Busy, Busy!

Gracie had a great time at the zoo earlier this week.  The highlight was the coyotes and the wolf howling back and forth.  They were sad to see that one of the otters had died since their last visit.  The kids had a picnic lunch and everyone had a good time.  The cooler weather was definitely appreciated.

We've been taking advantage of the cooler weather by spending our evenings outdoors - from the time supper is done until bedtime, we are out playing.  Gracie is like a renewed bundle of energy with the cooler temps.  The house is in dire need of attention, but I just can't seem to want to deal with it when there is outdoor fun to be had.  Do you think the dirty dishes will keep til winter??  ;)

Yesterday, Gracie had some big kid fun at daycare.  Our provider's nephews came to stay with her for the day and Gracie had great fun with them as they are a number of years older.  So she thought she was a big kid too.  I picked her up just after lunch and headed home so we could get ready to participate in the 2011 Epilepsy Stroll to raise money for epilepsy research.  Gracie doesn't do well if we take her right from daycare or one event right to another, so we took a nap at home and had some down time before we headed out for our "stroll".

When we arrived at the Epilepsy Stroll, Grace was mondo excited to see the big bounce houses and was totally impatient, didn't want to wait for mommy to load up the stroller, so I sent her and daddy ahead of me.  She was so excited that I thought we would get her to go in...they were even going to let Jeff go in with her and there were no other kids in it at the time, but at the last minute she refused.  She also did not want to play any games, get a tattoo, or get her face painted.  She didn't want to go fishing at the fish pond either, but I kind of forced the issue so she could see what it was about, she was very pleased to get her gift -- a small pillow pet.  She was very enthralled with Nanny Giggles, the clown who was tying balloons.  Gracie got a butterfly balloon which she loved but thought she needed to stick in her mouth constantly and bite on it, so eventually her balloon flew into the car for safe keeping.  Gracie loved seeing her neurologist and wanted her to hold her the whole night.  So we had to find creative ways to distract her.  She enjoyed dancing to the music played by the DJ, she enjoyed cheering as the neurologists took their turn in the dunk tank - she would clap when they would get dunked, she made some new friends, she loved being in the stroller when we were on our "stroll", and she enjoyed meeting many of the dogs that came to stroll.  She met Dr. Jack, a therapy dog, and his owner.  They were both wonderful with Grace. 

Since we had to be careful about food offered at the event and Gracie didn't get to have any of the fun treats we ended the evening with a drive through McDonald's where she got a vanilla ice cream cone which she pretty much polished off all on her own.  She was smiles and ice cream from ear to ear.

We also increased Gracie's seizure meds this week.  We did not see any seizure breakthrough, but with a 5 lb increase in her weight since we last increased the meds, we knew it would only be a matter of time, so we were proactive.  

Wishing you all a great weekend...hard to believe the start of school is just around the corner. 

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Monday/Tuesday - Loving the Cooler Weather

Gracie had a great day at daycare yesterday and is loving the cooler weather.  You can just tell by her movements, actions, and the bounce in her step that this is her kind of weather.  They played outside alot yesterday and I'm told she was quite interactive in a game of choo choo train with the other little girls at daycare.  We still struggle with interactive play with our peers.  So this was very exciting to hear. 

Last night we had a quick supper and then went outside to play.  We started out taking a walk, then Jeff and Gracie ran around and played chase for a while.  Then we put Gracie in the stroller and took a longer walk.  When we got home, Gracie was still not ready to go in the house, so she escorted Jeff and I to the bench on our front porch and she danced and did actions while we sang songs like "The Wheels on the Bus", "Itsy Bitsy Spider", etc. 

Gracie had a good night although she wanted her head elevated and she breathed like she was experiencing some stuffiness.  Not sure if a cold is starting or this is allergies giving her problems.  I know she was itching one of her eyes like crazy last night. 

This morning Gracie was in a good mood, then we got to daycare and her 1 year old buddy began to cry.  My little soft-hearted girl then began to sob uncontrollably.  So we took a little extra time to get her consoled as well.  The daycare kids were all going to a small local zoo this morning and were going to have a picnic lunch there.  Gracie loves going there, so I'm sure she is having a fun time.

Have a great day.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

The Weekend and More

I love the baby stage and have always thought that was my most favorite stage, but then as Gracie would get older and hit a new stage I would decide that I liked that age and stage in life the best.  There were a few stages in there that were a little more trying than others, but I have loved them all...and I'm really loving the stage she is at right now.  Being 4 is really agreeing with her.  Just this morning as I was getting ready for work, Gracie was laying outside of the bathroom door and said to me "Mama, how are you doing?"  Now this is a question I ask her frequently, it was just a great surprise when out of the blue, she asked me. 

Gracie is growing again - this became evident when I had to try on 4 pairs of shorts on her yesterday morning before I found one that fit.  She is quickly growing out of 6X and into 7's and 7/8's.  Although her appetite has slowed down a bit.  She's eating just fine, just not out of control like when she is gearing up for a growth spurt. 

Gracie had a great weekend.  She spent Saturday morning with daddy, they did a few errands and then went to visit Grandma & Grandpa D. for a little bit.  She took all of a 15 minute nap and was ready and raring to go.  So we filled up the kiddie pool in the backyard and let her splash and have fun.  Later in the evening after supper we went to the playground.  She had a great time there and didn't want to leave...and her lack of nap was showing, so she put up quite a screaming tantrum when it was time to go.

On Sunday, Gracie went to Sunday school at Jeff's church.  This is her second time there and now she knows the drill that mom and dad leave and so she did not want to stay.  Once we convinced her it was a good thing, she reluctantly stayed, but then had a good time.  Her favorite part was singing, dancing, and doing song actions.  Are any of you surprised at this????  I didn't think so.

Gracie had a good nap and woke up just in time for us to head to her friend Kai's 3rd birthday party.  It was a lot of fun, although Gracie didn't want to interact with the other kids.  I was very impressed with the inclusiveness of the children at the party.  One girl offered to share her chair with Gracie and also asked her if she would like to play puppy with the rest of the group.  Although Gracie was happy to say "hi" to the other kids, she didn't want to play with them.  She did have a great time socializing with the adults and was totally enamored with the 2-month old baby that was there.  There was a bounce house there as well, but Gracie wanted no part of it.  I know she had a good time, but it had to be on her terms of comfort.

Gracie has had a good day at daycare yesterday and is enjoying the cooler weather.  She slept great last night, although she awoke at 4:30 a.m. and was done sleeping.  She was a bit more moody this morning, but I could tell it was because she was tired.  I'm thinking she'll take a good long nap at daycare today.  I'm hoping the cooler weather will help the swelling in her feet and toes.  I'm pretty sure it's the heat that was causing her little toes to look like sausages, but am keeping an eye on it.  They looked alot better this morning, so I do think the heat is a contributing factor for sure.

Here's to a cooler week.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Thursday - Another Good Day!!!

Thursday was another good day for Gracie.  She got to daycare to find two monarch caterpillars, each in a jar of their own.  One full size and the other just a baby.  The kids are having a great time watching them and I think it will be great for Gracie to see it turn into a butterfly!

Gracie played with her daycare buddies and they went swimming in the kiddie pool, but Gracie decided she did not want to put her swimsuit on and join them.  Then the sprinkler was brought out, suddenly a swimsuit wasn't a bad idea at all and Gracie had a blast running through the sprinkler. 

Gracie took a very short nap at daycare and I could tell she was a little more emotional in the evening, but she still did really well.  Just as we were about to leave daycare, she turned, bumped into the one year old, knocked him down accidentally and then fell herself.  She adores this little boy and I think the whole thing just scared her -- she cried and cried and cried.  The one year old was fine, didn't even shed a tear, but Gracie cried enough for both of them. 

Gracie ate a good supper and then wanted to go outside.  Jeff, Gracie, and I went outside for a short walk, but she decided she wanted to "race" daddy instead.  So Gracie and daddy played for awhile as I cheered them on.  Then it was time for Jeff to mow the lawn, so I put Gracie in the stroller and we went for a long walk.  She was such a good girl.  When we came in the house, she took just about every toy out of her toy box and then listened and danced to music.  She also helped me pick up all those toys.  She is so good about helping pick up toys. 

Gracie fell asleep very quickly, but in the wee hours of the morning became very restless.  At one point her big pink stuffed elephant was on top of her and she was sleeping away.  When she awoke this morning, her first request to Jeff was "Wanna See Mama"!  She was in a good mood and as we headed out to the garage to go to daycare she was very helpful.  She pushed the button to open the garage door, then made a dash outside.  She gave me a big "you can't catch me" smile as she bolted down the sidewalk.  Once I caught her and she got her laugh in, she was happy to get in the car to go to daycare.

Have a great weekend.

Lisa

Wednesday - A Very Very Good Girl

Gracie had a great day again yesterday.  She is healthy and happy and generally, just plain agreeable.  She still knows her mind and her wants (and I wouldn't have it any other way), she just doesn't seem to need to meltdown when she doesn't get her way immediately.  For example, last night I was busy and couldn't immediately help her start the video she wanted to watch on the computer.  I suggested a couple of alternative things for her to do until I could help her.  To each of my suggestions, she replied "no".  I explained that I could not help her at the moment, could she go to her room and find a book or a toy to play with for a little bit.  The next thing I know, she trots off to her room, grabs a book, lays on her bed and begins to read. 

At daycare yesterday, Gracie got to swim in the kiddie pool, go to the park, play on the playset in the backyard and had a really good day.  She did get sad and cried when the two year old grabbed her and started to drag her somewhere she didn't want to go.  It took a few minutes to comfort her, but she did not get grabby or pinchy, which we've been working on getting her not to do.  Words seem to escape her at times like these, so we've been working very hard on trying to help her know which words to use. 

Last night Jeff had to work late, so Gracie and I got to hang out.  She ate a good supper, then we headed outside to play.  We took a walk/stroller ride and Barbie Cinderella had to come along.  Gracie was excited to see a hot air balloon in the sky and the clouds.  She is very into clouds lately and is very proud to point out the clouds to us.  Then it was bath time.  Gracie got some new light up rubber ducks for her birthday - they light up and change colors when you put them in water.  She had a great time with those in the tub!

Daddy came home just about the time we were headed for bed.  Gracie was so excited to see him.  She had been asking for him all night long.  Gracie had another restless night.  She has gained 5 lbs. since we last increased her seizure meds and I sometimes see this kind of restlessness at night, right before we experience daytime seizure breakthrough, so I have a note into her neurologist to see if it might be a good idea to increase her seizure meds. 

Gracie was a happy girl this morning until it was time for daycare, she wanted to go outside and play, not go outside to the van to travel to daycare.  She eventually came around.

We are definitely enjoying the less humid days.  I hope you are as well.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Tuesday - An Afternoon with Dad and Shopping with Mom

Gracie had another good day on Tuesday.  In the morning she went to daycare and they went to the library to get some different books to read.  She ate lunch at daycare and Jeff picked her up shortly after lunch.  They spent the afternoon together...sleeping!  Gracie took a 3 hour nap!!!  So when I got home from work, Gracie was in a great mood!  She was mondo excited when she saw the big cupcake balloon a friend from work had sent home for her. 

We ate supper quick and Jeff left to do a magic show for National Night Out and we ran to the mall to exchange an outfit for a bigger size.  Gracie was quite the social butterfly, saying "hi" to everyone, wanting to hold the hands of the sales clerks.  I must say all the sales clerks were awesome with her -- sweet and kind. 

As a treat for being such a good girl we stopped at McDonald's and got an ice cream cone for Gracie.  She loved that.  On the way home though, she started not looking so good.  Her head was bent down, her lip out like she wasn't feeling well or was very sad and she wouldn't say anything to me.  I made sure she was breathing and then zipped home very quickly to assess the situation.  When I got in the back seat of the car with her and started talking to her, she wouldn't say a thing to me and still had the sad face.  As I started to talk to her more, I could tell she was holding back a smile. Little Miss Grace is becoming a great big tease and when I asked her if she was teasing mom she started laughing and said "yes". 

We took a walk around the block and enjoyed being outside for a bit.  She even got a visit from neighbors Nanci and Diane, and puppies Annabelle and Morgan.  That was a big hit.  Then we went inside and I cleaned out a cooler on the back deck that had cans of Diet Coke in them, as well as other things.  I stacked them on the kitchen table to dry.  Miss Grace nonchalantly walks in the kitchen and says "Coke Please", then helps herself to a can on the table and tries to open it.  Once again teaseville because she knows she doesn't get Diet Coke and rarely pop of any kind.  Jeff and I were thrilled to see her start to stack the cans on top of each other.  She got three stacked high and went for a fourth, but she wasn't quite tall enough to make that one work. 

Gracie had a pretty restless night, not quite sure why, but she kept waking up.  She would go right back to sleep though.  She awoke in a good mood this morning and was dancing and singing already this morning.

Have a great day.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Monday - Back to the Routine

Gracie's busy weekend caught up with her.  She took a 3 hour nap at daycare yesterday and when I picked her up she was still looking a little groggy.  It was raining when I picked her up, so I told her we would go home and she could play in the rain with her new umbrella that she got for her birthday.  When we got home, I got her umbrella for her and she said "no, house".  So we went in the house and she played with her umbrella there.  I think she didn't want to get it wet!

The rain cooled things off a bit last night so we took a walk around the block and you could tell that Gracie was enjoying it being a little cooler.  She was always at least 10 steps ahead of us.  When we got home, we put her in the stroller and Jeff and I took a longer walk.  She enjoyed telling us all about our surroundings and her favorite question was asked frequently "What's that?"

Gracie did not want much for supper -- perhaps because it was leftover night.  But the leftovers were good -- pizza, macaroni and cheese, fruit.  When I tried to get her to eat some of her mac & cheese she wrinkled up her nose and told me it was "icky". 

Gracie went to bed quite a bit later than usual.  She just wasn't tired after that nap and then she awoke at 4:30 a.m. for the day today.  Yawn! 

This morning, Gracie wanted to go into our bedroom where Jeff was ironing his clothes.  He keeps the door shut so we don't have any iron accidents.  Gracie can't yet master the turning of a door knob, so she can't get the door open.  So she knocked and yelled "open".  Jeff didn't respond immediately.  I smiled when I heard her yell "I said open!"  I just love hearing those 3 word sentences, no matter how demanding they might be.

Gracie went to daycare this morning and she will hang out with daddy this afternoon.  She's been a pretty big daddy's girl lately. 

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Our Princess Grace Turns 4!!!

My friend Carol knows how to celebrate birthdays, she celebrates not only her actual birthday, but as she puts it "the birthday season".  She celebrates the week...sometimes the month.  I really like this philosophy and that is how we celebrated our Princess Grace's birthday this year.

Thursday - Party at Daycare:
Gracie had a great birthday celebration at daycare.  They started out at the House of Bounce in the morning.  Gracie was a bit overwhelmed and did not want to go on any of the big bouncy slides or on any of the bounce toys for that matter, but she did enjoy watching the other kids as long as our daycare provider was at her side.  Then they headed to McDonald's (Gracie's favorite restaurant) for lunch.  After nap, it was time for Princess cupcakes, princess tiaras, singing happy birthday, and of course dancing!!!!  Gracie had a great day, was super tired, but very happy when I picked her up.

Friday - A Trip to the Zoo:
Jeff and I both took the day off work and took Gracie to the zoo.  Gracie LOVED it!  Her favorite animals were the fish, stingrays, grizzly bears, and penguins.  She also loved riding the "choo choo" - the monorail!  Gracie was in a fantastic mood all day!  It was very hot and as soon as we would notice Gracie starting to "shut down" from the heat, we took her to a water play area (I could kiss the person at the zoo that thought to put this in place -- it was our saving grace to save our Grace from the heat.).  She loved this and I kept her in her wet clothes, which helped to keep her cooler for the rest of our zoo adventures.  As soon as she would start to get too hot again, we would just go back to the water area.  Grace was in such a good mood all day and had so much fun taking everything in.  On the way home, Gracie slept almost the whole way to our house.  When we got back to town, we treated Gracie to a soft-serve ice cream cone from McDonalds.  This was a first for her and she loved it and felt like such a big girl eating her cone.

Saturday - The Big Birthday:
Gracie woke up bright and early at 6:00 a.m. and was ready to start her day.  We had a lazy morning and then ate some lunch and had a birthday cupcake.  Then Gracie opened presents from momma and daddy.  We've been trying to get her to say she is "4", but instead when I asked, she would give me this big grin and answer "9".  After a short nap, we played in the house for a while and then headed to Home Depot and Target to pick up a ceiling fan for her room and a few other things.  Later, Grandma & Grandpa D. came over for pizza...and yet more cake.  We had a great time!  Annabelle, the neighbor dog that Gracie adores, and neighbor Nanci stopped by briefly to wish Gracie a Happy Birthday too!

Sunday - Birthday Celebrating with Her Godparents & God-Cousins:
On Sunday Gracie's Godparents, Sheila & Chris, and cousins Kayla and Jason came over to continue the celebrating.  Gracie escorted Kayla and Jason to her bedroom and wanted to keep them all to herself.  She was lured out of her room after a while with presents!!!  Gracie enjoyed playing all afternoon and our guests joined us for supper and you guessed it...more cake.  This was a full birthday cake with princess tiara candles.  I think more of Gracie's piece of this cake ended up on the floor than in her mouth, but she enjoyed squeezing it through her fingers!!!!  She had so much fun all day, that at 9:30 p.m., she was still trying to fall asleep.  I think she finally dozed off a little before 10:00 p.m., yet she still awoke in a great mood. 

I think being 4 agrees with Gracie.  By the way...at 4, she weighs 51 lbs. and is 3'8" tall. 

Mommy and Daddy reminisced about that day 4 years ago when we picked up our sweet little bundle from the hospital.  We had no clue what life had in store for us....many challenges, many learning experiences...but mostly so much love!  Gracie continues to be the light of our life and we are so blessed to have her for a daughter.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Wednesday/Thursday - Happy, Happy Girl

Gracie had a great day yesterday.  Daddy picked her up at daycare and I was home when they got home.  She was so excited to see me that she gave me the biggest smile and the longest hug.  It was so awesome.  Gracie was in a great mood all night long.  She also had a big appetite - could she be growing again????   I'm told she ate a big lunch and then ate a big supper too, which included two cupcakes.  It probably didn't hurt that I had made BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for supper, a favorite of hers. 

It was such a fun evening.  Gracie danced and sang and gave us all sorts of hugs, kisses, and snuggles.   It took her a while to finally fall asleep once it was bed time.  She had a hundred things to say and of course the "drink" stall tactic was used as well.

Gracie had a restless early morning, she woke up alot after 1:00 a.m. and she would say a word or two and then I would look at her and she would be asleep again.  She must have been dreaming.   She awoke in a great mood.  She was ready for her princess birthday party at daycare today.  We took pink sparkly princess crowns to daycare, along with pink and white frosted chocolate cupcakes with princess crowns stuck in the top, we took some princess gift bags for the party goers that had princess toothbrushes, princess fruit snacks, princess stickers, etc.  She is very excited about it being her birthday.  I can't wait to find out about her day and her party.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

 

Tuesday/Wednesday - "This is Icky"

Gracie had another good day.  She spent a lot of time outside at daycare.  She also got to play with her buddy Aubrey.  These two girls look so much alike (other than Gracie is quite a bit bigger) and have so much fun together.  Aubrey brought her puppy along to daycare too, so that was a fun treat for Gracie. 

Jeff picked Gracie up from daycare and they had some good time together before I got home from work.  When I got home we had supper, but Gracie didn't eat more than a few bites.  It was a pasta/chicken dish, so I thought she would love it.  Later, thinking she must be hungry, I asked her if she wanted a peanut butter sandwich.  (I know what you're thinking....if she didn't eat her supper she shouldn't get anything else...but with Gracie if her blood sugar gets low, we all pay.)  She said she did want a PB sandwich, but changed her mind once I gave it to her.  I set it on the table and told her it would be there if she got hungry later.  A while later, she took the sandwich, opened it up and stuck her finger through it and informed Jeff and I that "This is icky!"  The look on her face when she said it was hilarious.  Later she told us it was "sticky", so she could have been saying "sticky", but I really think she said "icky".  She never did eat more than one bite. 

Gracie didn't take a very long nap at daycare so she was extra tired last night and got upset a little easier than usual.  I finally just took her downstairs and put her in the tub to splash around and get some good sensory input, that usually does wonders for her.  After bath, she danced a little bit while we waited for her hair to dry a bit, then to bed.  She was pretty tired and it didn't take her long to fall asleep...it didn't take me long either...I didn't wake up til 1:00 a.m. (thankfully, she slept through).  She had a good night and was in a very good mood this morning too. 

I got yogurt out of the fridge to have with her seizure meds this morning, she informed me she wanted "pudding".  I did win out on that one.  We call her meds "sprinkles" as you pour these little sprinkles out of a capsule on some food.  She informed me last night and again this morning that they were "medicine". 

When I left her at daycare this morning she was helping to make homemade waffles.  I wonder if they would have minded if I would have stayed for breakfast!  ;)  Yummy.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Monday - Lots of Outdoor Time

Gracie had a good day at daycare yesterday and they spent a lot of time outdoors.  She didn't want to put on her swimming suit to go in the kiddie pool, but just hung out watching others play.  I think sometimes she just gets so hot that she doesn't feel like doing anything but sitting.  She didn't take a very long nap either, so was a tired girl when we got home. She wouldn't drink much for daycare, but guzzled down a whole bottle of Gatorade for me on the way home.  Then asked for more. 

Gracie didn't each much for supper last night, but wanted to go back outside.  We went for a walk and then after that, we put her in the stroller and Jeff and I walked at a faster pace.  She enjoyed that and was pretty tired by the time we made it home.  As tired as she was, she wanted to "chat" before she went to sleep.  She is becoming a little chatty girl at bedtime.  I think she has discovered the art of stalling. 

Gracie had a great night.  I find that if I put her in minimal clothes (a diaper and a camisole t-shirt) she sleeps so much better as she stays cooler.  She was in a great mood this morning and was running around the house and laughing.  She was ready to go to daycare and I guess I wasn't fast enough, so she informed me "Bye Bye to Mandy's". 

Enjoy the beautiful day today.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

The Weekend

I've had a few comments on Friday's post with the picture of Gracie in the white sweatshirt and how clean it was.  My suggestion for all of you that want to wear white...or any color for that matter...Oxyclean and Era!  The two together work wonders and rarely do I meet dirt I can't conquer.  Let me add that I rarely pre-treat! 

Gracie had a good Friday at daycare and made Jeff and I majorly proud on Friday evening.  Jeff was home with her while I was doing a little birthday shopping.  Gracie told Jeff "potty, poo, poo".  Jeff asked her if she had to go, but she said "no".  Jeff said "Let's try anyway." and she went potty and poop on the toilet. 

Our weekend was pretty low key.   On Saturday morning we all went outside bright and early and took a walk and pulled weeds in our backyard that had become out of control.  Gracie played in the rocks and mowed the lawn with her push mower toy.  In the afternoon, after a two hour nap, Gracie and I did a little shopping while Jeff had band practice at church.  We had a fun evening together at home just singing and dancing.  Gracie was in a great mood and cognitively has been learning so much.  Jeff and I accused each other of giving more seizure meds than she should have had because we always see a huge cognitive jump with that.  Neither of us did, but she sure was on top of everything and so aware this weekend.   She had many new words too. 

I picked up a very cheap plastic dump truck at Fleet Farm for Gracie on Saturday.  She saw it while we were shopping and got very excited about it.  I've never even thought to get her a dump truck...oh my goodness she loves this truck.  On Saturday night she drove it all over the grass.  On Sunday she played with it too, she wasn't too sure that she really wanted rocks in the back when I suggested it.  This morning she saw the truck on the back deck and insisted she needed it in the house to play with.  

On Sunday we took walks, played outside, and again just had a low key day.  We had supper with Grandma & Grandpa D and Gracie was very happy to see them after her initial shyness when they arrived at our house.  Gracie had a great night and slept very well.  She was in a good mood this morning too.  I got a big hug when she woke up and came to find me.  It was a great way to start my day.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Thursday - Back to the Routine (Sort of)

Gracie had a great day at daycare yesterday.  They rented a room at a local hotel that has a waterpark and the kids swam in the pool all afternoon.  Gracie was a little disappointed that she didn't get to go in the big pool.  She has no fear - this is not necessarily a good thing.  I picked her up at the hotel after work and she didn't want to go home.  It was funny, our daycare provider's little boy was mildly fussing because he wanted to go with me and Gracie was mildly fussing because she wanted to stay with Mandy.

Gracie had a heart tattoo on her arm that she was quite proud of, unfortunately it went down the drain with her bath water.  Gracie was a tired girl last night.  She was in a good mood for the most part and did a lot of singing and dancing throughout the evening.  We read a book -- the same one over and over at her request. 

Gracie fell asleep quickly and had a much better night, although she did wake about 2:30 a.m. to tell me "hi" a couple of times.  Thankfully she went back to sleep fairly quickly.  This morning when she woke up, she came out of her room, ran to me and said "Good Morning Mamma!"  We snuggled on the couch for awhile watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse before we got moving for the day.

I took Gracie back to the hotel this morning as they were going to swim a little more before checking out.  Gracie was very excited about swimming again.  When she saw the hotel she said "swim"!

Thought you might enjoy another picture of Gracie at the lake!

Have a great weekend.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Vacation!!!

We headed to the North Shore for a little rest and relaxation!  The weather was very hot, but we were right on the lake, so the breeze off of the lake cooled things off in the morning and the evening.  Gracie enjoyed herself but her routine was definitely shaken and we saw an escalation of behavioral issues -- hitting, pinching, grabbing, and of course biting.  Thankfully she reserved the bites just for Jeff and I. 

Gracie loved playing in the sand and the water, but only for a certain length of time.  She would play for a little while and then insist we go back to the house.  Gracie and I took a number of walks on our own to regain a little attitude balance for her and that definitely helped.  We also found a playground one day on our walk, so she enjoyed swinging and sliding too.  Grace loved dancing with her cousins and her favorite thing to do was grab their hand and go for walks.  She just didn't want the walks to end.  She loved being outdoors when the weather cooled off in the evenings.  She also loved throwing the sand up in the air - her hair was so full of sand, I think I'm still getting it all out. 

We arrived back home late in the afternoon on Tuesday.  Gracie sat on her bed and said "home".  I know she loved all the attention she received, but I know how important routine is for her and she definitely needed that again.  We took the whole day yesterday (Wednesday) to spend time with her.  She was much better behaved and other than a few errands, we stayed home all day and played.  I got a ton of kisses yesterday, she would just come over and give me kisses on her own.  Sweet!  Sweet!  Sweet!

We are experiencing a heat wave, so we filled up her kiddie pool, put in under a shade tree and that is how we spent most of the afternoon yesterday.  Gracie had a blast.  I thought she would be very tired and she did go to sleep fairly quickly.  She awoke at 3:00 a.m., after being restless for an hour or more before.  She told me she was hot, even though we had the air conditioning going.  So I stripped her down to her diaper and a light tank top.  She just couldn't fall back to sleep.  She finally fell asleep at 5:00 a.m., the very time I need to get up for work.  She awoke a little after six and she was in a pretty good mood too. 

Jeff took Gracie to daycare this morning and I'm told she was very happy to see Mandy.  I think the plan was to go swimming today.  I know she'll love that.

Stay cool.

Love,

Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Tuesday/Wednesday - Pockets!!!

Gracie had a good day at daycare.  She got to go to Olive Garden for lunch, she took a 2-1/2 hour nap (I guess getting up at 4 a.m. in the morning will do that for you), and she went poop on the toilet.  We had a bit of aggressive behavior when it was time to go home and Gracie hit both an older child and our daycare provider.  I talked to her and got her to cool down and then she apologized to both.  Transitions are so hard for her.  I need to work harder with her on using words rather than actions when she is upset.  Gracie has such a quick temper and then later is very remorseful. 

It was just Gracie and I last night and we played outside almost all evening.  Gracie took her Mickey and Minnie mouse figurines outside with her and had so much fun playing with them.  They got to swing and walk in the grass.  Gracie cracked me up when at one point she sat down in the grass, looked up at me and just nonchalantly said to me "nice out".  It was a cooler evening and I know she was enjoying it. 

Gracie had a great night and slept in until 6:00 a.m. this morning.  The highlight of her morning was when I put a new pair of shorts on her and they have pockets.  She discovered the pockets all on her own and in a very excited voice said "pockets".  Not many of her clothes have pockets.

It looks like a beautiful day out, I have a feeling she will be spending a good part of the day outdoors today.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

The Weekend Plus

Gracie had a good weekend.  On Saturday it was a Gracie and daddy day.  I left the house at 9:30 a.m. for a "Shop Til You Drop" day with all 4 of my sisters and didn't get home til about 9:30 - 10:00 p.m.  Gracie and daddy had a good day together.  They did a little shopping at Home Depot and a few other stores.  Gracie enjoyed the iPads at Best Buy and had to be carried away from those when it was time to leave.  I came home to a sleeping girl. 

On Sunday, we had a low key day.  Gracie slept in a little later, so took a very short nap.  We spent the majority of the afternoon on the deck letting Gracie splash in her kiddie pool and singing silly songs.  She was having a blast.  Aunt Sheila, Uncle Chris, cousins Kayla and Jason, and Aunt Norma all joined us in the late afternoon and we grilled some hamburgers and hotdogs for supper.  We just visited for the rest of the evening.  Gracie got to bed way too late as she was having so much fun showing Norma her dance moves. 

When she awoke on Monday, I knew we were in trouble, she was a major grumpy pants.  She had moments of fun and happiness, but she definitely was more tired and more easily upset and disagreeable.  She was happy to get in the van to take Norma to the airport.  She had moments of being unhappy, but did pretty well on the ride.  I had hoped maybe a nap in the van was in order, but that didn't happen.  Gracie loved watching the airplanes take off and land and even more fun were her rides on the tram that took us from parking to the main terminal.  Gracie called that riding on the "choo-choo". 

Gracie did fall asleep for 15 minutes in the van on the way home, but that was not long enough.  She was so tired that I put her to bed last night at 6:45 p.m.  That back-fired on me as she was up this morning at 4:10 a.m. and was wide awake and ready to play.  She never did go back to sleep.  I'm guessing she may take a good nap at daycare today.

Have a great day!

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Thursday/Friday - Loving the Outdoors

Gracie had a great day at daycare yesterday.  They played at the park in the morning and went swimming in the kiddie pool in the afternoon.  When I arrived to pick her up she was a little busy body and was in a great mood.  She kept stalling leaving, she wanted to show me this or that, she had more hugs for her buddies.

When we got home we ate a quick supper and then went back outside to play.  We were out there until bedtime and had a great time.  Gracie is so observant of so much these days -- airplanes, worms, bugs, the moon.  She loves when she spies the moon because we have a couple of songs we sing about the moon. 

It was just Gracie and I last night and she was in a great mood.  Gracie didn't even fuss when we headed into the house (that's the second time this week that she went in without major dramatics).  Jeff came home just as we were getting ready for bed and the two of them danced for a little bit before we called it a night.  Gracie fell asleep quickly and had another good night.  Her cold is getting much better.  Her nose is still runny, but it is subsiding, the cough still sounds nasty, but I can tell she is on the mend. 

Gracie woke up in a good mood this morning and was daddy's buddy!

Enjoy another beautiful day.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Wednesday/Thursday

Gracie had a good day at daycare yesterday and was a good girl.  Jeff picked her up at daycare and by the time I arrived home from work, she had a bit of attitude going on.  In a fit of frustration (I'm not quite sure about what) she removed absolutely every magnet and other items that were posted on the refrigerator door and threw them to the floor.  After she was done with that little fit, I sat beside her on the floor and told her that when you make a mess you have to clean it up.  So together we sang the pick up song and picked up everything that was thrown to the floor.  She was only to happy to help. 

Gracie ate a good supper and then we headed to the bathtub to splash for a while.  Water seems to be a great mood equalizer for Gracie.  She did fine in the tub, but when taken out was putting up quite a fuss and clocked her dad one in the head.  I walked her upstairs for her timeout.  She was very unhappy to have to sit for two minutes, but after it was all over, I sat down and we talked a bit.  I told her I thought she needed to go tell daddy she was sorry, which she was very willing to do.  Not only did she sign it, but she verbally said it too.  After we got that over with, she was charming for the rest of the night.  We took a walk outside and then after that she sat in the stroller as Jeff and I took a brisker walk.  When we got home, we sat on the front porch and let her run and play.  She was having a great time.  She didn't even fuss when it was time to go inside to bed.  She fell asleep very quickly and had a great night. 

Gracie awoke in a GREAT mood this morning.  Amazing what a good night's sleep will do for a girl.  She ate a little breakfast and then wanted to dance!!!

It looks like another beautiful sunny day today -- enjoy it!

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Tuesday - Back at Daycare

Gracie had a good and much needed mellow day at daycare yesterday.  Her daycare mom said she was pretty much ready for her afternoon nap at 11:00 a.m.  She was in a great mood, just more mellow and tired.  Her nose is still running and her cough is pretty nasty, but I can tell she is on the mend. 

I picked her up at daycare and when we got home she decided she did not want to get out of the car.  She wanted to just be unbuckled and left to play.  So I opened up the doors, stayed close, and let her play.  She had great fun.

Then Jeff came out and took out the under the car creeper (I don't know the official name of it) to check out my car for damage as I got rear-ended pretty hard on my way to work yesterday.  Thankfully the damage is minimal.  Gracie called the creeper "the night night" and she wanted to take a pretend nap on it.  We let her and that was great fun too. 

Then we drew pretty pictures on the driveway with chalk before going into the house. She did not  want to go in at all, but we needed to get some supper in her.  We never did make it outside again.  I could tell she was pretty tired.  She had a great night sleep for the most part, she did wake up to cough a fair number of times, but always went right back to sleep. 

Thought you might enjoy a few pictures of our 4th of July girl (taken on the 3rd of July at our family get together - thanks for the great photography work Aunt Cheryl).

Love,

Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Fourth of July Weekend Fun

Gracie had alot of fun with family over the 4th of July weekend:

• On Friday, Gracie stayed home with me in the morning and we headed to the grocery store.  Note to self:  Next time we go to the grocery store make sure Gracie has a big breakfast!  Gracie wanted to eat everything that I put in the cart and she wanted it immediately.  I finally made it up to the cash register and had them ring up the bananas so she could munch away.  She downed that banana so quickly and was ready for her next snack.  Grace took a good afternoon nap and then in the later afternoon, Jeff, Gracie, and I headed for a road trip to pick up Auntie Norma at the airport.  We got there a little early, but Gracie did not mind one bit, she loved riding the escalators.  There are three levels and we just went up and down, up and down.  She was very excited to hold Norma's hand and was her little buddy.
• On Saturday, Gracie was excited to see that Norma was still at her house.  She had her come into her bedroom for a Gracie party.  Aunt Sheila came to join us in the morning too and that was great fun to play with two aunts.  After lunch we went for a drive to take Norma to Mom and Dad's.  Gracie enjoyed seeing Grandma & Grandpa and was a good little rider on the way there.  She did quite well on the way back too.  When we first got in the van for the drive back, I heard a blood curdling scream from the back seat.  I was happy to see it was only a common fly that was irritating her, so we learned the words "shoo fly". 
• On Sunday, we had a big family picnic.  My parents, all of my brothers and sisters and many nieces and nephews and great nieces were there to have fun.  Gracie had come down with a cold on Saturday, so she wasn't totally her self, but she had great fun.  She was a busy girl and had fun playing with all of her cousins.  She also had great fun playing with the sprinkler that was set up for the kids.  It was a great help in cooling her down and she was mud and grass from head to toe and smiles from ear to ear.  It was way past her bedtime by the time we left, yet she did not fall asleep until we were two minutes from home.  She had much to tell me.
• On Monday, we were going to head to my hometown for a 4th of July parade and more time with family, but Gracie was feeling the effects of her cold and really just needed a day to veg.  So we stayed home and filled her kiddie pool and just hung out on the deck and let her splash.  She took a much needed 2 hour nap. Grandma & Grandpa D joined us for a little bit in the late afternoon and had supper with us.  Gracie had a much better night last night, although she has a nasty cough that wakes her.  She was in a very good mood this morning and was very happy to see her daycare provider this morning.  Lots of hugs for her.

Hoping you all had a great 4th of July filled with family, friends, food, and fun!

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Lots of Adventures

Gracie has had quite a week, with many adventures:

• On Monday night, Gracie, Jeff, and I were drawing with chalk on our driveway, Gracie leaned on the box of chalk, it went overr and so did she. Her head hit the cement and she has a huge bump and scrape on her head. I did the mommy gasp and ran for her. In her very Gracie way, she wanted no hugs or attention, she did not cry, she had to walk it off. You can tell something really hurts when she has to take a little walk away from every one. After a little while we could talk about her "Boo Boo".
• On Tuesday, Gracie went to a different daycare - the mom and sister of our regular provider.  She got to hang out with her good buddy Aubrey.  She decided she didn't want to take her seizure meds until she was bribed with a fudgecycle.  She also refused to drink any liquids for them all afternoon and did not want a snack.  When I arrived she was in tears.  They had mentioned that I would be coming soon to pick her up and well I guess she was missing me.  Once I got her calmed down, she guzzled a big glass of Gatorade and asked for more....all evening long.  We played outside a fair amount that evening. 
• On Wednesday morning Gracie hung out with daddy in the morning.  They did a few errands and went to visit some friends from daddy's work.  They treat her like a little princess and she loves going.  Then Aunt Sheila picked her up around lunch time and took Gracie to her house for the afternoon to play with cousins Kayla and Jason, puppy Sandy, and even Uncle Chris.  She wasn't as peppy yesterday, she loved holding everyone's hand and taking walks, but wasn't quite as active as usual.  This heat is really getting to her.  Gracie loves hanging out there and was not all that happy to leave.  She got a bit moody on the way home and then like a switch was turned she became a very happy girl.  I think it may have had something to do with the peanut butter sandwich I gave her to eat...I think the blood sugar was a little low. 
• Today Gracie is at back-up daycare through work.  She was excited to go and when I was taking to long at the car she kept trying to pull me and said "c'mon".  She was excited to see her friends on the staff and there were a lot of kids already there.  I hope it isn't too overwhelming for her.  They are so good to her there, and many times will take her out for a walk to see the babies.  This is the first time they will have to give her seizure meds, so I hope she takes them okay for them.  Since she has been on the namebrand meds, she has not given us any trouble with taking them at all.  We've seen alot of positive behavior changes on the name brand meds. 

Tomorrow Gracie gets to hang out with me and we get to pick up Aunt Norma (from Texas) at the airport.  That will be the start of many fun family festivities and parties.  We're very excited.  This will probably be my last post til after the 4th. 

Wishing you a safe and happy Fourth of July!!!

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

The Weekend & More

I've been delinquent in getting updates done again...so here is how Gracie's weekend went in a nutshell:

• Friday:  After Gracie's 12 hour sleep marathon on Thursday night, Gracie decided a nap really wasn't needed.  So she was a pretty tired girl on Friday night.  We played outside a bit and had a low key evening.
• Saturday:  We had a lazy morning and Gracie and I did a little shopping at Target, we ran into a lot of people we know, so it was like a little social outing for us.  It was too rainy to spend time outside, so we tried to find things to occupy our time indoors.
• Sunday:  Gracie and daddy hung out together most of the day (I had an unforeseen trip to the ER with chest pains radiating up my neck -- uh oh!  Good news is that my heart checked out just fine.  Still struggling with some G.I. issues - who knew that the heart and the stomach have the same nerve receptors.).  Gracie was a very good girl for daddy and 9 hours later when I was released, Gracie had lots of hugs for me.  We did go to the local playground for a little bit in the evening and Gracie really enjoyed that.  I did too.
• Monday:  Gracie started out at daycare but then we found out that the little boy there has a very contagious virus.  After talking with our pediatrician, it was felt that Gracie should stay away for a good week or so, so we've been scrambling to get some back up daycare.  She will be at a different place every day this week.  Hopefully this will be fun for her.  She has been missing school a lot, she continually carries her class picture around and we have to name everyone.  Sometimes she'll say "See Justine".  Which means she wants to see her...and Justine is a classmate she quite enjoyed. 

It looks like summer is here!!!  Enjoy the sunshine.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Thursday/Friday - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Gracie's nap after her ENT appointments yesterday lasted much longer than even I anticipated.  She slept from 4:50 p.m. to 5:40 p.m., when I awoke her to take her seizure meds.  She did so cheerfully, but I think God was helping me with that.  Immediately after taking the meds, she got very upset and needed comforting.  She fell back to sleep.  At 6:30 p.m. I tried to wake her up and she wouldn't wake up, I tried again at 7:00 p.m. and she didn't wake up, so I changed her diaper (she awoke just long enough to have a fit about her diaper being changed) and fell back to sleep for the night.  Other than a brief chat session at 3:30 a.m., she slept until 6:00 a.m. this morning.  I was in shock.  She has never slept 13 hours straight in her life!

She was in a good mood this morning and was giving daddy lots of hugs.  You can always tell she is feeling warm and cozy when she says "Daddy home, mommy home, Gracie home."  She loves it when we are all there. 

After having no supper last night, I thought my growing girl would be ravenous, but that was not the case at all.  She had a little bit of breakfast and was ready to head to daycare.  We did have to have a tea party before she went though.

Have a great weekend.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Wednesday/Thursday

On Wednesday, Gracie had a great day at daycare.  She got to go to a movie about cats and dogs and then she got to go out for pizza for lunch.  In the afternoon she got her toenails painted hot pink.  She is very proud of her colorful toes.  She was in a great mood when I picked her up and she had lots to say.  With it being so rainy, we just snuggled and played all night til bedtime.  It was nice to just have a low key evening.

Today (Thursday), Gracie got up way too early and was a little grumpy.  She did not want her diaper changed.  She started to have a bit of a fuss about getting her diaper changed until suddenly she became quiet.  It made me laugh to see her checking out her pretty pink toenails.  She had forgotten about them.

Gracie had a good morning playing at daycare.  I picked her up right after lunch and we headed to the clinic for an afternoon of hearing tests and ENT appointments.  All checked out just fine.  Her hearing came back much better than previous tests and her ears looked very healthy.  She was not happy about having to wear headphones during the hearing tests...that was almost cause for a meltdown.  She wouldn't totally cooperate, but she did enough for us to get what we need.  We had quite a wait between appointments, so we spent the time walking the lobby and making new friends.

After our appointments we stopped up to see Aunt Sheila for a very short time.  Gracie was excited to see her, as well as some of her officemates. 

Since it was a no nap afternoon, she fell asleep on the way home only to wake up once we arrived home, but was still very tired.  She is now snoozing on her bed...we can't make it a long nap or she won't go to bed tonight, but she definitely needs a little rest...she was operating on fumes.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Tuesday/Wednesday - A Good Week

Gracie has been having a good week.  She has been playing really well with the other kids at daycare.  Yesterday they went to the park and Gracie had great fun climbing up to the high tornado slide and zooming down.  She was filthy when she came home from playing so hard and I loved it!  She was in such a good mood all night long. 

I think I mentioned that Gracie must be on the verge of a growth spurt because she is eating everything in sight.  Last night on the way home from daycare as she is drinking a glass of juice in the backseat, she says "store".  I asked her what she wanted at the store.  Her reply:  "Food, eat, hungry!"  So when we got home I said "Look Gracie, daddy made us some pasta for supper."  Gracie responded:  "No!  McDonald's."  That cracked us all up!

Gracie had a fairly good night.  At one point she woke up, lifted up her feet to look at them.  Sort of like she was making sure they were still there, then went right back to sleep.  I would love to know what she is thinking sometimes! 

Gracie was snuggling in bed with me this morning, trying to wake up. She was sucking on her thumb and I asked her if it tasted good.  Then I went to pretend to suck on her little finger and I said I wondered what it tasted like.  Gracie pipes up with:  "Chicken!"  Then she added "Boop" (that is her word for ketchup).  She cracks me up.

Have a great day!

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

The Weekend

Gracie had a busy and full weekend.  On Saturday we traveled to see Grandma & Grandpa B.  We had lunch with them and then spent the afternoon visiting.  Gracie had lots of hugs for Grandma and enjoyed teasing Grandpa.  She would offer him one of her fruit snacks and just as he was about to take it, she would pull it back and put it in her mouth.  Grandpa being the tease he is, enjoyed this immensely.  Gracie was so tired by the time we left late afternoon, that we were just sure she would fall asleep in the car.  She did, but only for about 20-25 minutes.  She didn't go to bed all that early either and so by the time it was bedtime, she was so overtired that it was hard for her to fall asleep.  She had a bit of a restless night, but slept until 7:30 a.m. 

On Sunday morning, we took Gracie to Sunday school for the first time.  She was in the room with 3-5 year olds.  She was fine staying, she enjoyed story time, but mostly wanted to dance to the music.  She had no separation anxiety, but we saw some aggressive behaviors as we went out to the van.  She was a biting machine and just was not happy.  Once again, those transitions seem to get her.  We had a quick lunch and then headed to a friend's graduation.  Gracie made an adult friend there who was sweet and went for walks with us.  Gracie also decided to go scooting on the grass with her diaper clad butt (she was wearing a dress), then she hit sidewalk and kept on scooting.  I quickly had her get up, but not before she had sidewalk burns on the top of her legs where her diaper didn't cover.  She didn't seem to notice at the time, but they were quite sensitive later. 

Gracie took a two hour nap and then we made hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill.  We were sitting outside eating our meal when Gracie got a big smile and signed the word "picnic".  Gracie loves picnics!  We spent alot of time outdoors in the evening.  It was a beautiful night for a long walk.  Gracie started out walking, but we eventually got the stroller.  Then it was bathtime and bedtime.  Gracie got to bed a little later than normal, but fell asleep quickly.  Not sure what she was dreaming about all night, but at one point she started clapping her hands. 

She was a little grumpy when she woke up this morning, so we snuggled for awhile.  She was reading a magazine in her room and I said "Gracie, I'm going to get your applesauce with sprinkles."  This is how we give her seizure meds to her.  She promptly said "fruit chews" - which is what I use to bribe her to eat her applesauce.  I guess she didn't want me to forget to bring those along.

I'm not sure what the plan was for daycare today.  I'm sure she'll have fun, whatever they do.  I was happy to learn that she did a really good job at daycare on Friday and even though she got frustrated a few times, she handled it very well and didn't get grabby with the other kids at all.  Yay!!!!

Have a great week.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Thursday/Friday - Lots of Time Outside

Gracie's most frequent ask these days is "Outside?"  She loves to be outdoors and yesterday was the perfect summer day to do just that -- be outside.  The kids spent most of the day outdoors yesterday at daycare and even went swimming in the kiddie pool.   When Gracie came home from daycare, she wanted to go on a "walk".  So Jeff, Gracie, and I all went on a walk.  When we were just about done walking around the extended block, we got to this grassy area that Gracie loves to run on and if you happen to chase her, better yet.  She suprised both Jeff and I (matter of fact I'm still chuckling about it) by saying "Race Ya!"  I have no clue where she even came up with the concept of "racing".  Jeff and I have not ever said this to her, I'm wondering if perhaps this has been said by kids at school or daycare. 

We spent most of the evening outdoors and all that fresh air made Gracie a tired, yet happy girl.  She had a very good night's sleep and awoke in a pretty good mood.  She did have a bit of a tantrum when it was time to leave for daycare and I'm not even sure what prompted it.  By the time we got to daycare this morning she was fine, but clingy.  That all changed when her buddies showed up.  She was all excited telling them "hi".  Pretty soon she looked at me and said "bye" and waved with a big smile.  She was ready to play.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Wednesday/Thursday

Gracie had a great day at daycare yesterday.  I could tell it was great the moment Jeff and I picked her up at daycare.  She was dancing around and had a big smile.  She did get to go to the library yesterday, but not for story time, there was a musician -- Hans Mayer --there that sang alot of kids action songs.  Gracie was very into this and she was doing the actions and interacting with other children there.

Just as we got home, the sky opened up and just poured rain.  Gracie and I just stood in the garage and enjoyed watching it come down.  I'm pretty sure that if I wouldn't have had a firm hand around her, she would have been out in that rain doing her own little rain dance.  She was in a pretty good mood all night.  Jeff was performing Magic at Hope Lodge, so it was just Gracie and I most of the evening.  She had a splash fest in the bathtub until she violated the bathtub rule of no peeing in the water.  That was pretty much the end of splash and tub time. 

After bath we read books and snuggled until daddy came home.  She also looked at the class picture from her preschool class.  I asked her if she missed her friends and she nodded her head "yes". 

She had a pretty good night, but did wake up a few times.  She fell back to sleep fairly quickly each time.  She must have gotten some good rest because she had a lot of energy this morning.  I had to chase her down just to get her dressed!!!

This morning it was so nice and sunny out that I sang a made up song we have about it being a beautiful day for a smile.  We usually sing it as we walk up to daycare.  Today as I got to the word smile, she looked up at me with the biggest smile.  She has the most beautiful smile -- her eyes just sparkle. 

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Tuesday/Wednesday

Gracie had a good day at daycare yesterday and got to play outside, which is always a treat.  Jeff picked her up and they had some good bonding time.  I went to the mall to take advantage of some summer deals on clothes for Gracie...she's growing again and I'm a little concerned that she will outgrow her summer clothes before summer is over.  So I stocked up. 

Gracie ate a big supper and when I got home she wanted some of mine.  Then later last night she wanted a bedtime snack.  Rarely does she want a snack at night, but last night she ate applesauce, a glass of chocolate milk, and some Cocoa Puffs cereal. 

Last night as I was asking Gracie about her day and her time with daddy, I asked her if she and daddy were buds.  She emphatically shook her head yes and said "daddy, buds". 

We had a thunderstorm last night and I was amazed that Gracie slept right through it.  I was sure the thunder would wake up my light sleeper, but it didn't.  We had more thunderstorms in the wee hours of the morning and those did wake her up, but only enough to snuggle with me and go back to sleep. 

Gracie was in a good mood this morning and was a little upset with us when it was time to leave for daycare.  We have a summer ant problem in our kitchen...and she was having fun crawling on the floor following the ants.  I need to call the bug man!   If you ask Gracie what mommy says about the ants she'll tell you "No, no, Kitchen"!

I think a trip to the library was planned for today at daycare and her good buddy Aubrey was coming to visit.  Both make the day extra special.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Monday/Tuesday

Gracie had a great afternoon at daycare yesterday.  She ate a good lunch, she took a good nap, she went poop in the toilet, and she got to go to the park and play.  When I arrived she was eating goldfish crackers like they were going out of style.  I guess she worked up an appetite.  We sang songs on the way home and she was all smiles. 

After supper we all went out for a walk and when Gracie was too tired to walk, we put her in her stroller and kept on going.  It was such a beautiful evening that I really hated to go indoors.  Gracie needed a bath though, so we eventually went in and we got her to bed a little later than is ideal.  She fell asleep quickly, but had a restless night.  She kept waking up, saying a word or two and then falling back to sleep.  I suspect she was dreaming. 

Gracie was a little more clingy this morning, which I believe has to do with the fact that she could have used just a little more sleep.  Jeff and I were laying on her bed with her for a little bit and she looked up at me with a smile and said "mama home", then she said "Gracie home", then "daddy home".  She was very content with this, so I think it is a happy time for her when all three of us are "home". 

She was a little subdued at daycare this morning -- again because I think she could have used a little more sleep.  Music was turned on, so I'm sure that will get her in a happy, playful mood.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

The Weekend

Gracie had a good weekend, here are the events in a nutshell:

• On Friday Gracie went to a new park with daycare.  There were a lot of kids there and it was very overwhelming for her.  When kids would get too close she would get frustrated and grab/pinch at them.  It was just too busy for her comfort level.  They tried to move to a quieter part of the park, but there really wasn't a quiet part.  After they left, Gracie was fine again.  A little too much sensory overload.
• On Saturday Gracie and Jeff went to watch cousin Jason play soccer.  She learned a new word:  "GOAL!"  Congratulations to Jason and his team on a win!!!  Jeff and I both got haircuts on Saturday, so I got mine first and then Jeff and Gracie came and Gracie was to go home with me.  Just before we left, I went to grab Gracie from getting into other's personal space and I caught my shoe on the floor and we both went crashing to the floor, me on top of her.  I felt so horrible, as I'm sure she hit her head on the floor, but I couldn't find a mark and she did not fuss or cry.  I, however, am in a bit of discomfort.  I think I pulled or tore something in my foot by my big toe.  It hurts to bend it or put any pressure on it.  I skinned my knee up a bit too.  I'm sure it will just take a little time to heal.  Gracie took a 2-1/2 hour nap and then was excited to have Grandma & Grandpa D. come over to join us for supper and a visit.  Gracie insisted that Grandma sit on her bed and visit for a good part of the night. 
• On Sunday it was a more mellow day.  Gracie got to talk to Grandma & Grandpa B. on Skype.  They were visiting Aunt Cheryl & Uncle Russ.  Then Gracie and I did a little shopping at Target, back home to take a nap, then outside for a walk and to play in the backyard. 
• Today (Monday) Gracie got to sleep in a bit as she had a morning eye appointment at the clinic.  She has been doing this weird thing where she looks at things out of the corner of her eyes instead of straight on.  The good news is that everything checked out fine.  They even checked her for color blindness and she did okay there too after we finally convinced her to wear the special glasses.  Gracie did not like the ophthalmologist.  He made the fatal mistake of not welcoming her into the room.  The tech brought her in and he kept his back to us until he was ready to take a look.  Then they turned on these fake animals on tv and that scared her to pieces.  She cried big crocodile tears.  They did end up having to dilate her eyes, so they are a bit more sensitive to the sun today.  While we waited in the waiting room/play room, the doctor would come out inbetween patients to try to play and have her warm up to him.  In the end, she did let him take a look and did give him a high five when we were done, but she was happy to be done.  She really liked the technician and did take her for a walk up and down the hallway once.  Now Gracie is at daycare and there was talk of maybe checking out a movie this afternoon.

Have a great week.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Happy Girl

Gracie had a great last day of school.  They had a party for the summer birthdays and of course Gracie was one of the kids honored.  She got to have ice cream and a pink frosted cupcake.  I picked her up at school so she wouldn't have to ride the hot bus and because I needed to pick up her epi pens from the school nurse.  Gracie was in a great mood!  When I dropped her off at daycare for the afternoon, I did so with a warning that she was all sugared up! 

She had a great afternoon, did a little swimming and playing, and was a happy girl.  That happiness continued through the evening.  She was in a great mood and insisted all three of us take a walk around the block.  Usually halfway through she wants to be carried.  Not so yesterday, she walked the whole block on her own. 

Gracie and Jeff played outside for awhile while I made supper.  She wasn't too happy about the fact that mommy wasn't going to be outside too.  She got over it fairly quickly.  It was a good evening and she fell asleep very quickly last night.  She did wake up with some nasty coughing again through the night.  I just feel so sorry for her as she is so sleepy, but coughs and coughs. 

Gracie awoke in a great mood this morning.  After a little snuggling, she went to the fridge, pulled out the chocolate syrup and wanted chocolate milk.  Keep in mind this is the child that has wanted pretty much nothing to do with milk for the last couple of months.  Then I asked her if she wanted toast for breakfast and she was very much in favor of that.  When I mentioned jelly, I got an affirmative answer there too.  She gobbled it all down.  Amazing since I can barely get her to eat breakfast most days.

Gracie didn't think getting dressed this morning was such a good idea until we decided to make a game out of it.  One run around the island, then we put our pants on, another run, we take our jammie shirt off, another run we get our shirt on, another run then we get one sock on, well you get the picture.  Now you all know why it takes so long to get ready in the morning at our house. 

Jeff took Gracie to daycare this morning and they were thinking about checking out a new park for their activity for the day.  Should be fun.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Monday - Not a Great Day

Gracie had a pretty rough Monday.  I think heat certainly contributed to it.  When I dropped her off at daycare she seemed fine, but she didn't want to get on the bus for school and cried out for "mama" when she was carried on.  She has never done that before.  School isn't air conditioned and she was hot.  They were good about spraying her with water throughout the morning and they did not go outside to play because of the heat.  They even put water in the sensory table to cool the kids off a bit.  The bus was even warmer, despite having all the windows open.  Children with Sotos Syndrome have a hard time regulating body temperature and Gracie's seizure meds don't allow her to sweat as she should, so heat is really, really hard on her. 

Back at daycare, Gracie was pretty out of it.  She did not want to play on the slip n slide pool, did not want to put on her swimsuit, but yet did not want to get out of the sun.  Go figure.

Once at home, she seemed to do better.  Our air conditioning was running non-stop.  We have to keep it cool for our little hot body.  She has been a major mama's girl lately, to the point of having great anxiety if I'm out of sight at home.  She had a huge tantrum for Jeff when I went to the bathroom and she would not calm down or stop screaming/crying until I was back to hold and comfort her.   I'm not sure if this is just because she is still struggling a bit with her cold or if this is a new phase. 

Gracie was extremely excited when we went to open her backpack from school.  She had a birthday card in it from the school principal and I heard the principal came to personally wish her a happy birthday.  They are celebrating early since she has a summer birthday.  When we took the card out of her back pack, she kept saying "party, party, party" in a very excited voice.  They are having an ice cream party at school tomorrow to celebrate the summer birthdays! 

Gracie had a rough night, she kept coughing and coughing through the wee hours of the morning.  I walked and held her for a while just to keep her upright from 2:30 - 3:30 a.m.  That seemed to help a bit.  She did wake up in a good mood this morning, but was very clingy when I dropped her off at daycare.

Gracie did go poop in the toilet this morning so she got to wear princess pants pull ups to daycare this morning.  That was a big deal!  :)

Hopefully today will be a better one for our little pumpkin.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

The Weekend

Gracie had a great weekend!  On Saturday we went to help cousin Kayla celebrate her high school graduation.  Gracie had a great time meeting new people (she definitely is not shy) and greeting people with Kayla.  She didn't want to leave Kayla's side.  It was a beautiful day and there were a lot of family members around to play with.  The heat got to her a bit, so we took frequent trips indoors to cool off and veg.  We left way after her bedtime and I was just sure she would fall right to sleep.  Not so...she chatted with us most of the way home, but did fall asleep shortly before we got home.  She did wake up when we arrived home, but it didn't take her long to fall asleep again.

I was just sure she would sleep in, but again, not so.  She was awake bright and early at 5:30 a.m. and I couldn't convince her to go back to sleep.  She was pretty grumpy all morning though.  You could tell she was just overly tired.  I did put her in the stroller and took a nice long walk with her.  I also let her watch a video, so she could kind of kick back and chill. 

Gracie did take an hour and a half nap, I was again hoping for longer.  While she was sleeping we set up the kiddie pool on the deck.  She spied it immediately upon waking and that is where she spent the next 2 - 3 hours.  I literally had to take her out of the pool as she kicked and screamed as she would have stayed in it forever.  This morning as we were getting ready for school she went to the deck door and tried to open it, then she signed "game" and then said "swim".   I think we may have a fish on our hands this summer. 

Gracie had a good night sleep until about 1:15 a.m. when she awoke with a bloody nose.  Blood all over her pillow case and sheets, although it wasn't as bad as some of them she gets.  Then she had a hard time staying asleep after that.  She would fall asleep and then wake up.  I picked her up for a while and walked and bounced and that helped.  She finally fell back into a good sleep about an hour or so later. 

She awoke in a good mood and was ready for school and time for friends.  We dressed her very cool today - it's supposed to be a scorcher and she doesn't do so good with the hot, hot days.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Thursday/Friday - Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs

Gracie had a fun day back at daycare yesterday.  She wasn't too sure she wanted to be there in the morning when Jeff dropped her off and her daycare mom said it took her a bit to warm up, but once she did all was good.  Her daycare buddies Claire and Kate were there to play with her yesterday.  At lunchtime, Gracie now gets applesauce with some of her seizure meds...well Claire and Kate decided they wanted applesauce too and they pretended that they "got" to have medicine in theirs too!  How sweet is that.  Gracie thought it was wonderful...and so do I!!!

Gracie brought home two planted sunflower seeds from daycare that she is to water and nurture and watch grow.  That will be fun.  She is so into flowers. 

When I went to pick her up from daycare she was eating Cocoa Puffs.  Gracie usually doesn't want anything to do with cereal, but was eating these like they were the best treat known to humankind.  When asked if she wanted them in a bag to take along, she assured us she did.  She ate them all on the way home and asked for more.  Of course, I didn't have anymore.  When I got her out of her car seat upon arrival home, I found one stuck to the seat of her pants...that was like gold...she gobbled it up.  Guess I'll need to get some Cocoa Puffs!

Jeff was out golfing with his dad, so Gracie and I had girls night.  We just played and read books.  She also got to have a bath and had great fun laying in the water and blowing bubbles.  After bath we were sitting reading books and magazines, with Gracie cuddled into my side.  I looked down and my sweet little cherub was fast asleep....and so peaceful.  I just sat with her for a while and watched her sleep.  There is something so sweet and innocent about a child sleeping.  Gracie did wake up when I carried her to bed, but not for long.  She had a good night sleep and awoke in a happy mood.

Today at daycare she was going to go swimming to beat the heat!  :)

Have a great weekend.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie

Memorial Day Weekend and More

Gracie's cold has been a rough one and her cough still quite strong.  Her poor little nose continues to run and Gracie is learning how to blow her nose...only not when you have a kleenex by her.  So she does her thing and then I run to fetch a kleenex...quickly!  She is just starting to be able to sleep restfully again.  She was a major grumpy pants a good portion of the weekend, we could just tell that she didn't feel well.  We did get to do a few fun things.  Here are the highlights:

• Saturday:  Stayed home most of the day, but did make a trip to the playground.  I think that was the highlight of her day.
• Sunday:  We had a picnic with Grandma & Grandpa D, Aunt Kathy, and cousins Calvin, Maria, and Josh, and friend Amanda.  She loved seeing a mommy and daddy duck with their baby at the pond, taking walks outside, seeing some tadpoles, swinging, and sliding down a hill over and over again on her butt.  I wondered how I would ever get the mud out of the back of those pants, but realized I wouldn't have to as she wore a hole right through the backside of her pants.
• Monday:  We went to visit Aunt Sheila, Uncle Chris, and cousins Kayla and Jason.  We helped Jason celebrate his birthday a little belatedly.  Gracie was smothered with lots of attention and even got to pet Sandy, the yellow lab. 
• Tuesday:  She travelled to Iowa with me for my 102 year old aunt's funeral as daycare was sick.  She did much better than I expected.  She was a gem in the car for the whole ride there and most of the ride home. 
• Wednesday:  Gracie had school in the morning.  Daycare was still sick, so Jeff dropped her off at school and I picked her up.  Gracie and I spent the afternoon together.  After nap we went to get her some new tennis shoes and also went to Target for a few things.  She was good as gold once again.  We walked into the shoe store and one of the clerks saw her and said "Hi Gracie" and Gracie remembered her, got all excited and ran to give her the biggest hug.  Jeff worked late last night, so Gracie and I had fun reading books and just hanging out. 
• Thursday:  Gracie was back to daycare today.  Her nose is running a little less, her cough still sounds nasty, but productive.  Hopefully she'll have a good day.

On a fun note, we've been slowly re-introducing milk products such as yogurt and pudding back in Gracie's diet and she seems to be tolerating them.  Every year we give them a try and she has not tolerated them, this year seems to be going better.  Yay...let's hope she continues to be able to tolerate them...she loves yogurt, ice cream, pudding, etc.  I haven't been brave enough to give her a glass of milk yet. 

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie