Gracie is one! We celebrated her birthday in style on Halloween (and it only took me a bit more than a month to post about it). It was a Baby Strawberry Shortcake themed event. It was complete with some close friends, streamers, balloons, cake, a taco bar and Nana.
This year has flown by in some ways and inched by in others. I can honestly say that it has been the most exciting year of my life. Watching a child grow right before your eyes is nothing short of a miracle and the fact that people get to do this every day still amazes me.
Gracie is turning into a regular little toddler. She is a walking pro and is getting quite fast. I can tell she grows every day because I keep having to move the breakable ornaments up a level on the Christmas Tree. She has a very sweet air about her. She is constantly feeding us and bringing me toys to play with. Her cradle roll teacher even said that she tried to calm one of the younger babies in class last Sunday while she was crying. Oh to be a fly on that wall! She is not without her moments though. She has started throwing fits by plopping to her bottom and then throwing herself back. I think it's adorable...right now. We haven't had a public outburst yet.
We, like most of you I imagine, are getting ready for Christmas. We'll be in Texas (yippeee!) in less than two weeks. Before we go we're going to do "Christmas Morning" at our house complete with the Christmas story and Santa cookies. I can't wait. I know Gracie won't understand it this year but I'm still excited. She did bring one of her wrapped presents to me this morning and got upset when I wouldn't let her open it. Maybe she understands a little bit after all. Only Gracie knows!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
God is Good
God is reminding me just how good He is. He is reminding me that I cannot be a mom without Him. He is reminding me that this is what I have wanted to do for a very long time. How does he remind me? This Sunday Matt took Gracie to sit with him on the praise team for one song. While they were standing and singing she just watched him and ever so gently patted his back. She tends to do this when we carry her around. It's like her little way of thanking us for being her taxi. In that moment I remembered something that I forget too often. I remembered that Gracie is a gift. She is a blessing that we asked for and that God provided.
She is 11 months old now and she entertains me constantly. She sticks her tongue out and wiggles it which makes me smile all the time. She says "Da!" for dog. She studies her toys and puts things in and out of them. She stands but only when she doesn't know she is doing it. She explores the kitchen and pulls all of my plastic stuff out of the cabinets. She "helps" with the laundry. She cuddles now.
She is a blessing and I am trying to remember Daily to turn that into praise.
She is 11 months old now and she entertains me constantly. She sticks her tongue out and wiggles it which makes me smile all the time. She says "Da!" for dog. She studies her toys and puts things in and out of them. She stands but only when she doesn't know she is doing it. She explores the kitchen and pulls all of my plastic stuff out of the cabinets. She "helps" with the laundry. She cuddles now.
She is a blessing and I am trying to remember Daily to turn that into praise.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Adventures in Eating
I was never told how much of the first year of Gracie's life would be spent on food.
In the beginning there were challenges with nursing. I'll forego the details in order to keep my readership from getting that TMI (too much information) feeling. Then we had issues with using the bottle. Then she took to baby food like a pro, every mother's dream I think. Then she decided it was beneath her. It is really gross. I wouldn't even lick my finger after testing the temperature. I would run it under the sink or wipe it off with a napkin. She probably saw me do that one too many times and caught on. She still loves the fruit but no way will she touch the veggies. For a while there all she would eat was fruit, yogurt, mum-mums and puffs.
This week, though, she is opening her mind and her mouth to new experiences. She loves seasoned green beans. She won't eat them plain. She also likes raw tomatoes. She even ate a few bites of grilled cheese. Today we tried mac-n-cheese, one of my favorites, but it was a little too slimy. She also didn't eat her tomatoes. Oh well, I feel like I've won a little battle, y'know? Like maybe this mom thing isn't that hard after all. I just laughed so hard inside my head that I started laughing out loud. I think moms, parents really, are in the same category as super heros. I mean seriously, raising another human being??
Aside from Gracie's adventures in the high chair she is chugging along like a milestone steam engine. She started clapping and can even participate in "If You're Happy and You Know it". She has graduated to the big girl tub and even enjoys the occasional bubble bath. She climbs all over the place and often balances on top of her toys. I'm thinking she might be a little gymnast. The most exciting milestone she's reached lately is using her first sign. She says "more" with her hands a lot. I think she uses it to mean, "Yes", "next please", and "puffs". She likes to think outside the box.
Note to Gracie:
You make me smile everyday. You are starting to show your little personality in so many ways. Sometimes you scream at the top of your lungs just because you're enjoying something. You get a little frustrated when I say no sometimes and are not afraid to let me know. It will probably seem like I say no a lot. That's only because I love you and I want the best for you. You'll probably hear that a lot too. :) It's so hard to express how much Daddy and I want you to be a happy, healthy, confident little girl. I think one day you'll understand though. Always remember that Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you and Jesus loves you most of all.
In the beginning there were challenges with nursing. I'll forego the details in order to keep my readership from getting that TMI (too much information) feeling. Then we had issues with using the bottle. Then she took to baby food like a pro, every mother's dream I think. Then she decided it was beneath her. It is really gross. I wouldn't even lick my finger after testing the temperature. I would run it under the sink or wipe it off with a napkin. She probably saw me do that one too many times and caught on. She still loves the fruit but no way will she touch the veggies. For a while there all she would eat was fruit, yogurt, mum-mums and puffs.
This week, though, she is opening her mind and her mouth to new experiences. She loves seasoned green beans. She won't eat them plain. She also likes raw tomatoes. She even ate a few bites of grilled cheese. Today we tried mac-n-cheese, one of my favorites, but it was a little too slimy. She also didn't eat her tomatoes. Oh well, I feel like I've won a little battle, y'know? Like maybe this mom thing isn't that hard after all. I just laughed so hard inside my head that I started laughing out loud. I think moms, parents really, are in the same category as super heros. I mean seriously, raising another human being??
Aside from Gracie's adventures in the high chair she is chugging along like a milestone steam engine. She started clapping and can even participate in "If You're Happy and You Know it". She has graduated to the big girl tub and even enjoys the occasional bubble bath. She climbs all over the place and often balances on top of her toys. I'm thinking she might be a little gymnast. The most exciting milestone she's reached lately is using her first sign. She says "more" with her hands a lot. I think she uses it to mean, "Yes", "next please", and "puffs". She likes to think outside the box.
Note to Gracie:
You make me smile everyday. You are starting to show your little personality in so many ways. Sometimes you scream at the top of your lungs just because you're enjoying something. You get a little frustrated when I say no sometimes and are not afraid to let me know. It will probably seem like I say no a lot. That's only because I love you and I want the best for you. You'll probably hear that a lot too. :) It's so hard to express how much Daddy and I want you to be a happy, healthy, confident little girl. I think one day you'll understand though. Always remember that Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you and Jesus loves you most of all.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Nine Months
Gracie hit the nine month mark on Monday. She has officially been in this world as long as I carried her in my tummy. It's strange to think about how different those nine months were from these. I spent a lot of time during the nine months I carried her sleeping and planning. Now I spend most of my time exploring and providing. I work in a little bit of house cleaning and some errands here and there but most of my day is spent watching Gracie explore her world and providing her with all of her needs.
She has become quite the adventurer. Sometimes I put her in the living room to play and head into the kitchen to do the dishes (don't worry we have a very open floor plan) and it's so fun to listen to her make her way around the living room and eventually end up at my feet in the kitchen. I can tell she is pleased with herself as she moves around the great room because every once in a while she squeals in delight. She squeals if she catches me watching her. She squeals if Preston starts to get excited about something. She squeals at the back door. She squeals when her Daddy walks through the garage door after work. Apparently we've never been apart long enough for her to get that excited about my reappearance. :)
She really is growing up so fast. She's still a baby but now she can crawl and cruise and walk behind the laundry basket (her mower toy with the wheels is a little too fast right now). She is even starting to express herself in new ways. She can scream and pout when a cell phone, or equally coveted item, is taken away from her. She can babble in ways that sometimes sound like conversation (I'll post a video on Sunday when my Vimeo account opens up again). She laughs when we laugh. She laughs at her own little inside jokes too.
The other day I was asking Matt if he remembered when she was so tiny and her hands just flailed about. She immediately popped me in the face as if to say, "Not anymore mom!" Sometimes I miss those days. I don't miss waking up in the middle of the night but I miss when she would just lay in my arms. Now she's hard to hold on to. Even when I'm putting her down for the night she tends to want to be in her crib. Maybe she'll go through a cuddly phase eventually.
We have her nine month check up tomorrow so I'll post her stats this weekend.
Note to Gracie:
When God made you He knew exactly what He was doing. He placed you in our family because He knew Dad and I had a spot that needed to be filled. When I picture my life now there are two parts - before Gracie and After Gracie. You make the after Gracie part brighter by the minute. Thank you for making our every day brighter.
She has become quite the adventurer. Sometimes I put her in the living room to play and head into the kitchen to do the dishes (don't worry we have a very open floor plan) and it's so fun to listen to her make her way around the living room and eventually end up at my feet in the kitchen. I can tell she is pleased with herself as she moves around the great room because every once in a while she squeals in delight. She squeals if she catches me watching her. She squeals if Preston starts to get excited about something. She squeals at the back door. She squeals when her Daddy walks through the garage door after work. Apparently we've never been apart long enough for her to get that excited about my reappearance. :)
She really is growing up so fast. She's still a baby but now she can crawl and cruise and walk behind the laundry basket (her mower toy with the wheels is a little too fast right now). She is even starting to express herself in new ways. She can scream and pout when a cell phone, or equally coveted item, is taken away from her. She can babble in ways that sometimes sound like conversation (I'll post a video on Sunday when my Vimeo account opens up again). She laughs when we laugh. She laughs at her own little inside jokes too.
The other day I was asking Matt if he remembered when she was so tiny and her hands just flailed about. She immediately popped me in the face as if to say, "Not anymore mom!" Sometimes I miss those days. I don't miss waking up in the middle of the night but I miss when she would just lay in my arms. Now she's hard to hold on to. Even when I'm putting her down for the night she tends to want to be in her crib. Maybe she'll go through a cuddly phase eventually.
We have her nine month check up tomorrow so I'll post her stats this weekend.
Note to Gracie:
When God made you He knew exactly what He was doing. He placed you in our family because He knew Dad and I had a spot that needed to be filled. When I picture my life now there are two parts - before Gracie and After Gracie. You make the after Gracie part brighter by the minute. Thank you for making our every day brighter.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Update for Aunt Janice
So I've put making a post off for quite a while. I guess you could say I've run out of things to say lately. I'm not exactly sure why. Gracie has definitely not stopped providing us with new and exciting milestones weekly. Maybe my brain has just been tired. I've been keeping up with video posts and pictures though. You can always check those out here:
photos
videos
I think Gracie's brain must be tired too. She just has more energy than me so she keeps right on using it to do amazing things every day. In the last two months she has hit several milestones and experienced many firsts. Here's the condensed version:
5/21 - rode in a shopping cart without her baby carrier
5/22 - Sat in a restaurant high chair
6/3 - tried whole peas (and hated them)
6/9 - first bad reaction to food (it was a gerber Hawaiian smoothie and the clean up was no fun)
6/13 - started crawling army style
6/27 - started getting to a sitting position by herself
6/29 - pulled to her feet
6/30 - crawled on all fours
7/2 - started saying "Ba-ba-ba-ba..."
7/6 - starting using M's and N's
7/9 - starting using pincer grasp to eat her puffs
7/13 - Top right tooth coming in
We also took a trip to the zoo. She did more people watching than animal watching and fell asleep in her stroller before we left but I think it was a pleasant trip.
Last week Matt's family came to town and we had fun hauling the two babies (Gracie and my niece MacKenzie) around Indiana. We went to the Children's Museum, did a lot of shopping and a lot of playing. It's always neat to see two little one's interact. They were definitely born with little personalities.
It makes me wonder what Gracie will be like as she grows up. Right now she's quite calm and seems very contemplative. She's constantly watching people and things as if she's trying to figure everything out. She laughs and smiles but not at the drop of a hat. Strangers in the grocery store really have to work to get her to smile (this secretly pleases me). We'll find something that makes her let out one of her deep chuckles but the next time we do it it's old news and not nearly as entertaining.
Just recently she has started laughing at Preston (our dachsund) when he scurries over to eat anything she's dropped out of her high chair. One tried and true practice that gets her giggling is a game I call One-Two-Three. I put her in the middle of our king size bed sitting up and stand at the edge of the bed. I swing my arms big as I say, "One...Two....Three" and I launch myself (gently) at her on the three. She's thinks it's wonderful. I wonder how long this will amuse her. Only Gracie knows.
photos
videos
I think Gracie's brain must be tired too. She just has more energy than me so she keeps right on using it to do amazing things every day. In the last two months she has hit several milestones and experienced many firsts. Here's the condensed version:
5/21 - rode in a shopping cart without her baby carrier
5/22 - Sat in a restaurant high chair
6/3 - tried whole peas (and hated them)
6/9 - first bad reaction to food (it was a gerber Hawaiian smoothie and the clean up was no fun)
6/13 - started crawling army style
6/27 - started getting to a sitting position by herself
6/29 - pulled to her feet
6/30 - crawled on all fours
7/2 - started saying "Ba-ba-ba-ba..."
7/6 - starting using M's and N's
7/9 - starting using pincer grasp to eat her puffs
7/13 - Top right tooth coming in
We also took a trip to the zoo. She did more people watching than animal watching and fell asleep in her stroller before we left but I think it was a pleasant trip.
Last week Matt's family came to town and we had fun hauling the two babies (Gracie and my niece MacKenzie) around Indiana. We went to the Children's Museum, did a lot of shopping and a lot of playing. It's always neat to see two little one's interact. They were definitely born with little personalities.
It makes me wonder what Gracie will be like as she grows up. Right now she's quite calm and seems very contemplative. She's constantly watching people and things as if she's trying to figure everything out. She laughs and smiles but not at the drop of a hat. Strangers in the grocery store really have to work to get her to smile (this secretly pleases me). We'll find something that makes her let out one of her deep chuckles but the next time we do it it's old news and not nearly as entertaining.
Just recently she has started laughing at Preston (our dachsund) when he scurries over to eat anything she's dropped out of her high chair. One tried and true practice that gets her giggling is a game I call One-Two-Three. I put her in the middle of our king size bed sitting up and stand at the edge of the bed. I swing my arms big as I say, "One...Two....Three" and I launch myself (gently) at her on the three. She's thinks it's wonderful. I wonder how long this will amuse her. Only Gracie knows.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Six Months
I'm a little late with my six month update. We had a very busy first half of May. Gracie was actually six months old on May 3rd so this is more like a six and a half month update. She is blossoming every day.
On May 7th we (Gracie and I) boarded our first flight home to Corpus Christi, Texas. Gracie did wonderful. She made lots of friends the whole way there and she only cried once when I pinched her with my seat belt. Whoops! Poor baby had a little bruise on her leg for a couple of days but it didn't seem to bother her. She absolutely adored her Grammie Carol and Grandpa Marty. While we were there we did a lot of shopping, ate Mexican food, went to the beach and "swam" in a kiddie pool in the back yard. She enjoyed digging her toes into the sand but did not love the waves rolling over her feet. She loved the kiddie pool though. I think she thought it was a big bath tub and she didn't want to get out. We spent time with her Great Aunt Patti, Great Great Aunt Lois, Great Grandpa Carl and Great Grandma Billie. She soaked in all the love and attention and I'm pretty sure she didn't want to leave but alas we had more family to visit.
On May 14th we made the 5 hour journey to College Station, TX (thanks for the ride Aunti Patti!) to visit Matt's side of the family. When we got there Nana Debbie, Aunt Shannon and Cousin MacKenzie were waiting for us. My cousin's Pam and Melanie came by too. Everyone wants a piece of Gracie. Who can blame them? Gracie thoroughly enjoyed her Nana, Papa, Aunt, Uncle and Cousin in Aggieland. We ate great food, took a walking tour of campus, Gracie and MacKenzie swam in the baby pool while I got a back massage (Thanks Shannon!), shopped, visited with old friends (Trey, Jenny and Ava), celebrated Uncle Cory's birthday (Happy Birthday Cory!) and then headed back home via Houston Intercontinental.
I think Gracie misses having so many people around. She seems a little bored with me by the afternoon but perks up when Daddy gets home to play with her. We had her 6 month well baby visit yesterday and she took those shots like a champ. Until last night anyways. About 6:45 pm she started wailing because her legs started hurting. I gave her some baby tylenol, bathed her (which seemed to help) and then she sobbed herself to sleep on my chest. She was out by 7:30. Today there are little bruises where the needles went in and red, hard, knots too. She weighed in at 16 lbs 14 oz (my guess was 16 lbs 13 oz, man am I good) and was 25.25 in long. Her head is still the biggest at around the 75th percentile.
I'm convinced she's going to be smart. Not just because her head is huge but because she is very contemplative. She always seems to be studying things. Just today I noticed she is starting to use her hands differently. She will grab a toy and then watch her hand as she moves it up and down at the wrist. This sounds silly to anyone who doesn't have children but it really is a milestone. Up to this point she would grab a toy and just flail her arm about but now she has figured out that she has this added level of control. She isn't crawling yet but I can see the wheels in motion as she lays on the floor trying to decide what the best way to get to a toy is. She is sitting up completely on her own now. Apparently this happened while we were in Corpus. At least that's what Matt says. She constantly amazes me.
In honor of her six month birthday and the name of this blog I've decided to make note of a few things that I'm beginning to see through Gracie's eyes.
* Putting my hair in a pony tail - Gracie's eyes get really big whenever I start to put my hair up because she knows I'm going to swing my pony tail for her. I find myself excited when I start to gather my hair because I can't wait to see the smile on her face.
* Walking to the park - We've started putting Gracie in the backpack carrier when we walk to the park. When Matt puts her in it and swings it up onto his back her eyes open up so wide and she smiles so big. She looks down at me as if to say, "Look Mommy I'm taller than you!"
* Bath Time - Gracie finds so much joy in splashing and playing with her toys in the tub. It is no longer a chore but a wonderful way to wrap up the day. Even though Matt is the one that usually bathes her I find myself hanging around the bathroom just to watch her bath dance on the floor before she goes in and the smile on her face as she starts to splash around.
Note to Gracie:
I can't believe you are six months old already. We've already experienced so much together that it feels as though a lifetime can't hold all of the precious memories. A lifetime will not be long enough to show you how much we love you but we will do our best to make sure you know.
On May 7th we (Gracie and I) boarded our first flight home to Corpus Christi, Texas. Gracie did wonderful. She made lots of friends the whole way there and she only cried once when I pinched her with my seat belt. Whoops! Poor baby had a little bruise on her leg for a couple of days but it didn't seem to bother her. She absolutely adored her Grammie Carol and Grandpa Marty. While we were there we did a lot of shopping, ate Mexican food, went to the beach and "swam" in a kiddie pool in the back yard. She enjoyed digging her toes into the sand but did not love the waves rolling over her feet. She loved the kiddie pool though. I think she thought it was a big bath tub and she didn't want to get out. We spent time with her Great Aunt Patti, Great Great Aunt Lois, Great Grandpa Carl and Great Grandma Billie. She soaked in all the love and attention and I'm pretty sure she didn't want to leave but alas we had more family to visit.
On May 14th we made the 5 hour journey to College Station, TX (thanks for the ride Aunti Patti!) to visit Matt's side of the family. When we got there Nana Debbie, Aunt Shannon and Cousin MacKenzie were waiting for us. My cousin's Pam and Melanie came by too. Everyone wants a piece of Gracie. Who can blame them? Gracie thoroughly enjoyed her Nana, Papa, Aunt, Uncle and Cousin in Aggieland. We ate great food, took a walking tour of campus, Gracie and MacKenzie swam in the baby pool while I got a back massage (Thanks Shannon!), shopped, visited with old friends (Trey, Jenny and Ava), celebrated Uncle Cory's birthday (Happy Birthday Cory!) and then headed back home via Houston Intercontinental.
I think Gracie misses having so many people around. She seems a little bored with me by the afternoon but perks up when Daddy gets home to play with her. We had her 6 month well baby visit yesterday and she took those shots like a champ. Until last night anyways. About 6:45 pm she started wailing because her legs started hurting. I gave her some baby tylenol, bathed her (which seemed to help) and then she sobbed herself to sleep on my chest. She was out by 7:30. Today there are little bruises where the needles went in and red, hard, knots too. She weighed in at 16 lbs 14 oz (my guess was 16 lbs 13 oz, man am I good) and was 25.25 in long. Her head is still the biggest at around the 75th percentile.
I'm convinced she's going to be smart. Not just because her head is huge but because she is very contemplative. She always seems to be studying things. Just today I noticed she is starting to use her hands differently. She will grab a toy and then watch her hand as she moves it up and down at the wrist. This sounds silly to anyone who doesn't have children but it really is a milestone. Up to this point she would grab a toy and just flail her arm about but now she has figured out that she has this added level of control. She isn't crawling yet but I can see the wheels in motion as she lays on the floor trying to decide what the best way to get to a toy is. She is sitting up completely on her own now. Apparently this happened while we were in Corpus. At least that's what Matt says. She constantly amazes me.
In honor of her six month birthday and the name of this blog I've decided to make note of a few things that I'm beginning to see through Gracie's eyes.
* Putting my hair in a pony tail - Gracie's eyes get really big whenever I start to put my hair up because she knows I'm going to swing my pony tail for her. I find myself excited when I start to gather my hair because I can't wait to see the smile on her face.
* Walking to the park - We've started putting Gracie in the backpack carrier when we walk to the park. When Matt puts her in it and swings it up onto his back her eyes open up so wide and she smiles so big. She looks down at me as if to say, "Look Mommy I'm taller than you!"
* Bath Time - Gracie finds so much joy in splashing and playing with her toys in the tub. It is no longer a chore but a wonderful way to wrap up the day. Even though Matt is the one that usually bathes her I find myself hanging around the bathroom just to watch her bath dance on the floor before she goes in and the smile on her face as she starts to splash around.
Note to Gracie:
I can't believe you are six months old already. We've already experienced so much together that it feels as though a lifetime can't hold all of the precious memories. A lifetime will not be long enough to show you how much we love you but we will do our best to make sure you know.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Walking With God
This week I was in cleaning mode. On Thursday I was dusting but Gracie had had enough time to herself under her play gym and was not afraid to let me know it. I decided to take her along on my cleaning journey. We started by dusting the piano and really never made it much further.
I was showing her all the pictures and Willow Tree Angels and telling her who all the people were and who gave me the angels. She seemed very enthralled; but, then again, she always does these days. She's like a little sponge soaking every word and image in.
There is one particularly special piece on our piano. It is a picture with the "Footprints" story on it. It is also a music box and when you wind it up it plays "Amazing Grace" and a little white dove glides across the picture. My Grandma Billie (my mom's mother) gave it to me when my Mimi (her mother) passed away. Mimi always had this picture in her room and I just loved to wind it up and watch the dove dance.
I wound up the music so Gracie could watch the bird "fly" while I read her the story. She loves the dove as much as I do. She couldn't keep her eyes off of it. As I read the story, for about the hundredth time, it began to touch me in a way it never has before. I was holding Gracie on my hip and tears came to eyes. Here I was, carrying Gracie because she just needed a little "Mommy" time and I thought about how God does the exact same thing for His children. Sometimes I'm playing under the play gym of life and even though I know He's right there watching over me I just need a little "Daddy" time. A little time to be carried. And He picks me up and carries me just like I do for Gracie.
I've needed to be carried quite a bit over the past couple of years. Sometimes I didn't even know it and I would probably be just like the guy in the story that asks, "Why did you leave me when I needed you most?" Becoming a parent has helped me to understand God's Love so much better. I will walk by Gracie forever. Some days she'll need me to carry her and one day she'll need me to start letting her make her own decisions. She'll even need me to let her make mistakes. I will let her walk the path of life and I may not always be able to be there physically but I will always be there.
God will walk by His children forever. He will let us make our own decisions and even make mistakes. He will carry us when we need Him to and one day we will walk with Him in Heaven. Just as I believe my Mimi is doing today.
Note to Gracie:
I will carry you, little girl, whenever you need me to. You will grow up and go to school and move away but I will always carry you when you need me to. I will do my best to teach you about God and His Love. I want you to learn about Jesus and I pray that one day you accept Him as your savior. I love you Gracie Girl, and your Daddy loves you and Jesus loves you most of all.
I was showing her all the pictures and Willow Tree Angels and telling her who all the people were and who gave me the angels. She seemed very enthralled; but, then again, she always does these days. She's like a little sponge soaking every word and image in.
There is one particularly special piece on our piano. It is a picture with the "Footprints" story on it. It is also a music box and when you wind it up it plays "Amazing Grace" and a little white dove glides across the picture. My Grandma Billie (my mom's mother) gave it to me when my Mimi (her mother) passed away. Mimi always had this picture in her room and I just loved to wind it up and watch the dove dance.
I wound up the music so Gracie could watch the bird "fly" while I read her the story. She loves the dove as much as I do. She couldn't keep her eyes off of it. As I read the story, for about the hundredth time, it began to touch me in a way it never has before. I was holding Gracie on my hip and tears came to eyes. Here I was, carrying Gracie because she just needed a little "Mommy" time and I thought about how God does the exact same thing for His children. Sometimes I'm playing under the play gym of life and even though I know He's right there watching over me I just need a little "Daddy" time. A little time to be carried. And He picks me up and carries me just like I do for Gracie.
I've needed to be carried quite a bit over the past couple of years. Sometimes I didn't even know it and I would probably be just like the guy in the story that asks, "Why did you leave me when I needed you most?" Becoming a parent has helped me to understand God's Love so much better. I will walk by Gracie forever. Some days she'll need me to carry her and one day she'll need me to start letting her make her own decisions. She'll even need me to let her make mistakes. I will let her walk the path of life and I may not always be able to be there physically but I will always be there.
God will walk by His children forever. He will let us make our own decisions and even make mistakes. He will carry us when we need Him to and one day we will walk with Him in Heaven. Just as I believe my Mimi is doing today.
Note to Gracie:
I will carry you, little girl, whenever you need me to. You will grow up and go to school and move away but I will always carry you when you need me to. I will do my best to teach you about God and His Love. I want you to learn about Jesus and I pray that one day you accept Him as your savior. I love you Gracie Girl, and your Daddy loves you and Jesus loves you most of all.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
My Favorite Age
A few weeks ago I thought Gracie had found her voice. She started cooing and "talking" to all of her toys. She would "talk" to them in the car or while she was sitting in her papasan. It was really cute.
Now Gracie has found her voice in a whole new way. She loves to scream. She does a lot of it. She screams at her toys. She screams at us. She screams in her bed. She even screams in church. Good thing it's so darn cute or we might find it a little annoying. I've done some reading online and it sounds like this is pretty common at her age. She is just learning how to use her voice and loves the sound of it.
We took Gracie to Cradle Roll Class on Sunday. Matt and I stayed in there for about five minutes taking pictures. She was doing so well that we decided to leave her and see what happened. Apparently she didn't miss us one bit. Matt picked her up after class and they said she did just great. She did have to pass on the cheerios they handed out to the bigger kids but I don't think she minded. For all those experienced mothers who read (I know you're out there) what age did your little ones start protesting being left in a class setting like bible school? She's the little one on the left. :)
I know I say this all the time but Gracie is growing like a weed. Side Note: Trust me I know how fast weeds grow because they are taking over my garden right now. As soon as this weather warms up I will be weeding and mulching like crazy. I've decided that 5 months is my favorite age so far. She is turning into a little girl and I just love that. She is starting to develop a personality and always has Matt and I laughing for some reason or another. I can't wait for our family to get to see her in person. The next three weeks cannot go fast enough.
Now Gracie has found her voice in a whole new way. She loves to scream. She does a lot of it. She screams at her toys. She screams at us. She screams in her bed. She even screams in church. Good thing it's so darn cute or we might find it a little annoying. I've done some reading online and it sounds like this is pretty common at her age. She is just learning how to use her voice and loves the sound of it.
We took Gracie to Cradle Roll Class on Sunday. Matt and I stayed in there for about five minutes taking pictures. She was doing so well that we decided to leave her and see what happened. Apparently she didn't miss us one bit. Matt picked her up after class and they said she did just great. She did have to pass on the cheerios they handed out to the bigger kids but I don't think she minded. For all those experienced mothers who read (I know you're out there) what age did your little ones start protesting being left in a class setting like bible school? She's the little one on the left. :)
I know I say this all the time but Gracie is growing like a weed. Side Note: Trust me I know how fast weeds grow because they are taking over my garden right now. As soon as this weather warms up I will be weeding and mulching like crazy. I've decided that 5 months is my favorite age so far. She is turning into a little girl and I just love that. She is starting to develop a personality and always has Matt and I laughing for some reason or another. I can't wait for our family to get to see her in person. The next three weeks cannot go fast enough.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Blue Light
I like to nap with Gracie. Even if it seems as if I've had enough sleep at night I still feel pretty exhausted during the day. I'm convinced this is because "mom" sleep is not nearly as restful as regular sleep.
We have a king size bed so what I end up doing is putting her in the middle with a pillow on Matt's side to guard the edge (which is really about 3 feet away). I put a receiving blanket down to guard against any spit-up/poo mishaps, pop her paci in and give her her blankie. Then I hop in beside her. I'm a side sleeper so I end up with my head on my pillow and my body under the covers facing her. She's started doing this thing once I get settled and look into her eyes where she laughs just once. If you've heard her laugh on any of our videos then you know she's got a low pitched giggle. I think she laughs because all she can see is my head. She lets out just one little grunty laugh and then she settles in for a snooze.
She usually sleeps for about 30 or 40 minutes. I've learned, though, that she isn't done with her nap at this point. She always needs another round. I wake up as soon as she starts squirming and pop her paci back in. Sometimes the timing is perfect and she passes out quickly but other times it's a bit of a process. Every once in awhile we share the sweetest moments in that time between dreams. She'll just lay so still and stare at me. I try and keep my eyes closed in hopes of setting a good example. I open one eye ever so slightly to see if she's closed her eyes yet and she'll just be staring at me with a sweet little smile. Sometimes I give in and open my eyes so that we can stare at each other. I've never looked at anyone's eyes so closely.
They are so many shades of blue. They are very dark at the edge. Almost like slate. Then they start to dilute to a softer blue towards the middle. The blue that is at the very center is hard to describe. Light blue just doesn't do it justice. It's almost as if there is a blue sun peeking out from behind her pupils. It's like blue light. Even in the light itself there are different shades.
At some point during our staring contest she starts to blink very slowly until she's barely keeping her eyes open. Then she drifts off into her dreams. By this time I'm usually wide awake so sometimes I sneak out of bed and get something productive done. On the better days I just lay there and watch her.
We have a king size bed so what I end up doing is putting her in the middle with a pillow on Matt's side to guard the edge (which is really about 3 feet away). I put a receiving blanket down to guard against any spit-up/poo mishaps, pop her paci in and give her her blankie. Then I hop in beside her. I'm a side sleeper so I end up with my head on my pillow and my body under the covers facing her. She's started doing this thing once I get settled and look into her eyes where she laughs just once. If you've heard her laugh on any of our videos then you know she's got a low pitched giggle. I think she laughs because all she can see is my head. She lets out just one little grunty laugh and then she settles in for a snooze.
She usually sleeps for about 30 or 40 minutes. I've learned, though, that she isn't done with her nap at this point. She always needs another round. I wake up as soon as she starts squirming and pop her paci back in. Sometimes the timing is perfect and she passes out quickly but other times it's a bit of a process. Every once in awhile we share the sweetest moments in that time between dreams. She'll just lay so still and stare at me. I try and keep my eyes closed in hopes of setting a good example. I open one eye ever so slightly to see if she's closed her eyes yet and she'll just be staring at me with a sweet little smile. Sometimes I give in and open my eyes so that we can stare at each other. I've never looked at anyone's eyes so closely.
They are so many shades of blue. They are very dark at the edge. Almost like slate. Then they start to dilute to a softer blue towards the middle. The blue that is at the very center is hard to describe. Light blue just doesn't do it justice. It's almost as if there is a blue sun peeking out from behind her pupils. It's like blue light. Even in the light itself there are different shades.
At some point during our staring contest she starts to blink very slowly until she's barely keeping her eyes open. Then she drifts off into her dreams. By this time I'm usually wide awake so sometimes I sneak out of bed and get something productive done. On the better days I just lay there and watch her.
Roly Poly
Gracie is on the move. She has been rolling belly to back for awhile but just today rolled from her back to her belly all by herself.
I bet she'll be crawling before we know it. Maybe I'll be able to the shed the last few pounds of baby weight when I have a mobile baby to chase after. :)
I bet she'll be crawling before we know it. Maybe I'll be able to the shed the last few pounds of baby weight when I have a mobile baby to chase after. :)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Gracie's Big Adventure
The spring has finally sprung in Indy. We've had some warmer weather the last couple of weeks. It hasn't been warm enough to get Gracie out much but we've taken a few strolls to the park and back with her tucked warmly into her stroller. It's actually the wind and the sun that make it hard to expose her. Poor little girl looks like she's going to have my pale -- I mean fair -- skin. On Saturday I decided we'd been cooped up long enough so we bundled her up and had an adventure in the front yard. I've finally figured out how to post pictures so I'll tell this story using photos.
First, we just sat for a bit.
Then we said hello to the grass.
Then we said hello to the flowers.
Then we just sat and watched the world go by while daddy played with the camera.
Isn't she a cutie?
It's strange to think that Gracie has never experienced all these things. She's never felt the grass or smelled a flower. She has yet to see a bird. She has no idea what those big things in all the yards are or that they will be turning green with leaves soon. She has no idea that the tulips in our flower bed are coming up and her mommy is looking so forward to seeing them.
We had a cold spell this week. We even got snow yesterday...boooo! But spring is definitely in the air. This springtime is very special because we get to watch our little girl blossoming right along side the flowers. Do you think it feels like springtime to God every time one of His children chooses Him? He must watch us growing up in Him and feel the same way we do about our little ones.
First, we just sat for a bit.
Then we said hello to the grass.
Then we said hello to the flowers.
Then we just sat and watched the world go by while daddy played with the camera.
Isn't she a cutie?
It's strange to think that Gracie has never experienced all these things. She's never felt the grass or smelled a flower. She has yet to see a bird. She has no idea what those big things in all the yards are or that they will be turning green with leaves soon. She has no idea that the tulips in our flower bed are coming up and her mommy is looking so forward to seeing them.
We had a cold spell this week. We even got snow yesterday...boooo! But spring is definitely in the air. This springtime is very special because we get to watch our little girl blossoming right along side the flowers. Do you think it feels like springtime to God every time one of His children chooses Him? He must watch us growing up in Him and feel the same way we do about our little ones.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Gracie Goes to Bible class
Today was a big day for Gracie Girl. She went to Bible Class for the first time! We had to sit in the toddler class because the cradle roll teacher was home sick. She sat in my lap and watched all the "big" kids singing and learning. She got to hold all the same toys they did (animals to represent what God made, Bible that says God Loves Gracie, etc.) and really stayed interested most of the time.
She was more alert and attentive today than yesterday. Her voice sounded different today than it did yesterday. It's almost as if she is expressing more emotions with it rather than just crying because she needs something. She babbles when she's happy. Squeals and laughs when she is excited. And kind of "harumphs" when she is upset.
She got another tooth today. It had been right beneath the surface the last couple of days and today it erupted onto the scene pretty uneventfully. In other words, she didn't seem to experience any pain. Don't worry, I put a bit of orajel on her gums tonight before bed just in case.
She has started playing all of her toys like maracas. She shakes them so hard that she hits herself in the face. This doesn't seem to bother her though. She just keeps right on going. I noticed it in the car the other day when I started to hear a banging in the back seat and I thought maybe a cup was rolling around and hitting something (I really need to clean my car). It turns out it was Gracie Girl going to town with a toy on her car seat.
We're going to try the cradle roll class again next week. They have one of those moon shaped tables with seats in it. All the babies sit in them and the teacher sings and tells them stories. I might even try and leave her for a bit. We'll see. I haven't really made up my mind completely on that. I'm taking baby steps.
She was more alert and attentive today than yesterday. Her voice sounded different today than it did yesterday. It's almost as if she is expressing more emotions with it rather than just crying because she needs something. She babbles when she's happy. Squeals and laughs when she is excited. And kind of "harumphs" when she is upset.
She got another tooth today. It had been right beneath the surface the last couple of days and today it erupted onto the scene pretty uneventfully. In other words, she didn't seem to experience any pain. Don't worry, I put a bit of orajel on her gums tonight before bed just in case.
She has started playing all of her toys like maracas. She shakes them so hard that she hits herself in the face. This doesn't seem to bother her though. She just keeps right on going. I noticed it in the car the other day when I started to hear a banging in the back seat and I thought maybe a cup was rolling around and hitting something (I really need to clean my car). It turns out it was Gracie Girl going to town with a toy on her car seat.
We're going to try the cradle roll class again next week. They have one of those moon shaped tables with seats in it. All the babies sit in them and the teacher sings and tells them stories. I might even try and leave her for a bit. We'll see. I haven't really made up my mind completely on that. I'm taking baby steps.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Baby Orajel: A Mom's Best Friend
The Tylenol and Orajel worked like a charm. I highly recommend it to any mother with a teething infant. Gracie slept very well last night. She's back to her old self today. She's enjoying some exersaucer time right now. Spinning around to play with all of the toys. There is a globe on it that she spins. I like to say she makes the world go round. Right now that's the way my life feels. Gracie demands pretty much my every thought and I am more than willing to give them to her. I'm so thankful that I get to stay home with her. Who wouldn't want to look at this face all day?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Gracie's Big Day(s)
I opted to post twice today in order to help you see I haven't completely lost my mind.
I was feeding Gracie this afternoon and afterwards she was sitting in my lap chewing on my finger. I felt something sharp and realized that she cut a tooth. Her very first little tooth!
In the last two days she has started sitting on her own and she found her feet. She can sit up on her own for about a minute before toppling over. She uses her hands to hold herself in place. That's what they call tripoding. Today I startled her several times with my laugh and she actually started catching herself before she would fall. She has such an amazing core strength. She just loves sucking on her toes and when in a sitting position will lean down grab them.
She has had a few really big milestone days and I am so proud of her. She is so amazing to me. I know that all babies reach these milestones but man it just seems like Gracie is the only little girl in the world right now. I'm sure that's the way all parents feel about their kiddos. Wouldn't it be wrong if we didn't? If it was just another day to us?
This all makes me feel a lot better about the last few weeks. She's obviously been striving to reach these goals and it has disrupted her sleep. Hopefully I will remember this tonight when she wakes me up. I am giving her a dose of tylenol and baby oragel before bed to ward off any teeth pain that may wake her up. Fingers crossed.
Speaking of bedtime, it's time to put the little bit to sleep. I'll try and post some pics of her sitting up and enjoying her toes soon.
Note to Gracie:
You are amazing in every way!
I was feeding Gracie this afternoon and afterwards she was sitting in my lap chewing on my finger. I felt something sharp and realized that she cut a tooth. Her very first little tooth!
In the last two days she has started sitting on her own and she found her feet. She can sit up on her own for about a minute before toppling over. She uses her hands to hold herself in place. That's what they call tripoding. Today I startled her several times with my laugh and she actually started catching herself before she would fall. She has such an amazing core strength. She just loves sucking on her toes and when in a sitting position will lean down grab them.
She has had a few really big milestone days and I am so proud of her. She is so amazing to me. I know that all babies reach these milestones but man it just seems like Gracie is the only little girl in the world right now. I'm sure that's the way all parents feel about their kiddos. Wouldn't it be wrong if we didn't? If it was just another day to us?
This all makes me feel a lot better about the last few weeks. She's obviously been striving to reach these goals and it has disrupted her sleep. Hopefully I will remember this tonight when she wakes me up. I am giving her a dose of tylenol and baby oragel before bed to ward off any teeth pain that may wake her up. Fingers crossed.
Speaking of bedtime, it's time to put the little bit to sleep. I'll try and post some pics of her sitting up and enjoying her toes soon.
Note to Gracie:
You are amazing in every way!
The Truth
The last few weeks have been torture for me. I am willing and ready to admit right now that I am the weakest person I know. Warning: what you are about to read is the God's honest truth about the person I am. I could create an anonymous blog to get this stuff off of my chest but I decided against it. I decided that maybe what I am about to write will help someone else who has been, is going through, or will go through this stuff. Or maybe I am the only one who is this pathetic. By any means I've got to say it out loud, if only to lighten my load a bit. For those of you who love me: proceed with caution, this might change the way you think about me.
Gracie started a few weeks ago waking in the middle of the night several times and it progressed to waking every couple of hours over the last two nights. I do not handle this well at all. I tried the paci dance (replacing the paci every time she cried) but this only afforded me about 40 minutes of sleep in between steps. I tried letting her cry it out which works the first couple of times but by round three my blood is boiling. I've made a couple of early morning (read 4 am) trips to walmart just to cool off. I went for a drive last night at 10 pm and thought seriously about renting a hotel room. I have consistently been getting about 4 hours of sleep a night which makes me a blubbering fool all day long and basically mad at the world.
I love Gracie. I will always love Gracie. I know that this time will pass and I will probably forget all about it just in time to start going through it again with a sibling for Gracie one day but right now I am broken. I get so angry. Not at Gracie. I know she's just a baby and she cries because that is all she can do to communicate. I am angry at myself mostly because I don't know what to do. I don't know if she's hungry or cold or hot. I don't know if she needs a paci or if I should just let her cry. My blood boils and I start to think that all I want is for Gracie to be quiet so I can sleep and then I get angry at myself for not being a good mom and being understanding of these difficult times for her. Then I start praying but that doesn't make me feel better. Then I start thinking I'm crazy because it's not like God is smiting me. There are probably millions of people going through this exact same sleepless night right now. And then I start sobbing. And somewhere between Gracie's cries and my cries I fall asleep. Most days are good. She wakes up smiling and I wake up not crying. And then there are days when all I can think about is tonight. Will she sleep good? Will she be up every two hours? Will I sleep at all?
I'm not writing this so that everyone can feel sorry for me. I'm writing this so that hopefully I will start feeling less sorry for myself. In my mind I know I am being a big baby but at 2 am after 1.5 hours of sleep it's hard to think rationally. Poor Matt must be exhausted living with two babies. :)
So there it is. My plight as a mother. Maybe I'm the only one who has ever felt this way. My hope is that if anyone ever googles "crazy mom" and comes across this post they'll find some relief in knowing that they're not the only ones. That I was crazy once too. Of course, my ultimate hope is that in a few months things will be better and I will no longer feel like a nut. I will gladly accept any prayers on my little family's behalf. I need God's peaceful presence now more than ever in my life.
Note to Gracie:
I love you little girl! When you are old enough to read this I will probably not even remember my crazy sleepless nights. That's because you have provided more joy in my life than I can even put in words. In the grand scheme of things a few sleepless months is worth the gift that you have been to me.
Gracie started a few weeks ago waking in the middle of the night several times and it progressed to waking every couple of hours over the last two nights. I do not handle this well at all. I tried the paci dance (replacing the paci every time she cried) but this only afforded me about 40 minutes of sleep in between steps. I tried letting her cry it out which works the first couple of times but by round three my blood is boiling. I've made a couple of early morning (read 4 am) trips to walmart just to cool off. I went for a drive last night at 10 pm and thought seriously about renting a hotel room. I have consistently been getting about 4 hours of sleep a night which makes me a blubbering fool all day long and basically mad at the world.
I love Gracie. I will always love Gracie. I know that this time will pass and I will probably forget all about it just in time to start going through it again with a sibling for Gracie one day but right now I am broken. I get so angry. Not at Gracie. I know she's just a baby and she cries because that is all she can do to communicate. I am angry at myself mostly because I don't know what to do. I don't know if she's hungry or cold or hot. I don't know if she needs a paci or if I should just let her cry. My blood boils and I start to think that all I want is for Gracie to be quiet so I can sleep and then I get angry at myself for not being a good mom and being understanding of these difficult times for her. Then I start praying but that doesn't make me feel better. Then I start thinking I'm crazy because it's not like God is smiting me. There are probably millions of people going through this exact same sleepless night right now. And then I start sobbing. And somewhere between Gracie's cries and my cries I fall asleep. Most days are good. She wakes up smiling and I wake up not crying. And then there are days when all I can think about is tonight. Will she sleep good? Will she be up every two hours? Will I sleep at all?
I'm not writing this so that everyone can feel sorry for me. I'm writing this so that hopefully I will start feeling less sorry for myself. In my mind I know I am being a big baby but at 2 am after 1.5 hours of sleep it's hard to think rationally. Poor Matt must be exhausted living with two babies. :)
So there it is. My plight as a mother. Maybe I'm the only one who has ever felt this way. My hope is that if anyone ever googles "crazy mom" and comes across this post they'll find some relief in knowing that they're not the only ones. That I was crazy once too. Of course, my ultimate hope is that in a few months things will be better and I will no longer feel like a nut. I will gladly accept any prayers on my little family's behalf. I need God's peaceful presence now more than ever in my life.
Note to Gracie:
I love you little girl! When you are old enough to read this I will probably not even remember my crazy sleepless nights. That's because you have provided more joy in my life than I can even put in words. In the grand scheme of things a few sleepless months is worth the gift that you have been to me.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Reaching for Our Hearts
Gracie has started reaching. She reaches for everything. For her toys, her blanket, her burp rags and her clothes. She reaches for our toys (cellphones and TV remotes), our clothes and our food. She reaches, most importantly, for us. :) There is just something amazing about when the little life you've been nurturing from the day you found out she existed begins to throw her arms toward you in anticipation of being held, hugged, kissed and loved by you.
Matt and I pass her back and forth just so we can see this new skill in action.
I've posted lots of new pictures on our Flickr page and videos on thevimeo site.
Matt and I pass her back and forth just so we can see this new skill in action.
I've posted lots of new pictures on our Flickr page and videos on thevimeo site.
Monday, March 9, 2009
4 Months!
Well, Gracie turned four months old March 3rd. She's growing so fast!
We had her four month check up on Friday March 6th and she did absolutely wonderful. She weighs 13 lbs and 6 oz (44%), she is 24 and 3/4 in. long (68%) and her head is 16 1/2 in. around (73%). So she's basically tall, skinny and really, really smart. She took her immunizations like a champ. We had a follow-up hip ultrasound at the end of last week. She had one at 6 weeks and the measurements on her left hip were just a little off so they wanted to get another look and everything is perfect.
The most exciting thing about the 4 month milestone is that we started her on rice cereal. On Friday March 6th we mixed a very tiny bit of it with breast milk and she didn't like it at all. We kept trying though and in a few days she actually seemed to enjoy it. Well, enjoy might be a bit too strong. She basically tolerated it and seemed interested in the spoon. The rice cereal made her very gassy and even a bit cranky so I switched to oatmeal cereal which was much better. I'm only giving it to her every couple of days now because she still gets all she needs from nursing.
The last couple of weeks were rough. She started waking up in the middle of the night which made it hard for me to sleep but after a few nights of crying it out she seems to have decided it's just not worth it. Now she is going to bed at 8, waking between 5 and 6 to eat and then going back to sleep for about 3 hours. She normally wakes up for good between 8 and 8:30. We're finally getting back into a routine after the week in the hospital and bringing her bedtime forward.
This is all wonderful for me because I go a little bonkers without a routine. I never did before but the stress of being a mom has really bowled me over lately. I don't think it can really be understood unless you've been a mother. The physical aspects are not that hard. Bathing, diapering, dressing and entertaining are all easy enough. It's the mental game that gets me. The little decisions that have to be made all day long. Is it time to eat yet? Should I feed her some solids? She seems cranky, why? Is she cold, is she hot? Is she happy? Is she stimulated enough or too much? Should I let her cry or pick her up? Maybe all mothers don't find it as difficult but I really have. I love that little girl so much and want to do absolutely everything the best way I can that I stress myself out about what seem to be little decisions. I don't know what I'd do without Matt. I've said it before and it is confirmed daily that he was definitely made for me.
Well, this post has been rather "babbly" so I'll put an end to it now and try and come up with something a little more entertaining for next time. Any requests?
We had her four month check up on Friday March 6th and she did absolutely wonderful. She weighs 13 lbs and 6 oz (44%), she is 24 and 3/4 in. long (68%) and her head is 16 1/2 in. around (73%). So she's basically tall, skinny and really, really smart. She took her immunizations like a champ. We had a follow-up hip ultrasound at the end of last week. She had one at 6 weeks and the measurements on her left hip were just a little off so they wanted to get another look and everything is perfect.
The most exciting thing about the 4 month milestone is that we started her on rice cereal. On Friday March 6th we mixed a very tiny bit of it with breast milk and she didn't like it at all. We kept trying though and in a few days she actually seemed to enjoy it. Well, enjoy might be a bit too strong. She basically tolerated it and seemed interested in the spoon. The rice cereal made her very gassy and even a bit cranky so I switched to oatmeal cereal which was much better. I'm only giving it to her every couple of days now because she still gets all she needs from nursing.
The last couple of weeks were rough. She started waking up in the middle of the night which made it hard for me to sleep but after a few nights of crying it out she seems to have decided it's just not worth it. Now she is going to bed at 8, waking between 5 and 6 to eat and then going back to sleep for about 3 hours. She normally wakes up for good between 8 and 8:30. We're finally getting back into a routine after the week in the hospital and bringing her bedtime forward.
This is all wonderful for me because I go a little bonkers without a routine. I never did before but the stress of being a mom has really bowled me over lately. I don't think it can really be understood unless you've been a mother. The physical aspects are not that hard. Bathing, diapering, dressing and entertaining are all easy enough. It's the mental game that gets me. The little decisions that have to be made all day long. Is it time to eat yet? Should I feed her some solids? She seems cranky, why? Is she cold, is she hot? Is she happy? Is she stimulated enough or too much? Should I let her cry or pick her up? Maybe all mothers don't find it as difficult but I really have. I love that little girl so much and want to do absolutely everything the best way I can that I stress myself out about what seem to be little decisions. I don't know what I'd do without Matt. I've said it before and it is confirmed daily that he was definitely made for me.
Well, this post has been rather "babbly" so I'll put an end to it now and try and come up with something a little more entertaining for next time. Any requests?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Gracie Finds Her Voice
Yesterday (3/1/09) Gracie found her voice. She's been cooing and laughing and squealing for some time now but yesterday she starting talking. Not literally of course.
She was sitting in her papasan watching daddy work when she started conversing with the baby in the mirror. I stopped what I was doing and went into the room to see if she was enjoying a conversation with Matt. There is a mirror that hangs over the seat with a bumble bee hanging down. She was batting the bee around and cooing up a storm. Neither of us were coaxing her into her squeals like we normally do. By coaxing, of course, I mean generally making fools of ourselves. She has also starting smiling and laughing as if she is beginning to understand the world.
Saturday morning she was napping on the full size bed in her room and when she starting stirring Matt went to take his turn putting the paci back in while I caught a little more shut eye. He later told me that as soon as he opened the door she was smiling at him from the bed with one of those, "Hi Daddy, I love you Daddy, aren't I cute Daddy?" kind of smiles. He laid next to her while she played with his hand and fell back to sleep. I'm sure that is no indication of how their relationship will be in the future. I'm sure Matt will be forever cool, calm and collected in the face of a little blue eyed beauty who needs a little swat on the rear or a firm, "No." Or maybe, just maybe, she's already got him wrapped around her little finger. :)
I was giving her a bath a few nights ago and she was laughing in the tub while she kicked. When I was dressing her I held her up to put the sleeper down and she had a view of a Parents magazine with a goofy kid smiling on it and she laughed out loud.
She seems to change in little ways everyday. I'm feeling more and more like I'll wake up one morning and she'll be walking and talking already. I guess she's got to grow up eventually. At least we can have fun along the way. I'm trying to will Indiana into an early spring by thinking about all the fun things we can do when Gracie gets a little older and the weather gets a bit warmer. I plan to go to the zoo, the children's museum, home to visit family and see the beach, plant some flowers and take lots of walks outside. I'm sure all of these things will have Gracie "talking" and laughing as she learns about the world God made for us. Beautiful flowers and funny looking elephants make me smile and I'm sure Gracie will enjoy them too.
You can watch the video of Gracie finding her voice here .
Note to Gracie:
You will be four months old tomorrow and time has flown by since the moment you were born. There have been some tough moments but they are all out weighed by the moments spent cuddling, rocking, smiling, cooing and laughing with you. I can remember life before you were here and I don't miss it at all. The fact that God saw fit to place you in our lives reminds me everyday just how much he loves us. All of us. Daddy and I had a song in our wedding called "Blessed Be Your Name." It is about the relationship we want to have with God throughout our life together. One of the lines is, "Every blessing you pour out, I turn back to praise." Gracie you are a blessing from God and every day I praise Him for you. Every day.
She was sitting in her papasan watching daddy work when she started conversing with the baby in the mirror. I stopped what I was doing and went into the room to see if she was enjoying a conversation with Matt. There is a mirror that hangs over the seat with a bumble bee hanging down. She was batting the bee around and cooing up a storm. Neither of us were coaxing her into her squeals like we normally do. By coaxing, of course, I mean generally making fools of ourselves. She has also starting smiling and laughing as if she is beginning to understand the world.
Saturday morning she was napping on the full size bed in her room and when she starting stirring Matt went to take his turn putting the paci back in while I caught a little more shut eye. He later told me that as soon as he opened the door she was smiling at him from the bed with one of those, "Hi Daddy, I love you Daddy, aren't I cute Daddy?" kind of smiles. He laid next to her while she played with his hand and fell back to sleep. I'm sure that is no indication of how their relationship will be in the future. I'm sure Matt will be forever cool, calm and collected in the face of a little blue eyed beauty who needs a little swat on the rear or a firm, "No." Or maybe, just maybe, she's already got him wrapped around her little finger. :)
I was giving her a bath a few nights ago and she was laughing in the tub while she kicked. When I was dressing her I held her up to put the sleeper down and she had a view of a Parents magazine with a goofy kid smiling on it and she laughed out loud.
She seems to change in little ways everyday. I'm feeling more and more like I'll wake up one morning and she'll be walking and talking already. I guess she's got to grow up eventually. At least we can have fun along the way. I'm trying to will Indiana into an early spring by thinking about all the fun things we can do when Gracie gets a little older and the weather gets a bit warmer. I plan to go to the zoo, the children's museum, home to visit family and see the beach, plant some flowers and take lots of walks outside. I'm sure all of these things will have Gracie "talking" and laughing as she learns about the world God made for us. Beautiful flowers and funny looking elephants make me smile and I'm sure Gracie will enjoy them too.
You can watch the video of Gracie finding her voice here .
Note to Gracie:
You will be four months old tomorrow and time has flown by since the moment you were born. There have been some tough moments but they are all out weighed by the moments spent cuddling, rocking, smiling, cooing and laughing with you. I can remember life before you were here and I don't miss it at all. The fact that God saw fit to place you in our lives reminds me everyday just how much he loves us. All of us. Daddy and I had a song in our wedding called "Blessed Be Your Name." It is about the relationship we want to have with God throughout our life together. One of the lines is, "Every blessing you pour out, I turn back to praise." Gracie you are a blessing from God and every day I praise Him for you. Every day.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
To the Mailbox!
We had some uncharacteristically warm weather here the past couple of days. It was in the mid 50s to 60s. This of course prompted a couple of trips outdoors since Gracie is 3.5 months old and does not have much fresh air under her belt.
We hiked all the way to the mailbox at the end of the driveway twice and spent about 10 minutes exploring the back porch with Preston. This was between wet spells since the warm weather brought a lot of rain and wind with it. While exploring the pond in the backyard we found that Jaws, one of the koi fish we bought a couple of summers ago, did not survive this winter. Poor guy was floating belly up. I'm glad Gracie's not old enough to remember it. We have yet to see if Miles, the other koi, is still living.
Gracie is fully recovered from her bout with bronchiolitis. She no longer coughs or wheezes in the slightest. She has not, however, found her way back to sleeping ten hours at night which is making me a bit weary. I've decided the hardest part of being a mom is not the physical stress but the mental game of it all. I'm constantly thinking, "Should I let her cry or pick her up? Should I try and get rid of the 5 am feeding or let her do it on her own? Should I make her nap in her crib or let her sleep in the swing?" These times are when I really wish babies came with instruction books. I'm really good at following instructions. I've read several books about babies but not one of them says, "Do this." This stresses me out.
I'm anxious for our four month check up in a couple of weeks because I have a laundry list of questions to ask the doctor. Until then I'll just do whatever feels right and pray I'm not doing something wrong. At least I know she's a happy baby. Whenever her face lights up all the questions just go away and I bask in the sunshine that is her smile.
I've posted more photos and videos on our media sites.
We hiked all the way to the mailbox at the end of the driveway twice and spent about 10 minutes exploring the back porch with Preston. This was between wet spells since the warm weather brought a lot of rain and wind with it. While exploring the pond in the backyard we found that Jaws, one of the koi fish we bought a couple of summers ago, did not survive this winter. Poor guy was floating belly up. I'm glad Gracie's not old enough to remember it. We have yet to see if Miles, the other koi, is still living.
Gracie is fully recovered from her bout with bronchiolitis. She no longer coughs or wheezes in the slightest. She has not, however, found her way back to sleeping ten hours at night which is making me a bit weary. I've decided the hardest part of being a mom is not the physical stress but the mental game of it all. I'm constantly thinking, "Should I let her cry or pick her up? Should I try and get rid of the 5 am feeding or let her do it on her own? Should I make her nap in her crib or let her sleep in the swing?" These times are when I really wish babies came with instruction books. I'm really good at following instructions. I've read several books about babies but not one of them says, "Do this." This stresses me out.
I'm anxious for our four month check up in a couple of weeks because I have a laundry list of questions to ask the doctor. Until then I'll just do whatever feels right and pray I'm not doing something wrong. At least I know she's a happy baby. Whenever her face lights up all the questions just go away and I bask in the sunshine that is her smile.
I've posted more photos and videos on our media sites.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Home Sweet Home
We're home! Yesterday morning the doctor took Miss Gracie off of the oxygen to see how she would do. Her numbers were still lower than normal but nothing to be worried about. We were thinking we'd get to come home then but they wanted to monitor her for 24 hours to make sure she'd do fine without it. I did not like that hospital room but if I had to live there for the rest of my life in order for Gracie to be well I would.
She did well all night and this morning at about 9 the nurse checked and she was at 100 percent! The nurse said, "I think you've just earned your walking papers." Apparently we won the award for the longest stay and the first discharge of the day. Yippee!
Gracie is still coughing and not exactly her old self again but she is doing so much better. She's even back to her smiling/cooing ways. It's kind of funny though because she can't hit the high squeal notes right now because she's still hoarse so it just comes out as a small breath of air. She's also having trouble eating because she's still struggling with breathing. The doctor said that it could take about a month for the coughing and congestion to subside and for her breathing and eating to be completely normal. I really hope it doesn't take that long. I just put her to bed in her crib. She had to go down with her paci which is not normal. That's one way I know she's not feeling quite up to par. I'm getting to know her better everyday which basically means that I love her more everyday.
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for Gracie. We really appreciate all of the support from family and friends. I don't know how people without a strong support system get through things like this.
I'm looking forward to being able to post about some more upbeat things like her first "reach" and rolling over before too long.
She did well all night and this morning at about 9 the nurse checked and she was at 100 percent! The nurse said, "I think you've just earned your walking papers." Apparently we won the award for the longest stay and the first discharge of the day. Yippee!
Gracie is still coughing and not exactly her old self again but she is doing so much better. She's even back to her smiling/cooing ways. It's kind of funny though because she can't hit the high squeal notes right now because she's still hoarse so it just comes out as a small breath of air. She's also having trouble eating because she's still struggling with breathing. The doctor said that it could take about a month for the coughing and congestion to subside and for her breathing and eating to be completely normal. I really hope it doesn't take that long. I just put her to bed in her crib. She had to go down with her paci which is not normal. That's one way I know she's not feeling quite up to par. I'm getting to know her better everyday which basically means that I love her more everyday.
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for Gracie. We really appreciate all of the support from family and friends. I don't know how people without a strong support system get through things like this.
I'm looking forward to being able to post about some more upbeat things like her first "reach" and rolling over before too long.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Getting Better
It appears as though Gracie is over the hump. Yesterday morning she was still really pitiful. She wasn't eating and I was beginning to get really worried. She was on IV fluids to avoid dehydration but still wasn't getting any nutrition because she hadn't eaten. She slept in my arms and Matt's arms all morning and at about 3 o'clock after a diaper change she woke up ready to eat. I was so glad! She's been doing pretty good eating since then. She still has trouble because she can't breath very well through her nose while she nurses but it's better than nothing. They took her off of the IV fluids this morning but she remains on the Oxygen. The doc came in this morning to see how she did off of the oxygen but her levels were still too low to remove the line completely (low 80s). She's on the lowest level possible and will just take time to be able to get the oxygen pumping in her system the way it should.
She's been awake quite a bit more today which is good and bad. Good because it means she's getting better and bad because it means she's awake and now knows that she doesn't feel well. She tries to tell us but the poor thing has such a hoarse throat that it pretty much comes out as a tiny whimper.
For those of you wondering about Preston (poor guy takes backseat to Gracie now which is not something he's used too) he's been staying with some friends from church. They have a dog and three kiddos and apparently he's doing great with all of them. Jennifer sent us a picture of him all curled up in a blanket with nothing but his face showing. I'm glad to know he can make himself comfortable pretty much anywhere.
Thanks to everyone For all of your prayers and for all those who took time to visit. It really helps to know we have so many faithful friends and family who care about Gracie so much. She will definitely hear all about this one day. Please keep praying for a speedy recovery for her. Also, I've got a cold now (probably the same one she had) so please pray I don't pass it back to her and get this whole thing started again.
We're not sure if we'll be able to go home tomorrow. It will greatly depend on how she does when the doc removes her oxygen again. Until then you can reach us at Community North Hospital room 1224. :) Hey, it could be worse, right?
She's been awake quite a bit more today which is good and bad. Good because it means she's getting better and bad because it means she's awake and now knows that she doesn't feel well. She tries to tell us but the poor thing has such a hoarse throat that it pretty much comes out as a tiny whimper.
For those of you wondering about Preston (poor guy takes backseat to Gracie now which is not something he's used too) he's been staying with some friends from church. They have a dog and three kiddos and apparently he's doing great with all of them. Jennifer sent us a picture of him all curled up in a blanket with nothing but his face showing. I'm glad to know he can make himself comfortable pretty much anywhere.
Thanks to everyone For all of your prayers and for all those who took time to visit. It really helps to know we have so many faithful friends and family who care about Gracie so much. She will definitely hear all about this one day. Please keep praying for a speedy recovery for her. Also, I've got a cold now (probably the same one she had) so please pray I don't pass it back to her and get this whole thing started again.
We're not sure if we'll be able to go home tomorrow. It will greatly depend on how she does when the doc removes her oxygen again. Until then you can reach us at Community North Hospital room 1224. :) Hey, it could be worse, right?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Happy Gracie
Matt and I are ready for Happy Gracie back.
The IV stick went really well yesterday. Matt said she didn't even cry and actually fell asleep while the lady was digging around in her hand for a vein. Apparently they put a little sugar water on her paci and in an infant this young it really helps them not feel the pain. I'll have to google that when I get a chance.
She woke up much better this morning. Still pitiful but better. She has a lot less mucus intruding her airways and has had a little bit of awake time (we're talking 10 minutes tops). She even smiled at me and Matt once or twice. Usually she smiles every chance she gets. Especially when I make pooting noises. She's still having trouble eating and is still on the oxygen. The doc said that we will most likely be here until Saturday. They removed her oxygen to attach a humidifier and in the 20 seconds it took to hook everything up her oxygen levels dropped. That means she'll need to be weaned off of the oxygen. The encouraging thing about this whole situation is that the doctor says it is all very normal. Well, not normal, but what they expect to see in an infant as young as Gracie.
Because of all the wires she's hooked up to I haven't had much holding time. I'm experiencing Gracie withdrawals and sleep deprivation which does not make a very happy Kelly. Please pray for Gracie to get better quickly and to feel more like herself. Please pray that Matt and I can get some sleep and have the chance to play with our Happy Gracie soon.
Note to Gracie:
You smile and my heart melts. All I want is to make you better but I know that only God and time can do that. So I will keep praying and trust that God is giving you pleasant dreams while you sleep. I love you!
The IV stick went really well yesterday. Matt said she didn't even cry and actually fell asleep while the lady was digging around in her hand for a vein. Apparently they put a little sugar water on her paci and in an infant this young it really helps them not feel the pain. I'll have to google that when I get a chance.
She woke up much better this morning. Still pitiful but better. She has a lot less mucus intruding her airways and has had a little bit of awake time (we're talking 10 minutes tops). She even smiled at me and Matt once or twice. Usually she smiles every chance she gets. Especially when I make pooting noises. She's still having trouble eating and is still on the oxygen. The doc said that we will most likely be here until Saturday. They removed her oxygen to attach a humidifier and in the 20 seconds it took to hook everything up her oxygen levels dropped. That means she'll need to be weaned off of the oxygen. The encouraging thing about this whole situation is that the doctor says it is all very normal. Well, not normal, but what they expect to see in an infant as young as Gracie.
Because of all the wires she's hooked up to I haven't had much holding time. I'm experiencing Gracie withdrawals and sleep deprivation which does not make a very happy Kelly. Please pray for Gracie to get better quickly and to feel more like herself. Please pray that Matt and I can get some sleep and have the chance to play with our Happy Gracie soon.
Note to Gracie:
You smile and my heart melts. All I want is to make you better but I know that only God and time can do that. So I will keep praying and trust that God is giving you pleasant dreams while you sleep. I love you!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
To Get My Mind Off of Things
I'm writing this post to try and keep my mind off the fact that my baby girl is having an IV put in right now. Matt went with her to the "Treatment Room" for the procedure. My plan isn't working...I can't stop thinking about how much the IV hurt me before my C-section and I can only imagine how much it will hurt her dainty little hand, arm, foot or head (let's pray they don't have to resort to the head).
This is Gracie's second night in the hospital. She came down with a virus on Saturday and when we went to the pediatricians office on Monday they sent us to the hospital when the breathing treatment they administered didn't seem to help. The doctors here say that it's going around. They're treating many kids with the same problem, bronchiolitis. In a baby as little as Gracie the mucus that is generated from a virus clogs her bronchioles causing very labored breathing and subsequently low oxygen levels. The whole thing is causing her to not have much of an appetite (I don't ever have one when my stomach is full of mucus either) so they're worried about dehydration. So my poor little 12 weeks old is on oxygen and and IV. I feel for any parent who has ever had a child in the hospital. It is heart wrenching. She has hardly opened her eyes today and just sounds pitiful. She's too exhausted to cry out even. She just coughs and moans and groans.
Keep us in your prayers. We all need lots of rest and a full recovery.
Note to Gracie:
I cried when I saw how pitiful you looked in your little metal hospital crib. You looked so tiny with the oxygen tubing and big hospital sleeper on. They only had blue so I thought seriously about putting a bow on your head but decided it really didn't matter. :) Remind me to tell you about your E.T. toe one day. I love you so much and pray that you never have to go through anything like this again. Ever.
This is Gracie's second night in the hospital. She came down with a virus on Saturday and when we went to the pediatricians office on Monday they sent us to the hospital when the breathing treatment they administered didn't seem to help. The doctors here say that it's going around. They're treating many kids with the same problem, bronchiolitis. In a baby as little as Gracie the mucus that is generated from a virus clogs her bronchioles causing very labored breathing and subsequently low oxygen levels. The whole thing is causing her to not have much of an appetite (I don't ever have one when my stomach is full of mucus either) so they're worried about dehydration. So my poor little 12 weeks old is on oxygen and and IV. I feel for any parent who has ever had a child in the hospital. It is heart wrenching. She has hardly opened her eyes today and just sounds pitiful. She's too exhausted to cry out even. She just coughs and moans and groans.
Keep us in your prayers. We all need lots of rest and a full recovery.
Note to Gracie:
I cried when I saw how pitiful you looked in your little metal hospital crib. You looked so tiny with the oxygen tubing and big hospital sleeper on. They only had blue so I thought seriously about putting a bow on your head but decided it really didn't matter. :) Remind me to tell you about your E.T. toe one day. I love you so much and pray that you never have to go through anything like this again. Ever.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
She's a Thinker
Gracie is now almost 10 weeks old. She has changed so much since I last posted. It seems as though every day holds some new way in which she makes me smile. It also makes me a little sad that I have a hard time remembering those first few weeks in the hospital and at home as a brand new family of three. I told Matt the second week she was home that I wasn't sure I wanted to go through it all again. Now I'm sure that I would do this again in order to allow her the chance to have a brother or a sister.
Those first few weeks when things seemed so hard flew by so fast that I almost wish I could go back and focus more on all the little things. I feel like I can't take enough pictures or make enough notes about all the milestones she's reaching. How can something so tiny bring so much joy to my life?
If I wrote all of our happenings out in paragraph form this would probably be the longest post ever (and it's already pretty long) so I'm going to list them.
First smile
First time to sleep 6 hours
First time to decorate a Christmas Tree
First road trip (to Louisiana and then Texas) to meet the entire family
First blow out (on the road to TX)
First laugh (at the dogs on Grammy's back porch)
First splash in her baby tub
Lots of smiling and talking with Mom, Dad and the whole family
First time to see the outdoors for more than five minutes (it's too cold her in Indy to get out much)
Slept nine hours in one night (just happened last night)
She's bringing her hands to her mouth to suck on them quite a bit, I'm expecting her to really find them soon
She's enjoying playing on the floor and can even entertain herself for a bit, Granny said she looks like she's directing traffic the way she flails her arms and legs, does that mean she'll be a leader one day?
Napping in her papasan while Mom showers
Napping in her swing while Mom blogs :)
We go to the doctor for her two month check up tomorrow. I'm excited to see how much she weighs and how long she is. She's already in 3-6 month sleepers! I have a feeling she'll be tall. Her hair is still red (especially in the sunlight) and her eyes are still blue. We've got a good little routine in which she eats and then stays awake for about an hour and then goes down for a nap. Sometimes she naps on our lap and sometimes in a swing or a papasan. She really doesn't like to sleep in her crib during the day. She has a bath around 9:30 and gets her last meal of the day at 10 and falls right to sleep after that. Of course, she has a few off days here and there like any baby (or adult for that matter).
I am continually amazed at how fast she is growing and how much she seems to be learning. I am always wondering just what she is thinking and I am convinced that she is a thinker. The new picture to the right is one of those moments that she looks like she is in deep thought about what is going on around her. We were all on the back porch at my parents house and she was enjoying the warm weather and cool breeze. She was watching the dogs and just a few moments before this photo was snapped she laughed for the first time. She is probably thinking about all the new things she is seeing and hearing and smelling.
In a few years she'll be thinking about all the things she can learn from the people around her. And a few years after that she'll be thinking about what she wants to be when grows up. And a few years after that she'll be thinking about how to make those dreams come true. My prayer is that through all of those years she will be thinking about what she can do to make this world a better place for someone else. Even if it's just one person at a time. My prayer is that God helps Matt and I guide her to those thoughts.
Note to Gracie:
Gracie girl, I am so blessed to be your mother. You make me smile absolutely every day! I can't wait see the light in your eyes and the joy in your smile when you experience all of God's blessings in this world. I am excited to share so many firsts with you and I pray that the wonder of this world does not fade as you get older but that you find new blessings every day. I love you Gracie Girl!
Those first few weeks when things seemed so hard flew by so fast that I almost wish I could go back and focus more on all the little things. I feel like I can't take enough pictures or make enough notes about all the milestones she's reaching. How can something so tiny bring so much joy to my life?
If I wrote all of our happenings out in paragraph form this would probably be the longest post ever (and it's already pretty long) so I'm going to list them.
First smile
First time to sleep 6 hours
First time to decorate a Christmas Tree
First road trip (to Louisiana and then Texas) to meet the entire family
First blow out (on the road to TX)
First laugh (at the dogs on Grammy's back porch)
First splash in her baby tub
Lots of smiling and talking with Mom, Dad and the whole family
First time to see the outdoors for more than five minutes (it's too cold her in Indy to get out much)
Slept nine hours in one night (just happened last night)
She's bringing her hands to her mouth to suck on them quite a bit, I'm expecting her to really find them soon
She's enjoying playing on the floor and can even entertain herself for a bit, Granny said she looks like she's directing traffic the way she flails her arms and legs, does that mean she'll be a leader one day?
Napping in her papasan while Mom showers
Napping in her swing while Mom blogs :)
We go to the doctor for her two month check up tomorrow. I'm excited to see how much she weighs and how long she is. She's already in 3-6 month sleepers! I have a feeling she'll be tall. Her hair is still red (especially in the sunlight) and her eyes are still blue. We've got a good little routine in which she eats and then stays awake for about an hour and then goes down for a nap. Sometimes she naps on our lap and sometimes in a swing or a papasan. She really doesn't like to sleep in her crib during the day. She has a bath around 9:30 and gets her last meal of the day at 10 and falls right to sleep after that. Of course, she has a few off days here and there like any baby (or adult for that matter).
I am continually amazed at how fast she is growing and how much she seems to be learning. I am always wondering just what she is thinking and I am convinced that she is a thinker. The new picture to the right is one of those moments that she looks like she is in deep thought about what is going on around her. We were all on the back porch at my parents house and she was enjoying the warm weather and cool breeze. She was watching the dogs and just a few moments before this photo was snapped she laughed for the first time. She is probably thinking about all the new things she is seeing and hearing and smelling.
In a few years she'll be thinking about all the things she can learn from the people around her. And a few years after that she'll be thinking about what she wants to be when grows up. And a few years after that she'll be thinking about how to make those dreams come true. My prayer is that through all of those years she will be thinking about what she can do to make this world a better place for someone else. Even if it's just one person at a time. My prayer is that God helps Matt and I guide her to those thoughts.
Note to Gracie:
Gracie girl, I am so blessed to be your mother. You make me smile absolutely every day! I can't wait see the light in your eyes and the joy in your smile when you experience all of God's blessings in this world. I am excited to share so many firsts with you and I pray that the wonder of this world does not fade as you get older but that you find new blessings every day. I love you Gracie Girl!
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