Our Little Gem

I Love My Family

2011-12-05T20:21:00.000-08:00

In this year of sadness, I am trying to step back and remind myself of what makes me happy. You know what it is. That kiddo. She truly is amazing. And that husband of mine is pretty awesome too!

I wish I could recall all the funny and quirky things she has said, but no matter what she does or says, I am left smiling. I am very grateful for her and feel lucky she is in our lives.

Just had to share...I needed a happy thought right now.

Anecdotes

2011-11-21T18:59:00.000-08:00

A couple funny anecdotes...

...........................................................................

Grace was giving her trucks a "bath" in the bathroom sink. I warned her she had five minutes to finish up, then two minutes, then time to clean up and get ready for bed. I brought her two jammie options.

Me: Grace, do you want to wear ballerina jammies or polka dot jammies?
Grace (playing with trucks): I don't want jammies Mommy.
Me: It's time to get ready for bed. Which ones? Ballerina jammies or polka dot jammies?
Grace (giving me a cursory glance and saying nonchalantly while playing with trucks): I don't want jammies, but thank you anyway Mommy.

...........................................................................

Grace was a bit cranky--tired, hungry. She hadn't napped and had refused to eat dinner (she's in a picky eating phase). She opened the fridge to get a snack, but grabbed chocolate soy milk instead. I told her she couldn't have chocolate until she ate some food. She was understandably upset, but finally ate some food. Then ate ravenously and asked for more. While I prepared more, I told her she could have the rest of her milk since she had had some food. She smiled and drank her milk, then said, "Chocolate makes me happy."

Grace's PreK Photo

2011-11-17T05:01:00.000-08:00

Not too happy! We are actually looking at switching schools. If not this year, definitely for next year. She begs not to go to school each school day. : (

Chit Chat

2011-11-17T04:58:00.000-08:00

We have two little pumpkins left over from Halloween. Grace plays with them. Here's the dialogue:

[Pumpkin 1]: You a orange?

[Pumpkin 2]: I not a orange, I a pumpkin. You a orange?

[Pumpkin 1]: I not a orange, I a pumpkin.

[repeat]

It's My Party And I'll Cry If I Want To

2011-11-17T04:56:00.000-08:00

It's hard to take a tantrum seriously when the tantrum-thrower dons an Elmo party hat.

Time to Give Thanks

2011-11-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since my last post. In that time, we had a miscarriage. This was the third one. It was the hardest one as we were the farthest along this time and had been so hopeful. We have been so lucky to have an amazing kiddo...and love her so much it hurts. We so very much hope for another, but have not had the good fortune of making it happen.

2011 has been a difficult year. The year began with the sudden and unexpected loss of my grandmother, followed shortly thereafter by the startling loss of my uncle. In between I personally experienced great stress at work and missed out on seeing my family many nights. I experienced a health scare. And then this last loss...we were brimming with hope of a little baby and were so excited. It has been a truly difficult time.

Now 2011 is coming to an end...and it is time to reflect on what we are thankful for. It's a reminder, to me at least, that we do certainly have much to be thankful for in the midst of all our sadness this year.

First, I am so incredibly thankful for my little family...Patrick and Grace. Coming home to them is the best part of my day. I am thankful, too, for our extended family, both near and far. For Pat's parents, Grace's Ta and Grand and GG, and the major role they play in Grace's life. She has such a strong relationship with them and loves them so much. And I certainly appreciate all of their support. For my parents, who keep a strong bond over Skype. Grace loves her Grammy and Grampy very much. For our brothers and their families. For our Aunts and uncles and cousins. Family is everything to me and I feel so grateful for the wonderful family we have...on both sides!

Though I have had a stressful year at work, I am grateful that I am employed full time. I work for a great company with the best colleagues and the greatest supervisors. I have grown and learned so much from the company and the company continues to show great respect, professionalism, and appreciation for its employees.

I am grateful for my friends. I know I can reach out to them when I need someone to lean on and to listen.

I am grateful for being in good health (knock wood!). For all of us being in good health (knock knock!).

When I was experiencing the miscarriage, I kept my sadness at bay around Grace and, of course, didn't explain it to her. But, children sense things. She walked up to me while I was in the kitchen washing dishes or cooking something. She patted me on my arm and said, "Mommy, the best year ever. You'll see." I was startled and said, "What did you say?" She repeated with a smile, "The best year ever. You'll see." I hope she's right.

May 2012 be a good year for us all!

Grace and School

2011-09-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

Grace is loving school now! Yay! In fact, we have been reading the "I Love School" book repeatedly each night, by request. She's talking about her teachers and singing classroom songs. It makes me so happy to know she's happy to be in preK now!

Anecdote

2011-09-17T05:06:00.000-07:00

Grace woke up this morning and said "House? Watch House Mommy?" She's referring to "Bear in the Big Blue House," a favorite show. I said, "I don't know kiddo, let me think about it." Grace responded, "Just one episode?" First time I heard her say "episode." She's so funny.

School Update

2011-09-17T04:52:00.000-07:00

Gracie goes to school three days a week. Monday and Wednesday of her first full week were rough. She kept saying "I don't want to go to school" and "Mommy don't leave me." She would cling to me and cry and scream.

Friday was better. She still said the same things, but once we go to school, I was able to get her to participate in one of the table activities. When she was distracted, I slipped out. I think it was a tear-free morning. Her Grand, who picked her up from school, said she came running out with friends. Progress! Now she's talking about school a little ("Mommy, I have teachers!"), so that's a good sign.

Pat and I went to her Back-to-School Nite to learn about her day in preK. It was nice to learn more about Grace's day. There were only two other sets of parents there. However, one mentioned her son would be having a birthday party soon and she planned on inviting the class. I look forward to that as it will be an opportunity for Grace to continue to build friendships and get to know her classmates.

Grace Loves School

2011-09-09T12:25:00.001-07:00

When I walked into Grace's classroom to pick her up from school, she was in the process of trying to get her teacher to lay down next to her on the mat during rest time. When she saw me, she was so excited. As we gathered her things, she hugged her teachers. I don't know what she did that day exactly. The only thing she mentioned was playing on the playground and driving the toy car and saying, "beep, beep!" All in all, she had a big smile on her face and seemed very pleased with her first school experience. She even did a bit of a hop as we talked and walked to the car.

Hooray!

Yay for PreK!

2011-09-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

Here's Grace running to get to her preschool!

On Wednesday we went for her preschool orientation so she could meet her teachers and a few classmates. Today was her official first day of school. She had a hard time sleeping last night and ended up coming into our bed at 11 pm and finally dozing off a while later. I don't know if she was excited or anxious...but hopefully she's in a pleasant mood for her teachers (she gets grumpy when she's tired!).

She was excited to get to her class and immediately sat down and started playing with puzzles. No tears shed on her part, nor on mine. We were both pretty excited. I am working from home so I have the chance to pick her up at the end of the school day. I just want to hear a first-hand account of the day! I will let you know how it goes!

Summer's End

2011-09-05T17:40:00.001-07:00

So, it has been a while since the last post. Sorry about that! We've had a very busy summer! Some highlights:

Orlando trip: I had to fly to Orlando for business, so Grace and Pat joined me. They had fun together going to Universal Orlando and Sea World. Then we all went to Disney's Magic Kingdom so Grace could have breakfast with princesses. The breakfast was really well done, however, Grace was quite a grump. We left two hours after getting to the park so our princess could get some R & R. Alas, we'll have to try the Disney World trip again another day!

Lake trip to NJ: Grace rode a wave runner for the first time! She loved it!

Sesame Place: This amusement park is just 1 1/2 hour's drive away. We met up with Pat's cousin and his family and sister-in-law and her daughter (our niece). Three kids in total between ages 2 and 4, and five adults. It was a good time and nice to get the little cousins together for a day with Elmo and friends! This time Grace got to enjoy the water park, which we've missed enjoying in past trips.

Now we're preparing for the next adventure--Grace's first day of preschool! This Wednesday is her orientation where she'll meet her teachers and a few fellow classmates. I am so excited for her because I know school will be right up her alley. She's incredibly social. Case in point: While in the car with the window down, Grace saw a group of people exiting a deli and yelled out the window, "Hi people!" She's always saying hello and introducing herself to everyone. She gets so very excited when she's around kids especially. So, cross fingers, her first official day of preschool will go well!

Toddler Love: Fireworks or Friendship?

2011-07-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here's Grace with her best friend and neighbor. As you can see, she's delighted to be sitting next to him in his new ride. Today we spent some more time with the neighbors. At one point, her friend hugged and kissed her square on the lips. They're quite a pair.

Grace went to bed talking about him nonstop. It's hard to say whether she is just excited to have a friend (this is her first friend, really), or whether she's a bit smitten. In any case, they enjoy each other's company. And Mom and Dad enjoy watching these two interact.

Happy 4th everybody! May you enjoy your own fireworks!

New Shoes!

2011-06-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

Gracie loves her new shoes! She, of course, picked them out. I wouldn't pick out anything like this! But she wouldn't take them off...well, that is, until it was bedtime.

Weekend Jaunts

2011-06-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday is errand day. Patrick headed off to his photography class and Grace and I headed out to run errands. Lately, Grace has been asking for food every 6 minutes it seems (growth spurt?) so I suggested we go to one of her favorite places for lunch--Applebee's (I know, I don't get it either).

Shana: Grace, do you want to go to Applebee's for lunch?

Grace (face lighting up): What a great idea!

This seems to be her new catch phrase. Where she picked it up, I don't know. We headed to Bed Bath and Beyond, Babies r Us, then the grocery store. Headed home only to get her off to bed! Long day!

Today we all went to the Irish Festival. Grace was not in the best mood. She was crying about everything...all...day...long. The Irish Festival was a bit disappointing. Coupled with Gracie's foul mood--well, let's just say we didn't stay for too long!

Hopefully tomorrow is a better day!

"Oh Daddy!"

2011-06-05T14:11:00.001-07:00

Grace was in the kitchen, listening to music, wearing a tutu and tiara...the usual. She decided she wanted Daddy, so she called out, "Daddy? Oh, Daddy!!!" She yelled again, "Daddy?! Daddy!!"

As we heard his footsteps coming done the hallway, Gracie looked at me and said, "Daddy coming!"

When Daddy walked into the kitchen, Grace shouted happily, "I did it!"

Daddy, "Yes, you did girl."

Grace, "You're welcome!"

Grace's Big Girl Bed

2011-06-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we converted Grace's crib into a "big girl bed"--she was very excited about it!

Now we just need to help her understand when it is okay to get up. One night she woke up at 10 pm, came out of her room and said, "Good morning, Mama!"

Kids Say the Darndest Things, Part Two

2011-06-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

While in a department store, Grace suddenly climbs in the middle of a clothing rack. I call for her and call for her and she remains quiet. After a minute or two, she comes to my side, looks up and says, "No more poops." Needless, to say, we found a bathroom shortly thereafter to change her!

***

Later that same afternoon, I was baking Patrick a cake for his birthday. Grace was in the kitchen with me. She opened a tall cabinet we have and appeared to look for a snack. Next thing I know, Grace is inside the cupboard.

Shana: Gracie, come out of there.

Grace: --

Shana: Grace come on out. Close the cupboard door.

Grace: --

Shana: Grace, are you making poops?

Grace (peeking out of the cupboard and pointing emphatically): No!! Go, Mama! Cook!

Needless to say we made a trip to the changing table again.

***

Grace and I went to the mall. While there, Grace picked out a pink bear. Since it was on sale, I bought it. When we got home, I put on some music (Grace LOVES music)...but instead of Gracie dancing, she had the bear "dance" and said in a singsong voice: "Go, Bear! Go, Bear! Dance, Bear!"

***

Grace has a play phone that plays music and rings. When no one has played with the toy, it will occasionally ring out on its own. One evening, as we were getting ready to read stories before getting Grace to bed, Grace was mid-climb up the couch when her toy phone rang. She stopped, climbed down, rushed to her phone and "answered" it: "Hello? Okay. Bye!" Then returned to climbing up the couch for her nightly story time!

Kids Say the Darndest Things...

2011-05-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

At an ice cream parlor, we sit and look over the sweet treats menu. Gracie is fussing and crying.

Pat: What's the matter girl?

Grace [crying]: I can't read!

***

On the way to the ferry to see Mommy off to work.

Shana: Grace, you know in a few months you will go to school.

Grace: That's really, really cool.

***

Grace dances in the kitchen to her favorite toddler tunes.

Shana: Wow, Grace, you're good at dancing.

Grace: Thank you, Mama. [Then takes a grandiose bow.]

***

While trying to get Grace ready for bed, she runs into our bedroom (a delay tactic), then peeks out our window. She sees our neighbors through their kitchen window and begins to shout out and says, "Hi." A dialogue ensues.

Grace: Good morning, J---!

Neighbor: It's not morning.

Shana (whispering to Grace): Say, "Good night!"

Grace (yelling): Good night! Sweet dreams!

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

The day before Easter, Gracie Skyped with Grammy and Grampy in California so they could watch her open the Easter gifts they sent. She loved her new sandals and dresses. Thanks Grammy and Grampy!

Gracie unpacking her Easter basket...and eating a Reese's peanut butter egg. I told her she could have one candy a day...but later, she stole candy from the stash we gave to Grand, Ta, and GG.

Gracie immediately put on her new white shoes and a new dress her Grammy and Grampy sent her. She loves dressing up! Unfortunately wearing the shoes without socks caused her to get "boo boos" on her ankles...and she boohoo'd over it for some time after.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T05:27:00.000-07:00

Here's Grace on Easter morning. She was most excited about the shoes in her Easter basket and wanted to wear them right away. Then she wanted to put on the dress that Grammy and Grampy sent her. Here she is dancing in her fancy dress and shoes to her favorite artist, Lady Gaga!

Long Overdue Update

2011-04-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my long absence from the digital world. Rather than update everything that has happened since my last post, I'll just share some recent highlights. Most of you probably already know the ups and downs of the past months.

Back to the more delightful subject--Miss Grace. Grace is now over 2 years old and as amazing as ever. Her vocabulary is astounding and the sentences she comes up with are often amusing, surprising, or endearing. A few anecdotes...

A week or so ago, while I was making French toast, Grace pulled a chair up to the stove and climbed up to "help." She grabbed a cookbook and held it too close to the burner for my comfort. I told her not to hold the book so close to fire because it was dangerous. She repeated, "Dangerous." Then asked, "What happens?" I explained that if fire spreads and gets out of control people can get hurt and have trouble breathing. I pointed to the fire under the pan I was cooking in. I said, "When we control fire it is safe. See? The fire now is in control and helps us cook our food." She looked at me thoughtfully, then smiled and said, "Be right back." She climbed down from the chair and walked off down the hall. A few moments later she returned. Elatedly she announced, "Yay! I find it Mama!" I looked down and she stepped back up on the chair and handed me the TV remote control. "Controller, Mama."

Another time, I came home from work and was talking to Pat about something. Grace was in her jammies walking between us. I hear her say something about a diaper. So I asked, "Did you make poops Grace?" She said, "No. No, poops." Then after a pause, she turned and said, "Just toot."

Tonight I was trying to get Grace to come to the bathroom so I could blow dry her hair before she went to bed. She was trying to get me to read a story instead. I walked to the bathroom and said, "Come on Grace!" She yelled, "Mama!!!" and ran after me. I crouched down near her and said, "What kiddo?" She replied, "I'm missing Mama."

I can't tell you how much I love that kiddo...because there aren't words that exist to convey it. Let's just say she lights up my days and gives me a reason to keep breathing. Love that little nugget!

Autumn in New York

2010-12-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

Grace enjoying a roll in the leaves! We love autumn!

Grace at the Park

2010-11-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

Grace went out and about with her Grand and Daddy. Here she is visiting the ducks at Snug Harbor.

Here she is again. I am not sure what she was up to here. My guess is she is quacking like a duck or cawing like a crow. Like I have said before, the girl likes birds.

Peek-a-boo! Grace is peeking through the trees!

Boogie Baby

2010-11-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

Pearl took this video with her cell phone yesterday. Pearl and Rod took Grace to a Six Flags theme park to attend a special wine tasting and craft fair event. Grace couldn't be bothered with the wine or the crafts, but give her a live band and that kid will bring down the house! Here she is showing off her moves and rocking out!

Grace's Halloween

2010-11-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

Pat and I spent most of the Halloween moving out of our Brooklyn apartment. However, I had a chance to take Grace on her first trick-or-treating adventure!

Here is Grace tramping through the fall leaves, going door-to-door, ringing bells, and not saying "Trick-or-Treat." However, her toddler charm always won her plenty of accolades and extra candy each time she visited a house. Her little Elmo candy bucket filled up with sweets...and Grace was very excited by this new turn of events. She is a very friendly and social girl...and here she was able to knock on doors and meet different people. Even better, these people gave her fun, colorful packages with yummy treats. Even though Grace does not get to eat candy, she intuitively knew that these brightly wrapped items were somehow something delicious to eat!

As you can see, Grace didn't start her adventure off as a happy camper. Pearl had a tutu custom-made so Grace could be Zoe Ballerina from Sesame Street. Grace was not feeling the costume, and screamed her protests. In this picture, she is trying very hard to pull off the tutu. Once she left the house, and saw that this tutu thing meant people said she was cute and, furthermore, meant people gave her shiny packages of chocolatey goodness...well, she was all smiles. She ended her Halloween with her first taste of chocolate candy (Reese's Cup, Twix, and KitKat)...and a mouth covered with chocolate!

Happy Halloween to you all! Hope it was sweet!

Sesame Place Visit #2

2010-10-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Mommy, Daddy, Gracie, and Abuelita took a trip to Pennsylvania to visit Elmo and friends at Sesame Place! We began early in the morning with a special breakfast. We reserved a spot at the "Dine With Me!" breakfast with Elmo and friends. Grace hardly ate at all...she was too busy socializing with Sesame Street characters. Elmo and Big Bird were her favorites. Here she is dancing with Big Bird. She monopolized Big Bird and Elmo for much of the breakfast. She also said "hello" to Ernie and even Bert. She was thrilled!

Grace saw a lot of Elmo during her visit. Including a photo op with Elmo in his Halloween costume! Notice, she is also holding Abby Cadabby and Grover, which for some reason, were some favorites during today's visit! She is currently sleeping soundly with Grover tucked under her arm.

We ended the day with a Halloween-themed Elmo's World Live performance! Before the big show, Grace decided to infiltrate the set and practice playing Elmo's piano. She hopes to star in her own show one day.

Grace Heads to the Farm

2010-09-23T11:39:00.001-07:00

Grace, Daddy, Mommy, and Grand took a trip to the farm Saturday. Alstede Farm, located in Chester, NJ, was a great place to get fresh air and fresh fruit and veggies! Grace enjoyed picking apples and raspberries! She also enjoyed a wagon ride through the veggie patch. We can't wait to go back!

Slidin' at the Park

2010-08-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Grace enjoying the slide at the park this morning. Unfortunately, she's seen many a kid climb up the slide, so naturally she does this too.

Grace Having Fun

2010-08-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a little video of Grace having fun on our bed. I was trying to get her on video doing her latest trick--bending over and putting her head between her legs. However, she preferred to do backward dives into the pillows instead! Enjoy!

Sesame Place

2010-08-19T06:43:00.001-07:00

We all went to Sesame Place about two weeks ago. Sesame Place is an amusement park in Pennsylvania. As you can see from the picture, Grace had a GREAT time. She also got to meet Elmo, her favorite! She had fun interacting with kids and dancing to Elmo's live rock band. We were there from 10 am to 5 pm...and Grace was nonstop!

It's the 30th birthday of Sesame Place this year. To celebrate, Sesame Place offered a 2 for 1 ticket. So we can return to the park for a second day for free. We hope to return in the fall. Maybe we will schedule a meal with the Sesame Street characters this time! Can't wait!

Stinky Diaper

2010-08-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

This morning, while I was making breakfast, Grace was in her "kitchen" in the sitting room. As the eggs were cooking in my kitchen, I went to go check on Grace in hers. I started talking to her about what she was making, when I noticed she was edging away from me. She started walking around the other side of the coffee table. She wasn't doing it playfully, so I wondered why she wasn't engaging with me in her kitchen area. I continued to talk to her about her "cooking" and she continued to edge away.

Finally, I looked at her and asked what was wrong. She held her nose with her fingers, imitating what we do when she makes a "stinky" in her diaper. So I asked if she had a poopoo dipe. She said, "No!" I checked and didn't notice anything in her diaper. Less than a minute later, breakfast was ready and I started to put her in her chair. I stopped short when I noticed her diaper was loaded! I guess holding her nose was the sign that a "stinky" was in process and to give her some space!

Needless to say, Grace is a riot. She gives me something to smile about every day. I love that kid.

Gracie at the Zoo

2010-07-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

I will be traveling for work soon, so I took today off to spend it with my family! Pat, Pat's mom, Gracie, and I went to the Bronx Zoo today! It was a hot, muggy, and rainy day...but we had a great time nonetheless!

We spent a lot of time initially visiting the "World of Birds" (Grace loves birds). We saw a few birds cleaning themselves with their beaks. Gracie and I began to mimic them (it was really quite cute).

Then we strolled around and saw giraffes, ostriches, peacocks, alligators, ducks, geese, bison, owls, tamarin, etc. This picture was taken at the children's area of the zoo. Gracie had a blast there and made some friends too! She loves other kids...and there were plenty to meet here! And she was able to practice some animal noises--mimicking the rooster's cockadoodledoo, clucking and flapping her "wings" like a chicken, quacking like a duck. On our way out, we stopped by to see the sea lions--they were a big hit! Grace also imitated the sea lions' barking. We had to spend quite a bit of time there. And the 2 month old sea lion was especially cute!

All in all, we had a memorable time. I am going to miss my Gracie while away for work. But I am so glad I have this memory to take with me...and I am so eager to get back home to her smiling face (or grumpy face--I love all her faces!).

Constant State of Panic

2010-07-12T21:13:00.001-07:00

I feel like being a mother means I am in a constant state of panic. I love my daughter more than I thought possible. Sometimes it is overwhelming.

I just finished reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and was a complete wreck when I finished it on the subway this morning. If you aren't familiar with it, it is a lecture about living, written by a professor who found out he had just months to live. In part, it is a time capsule for his three children, 6, 3, and 1 1/2 years old at the time. Something to remember their father by. The mere thought of losing precious time with Grace is unimaginable...it breaks my heart just to think of it. I realize I am not in control. I cannot protect Grace from every danger or every heartache...and therein lies the problem. Hence the constant state of panic. Most days I keep it in check, other days I am overwhelmed by the thought that I can't protect her from everything.

Thinking of the book, I put myself in Randy Pausch's place...how could I ever say goodbye to my 1 1/2 year old? I hope I never have to...not for a long time to come at least. I would want her to know, that even at 18 months, I can see how strong she is, how incredibly smart, and perceptive. She amazes me every day. I am so lucky.

I love how she holds my hand and leads me around the room. How she insists that I "sit" on the floor and help her cook in her kitchen. I love that she shares...everything. Hugs, toys, a good laugh. I love how she giggles. I love that she pokes herself in the belly button and makes a munching sound like her belly is eating her finger. I love that I can ask her where her "nostril" is, and she smiles slyly and puts a finger up her nose. I love hearing her talk to her stuffed animal menagerie each morning. I love her curiosity and strong will. I am amazed at her memory and intellect. She is such an incredible person...I am a proud mama. I want us to be in each other's lives for many many years. There is so much more I want to know about Gracie. And there's already so much to love.

Grace's 18 Month Check Up

2010-07-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

Grace's doctor's visit went pretty well. She's wise to the whole doctor's office thing. She was happy as could be in the waiting room, but as soon as a nurse opened the door and called her name, she shook her head and said, "No" repeatedly as we carried her in. Then, unfortunately, the nurse that Grace hates was the one to take her measurements, so, naturally, she screamed and fussed a bit. After the nurse measured her length, Grace began doing the sign for "All done" and kept saying, "Done" and "Bye" to the poor nurse.

When the doctor came to examine her, Grace was back in tears. Keep in mind, this was before the shots! She kept telling our doctor, "Bye!" On the upside, when the doctor asked about Grace's development and learned about how well Grace speaks and understands, she suggested Grace might be ready for potty training. I informed her that we do have a potty for Grace (Grace can say "pee" and "potty" too now) and that she sits on it when I go to the potty myself. She also knows she can use toilet paper when she goes on the potty (a huge selling point).

When the doctor left to get the vaccines, Grace was ready to go. She kept repeating, "Bye" and "Door." Then she tried to get Daddy and Mommy ready by putting our sunglasses on our faces...she was quite disappointed when the doctor showed up again. She screamed during the shots, and made the "All done" sign again. Afterwards, the doctor said, "You don't have to come back for six months now!" Grace clapped and said, "Yay!" After leaving the doctor's office, Grace was right as rain again!

Paparrazi

2010-06-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

Grace...enjoying an impromptu photo shoot.

Boo!

2010-06-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in May while in Arizona attending a friend's wedding. Grace is peeping through a hole in a tree trunk at the Phoenix Zoo.

Look Who's Cooking Now!

2010-06-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

Patrick and I bought Grace a red retro play kitchen! I have been eyeing kitchens for a while. You see, Grace joins me in the kitchen every morning as I make breakfast. She has her own tupperware containers and often digs through the cupboards to haul out a pan or two. She will go to our utensil drawer and get a spoon or spatula. As I cook, she will sit looking at recipe books or pretending to stir something in her tupperware, all the while saying to me, "Hot." She's been doing this a while and seems to be into imaginative play...so I was looking around for a kitchen of her own. I received a discount coupon for a website which sold a kitchen I was interested in...and, well, ended up purchasing a kitchen for Grace a bit sooner than planned. It's a pretty cool kitchen (see for yourself!) and Grace seems to really love it!

We bought a few play food sets to go with it. The other day, while I was in my kitchen, she was in her own. As I was cooking, Grace walked up to me with her pot in her hand, her toy spatula in the other and said, "Look." So, I did. She had an assortment of play food inside the pot and she was stirring. I "tasted" her meal, and she happily tasted it too, then returned to her kitchen to put the final touches on her dish! She's a happy camper! And loves the sink in her kitchen especially. She says, "hands" and places her hands under the faucet to "wash" them. It's so darn cute.

Grace's Latest Antics

2010-05-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

Grace is awesome. And at 17 months, she's officially a toddling toddler with antics that keep mommy and daddy amused. A few such antics include:

Today, Grace and I went to the store to get some fruit and snacks. As I was putting things away in the fridge, Grace dug through the grocery bags, pulled out the plastic-wrapped seedless grapes and used her chompers to gnaw her way to a grape (through plastic and all). Hilarious!
Grace LOVES bath time. She knows how to say bath and sign it in ASL. Nothing makes her happier. She will stand at the tub and place her hand under the water, without removing it, until I turn the water off and strip her down!
Grace is a dancing machine. She comes up with her own dance moves and will dance to just about any catchy tune (including the ice cream truck music, commercial jingles, or even a humming mommy). Some moves include raising her hands above her head, twisting her shoulders back and forth, stomping her feet, flapping her arms...speaking of flapping her arms...
Grace will flap her arms and make "Bac, Bac, Bac" chicken sounds anytime you say the word "chicken." So, guess what she did when we mommy told her we were having "chicken" for lunch?
Grace now says something very close to "Thank you" and gets a kick out of hearing "You're welcome" in response.
Grace brushes her teeth (and tongue)...and now mimics mommy by bending over and pretending to "spit" in the midst of it. Please note, she does not "spit" into the sink, but onto the floor. The first couple times, she just went through the motion of it. The last time, a little spit did hit the floor. Uh-oh!
A short time ago, Grace had a little bit of a diaper rash on her bottom. So, I would allow a little more wait time before putting on a diaper. After we gave her a bath, I dried her with her towel, then let her play with her music table for a minute. Suddenly, I see her walk to the bathroom (not unusual as she is obsessed with the bathroom and the bathtub)...when I followed her, I saw her sitting on the floor. Up she stood and left behind a little puddle of pee. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but one could say this was the first time Grace peed in the bathroom. Now we just need her to do it on the potty. (And spit in the sink).

Every day is a new amusement, a new story to tell...Grace amazes me with her humor, her kindness, her affection, her intelligence (I can't believe how perceptive she is), her memory...what's most amazing is that she's our little girl. She is our joy!

Latest Words

2010-04-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

Grace is expanding her vocabulary to include:

kitty
cold
shoes
socks
eggs (pronounced "ah"ggs)
house (pronounced "haas")

There are likely more that I am not thinking of. She also howls when I show her a wolf toy that came with a Three Little Pigs set. And whenever someone says the words "scare" or "scary," she will say, "Boo!"

Today she also helped mommy cook. As I was making an egg scramble, Grace helped add the cheese. She also stirred it up a little. I can't wait to get her a play kitchen! She would love it! Anyone know of a cool one, especially one that makes sounds?

Mark This Day in History

2010-04-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today is one for the history books, for today Grace has learned to say NO. This morning as she was having breakfast, she started saying "no,no,no,no,no..." and has been practicing ever since! She says it with flourish and the word is well-articulated. She has also been practicing her scowl face and fingerpointing.

On top of it all, Grace has been having a ROUGH time (and so, naturally, have mommy and daddy) presumably because she is teething. She has one new tooth breaking the surface up top...and her gums in general look a bit swollen, so I am not sure how many might be on the way or which ones.

Oops, gotta go...she's crying again. Poor nugget. (Poor mommy.)

15 month checkup

2010-04-08T20:40:00.000-07:00

Grace had a doctor visit today. I always dread taking her..and this time I did it solo. She handled it pretty well at first. She only started to cry when she got on the scale. During previous visits, she would go into hysterics as soon as we entered the exam room. Overall, it wasn't as traumatizing (for mom) as it has been the past couple of times!

The doctor asked about Grace's development...is she walking? running? talking? Grace is walking...not quite running...and definitely talking. The doctor asked how many words Grace can say. I was trying to guess the number (I was thinking it's close to 20, was sure it was over 10)--as I pondered the number, the doctor said, "At her age, I would expect her to say about 3 words." Well.

So it got me thinking...how many words can Grace say now? Here's a list of what I can think of at the moment...I may forget a few. Note, I am only including those that are consistently well-articulated and used in appropriate context.

(in no particular order)

1. uh-oh

2. mama

3. daddy

4. up

5. bottle

6. ball

7. this

8. hot

9. hat

10. cat

11. moo

12. boo

13. woof

14. cheese

15. clock

16. teeth

17. eyes

18. hi

19. bye bye (though this can sound like buh buh)

Hmmm...I feel like there are more, but I can't recall them at the moment.

A few anecdotes:

Grace enjoys reading Goodnight, Gorilla. On the last page a little mouse says "Goodnight, Gorilla." The gorilla responds with "Zzzz." When I read it to Grace, I act out the sleep part by laying my head to the side and snoring. Grace mimics this by laying her head to the side too.
Today Grace was reaching for a sharp object. I told her, "No" and pointed a finger. She spent the next five minutes practicing pointing her finger at me and trying to say "No"--she only managed a "Nah" sound. Note to self, limit fingerpointing.
Grace loves being scared/startled. A common game we play is that I pretend to not notice her, then I suddenly turn upon her and say "Boo!" Sometimes she jumps if I really sneak up on her. But she giggles hysterically every time. This game doesn't seem to grow old.
I hum a superhero song as I have Grace "fly" through the air. When I hum the song while holding her, she automatically assumes the superhero position in my arms (leans over so she can "fly" parallel with the ground).

What an awesome kid right?

Lambie Found!

2010-03-25T08:43:00.001-07:00

The great Lambie mystery has been solved! As is often the case, as soon as you give up looking, you tend to find what you are looking for. I ordered a Lambie twin (with no regrets!) and the next morning I found Lambie (the original) in an unbeleivable place.

I was changing Grace's crib sheet, and saw beady eyes peeking out at me. Grace has a cloth teether on her crib, held together by velcro straps. Grace must have amused herself by sticking Lambie inside. Check out the photo of the discovery (see those beady eyes?).

And the reunion photo (note: Grace has been in exceedingly good spirits all day since the reunion!).

Case closed! Woohoo!

The Case of the Missing Lambie

2010-03-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

So Grace's best friend is a plush lamb that we call Lambie. She loves Lambie. Sleeps with Lambie every night. She wakes up and talks to Lambie until I pick her up out of her crib. She cuddles Lambie and gives Lambie kisses. Her face lights up when she sees Lambie. A week ago Lambie disappeared.

Lambie was last seen on Wednesday, March 17th. We have searched high and low for that lamb. Both Pat and I have checked under the couch, under the bed, under the crib, in bins, behind cabinets, in the laundry basket...no luck. No Lambie.

There was a Lambie sighting reported at Grace's Abuelita's house, but after investigating the matter, it was a case of mistaken identity. Lambie is still missing one week later. I am afraid the prospects are not good. When a missing lamb is gone this long...well, let's just say we hope Lambie found a good farm.

Apparently Lambie is worth a lot of money. I checked for a Lambie replacement and found they ran $50. I did come across a used one and ordered it for a fraction of that cost. Hopefully it will be in good shape and Grace can find happiness in Lambie's twin. : ( I realize that she may very well decide she prefers another animal...and ordering Lambie would have been futile. But. I remember that her face lit up every time she saw Lambie...and I can't help it. It's the first toy she's ever been attached to...so if not for her, then it will be for my own sentimentality. Hopefully we'll find the original, but if not, I hope new Lambie finds a place in Grace's heart.

Grace at the Zoo, part 2

2010-03-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am still figuring out our technology, but was able to put together some photos along with video of Grace's trip to the zoo. Enjoy seeing Grace in action!

NOTE: I had to compress the video file. If you want a copy at higher quality, let me know and I can send it to you on CD!

Grace Visits the Zoo

2010-03-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Finally, the sun shines on NYC! Grace and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather. We phoned Abuelita and Grand to see if they wanted to join us for a day at the Staten Island Zoo! It was Grace's first zoo trip...and she enjoyed it! She loves seeing animals. The biggest adventure of all was that Grace decided to walk the zoo herself. She has been hesitant to walk outside up until now. So she traversed many lands today...and now mommy is looking into getting shoes with a thicker sole! We all had fun in the sun!

Note: I forgot to add a music credit to the slide show--Chris Kuffner is the musician playing the accompaniment in the video. Enjoy his awesomeness.

Grace's Latest Tricks

2010-03-04T17:15:00.000-08:00

Awesome little Grace is now toddling away. She loves to walk, and she walks more often than she crawls.
She walks on her knees sometimes.
She has increased her vocabulary and says: ball, bottle (sounds more like bah'le), hat, clock (though she has trouble with the "l" sound), cheese (sounds like "eeze" most times), uh-oh, bye (sounds like ba), hi, and 'lo for "hello"...and today she copied mama when she went "bac bac bac" like a chicken. She likes to buzz like a bee, too.
She twisted a Snapple lid onto a Snapple bottle the other day.
She can stack up to five blocks (and knock 'em down).
She waves hello/goodbye.
She claps.
She dances...on beat. She has done that since she was born really.
She likes to play "mirror"-with mama imitating her moves or vice versa.
She loves kisses...getting them from mom and dad, from her "lambie"--from just about anyone. One day Grace even took my face in her hands, adjusted the position of my head, and leaned her forehead in for a kiss.
She is really good at remembering things and making connections. I was wearing a shirt with a monkey on it the other day. She pointed to the monkey on my shirt, then to a stuffed animal monkey in her room. When we read "Where's Baby's Belly Button," there is an interior page with the same illustration as the cover page. When we read the book the first time, Grace stopped at that spot in the book, then flipped back to the cover to see the same image.
She likes to place objects inside containers (e.g., bags, tupperware, boxes).
She shares. When she is playing, whether with me or another little one, she is far more interactive than I would expect at this age. And she is always willing to share--handing one drum mallet over as she bangs her instrument with the other, for example.
She loves to read. And reread. Over. And over. She will sit in my lap and have me read a book 5 times in a row.

Grace is an awesome little kiddo...and I love watching her grow and develop...and surprise me with new achievements!

An Eventful Weekend

2010-02-14T16:56:00.000-08:00

Patrick took Sunday off and we finally had a weekend together as a family! On Saturday we went to the Museum of Natural History with Pat's parents, his brother Andrew, and Andrew's friend, Kelsey. We saw The Silk Road exhibit and (my favorite) the Butterfly exhibit! Grace had a great time...though she was a little unhappy in the butterfly conservatory.

Sunday, Pat and I took Grace to the Brooklyn Children's Museum...her first visit! I have long wanted to bring Grace to this museum...and she LOVED it! In fact, we all had a great time!! Pat took some pictures; we'll have to post them soon!

2010-02-13T05:08:00.000-08:00

The other day I spent the better part of an hour laughing with Grace. At one point she was laughing so hard she fell down, unfortunately I realized way too late that I should record this really awesome moment. I was only able to capture the last few moments before mommy came home.

Fun Anecdote

2010-02-09T03:46:00.000-08:00

Last week, Grace was happily playing with her nesting boxes. I realized it had been a while since she had lunch and was nearing snack time. So I said, "Hey kiddo, ready for snack?" She stopped playing, sat up, looked at me, and made some sort of sound (a grunt perhaps?). So I thought about it and said, "How about some banana and yogurt? Would you like some banana and yogurt?" Her eyes got wide and she took to all fours and started crawling straight toward the kitchen. I sat, watching her in slight amusement. She paused mid-crawl and turned to look at me with an expression that clearly asked, "Hey, are you coming?" I got up and began walking in her direction. She proceeded to crawl straight to the kitchen and waited for me to come get her snack!

Wild Child

2010-02-09T03:42:00.000-08:00

Just had to share this recent photo of Grace (about 13 months old). I just love that fuzz head!

Grace Is Growing Up

2010-02-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

Grace has been interested in feeding herself with a fork or spoon. When I bring it towards her, she grips it in her hand and carries it to her mouth independently. Today, she took the spoon from me. Then picked up a piece of scrambled egg, placed it appropriately on the spoon and fed herself!

We also played a game of "chase" this morning. As Gracie crawled away from me, I shuffled behind her and said, "I'm going to get you!" She giggled with delight. As she reached the open child gate at the end of the hall, she tried to close it behind her (presumably to get more distance from mommy during our "chase" game...clever, I thought). However, we have it fixed open and she couldn't. She didn't mind it much when I caught up to her though!

I love Grace so much...it's amazing. And I am both excited and saddened by the thought of her getting older. I can't wait to hear her talk and watch her learn and discover more things. Yet. I want every moment to last...I don't want it to fly past. And I certainly don't want it to fly past with me wishing I had spent more time with her...more time enjoying every milestone and discovery. I can't get enough of the little one...and I wish I had more time. Anyone know of a country I can move to where they will pay me to stay home and enjoy my baby? I'll pack my bags.

Gracie Walks!

2010-01-21T06:51:00.000-08:00

Gracie took her first independent step when we were in California in December, however, she would never take more than one step by herself. Each time she took one step, she reconsidered and returned to crawling. Yesterday, January 20th, I came home from work and was playing with Gracie. She stood up and Daddy walked in to the room. She took one step. Daddy stayed where he was...we both stood expectantly, wondering if this would be the day she took step two!

She took another step. We beamed a smile at each other. She didn't stop there. She took a little half step...then another step...and another. She took four big steps all by herself!! We were beaming and applauded her. Then I turned to Daddy and said, "Now, we're in trouble!"

Gracie continued to "practice" walking the rest of the night. She would stand up a short distance from something (e.g., Mommy, a toy) then take a couple steps toward it. She's catching on...and quickly!

This morning I heard her giggle again! It had been a while. She's been ill much of January and broke out in a full body rash on Monday. I took her to the doctor who said it looked like Fifth's disease or some similar viral disease. Nothing we could do except keep an eye out for signs of an ear infection. I must say, since the rash broke out, her spirits improved. Now her rash is nearly gone. She does still have a lot of boogies and a lingering cough. But she is laughing and smiling again. Whew! I missed that!

Grace Eats Cake?

2010-01-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Grace had her first taste of sugary frosting...she had no interest in the carrot cake!

Grace's First Birthday

2010-01-17T07:43:00.000-08:00

Grace's first birthday party was a lot of fun! It was great to see friends and family and we all appreciated everyone who came to celebrate with us on a cold winter day--and right after new year's too!

Here's video of Grace "blowing" out her first candle...on her first cake!

Grace's Bath!

2010-01-01T19:03:00.000-08:00

Pat created a video with his new recorder...here it is! Not too eventful, but now you can see Grace enjoying her bath! Tomorrow is Grace's first birthday party...let's see if we can get some video then!!

Christmas Lights

2009-12-12T17:52:00.000-08:00

Today we took Grace out for a stroll around the neighborhood to see the Christmas lights! We had a great time...and noticed a lot of people driving around to view the lights. I sang carols and Grace joined me with her own chorus. Her dad took pictures of houses. He did nab a photo of mother and daughter. So here's Grace and me, all decked out for the cold, feeling the Christmas spirit.

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. I have the fondest childhood memories of this time of year. I am grateful for my parents for making this time of year so special. I hope Pat and I are able to create meaningful and memorable traditions with Gracie.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Having Fun!

2009-12-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

We took this picture a couple days ago! This is Grace at 11 months old, having fun riding in a box as her dad and I pushed her around the room! Who needs Disney's teacup ride when you have parents to spin you around in a box!

All I Want for Christmas...

2009-12-08T19:31:00.001-08:00

Here's Gracie showing off her two bottom teeth! This was taken about a month ago. She now has one tooth on top...now she just needs the other front tooth! I always loved her smile...but it is even cuter with her little nubby teeth! The only problem now is she enjoys grinding her teeth together! I hope she soon gets over the novelty of the sound and gives up the grinding! Not a good habit!

Long Overdue

2009-12-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

My apologies for the delay in posting this photo, but here is Grace in her big girl bath! As you can see, she loves it! Bath time is her favorite time! We sing a "naked baby" song and dance our way to the warm bath. She splashes and plays with toys happily as we scrub her down! Mom wraps her in a towel afterwards (to her chagrin)...and we continue the rest of the bedtime routine! We all love bath nights...it's quite a family event!

October fun

2009-12-08T19:14:00.000-08:00

Grace and her cousins, Jasper and Rose, had a chance to party it up in NYC! Jim, Gretel, Jasper, and Rose came to Brooklyn in October for a visit. Grace showed her cousins around Brooklyn. Here's Gracie happy to be with her cousin Jasper! Shortly after this photo was taken, we all headed to the MTA Transit Museum. Though the visit was cut short (the museum closed unexpectedly early), fun was had by all!

Gracie can't wait for the next visit!

The Early Beginnings of Toddlerhood

2009-11-30T17:53:00.000-08:00

So Grace is trying to walk now! She has been standing up on her own these last two weeks or so. She is still very excited by this accomplishment and was giggling each time she stood up independently today! She is now trying to take steps independently but has not yet accomplished it. She delights in trying though! Will she be a "toddler" by her first birthday? Hard to say right now...but she seems determined, and she is pretty strong-willed and smart. Speaking of smart, she figured out the "child-proof" latch we have on our nightstand drawer this morning.

Grace recently traveled with us up north to visit her Uncle Mike, Aunt Jen, and 2-month-old cousin, Julianna. We all spent Thanksgiving together! It was nice to be around family and Grace was interested in the little baby! Grace was a bit grumpy during the trip, however! Teething is no fun and Grace is now working on her top teeth!

Every day I am grateful for little Grace. I still marvel at the fact that I am a mom and Grace is my daughter. How lucky am I?

Grace Update

2009-11-20T18:22:00.000-08:00

So the little nugget stood up by herself yesterday! She was so thrilled! She could only do it for a few seconds at a time, but she was very excited about it. She tried it every time she could get on her feet!

I can't believe she's nearly 11 months old. Wow...time flies!!

Let's see, she is now cruising with ease...she understand how to play "phone." She is eating like a champ and had chicken chunks (rather than mush) the other day. My baby is growing up. sniff...

She has a great sense of rhythm. Whenever she hears a song she likes, she bounces on beat. It makes her drummer mama proud!

I am just so in love with that little baby! I love getting to know her...and I love coming home to her cute mug every day!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

Gracie is the cutest little ladybug ever! Here she is in her Halloween costume to wish you all a Happy Halloween!

She's having a rough day today though...I believe she is teething. She's been crying and wanting to be held. She's had trouble going to sleep and her forehead was a bit clammy. I hope it is only teething.

Today she had a bath in the big tub (picture to come). She enjoyed splashing and playing with her bath toys! Yay!!

Grace Update

2009-10-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a little taste of the little one's dancingabilities! She loves anything musical. She was playing with her Leap Frog Groove N Learn table and she heard music from a toy guitar and started to bounce to it. I caught a little with my camera. Anytime there is a tune, she bounces to the beat. She just loves music! She also loves anything rattle or shaker-like. One of her favorite "toys" to play with are some empty vitamin bottles filled with various noisemakers (e.g., lentils, rice, etc.). She is definitely into developing her auditory sense!

She is as curious as ever too. She, of course, can sniff out danger and is drawn to it like a magnet. She makes a beeline for sharp or heavy objects and electrical outlets. Needless to say we have some baby proofing left to do.

October is almost over and Gracie is nearly 10 months old! It is hard to believe she will be celebrating her first birthday in no time at all!

On the milestones front--Grace has two teeth now! Her two bottom teeth came in within the last week or two. She is also standing and trying to walk (when she has help). The walking is still a ways away...but she may be walking at her birthday party! She is saying "mama" and "mom" again...usually when she wants something. What else? She nibbles on teething biscuits and "o" cereal now and has started eating meat (only turkey so far). She likes tofu and sometimes will have that for snack time. She's still a happy baby overall, full of personality!

Video

2009-09-27T07:32:00.001-07:00

Revisit the "August 15th" post; I added video!

Update!

2009-09-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

Grace is going to be 9 months old in a couple days! This is Grace's picture as of yesterday, September 26th. She is an active, curious, and happy baby. She is always crawling and investigating. She tries to stand every chance she gets! I feel like her 1 year birthday is around the corner. Time just keeps going by faster and faster.

Grace has also started teething. Her bottom teeth are coming in. She is taking it pretty well so far...her nose has been runny, she drools sometimes, and she fusses a little. Hopefully this will be the extent of her discomfort!

Yesterday, we also learned of Grace's cousin's arrival! Julianna Montero was born to Michael and Jennifer Montero. Grace has another cousin to meet! Yay! Babies are awesome! We are so excited for Jenn and Michael. Pat and I are really enjoying parenthood...each day we marvel that Grace is our daughter...and each day brings something new--a new discovery for Grace, a new joy for us.

On the Move

2009-09-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

Grace is awesome. What more can I say? I always marvel at what she comes up with. Today, for example, Pat tells me that she was trying to pick up her pacifier, but kept grabbing some of the blanket accidentally, causing her to drop it. Finally, he said she simply leaned over, placed her mouth directly on the pacifier and solved her problem! In the early stages of crawling, I would try to encourage her to practice her movements by placing an object beyond her reach. Instead of crawling to it, she pulled the blanket the object was laying on towards her. Smart little one, right? She's always coming up with something new and unexpected.

She loves peekaboo. I will throw a cloth on my face and say, "Where's mommy?" She'll crawl over and pull the cloth off my face. I will put a cloth on Grace's face and say, "Where's Gracie?" She pulls the cloth off and smiles. I can duck down under a bed...she'll crawl over to see where I am. I can't pull one over on her. She always figures it out...and giggles like crazy over it!

I am crazy about that little girl. I get so excited to see her each morning and am eager to come home to her every night. She's the best!

I just got word that her Uncle Jim, Aunt Gretel, and cousins will be visiting in latter part of October! I can't wait! Grace will love seeing her cousins Jasper and Rose again! She hasn't seen them since June, and she is far more interactive now, so it will be interesting to see how they get along! We are all very excited!

Grace is 8 Months Today!

2009-08-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

Grace has turned 8 months old! Incredible! I feel like she is growing in leaps and bounds. Since she began crawling, she has now tried to pull herself to standing position using the coffee table (but wasn't able to). She has gotten into everything...or has certainly tried. She enjoys playing with our coasters...and tupperware. She is babbling more clearly ("ba ba ba ba"). She has said, "mama," though only a couple times...mainly when she was waiting to be nursed. She recently has done a full arm 'bye bye' wave. This is all just within the last week or two! She can also drink from all sippy cups...on her own.

Miss independent lady! Who knows what she'll accomplish in the coming month! What does month 8 have in store for our little one?

August 15th--A New Milestone

2009-08-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Garcie crawled for the first time! She was not nearly as excited as her mom and dad. After all, she has been moving around pretty well...doing the inchworm or belly crawl. But on Saturday, Grace moved knees and arms to propel herself forward. Yay! The video here is the closest we got to capturing the event on film.

Now we need to babyproof--pronto!

Update

2009-08-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

So what has Grace been up to?

Well, she had her first chance to swim last weekend. Here she is with Daddy. Happy, right? Until her toes touched COLD water. She wasn't too thrilled! I think a heated pool is in her future!

She's as adorable as ever, of course! She is now about 7 1/2 months old! Hard to believe. She's still trying out new foods...no finger foods yet...and no teeth yet. She is, as she has always been, very curious...with no sense of danger. Yikes! She makes it a point to give me a tiny heartattack each day!

Grace is also getting into crawling position. Right now she just bounces...and seems to know that she has to move her arms...but she hasn't figured out the legs yet. We need to babyproof pronto! She can move quite well without the added mobility crawling will bring! Who knows what she'll get into! Everything, I imagine! She's a curious and strong-willed little one!

7 Months

2009-07-31T19:33:00.001-07:00

Grace is 7 months old now and seems like she will be on the move soon! She has started getting into crawling position, but lunges forward so that her upper body falls. She keeps trying though! We will be in trouble once she figures it out! The tummy roll has already increased her mobility. She can also maneuver pretty well on her tummy and can move at lightning speed! She also enjoys belly time so much that she often flops onto her belly as soon as she is put down. This truly becomes a problem when changing her diaper. Sometimes I feel like I am a calf roper in a rodeo and the calf won. Needless to say, diaper changes are not as quick and easy as they used to be!
We are now in Ohio...this is Grace's third trip via airplane, her third airline (she has traveled Virgin America, Delta, and now Continental), and fourth state (she has been to NJ by car). My oh my!

Gracie News

2009-07-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not keeping this updated! It has been a busy summer! In fact, we will all be going to Ohio at the end of the week to attend our friends' wedding reception (they married in Italy...would have LOVED to have made that trip!).

Grace can roll over like a pro. She can sit up too. She has even managed to drink from one of her sippy cups. (The other sippy cups she has are a bit more difficult.) She is growing, growing, growing! So is her personality! She has been trying more foods...sweet potato, avocado, apples, peas, pears, acorn squash...and various medleys of each.

Today she met some extended family on her father's side...and was quite the social butterfly. She is (for the most part) a happy baby!

News

2009-07-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

Grace and Pat joined me on a quick business trip to Orlando. This was Grace's second time traveling by plane. Here is a picture of her at Emeril's restaurant at Universal's City Walk. It was crazy weather...torrential rain one minute and crazy heat and humidity another! We had fun though! On Saturday we spent some time at the universal theme parks. where Gracie went on her first ride (a Dr. Seuss carousel ride) and saw her first 4-D show (Shrek). We come home late last night...the poor little one didn't get very good sleep!

Today (Sunday) Grace had her first taste of peas. I must say it didn't go

over too well, though she didn't detest them. We'll have to try again later! She sure does love her cool cup of water though!

First Taste of Veggies!

2009-07-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today Grace had her first taste of sweet potatoes! This is her first departure from baby cereal. She seemed to enjoy it well enough. I am making her food rather than purchasing it...and whipping up some pureed sweet potatoes was simple enough! Grace eats with us at the table (when we can manage to eat meals all together) in her booster seat. Note, she is feeding herself. She prefers holding the spoon and can be vocal about having the spoon removed from her hand (perhaps her first word will be "No!" hmmm?). She also has her first sippy cup, she picked one out for herself (very adamantly choosing a purple and yellow one). She has gone through the motions of bringing it to her mouth, though I don't think any liquid actually came out yet!

Living on the Edge

2009-07-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Curious. Stubborn. Strong. Some adjectives to describe our lil' nugget. I am very proud of the strong, inquistive little one...but sometimes her curiousity and daring goes a bit too far for mommy's heart to take. Here she is, living on the edge! Peering into the great depths of her diaper pail below her changing table. She continued to reach her body over the edge...to mommy's dismay! Boy, when she learns to crawl/walk, we are in trouble I think!

Independence Day

2009-07-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

Gracie and her mom and dad had a low-key 4th of July. We stayed home and barbecued hot dogs for lunch...and chicken kabobs for dinner. Grace was decked out in her red, white, and blue for her first 4th of July (outside the womb).

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!

Gracie has also been eager to spoon feed herself cereal. Here she is showing off her own independence!

Happy Half-Birthday Gracie!

2009-06-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

Gracie was all smiles this morning...and toots...even though I woke her up. She's still adjusting to east coast time after her CA trip! However, she's been in good spirits! Unfortunately, today she has been showing signs of a cold. Her nose is runny and red...her eyes are red and watery and she's been sneezing. Yet, she still smiles. I hope it doesn't get any worse. We were scheduled to go to the doctor for vaccinations Thursday. We may end up going to check on her illness. Poor nugget! Not a great way to spend a "half" birthday!

Traveling Baby

2009-06-26T20:52:00.001-07:00

Grace took her first flight on Friday, June 19. Here she is on the Virgin America flight from JFK to LAX. She was an awesome traveler! Even with the long trip in the rental car from LAX to my home town! She was a trooper!

Grace spent 6 days in CA, meeting Mommy's family and friends. Grace was kept busy 'looking cute'...she made the task look quite easy though. She met Grandma and Grandpa for the first time. She also met her Aunt Gretel and cousins Jasper and Rose for the first time too.

Grace was a happy camper surrounded by family on Saturday, June 20th. She met her Great Grandma, Great Aunts, Great Uncle, cousins and second cousins, cousins once removed, etc. Her cousin made her a quilt that she loves and slept with for the rest of her CA stay! Grace was spoiled with other gifts too...adorable dresses she can't wait to try on!

Sunday she had breakfast with another cousin then attended the wedding of her mommy's good friend Jeremy and his beautiful bride, Vanessa. She met many of Mommy's friends there, then snoozed as Mom and Dad danced the night away.

Monday was spent with Uncle Jim, Aunt Gretel, and cousins Jasper and Rose, then to the movies in the afternoon (her first time at the theatre since she was born...Mommy's too!). Grace does NOT recommend Year One.

Tuesday Grace went to her Grandma's office and met many ladies who couldn't resist her giggle. Grace was a hit at the office, and she enjoyed herself very much!

Wednesday Grace met more cousins and second cousins and cousins once removed. She received some great gifts direct from Ireland! Thank you!

Thursday morning we visited Mommy's good friend, Tamalyn, and had a delicious breakfast before heading to the airport to return home. Grace did not enjoy the return flight as much...tears were shed...cries were heard. Overall, we made it and Grace was smiling when she woke up in NY Friday!

Thanks to all the family and friends who came out to visit Grace and say hello! We were so excited to see everyone and so glad Grace was able to meet her awesome relatives!!

Moving Along

2009-06-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

Grace was in great spirits today. While spending time on the floor mat, she flipped over to her belly and maneuvered herself around the mat, using her arms, wiggling her belly, and flapping her legs. It's exciting to think she'll be crawling soon!

Today Grace also ate rice ceral from a spoon today. It took a little getting used to, and half of the cereal ended up on her bib, but we managed it! I think she's getting the hang of the spoon! We'll see how she does tomorrow!

News

2009-06-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Grace has now had her first taste of cereal! We first attempted to give Grace rice cereal on Tuesday. She was not interested at all. But we tried again yesterday, June 11th. At first she was happy to see her bottle before bed time. After her first gulp, she scrunched up her face and let go of the bottle, milky cereal streaming down the side of her mouth. I tried again...and she took it, drank it down, and that was that. Tonight she had more. It's hard to believe, but she is 5 1/2 months old already!

Grace's next big adventure? Her trip to California! Next Friday we all go out to California so Grace can meet all of her mommy's relatives (most of them anyway)! Can't wait! Hopefully the flight goes well!

Look Ma!

2009-05-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hands-free feeding (for mommy that is).

Look At Her Now

2009-05-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

'Here's looking at you kid.'

Grace is checking out her new toy...and my, what a cute baby in the mirror!

Believe it or not, Grace is 5 months old today! Time flies! She's still adorable and chatty as can be. She's got a strong grip and can sit up pretty well (still with support).

Accomplishments

2009-05-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

By the end of 3 months...
- Grace holds her own bottle
- grasps things
- holds her head up like a pro
- sits upright when propped
- some attempts to roll over

Now, at 4 1/2 months...
- Grace can scoot around while on her back
- grasps more accurately/has improved depth perception
- more vocalizations
- more eye to eye contact

Grace Update

2009-05-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was Grace's first trip into the city. It was her first subway ride and her first elevator ride up to the 8th floor of my Soho office. I introduced Grace to many coworkers. Overall, it was a pretty successful excursion, especially considering the trip took place during her naptime.

Grace has become more aware of the cats now. She watches fur sister Kitty and is delighted by her tail. Kitty has always been interested in Grace and wants to cuddle with her. Kitty might feel differently though once Grace decides to grab at her!

Grace Update

2009-05-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

We went to the doctor yesterday for Grace's vaccines. She still cried, but far less than the last time. She kept smiling at her doctor, who commented on what a happy baby she is. Her doctor also praised her for being so strong; holding her head up like a champ when on her belly.

Grace weighed in at 12lbs 4oz this visit and measured 23 3/4 inches.

This is Gracie just this morning- she wakes up with a smile!

4 Months Old

2009-04-29T10:22:00.001-07:00

Grace is 4 months old today! Tomorrow she has a doctor visit...vaccines! Poor dear. We will learn how much she has grown though...she's growing up so quickly!

California Here We Come!

2009-04-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

We have booked our flight for California! Grace will meet her grandparents on 6/19! Yipee!

Shakin' It!

2009-04-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

Grace and mommy were shakin' it today! Mommy was dancing and Grace was laughing it up! Don't you just love that smile?

Spring Is Here!

2009-04-18T19:21:00.001-07:00

Springtime is in NY...at least for today! Grace, Pat, and I took a stroll today to enjoy the beautiful weather. Rain comes tomorrow I believe...so we had to get in as much sunshine as possible!

Here's a picture of Grace taken just today-"strolling" baby style!

Update

2009-04-16T06:16:00.001-07:00

This is our little one just this morning! It was the first time she grasped the toys on her floor gym! She has quite a grip! Very strong.

Easter Basket

2009-04-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

The Easter bunny did not forget our Gracie! Her Easter basket was full of books and clothes! She was very excited by both! She still loves to read!

This is Gracie pooped out after the excitement of her Easter basket!

Happy Easter everyone!

- Shana

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

Gracie says, "Happy Easter everyone!"

Grace

2009-04-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Grace taken just this morning (via my cell phone). Today Grace was in fine spirits. She spent a great deal of time looking at herself in the mirror...which amused her greatly! She kept smiling and laughing at herself...and occassionally laughing at mom in the mirror, too!

While doing some "belly time," Grace rolled over onto her back. She had done this twice before when she was around 6 weeks old, but has not done it since. So it's exciting to see the "rollover" return!

Grace is getting bigger and bigger. She is now moving out of her 0-3 month size...and is starting to fit into 3-6 months! I swear she has grown in length in the last couple days!

All in all, Grace is doing well. Happy. Healthy. Strong. Adorable. Her next doctor's appointment is in 2 weeks, when she is 4 months. She will have her next round of vaccines...poor dear. Hopefully she will take it better this time!

- Shana

Ooh! What Are Those?

2009-04-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Today Gracie discovered her feet! It had to be the cutest thing ever. She was sitting on Pat's lap...and she looked down and lo and behold, there they were! She wiggled her toes slowly, staring in fascination! Here she was, sitting like a perfect C-shape, doubled over to look at the cutest little piggy toes anyone has ever seen!

Today Grace also had her first restaurant experience! Pat's friends came over and we all went to Tanoreen (our favorite Brooklyn restaurant). We hadn't been there since before Grace was born. Many of the wait staff came to say hello to little Grace. Grace remained calm and quiet for an entire 1 1/2 hour meal! Amazing considering she was in need of a feeding...and it was around her bedtime! All in all, it was a good experience!

It's amazing to see her grow. She's just over 3 months and I can see her becoming more and more aware of her surroundings and more attentive in general. Mommy loves her baby! I am both excited and anxious to see her grow up! I love seeing her achieve each milestone, but I also know time will move too quickly for my taste!

I love that kiddo! Please come meet her! Pictures do not do her justice!

Big Outing

2009-03-28T17:59:00.001-07:00

Grace has had quite a busy day! She attended her cousin Brian's 1 year birthday party and met many relatives for the first time! It was also her first out-of-state visit. At times she was overhwelmed, but overall she seemed to do well! Now she is sound asleep, thankfully!

Hello!

2009-03-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

Grace says, "Hello!"

Our little cutie!

2009-03-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken today! Grace slept in until 8 am...and she has been a happy camper! Even more so since getting her eczema treated! Yay!

Eczema

2009-03-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, Grace developed bumps all over her skin. They seemed to diminish...but have now turned into dry, patchy, red spots all over her legs and arms, some on her cheeks and a few spots on her torso. We took her to the pediatrician today and returned with the diagnosis that Grace has eczema. The doctor told us it could be due to an allergy-a change of detergent or fabric softener-or simply genetic. Poor girl. So, now she will be getting a lotion massage twice a day! I suppose that doesn't seem too rough for our little one! In any case, we were given a perscription for a cream and told that it should probably clear up within a week.

Grace is nearly 3 months old now. She is talking a lot...and quite happy, even with the skin irritation. She weighed in at just over 11 lbs today. I can't wait to see her achieve more milestones...and at the same time, I dread them! I want her to grow up...but not too quickly! I love her to pieces. Every moment with her is a happy one!

Big Day

2009-03-14T15:35:00.001-07:00

Grace had quite a busy day today! My friends Ian and Melanie came over for a visit. Pat's friends Jess and Nick came over as well. Stimulation overload! Grace was up the entire time...and now she is pooped and napping (thankfully!). She hasn't had so much activity in the apartment before!

Grace has been very chatty all day too. The latest thing is that she "chats" when I am reading her a book. I can't tell if she is commenting on it or trying to read it herself! She has clear book faves though. She enjoys Sandra Boynton books and will talk and stomp her feet and wave her hands during the reading. She is attentive to every pages, but seems even more attuned to certain pages of the books. I wake her up with "Barnyard Dance" and end the night with "Pajama Time." I recently ordered some more Boynton books, so we will see if she has any new faves in the future!