I can't believe that Gracie is 4 weeks old today. About a week ago I was telling Matt that I'm not sure if this has been the longest few weeks of my life or the shortest. Now I'm determined that time is going by way too fast. Gracie is definitely getting bigger, she's starting to make more noises besides crying and she's alert a lot more.
She is starting to take her world in and it is neat to see. She likes to look at everything while she's awake. The neatest thing she does now is look at me and Matt. She can focus on our faces and I'm pretty sure she recognizes them. She also recognizes our voices and will calm down if she's crying and we call to her to let her know we're coming.
This is what her first month has looked like:
Two glorious weeks of Grandparents :)
One ride in the car to drop them off at the airport
A move from mom and dad's room to her nursery
One trip to Target
One trip to Walmart
Two trips to church
One trip to the Sellers (some friends from church)
One trip to the Ferguson's for Thanksgiving
One Aggie game on TV
Lunch at Don Pablo's
Several visitors
Lots of peeing on mom and dad
Her first bath in which she didn't sob the whole time
Time on her play mat
Lifting her head while she's on the mat
Lifting her head while she's looking over mom's shoulder
A few bottles (one from dad)
Lots of eating
Lots of sleeping
Lots of burping and some spit up
Lots of kisses and hugs from mom and dad
endless love growing in our hearts
What's on tap for this month:
Decorating the Christmas tree
Road trip to Louisiana and Texas
Meeting the rest of the family
Especially her Cousins (Brady and MacKenzie)
I have posted lots of pics on flickr page and have now started to take video too. The videos are all on my Vimeo page.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Overcome by Love
Gracie is two weeks old and 1 day today. These weeks have not been easy. I've had to adjust to my role as mommy while getting very little sleep. Mostly because I have a hard time sleeping while she's dreaming loudly about her new world. :) Gracie had a few all-nighters so Matt and I took shifts so we could at least get a little sleep. We moved her to the crib in her room on Saturday and she's been sleeping really well there. We've decided she knew that's where she belonged all along and was trying to tell us. :) Which brings me to the title of my post. No matter how many nights Gracie keeps us up she is still perfect to us. Becoming a parent has opened my eyes to love.
I find myself more in love with Matt than the day I married him. He is such an amazing daddy and has been so helpful and involved that it brings tears to my eyes. Gracie is the embodiment of that love. Without our relationship, our marriage, our commitment to one another she wouldn't be here. She is a daily reminder of how much Matt means to me. A reminder of the commitment we made and another reason why that commitment will last forever.
I also have a new appreciation for our parents. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved them but becoming one myself has helped me to see just how special the relationship is. There is nothing that a parent wouldn't do for their child. There is nothing that a child could do to lose the love of a parent. I have to stop here and say, "Thank you!" to our parents. They were such a huge help while we were in the hospital and after we brought Gracie home. The first two weeks would have been a lot harder without them.
Well, Gracie is napping now which means I better take this opportunity to clean up. :)
I find myself more in love with Matt than the day I married him. He is such an amazing daddy and has been so helpful and involved that it brings tears to my eyes. Gracie is the embodiment of that love. Without our relationship, our marriage, our commitment to one another she wouldn't be here. She is a daily reminder of how much Matt means to me. A reminder of the commitment we made and another reason why that commitment will last forever.
I also have a new appreciation for our parents. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved them but becoming one myself has helped me to see just how special the relationship is. There is nothing that a parent wouldn't do for their child. There is nothing that a child could do to lose the love of a parent. I have to stop here and say, "Thank you!" to our parents. They were such a huge help while we were in the hospital and after we brought Gracie home. The first two weeks would have been a lot harder without them.
Well, Gracie is napping now which means I better take this opportunity to clean up. :)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Hooray for Poop!
I have been getting emails throughout my pregnancy from BabyCenter.com and I got this list in one a few days ago. I'd read it before Gracie came and now that she's here I see how true it is.
1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body ... finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.
Gracie is home and doing absolutely wonderful. She is beautiful, amazing, tiny, sweet, precious...this list could go on and on really. Right now she has her days and nights mixed up a little bit but she'll get it figured out eventually. One thing I really worried about before she came was the sleep deprivation that would be inevitable. I really enjoy my sleep and tend to get sick if I don't get enough of it. I'm definitely sleep deprived but there is just something about Gracie that makes me not even realize it most of the time. She could keep me up for weeks and I would still look at her and melt.
She is peacefully sleeping in her cradle right now so I better take advantage of the time to catch up on that lost sleep. I'll keep posting as often as possible. She's changing daily and I'm trying to capture it on camera so keep checking our flickr page for Gracie's life in pictures.
Sidenote: #12 on the list is my favorite because I was holding Gracie in the hospital and felt/heard her poop and exclaimed, "She's so cute even when she poops!"
1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body ... finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.
Gracie is home and doing absolutely wonderful. She is beautiful, amazing, tiny, sweet, precious...this list could go on and on really. Right now she has her days and nights mixed up a little bit but she'll get it figured out eventually. One thing I really worried about before she came was the sleep deprivation that would be inevitable. I really enjoy my sleep and tend to get sick if I don't get enough of it. I'm definitely sleep deprived but there is just something about Gracie that makes me not even realize it most of the time. She could keep me up for weeks and I would still look at her and melt.
She is peacefully sleeping in her cradle right now so I better take advantage of the time to catch up on that lost sleep. I'll keep posting as often as possible. She's changing daily and I'm trying to capture it on camera so keep checking our flickr page for Gracie's life in pictures.
Sidenote: #12 on the list is my favorite because I was holding Gracie in the hospital and felt/heard her poop and exclaimed, "She's so cute even when she poops!"
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
She's here!
This is Matt posting on behalf of Kelly, who's doing great and is almost recovered!
Yesterday Kelly and I welcomed Emily Grace Dean into the world at 2:47 pm on a beautiful November day. Carol, Kelly's mom, won the weight and height pool at 6 pounds 10 ounces and 20.25 inches. We're very excited and I'm sure Kelly will have a much more in-depth description of the experience in her next post.
Until then, check out the pictures on our Flickr page.
Yesterday Kelly and I welcomed Emily Grace Dean into the world at 2:47 pm on a beautiful November day. Carol, Kelly's mom, won the weight and height pool at 6 pounds 10 ounces and 20.25 inches. We're very excited and I'm sure Kelly will have a much more in-depth description of the experience in her next post.
Until then, check out the pictures on our Flickr page.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
I Voted!
Today Matt and I went down to the Hamilton County courthouse to vote. We stood in line for about 30 minutes. Not easy for me at 9 months pregnant. I'm definitely glad to have it done. Now I can go into labor and know that I've done my duty as a citizen of this great nation. I guess I can tell Gracie one day that she got to vote in the 2008 election too.
We decided that the outcome of the election probably won't matter much to us immediately because we will have just had our little girl. My c-section is scheduled for Monday November 3rd at 2pm. I had an appointment today with Dr. Kerlin and she answered all of my questions about the procedure. I've had lots of advice from people who've been through it before and I feel pretty ready for it. The consensus I get is that a c-section is actually not as bad as a natural delivery. I'm sure I'll be a ball of nerves Monday morning and I probably won't get much sleep Sunday night but at least by 2:20 on Monday we'll have met our little Gracie.
We'll keep everyone posted and try to upload pictures as soon as we can.
We decided that the outcome of the election probably won't matter much to us immediately because we will have just had our little girl. My c-section is scheduled for Monday November 3rd at 2pm. I had an appointment today with Dr. Kerlin and she answered all of my questions about the procedure. I've had lots of advice from people who've been through it before and I feel pretty ready for it. The consensus I get is that a c-section is actually not as bad as a natural delivery. I'm sure I'll be a ball of nerves Monday morning and I probably won't get much sleep Sunday night but at least by 2:20 on Monday we'll have met our little Gracie.
We'll keep everyone posted and try to upload pictures as soon as we can.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Breechy Keen
We had an appointment with Doctor Kerlin today and she did a quick ultrasound to see if little Gracie had decided to head for the border. She hasn't. The doctor seems to think she's pretty much stuck in the butt down position and I tend to agree with her. The funny thing is I can feel her feet on my left side about half way up my belly which means she's basically eating her toes. Dr. Kerlin said that babies in this position find it hard to lower their legs for a few days after birth. They just get so used to being folded up that their feet spring back up when you try to push them down. That should be fun to see. :)
So, on the assumption that Gracie is as stubborn as I think she is we'll be scheduling a c-section for Nov. 3rd or 4th. I'm awaiting a call from the doctor for the final date. It's kind of nice to have an end date on the calendar. I'm not looking forward to the c-section recovery but I am looking forward to meeting our Gracie. It's also a good excuse for family to come and stick around for a little while to help us out.
So, on the assumption that Gracie is as stubborn as I think she is we'll be scheduling a c-section for Nov. 3rd or 4th. I'm awaiting a call from the doctor for the final date. It's kind of nice to have an end date on the calendar. I'm not looking forward to the c-section recovery but I am looking forward to meeting our Gracie. It's also a good excuse for family to come and stick around for a little while to help us out.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Sleep Loading
I tried to think of something interesting to write about today but really couldn't think of anything. I'm just now getting over a cold so I've been doing a lot of sleeping lately. I mean a lot! I get as many hours as I can at night and then take a couple of naps during the day too. I'm just exhausted. I think it's because the sleep I do get isn't all that restful. Hauling this big belly from one side to the other all night is tiring. :)
I gave Matt a hard time for falling asleep during two movies this weekend. One was totally understandable (we do not recommend the Zohan movie) but the other was Iron Man. How can you fall asleep during Iron Man? Someone at church brought up a good point though. He must be sleep loading. You know, getting as much sleep as possible in anticipation of the sleepless nights we'll face when Gracie gets here. So I've decided I'm going to do some sleep loading myself.
I don't have any updates on Gracie right now. We go to the doctor for another visit tomorrow afternoon and will hopefully have some more news to share. If she's still breech the doctor may decide to schedule a c-section. I'm really hoping she's flipped herself around and is ready to come out head first. That would make things a lot easier.
Well, I'm going to try and catch a snooze before doing some Christmas shopping.
I gave Matt a hard time for falling asleep during two movies this weekend. One was totally understandable (we do not recommend the Zohan movie) but the other was Iron Man. How can you fall asleep during Iron Man? Someone at church brought up a good point though. He must be sleep loading. You know, getting as much sleep as possible in anticipation of the sleepless nights we'll face when Gracie gets here. So I've decided I'm going to do some sleep loading myself.
I don't have any updates on Gracie right now. We go to the doctor for another visit tomorrow afternoon and will hopefully have some more news to share. If she's still breech the doctor may decide to schedule a c-section. I'm really hoping she's flipped herself around and is ready to come out head first. That would make things a lot easier.
Well, I'm going to try and catch a snooze before doing some Christmas shopping.
Monday, October 13, 2008
My New Favorite Season
We've been watching the colors change here in Indy for a few weeks now. It started with some of the younger maples turning bright orange, yellow and red. I can't help but point them out every time I see them. They just brighten up my day.
Now all the older trees are starting to follow suit. There is this one section of the highway between here and our church that I pass by quite often that has the most amazing shades of orange and red. They just pop out of the foliage as if to say, "don't forget that God made everything." I told Matt yesterday that I hope they never develop that section along the highway because I would really miss seeing the colors there.
We decided on Saturday to make a trip to Brown County State Park. It's about 2 hours south of Fishers and is a very popular destination for people looking for fall colors. It was a little early in the season so there weren't as many colors but we decided we better make the trip before Gracie arrives. We're planning to go next year a little later in the season. There were some breathtaking views. I posted all of our photos on our flickr site.
I've decided that Fall is, in fact, my new favorite season. The cool crisp air is always so welcome and the colors are just amazing. I've decided it's God's way of easing us into the cold and making the bitter winter not seem so bad. Why else would He surround winter with beautiful fall colors and blooming spring flowers?
Of course, another great reason to love this season is because it will be the time of year we celebrate little Gracie's birthday. I hope she appreciates the fall like this South Texan does. I hope the beauty of it doesn't get lost in growing up around it.
Speaking of Gracie...she hasn't decided to make her grand entrance yet but she's definitely practicing. I'm having contractions daily and am hoping that she is making her way south so that we don't have to have a C-section. I go back to the doctor for measurements today and then again on Wednesday to see how I'm progressing. The last item for the nursery just came in today so I'll get some pictures of the nursery all set up some time this week. I'm so excited to meet Gracie but am trying to be patient so that she can come when she's good and ready. Only Gracie knows when that time will be. I'll just sit back and enjoy my new favorite season while I wait. :)
Now all the older trees are starting to follow suit. There is this one section of the highway between here and our church that I pass by quite often that has the most amazing shades of orange and red. They just pop out of the foliage as if to say, "don't forget that God made everything." I told Matt yesterday that I hope they never develop that section along the highway because I would really miss seeing the colors there.
We decided on Saturday to make a trip to Brown County State Park. It's about 2 hours south of Fishers and is a very popular destination for people looking for fall colors. It was a little early in the season so there weren't as many colors but we decided we better make the trip before Gracie arrives. We're planning to go next year a little later in the season. There were some breathtaking views. I posted all of our photos on our flickr site.
I've decided that Fall is, in fact, my new favorite season. The cool crisp air is always so welcome and the colors are just amazing. I've decided it's God's way of easing us into the cold and making the bitter winter not seem so bad. Why else would He surround winter with beautiful fall colors and blooming spring flowers?
Of course, another great reason to love this season is because it will be the time of year we celebrate little Gracie's birthday. I hope she appreciates the fall like this South Texan does. I hope the beauty of it doesn't get lost in growing up around it.
Speaking of Gracie...she hasn't decided to make her grand entrance yet but she's definitely practicing. I'm having contractions daily and am hoping that she is making her way south so that we don't have to have a C-section. I go back to the doctor for measurements today and then again on Wednesday to see how I'm progressing. The last item for the nursery just came in today so I'll get some pictures of the nursery all set up some time this week. I'm so excited to meet Gracie but am trying to be patient so that she can come when she's good and ready. Only Gracie knows when that time will be. I'll just sit back and enjoy my new favorite season while I wait. :)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Getting Closer
We had an appointment with Dr. Kerlin (my OBGYN) today. I told her that I could tell I was doing a bit too much this weekend because I was contracting quite a bit. When she checked me I was dilated to 3 cm and 50% effaced and she said, "You really have been contracting!" She was pretty surprised that I've progressed that far because I'm only 35.5 weeks but she said that if I went into labor they wouldn't do anything to stop it. She sent us home with orders to keep track of the contractions and call her if they become regular. Right now Gracie is breech which means if I went into labor I'd have to have a c-section. I'm trying to talk the little one into moving into the head down position to make this whole process easier on both of us. If she's anything like I imagine she'll move when she's good and ready.
We asked if Dr. Kerlin thought I would go early but she said that there really isn't anyway to know. Some women sit at 3 cm for weeks and end up having to be induced past their due date. I'm praying that Gracie comes sooner rather than later but only if it's safe.
That's all the news I have for now. I'm working on getting the nursery complete and I'll post pics as soon as I do. I just posted my Natchitoches shower pictures today. They are on our flickr site.
We asked if Dr. Kerlin thought I would go early but she said that there really isn't anyway to know. Some women sit at 3 cm for weeks and end up having to be induced past their due date. I'm praying that Gracie comes sooner rather than later but only if it's safe.
That's all the news I have for now. I'm working on getting the nursery complete and I'll post pics as soon as I do. I just posted my Natchitoches shower pictures today. They are on our flickr site.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Busy Weeks and So Many Blessings
Wow! I have had two crazy weeks and I must say that it is only making me a little more weary about the lack of sleep that is inevitable with a newborn baby.
I was blessed to be able to travel back to TX and LA for a dual baby shower for me and my beautiful sister-in-law Shannon. I arrived in Houston on Thursday and the fun began right away. Shannon and I did some shopping for our little ones and ended up in their home town of College Station where we all went to college. It's very easy to feel old in a town full of college students but I made the best of it by having lunch with my cousins and buying Gracie a little Texas A&M hat and onesie...Whoop!
We headed to Natchitoches, Louisiana on Friday and spent the weekend there being showered by so many amazing women. I have to tell you that there is no place that throws a shower like Natchitches. The cake was amazing, the food was so tasty and the generosity shown by all the gifts our little girls received was overwhelming. I tear up thinking about all the amazing people that poured so much of themselves into helping us prepare for our little blessings. Gracie and MacKenzie (Shannon's baby on the way) will be well dressed, very warm and surrounded by adorable things in their nurseries. Matt couldn't believe all the clothes we got and we were both very excited to have received many items that are essential for taking care of a newborn. We are, more importantly, so grateful for the family and friends that Gracie will be able to grow up with. I want her meet every last person at that shower and know just how blessed we are to have them in our lives.
We finished up the weekend in College Station with lots of shopping and my wonderful mother-in-law, Debbie (Mama D), dropped me off in Houston to make the trek back to Indianapolis. :) My ankles swelled because of the walking and the TX heat. I was a little worried but the cool air here in Indy cured the swollen cankles in just one night.
We had our "hospital experience" child birth prep class last night and I feel a little more knowledgeable about what will happen when I actually go into labor. We only have five weeks until my due date and we are both getting so excited about it. I can't wait to feel her in my arms and see Matt hold her for the first time. I can't wait to just sit and stare at her with Matt and dwell in the fact that this little blessing from God is part me and part him. Surely this little blessing will help all those sleepless nights to just melt away. Sure we'll be exhausted but I know that God will provide exactly what we need to make it through.
I was blessed to be able to travel back to TX and LA for a dual baby shower for me and my beautiful sister-in-law Shannon. I arrived in Houston on Thursday and the fun began right away. Shannon and I did some shopping for our little ones and ended up in their home town of College Station where we all went to college. It's very easy to feel old in a town full of college students but I made the best of it by having lunch with my cousins and buying Gracie a little Texas A&M hat and onesie...Whoop!
We headed to Natchitoches, Louisiana on Friday and spent the weekend there being showered by so many amazing women. I have to tell you that there is no place that throws a shower like Natchitches. The cake was amazing, the food was so tasty and the generosity shown by all the gifts our little girls received was overwhelming. I tear up thinking about all the amazing people that poured so much of themselves into helping us prepare for our little blessings. Gracie and MacKenzie (Shannon's baby on the way) will be well dressed, very warm and surrounded by adorable things in their nurseries. Matt couldn't believe all the clothes we got and we were both very excited to have received many items that are essential for taking care of a newborn. We are, more importantly, so grateful for the family and friends that Gracie will be able to grow up with. I want her meet every last person at that shower and know just how blessed we are to have them in our lives.
We finished up the weekend in College Station with lots of shopping and my wonderful mother-in-law, Debbie (Mama D), dropped me off in Houston to make the trek back to Indianapolis. :) My ankles swelled because of the walking and the TX heat. I was a little worried but the cool air here in Indy cured the swollen cankles in just one night.
We had our "hospital experience" child birth prep class last night and I feel a little more knowledgeable about what will happen when I actually go into labor. We only have five weeks until my due date and we are both getting so excited about it. I can't wait to feel her in my arms and see Matt hold her for the first time. I can't wait to just sit and stare at her with Matt and dwell in the fact that this little blessing from God is part me and part him. Surely this little blessing will help all those sleepless nights to just melt away. Sure we'll be exhausted but I know that God will provide exactly what we need to make it through.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
All I ever needed to know I learned in my Child Birth Prep class
Matt and I attended our first Child Birth Preparation class this past Monday. It's a four week long class with one 2 hour session every week. I'm not sure that the title is really accurate though. I mean...can one actually be "prepared" for child birth? Maybe if you've experienced it before you can anticipate what will happen and be somewhat prepared. The closer the event comes the less prepared I actually feel though.
I've researched what to take to the hospital so I have a pretty good idea what packing my bag will entail. I know what hospital I will deliver at so I know where to go and what doctor to call. I know that we will call our parents as soon as we start that lengthy labor and delivery process. Sidenote: They're in Louisiana and Texas so they've got a long way to travel to get here. But that's about it...and let's face it...even those things may change if I go into labor early or end up having to be induced.
During my entire pregnancy my motto has been "expect the unexpected." I feel like if I expect that everything will probably not turn out the way I see it in my mind then I'll be ready for anything. So far it's worked. Don't get me wrong, I've been preparing myself by reading books and taking this prep class but I am in no way expecting them to be a magic recipe for having an easy time with Gracie. All I can do now is pray that she comes into this world with all her fingers and toes in the right places and that God will help Matt and I enjoy raising her no matter what kind of a baby she turns out to be.
The Child Prep teacher recommended we talk to our little ones about the whole birthing process (no, she's not a hippie just a loving mom). So I've been having this conversation with Gracie, "I love you Gracie. I can't wait to meet you and I hope you are getting ready to come into this world. Let's work together to make sure that the labor and delivery process goes smoothly for both of us. Wouldn't that be nice? The faster it goes the faster I get to wrap you up in my arms and keep you nice and warm and start feeding your little belly." I guess we'll see if she's really listening in there in about two months. :)
I've researched what to take to the hospital so I have a pretty good idea what packing my bag will entail. I know what hospital I will deliver at so I know where to go and what doctor to call. I know that we will call our parents as soon as we start that lengthy labor and delivery process. Sidenote: They're in Louisiana and Texas so they've got a long way to travel to get here. But that's about it...and let's face it...even those things may change if I go into labor early or end up having to be induced.
During my entire pregnancy my motto has been "expect the unexpected." I feel like if I expect that everything will probably not turn out the way I see it in my mind then I'll be ready for anything. So far it's worked. Don't get me wrong, I've been preparing myself by reading books and taking this prep class but I am in no way expecting them to be a magic recipe for having an easy time with Gracie. All I can do now is pray that she comes into this world with all her fingers and toes in the right places and that God will help Matt and I enjoy raising her no matter what kind of a baby she turns out to be.
The Child Prep teacher recommended we talk to our little ones about the whole birthing process (no, she's not a hippie just a loving mom). So I've been having this conversation with Gracie, "I love you Gracie. I can't wait to meet you and I hope you are getting ready to come into this world. Let's work together to make sure that the labor and delivery process goes smoothly for both of us. Wouldn't that be nice? The faster it goes the faster I get to wrap you up in my arms and keep you nice and warm and start feeding your little belly." I guess we'll see if she's really listening in there in about two months. :)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Only Gracie Knows
Ben Folds' song lyrics are always a bit quirky which is probably why we like them so much. The title of our blog comes from "What you got in the box only Gracie knows".
I decided that this was absolutely perfect because as Matt and I start gearing up to raise a little girl I realize there are going to be so many moments when the only thing we really know is that we love her. In the beginning we may not know how to do the little things like change diapers and bathe her. As she grows we may not know exactly how to react in a sticky situation or how to discipline her so that she begins to learn right from wrong. We may not know how to send her off to college without being completely afraid of what the big bad world has in store for her. But, in everything, Gracie will know that we love her, unconditionally. She will know that we pray for her daily and that the God we serve loves her even more than we do.
One thing Matt and I are excited about is getting to see the world through Gracie's eyes. I think that as we grow up a lot of the simple things in life start to lose their excitement. Seeing simple things like zoo animals, flowers blooming and bubbles through Gracie's eyes will be so amazing.
Only Gracie knows what things she will cherish most in life. And only God knows what road her life will take. That makes me happy. :)
I decided that this was absolutely perfect because as Matt and I start gearing up to raise a little girl I realize there are going to be so many moments when the only thing we really know is that we love her. In the beginning we may not know how to do the little things like change diapers and bathe her. As she grows we may not know exactly how to react in a sticky situation or how to discipline her so that she begins to learn right from wrong. We may not know how to send her off to college without being completely afraid of what the big bad world has in store for her. But, in everything, Gracie will know that we love her, unconditionally. She will know that we pray for her daily and that the God we serve loves her even more than we do.
One thing Matt and I are excited about is getting to see the world through Gracie's eyes. I think that as we grow up a lot of the simple things in life start to lose their excitement. Seeing simple things like zoo animals, flowers blooming and bubbles through Gracie's eyes will be so amazing.
Only Gracie knows what things she will cherish most in life. And only God knows what road her life will take. That makes me happy. :)
What's in a Name?
Our little girls name is Emily Grace and we plan to call her "Gracie." I've wanted to name my daughter Gracie for as long as I can remember. At first I thought that was just as far back as before Matt and I were married but a conversation with a friend from high school reminded me that I've actually wanted to name her that since high school. Man, I'm getting old.
As I was trying to find a title for our blog it was very hard to come up with something that hadn't already been used. I tried "Our Little Blessing", "The Deans", "Gracie Girl", "My Gracie Girl"and a lot more that were all taken. I'm actually glad they were though because I decided to listen to one of my favorite songs ("Gracie" by Ben Folds) as I was working on this and the perfect name popped out of the lyrics.
The fact that Ben Folds named his daughter Gracie and wrote a song about her just happens to be a coincidence. The fact that Matt and I love Ben Folds and even incorporated his music ("The Luckiest") into our wedding is just another great reason to love the song that bears our little girls name even though she wasn't named after it. Here are the lyrics:
So this is the story of our life with Gracie. I'm going to try my best to update often. The first thing I'll do is tell you a little more about the title of our blog and about how Matt and I made it to this point in our lives. Don't worry, I'll make it the abbreviated version. :) After all, we have a lot to do to get ready for Gracie's arrival in November.
As I was trying to find a title for our blog it was very hard to come up with something that hadn't already been used. I tried "Our Little Blessing", "The Deans", "Gracie Girl", "My Gracie Girl"and a lot more that were all taken. I'm actually glad they were though because I decided to listen to one of my favorite songs ("Gracie" by Ben Folds) as I was working on this and the perfect name popped out of the lyrics.
The fact that Ben Folds named his daughter Gracie and wrote a song about her just happens to be a coincidence. The fact that Matt and I love Ben Folds and even incorporated his music ("The Luckiest") into our wedding is just another great reason to love the song that bears our little girls name even though she wasn't named after it. Here are the lyrics:
You can't fool me, I saw you when you came out
You got your momma's taste but you got my mouth
And you will always have a part of me
Nobody else is ever going to see
Gracie girl
With your cards to your chest walking on your toes
What you got in the box only Gracie knows
And I would never try to make you be
Anything you didn't really want to be
Gracie girl
Life flies by in seconds
You're not a baby Gracie, you're my friend
You'll be a lady soon but until then
You gotta do what I say
You nodded off in my arms watching TV
I won't move you an inch even though my arm's asleep
One day you're gonna want to go
I hope we taught you everything you need to know
Gracie girl
And there will always be a part of me
Nobody else is ever gonna see but you and me
My little girl
My Gracie girl
So this is the story of our life with Gracie. I'm going to try my best to update often. The first thing I'll do is tell you a little more about the title of our blog and about how Matt and I made it to this point in our lives. Don't worry, I'll make it the abbreviated version. :) After all, we have a lot to do to get ready for Gracie's arrival in November.
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