're playing a game. Ah well, she doesn't mean any harm.

Let's see... Grace had her 12-month wellness exam a couple weeks ago. She's a little over 19 pounds and 29 inches. In fact, come to think of it, we're about the same size. Who knew? Dr. Jan said she's healthy as a horse and developmentally right on target. I have no doubts about her language development. Sheesh. The kid talks a blue streak, even if she's the only one who knows what she's saying. Some of her more discernible words include "Dye Dye" (bye bye) and "Hi."

In other news, Grace is really into running, climbing, and standing on things. She loves to go outside and explore everything in sight. Indoors, she especially enjoys riding her princess car and rocking giraffe. At school, GG's class is learning about the life cycle of butterflies. She even made a cocoon out of a Popsicle stick and yarn!

Last weekend, I got the whole house to myself because Mom, Dad, and Gracie all went to the beach to visit Grandma Jan. Auntie Nina and Uncle Chris just adopted a baby Lhasa Opso puppy named Bogey, and from what I hear, Grace thought he was a stuffed toy. I'm not jealous though. I know Gracie has enough love to go around.

Yawn. Stretch. Well, I think that's about it. I've done my duty for the night. Now, I'm gonna go hit Dad up for some well-deserved pets. I gotta secure my spot on his lap while I can...

When a Hedgehog Becomes a Butterfly

2008-05-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long between posts; we've been busy, busy, busy! BTW: This is Gracie's mom again. Grace is on the move these days, so I'm filling in for her while she explores every corner of the world around her. There's so much to do and see!

Right after our last post, we went to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, OR. The 'lips were incredible, as usual (Chad and I have gone with our best friends, the Sages, for years); but this time was extra special because it was Gracie's first visit. She had a great time frolicking through the fields, licking the flower petals, and riding the cow train. She even got to sit in a cow cart named Gracie!

Then, a few weeks later, we began the week-long celebration of GG's first birthday. Her first party was on 4/19/08. Lots of family and friends came to the party. Grace got to play with her cousins and friends, eat her first delicious bites of birthday cake (more like DEVOUR her first bites!), and open lots of great presents.

A day after her first party, we left for our week-long vacation. We stopped to visit Mike, Ashley, and most of Gracie's extended birth family for a couple days. Mike and Ash threw Gracie a wonderful birthday party on her actual birthday (4/21), where Grace got to eat more delicious cake and open even more presents!

We continued on to Boise, ID to visit Grandma and Grandpa K, as well as Grandma and Grandpa T. We had a great time visiting and relaxing, and were the guests of honor at two more fabulous birthday parties where, you guessed it, Grace got to eat a few more bites of delectable birthday cake and open a bunch more presents. Needless to say, Gracie plays the birthday girl role VERY well!

When we got home from vacation, Gracie graduated to the next "class" at her daycare. She is no longer a Baby Hedgehog; she is now a flittering, fluttering Butterfly. We thought Grace was happy in her old classroom, but that was nothing compared to how delighted she is in her new one! Her daily curriculum consists of joyous activities such as, finger painting, singing, dancing, building forts, chasing her friends and teachers, playing outside (a lot), turning somersaults, reading stories, having puppet shows and tea parties, playing with play-dough, and learning about animals, bugs, shapes, and colors. Also, she gets to eat school lunches and only has to take one nap per day. She LOVES it!

Finally, last weekend, Jill and Megan treated Chad and I to a "night on the town" while they watched Gracie. She (and we) had a fabulous time! Gracie got to play with Benji and the puppies while Chad and I had our first date since January. Then, on Mother's Day Sunday, we all went to a beautiful historic lilac garden in Woodland, WA. Grace was on cloud nine, running around the garden, checking everything out, happy to be out in the sunshine among all the lovely flowers. It was a glorious day!

Now, we're all just going about our usual business, looking forward to our next excursion. We're planning a trip to the beach for Memorial Day weekend, so hopefully we'll have lots of new pictures by then. In the meantime, enjoy all the photos from the past couple of months!

The Gift of Grace

2008-03-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is Gracie's mom. GG is in bed, fast asleep, so I'm posting this blog entry for her tonight. I just finished reading her one of my favorite books, On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman. It's a sweet story about how precious and special Gracie is, and what a miraculous gift her birth was to the world. The last page sums it up perfectly:

Heaven blew every trumpet
and played every horn
on the wonderful, marvelous
night you were born.

I've read the book to her dozens of times, and I always get choked up on that last page!

Since our last post, Gracie has started walking! It wasn't really out of the blue like it sounds. In fact, she took her first official steps over a month ago when Mike and Ashley were visiting. Mike and Chad witnessed the momentous event, but I have been in denial about the whole thing. Well, there's no denying it now! Grace walks all over the place. She falls on her bottom over and over again, then gets right back up like nothing ever happened. She has taken a few nasty spills resulting in big, purple goose eggs on her forehead, but that certainly hasn't stopped her. She's an intrepid little girl, ever curious about the world around her.

We had a very blessed Easter weekend. We stayed with my mom at the beach, and Gracie got to have a sleepover with her cousin Rubie. They are so adorable together! Rubie is fascinated by "baby" and Grace clearly emulates her elder cousin. Due to some seasonal liquid sunshine, we had to do an indoor Easter egg hunt, but that did not hinder either baby's unbridled joy of finding the "balls" (that's what Rubie called the eggs).

As Gracie's first birthday quickly approaches, we have been busy planning one of several birthday parties for her. We are having her first party at PB & Ellie's, a family-friendly cafe that caters to small children and their adults. My mom has been sewing the most beautiful party dress for Grace. It is lavender and white with violets all over it. It has white lace and a fancy white sash. Grace will certainly look like the belle of the ball when she wears it (lavender is truly one of her best colors) -- and how incredibly special that her grandma made it for her!

After Grace's birthday party, we are going on a week-long vacation to visit Mike, Ashley, and all of Gracie's birth family; then on to see my dad and Debbie, Chad's dad and Merrilee, and one of my oldest, dearest friends. Mike and Ashley are planning a second 1st birthday party for Gracie while we're visiting. Then, because Grace, Chad, and I all have birthdays within a few days of each other, our dads are planning joint birthday celebrations during the rest of the week. Now that's a lot of celebrating!

I cannot believe it has been over 11 months since Gracie joined our family. Everyone warned us how quickly the first year flies by, but I had no idea! Grace is truly a gift for which we are eternally grateful. Can't wait to see what's in store next!

Saving Daylight Is Cool!

2008-03-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Here are the top three reasons why I like to spring forward (in no particular order):

I get to watch the sun rise on my way to school in the morning, and watch it set at night while I'm in the tub.
The kids on my street play outside until it gets dark, which is very entertaining for me (someday I, too, will ride my scooter around the cul-de-sac and play basketball with the big kids).
My circadian rhythm helps me stay up later at night and sleep later in the morning, which is great for my whole family!

We've had a fun-filled month so far. Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Allen were here last week. When they first got here, we went to a beautiful botanical garden, then to an open-air crafts market. Unfortunately, Grandma was sick with a nasty sinus infection for much of the week, but Grandpa and I had a grand time together. We took walks and went to the playground and really got to know one another.

This past weekend, Mommy, Daddy, and I went to a petting zoo, and I got to pet baby pygmy goats, mini long-horned sheep, llamas, donkeys, baby cows, and a pot-bellied pig. At the same place, I got to touch a six-foot long albino python. It was bright yellow with pink eyes and a slithery tongue. Dad had to pull me away because I grabbed onto its body and wouldn't let go. I also saw a giant tortoise, two tarantulas, and a humongous toad!

In developmental news, I am still cruising all over the place and have even taken a few wobbly steps. We're not counting those as my first official steps, though, because they were kind of accidental. At the rate I'm going, the real thing will happen any day now...

Some of my favorite words/sounds lately are:

Gunk gunk
Mamamamamaaaaaaa (while crying)
Quack quack
Dadada-deeeee!
Babababa

Since my last post, I have started to wave hello (but not bye bye) to people, things, Norman, etc. I wave with my hand turned inward, toward myself. I love to play "high five" and "peek" with anyone who will participate. What I don't care for, however, is being locked behind the baby gate when Norman is just out of reach. Those pesky baby-proofing measures are really cramping my style!

That's about all I can think of for tonight. We will add some new photos this week, so check back soon!

Happy February and All That Jazz

2008-02-25T21:02:00.000-08:00

For being a short month, February has been jam-packed with fun and excitement for our family so far. First, let me just share the amazingness that is my physical development. In the 10 months since my glorious birth, I have gained 11 pounds and grown 9 inches in length. All that formula must be doing some good. I have also cut four more teeth in the past month -- all on the top. Phew, was that ever hard work!

My diet is expanding to include quite the repertoire of foods these days. In addition to a vast array of pureed fruits, veggies, and cereals, I can now eat dry Cheerios, Baby Mum Mums (rice crackers), and yogurt. I also tried a pureed chicken and veggie combo meal this week, but I promptly spit it out all over Mom and my high chair. It turns out I don't care for obliterated meat, so I think I'll remain a vegan for awhile longer.

Back to February. It started with Grandma Jan coming to stay with me near Valentine's Day. We had a great time together. One of the days she was here was uncharacteristically warm and dry for this time of year, so we went on a really long walk around the neighborhood. To commemorate my first Valentine's Day, Grandma Jan sent our family a bonafide Miss Grace Lemon Cake. It's not just a clever nickname -- there truly is a Miss Grace who makes a divine cake of the lemon variety. It was a very special surprise!

Then, a few days after Valentine's Day, Mama Ashley and Daddy Mike came to visit me. It was an awesome weekend! We went to the zoo one of the days, and I got to see ALL the animals this time (last time, many of the animals were already in bed when we were there). MA and DM got me the cutest, snuggliest stuffed baby elephant (named "Monkey") while we were there, and I still carry it around with me everywhere to remind me of our wonderful time together.

This coming weekend, Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Al are coming all the way from Fargo, ND to visit us for an entire week! I'm taking the week off of "school" to be with them and everything. I can't wait to show them all the cool tricks I've learned since last May. I'm pretty sure I'll blow them away with all my sweet skills.

I'm still hermit crabbing all over the place and cruising any chance I get. I have a toy walker that I like to push up and down the hallway, and I'm even getting pretty good at maneuvering it around corners and furniture.

My favorite words these days are "Dada" "Da-Deeeee" "Geeee" (soft g sound), and "Babababa." I seem to know what each of those words mean, too. BTW: "Geeee" and "Keeee" is kitty, and "Baba" is anything I happen to want at the moment (i.e., bottle, binky, toy, etc.).

I have tons of new pics to share, but it's getting late and my scribe wants to hit the hay. We'll be back soon...

Feliz Cumpleanos, Abuela

2008-01-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

In case you're wondering, that's Happy Birthday, Grandma en Espanol. Today is my Grandma Elaine's special day. I've been thinking about her all day long, hoping she's having the best birthday ever. January is a very special month, indeed, because it is the birth month of not one but TWO of my grandmas! When it was Grandma Jan's birthday on the 16th, she was in San Francisco celebrating, but I got to see her a few days earlier to give her some presents and lots of love.

So, now that we're a full month into 2008, I'd say it's time for an update. First, let's talk about my teeth. I still have just the two bottom ones, but they will soon be joined by some on top. I've been working on those top front chompers for awhile now. Mommy and I brush my two little teeth every night and I love it! It's a fun game for me to chew on the brush, spit it out, look at it, then shove it back into my mouth for more.

As for my hair, it's really growing. It's still fuzzy and sticks straight up, but there's more of it. We can just about put it in a barrette.

Our whole family has been sick with colds for the past several weeks, so that's why we haven't checked in for awhile. In fact, just a couple weeks ago I experienced my very first ear infection. My parents didn't even know I had the infection until I developed a low-grade fever for which Daddy took me to the doctor and discovered the aching ear. After a week or so on some super yummy, bubble-gum flavored medicine, I was good as new.

So, at last report, I told you how I moved right from crawling into pulling myself up to a standing position. Well, I decided that there's a lot to see and do by crawling, so I gave that another try. I still pull myself up every chance I get, but I'm not standing unsupported or (gasp!) cruising yet. My parents are very relieved, to say the least.

Now, I've been told that every baby has her own special way of crawling, so I decided to try out a rather unusual technique. What the heck, right? I'm only a baby once. Instead of moving forward on both knees, I use my right leg/foot to propel myself while the left knee is in the typical crawling stance. Just think hermit crab. That's my inspiration.

So, let's do a quick inventory of all my many nicknames (it has been awhile):

Gracie Girl
Miss Grace Lemon Cakes
Lemon Cakes
Cheeks
GG/GiGi
Geege
Gee-Race
Gracie Dumps (This was a derivative of Gracie Dumpling, which turned into Dumpers, then just Dumps. Daddy has a whole song he made up for me surrounding this nickname.)
Monkey
Munchwee
Muncheechee
Smidgers

That's a lot of names for a nine-month old. But, somehow, I don't get confused. I answer to all of them.

Since we are making lists, here are some of my favorite things:

Prunes
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Pears
Playing my Fischer-Price piano from a standing position
Balls (I even know how to roll them back and forth)
Animal noises (especially oinks)
Bath time
Brushing my teeth
Being outside
Norman
Looking out the window above my changing table
My super-soft, pink blanket from Great-Great Grandma Ora

And my least-favorite things:

Peas
The word "no"
Boogie wipes
Having to sit still while getting my diaper changed
Having my face washed
Shots (ouch!)
Taking shirts off over my head
Losing my binky

I think that about covers it. I'm going for my nine-month well-baby check up on February 12, so I should have some good developmental news to report after that. I only have a few new pictures to share, as we haven't taken a lot of photos lately. We'll work on that for next time. Ciao for now.

All I Want for Christmas

2007-12-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

...is my two front teeth, my two front teeth, yeah my two front teeth...

Oh wait! I GOT my two front teeth! The two front bottom teeth, but hey, it's a start. And boy, did I work for those babies! Now I love to show them off every chance I get. The first one finally made its big breakthrough about a week before Christmas, and the second one popped up this weekend. You can see them really well when I'm talking, laughing, and eating.

Ah, yes, eating. Who knew that pureed carrots could be so gloriously delicious? So far, I have gobbled up anything that is spooned into my eager little mouth. I'm up to an entire two-ounce jar of baby food per day, plus four scoops of rice cereal, and about 24 ounces of formula. And to think, I used to get so excited about boring ol' milk. This week, I'll explore a new fruit - maybe bananas or apricots. Bon appetit!

So, back to Christmas... I hope everyone reading this had a wonderful holiday. Most people won't believe it, but we actually had a white Christmas! Mom and Dad said it was in honor of my first Christmas. The snow only lasted for a few hours, but it was so cool! We spent the weekend leading up to Christmas at the beach with Grandma Jan, Auntie Nina, Uncle Chris, Auntie Noelle, Uncle Jeremy, Rubie, and Great-Grandma Z. Aunt Nina made a yummy dinner and everyone opened presents. Rubie and I had a slumber party at Grandma Jan's, and we played nicely together with all our new toys. Then, on Christmas itself, Mommy, Daddy, and I spent a quiet day at home listening to Christmas music, opening more presents, and enjoying the snow.

I've been trying to crawl for awhile now, but on Christmas Eve, I finally did it! It turns out it's a bit over-rated, though. In fact, I can't really get anywhere faster than before when I was scooting and squirming. So, I've moved on to bigger and better things, like pulling myself to a standing position and inching along furniture to get where I need to go. My parents are flabbergasted because they thought they'd have awhile to prepare for this HUGE developmental leap. But... I'm a determined baby, what can I say?

So, this will be my final post for 2007. It has been an excellent year, what with my birth and all, but I have a feeling more good things are in store for 2008. See you then!

I Met Santa!

2007-12-08T10:39:00.000-08:00

It was last Sunday - only the second day into December - and The Holidays were in full force. Our whole family was bitten by the Christmas bug, so where better to experience the season than at The Mall. The whole place was decked out in sparkling tinsel, garland, and lights (OK, it's been that way since October), and at the center of it all was Santa! Mommy sat me on his great big, cushy lap, I looked straight into his jolly eyes, and I grabbed a whole fistful of his soft, white beard. It was magical! Daddy explained that he isn't the real Santa, but it was sure neat to meet his likeness.

Today, I'm helping Benji and his moms pick out a Christmas tree for their house. We're going to a u-pick tree farm, and I get to ride on a tractor and everything! It's a pretty day with blue skies and sunshine, so I'm excited to get out there in the fresh, brisk air. Afterwards, Mommy has to do some Christmas shopping, so we'll brave the crowds for awhile.

Since my last post, we got a new camera. We're still mourning the loss of the missing memory cards, which contained pictures of many firsts. For example, my first messy bites of solid food; my first Thanksgiving; my first time sitting up in the big bathtub; the first time I knealed in my crib and peeked out through the slabs while Mommy laughed at how funny I was. Not to mention, there were just lots of great shots of me being 5, 6, 7-months old. Sob. Sniffle. Booooo hoooooooo. :-(

But, I've still got a lot of firsts ahead of me; we're constantly making new memories, and my parents are capturing as much as they can on film. Have I mentioned that I am absolutely itching to crawl? I can bring myself to the crawling position, and I kind of rock back and forth, but I'm just not quite able to move forward yet. It's only a matter of time, though. In the meantime, I scoot and roll all over the place. If I need to get to something, I'll figure out a way.

I'm still talking up a storm. I've increased my vocabulary quite a bit in the last couple of weeks. For example, every time I see Norman the kitty, I delightfully squeal "keeeeeeeeeee!" Mom thinks that's my word for "kitty" but I use it for anything that makes me happy. I am fond of saying "yayayaya" as well as "yiyiyiyiyi" (long i sound, like eye). When I first wake up in the morning, I lay in my crib chattering away.

That's about all I have to report for today. We finally have a few new pictures to share. Aren't I getting big? My hair is almost long enough to put into a barrette. It sticks straight up, all fluffy and chicky-ish. Oh, I'm such a lovable baby girl!

Gobble Gobble

2007-11-27T15:26:00.000-08:00

Things I’m thankful for on this, my very first Thanksgiving: Strong tummy muscles and balance (YAY! I can sit up by myself!); Norman the kitty; Grandma Jan’s big bathtub; tummy gummers; my pink and white fluffalump; rides on Daddy’s shoulders; Baby Orajel; and, of course, all of my family and friends who love me so very much.

I’ve been on rice cereal now for about two weeks, but on Thanksgiving, I got to try pureed apple for the very first time. Initially, I didn’t know what to think about the sweet-tart taste and strange texture, but I’m gradually getting the hang of this whole eating-from-a-spoon thing. Next, I get to try smooshed-up green beans. Mmmmm.

To commemorate my first Thanksgiving, my day care teachers made me my very own place mat. It’s a small rectangle of laminated paper printed with Thanksgiving-y pictures, and in the center of the mat is my pretty face superimposed on the image of a girl pilgrim. It’s very festive.

Since my last report, I’ve learned how to clap! Mommy heard that most babies don’t clap until they’re at least ten months old, so she’s pretty proud of me. At first, I tentatively brought my fists together during the song, If You’re Happy and You Know It. Now that I’m a more advanced clapper, I applaud with wild abandon while gleefully bouncing and squealing at whatever delights me (Daddy's kisses, squirrels, my feet, Normie...).

I’ve also established quite the repertoire of consonant-infused gibberish. My favorite sounds are, lalala, dadadada, bababa, and the combo, ladabadalala. When I talk, I move my toothless jaw up and down and wiggle my tongue all around. Since we’re on the topic of adorableness, you should see my hair. It’s growing in quite nicely, especially on top, and is reminiscent of baby duck feathers. It’s sooooo fluffy and soft.

So, I went for my last well-baby exam a couple weeks ago and learned that my weight and height are leveling out a bit. Daddy was right on about my weight (15.5 pounds), but I grew only half an inch taller in the last three months (27 inches). Dr. Jan told my parents how healthy and bright I am. What a perfect assessment! Everything about me is sunshiny bright.

For the record, Mom feels very bad about poking fun at Daddy for losing one of our photo memory cards a few weeks ago. It wasn’t nice. After all, it was just a thing. It’s not like he lost the entire camera, case, both batteries, and the other memory card. That would’ve been tragic, which is precisely why Mom feels so bad.

You see, the camera and afore-mentioned accoutrements just happened to be in Mom’s possession this weekend when they mysteriously disappeared. We completely retraced our steps, plus we scoured the house, vehicle, bags, purses, and everything else that could’ve possibly been harboring the missing camera. But it is tragically, heart-breakingly, eternally gone.

Despite this dramatic set-back to our photo-sharing regime, we will persevere. In fact, we were just thinking how great it would be to have a combo camcorder/camera to capture all of my upcoming “firsts.” After all, I’m much more mobile now, so we clearly need to incorporate action-filled videos into our photo library. I’m pretty sure that Santa will be coming to our house a few weeks early this year…

In the interim, if my parents can figure it out, they’ll try to add a few pictures to this site via their camera phones. Until then, Happy Holidays!

My Day In Court and Other News

2007-11-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

Here I am! Did you miss me? I know I've been MIA lately, but hopefully I haven't lost the interest of any of my regular blog visitors. I have lots of fascinating tidbits to report and we finally accumulated enough blog-worthy photos to share with everyone. There was an unfortunate photo incident, but more about that later.

First of all, how cool is Halloween? It's one of Dad's favorite holidays and now I know why. I was quite taken with the pumpkins, costumes, and excitement. I wore a cozy green sweet pea costume. How appropriate, right? I had a great time trick-or-treating with Benji and his pups, and I even got about six treats in my tiny pumpkin pail!

Something quite significant for our family took place yesterday: My adoption was finalized! Our case was assigned to a very nice judge who conducted a lovely ceremony as she signed the official paperwork. I was in such a happy, giggly mood during the entire proceeding. The judge even let me sit on her bench and play with her gavel while she marveled at what a sweet baby girl I am. It was a joyous day for our little family.

Since the last time I checked in, I've mastered the fine art of squirming. I roll and wiggle and worm my way across any flat surface. What can I say? I have places to go, people to see. I'm very close to sitting up on my own. In fact, I can keep my balance for quite a long time before I eventually tip over.

Some recent discoveries: I have a belly button. I love balloons. Peek-a-boo is the best game ever. Norman is fun to lick. I love to be hoisted up in the air over Daddy's head and flown around the house like an airplane. Vrooooom!

Mom is delighted with the fact that I am completely fearless around animals. I haven't met an animal I don't love. Dogs, cats, pot-bellied pigs, chickens, you name it.

So, about the photos. Someone (we won't say who, we'll just call him Shmaddy) accidentally left one of our camera's memory cards at the Costco photo counter. Unfortunately, it hasn't resurfaced despite Da -- I mean Shmaddy's -- attempts to find it. He even left our phone number with Costco in case someone returns it. But, we've been making up for lost time with daily photo shoots so we should have more photos to share in the coming weeks.

That's about it for now. I'm still showing signs of teething, but I haven't actually cut a tooth yet. I'm going for my next well-baby check up on 11/13, so we should have good news to report next week. We haven't taken bets for my weight/length in awhile. Any guesses? Mommy is guessing I'm about 16 pounds and 29 inches long; Daddy thinks I'm 15.5 pounds and 28.25 inches long. We'll see...

Pump It Up, Pumpy

2007-10-17T15:59:00.001-07:00

As you can imagine, I get to play with all sorts of toys at day care, even some that I already have at home. Take, for example, the swing. It was one of my very first big toys at home, and I used to play in it quite a bit. That is, until I got my bouncer; then my tummy-time mat; then my exersaucer. For the most part, the lowly swing now sits unused in a remote corner of our living room.

However, at day care, I am what some might call a frequent swinger. In fact, I am such a prolific swinger that I have figured out how to pump my little legs and torso so hard that I can make the swing go faster and faster. And, I know how to reach for the bar to stop the swing when I’ve had enough. Mommy learned all of this about me just the other day when she decided to let me revisit my old swing at home. Oh, you should’ve seen the look of amazement on her face when she saw me in action!

Then… just this morning, while I was playing on my birdie mat (that’s my tummy-time mat with an electronic bluebird that chirps and flies overhead), I showcased another of my impressive moves. While on my belly, I pull my legs all the way under my body so my little bottom goes in the air, then I propel myself forward. I can only go a few inches at a time, but my parents think this is definitely the precursor to crawling.

Other than these exciting advancements in my development, I’ve just been growing and learning at my usual pace. Is it just me, or do my eyes get bigger and brighter by the day? One of my day care teachers told Daddy that I am everyone’s favorite baby in my group because of how sweet and happy I am all the time. No joke. See, my parents aren’t just being partial when they say how great I am. I really am quite extraordinary.

We just came back from a wonderful weekend of merriment with my birth family. It has been nearly four months since we’ve seen each other! I got to see my birth parents, FIVE generations of grandparents, aunties, cousins, and lots of other lovely people who have been eager to meet me. As my wise Auntie Noellie once said (this isn’t an exact quote), A child can’t have enough love. The more love a child receives, the more she is able to give in return. Well, if that’s truly the case, then ya’ll are in for a big love fest because I am, quite possibly, the most adored child on Earth.

Back to my weekend: We all went out to breakfast, then to an old-fashioned pumpkin patch on Saturday. It was such a perfect fall day! Mama Ashley took me inside the petting zoo and I got to pet (and drool all over) a pot-bellied pig, and I even got to “ride” a goat while Mama Ashley held me. It turns out that I really love animals. I’m completely enamored with our cat, Norman. And I’m quite fond of Benji’s dogs, Ruby and Murphy.

Anyway, it was a very exciting and fulfilling couple of days. I’ve been a bit crabby since the weekend ended because I went completely off my schedule the whole time we were gone (hey, you’d be cranky if you didn’t nap for two straight days, too). But, I’m easing back into my usual routine and feeling a lot better because of it. Babies love structure, right? Unfortunately, my parents learned that the hard way.

Tonight, Grandma Jan is coming to spend a couple days with us. Tomorrow, I get to play hooky from day care and spend the entire day with her, all by myself! I’m looking very forward to the ensuing spoilage. Until next time… adios amigos.

Achoo!

2007-09-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

I'm just checking in for a minute because I don't feel very good. Our whole family came down with colds this week, but I was hit the hardest. The worst part is that the snot sucker is in full force, once again. I've become very strong lately, though. I figure that Mom and Dad will give up on using that thing if I flail my arms and legs, whip my head back and forth, and scream with all my might. My dramatic fits shake them up quite a bit, but they still manage to get that thing up my nose. Although I hate to admit it, I always end up breathing a lot more freely after they use it.

Anyway, my big news for this post is that last week, Daddy took me to get my ears pierced! It hurt a little, but not as bad as those shots I keep getting at my doctor visits. It was worth it, though, because I look so pretty! I have to wear my starter earrings for two months -- they're in the shape of tiny, pink daisies -- then I can switch to another pair. Mommy and Daddy clean my ears a few times per day and move the earrings around; otherwise, I don't even know they're there.

My Uncle Chris is staying with us this weekend. He cracks me up with all the funny noises he makes for my benefit (for example, ajugabugaboobooo). I laugh and laugh whenever he's around.

Well, that's it for today. I have a few new pictures to post, but I haven't been in the mood for full-blown photo shoots lately. If you take a close look at the new photos, you might see my pretty earrings. Oh! I recently learned how to give excellent, slobbery baby kisses to unsuspecting cheeks. So, I'm sending everyone a wet, drooly smooch right now!

Here Comes the Rain Again

2007-09-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, isn't it glorious! Almost overnight, it went from summer to fall. The leaves are all changing colors; the Canadian geese have arrived and are honking wildly; and each morning feels a bit brisker. Soon, I'll be dressing up for my first Halloween!

That reminds me of a cute story: Mom, her friend, and I were having lunch at a restaurant when a cute little girl (maybe 3 years old) came over and asked what my name is. When Mom replied, "Grace," the little girl goes, "Grapes?" Mom said yep, and the little girl turned around and said, "Mommy, that baby's name is 'Grapes'." Hahahahahahaha!

I promised to report my vital stats after my last doctor's appointment, so here I am. You're never going to believe it, but I have more than doubled my birth weight (I weigh 13 pounds, 6.5 ounces) and have stretched over seven inches since I was born (I measure an enormous 26.5 inches). Aren't I incredible? My ever-shrinking pajamas are a sure sign that I'm thriving, but who knew? And, you may remember that I was previously in the 15th percentile for head circumference. Well, I'm proud to report that I am now in the 40th percentile. No wonder all my hats and bonnets are fitting a big snugly these days...

I have recently mastered the fine art of squealing. A couple weeks ago, I came home from day care with a new sound: It was kind of a combo snort/squawk/scream. Then, it evolved into a shrill screech, and now it is a magnificent squeal. I giggle and squeal when Daddy kisses my tummy or Mommy tickles my toes, or if either of them does/says anything particularly hilarious. I'm quite the talker, too. I discovered that I can make different noises if I roll my tongue or make various shapes with my mouth/lips. And you wouldn't believe all the facial expressions I can make!

One of my favorite games is to grab at my fluttering dragonfly mobile while Mommy blows on it. A month ago, I learned how to clap at it with both hands; now, I can actually reach for it with one hand (and sometimes get it).

In my last post, I reported the move from my parents' bedroom to my own nursery. Since then, I've made yet another momentous transition. I have now moved from my cradle to my crib. It's great! I can fully stretch my arms and legs in every direction, plus, the bug mobile above my crib is much more entertaining than the one above my cradle. Mom and Dad don't let me sleep with stuffed animals (due to safety concerns), but there are all kinds of cool things hanging from the crib rails for me to look at and play with when I'm first waking up. Next stop: king-sized bed!

We have a few new pictures to post, when we have time. My hair still isn't growing in, but my eyelashes are more than making up for it. People have inquired about my upcoming teeth, but as of now, there's nothing to report. I drool a lot, but otherwise, there are no signs of pearly whites. That's just as well. They'd get in the way of "chewing" on my toes.

Until next time, tootle-oo.

Birthday Wishes

2007-09-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Happy pre-birthday, Daddy Mike! I know it’s not for a couple more days, but I might not get another chance to update my blog before then. I hope you have a wonderful day doing all of your favorite things!

In honor of your special day, I have compiled some hilarious birthday jokes just for you.

Joke #1: Why is the price of Turtle Wax so high?
Because turtles have really small ears

Joke #2: What kind of shoes do mice wear?
Squeakers

Joke #3: Where did Napoleon keep his army?
In his sleeve-y

Technically, I can’t take any credit for these comical tidbits (I’m just repeating some of the ones I remember). Maybe you have some funny jokes to tell me, too!

Well, it looks like the goal of posting a weekly update to my blog is a bit lofty. It seems that there is a direct correlation between the frequency of posts and our level of busy-ness. The month of August was eventful, to say the least (thus the infrequent posts).

Two weekends ago, Pee Paw and Gma Bee (a.k.a. Mom’s dad and Barbara) came all the way from SoCal to meet me for the very first time. PP got to see me sleep in the wooden cradle he hand-made for my mom when she was born over 31 years ago! We had a very nice visit. The highlight of the entire weekend was the dahlia festival we went to. The weather was divine and the flowers were spectacular! We meandered through rows of dahlias in every variety, color, and texture you could imagine. The pièce de résistance was the cut-flower exhibit, which showcased each specimen in glorious detail. Then, on the drive home from the festival, we stopped at a road-side produce stand and got peaches as big as my head (well, my head is rather small but you get the gist).

Last weekend, I stayed at Grandma Jan’s for my very first sleepover without my parents. Mom and Dad went to a no-kids-allowed wedding, so I got to have some 1:1 time with Gma Jan and Gpa Ron. To take advantage of their first date night since I was born, my parents went to a movie, stayed up past midnight, and slept in until 9:30 the next morning. I also got to see Auntie Nina’s classroom. She has it decorated so nicely, with lots of plants and personal touches. Her kids are sure lucky to have her for their English teacher!

It turns out that we never got the chance to visit the butterfly gardens when Rubie was here a few weeks ago because it rained that day. Daddy is afraid that all the butterflies will fly away unless we visit them soon, so hopefully we’ll get to see them this weekend.

As for developmental news, I have mastered the toes-in-the-mouth feat that I’ve been working on (pun intended – hardy har har). I have mad rolling skills, although it is much easier for me to roll from my back to my tummy than the other way around. I have discovered how to splash in my bathtub, and I think it’s funny to put my big toe in the faucet while the water is running so it sprays everywhere! It turns out that I HATE the snot-sucker-outer (a.k.a. bulb syringe), and I scream bloody murder whenever Mom tries to get boogers out of my nose.

Finally, and maybe most significantly, I have moved out of my parents’ room and am now sleeping in my own room. It was a tougher transition for my parents than it was for me, but at least they don’t have to drag my cradle from room to room any longer (and I get to gaze at my bug mobile when I wake up in the morning).

Well, that’s all I have to report for today. I am going for my next well-baby check-up next Tuesday (9/11/07), so I’ll fill everyone in on my stats next week. We have tons of new pictures to upload, so keep an eye out for those, too!

Glad Fredag!

2007-08-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

That's Happy Friday in Norwegian. Of course, that got me thinking: What's my Norwegian name? It turns out that it's Ynde. Naturally, that fascinating discovery led to further exploration, so here's my name in other languages:

Gnade (German)
Graça (Portugese)
Gracia (Spanish)
Gunst (Dutch)
Tolleranza (Italian)

And my favorite:

Kalake/Kalakie (Hawaiian)

I wonder what my many nicknames translate into. Hmm…

So, I am officially a roller now. Last Saturday, I rolled from my back to my tummy for the very first time. (Well, that’s what my parents think. What happens at day-care, stays at day-care, right?) Because I love all the attention, I do lots of encore performances. Plus, at day-care, they have this cool exer-saucer thingie that I absolutely LOVE! I can “stand” up in it and everything! I’m doing all sorts of fun things to build my core strength and develop gross motor skills. It’s really just a matter of time before I’ll be climbing Mt. Everest.

We’ve totally been spoiled by all the visitors lately! Grandma Jan came last weekend. We went to a new farmer’s market on Saturday, then to the zoo for Mom’s company picnic. I saw an elephant, tiger, warty hog, and mountain goat. I also got to go on the Zoo Train. Most of the animals were hiding and/or sleeping because the picnic didn’t start until after the zoo closed to the public. Oh well. Dad said we’ll go to the zoo many, many more times as I get older.

This weekend, Rubie and her parents are coming to see me. We are finally going to the butterfly garden at the park by our house. We have wanted to go for weeks, but haven’t prioritized it. So get ready butterflies because here we come!

Other things to report:

I recently learned how to clasp my hands.
I sleep for at least eight consecutive hours through the night.
I can easily grasp small toys, stuffed animals, and books (plus noses, beards, long hair...).
I received my second pedicure. This time, Grandma Jan chose a light pink shade to compliment my rosy complexion.

Although we finally have faster Internet access, it is a general lack of time that prevents my parents from updating this blog more frequently. Their goal is to post something at least once per week, so please check back regularly. See you soon!