Spring!

This spring we built a swing set, planted a vegetable garden, went pee-pee in the potty for the first time (well Gracie did), can sing our ABC's and count to ten with a little help, and know all our shapes and colors! It has been quite an eventful few months! Three months shy of Gracie's second birthday she is quick to master anything new that comes her way. She's not really interested in potty training and doesn't mind hanging out with poo in her pants, so we are not really pushing that yet. What she DOES love is swinging (as high as the swing will go . . . "higher, momma! Higher!"), riding in the bike trailer, and coloring in her sketch book. We can't wait for the sun to come out this spring because she would stay outside all day if we let her!

Monologue

Every night at bedtime after reading books, we turn off the light and ask Gracie how her day was, and at 21 months old she has proved to be quite the "Mag Pie" in her response: "I go to Beth's house. I play in car. I go to beach. Gracie go ni-night. Monsters sing to Gracie. Beth's a nice girl. Gracie hit - go to time out." This age is so fun!

Easter

On Easter morning Gracie and I met Campbell and her parents at the Linfield Easter Egg hunt. It was blustery and raining, and the girls weren't quite sure what to do with themselves. They both managed to snag three eggs before we snagged them right out of the rain. We went back to or house for round two and filled some plastic eggs with Rice Chex. Campbell proved to be quite the little competitor, running to the eggs first and filling her basket quickly. Gracie, on the other hand, had figure out at Linfield that eggs had "candy" in them. She would see an egg, run over to it, open it up, notice it was just stupid Rice Chex, and dump it on the floor looking for the next one that may just have candy in it like her other three. She gave up when she realized that none did and let Campbell finish the hunt on her own. :)

Spring Break

Spring is Here!

At almost twenty months, Gracie's favorite thing to do is play OUTSIDE!! She stands by the window or the door and sings, "Ou-si! Ou-si! She would stay out there all night long to if dad and I didn't make her come in. I think there is a new scrape or sliver each day, but she is pretty proud of her battle wounds.

Slumber Party

Big Girl

Our 18 month-old has officially become a toddler. She's an absolute animal: talking in phrases, eating at the big-girl table, and hanging with her best friends Maya, "Pete," Zac, and Campbell. Best of all, when she's busy doing something she loves (like playing outside- her absolute favorite) she will say over and over, "haaaaaaPPY! . . . haaaaaPPY!" It's the cutest thing ever.

Not that she has lost that "diva" in her. She's mastered the art of screaming in attempt to get her way (not that we budge, but it doesn't seem to stop her from trying), and she still gives stink eye to those who try to win her over against her will.

She so badly wants to be a big girl. The other day I walked outside to find her and Maya discussing their days at the deck table over sippy-cups of milk. She surprises us everyday with the things that come out of her mouth. "Amy, milk please." (Yes, she calls me Amy when I don't listen well.) "Mama, I love you. Ni-night." (My personal favorite.) And,"Oh, Pete . . ." (This is what she sighs when we are in the rocking chair at bedtime. Boy, does she love that little boy.)

Sweet, Sweet Kisses

Every evening at "ni-night" time Gracie climbs the stairs and gives kisses through the pickets. "mmmmmm . . . " she says as she leans in for a kiss from momma or daddy. Then she'll play a game where she will quickly move her head between a different pair of pickets and get us to try to catch her with a kiss. This tradition has become one of our favorite parts of the day, and although I know there will be a night when she decides she's too big for it, I will always cherish her sweet, sweet kisses.