Sinks are for more than dishes

See this bottom picture? We (ok, mostly me) have been trying to get her to clap for weeks. She will do one or so but she hasn't been into it. On Sunday at church we had her in the service for the worship. The band was going strong and I look down and there is Grace sitting in Shane's lap clapping away! She did it for almost every song! I LOVE that she is learning how to praise Jesus so early! It really was so cute and she did turn the eye of a number of people in the service. I would love for her to grow up feeling like she can praise the Lord in any way she wants and if she wants to clap, raise her hands, dance around, so be it. Let this just be the start of Grace praising you Jesus!

She's getting so big!

Check out this video of Gracie walking!

The New Grace

The new Gracie can crawl into baskets. She's working on the getting out part.

She can crawl through the shelf on the coffee table

She can crawl over to her music table and stand at it.

The new Gracie waits like this when she wakes up from her nap.

As you can see, the new Gracie can get just about anywhere. It's the getting out part that is tricky!

more to come

I'll post pictures today if I have time. I have MOPS this morning and then we have to head to New Castle this evening. But since it's Thursday and since I am due a post here is what you get...

Today I am thankful for:

• friends- I really do have great friends. I had TWO great walks yesterday and some great dinner and conversation last night.
• warmer weather. I cannot wait to get outside with Grace. We'll have so much fun this spring/summer.
• sugar free chocolate pudding. I'm trying hard to lose some baby weight... that just hits the spot!
• new things reminding me of old. I went to a beautiful wedding on Saturday. Watching their excitement reminded me of the day we were married and how excited I was. :)

What are you thankful for?

Tub Time

Happy Monday! I'm so glad we are going to get some sun this week. We need it. We are all getting over some slight cold or something here and some bright sunshine will be good medicine. As I type my daughter is cruising around the coffee table, desperate to get to my cup of coffee. Oh Grace, so much time to enjoy caffeine. :) I thought I'd post these pics because she's so cute in them. She LOVES baths. Now she loves them with NO ring! She splashes and laughs and sometimes does a header into the water to reach a toy! She's had sink baths for the last three days and she loves those too.

please note: either her mother or father is WITH HER AT ALL TIMES :)

What I'm looking forward to...

Things I am looking forward to this spring:

• green grass
• flowers in my yard
• windows being open
• planning our garden
• taking walks with Grace
• not wearing coats!

We are stuck inside today, both Grace and I have colds so I thought I'd give myself something to look forward to!

Dear Hannah

Dear Hannah,

My mom said you got your braces off. I am glad for you. Do you think I need braces???

Love,
Gracie
xxoo

St. Patrick's Day Part 2

St Patrick's Day Pt. 1

Thank you Lord for beautiful weather! We took a walk to visit with the Poormans

Gracie was given a dress from Jan McCrackin last summer. She got it in Ireland. It fits her perfectly and what a great day to wear it. Thanks Jan!

This coat was a gift from my friend Carolyn. I LOVE it! Thank you Carolyn for keeping Gracie in "style" :)

Jess, check this out!

ok, Jess, I downloaded the new version of Picasa and look what you can do! WORDS! I am SO totally going to love this and will spend MORE time on the computer. Now I just need to learn how to lighten, darken, etc. better. But seriously.. You all know that WORDS will now be on all my pictures!

For those who want this, I'll let you know how I did it. It was a free program and it's easy and it doesn't change your pictures forever. You can play around and save them as a copy and still have your original. Just google Picasa and I think it will walk you through. Right Jess?

LOVE IT!

A Visit

Dear Grandma Diane, Thanks for playing with me. I had fun reading with you. I like your house.

Swinging is so fun!

It was windy with you and Mommy and Daddy, but I liked the ride.

Next time, I hope Grandpa feels better so he can play with us too.

Love,

Gracie

xxoo

What is she thinking?

I'm going to try and copy one of my favorite blogs.... (but I won't pretend that I am anywhere near as funny or that my pictures are even half as good) Tell me what you think Gracie was thinking here or what a good title for this post would be? COME ONE EVERYONE! :)

Thanks!

Dear "Aunt" Jodi, Thank you for my new sweatshirt. I love the colors. My mom was trying to take a picture of me in it... It was tricky.
I couldn't stay sitting on the bed. I kept falling over!
But then she held onto my new coat and it worked.

I like wearing it outside in the nice weather!
Love,
Gracie
xxoo

Big Day

Deanna! You are the best! Thank you for helping me solve my numbers and no picture problem. :)


Here is Gracie's 9 month lamb pictures... It's getting harder and harder to get her to just lay on the blanket for a picture! We may have to go to sitting on the couch holding the lamb. :)

Yesterday was ALSO Shane's birthday! So we celebrated 9 months and 420 months! We are so thankful for Shane. He is a wonderful husband and an amazing father. He loves to play with Grace and is so good about helping me out, giving me breaks so I can have some time to myself. Happy Birthday honey!

At 9 months Gracie:

• is almost 16 lbs. I had her weighed when we got her shots last week and she was 15 lbs and 11 oz. She did have her diaper and shirt on, but we are going to count it. :)
• started sitting up all by herself. We noticed it when we'd get her up from her naps, and then.......
• started standing up all by herself! On Monday I went to get her up from her nap and there she was standing in her crib! Now that's how she is always waiting for us to get her. So far I've seen her pull herself up to the coffee table and her play table.
• is cruising the couch and other furniture
• can crawl, when she feels like it. She would rather cruise around or roll her way, but she can get up on her knees.
• LOVES noodles. I gave them to her the other day and she seriously couldn't get enough.
• LOVES the time change (well, she may not but her mom does!) She has gone down for bed around 8 and is getting up around 7. I can take 7 am.
• Is getting her personality. That is a nice way to say she's got some attitude. Try putting her in her car seat and she doesn't want to... she'll let you know. Leave her alone? She'll let you know she's unhappy! But she also is starting to have fun playing with us too.

Hurry up Spring!

Woohoo! We had a nice day last Friday and so we walked Gracie over to the swings for her first ride! She wasn't sure at first but she warmed up to it very quickly!

Ok, can anyone tell me this? Why when I am uploading pictures do they show up on my post screen as just a jumble of numbers and letters? I can't tell which picture is which until I post it and so I can only write under all of them? Did I do change something?

It's so hard to be beautiful....

Dear Aunt Jess, thank you for cutting my hair. You are the best and I love you.

Dear Grandma and Grandpa W. thank you for playing with me. I had fun at your house. and I liked eating dinner with you.

Dear Aunt Shell, thank you for playing with me and changing my diaper. I will try to not cry next time Uncle Adam wants to cuddle, but let him know I only sleep in my bed. :)

Spaghetti!

Gracie tried Spaghetti for the first time and by the looks of things, she's a fan!

She Reads

check this out!

We've never seen her do it, but just about every day when we go in to get her up from her nap, she's sitting up! She must use the bars to pull herself up. What a big girl!

Gracie's Friend

My friend Adria and her family stopped by on a recent trip they were taking. Her Lia met my Grace for the first time and I think they were instant friends! It was fun to see Adria and share baby stories with her. Her Lia is so sweet with a great big smile!

Have you seen this face?

really. have you seen it? Because she is doing it ALL the time. When she's happy. When she's mad. When she wakes up. When she sees her daddy. When she sees me. ALL THE TIME. (I think it's a funny, cute face!)