Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Dear Gracie Tater,

I can’t believe you turn one today! Sometimes it seems like the doctor just handed you to me but it also feels like I’ve known you my whole life.  You amaze Daddy and I every day and Maggie is totally smitten with you. You have SO much personality! If I had to guess right now, I would say that you are going to be easy going, really funny and a little mischievous.

You’re not an affectionate little girl, but you can warm any heart with your smile and infectious laugh and occasionally you surprise us with a big slobbery kiss. When you’re ready to go to bed, you’re ready, you don’t want to be snuggled or rocked or really even touched. You still take 2 great naps every day and you sleep for about 12 hours at night. You want to be moving ALL the time. You love toys, the noisier the better. You love to clap and dance along. You’re so close to walking, you’ve taken a few steps between daddy and I, but nothing we’re ready to call official.

You LOVE macaroni and cheese, bananas, peas, squash and cheerios. You’ll eat pretty much anything we give you, but you prefer to feed it to yourself. You’re reluctant to give up your bottle, occasionally I push the issue but usually end up giving in to your giant tears. You use the potty more times a day then you use your diaper, and the minute you go you start motioning for the M&M you know you’re going to get as a reward. You’re such a smart little girl.

You say lots of words that we recognize, other people might not understand yet, but they will soon. Your favorite thing to say is “geee, geee, geee”….it’s what you call Maggie. She loves to hear you calling her. You watch everything your big sister does; I can already tell you’re going to be great friends. You truly adore each other. Maggie wants to wear matching clothes (and pajamas) most days, you’re usually willing. Sometimes Maggie plays a little rough with you, but it’s hard to correct her because your usually laughing hysterically.

In your first year you’ve done more traveling in then most people do in a decade. You’ve been a willing participant in all of our adventures. You’re a great little traveler and you love to be on the go. When you were 16 days old you took your first flight to Arizona, I got a little nervous when our plane was delayed, but we did just fine. You also went to Annapolis, made 2 trips to Mexico, visited San Diego, and Atlanta. Along with thousands of miles in the car to and from Omaha, several camping trips and lots of other little adventures.

You’ve changed so much in the last year. I can only imagine what’s to come. I can’t wait to see, but I do wish time would slow down a little. I try hard to cherish every day with you, but I wish each of those days had a few more hours.

I’m honored to be your mommy, your teacher, your biggest fan and your tour guide through this part of life. I thank God for you and your sister and our wonderful little family, every day. I can’t imagine how we didn’t feel incomplete before we knew you, you’ve carved out your own corner of this crazy family and I can’t wait to watch you stand your ground and grow into all that personality.

Happy Birthday baby girl! I love you more then I could ever tell you.

Love, Mommy.

Play, Play, Play....

The girls and I spent most of yesterday and today in Omaha. Then tonight we went to Dick and Betti's for dinner...so it's pretty much been play, play, play for our kids.

Today, I was headed into the restroom and I said to Maggie, "watch your sister for a minute, just make sure she doesn't get hurt." Maggie followed me to the bathroom and shut the door, I opened it and told her it could stay open...she responded, "Mom, you don't need to hear if I have to yell at Grace."  Poor Grace!

Maggie went and looked at a house with my parents this morning (rental property), when she came home she said, "guess what mom? It had fuzzy wallpaper." Funny, she seemed much more impressed then my mom :)

Yesterday, Gracie and I had to take Reagan to the vet. Looks like Gracie has it under control.

They look a little guilty don't they???

Aunt Keeli gave Maggie a little trim today. Gracie even got a few snips around her ears (I couldn't
take a picture. I was too busy holding her.)

"Hey, where did my cup go?"

I wonder if she swings higher with her tongue out?

Push me Grampa, push me!

Playing a little golf with Pops and Lucy.

I think she's giving Pops a lesson.

Where you going Gracie?

March??

Is it really March? Last night the weather was nice enough to eat outside and play in short sleeves until after dark. If this is global warming, then I'm a fan!



Poor Lauren, we should have gotten her a chair :) These 2 little princesses both turn one this week!! I'm so thankful for Lauren, she keeps up with Gracie, so when they're together you don't notice they're giants.


The big kids all ate outside and then played and played and played....I love when they can be outside, they all sleep good and they don't make a mess.





There were 4 kids on the gator for a long time and it just kept on chugging....Santa did a good job building it!


Poor JJ, all those girls.....





We begged them to put on sweatshirts and finally it started getting chilly and they moved to the playroom.

Today, Arnie and Maggie flagged all the sprinklers for the aerator guy. Maggie had to "get ready" to go to the yard, here's what she came up with.....


Gracie is as busy as ever. Tonight she took a few steps between Arnie and I without holding on....it won't be long until she takes off. Here is a picture of the total time she spent holding still today.....otherwise it was GO, GO, GO....


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A little bit of this and a little bit of that...

Yesterday morning the girls were in the kitchen having breakfast, Gracie was eating a waffle and Maggie was having cereal. (I was in the laundry room, around the corner.) I heard Maggie say, "hey, that was really homeless!" then I listened a little longer and heard her say something again to Grace about acting homeless....I'll be the first to admit that occasionally when Maggie is looking especially disheveled I'll comment that people must thing we're homeless, but Grace was dressed and seemed fairly well groomed. I went back to the kitchen and asked Maggie what Gracie did that made her seem "homeless"? Maggie proceeded to tell me that Grace offered her a bite of waffle and then took it back. I asked what was homeless about that. Mag told me, we're supposed to share things, that's the kind thing to do. Apparently she was confusing homeless and selfish....once I explained the 2 words and set her straight she was more then happy to tell Grace she was being selfish.

Arnie was in Kansas Thursday and Friday, every time Gracie would start to fuss Maggie would come running and say, "Don't worry Gracie, daddy's just in Emporia, he'll be back on Friday." So sweet! (or at least it was sweet until Grace swung whatever toy she was holding at Maggie's face. She's a feisty little thing!)

This morning Gracie decided that the little table in our bedroom was a perfect jungle gym...she was stuck for awhile then "gracefully" found a way out.

 
 Big sister came to try and help her out.....she didn't really want the help....

Maggie's coloring has improved a ton....she's getting really good at staying in the lines.

This morning we went to the doughnut shop....We haven't been there in a long time and I know it was the first time Gracie ever got to have a doughnut. Big surprise, she LOVED it.

Last night Maggie drove her gator over to see Sam and Topper, on the way back to the garage somehow she ended up in a flower bed up against a rock....really....we have TONS of open space and she hit a rock.....some might say her mother must have taught her to drive.

I can't believe in 6 days our "baby" girl is going to be one....oh how time flies!

disappointed...

Because of the rain today, Miss Lauren's softball games were canceled. I found out on my way to get Maggie at school, I was dreading telling her, because I knew she would be heart-broken. Besides that she could't wait to see Miss Lauren (or wear the t-shirt Lauren gave her for Christmas), getting to go was her reward for being brave at church last night.

When I told her, she got really quiet, then in a little voice I heard her say "that makes me really disappointed Mom." BUT she didn't cry and she didn't throw a fit. I told her that Lauren and I were disappointed too, and that we would go for several more softball games this spring. She handled it SO well. We agreed on Jimmy John's for lunch, then story time at the library, and we had a nice afternoon. She mentioned a few more times this evening that she was sad we didn't get to go, but she never got mad or naughty about it. I was really proud of her. She definitely acted like a big girl.



I think it's a good thing Gracie is held in tightly by her swing....she laughed the entire time Maggie tried to "push her to the sky."


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She did it!

Maggie went to church tonight without throwing a fit! She started to whimper a little right after we walked in, but quickly pulled it together and marched down the hall to her class. I agreed to stay and sit in the hall this week, when class was done she told me next week it would be okay if I went to get gas or run a quick errand while she was there. Thank God.

She's so excited to go see Miss Lauren's softball game tomorrow. I hope the weather holds.

On our way home from church, we stopped for a celebratory malt....GRACE was happy to share :)





Maggie thought since she was having a treat, Reagan should get one too....so she disappeared and came back with "doggy trail mix"....


Grace tried to share that too...



I found a few pictures from the other day that I forgot to post. Maggie is working hard on roller skating...


trick or accident??





hmmmmmm, I'm not sure how that's going to work?


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BABY zebra...

A couple weeks ago there was an article in the paper about a baby zebra that was born at the zoo. Since then, Maggie has been asking when she'll get to see the baby. Well a few days in Omaha with Grandma and Grandpa got the job done....






(if you look close you can see the zebra through the fence). Maggie reported that she was SO cute, and that her stripes are kind of brownish and the ones on her back and "bum" aren't very dark yet. It ended up being a bit of a cold rainy day at the zoo, but Grandma and Grandpa were great sports and Maggie was so happy to see the baby for herself.



This gorilla was pretty interested in Maggie. Maggie wasn't sure how she felt about that :)


After the zoo, Maggie was supposed to be taking a nap, when mom went to check on her, she found this....



Maggie was practicing her balance beam skills, she was trying to be quiet so she wouldn't get caught, but Grandma was on to her.

And what was Grace up too.....



(notice the outlet cover in her right hand)....yep that's right, she has out-smarted the baby proofing!!
When she wasn't busy playing with the outlets she was....



...dumping ALL the shoes out of the basket. Mom said that occasionally she also took time to put the shoes away. She truly is into EVERYTHING. There is no stopping this girl. I suppose I should applaud her perseverance but sometimes I wish she would sit still for just a couple of minutes.

Tomorrow it's back to school for Maggie and then tomorrow night is church. I pray that we don't have a repeat of the hysterics from last week. I told her that if she goes to church without crying and throwing a fit, then on Thursday we could drive to Yankton to see Miss Lauren's softball game. If bribing her with Miss Lauren doesn't get the job done, I don't know what will!
Pray for us!

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Ahhh!

Not AHHHHHHHH but ahhhh. (like the relaxed refreshed kind, not the scream at the top of my lungs kind)

We spent all weekend in Omaha with lots of family time, dinner, st patty's day, birthday celebrations and fun. Then the girls stayed in Omaha with mom and dad. Yesterday we flew to Chicago, Arnie had a meeting and my dear friend Teri and I went along to do some spring shopping, hang out and just enjoy some mom time. It was a nice relaxing treat. We ate without cutting anyone else's food, making multiple trips to the bathroom, cleaning up spills (almost), and we could sit and chat, no hurrying, bedtimes, tired kids....it was an awesome 30 hours. BUT I was really glad to see my kids tonight when we got home.






The things Grandpa will do for his grandkids :)








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