Take the Long Way Home

Our day used to consist of a morning walk in the car, playtime outside after lunch, a walk in the car after naptime and a walk in the car after dinner. Now we have added a new adventure... the long walk home.

Grace walks from our house all the way to the bend in the road. She has friends there, so that is her finishing point. Along the way she has to stop and see the dogs, clap for the older kids playing ball in their yard and see if her friends are home. She makes it one way happily...she does not want to come back. Usually I have to carry her back toward the house while she is crying. When we get near our neighbors' house with the dog, she gets very upset if she is not outside. So we just have to watch the fish and play in the dog's water.

So now instead of going right to her car for a walk, she has to decide if she would rather walk. Mama walks either way.

All in a Day's Work

Grace and Doggie

Grace loves dogs. When we told her she was going to Aunt Lindsey's and Uncle Dave's and we would see Louie, she said "doggie". She has only seen Louie a few times, so I thought it was impressive for her to make the connection.

There are two houses on our block that she knows because of their dogs. One house is two doors down, where Grace hangs out on their porch, looks in their goldfish pond and annoys their dog. The other house also has a three year old named Angela, who loves to try and hold Grace's hand. I think Grace likes the dog better than the girl.

If You Bring a Watering Can, She Will Come

Today the weather was sunny in the morning and cloudy and rainy in the afternoon. But Grace still found time to fit in a swim. She also played with the neighbors grandson and had a picture drawn of her by the 2 year old down the street. Dan and I went to play putt-putt, and when we came back to exchange cars, Grace was playing with the neighbor. She didn't have time for us. She said hi and waved, and she was off. So much for the "MAMA" I usually get when I leave.

All Smiles

Still Lovin the Car

The past few days have been cold and rainy, so we have stayed in most days. Today we did make it out in the "little car"... the Hummer is the "big car".

Grace is working with a few new words: sky, baa (what does a sheep say,) knee, umbrella and Emma(her third cousin and a name in one of her books.) Only a few of those actually sound like the real word.

Afraid of Bees

Grace's Playground

Happy Father's Day!

Today was a nice Father's Day. The weather wasn't too hot here, so we could be out most of the day without being so uncomfortable. We made to trip to Walmart this morning while Dan's car was being buffed at Delta Sonic. When he had it washed there a few weeks ago, it ruined the paint. After a complaint and a meeting when they refused to resolve the issue, he got a free buff job this morning.

At Walmart we bought the baby a wading pool and a small bounce house. Since she bounces on all of the furniture, we figured we would try to put her skills to safer use. She wouldn't sit in the pool and wanted to to throw out the rings that came with the bounce house. All of this made a lot of work for Daddy on Daddy's day.

Well worth it!

A Visit From Family

Dan had a trade show Saturday, so he was away Friday and all day Saturday. We had a visit from Uncle Dave and Aunt Lindsey (who is sporting a nice baby bump). Grace was so happy and performed her magic all night. She even had brownie and ice cream and got to stay up until 9:45.

The Hour Wait

Today I had a doctor's appt., and I had to take Grace with me. I guess I should have called ahead because they were running an hour behind. Grace was so good...you couldn't ask for a better baby. She saved the whinning until we got home.

From Cast to None

Monkey on her Back

Today she woke up unhappy. She cried during her oatmeal, so I ended up giving her Motrin, thinking that her teeth were hurting. She has 10 teeth but the last 4 eye teeth have yet to come in. She also has never gotten her second two teeth on the top (just like her Dad and Grandmother).

She cried during lunch (mashed potatoes, peas and cottage cheese). She cried during dinner (potatoes, carrots and yogurt). She did eat her banana.

So the only things that seemed to make her happy were her car and her water. I even tried her in her 12month bathing suit that she wore last summer...too small. Though she was cute with her little chubby legs and big belly made bigger by the tight suit.

At the end of the day, it was as if we had fed her a bag of sugar. She was jumping and running on the couch, running around the house and babbling non-stop. She couldn't even pick out bedtime books to read because she was so hyper. I am hoping this is all related to her teething.

Grace's Cast Countdown

Grace had her cast removed today. She cried when the doctor was cutting it off with the drill...it was very loud. Then she waved and said hi to everyone in the waiting room...she doesn't hold a grudge.

She came home and went to pounding away with the arm. It is pretty red and dry and will hurt for a few days. She slept until 10:30 this morning, so I don't think the cast was bothering her in any way. We will see how she does without it.

She was rewared for her patience with a Dora sand/water table we bought last night. The first thing she wanted to do with her new arm was splash in the water. I was very wet.