one year pictures

Alisa took Grace's one year pictures last Wednesday on her birthday in Tom and Beth's backyard. We had a blast- she absolutely loves the camera. Here are our top 25 or so favorites... Alisa, you are something else.

















And now for the Rainman portion of the program...




Alisa, this one is for you. My sweet goat girl, doing her goat-y thing.

What a fun, special day. Way to grow, Gracie girl.

Walking and a One Year Update

Twelve months is easier for me to handle. It doesn't sound so, old. So let me begin again.

Walking and a twelve month update.

That's much better.

Grace is officially one (er, twelve months) and I was about to give you the usual updates, but she officially started moving and grooving tonight, so that takes precedence! She has taken a few steps over the past three weeks, but seemed to lose interest in walking until she got a push toy for her birthday. Heavens to Betsey, that child can circle the room in under 30 seconds! Last night she took two consecutive steps before falling three different times, and tonight she took six steps, twice. Danny and I couldn't believe it and I cried for a minute. When did she get old enough to walk? (Oh wait, last week, when she turned twelve months). I am loving it tonight, but I hear things are really about to get fun.

Miss G cut her third tooth this week, and by my calculations, has the other three top ones just waiting to cut thru at any time.

Danny thinks Grace somehow picked up French by mistake, because the only English words she knows are mama, dada, nana, papa, and sometimes she will say something that sounds a lot like duck. Everything else she says sounds exactly like French to us (say them out loud with a lilting inflection and you will get an idea of what we hear on a daily basis. And add a question mark at the end. Kind of like Canadians, "Eh?" Come on. It will be fun).
Bwee? Bweh? Do-uy? Wee? Wee Wee?
Yes, not only is she adorable, but she is mastering her first foreign language. We couldn't be more proud.

She has quite the personality and flair for the dramatic. I have met a lot of babies that are cute, some that are serious, some that are content, but a few that are really funny. And that know it. Grace is that way. She knows what makes us laugh, does it, and then waits for us to laugh. It is hilarious. I cannot describe her funny smiling face she does, but if you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about. It kind of looks like this.

She will keep doing it until you laugh at her (you should see her at United with the sackers, she is relentless) and if you don't she will look away and find someone else who will laugh at her.
She is also quite dramatic and will let you know very quickly when she isn't happy. Which isn't often, but when she is, forget it. Just duck and run for cover until she decides to get happy again.

We are going thru the Love and Logic parenting study at church and having a blast applying the foundations on our unsuspecting one year (ahem) twelve month old. The study is all about giving "control" to your child by giving them choices; i.e., "Would you like juice or milk? Would you like to carry your coat or wear it? etc... The other day I heard Danny say on the monitor, "Grace you can either cry when I change your diaper or not cry when I change your diaper. Your choice." Too funny. Whenever I listen to the other couples in class, almost all of whom have toddlers or older children, I think to myself, "I signed up for babies. Not parenting," and then proceed to break out in a cold sweat thinking about her toddler and teenage years. Stepping stones, right?

We went to the Dr. on Thursday for her shots and checkup. She ran a little fever and took a three and a half hour nap but was acting her usual self by Friday morning. She is still off the charts for height(30.5 inches, 97th percentile) but only gained 1 ounce in three months. She weighed 18.14 and while I had a suspicion she hadn't put on much weight, I was a little surprised at her being in the 10th percentile. Her Dr. told me not to worry (which I did anyway), and said that because Grace is still nursing and not very interested in solids when she is with me, she is not going to put on much weight. So I left with a list of foods to give her and this weekend we have been in Operation: Fatten Gracie Up mode. I think it is hard not to worry. I have heard that most babies triple their birth weight by the time they are one, which would have put us around 21.5 pounds, so for her to be three pounds shy makes me wonder if I am doing something wrong. But to be honest, with the amount of food we bought her Thursday night, I would guess she is going to more than triple her birth weight in the next week. Besides, tall and skinny never hurt any woman.

We are having an absolute blast and are actually quite ready to do this mama and dada thing again soon. If the next one is anything like the first, we will be in for a treat!

Birthday Day

It's been a great first birthday. A day full of laughing at mama's silly faces,
playing hide-and-go-seek,
watching Sesame Street,

letting Alisa hold me after she took pictures,


riding in my new car,


opening presents and being more interested in hangers than the clothes themselves,


Looking at the fish with nana,


trying to pop bubbles with papa,

making silly faces in the mirror,

and playing in the water with nana.

What a great day so far! We spent a fun morning playing at home, went over to Tom and Beth's to take pictures with Alisa, then headed to the Science Spectrum. Grace is taking her afternoon catnap before we go out to eat. Such a sweet and fun day celebrating our pumpkin. (I haven't cried once!)
Alisa emailed me one tiny little sneak peek of the shoot this afternoon. Love this picture! Can't wait to see the rest of them.

Happy almost Birthday, Gracie girl

Well, my sweet Grace, you turn one tomorrow. I asked you repeatedly to slow down again and again this year, but as with most things I ask you to do, you ignored me and decided to zip right on to your first birthday.
Time does fly, but sweet Grace, I have enjoyed every moment with you. The first nights home when you slept on my chest. The first time you smiled at me. Your first real bath. Our first road trip when we thought we left you at Subway but really just forgot to buckle you in. Your funny laugh. Watching baby Einstein nine hundred times. Taking you to the store and rocking you to sleep in my office. Watching you try and roll over for three weeks before you finally did it! Listening to you and your daddy talk to each other from the other room. Picking out all of your adorable outfits and matching bows. The way you smell when you get out of the bath. The first morning you were standing up in your crib, waiting for me with your arms open. Hearing you say "mama" for the first time. Watching you crawl and crying with you when you hurt yourself. The joy on your face when you learn something new. The way you looked up at me the night you were born and I instantly fell in love.


You are growing beautifully and wonderfully and I thank God for your sweet spirit, contagious laugh, funny personality, and open mouth, slobbery kisses.
My sweet girl, I hope one day I can describe the depth of love I have for you. I hope one day I can show you how proud I am of you and how proud I am to be your mommy.

I love you baby girl. Happy 1st Birthday.

Birthday Party

We had Grace's 1st birthday party on Saturday afternoon. What a fun, special day! I was shocked at how well she did and how much fun she seemed to be having. I know throwing an over the top birthday party for a one year old seems silly, but I think she loved having everyone there and really enjoyed herself.
We had awesome food from My Lips are Sealed and great desserts from Aunt Nories. Julia decorated the table for us and did a fantastic job. I forgot to get pictures of the bubble maker on the front porch and her gift table with the floating chandeliers and fairies! It was super fun!

Uncle Kyle

One of Grace's many male suitors, little Wade. Although they did sign the card "cousin Wade" so we will have to see about that. I'm all for keeping it in the family, but seriously...

Sweet Kristen and Hunter. He had a good time helping himself to the marshmallows on the table.

Kayci and little Ketcher. He was sad at first without his brother Kade, but then seemed to catch on to the idea that this was his opportunity to impress Grace without his other (quite charming) twin brother there to get in the way.

She had no shortage of gifts to open and got so many cute outfits and toys. She kept pulling the tissue out of the bags piece by piece and holding them between her first two fingers so delicately. It was adorable.

Just a little understated tutu.

It was so fun watching her try and figure out her cake. She kept leaning in toward it and then would back up. She would touch it with one finger but never quite dug into it until the end.

She got on all fours several times and put her face right in the top of it.
She had the cutest look on her face when I would give her a bite. You could tell she was not used to the sweet taste and kept looking up at me like, "this is so good, are you sure I'm allowed to eat this?"

Thank you so much to everyone who came or sent gifts and helped make it such a special day for Grace. We love you guys!
Mike, Tina, Wendy, Brooke, Loren, Wade, Memaw, Ingrid, Papa, Nana, Aunt Cheri, Mimi, Auntie Am, Brandon, Uncle Kyle, Jana, Kristen L., Peter, Kristi, Emily, Brayden, Kristen H., Hunter, Kayci, Ketcher, Debbie, and Micah.