Toys r us, shmoys are us

Sometimes in life you do wonder why there is such a corner on the toy market. Fisher Price, Little Tikes, Sesame Street have nothing on a good ol' fashion free time. Due to some interesting weather this weekend Gracie now has a new mobile at the farm. Grandpa Kent couldn't work outside and was feeling closer to his age then he wants to admit, so he took on a Grandfatherly project.

I am sure this is his thought process (mind you I am omitting possible swear words for young ears/eyes :) :

1. It is raining, I don't want to be inside. If I am going to be inside then I am going to do something.

2. Let me go through this box. In the box is a Tupperware lid, fishing line, bobbers, fishing lures, and other stuff.

3. As an engineer, I can easily make something out of what other people would see as trash. *#&# I just cut myself with the dull knife I found and am using to poke the holes.

4. The mobile is hatched from the items and the fisherman even knows how to weight it so it is balanced.

Can't wait for Gracie to enjoy the new gift!

Tupperware lid - $1,

fishing items - $20 (originally),

project to bring joy to both Granddaughter and Grandfather - priceless!

Gracie, our "sweetie"

Gracie has started so many new foods lately and loves them all. She hasn't had any allergies and even started some formula last night. Speaking of new foods, sadly there isn't enough milk for our growing baby so we are adding a little formula with my milk. Since Grace has had 7 months of breast milk I feel okay having to supplement. People don't realize how supplementing can have a huge impact on a mother's psyche. There are so many studies and articles out there saying that breast milk is the best that it is very easy to put undue stress on a mother for not doing what others think is best. Guess we continue dealing with decisions for your child that not everyone might agree with, working has been another fun one to wrestle with. We are blessed that we have the ideal situation for me working full time.

Here is an adorable photo of our little lady enjoying her berries for dessert. She still doesn't have any teeth. Sunday night was our worst night with Gracie and her sleepless night. For many reasons, hunger, lack of naps, and teeth, we think she just had a bad night. Monday night she did redeem herself and let us sleep. It was wonderful and will be classified as heavenly when we finally go and buy our new bed in the coming weeks.

Mommy Daughter Day

Today was such a wonderful day! I took the day off to spend with Gracie and it has been one of the best days we have ever had together. After a little bit of a rough night, we started the day at the zoo with Grandma Jeanne. We walked around, took photos, and just enjoyed the almost 70 degree weather. Then after a very short nap we headed to Grandma Margie's office to visit her co-workers and a ladies lunch. All of this fun activity with the Grandmothers Gracie was exhausted. We had some more fun after a nap and then we tried swimming again.

With a hat, new swimsuit and mommy in the pool ,we tried swimming again. Gracie now is a water baby and loves to play in the water just like her mother. Next Tuesday we might even try the small water slide, MIGHT. She was kicking, smiling, and even started talking with her new sound "ba, ba, ba." It is just amazing how she continues to grow in conjunction with my biceps.

Can't wait for another great weekend with our little lady!

You scream, we all scream at swimming.

Last night was the first night for swim classes and let's just say it didn't end well. As the photos show, she was very excited about the thought of going in a pool and liked it in the beginning. Then the cold of the water really set in and she wouldn't stop crying. We hope Thursday goes better with a warmer swim shirt. Wish me luck since it is my turn to get her in the water!

Grace "This looks interesting and I love the water, but man it is cold. Why are there other babies crying?"

Grace "This singing time is okay and I love looking at the other people"

Grace "This is way too cold daddy please get me out of here I am shivering!"

For my next trick...

Well today for Grace's 7 month birthday she was full of surprises...that is what I get for trying to write her milestones early. Like I said before, here is photographic proof our baby loves to make raspberries!



1. Rollin' Rollin' Rollin: Today she started, with minor help, to roll towards a toy in a 360. I foresee her rolling around within a week.




2. So BIG: She is officially too big for her bouncy seat. When your child can sit upright at a 90 degree angle, they are too big for the chair.






3. Look Ma no hands: Gracie loves to feed herself with her bottle. When she has the bottle, so I have heard and now seen, she rolls it back and forth in her mouth. It is adorable and today she just wanted to hold the sippy cup in her mouth without her hands.




We love our little monkey and can't believe how quickly she is growing. Here are photos of her with Mo and the Zebra in her Easter outfit, since I didn't get a photo of her alone in the outfit. Really what was I thinking that day!?!? Also, do you think our baby likes to smile and laugh? Daddy did a wonderful job keeping her entertained!

The weekend was oh SNOW fun.

Well this weekend turned out to be nothing like we had planned. My two activities were cancelled, bunco & scrapbooking. Instead we were able to enjoy some great family time. Friday night was a little bit of a date night since the snow kept coming and coming. Saturday the snow continued all day and it is just what the yard was asking for. We were able to get a lot done, especially when the power was out for 2 hours. My knees still hurt from scrubbing the kitchen floor in the sunlight. Grandma Jeanne came over that night because they had been without power for 8 hours. Gracie had a great morning surprise on Sunday when she saw her.

Sunday was a day of photographs...yes I took over 100 photos in about 3 hours. It is possible!! Here are a couple images. Her birthday buddy George, and his mommy Anne, came over for fun and a size match-up again. George and Grace had so much fun playing with the toys together and some brief talking. The dimples on George's cheeks are so adorable, you just want to kiss all over them! He was such a trouper for not having his afternoon nap as a mother knows, this is a big deal. Since tomorrow is her 7 month birthday, here are a few updates on Gracie:

• Gracie loves to sit-up and see the world now. When she is tired though, backwards she falls.
• Raspberries are her favorite sound to make and today she even started to make the sound while I was feeding her. I hope that trend stops or I will need to have a shower curtain over me.
• She is starting to roll like a champ and enjoys to roll only two directions. We will be in trouble when she starts rolling to reach something she wants.
• Pears, carrots, and yogurt give her a sour face, though she still eats them. We have tried: yams, butternut squash, peas, bananas, pears, cantaloupe, carrots, and green beans.
• Her new daycare provider, Nicole, was a great find and has given Gracie some good playdate experiences. She is so social it is perfect.
• Today she kept her thumb and other items in her mouth, a tooth has to be around the corner soon.

After Anne and George left, Grandpa Kent came over for some Gracie time. Gracie has started to play shy when people start to smile at her. She cuddles right into your neck...it is heavenly. When Grandpa started to smile at her, she started to play shy. It was so sweet. Then we had a photo session, hence the 100 photos in a couple hours between the tutu and George. After seeing my friend's professional photo session I wanted to get a photo of Gracie in the tutu Julianne gave her. Here are the web approved photos. We don't want her non-censored photos to be on the web.

With Adam and quarterly planning, I am going to take out the trash and get the house ready for the night alone. Wishing everyone all the best!

Party girl in her Party dresses

Our week was pretty quiet before our busy weekend. I am now FINALLY getting over my cold. This week we were trying to get me healthy. Friday night we planned to have a date night, which ended up being a date dinner because I was exhausted. Grandma Jeanne stayed to watch Gracie and Grandpa Kent joined her. Fridays are fun and Gracie is even starting to get interested in knitting.

Saturday we took our trip up to Fort Fun for Ian's first birthday celebration. It was so much fun for everyone. We were able to enjoy time with our friends while Gracie had so many new toys and friends to play with. Here is a photo of Ian (1), Brayden (9 Months), Gracie (6 months). Gracie is a big fan of balloons after her first experience with them. That night Adam and I had a relaxing movie night.

Today was a special Easter! Gracie experienced her first Easter which includes: Church, family, family, and family. We are blessed to have both sets of parents in the same town to spend time with Gracie. The day started with a small hunt around the house for yummy treats Daddy hid for Gracie & I to find. Dressed in our new Easter outfit, we headed to church and then the Petersen's for lunch. We celebrated Grandpa's birthday, my birthday, and Easter together with Uncle Brad even taking a great family photo we can't wait to see. Gracie received some adorable outfits and Winnie the Pooh Easter Bunny. Then it was off to the Peters for more fun with Grandparents, Aunt & Uncle, and nephews. We have had such a blessed day and here are some photos to remember it all.

Here is a photo of Easter Morning with Daddy & Grace's Easter basket. Wishing everyone a very blessed Easter!

Dummer boy...

Gracie is going to miss her musical friend Elijah and I think he is going to miss the undivided attention of this audience.

BTW - Whoever said crying-it-out wasn't easy is so smart. Gracie kept us up from 3 - 4am this morning just wanting to be with us. It is so hard to hear her cry and not go and pick her up. Every 5 mins or so when we checked on her she just wanted us to hold her. She finally got the message and then slept until 7 without a problem. We sure hope tonight goes better!

She's a man-eater

Well, it's been awhile since we posted on the blog so lots to catch up on. We'll explain the man-eater title later in the blog.

Gracie finally did enjoy her first "blizzard" just after Karla's birthday, and here is a photo to prove it. Last weekend Karla was able to go out to Vines, a local wine bar, for some vino and tapas (or as I call them really expensive tiny appetizers). Grace and I had daddy daughter time while Karla was away. Lots of drooling and sleeping but our little monkey put up with all of that. We spent most of Saturday cleaning up our house...it's incredible what a transformation our abode has undergone in the last seven months. The nursery is understandably a lot different, but now it's hard to go into any room without seeing toys, baby blankets, pacifiers, baby clothes or changing 'gear'. Alas this has even spread to our garage where all of my saws and power tools are side-by-side with not one, not two, but three baby strollers.


Gracie continues to explore her surroundings, which include her bathtub faucet.

The week was good overall, but full of activity and some changes. Grace had her last day with Mel and Elijah on Wednesday. Although she doesn't realize the full extent of the change there is no doubt she'll miss Mel and Elijah who always greeted her with a kiss in the morning, or kept her entertained throughout the day. Both Karla and I took Grace to Nicole's house on Thursday to help her acclimate and ease the transition. The first day was a little tough; new people, new location and something us adults know as the common cold.
Here is a photo of Gracie showing you that "Gracie is so big."

We headed up to "the farm" on Friday for the majority of the weekend. Grace was running a slight fever Friday night, but with the help of Grandma Jeanne and Grandpa Kent, she was able to calm down and get a wee bit of sleep. And I'm not exaggerating on the wee bit part. Karla and I traded off who was checking on her and we both checked on her 5-6 times throughout the night. Thankfully, Saturday morning Grace greeting us with a big smile and normal temperature. She's been getting better ever since but still fighting off the end of this bug. The horrible blizzard we were supposed to have didn't happen. Freezing cold and 30+ mile per hour winds kept us inside most of the time. Kent and I hung some drywall and shelves down in the basement while the ladies help organize boxes for this summer's garage sale. Grace lightened up all of our breaks and even helped the old man catch a little shut eye. After staying another night, and having another of many good meals, we packed up this morning and headed back to Denver to run errands before heading home. Mattress shopping just doesn't seem to interest a six month old!

Back at home, Grace chowed down on a photo of George Clooney which was part of a birthday card that Rebecca gave to Karla at Vines. Hence, the man-eater.


Anyway, Karla is telling me I'm going on, and on, and on...etc. so that's the end for now.