Things We Love About Grace

Troy and I were trying to put together some of the favorites things about Gracie that we want to remember later, here are some of the ones we came up with(I have been working on this one for some time):

My sweetest Gracie, you love too:

1) play in the refrigerator, you take everything out and then put it back, your going to be an organizer
2) at daycare you love to play in the Kitchen with your sweet little friend Lauren
3) play with Max at daycare, he is the only boy in your class and every morning he comes up to greet you it is adorable
4) play chase and when we catch you laugh so hard.  If we don't catch you, you will stop and look back to make sure one of us are still coming
5) our Group hugs
6) take showers now more then bathes
7) pretend to talk on the cell phone
8) sit in my lap
9) opening and shutting everything
10) being tickled by mommy or thrown in the air by daddy
11) you love to cuddle
12) climbing the stairs before bed time
13) brushing your teeth
14) you love to play in front of the mirror ~ you read books, talk to the little girl across from you, give her kisses, twirl and say bye bye, truley adorable
15) you love to knock on the bathroom door in the morning to come in and see me

We love:
1) that you brighten our day
2) no matter what time it is I love to pick you up and rock you
3) that you will cuddle with us
4) when you are not feeling well and I grab the Tylenol you are a trooper and take it right away, you know it will make you feel better
5) when either of us walk thru that door you are there to greet us with the biggest smile and such excitement to play
6) the way you give us hugs by laying your head on our shoulders
7) the faces you sometimes make when we ask you questions
8) that you dance to any song I sing
9) when you pucker up to give us kisses

Park Pictures ~ Part 1

While in Cincinnati I finally got the chance to get some great shots of Gracie which will now be known as her 19 month pictures.  We had a blast at our local elementary school.  Enjoy!

testing out the slide before we went down it with Gracie

more to come.....

Swim Lessons Anyone?

Just a quick over view of a mothers fear.

When I was little my brother Steven and I were playing around a pool, when he feel in and a neighbor hopped the fence to rescue him.  It affected me but I never felt like it was something that stood out in my mind until now.  Between the situation with Steven and with stories of parents miss happs with pools, I have just been freaking my selfout.  With vacation approching and my overwhelming fear I decided I wanted to put Gracie in swim lessons and felt the best place to start was the YMCA, where I too took lessons....a long time ago.   It might sound ridiculous to you but I knew it would be good for her and a way to help settle my fears. 

For her first swim lesson, I thought it would be best to send Troy in with her.  I was not sure how she would do and thought I would let him handle it first.  Plus it ment I could get in a couple of pictures.  She started off sitting by the pool and once in the water began to cry.  She loved our little pool at home so I was a little surprised to see her crying and clutching on to her daddy's arm so very tightly.  I was hoping Gracie would not be the only kid crying and thank goodness she was not.  One dad and his daughter cried the whole time.  By the end of the lesson, Gracie was loving it and then of course cried when she had to get out.  We will just have to see how class #2 goes.

Yes there is a pacifier in her mouth.  We hoped it would allow

her to stop crying and to notice the kids who were having fun.

so sad

i loved the whole "daddy i love you so

much please don't make me do this routine"

oh daddy that was funny

wait dad this is fun

I now love to kick & splash in the pool

what a cutie

Gracie obviously loving pool life

What a great time!

These swim classes will be worth every cent.

More Greenville

A couple more great pictures from our time in Greenville, including our fun visit to the Walkers.  Thanks so much for having us it was a great time and a very encouraging conversation.

I seriously love this little girl

playing with aunt audi's camera

so serious

so funny

my cutie bear

Gracie & Levi & Eli

I think she liked the star wars swords the best

eating an icecream cone & not missing a drop

Me & Audra during a late night of talking

Gracie decided to try on daddy's shoes

next thing I knew she was on the floor rubbing

her belly, do you think she saw this some where?

Over the River & Thru the Woods to Greenville We Will Go

Part ~1

We headed for yet another weekend of traveling.  This time we went west to Greenville, Il to see Troy's brother Jake and wife Audra.  There dog Missy had puppies about a week before.  There were so little and cute.  Gracie loved them.  We saw them a couple times a day just so Gracie could see them.

It was such a great weekend of relaxing and hanging out.  We enjoyed it very much.

I was surprised that she took to them so easily

so excited

trying to give kisses

hmm, hamming it up

MJ(R)~I know you want one for the new house

once they were off of her she 

tried to get them back on

Audra made her a little apron & she loved it

ready for more time with the puppies

Audra, Missy & Jake

They are both holding 2 puppies, there are 

still six more sitting in front of Missy

Aunt Audi & Gracie

there she is again

I think she would have taken one home if she could