Sunday Funday

Boy has it been an extremely busy week. I worked full time hours at St. Marys, picked up an extra few hours at Shriner's, and then graciously went in to St. Marys last night to help because they had a call in. With that being said, Grace and I really didn't do anything fun this week. She went to her babysitters twice this week. She played at my Mom's house with my nephews Shawn and Collin on Friday. She stayed the night at my parents house on Saturday while I went into work and Jamie spent some time with my brother Sam.

I vow I am going to do something very fun with Grace today!!!! Maybe Incredible Pizza, The Magic House, or Monkey Joe's but she is going to have a great day with Jamie and I as soon as I wake up from taking a little nap.

I will post pictures later. Wish us much needed and deserved fun!!!

Bath Time

Grace loves getting in the bath....

She loves putting her alphabet foams on the walls.

She loves drinking the "clean" water.

She loves pouring water from one cup to another.

She runs down the hallway heading to the bathroom when I just mention getting in the shower or bath, in hopes to get in.

I love sitting next to the bath watching her play!!!!!!

Laundry is my Nemesis

Today I took Grace to Ms. Judy's so I could get a few things done around the house after our lazy relaxing weekend.

I had EIGHT loads of laundry to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I turned on my satellite radio and just folded away. In between loads I cleaned, dusted, vacuumed, etc. I accomplished everything I needed to do and more. I can get so much stuff done when I don't have Grace Adeline here with me. Is that mean to say?

Jamie was off the entire weekend, had Monday off, and took a half day today. So we have had tons of quality time home together- I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are going to participate in the "Great Date Experiment" its about keeping the spice in your married life. I will keep you posted on how it goes. We will start in the first week of March.

Valentine's Day

I wanted to wish everyone a great Valentines Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am praying today for my friends that haven't yet found their perfect Valentine. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful man, husband, and best friend in my life. I only hope that we stay as happy for years to come as we are now.

We went out to dinner last night to celebrate Valentines Day. My mom had been babysitting Grace all day and she stayed over there while we ate. Jamie and I decided not to do any gifts since we are saving. We did exchange cards. Jamie got Grace a cute Mickey Mouse card and a Mickey Mouse cookie. It almost made me have tears in my eyes when I seen her little card and cookie all made out and signed by Jamie, he is such a great Dad!!

Grace got some other goodies from her Grandma JoAnne. Rather than going out to dinner last night we are just relaxing and spending the day together today.

Update with grace

Grace is 19 Months now!!!

What is new with her:

She is talking so much- she probably has a 60 word vocabulary
She is obsessed with Sesame Street, she loves Elmo so much!! I catch her talking to them in her bed when she is suppose to be going to sleep saying "hi Elmo, night night Elmo". Sesame Street is her favorite show to watch on TV.
She continues to love her Daddy so much- she can't get enough of him
She now tries to say everyone of my siblings names and cried for Mama and Papa all the time.
She can count and say some of her ABC's
She goes to the babysitters house 2-3 times a week and loves it there.
She is 26lbs which is in the 64% for her weight and she is in the 94% for her height.
She eats anything and everything!!
She loves to have books read to her and is starting to really like puzzles.
She plays really good with other children.
She has so much energy!!!

I love her to pieces and she warms my heart several different times a day. She is stubborn and mean at times and then can turn around and smile and giggle and blow you a kiss at the same moment.

Vacation

We recently went on a little weekend vacation. We left on a Friday morning and came back on a Monday. We flew to Orlando and then took a shuttle to Port Canaveral and left on a cruise from there. We went on Splendor of the Seas it is a Royal Caribbean boat. We took my sister to help with Grace. We got them their own room down the hall from us.

Our first stop was Nassau in the Bahamas and then Coco Cay. Coco Cay is an island that Royal Caribbean has bought that they use exclusively. It was gorgeous. The weather was so beautiful, Not to hot and breezy. Grace was not afraid of the ocean at all. She would go straight to it, walk by it and let her feet get wet and go all the way out to her knees. It was so precious to see her play in the sand and water. At Nassau we went to Black Beard Cay and stayed the day there it was beautiful and relaxing. At one point Grace went in front of all the beach chairs that everyone was sitting in and starting dancing to the Reggae music that was playing and everyone was clapping at her, it was so cute!!!!

Grace had a rough time on the boat. She was tired and crabby from when we got there until we got home. She loves to sleep in her own bed at night and she pretty much cried her self to sleep every night we were there. She went to sleep at 1230am on Friday night, 237am in Saturday night, and 1230am on Sunday night. It was rough!!!! Then come morning time she was so mad that we were waking her up to do things. She ate like a pig everyday and flirted with multiple waiters, staff, etc. We would walk in and people would say "Hi Grace!".

The flights were tough as well. We gave her Benadryl on the way down there and she slept in Jamie's arms the entire flight. The way home- Not so easy!!! All in all we had a wonderful time and made memories that I will never forget.

Shawn's 2nd Birthday

Saturday we went to my nephews second birthday. It was at my brothers house. They had tons of their friends there and my family came. Grace hadn't seen him in awhile so she had fun playing. My Grandparents were there and it was nice to catch up with them. Here are a few pictures from that day.

Sesame Street Live

We took Grace to Sesame Street Live, and she LOVED it! To say that she loved it is an absolute understatement, she was in total awe the entire time. We weren't sure if it was going to work out because of the weather, the forecast was calling for heavy snow to start the evening of the show.

We sat in the fourth row and the seats were amazing, I think that is what made the experience for her so cool. She would clap, dance, and scream to the music. Jamie bought her an Elmo doll when we first got there and she now sleeps with it every night.

27th Birthday

Yikes yesterday was my 27th birthday. I don't feel twenty seven. It disturbs me how fast the time goes by. I feel like life is just passing us by before we know it. I am trying to make each and everyday special and count.

My mom had a little birthday party for me Sunday evening. She had chips and dip, pizza, cake, and ice cream. All of the kids were home and hung around to spend some time with me. Jamie and I love hanging out over at my parents house because there is always someone helping us keep an eye on Grace.

Yesterday on my actual birthday, Jamie and I went to LaPachanga's. It is a Mexican restaurant that we like. It is in a shopping plaza right next to my parents street so they kept her and we ate all alone. Before we went into the restaurant we stopped in Once Upon a Child, my second favorite store. Usually Jamie never goes in with me but since it was my birthday I quilted him into it, and he helped me pick out things for her for next summer. I don't think he could believe how cheap the prices were. It was precious to see his face when he said "Oh we should get this for her, she would look so pretty in that, etc". He is so crazy about her and such a great dad. I love it!!

It was the most perfect birthday!!!

Renovations

Early last week our refrigerator went out. It went out the day after I restocked with everything a small army would need!! We went to Sears to pick out another one and pretty much everyone we wanted they had said couldn't be in till Friday or Monday because of New Years. That wasn't going to work for us, we needed one that night!!

Finally I said can we have this refrigerator that I am looking at right now, can we pack this up and take it home and the lady said "oh you want a floor model you can only take a floor model if it is on clearance". So we looked around and the only ones on clearance were fancy shiny stainless steel ones. Oh darn imagine my dismay that we were going to have to upgrade and get such a nice one. We ended up getting an awesome deal on it. So were checking out and it came to our minds that Oh no now nothing is going to match. We ended up getting a new refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher that evening. My dad had already gotten us a new stove for Christmas so that saved us some money.

So within the next few weeks we plan on - drum roll- getting new cabinets, counter tops, and back splash. Our kitchen is so outdated and I think that even thought this will be pricey it will be well worth it when we go to resell next year. So wish us luck and I will take pictures of all the appliances as they get delivered and installed, until then I will be enjoying my new beautiful refrigerator!!!

What's new with Gracie

Grace is EIGHT-TEEN MONTHS old already=(

How can that be seems like yesterday that I had her.

What is new with my little girl:

She is saying three words at a time

Has a more extensive vocabulary

Can play in a group with other kids her age

Can climb on the coffee table like a champ!!

Stays in her bed, she isn't even attempting to climb out yet

Drinks out of a cup all the time, no baby bottles for her

Counts to 6 skipping 4, says A-B-C

Loves "El-bow" and "Ab-ise" which are Elmo and Abby Caddaby more than life itself

She can and will at times sit and watch a segment of a show if it is "Sesame Street" without getting up

She loves to give kisses

Loves my mom and sister- sometimes so much that it makes my heart jealous. She can say their names and calls out for them frequently. "Maw Maw and Sar-ah", she calls for them in the car, in her bed at bedtime, and even goes to the front door calling them. It is very cute and some what annoying- Ha ha ha!!

Loves books, loves them, loves them!!!

She is so beautiful. Her smile and energy is contagious. She has started throwing fits- she does it all throws her body down on the ground, screams, kicks, and even pulls hair. I am asking God for guidance on how to deal with this! I don't know what my life would be like without my precious baby.

New Year's 2009

What an outstanding year I have had. I don't know how they can get any better. I am so blessed beyond belief. I have such an amazing husband and daughter. I have the best parents one could ever ask for.

Things I want for us this year:

1) I pray for a healthy year for my friends and family

2) To continue to try to spend every possible moment I can with my daughter. These years are going by fast and she will be grown before I know it. I love being a mother more than anything, and want to give Grace the world. I want to teach her about God, and help her grow into a wonderful child.

3) To be a better wife and friend to Jamie- He is my heart!! I couldn't make it without him and feel so fortunate that he is my best friend. I could be better and know in my heart that I can try.

4) I would like to lose some weight and get into shape. I have a goal of losing 30 pounds and then I might try to do something special.

5) Continue to pay off debt. Jamie and I have worked so hard the last two years and paid off every credit card that we own but now were working on paying off our vehicles and student loans. Wish us luck.

6) Being a better daughter. My parents are so good to us and we wouldn't be able to make it with Grace if it wasn't for all the help they have given us, I would like to continue to do nice things for them to show them how appreciative we are for them.

7) Be a better person in general. I consider myself a good person, I am considerate and caring but I could always be better. I want to do more random acts of kindness. Give more to my church. Become a better christian.

So I have big plans for us, and hope that I can do all of these things!!!