Reston Zoo

This weekend we took Grace to the Reston Zoo. She really enjoyed the animals; I'm sure they all looked like big urry Joey dogs to her! We had a blast!

If my satellite tv ever craps out...

I can use my daughter for an antenna.




Oh, David took Gracie to her doctor's appt Friday for her 15 month check up. She is doing very well and developing right on track!

Weight: 23.6lbs--25-50 percentile
Height: 30inches--25-50 precentile
Head Circum: 19.75--97 percentile (whoah!!!)

And we have pigtails

One of the many joys of having a little girl is the ability to accessorize them. This can be done through charming clothes, shoes, and the one I’m having oodles of fun with now, hair! Gracie’s hair is getting longer and thicker and the hair possibilities are endless. We’ve been using barrettes on her for some time now but she easily pulls them out during her “fits of divaness”. The elastics, not so easy for her to ruin. Enjoy the pictures of Gracie with her pigtails, her Mom Mom, and her Pop Pop.

Gracie's first boo-boo

Poor baby. I was making our traditional Saturday big breakfast and David was helping me in the kitchen. Gracie was safely "corralled" in the living room when we heard a thud followed by, our course, her wailing. David and I ran into the living room and saw her laying on her back, crying and looking especially pitiful. David picked her up and there was a small speck of blood on her chin. Her first blood spill. I, of course, checked her face, inside her mouth, and all over her body to make sure she was ok. David held her while she cried and we cleaned up her chin without a problem. 5 minutes after it happened, Gracie was playing again.

Now that she is so mobile, these kinds of accidents are inevitable. She toddles around ALL DAY, no longer happy with sitting or being held. It’s especially hysterical when she’s tired and takes two steps, falls sideways(she does this very gracefully), and then tries to get back up. A riot. So today I will make another stop at Target, for band-aides, Neosporin, and perhaps the baby leash!

Rings and things

Gracie has a fascination with her ring toys. She will walk around with them on her wrist for hours.



In other news, Dave and I have decided to return to the world of the hip and adventurous! Hmm, returning denotes that we were once there…not sure if we could classified as hip or in any way adventurous but I digress… we have decided that it’s time to HIRE A REAL LIFE BABYSITTER! Sure we have left Gracie for an evening or two but it has always been in the care of my parents or my sister; never with anyone unrelated. As we fall into a constant routine, Dave and I find that, while there is comfort in the routine, it also leads to extreme boredom and monotony. We find ourselves longing to go to dinner, visit a friend, or just have some time to ourselves. Although Jen and Mom and Dad are great, we decided that we need to have a babysitter who lives close by that we can call on when we need to get out. I searched on Criagslist and even went to babysitters.com (who, by the way, wanted $119 to join to view their sitters) but I wasn’t happy with what I found. I mean, this person is going to be alone in my house with my child, this is a huge responsibility not to be trusted to just anyone, right?!?! Then, it hit me.
About 10 years ago, my sister started to babysat a little girl, Lilly. Jen and I took turns watching her and then, while I was in college, I was a nanny for her all summer. I ran into her and her mother at Giant Food a couple of months back and Lilly is, (gasp!) 14!!! I couldn’t believe it, she is taller than me. So this morning I emailed her mother and asked if Lilly babysat. She was thrilled that I sent the email and Lilly and Grace are going to finally meet! The kicker? Lilly lives one block away!! Yippee!!! Salvation!!! Dinner and drinks with my husband, playdates for Mommy and Daddy. I’m thrilled!

Lazy Summer Days...

Gracie has been enjoying her relaxed summer schedule. Although Mommy is still working, our morning don’t seem nearly as hectic. Traffic is so much lighter in the morning and we don’t have to be out of the house until 7. I get off work around 1, run errands (aka shop!) and then pick Gracie up after her nap. We then try to do some fun mother daughter bonding, like our trip to Aunt Sissy’s pool on Monday. Grace loves the water, unlike her mother at that age. My dad still teases me about my nail marks being embedded on the side of Vienna Woods Swim Club’s baby pool, my parents coaxing me to just come out of the safety of my little corner in the 2 feet! But I digress…Grace loves the water. She splashes and kicks and even just chills in her inter tube while Mommy sunbathes (in the pool with her of course).

Grace is walking faster than ever. I can’t believe that in just two weeks she’s gone from barely being able to stand to full out hauling ass across the family room! It definitely makes our job as parents more challenge but it is so rewarding to see her run to me when I pick her up from school. She is so proud of herself.

All the advances, however, aren’t good ones. Whenever Dave or I tell Grace no (no you can’t smack the dog, no you can’t stomp on Daddy’s DVD’s, no you cannot throw your food on the ground) she laughs. I’m talkin’ stares at you and exudes this full on belly laugh. At first I thought it was just when I told her no. Certainly she would listen to Dave’s deep bellowing voice. No, she doesn’t. I think she even laughs and little louder! Oh, and last night she bite Dave, twice. Great. I believe we’re going to start allocating the high chair for time outs. We have to do something.

Despite these two “challenges”, we’ve decided to keep her. I’m taking her “baby free to a good home” ad off CraigsList.


She loves splashing in the water!

I know my face is a bit creepy in this one but she looks so cute...excuse my creepiness

Poll: The baby leash

Now that Grace is becoming mobile, a whole new scary world is opening up to us. When we're out shopping, Grace willingly stays in her stroller/cart and we are able to go about our shopping and actually really enjoy the experience. But now, Grace is going to want to walk around...OMG. Am I going to be one of those frazzled mom's running after their screaming baby in the Target?!?!? We've all seen those mom's and perhaps chuckled a bit at their misfortunes but is this my destiny? Will Target never be the same? Ok, so that's a bit dramatic. But, their is a very real safety question here.

Yesterday David and I were at Babies R Us finally buying baby proofing devices when I came across THE BABY LEASH! At first I laughed but then I began to think about all the benefits of owning such a device. I will admit that I used to laugh at people who put their baby on a (uh-hum) leash but I have to not judge a parent...we do what we can to make easier. So readers, what do you think? Should I purchase the baby leash? Here's a pic for those of you who do not have children and have no flippin' clue what I'm talking about:

Grace is gaining her own independence

by walking! Yesterday Grace took her first unassisted steps! I'll write more later but I wanted everyone to know. Go Gracie!

Signs, signs everywhere are signs...

But poor Gracie has two very dense parents. When I went to pick her up today, she was having her snack. I decided to pop a squat right next to her and partake in a couple of animals crackers. As I was eating the head off an unsuspecting bear, the caregiver walked around asking the babies if they wanted any more. When Ms. Stephanie got to Grace with the jar of crackers, Grace made the sign for more accompanied by a "mah, mah" noise! WHAT?!?!? Grace knows the sign for more? Why were we not informed of this. For the last month or so Grace has gotten frusterated at the dinner table waving her hands and grunting. Well, idiot mom, that wasn't random waving and grunting, she was trying to communicate!!!! When we got home tonight and I prepared her a special grilled chicken pasta with homemade pea/carrott/spinach tomato sauce, I gave her a small piece. She ate it quickly and then I asked her if she wanted more, accompanied with the sign. Grace's eyes lite up: "Ah ha, she finally got it!" Grace then made the sign for more!

I wonder what else they're teaching my daughter. One day I'll get to school and she'll be twirling a batton on one leg. Rather unlikely.

I of course grabbed the camera and captured my daughter's sign. I also ran upstair and dug out my book on baby signs. Why didn't I start this months ago?

Oh, please excuse my overly annoying voice.

We could all learn a little bit from Gracie...

Don't take yourself to seriously...and laugh once and a while

Ah a day at the pool...

It used to be so relaxing. I would grab a towel, water, sunscreen(ok, that was rare) and People magazine. I would get to the pool, jump in to cool off, and then bake for hours. It was awesome. After a full afternoon, I would come home exhaused(not because I did any swimming, no way, probably b/c I had some mild heat stroke) and take a nap. Boy have things changed.

Today we took Grace to the pool. I began getting ready about an hour before it was time to go. Our pool bag(s) contained:
--3 towels
--suncreen (70+ for Grace and 12 for Dave, still none for me; hey, that's the one thing that hasn't changed)
--sun bonnet
--swim diapers
--3 sandwiches
--crackers
--fruit
--water
--apple juice
--wet paper towels
--camera (Oh god, that is awful. A camera at the pool sucks...that' why I'm the camera man)
--Gracie's normal diaper bag

And no People magazine in sight. How quickly and completly your life changes. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. Gracie loved the water and I attribute that to dunking her last year.

Two is better than one!

Gracie really loves her walkers. She still hasn't walked on her own yet, but she has found new enjoyment and stimlation in playing with both her walkers at once. And of course, it's a riot!

Blog update...it's about time!

Here is a picture for now:





I am currently the worst blogger mom eva. I haven't updated the blog in forever. I should be ashamed.

Graduation

Grace has graduated from the infant room to the older infant room. We have been transitioning her for the past couple of weeks but Monday she started in with the older kids full time. It was tough for David and I as we really loved the people who watched Gracie in the infant room and also because it meant our baby was getting older. Of course her being surrounded by kids who are walking and talking and not drolling and pooping are much better for her development but I hate to see her growing up so fast!

Yesterday her caregiver presented us with a photobook with the following pictures:





I was very touched by her sentiment and also a bit saddened. What am I going to do at her high school graduation!?!?!??!!?!?!

Happy Memorial Day

Memorial weekend was a big one for us! We went strawberry picking, got locked out of the house with the baby safely inside, and drove to VA Beach to adopt a new dog, Moose.

On Saturday we joined Mom Mom, Pop Pop, Aunt Jen, Uncle Greg, Brandon and Samantha for the annual Great Country Farm Strawberry Jubilee. That's right, it was a jubilee. And I know that sounds hillbilly and I'm not at all hillbilly but everyone in Loudoun County came out for the festivities. There were no shortages of Blackberry's and laptops at this "country" fair. The line to pick strawberry's was over an hour long so we decided to stretch out on our blanket and enjoy the music and food.

I like to call this exerpt King Foo husband.
Sunday we were all set to make the four hour drive to VA Beach to pick up Moose. We have known for a while that Joe needed a playmate and have been waiting for the perfect buddy to come along. We think we found that after reading Moose's description on the Lab rescue website. Aunt Jen was able to watch Gracie and all we needed to do was take Joe down there to meet the dog. Dave and I were running around at 6:45AM trying to get everyone ready. Joe was in the yard, Grace in her exersaucer and David inside. I ran to the car going through the garage, leaving the door to the house open. Dave came outside to bring out some of Gracie's things and closed the door behind him. As soon as he, he looked up at me, "You have the keys, right!!!???" Hell no I didn't have the keys. I left the door open!!!! was my thought. We were locked out of the house. Panic hit us both. Were there any unlocked doors, windows, anyway to get into the house?? We both ran around for a minute, looking at the house, almost willing it open. We realized that wouldn't work. Everything was locked up tight. With Gracie in the kitchen. Shit. Panic. Double shit. More panic. Finally, my husband yelled to me, "Ok honey, close the garage door. I'm kicking the door in. I don't want the neighbors to see."
You're what!!!! I mean I love my husband and I believe in him 100 percent but to do something like kick open a door, I was skeptical. But, we had no other options. It's worth a shot. I closed the garage door and waited outside. Thud.
"Ok honey, I got it, come on in!!!!!!!!!" What, my husband had done it! He kicked our door in to save the baby!!!!!!! (I think it was the fact that he had watched Indiana Jones the night before, he was feeling very masculine!) We ran inside and Gracie was sitting in her exersaucer, looking out the window. I of course was hysterical and David was standing there just a little bit taller. Catastrophe avoided.

Moose and Joe are becoming friends. It's going to be an ajustment for both of them but hopefully they will soon be brothers.

Feelin' better!

Gracie is doing so much better. Her roseloa ran it's course like clockwork; three days with a high fever and three days of a rash. Now she's totally back to normal, with the exception of the PJ's Daddy picked out!

Roses(ola) are red, like my baby's face

I should have gone to medical school. My daughter has yet another disease, this one is Roseola. It is a virus that causes a high fever, check, makes the baby fussy or irritable, check, causes a decreased appetite, check, and is accompanied by a nasty rash, check. Of course, there is nothing we can do but give her Tylenol and make her comfortable. She is sleeping a little more than normal and when she is awake, she hates her life. I mean she is pitiful. Look:


Spotty face

Gracie look for the day

Rush Hour

Gracie has become quite the effective walker...with the help of her walker. Although we haven't seen her complete any steps on her own, she sure can with the some assistance. We're not rushing anything, she'll walk on her own when she's ready. For now enjoy this clip, she must have learned this from Mommy when she gets frusterated in traffic when she gets stuck!

Totally Bottle-Less---Yippee!

Today Gracie had no bottles what so ever! She has been down to only a morning bottle for a couple of weeks now and the thought of no morning bottle has been tough for David and I! This morning I was up earlier than normal b/c Dave had to go downtown and therefore he was out of the house before six. I got almost toally ready before Gracie woke up and when she did, I went downstairs for a sippy cup. I got her out of her crib and changed her clothes before giving her the cup. She drank about half and didn't even miss her bottle.

I know this isn't prolific but babies adapt and are willing to change without a hesitation, it's the parents that are the problem.

Here she is this past weekend in her new little sundress, compliments of kevin and Sara. Thanks guys!

For her birthday, Gracie received a couple of walkers. Here is her introduction to the lion walker...complete with Nana's help!