Christopher pops in

Have you heard of Christopher Pop-In-Kins?

Christopher is a very special Christmas Elf. All year long he is busy in Santa's toy shop making special gifts for boys and girls, just like his parents taught him. In his spare time, Christopher Pop-In-Kins loves to be outside with his friends making snow angels, sledding down big hills and throwing snow balls. (Ssssh…don’t tell!)

But none of this makes Christopher as happy as the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve when Santa lets him visit children in their homes all over the world. The more homes Christopher gets to be in, the happier he is!

Christopher knows that just before Thanksgiving kids will hear his story and then he gets to "pop in"for a visit! Christopher loves to play hide-and-seek almost as much as he loves little children, so watch out! Every night Christopher Pop-In-Kins finds a new hiding place somewhere in the house. He loves nothing more than to watch children race around looking for him. But, even when you find him you can't touch Christopher or he will lose his magic!

We started this tradition with Grace last night by reading the story and "hiding" Christopher in the house after she went to sleep. When she woke up and came downstairs I couldn't wait until she discovered him sitting on the kitchen light over the breakfast table. But, she was more interested in the SNOW outside (yes, snow) and Grace hasn't noticed him yet....I guess we will read the story again tonight and "hide" him in another place and see what happens tomorrow!

Zoom-Zoom!

I am not one to get excited about a car....but, I am excited about this one! Check out my new wheels!

A 2010 Mazda CX-7....ZOOM-ZOOM!

The ABC Song

I took out the Flip video camera tonight and Grace had a great time looking back at the 6 video clips I have stored...all the way back to taking her first steps (early summer of 2008)! I was able to convince her to sing the "Alphabet Song" for Nana and Ba. When she is not on camera (of course!) her speech is much clearer. What you see here is the result of being coaxed, a lip injury from daycare on Friday, and just being silly. Not perfect, but still cute!

Blue balloon

Our visit to the car dealership this morning didn't result in a new vehicle. But Grace came home with this blue balloon. It has entertained her all day!

I naked, Mommy

One of the first things I noticed about Grace's daycare was that they teach the kids to be very independent and self-sufficient. Lately, they have been helping Grace learn to put on her coat (which she does by putting it on the floor, putting her arms in, and then flipping the coat over her head!). I have to get video of it! The other day she surprised me by pulling her pants down and taking off her diaper. I mentioned this to her teacher who told me that when they use the toilet they show the kids how to remove their clothes and put them back on. But at home, Grace likes to run around shouting, "I naked". I can't help but laugh at that little butt running by! She still has her tan lines from the summer! Stinker!

Don't turn your back

Don't turn your back on a 2 1/2 year old. Because when you turn around you will probably find yogurt spread all over the coffee table, the dog eating chicken nuggets that were meant for the child, and the "missing" bowl of strawberries from the other day have now been found and are a science experiment covered in mold! Yep, that was my experience in the first 15 minutes we were home tonight.

The best thing... - Challenge Day 7

....that ever happened to me.

Discovering and Uncovering - Challenge Day 6

What I love and have learned: Being a parent to an adopted child means you have to be ready to discover talents and traits.

Back in the "Nature vs. Nurture" post earlier this week, I commented on how nature has set the bar but it is nurture that will give Grace the opportunities to reach her full potential. An enriched life and environment will offer her every opportunity to explore her talents as she grows. I love the fact that I don't really have any expectations for what her talents might be and because of that she is free to just be herself. This also presents a challenge to me, because, not having any preconceived notions, I need to be aware of her signals and ready to capitalize on the hints I get from her.

One of these things is music. I am not musically inclined. At all. I don't play an instrument, I can't read music, and while I like to listen to music now and then, I am not one of those people with an iPod attached to my ear 24/7. But Grace really likes music. My mother noticed this when we first met her at 4 months old. And at 6 months old she sat on my dad's lap and tapped a pattern with him on the restaurant table. Even then, it was obvious how the sound of music - any music - captured her attention. I have no basis of comparison, so I don't know if she has a talent in this area, but I am going to continue to expose her to a variety of music, performances, and instruments as she grows up.

This week, we went to the public library for a fantastic music and story time. This has been going on all fall, but I just discovered it. The gentleman who led the class played songs on his guitar and read stories. But the best part was at the end when he allowed the children to come up and touch the guitar. Grace was fascinated. I watched her look at him and the guitar in awe and she touched it so gently. He handed her the guitar pick as he did to all the kids ahead of her (about 15 of them) but she preferred to touch the strings with her hand. So cool!The photos are not great (point-and-shoot camera and a pretty dark room) but I wanted to share them because they really demonstrate the wonder and discovery of this evening.

Starfish - Challenge Day 5

What I have learned: Even the smallest gesture makes a difference to someone. And, if you don't do something, you are doing nothing.

As I was typing the Philanthropy post, I was reminded of "The Starfish Story".

The Starfish Story

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking up something and gently throwing it in the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?" The boy replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die." "Son", the man said, "Don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference." After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He then looked at the man, smiled and said, "I made a difference for that one!"

I first heard this story as a new teacher about 15 years ago. I used to keep a starfish I purchased in a beach novelty store on my desk to remind me about making a difference in the life of just one child. Each year, there was always one student who naturally stood out as my "starfish". He or she was the one I kept an eye on and tried extra hard to connect with. The students never knew about being my starfish, but I hope they felt special the year they were in my class.

Grace is now my starfish.

Everything I do is focused on making a difference in her life. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

P is for Philanthropy - Challenge Day 4

What I have learned: Find something you are passionate about and "give back".

The alphabet has been a big thing in our house for the last several weeks. Grace loves singing the alphabet song and choosing letters to put into her "Fridge Phonics". She knows M is for Mommy, B is for Ba, A is for apple, G is for Grace, etc.....So, for today's post, I decided to highlight P for philanthropy.

I really admire companies and their founders/CEOs who define a cause and give (or give back) to others. One of these is the Wendy's Corporation. Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's created The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a non-profit public charity dedicated to increasing adoptions of the more than 150,000 waiting children in North America's foster care system. This foundation was created in 1992 by Dave Thomas, an adopted child, who believed that every child deserves a permanent home and a loving family. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption focuses on increasing adoption awareness while supporting model adoption service programs. Their latest program, called "Wendy's Wonderful Kids " has a goal to place 8,000 to 10,000 foster care children by 2010 through grants to local adoption agencies. Wendy's Wonderful Kids is the first nationwide program that partners a major corporation with a national foundation in an effort to place local foster care children in permanent homes.

You have to give a lot of credit to someone who recognizes a need and finds a way to make a difference. Sure, as the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, Dave Thomas had the means to create this foundation. But it is not just about money. There are thousands of causes he could have chosen to support. He chose something that impacted him personally - something he was passionate about - and focused his efforts and resources there. By creating a foundation with a clear mission his goal will continue to affect children for decades after his death.

I'm impressed and inspired. How about you?

Laughter - Challenge Day 3

What I LOVE and have learned: There is no better sound than Grace's laughter. How wonderful to just be able to run, laugh, and have the freedom to be yourself!

I laugh and smile so much more now that Grace is in my life. Being a parent is like being a kid all over again. There is a new discovery and something to laugh about every day.
In the spirit of sharing some laughter, here are some of my favorite quotes on the subject:

• A house without a dog, a cat, or a little child is a house without joy or laughter. - Scottish Proverb
• Laughter is an instant vacation. - Milton Berle
  
• Many families are built on laughter. - Indian Proverb
• Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. - Victor Borge
• The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. - e.e. cummings
• Where there is laughter, happiness likes to be. -Japanese Proverb

Why not play along and share one of your favorites?

Nature vs. Nurture - Challenge Day 2

What I have learned: "Loving a child" means giving them the best of who you are. And providing a loving, nurturing environment can positively shape the person they grow up to be.

I always laugh inside when someone we don't know looks at Grace and me together and then says, "She looks just like you." Maybe it is our dark hair and brown eyes. Or maybe it is just that we laugh and play together so easily that it is obvious we were made to be together. But, in reality, we don't share any DNA, so the question is how much are we really "alike" and if we are similar, is that due to the environment in which Grace is growing up?I always wondered about the strength of "nature" and the influence of "nurture" in the development of a child. "Nurture" has historically been referred to as the care given to children by parents, but the definition of "nurture" really should be expanded to include the influences on development from extended family and peer experiences, the media and marketing, exposure to formal education, and socioeconomic status. With all those factors, shouldn't "nurture" have a greater role in the ultimate development of a child?

There have been countless twin and adoption studies done trying to determine whether "nature" or "nurture" has the greatest impact on human development. Some traits are definitely genetic - blood type, hair and eye color, certain diseases, and probably IQ, for example. But current thinking in biology discredits the notion that genes alone can determine the most complex attributes such as The Big 5 personality traits. In other words, genes set the bar but the way in which a person develops is largely affected by the environment in which she lives.

At least that is what I want to believe. I can't hep but wonder how tall Grace will be or if she will be right- or left-handed. But in the end, I know that those things are predetermined and I can't change or influence them. What I can do is help her learn and grow. I choose to provide her with a rich life full of love, patience, stability, and exposure to new experiences.

So, in our world, "nurture" wins out over "nature".

It takes a village - Challenge Day 1

Aimee is posting every day for a month in honor of National Adoption Awareness and she has challenged other bloggers join her this week by posting "one thing we love about or have learned from adoption every day." I'm not sure I am up to the challenge....but here goes.

What I have learned: I am not in this alone.

A long time ago I first heard the quote "It takes a village to raise a child". Being a single mom, sometimes it feels like I am doing this all alone. But the reality is, there are so many people who have fallen in love with Grace and who care so much about me that they are there for us - all the time. Some are there every day, others are there via phone, we connect with people on the internet, some share advice from their own experiences, and others are strangers who say something nice when we are out and about. Being a mom has made me realize in so many ways that I really am never alone in this. And, each of these people who touch our lives every day help Grace grow and develop into the amazing little human being she is becoming. It truly takes a village and our "village" is huge.

Christmas wish list 2009

Some people have asked me what is on Grace's Christmas list this year. I guess one of the great things about having a 2-year old is that she is not always asking for things. Even when we walk through the toy store (which I do purposely to see what captures her attention for more than a minute) she will point to toys and say, "Dat one, dat one" but then when I tell her we need to put it back on the shelf she complies. So, Grace's Christmas list is really what I think she would like to have and will make good use of. And I have been thinking about it for a while now. If you look back at my post on August 4th about the board games, you can read my rationale for the toys I like to choose for her. So, without further adieu, here is "The List":

The Gift of Critical Thinking

• A 24 piece floor puzzle like the kind from Melissa and Doug . They are available on websites like Amazon.com or www.sensoryedge.com for around $15 (plus shipping) but TJ Maxx usually sells them for less (around $8).

Melissa and Doug floor puzzles

The Gift of Discovery

• Books - Any books! It is great fun to go to the bookstore or the library and see old favorites or discover new titles. We are always reading and Grace loves to "read" aloud to me, too!
  

• LeapFrog Tag Junior books to go with the Tag Junior that Santa is bringing. If you are not familiar with the Tag Junior, it is a little hand-sized device that is programmed to recognize the book you are "reading". You put the little man on words or pictures in the book and it will read and talk to you. It can even be set up to know your child's name so when you turn it on it says, "Hello, Grace". Cool, huh? The books cost $10.99 each but the tag device can only hold five books in its memory, so she doesn't need every book they offer. These seem to be good ones for what Grace is learning now. I saw these books on sale this week at Toys R Us for $7.99 each!

· 1-2-3 Dora the Explorer

· Curious George Color Fun

· Dr. Seuss Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

The Gift of Creativity

• Art supplies - we have lots of crayons, but there are so many other creative art supplies out there, especially those made by Crayola. I have always been a big fan of new crayons, colored paper, and sharp pencils (maybe that's why I became a teacher!) so when I go into the art section at the toy store I want everything! And then I leave the store with nothing because I can't decide. So no recommendations here...we love it all!
  
• A kid-sized table and chairs set would be perfect for art projects and tea parties with human and stuffed friends like Elmo, Big Bird, and Abby Cadabby. We have a small space for it so this KidKraft one which is about 24" square is about the right size. Toys R Us carries them, too.

The Gift of Pretend

Grace has been pretending to be a mommy to her dolls for the last couple of months so I am so excited for her to get The American Girl "bitty baby" I bought on our New York trip. (It has dark brown hair and medium skin just like Grace!) But like any good mom, Grace is sure to want some things to take care of her baby:

• A doll hairbrush (www.americangirl.com) They recommend a wire brush for the American Girl doll's hair and this one is reasonably priced at $7.
• A diaper bag set with wipes, a changing pad, pretend diaper rash cream, etc. American Girl sells one, and I am pretty sure Target. Toys R Us, and WalMart do, too.
  
• A doll bed or cradle such as any one of the following:
  

o Pottery Barn Kids Janie doll bed ($49.00) or

o Our Generation doll bed with drawer and accessories from Target ($51.99) or

American Girl trundle bed and bedding Item # F6207 ($68)

• I started to create a play purse for Grace with a phone and some money but then I found My First Purse from International Playthings on Amazon.com ($9.99). It got great reviews and seems to have all the things a little girls would need when she takes her baby out shopping, including play lipstick for those last minute "touch-ups".
  

The Gift of Exploration

The Gift of Active Learning

• I can’t help but think of the Fisher Price Smart Fit Park (about $40) as a Wii Fit for kids. The system comes with a mat that connects to a TV. Kids get to walk, run, jump and stomp while at the same time learning about letters, numbers, shapes, colors and more via encounters, games and races. The system boasts 6 games, each with 3 levels of play. I am sure this is something Grace will enjoy, especially during those winter months when we can't get outside to play after work because it is cold and dark!

The Gift of Music

Music continues to be a wonderful interest for Grace. It is amazing to see her dance when she hears a song she likes and sometimes I catch her singing songs to herself. She knows the words to a lot of kids' songs, but she also likes what she calls, "mommy's music" - CDs I play in the car when I am tired of listening to Sesame Street one more time....Grace can always use new CDs to add to her collection and to the playlist on her MP3 player. Two that have come highly recommended are:

• The CD/DVD combo packs from the band "They Might Be Giants" either Here Come the ABCs or Here Come the 123s. Amazon.com has them for $13.99.
• My friend Melody recommended we add some jazz to our collection. The repetition of sounds is similar to what you find in classical music. She said Miss Ella's Playhouse (all original music from Ella Fitzgerald) is one of their favorites. (Amazon.com $12).

Now, I have to stop searching the internet for the "top" kids toys of 2009. This list is long enough!

Wordless Wednesday

Fly girl finale

Tonight was Grace's last gymnastics class for a little while. She has participated in a toddler class for 16 weeks through the summer and fall. We are going to take a little break from it over the holidays and then in January decide whether to go back to gymnastics or try something different.

Walking on the balance beam is not one of
Grace's favorite things to do.

But she loves to dive into the foam pit!

And she is pretty good at flipping over the bar.At the end of class all the kids stood up on a platform and held up their ribbons so everyone could clap for them.

Miraculously my own

Not flesh of my flesh

Nor bone of my bone,
But still miraculously
My own.
Never forget
For a single minute:
You didn't grow under my heart
But in it.

--Fleur Conkling Heyliger

Most of the time I forget that Grace was adopted. I know to most people that might seem strange. But I can't imagine a child I could love more or who could be a better "fit" for me. Having her in my life makes me truly believe in fate, destiny, and a "plan" for all of us. Everything in my life - especially my adult life - had to happen in precisely the way it did for Grace and me to find each other. Things that, at the time, were disappointing or were "mistakes" were exactly the events that HAD to happen so Grace and I would be in the right place at the right time to be paired with each other. I like to think that I am bringing something wonderful to her life but I absolutely know that since May 28, 2007, when I saw her for the first time, she has enriched my life in ways I never could have imagined. So, in honor of National Adoption Awareness Month (November) I want to link to my friend Aimee's blog. Aimee has taken on the challenge of posting every day for a month, hoping to bring awareness to adoption and to show people that our families are no different than families formed in more traditional ways. Please check it out.

And, if you have room in your heart and your home, consider giving a home to a child that otherwise may not have one.

Swiper, no swiping....

...my candy!

Preschool parade

I left the high school Haloween costume parade to attend Grace's preschool parade this morning. And, boy, was it worth it!

The "big" kids came out first.
Keep in mind this is preschool. The "big kids" are 3 and 4 years old!

Grace's class of toddlers came down the ramp instead of the steps.

I had the chance to take a few pictures before she saw me, but I think she was so happy I was there to see her first parade
that she was willing to smile for the camera!

I loved watching Grace walk around with her friends.

Her teachers dressed up as "Peace and Quiet". Clever!

Even the littlest babies participated. I thought it was so funny how they were in these giant strollers!

Bet you can't guess....

...what I am doing right now.

I am baking sugar cookies for Grace's daycare Halloween party at school tomorrow AND cutting Boots' ears so her costume looks more like a monkey and less like a mouse AND trying to put a cowgirl costume together to wear to work tomorrow!

I have had Grace's costume for at least a month and have been avoiding all the cutting and sewing fixing the ears entails. Yes, I was in denial. I kept saying, "She looks like a monkey" but after Sunday at the zoo when people said Grace was a cute mouse - and an elephant! - and after today at school when one of my special needs students (who is very direct) confirmed it, I made the decision to change those silly ears!Stay tuned....hopefully there will be pictures of the parade and party tomorrow.

Boo at the zoo - Year 2!

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon - the temperature was almost 60 - so it worked out perfectly to go to Boo at the Zoo today. The only problem is that everyone else had the same idea so it was very crowded.Grace made a cute Boots and I dressed up as Dora. I know Swiper was there, but for some reason he remained in hiding and didn't come out to swipe anything today....maybe he'll show up on Saturday when we go Trick-or-Treating....Grace was a little cautious at first, even though we have been practicing saying "Trick or Treat" for the last couple of days. After she got through the first few treat stations she wanted to walk on her own and did a great job carrying her bag up to the people giving out candy. (FYI: Grace has an adorable basket for collecting Halloween candy. But, you are supposed to use the white plastic bag they give you. That is the way they keep track of who paid admission as a trick-or-treater vs. an observer.) I am glad we had today as a "test run" for Grace's costume. Remember Boots is a grey monkey. I started with a mouse costume as the base, altered it to fit her, and added red boots. But after today, I decided to make a few more changes so she looks less like a mouse and is more identifiable as Boots. I hemmed the legs a little more so her boots show off since tucking the pants in didn't work too well. Boots has those tufts of hair on his head, so my mission in the next couple of days is to find something that will work for that and I think Grace is going to carry (or wear!) a banana somewhere on the costume.

Going to a "Show"

Kellie and I bought tickets the Children's Theater Series this year. It is a series of 4 live performances that started this weekend and go through early May. The other three shows include The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Junie B. Jones, and The Dream Jam Band (Grace is going to love that one!)

I was excited to take Grace to the first show Stellaluna, based on the popular children's book by the same name. But I have been pretty sick this week and didn't feel up to it, so Kyle stepped in and joined the ladies for a morning at the theater. Since I told Grace on Friday night that she would be going with him, she kept saying, "Daddy show" non-stop. And when I asked her what show they were going to, her answer was, "Soccer show". Yeah, it makes sense that she would think that.

As the story goes, baby bat Stellaluna’s life is flitting along right on schedule until an owl attacks her mother one night, knocking the batlet out of her grasp. The tiny bat lands in a nest of baby birds and Stellaluna is accepted into their nest on the condition that she will act like a bird, not a bat. Soon Stellaluna has learned to behave like a good bird should – she quits hanging by her feet and starts eating bugs. Eventually, she has an opportunity to show her bird siblings what life as a bat is like.

As you can tell from that description, parts of this story are perfect for any child who is learning to be herself. But, there is a scary element to it when Stellaluna's mom is attacked, so I was a little unsure about how it would affect Grace.
From what Kellie and Kyle said about this performance, it was just "okay". The characters were puppetlike stuffed dolls and other than the owl, which was huge, you couldn't see the other animals' faces clearly from most of the seats in the theater. I am not sure how much Grace understood about the story, but my philosophy is to continue to expose her to as much as I can.

Not exactly the "exposure" I meant!

Anything she absorbs is welcome and she continually surprises me with what she learns and understands! Grace came home with some coloring sheets she got at the play and the was able to show me the bat when I asked her which one was Stellaluna. And, when I put her in for a nap I asked her who she saw at the show and she said, "Owl". So, I know she learned something today. But the best part is she seemed totally pumped to have some one-on-one time with Kyle.

Dumb baby inventions

It is hard to believe, but these are real inventions that appeared in Life Magazine. All I can say is, "What were they thinking?"

Baby cages like this one were provided to members of the Chelsea Baby Club in London in 1937. The idea was patented in America in 1922 due to its many perks:

The problem: city apartment dwellers don’t have much space.

The Solution: store your babies in a cage attached to the exterior of your apartment window.

Perks cited in the patent:

• Baby receives fresh city air.
• Sufficient room to play with toys.
• Doubles as a place to sleep (like a crib). One variation describes curtains placed on the cage to prevent a draft.

Undocumented perk: Because of its mesh floor, spit-up and diaper leaks are a pinch to clean up. But what if the apartment above you has a baby cage too? Well, the patent describes a solid slanted roof that would easily sluff off any urine or feces raining down from above.

Oh, why not suspend a baby in a cloth bucket swing secured with one tether tied around the mother and one tether tied around the father while they both go ice skating? What could go wrong?

Choo-Choo

Grace has become fascinated with Thomas the Tank Engine. Don't ask me how. I have no idea. I think we were at the public library once this summer and she noticed a Thomas video. We borrowed it and since then, she is all about trains.In New York, the Times Square Toys R Us had a huge Thomas section with tracks, mountains, tunnels, etc. set up on a low table so kids can play. Grace was smart enough to know that once she got her hands on a train or two she shouldn't put them down because another kid would just snatch them right up.We watched her for a long time, playing with the trains and if she hadn't gotten cranky and tired, we probably would have left the store with a few of our own!
The funny part is that after about 20 minutes of playing with the trains we managed to pull her away and wander into the Barbie area. She walked in and after just a couple of minutes, Grace said, "Let's get out of here!" What a tomboy!

Grace also learned about tunnels on this trip. There are multiple ways to get from Laguardia Airport into Manhattan. On Friday, our taxi driver decided to take the Midtown Tunnel. So as we were driving through it I told Grace we were in a tunnel and that the tunnel went under the water to get to the island where Nana and Ba live. Later that weekend, we also went through the Battery and Lincoln tunnels and each time she said, "Tunnel. Under the water" and did this funny swooping move with her hand.

CMOM

Last weekend we visited the Children's Museum of Manhattan, aka "CMOM". (You can check it out here.) Like the children's museum in Clevleand, this one has a a variety of hands-on exhibits for kids to touch, play, and experiment.Grace and Nana found the Dr. Seuss car on the 4th floor where the entire area was dedicated to popular children's books.But, by far, Grace loved the Dora and Diego floor the best....as did about 100 other kids. It was crowded! Grace is not the most aggressive toddler and I prefer it that way. I want her to wait her turn and to say, "Please", "Thank you", "I'm sorry", and "Excuse me", but apparently not all (New York City) parents feel that way. There were a lot of pushy kids that she had to contend with. Grace managed to hold her own and still have a good time exploring.

Raindrops keep falling...

We spent a long weekend in the New York City area. On Saturday, we visited Grace's Uncle John, Aunt Deborah, and cousins Connor and Ryan in New Jersey. It was a cold and rainy day but we didn't let that stop us!Nana and Big Daddy (aka "Ba") seemed very pleased to have everyone together again.We ALL ventured into the corn maze and NONE of us made it out the exit. Connor and Ryan persisted the longest but eventually even they gave up and came out.We did better with buying mums, pumpkins, fall decorations, and apple pies!I told Grace last week when we were in the pumpkin patch that the rule is: You have to be able to carry your own pumpkin. But with Ba and Uncle John around that rule didn't work. They got her whatever she wanted!Grace had fun running around in a maze that was more her size! (Shhh...don't tell anyone...I liked this one better, too!)Connor (almost 10) and Ryan(just turned 6) were so sweet with their baby cousin.

They pushed her around on the wagon,

held her hand, shared their toys,
and helped her paint her tiny pumpkin.

I think Ryan and Grace have already developed a special bond with each other. How cute are they together?

We're not in Kansas anymore...

So can you guess where we are?

I'm becoming a fan

Spring has always been my favorite season with sunshine after a gray winter, flowers peeking through the ground, warm breezes, and the start of something new. But, lately, I am becoming a fan of fall. The weather has been pretty good this year - sunny and not too cold yet. And, you can't beat the colorful display of the the changing leaves. Around here, at least, there is so much to do during fall. October has already been a busy month and it is barely half over.On Sunday, we were invited by Kellie's family to attend their country club's annual fall festival. We joined them last year for this event when Dawson and Grace were not even 1 1/2 years old. Here are a couple of photos from that day:It makes me laugh to see how short their hair was and how much they look like babies. But not anymore....Grace looked like such a big girl today wearing this adorable skirt and sweater set. When I put the tights are her this morning she said, "Mommy, what's that?" She doesn't wear skirts too often. The last time might have been in the summer where bare legs and sandals were more appropriate!Grace and Dawson are both full-fledged toddlers with minds of their own, strong personalities, unending energy, and a sense of humor. I love watching Grace and Dawson interact and giggle together. They loved running around and chasing each other. I loved listening to their breathless laughter.Of course, there was horseback riding. The horses arrived just as we pulled into the parking lot. Grace saw them, looked at me, and asked, "My turn?". She is becoming so comfortable in the saddle. In the afternoon, I asked her how many times she has ridden a horse and her answer was, "Nine". That might be pretty close to the truth!The best part about the horse rides on Sunday was that Dawson rode three times and didn't get upset. Maybe it was because she saw Grace riding, too. And as I walked next to the horse with Grace she kept shouting, "Yea, Dawson!" - cheering her friend on. Grace got her hand painted by a clown. That was a first! I don't like to have her do face painting because her skin is very sensitive and I am concerned she might break out. But she loves stamps, stickers, and now paint on her hand!It was another great fall day with our friends!Did you notice that Dawson and Grace had coordinating outfits? Last year, Kellie and I deliberately had the girls match. But this year, it was just a lucky coincidence.

Fall on the farm

Saturday evening brought us together with friends for apple picking, a hayride, and a bonfire at a farm about 45 minutes away from our house. It was a long drive (especially home!) but well worth the trip!

I love the light in this photo,
even though Grace doesn't look too happy!

When we first arrived at the farm, we got settled in our pavilion and then walked to one of the big barns to see the baby cows, pigs, and chickens.The kids picked apples from the trees and walked around eating them. I am pretty sure this is the first time Grace has ever picked fruit right from the tree. I remember going apple picking as a kid and then taking the apples to my grandmother to make apple pies. Next year, we are going to have to make a special trip to an orchard just to do this!This place is a working farm so they had all kinds of vegetables for sale up front. The kids wandered around among the pumpkins, gourds, and mums.And then we tried to get a photo of ALL the kids (there were 11 of them!) on this Amish wagon. At least Dawson, Grace, and Mayna stayed still long enough for this cute shot! (Notice Grace and Dawson are still eating their apples!)They took us out to the pumpkin field on a big tractor with hay wagons attached. It was bumpy and bouncy, but Grace loved it. The farmer told us to choose our pumpkin before pulling it off the vine. Once you pick it, it begins to rot and they didn't want us to pick some and then leave them there. Grace wandered in the field to choose her own pumpkin. Grace liked the big ones at first until I told her she had to carry the pumpkin she chose. We ended up with two small ones!As the night grew cooler, we sat by the bonfire, roasted marshmallows, and ate S'mores.Grace and Dawson had a great time giggling in the wagon together. When I see them like this, I can really picture them in the future as best friends!

PS - I brought my small camera which did a fine job. But all the really great shots are from Kellie. And I pirated the amazing one of the girls on the Amish wagon from Aimee. Thanks, Ladies!

Introducing "Jack"

This is our Jack-o-Lantern.He began life like this, just like his friends.But when Grace and Kyle got to him, he took on a real personality.Once his "hat" was trimmed off, Grace took a look inside.And then she quickly removed her jacket and rolled up her sleeves

so she could dig in and scoop out all the seeds and pumpkin "goop".

She didn't seem to mind getting her hands sticky and dirty.In fact, she seemed proud and held the goop up high for the photos.
(I think it helped that Kyle told her to hold it up so Nana and Ba could see!)This is only SOME of what came out of Jack.

Jack turned out pretty cute in the end....

my favorite parts are the moon-shaped eyes and his lospisded smile!

My little pumpkin

It is so cool to have a "big" kid around. Compared to last year at this time, Grace is so much more aware of Halloween and fall. She knows what a witch, pumpkin, ghost, and spider are and she understands that some of these things could be "scary". So far, she hasn't seemed afraid and we are careful to use only happy symbols of the season, but she does this funny little fake scream with her hands on her cheeks when she sees the witch scrarecrow we used to decorate the garden outside.

"It's heavy!"

We told Grace we were going to get pumpkins this afternoon at an old farm a few minutes away from our house. They were having a fall festival complete with horses and "cows" to milk.

You KNOW Grace couldn't pass up a chance to ride a horse!

They also had face painting and a place to decorate your pumpkin. There were tents with traditional crafts like candle-making and weaving rugs from fabric scraps, farm animals to pet, and these guys - hawks!We looked at some old fashioned soap, an old iron and ironing board, and a place to cut wood with a hand-held saw. And then we took a quick walk in their vegetable garden before heading home.

Fall school pictures

I certainly don't need more pictures of Grace, but how can I possibly resist these adorable photos they took at school?

Anything to make her smile

Check out Grace's new toy....Dora's "talking" house! We bought it at the consignment store so it came with some furniture and several other Dora-related pieces like her Mami, Abuela, Swiper, and Boots...and some things I can't figure out like two horses!It kept her busy and happy on this rainy afternoon when she wasn't feeling great. The doctor said she just has a really bad cold and the congestion is what is making her eyes red and watery. He recommended rest and fluids but he also gave us some prescription eye drops which are VERY difficult to get into a two year old's eyes.

You can really see Grace's runny nose in this photo.
But at least she is smiling!

No school tomorrow

I guess I should be happy that Grace's lethargy yesterday wasn't ALL due to tight shoes. But, that means that she isn't feeling well, which, of course, doesn't make me happy. Her teacher told me that she slept much longer than normal at daycare, didn't eat much lunch, turned down her snack, and when they asked her what hurt she pointed to her ears. So, neither of us is going to school tomorrow. Instead, we are going to visit the pediatrician first thing in the morning to see what is wrong and (hopefully) get some medicine to start her on the track to feeling like her bubbly, happy, energetic self again!

Clueless or just in denial?

Lately, it seems like every time I dress Grace she has outgrown another article of clothing. Granted, the season is starting to change from summer to autumn and the pants, shirts, and jackets I have been pulling out of her closet and drawers were last worn in the early spring. So, it shouldn't surprise me when her jeans are a little shorter than I remember and the sleeves of her shirts don't make it all the way to her wrists. But, today, I feel like a pretty bad mom.Kyle and I took Grace to "climb the rocks" at the national park near us. We did this last week with Daisy and I didn't take the camera. At every turn there seemed to be another photo opportunity that I wish I had captured for the blog. So, we went again today, but it was cloudy and dark along the trail and Grace didn't seem to be in the mood to walk like she was a week ago, so the photos were not great. At first we attributed it to being tired from a lot of nighttime activity that started on Thursday when she went to work with me, followed by the high school football game on Friday night, and then a soccer game last night. Then, we thought maybe she wasn't feeling well. But, after we cut the walk short and we were nearing the parking lot (here comes the Mommy Guilt) Kyle mentioned that he noticed her shoes were too tight. No wonder she didn't want to walk. I was cramming her little feet into shoes that were so obviously too small for her! Bad Mommy! But in my defense, these shoes were NEW at the beginning of August. She hasn't even worn them for 2 months and she has outgrown them!On the way home we stopped at the store and I bought her two pairs of sneakers in the next two sizes. And, Grace has an adorable pair of Stride Rites from Nana and Big Daddy that she will start wearing this week and a cute pair of Nike Mary Janes from my friend Maura in Oregon. I guess there is no stopping Grace's growth, despite my best efforts to keep her "little". Grace even tells me now, "Mommy, I big girl."

Kyle encouraged Grace to say, "Ta da!"

when she climbed this rock.

We noticed a tiny toad along the path. At first, Grace wouldn't hold it
(notice her hands behind her back!)

But it didn't take long for her to change her mind!

A little bribery

It was time to go to bed, but in order to stay up a little longer, Grace agreed to let me take some pictures of her. This is the fake smile I got when I told her to say, "Cheese".

And she gave me this lovely look....hmmmm...
I guess she is telling me what she thinks of our "deal"!....not really cooperating now, is she?It might be bedtime...THAT got her attention.And this one is just cute. (notice the left hand!)Oh such drama!And finally a REAL smile.

Just like Mommy

We borrowed a very appropriate book from the library today, called Me and My Mom, by Alison Ritchie. What attracted me to the book was the cover with two adorable bears on it. Each time we visit the library, in order not to be overwhelmed with the choices, I try to go with a "theme" in mind - the color red, numbers, an upcoming holiday, etc. Grace had been talking about "bears" as we walked in the door, so I looked for books with bears as the characters. But, what made this book great was that the little bear in the book tried to do everything "just like mom"! How appropriate for my toddler who has been imitating everything I do - talking on the phone, cooking, putting money in her purse, going shopping with her baby in the cart, putting the baby to sleep, doing laundry, driving... That can be a good thing and it can be...well, I guess you know I have been on my best behavior since a little someone is always watching me!

Tonight, Grace wanted to clean the floors. Who am I to argue?I just might hire her out to start saving for her college fund!She also does bathrooms.And she doesn't even stop for potty breaks!

Clippity KLoPP

Looking for something fun to do on an early fall day, I stumbled upon a place in our area called "Kids Love Pony Parties". In addition to doing pony rides for birthdays at your location or their barn, they also offer private pony "experiences" for kids 2 and up. They call this the "Clippity KLoPP Club". It sounded perfect for Grace to get to pet and brush a miniature pony, see the stables, and ride a pony for as long as she wanted....all for $30! You can't beat that!So we ventured out on Saturday morning, dressed in our finest fall attire to see what it was all about.I was thrilled and surprised as we pulled up to the location when we saw their marquee welcoming Grace. You can't beat that for making someone feel special! The owner, Carla, and her daughters were patient, kind, and low-key the entire time. We never felt rushed. Grace got to meet their horses, bunnies, and cats as she became comfortable in and around the barn.

Getting a kiss!

After putting on a helmet for safety......Grace rode Peanut as much as she wanted.She brushed Princess and decorated her mane with lots of ribbons and bows......she climbed to the top of the barn to drop hay into the stalls,
and she gave all the horses treats at the end!

Grace didn't smile or talk very much while she was riding but we know she loved it because she didn't want to leave when it was time to go.

Oh, could that be a smile?

Maybe we'll go back again someday.

American Girl

The American Girl catalog came in the mail this week. Grace immediately took it and put it in her shopping cart with her toy food, doll, and her Dora purse with $1 in it. I have noticed her looking at the "babies" in the catalog a couple of times. Today, she spread it out on the kitchen floor.This is the page she was looking at.Funny. She doesn't know that she is getting one of these Bitty Baby dolls for Christmas!

Shhhhh......

Hispanic heritage

I noticed on Grace's school calendar that September 15 began Hispanic Heritage Month so I asked her teacher if she had anything planned to do with the kids. Knowing Grace was born in Guatemala, she replied, "Do you have any ideas?" so I suggested that I could bring in the few things I brought back from Guatemala - a doll, a toy clown (her first Gotcha Day present from Nana), and a couple of books. I also agreed to bring a snack - just a simple chocolate eclair from a recipe I found on the internet. The kids are two, so whatever they did was fine. I told the teacher that Grace would be learning along with the others. Miss Diana and Miss Jessie outdid themselves, though! When I picked Grace up from school I was thrilled to see that they took a bunch of photos of the teachers sharing the books, Grace showing off her doll, and the kids eating the dessert. The teachers also color-copied the cover and some pages from one of the books about weaving and the kids did their own version of "weaving" with colored strips of paper. Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE this school?

Grace's weaving is the one on the bottom left corner.

Grace and some friends showing off their artwork.

(That little boy is wearing a doll's dress as a hat!)

Grace wore this Guatemalan jumper to school today. It is made from the same heavy woven fabric that the workers use in the fields. I commented to the person selling it that the threads made a white line down the side that seemed imperfect, like it was a mistake. And he replied (all in Spanish, by the way) that since it is fabric used for everyday work, things like that didn't matter. As long as it was durable, it was acceptable. I remember when I bought the dress that I thought Grace would be in kindergarten before she was big enough to to fit into it. But just look at my big girl!I haven't begun to talk to Grace about her birth country and adoption. I suppose, though, that when I do and she wants to learn about Guatemala I will start with simple things like the flag, the colorful textiles that stand out in my mind as being so integral to the Guatemalan culture, and maybe, the "Queztal".The Quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala. It is illegal to have it in captivity and actually virtually impossible since it would die if not free. According to the legend, the Quetzal used to be all green. It proudly gave its long green feathers to adorn the head pieces of the Mayan rulers and warriors. When the Spanish came they took the land from the Mayans by force and deceit. The Mayans, although brave and strong, could not withstand the the men on horses with guns. Tecún Umán, known as the strongest Mayan warrior, was the last one to fall. When Tecún Umán was lying dead on the ground the Quetzal came down and rested on his body and its chest got tinted forever with his blood.

And since yesterday happened to be Guatemala's Independence Day, I thought I would share this photo from AntiguaDailyPhoto.com of the independence torch (middle of the photo).Other torches were lit from this central one and then carried in marathons throughout the country. Representatives from every city, town, and neighborhood ran the relay so that the "fire of independence" was brought to all corners of Guatemala in time for the celebration on September 15th.

There are hundreds of photos on the internet of the different independence day festivals, concerts, parades, and fireworks displays, but I kept coming back to this one photo.I can't help but see my Grace in the face of the little girl on the left.

A walk in the park

We are lucky to live a few minutes away from a national park. It was a beautiful, sunny morning so we took the opportunity to go for a walk in the park. Daisy loved being off the leash but Grace wasn't as excited about walking as we had hoped. She spent a lot of the the time riding on Kyle's shoulders!This section of the park has an amazing rocky cliff where where you can see for miles into the valley. Grace is too young to appreciate the view but she loved walking on the rocks!Grace also discovered moss. It felt cool, spongy, and squishy when we touched it.Have you noticed that no one looks at me when I am taking pictures?

It's un-American

I have to admit football is probably my least favorite sport. I just don't get all the hype. To me, it seems like a lot of standing around and waiting for a minute or two of action. Then more standing around and waiting. I am sure it is just because I am not a man and I have never played the game. I know there is a lot of strategy and planning plays involved. But, to sit there and watch a game - uhhh. I really prefer sports that are more active with fewer time-outs like hockey, soccer, and even basketball. But so many people really get into football that you can't help but caught up in the energy of people who are passionate about their sport or their favorite team.

To me, Friday night high school football has always been a somewhat unique thing about living in Ohio. I just don't remember that from my own high school days in New York. I remember going to games (heck, I dated a few football players!) but it wasn't anything like what goes on here. That could have been due to living in my own little world of Catholic school. All my friends went to smaller, private Catholic high schools so maybe the "football frezy" really was happening at the big, public high schools and I just missed it. Who knows?
But we live here now, and we need to support our local teams, so we took Grace to the high school game last night. Although she was tired from a week of getting up at 6:00AM, Grace loved the lights, the noise, the band, and all the action. There were so many people to watch!The home team was playing a pretty well-known area football powerhouse whose mascot is a tiger. They even came equipped with an 18-week old tiger in a cage! Grace kept pointing to where it was in front of the visitor stands saying "Baby tiger".The soccer team was selling inflatable cushions as a fundraiser for their new stadium. Grace had a great time standing on the table, stacking the cushions, and attracting customers who asked if she was for sale!We spent a lot of time watching and entertaining her and little time paying attention to the game.And, Grace found a comfortable seat on Kyle's shoulders!

Take me home now, Mom. I'm sleepy!

Feed a Stampede

I almost don't want to tell you about our adventure today. Not because it wasn't good...exactly the opposite - because it was SO good. I hate to give away the "secret" of this little place about an hour away from our house where you can get close enough to feed camels, zebra, water buffalo, llamas, bison, elk, ostrich, deer, pot belly pigs, and a bunch of other animals I can't even name.I stumbled upon an advertisement for this 60-acre animal preserve that offered open-air, hour-long rides where they promised you would be able to "feed a stampede". The weather was beautiful today, so we ventured out to see if the reality could meet the advertisement. And it really did!Grace was tired since, for some unknown reason, she woke up at 7:00AM this morning even after staying up late last night for fireworks. But as she waited on the "bus" we could tell she knew something good was going to happen. She kept looking around and watching the other people board. She curiously played with the two buckets of food they gave us as I explained to her it was for the animals. As we crossed the first of three cattle gates, we were greeted by dozens of antlers and were told that many of the animals shed these in the winter, but at this site they remove them (it doesn't hurt) each year before the mating season when the animals tend to get aggressive. The bus made 6 or 7 stops along the way where the guide told us a little about the animals we were seeing and offered tips about how to feed them. Apparently, the zebras and ostrich were the most aggressive, so we were really careful when they approached the bus. We were more concerned with watching (protecting) Grace than feeding them.Kyle helped Grace feed the animals at each stop, showing her how to hold her hand up high and letting the food trickle into their mouths. Some even put their heads into the bus under the benches to get food that had fallen there. All of a sudden you would feel a furry face or a wet tongue sweep the area around your feet only to look down and see a huge head right there!

I was really amazed at the animals' mouths and the size of their teeth and tongues. When I reviewed my photos later, I was surprised at how many of these shots I took!

This one totally cracks me up!

See, this is why you need to brush your teeth!

We also had the rare treat of seeing a 1-week old baby water buffalo with its mother. The driver said that the mother hadn't come up to the truck since the baby was born, but she did today!After the safari (really a misnomer - a safari according to Webster is "a hunting expedition") we went to the "petting zoo" which really was just another place to feed the animals. This time we used the same food packed into ice cream cones. When you were done with the food, you just threw the cone into the pens with the animals. Good idea - no trash to clean up!I love that Grace was saying, "ostrich", "zebra", and "camel". She has seen pictures of these animals in books, but now the words have meaning for her since she has seen them in person. My only regret is not getting any photos of the zebras. I guess that means we will be heading back there in the spring!

PS - I just realized that today marks 18 months since Gotcha Day! Wow! It seems so long ago - almost like none of that ever happened and that I have never been without Grace in my life.

There were ten in the bed...

And the little one said....Just in the last week or so, Grace has become attached to her stuffed animals and blanket. She wants to take the blanket with her when we go out, but most of the time, I can convince her that "we don't take blankets to school" or the store, or the park, or gymnastics...

At night, she wants to sleep with her stuffed dolls. Each night I ask her, "Who do you want to sleep with tonight?' and generally the answer is Abby (aka Abby Cadabby) or Cooka (Cookie Monster) but it ends up that she sleeps with 5 or 6 stuffed animals. They have to be lined up next to and around her almost as if they are sleeping with her. I don't have a problem with this, if it is what she needs to comfort herself. After all, I have been pretty lucky that Grace is a good sleeper.

This is how I found her last night when I went in to check on her about 2 hours after I put her to bed. You can see, her "friends" didn't move too far from their original positions.

A girl's best friend

Well, for big girls that means diamonds...but for THIS girl it is her dog.And maybe her soccer ball. Ever since last Friday night she has not wanted to go anywhere without her ball.

Sunday Stroll

Not long after we woke up this morning, Grace and I headed out to do "something". I am pretty sure I don't have to tell you where we went. I brought the stroller, but Grace walked the entire time and didn't sit in in once!

She really knows how to use her zoo key now.

The hard part is finding the kiosks!

What a cute little penguin!Grace loves cars, trucks, buses, airplanes...anything that will GO!In the gardens she found the caterpillar and climbed right up!
How many times has Grace fed the animals?
Today, she was shy and a little timid. She laughed like this every time the sheep said, "Baaa"!I don't think she is supposed to be doing this.Or this...Or this!

10 Funny Phrases

Have I told you lately how much I love this kid?

Are you this bright-eyed at 6 AM?

Lately, Grace has been talking so much it makes my head spin (in the shocked, "Where did she learn that?" kind of way not the Linda Blair in the "Omen" way.) So, in an effort not to forget some of the cute, funny, surprising things that come out of Grace's mouth I have recorded them here:

1) "Mmmm, nummy." (yummy) -when she tastes something especially good like pizza, ice cream, and popcorn - her latest favorite.

2) "Na, knock. Who's der?" - Grace will just go up to any random door and knock. Mostly she does this just to herself but if I am around she looks over her shoulder like I should tell her who is there. You know I play along.

3) "Twinkle, twinkle...staaar." - Grace's version of the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" song which I hear her singing in the backseat. She misses the word "little", though. Sometimes she will take her keyboard off the shelf and touch some keys as she sings. Seriously, the first time I witnessed this my head really DID spin around!

4) "Dat way" - My little backseat driver has taken to giving me directions when we are in the car. As we approach an intersection she says, "Dat way" and points. Of course she has no idea which way to go, but she absolutely recognizes places we go often. We passed the street for the pool a couple of weeks ago and she knew that was where it is. And, every morning she points out where some geese congregate on the way to daycare even if they are not there that day.

5) "Oh man, Dora!" - Swiper the fox on the Dora the Explorer show says this when he doesn't succeed in taking Dora's stuff. Actually, Swiper says, "Oh man." Grace added the "Dora" part herself. It cracks me up when I hear her little voice saying "Oh man, Dora".

6) "I turn" - Grace is all about taking turns, especially hers! We were playing with her tea set one day and she told me I was supposed to eat my soup. As I did Grace watched and told me, "No Mommy. I turn". Apparently, we were not allowed to eat at the same time. So funny. I guess she must be learning to take turns at school because at home it is all about Grace!

7) "I see. I see" - I get this a TON from Grace. She wants to see everything especially when she might think she has a choice about something. Like a snack, for instance. When I ask her if she wants a snack she replies with, "I see. I see" which means I need to stand her on the counter so she can look into the cupboard to see what her choices might be. Then she responds with "a-da-mo" (see #10) when she chooses. I also hear, "I see. I see" when I am changing her diaper. Yes, there is a big fascination with this in our house right now. Usually, where there is poop in the diaper I hear #8 next.

8) "Ewwww..." - Yeah, I can't say I blame her. Some of those diapers are pretty nasty. Grace doesn't like having messy hands either. So if she gets dirty she will show the mess to me with a little, "Ewwww. Messy".

9) "Daisy-D" - Sometimes I call Daisy "D" so Grace has taken to calling her "Daisy-D". Not always, but I do hear saying things like, "Daisy-D, sit down." Very bossy. I wonder where she gets that?

10) "A-da-mo" (That one) - Often this phrase is said in an excited manner with the words strung together like "adamodamo" accompanied by a tiny finger pointing to something. It takes a moment to figure out what Grace is saying and sometimes I have to tell her to show me because I have not idea what she wants.

Have you noticed that Grace has trouble with the "th" sound? For now it is cute and I know someday soon we won't hear these funny little phrases anymore. I am enjoying her language development and marvel at how many new things she knows every day. It is so much fun watching a 2-year old discover the world around her. Can she just stay this age forever?

Still summer, but..

...today it felt like the beginning of fall. The day started with a soft rain that I hadn't expected. While I listened to the raindrops on the roof before I even got out of bed, I was thankful that we went to the pool yesterday. At the time, I thought maybe we would stop in again today, but as it turned out the weather didn't cooperate. So....

....we just took it all in stride with a lazy morning drinking coffee, reading the newspaper, and watching Dora. And then, we spent part of the cool afternoon at the park. My little monkey (wearing her new "monka shirt") wanted to climb, slide, and swing! The higher and faster, the better!

Water wings

When we were in Florida for Spring Break back in March, we bought Grace several different types of flotation devices for the pool. She was really too little for all of them at the time, so I just put them away for someday....

Fast forward 5 months to this summer at the pool. As the summer progressed so did Grace. She became braver and more aware of her own balance and limitations in the water. And up until last weekend, she didn't use any flotation devices in the water. It made for some pretty stressful days for me, but I truly feel that it was good to let her experience the water on her own.

Last Sunday, though, I took out the water wings we bought in Florida and when Grace put them on you could tell immediately how wonderful she thought they were. Suddenly she was able to float and jump in the water and pop right back up. We did the same thing today at the pool and Grace loved them. I felt comfortable enough to let her play while I took these final pool pictures for Summer 2009.

Grace looks so tall to me in this photo!

Grace seemed most happy in about 2-3 feet of water
and didn't venture too far from the side.I could see her naturally learning to kick her feet and
move her arms to get to her destination.Which often was the ladder or over to the area
where she could watch people come down the big slides.She liked climbing the ladder......and jumping from the side.

(Notice we were strategically placed near the lifeguard...
smart Mommy!)I have been teaching Grace to put her toes on the edge of
the pool and to jump AWAY from the side.

Grace did this over.......and over....

SPLASH! Try to ignore the guy behind Grace.There, that's better!

Ta-Da!

At the end of the last gymnastics class for the summer session, Grace got up on a platform to receive a ribbon. All the kids got one. The teacher told her to put her hands up high and say, "Ta- da!" She was thrilled when everyone clapped and wanted to get back up on the platform a second time just to receive some more applause. What a ham!Since then, she has been saying "ta-da" whenever she finishes something she is proud of - a somersault, a jump in the pool, putting trash in the garbage can, or some art work. Tonight she worked on a tracing page (notice she didn't trace much!). The objective is to use a line to connect a baby crab in one corner of the page to the Mommy crab in the opposite corner. It is obviously too difficult for her, but I put the page (torn from a book) into a plastic page protector and let her use a dry erase crayon so she can practice over and over again. She loves doing this even if the skill is way beyond her abilities right now. It is also good practice holding a pen and you can see from these photos she is doing great with her grasp. I didn't put the marker in her hand. She picked it up on her own. When Grace was done drawing all over this page on both sides, she exclaimed, "Ta-da!" - I suppose that is my signal to clap and tell her how great she did. How funny is that?

Okay, okay. I hear you.

You may not comment on the blog, but I know you are out there. If I don't post for several days I start getting e-mails and phone calls asking if everything is okay. We are fine. Really. It has just been busy going back to work and trying to manage everything again. Don't worry. We will be back in a routine soon. And, maybe then you can count on one or two posts each week. I have something planned for next weekend, so if all goes well you will see some cute pictures and maybe even a video. Until then, here are the few pictures that survived my editing from our visit to the Cleveland Metroparks zoo earlier this month.

The Cleveland Zoo is much bigger than Akron and I wanted to go up there because I felt like we were missing something by not visiting. They have more animals overall and more of the "exotic" animals like gorillas, giraffes, wolves, lots of monkeys, kangaroos, etc. What I didn't like is that it is so spread out that you had to walk pretty far between animal exhibits. That is not great when you have a toddler that demands non-stop action. She wasn't too patient on the paths leading from one animal habitat to the next. So, there was no way we could see the entire zoo. That part I anticipated so I did some research ahead of time and knew what I really wanted to see and we hit just those. But, for some reason, I really just wanted to enjoy the experience and despite carrying the big camera I didn't take many inspiring photos.

My favorites included these tortoise photos:and this one of Grace and Kyle in front of the giraffes.The trip was worth it just for the giraffes because before this day Grace had no idea what a giraffe was. Now she points them out in books and on television calling them "gaffe". Grace also loved the monkeys at this zoo. There were so many different kinds but what was most amazing was one who was right up by the glass. Its hand was on the window and Grace put hers up in the same place on her side of the glass. We looked together and talked about how their fingers looked so similar. Amazing.

My favorites were the cheetahs and the giraffes on this trip but I was in awe of the gorillas. It was crowded near their enclosure so I couldn't stay look at them for long and I certainly didn't get any worthwhile photos. But my friend, Aimee, took some amazing shots (on another day) that are worth looking at here.

So squeezable!

Yes, I mean Grace, but also the clay she was playing with in these photos! She was really concentrating and it kept her busy for about 10 minutes. But then she decided to taste the clay so we had to put it away....I asked her what it tasted like and she said, "candy". That makes sense. It even looks like candy with those bright colors.I love this photo. We had just had a huge thunderstorm and the raindrops covered our back windows. Grace even posed, said, "Cheese", and came to see how the photo turned out. We did this 3 times and this was the best one. She is fun when she wants to cooperate.

Summer Lovin'

The calendar says that summer comprises the 3-month period from June 21st-September 21st. But, for me, summer includes the 6-weeks that I am off from work. I know I am lucky. Most people don't get 6 weeks of vacation throughout the year. I get 6 weeks plus holidays, a week at spring break, and another week or so in the winter around Christmas time. That is a great amount of time away from work and, yes, I am grateful. But, when you have a vibrant 2-year old at home who is a ton of fun and is just discovering the world around her, you want to spend every minute possible with her. So, on June 26th when I walked out of the office, I made a commitment that this summer (unlike the last 7 years!) I was not going in to work until the day I was officially due back. That day is tomorrow.We have loved this summer and have squeezed every sunny, warm, relaxing minute out of it. We had lazy mornings where neither of us got dressed until after naptime. We have gotten up early to look at the mist on the lake and take Daisy for a walk on the trail. We have done craft projects, have looked at bugs in the yard, and have splashed in the puddles on the deck after a summer rainshower. We have stayed up late - much too late for a toddler - looking at the moon, watching fireworks, or listening to a local band at the park. We have cooked dinner on the grill and, this summer, Grace discovered how wonderful tilappia, corn-on-the-cob, and grilled pineapple taste. We have gone through multiple tubes of sunscreen and two pairs of sunglasses. Grace has worn out the bottom of one bathing suit from jumping and falling on her butt in the pool. We have explored the world of potty training and have started doing so many other "big girl" things like brushing her teeth, putting on her shoes, and imitating mommy (that last one has me a little worried!).So, for a recap, in 6 weeks we:

• have gone to the pool too many times to count
• had our first "sleepover" with Dawson
• went to the Akron and Cleveland zoos multiple times
• visited New York City where Grace rode a horse and carriage, taxi, and bus for the first time
• have tested the potty training "waters"
  
• visited with family and Grace met Uncle John, Aunt Debbie, and Connor and Ryan
  
• went to the lake with Kellie's family
• have gotten sand in places where sand should not be (because Grace does things like she is doing in the photo below)
• experienced a one-ring circus where Grace rode a pony
  
• held rabbits, chickens, and ducks at the county fair
• tumbled and swung from the bars in gymnastics class
• rode the carousel so many times that Grace calls the panda, "my bear"
  
• danced to music at outdoor concerts
• bought fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers' market
• used the new wagon at an outdoor showing of Madagascar 2 (and a bunch of other places)
  
• took Daisy to the dog park and on morning walks on the trail
  
• played on the jungle gym at the park and at the inflatable play area in the mall
• went on the kayak in the lake (yes, even I did it!)
  
• learned to hold on tight on the "big kid" swings
• reunited with old friends from Guatemala
• watched three different fireworks displays to celebrate 4th of July
  
• went to the Indians game and met Slider
• showed our courage at the kiddie amusement park
• met Mayna and Abbie and their terrific moms
• applied for a United States passport
• baked muffins, brownies, and cookies from scratch

To most people 6 weeks is a really long time but to me it seems like the days passed by too quickly. Now I can't wait for the weekend when we can wake up when we want and we get to jump and play all day. Or just do nothing...
I do wonder, though, what I did with my time BG (Before Grace). I certainly have never been THIS busy any other summer.

PS - Grace wore this bathing suit for the first time in Guatemala when she was 9 1/2 months old. These photos were taken 5 days ago on August 4th. It was the last time for this swimsuit. A good purchase...it lasted a long time! But she has definitely outgrown it! You can see Grace last year in this and some other swimsuits by clicking here.

House guest

Kyle is in Vegas on a "man-cation" this week so Hondo is staying with us. It is interesting having two big dogs in the house. They have each other for company and Grace seems to love it. The first thing out of her mouth the last few mornings has been "Hondodaisy?" almost like it is one word. In her mind they just go together.

Friday with friends

For our last Friday of the summer we went to the pool today with our friends...

Dawsonand Mayna

and, of course, their moms!

Grace had fun playing in the sand, but she did need to go into "time out" twice for throwing sand, even after multiple warnings. The second time she was sitting on the bench and crying two women went up to her to find out what was wrong. I was sitting nearby and told them that she was in "time out" and a look of immediate recognition and "I've been there" came across their faces. I thanked them, though. Good to know some caring moms will help your child if she is lost or hurt....

Something just wasn't right with my girl today. She didn't want to go in the pool. She jumped in the water about 5 times but after that wanted me to hold her. She went on the slide once and never went under the water. She asked for pizza for lunch but then didn't eat it, and she cried (screamed, really) all the way home in the car. That just isn't like her. It was so bad that I was pretty scared and almost stopped the car. But then I figured it was better to just get home and when we did get there she went right to sleep. Hopefully she will wake up from her nap feeling better.

We were at the pool yesterday and Grace noticed some people walking over a footbridge. We went to the top of it and looked down to a stream below. I pointed out how the water was moving and we picked up leaves from the ground to drop in the water. She had a great time testing gravity and watching big and small leaves on their trip downstream. Some got stuck on the rocks, too, and didn't go very far. Being Grace, she remembered just what we did yesterday and wanted to go on the bridge again right away. This time we picked some Daisys and Black-eyed Susans to send down the stream. I probably shouldn't encourage picking flowers that aren't ours, but they were much prettier than the leaves!

50 Ravioli

I made 50 ravioli today while Grace was taking a nap. I mean, really, what else do I have to do with my time?Actually, I enjoy cooking and don't do it often enough. My mom gave me a cookbook called Toddler Cafe for my first Mother's Day and I have made several of the recipes suggested by author Jennifer Carden. Today, I decided to make my own version of her "pumpkin pockets" by substituting sweet potato. You can use fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables or substitute any filling you want following her simple instructions. What makes the recipe easy is taking a little help from the grocery store by using pre-made, pre-cut wonton wrappers (found in the produce section) for the pasta. According to Carden, wontons and ravioli are basically made from the same ingredients. I DO know how to make my own pasta - and I have done it before (for all you skeptics out there) - but the reality is modern conveniences are avaiable for a reason and my 2-year old's palate is not that discerning. I'll make fresh pasta when I compete against Bobby Flay or Michael Simon on Iron Chef. So, I made the filling using mashed sweet potato, cream cheese, and some spices and then filled all the wonton wrappers that came in the package. After boiling the ravioli for about 5 minutes, I tossed them with butter and Parmesean cheese and Grace was happy as a clam...I stored 45 of the ravioli in the freezer for dinners this fall on those nights when I am too tired to think about cooking.

Uncle Mickey - This doesn't compare with the rigatoni you made tonight, but I am going to try my own version of that dish one night soon!

Tower building

I wonder what happened at daycare today. When Grace got home she was unusually interested in building towers. She got out some soft blocks that she rarely plays with and built herself a tower, knocked it down, and then built it again. She also played with her giant Legos (another toy that she has shown little interest in since we got them months ago) to build houses. (I know because she kept saying, "Mommy, house".) Then at dinner we did a puzzle together before I took out one of our Discovery Toys. Grace received this "giant pegboard" and two other learning toys from Discovery from Aunt Jill for her birthday. We played with them once or twice, but never like I witnessed tonight. She was so determined and engaged.

The pegboard comes with 25 colored pegs in different shapes such as circles, squares, hexagons, stars, etc. There are multiple activities you can do with this pegboard (counting, sorting, grouping, matching, categorizing). My original plan was just to have Grace group the pegs by color, but she only wanted to stack them. I know I am supposed to let her lead the activity based on her interest and developmental level and today, all she wanted to do was build. So I ditched MY plan and let her continue with hers.

Just look at how happy and proud she was.

She even stopped for a second to say, "cheese" and smile for me so I could take a couple of photos.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I know it is only August, but one of the pleasures of having a child in the house is discovering all the wonderful things there are out there to help her learn and grow. So, I have started to "shop" for Christmas...or at least do some research to make wise choices for her presents.

Anyone who knows me, understands that I am not a big believer in having a lot of "stuff". I prefer Grace to have fewer, well-chosen toys that will challenge her to think, move, pretend, and be creative. I also prefer things that require some interaction. There are many times that she watches TV or plays on her own, but I really believe that, while there is value in those things, there should also be time every day when we play together. So, I have been purposefully, deciding on a few things that I think she will love for Christmas. A couple of things have already been purchased and put away -

LeapFrog Tag Junior

American Girl doll

....but the reason for this post is to share a discovery I made tonight.

This morning Grace and I stopped at Target for a boggie/kick board to use at the pool today. Being late in the summer, they didn't have any, but an Eric Carle board game called "From Head to Toe" caught my eye. Most of the games I have seen are intended for ages 3 and up, as was this one. The box gave little indication about how to play the game, but from what it did say I figured it was something Grace could handle with some guidance from me....but then I wasn't sure so I put it back on the shelf. It got me to thinking about the board games I remember playing as a child and the classics Candyland and Chutes and Ladders immediately came to mind. But, are those still the best for a toddler her age? Surely there has to be something new out there....

So I searched the internet for "toddler board games" which revealed some reviews about games to play with the 2+ crowd. The best site I found and now have bookmarked was www.thingamababy.com. It is written by a dad who reviews all kinds of things. I spent a lot of time looking at his reviews of toys (he has daughter almost 5 now but who was 2-3 when he reviewed these games. She seems very bright based on the skills he describes). I figured if she is doing this well from the toys he has chosen for her maybe I should seriously consider some of them for Grace.

I concentrated on board games that were simple and focused on one or two skills and came up with the following:

Snail's Pace Race by RavensburgerThis one I am buying now. I had never heard of this Ravensburger company before, but they seem to produce many quality toys and puzzles for children and adults. "Thingamadaddy" says Snail's Pace Race should be the very first board game for a toddler since it deals with colors, involves cooperative play instead of competitive, is quick (an important feature for short attention spans), and it uses dice instead of cards which are difficult for little hands to pick up (hmmm....I hadn't thought of that). You can read the entire review here.

I am also considering Bingo Bears by Learning Resources (sold on Amazon.com for around $22).I like this one for the cute bear game pieces that come in different colors and sizes. You can practice small, medium, and large as well as colors and counting. The game never gets old since you can change the big red bear game boards by inserting different cards in the 9 slots. Cool. Read more about it here. "Thingamadaddy" also recommends another Ravensburger product called 4 First Games (sold on Amazon.com for around $22). Basically, it is a box of two boards, each with a different game surface printed on both sides (the photo above shows all four sides). The game pieces allow you to play four different games - Bird's Nest, King of the Castle, Garden Party, and Sizzling Sausages. Again, the games practice patience, taking turns, color/number/item recognition, fine motor skills, etc. That's a lot in one box and sounds like it would be something to grow into and use for a long time. One of the things I especially like about "Thingamadaddy's" reviews is that in addition to explaining the instructions for each game he includes his own adaptations that have worked for him and his daughter (and her younger friend). I know I will go back and read those suggestions again if we get these games.

The last board game on our list is called The Picnic Game (also available on Amazon.com for $16). You set up a red and white tablecloth, everyone gets a plate, and you spin to fill your picnic plate with food. The reviews warn that landing on the ants is a BAD thing in this game. Grace has recently become fascinated with insects and we have been teaching her to look at and not touch them so I think she would get a kick out of the ants at her picnic!If any of you have played the Eric Carle From Head to Toe game, let me know your thoughts. We might want that one, too!

Slip sliding away

Grace has become such a little fish in the water. She loves the pool - maybe too much! We tried a variety of flotation devices this spring in Florida and at the indoor water park and found the only thing that worked successfully was the life preserver/life vest. Good to know and absolutely necessary if we are on a boat, but it is certainly not practical for the pool. I think that Grace has become more aware of her own balance and limitations in the water because I haven't used any water wings or flotation bathing suits. She is not falsely reliant on those things and hasn't become overconfident because of them. But, going to the pool with her is stressful because she is constantly testing her limits. Putting her head under water is not a problem for Grace. She enjoys jumping, spinning, and intentionally falling in the water. It seems like she is experimenting with her buoyancy as she tries to float on both her tummy and her back. Lately, she has been climbing up the ladder and jumping into 3 feet of water from the edge of the pool. Remember she is barely 35 inches so that water is over her head. And while I am having a mini heart attack with each jump, she is standing on the side pushing my hand away saying, "No, Mommy!".

This short video is of Grace on the kiddie slide which she has totally mastered. Last summer I wouldn't even let her try it on her own. Of course, she could barely climb the steps then. Enjoy the show....I promise, it won't give you a heart attack!

The circus came to town!

Grace attended her first circus on Saturday, August 1st. The Kelly Miller Circus is a one tent circus that visited the town square of a neighboring community. This traveling circus has been in business since 1938 and can set up in any 300' X 300' space with access to water. The big top, imported from Italy, has a seating capacity of 1500 people and is 40 feet high. The show travels in a fleet of 25 vehicles and they allow their animals to do two performances per day. The whole experience made me think about "old time" America that I have seen in so many movies. It is hard to believe that there are people who still "run away to join the circus" (okay, maybe these performers didn't run away, but you know what I mean).

We got up early on Saturday morning, bought breakfast, and went to watch the circus employees raise the tent. They said the elephants did this task, but we watched for about an hour as dozens of workers used big machines to drive stakes into the ground, set up awnings for shelter for the animals, unfolded the tent, and set up the concession stands.I wandered around the outside of the main circle and found the trailer where the three elephants were waiting for their debut. It was really cool to see one put the end of his trunk up to the window to investigate what was outside.Someone said that as soon as the sun canopy was set up the elephants were going to come out so I went back to get Grace and Kyle. A few minutes later, they slowly came out, enjoyed a breakfast of fresh grass, and got a shower from their handlers. Grace seemed to like the elephants but not nearly as much as the horses! After so many experiences where she has been able to touch animals, we had to explain to her that today she could only look.
Later Saturday evening we returned to the event site for the actual show. We met Dawson and her family there to see the performance together. This tented circus is currently run by John Ringling North of "the Ringling Brothers Greatest Show on Earth" family. From the moment the ring leader says, "Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages...." it was a non-stop performance of action, lights, music, an exotic display of animals, and acrobatic feats in the air. The show lasted about 2 hours with one 20 minute intermission.

Kelly took this beautiful photo of Grace.
I love the warm colors and how her cheeks are a little rosy.

Grace liked these inflatable toys, especially Dora and the monkey, but somehow we were able to distract her and not have to come home with one.Kyle put Grace on the pony ride which was well worth it to see how excited she was to be on her very own horse.He also took Grace to see the "giant" snake. He told me it was sleeping and you couldn't really tell what it was! We had a fun time, but I need to say one thing....I felt really bad for the tigers and elephants. Those animals are just not meant to be in small enclosures and performing for crowds of on onlookers. I know the circus people said all the animals in the show are part of their "family" and their website talks about how well the animals are treated. I don't doubt that, but, still, it is unnatural. I want Grace to be exposed to so many things so I don't regret attending but it would be unfair to write this blog without expressing how I feel about these enormous, beautiful animals who never have the chance to run or roam free. I much preferred seeing the human performances. At least the people in the circus have a choice.

Grace can count....

....from 9 -13! Most kids her age are probably learning (or know) 1-8 or 1-10, but not this child! She knows 2 (and can hold up 2 fingers to match), 6 (sometimes), and then 9-13. It sounds something like this when she counts:

9 nine

10 den
11 avanee
12 delve
13 dirtee

It is so cute I wish I could get it on video but she clams up as soon as I take out the Flip camcorder.

City Mouse, Country Mouse

I have lived in Ohio for 17 years. And, I really don't consider the part of Ohio where we live as "country" although it is certainly more like the country compared to where I grew up. When I first moved out here I used to tease my friends about being farmers, but in reality, I know few people who raise farm animals and other than their vegetable gardens, they don't tend any crops. Sure, there are working farms nearby, but I am glad for them so we can get fresh berries, corn, pumpkins, etc. in season. About the only person I know who is really into raising animals is Miss Jessie - one of the teachers at Grace's daycare and our babysitter. Jessie has been very involved in 4 H (up until tonight when I Googled "4H" I had no idea what the 4 H's stood for - Head, Heart, Hands, and Health). She invited us to the county fair so this evening, Grace and I visited her there to see what it was all about. We walked right past all the stereotypical fair stuff and headed to where Miss Jessie was - with the animals. She was so sweet and gave us a tour through several different barns. Grace had the opportunity to hold baby chicks, baby ducks, a rooster, and a rabbit. She also pet an award-winning goat, Lucky, who is being raised as a pack goat, meaning he carries heavy packs for his owner. But, by far, Grace loved the horses. She was so overwhelmed with excitement every time we got near one that she almost cried out to touch them. The owners were so nice to us, allowing Grace to pet and feed some of them. Even the mounted sheriff was sweet and allowed us to touch his horse and he gave Grace a stick-on badge. On our way out, we stopped to watch a group of teenage girls exercising their horses in a large fenced area. Grace was in heaven....All the way to the car, Grace kept saying, "Thank you, Jessie." Over and over...

Potty Progress

....there isn't any!

Why? I take full blame. I haven't been consistent. It is really hard to do since the best way to train Grace is to stay home for several days in a row. That is close to impossible for us. We are always out and about somewhere..... So, I have been putting her in "big girl undies" here and there when we are home, which hasn't been working too well.

Today, she put on her Little Mermaid panties as soon as she woke up and I set the timer for 25 minutes. Wouldn't you know it...she had an accident about 20 minutes in - right on the carpet. So now she is sitting on the potty chair, drinking her juice, in front of the TV. I figure any time she is sitting it is going to be on that potty chair from now on!

I have offered her cool presents if she pees or poops in the potty, but that doesn't seem to be enough of an incentive.

I am going to take a shower now, and you can bet Grace and her potty are coming in the bathroom with me. Keep your fingers crossed for some success!

Can I have S'more?

Atwood Lake, located in Tuscarawas and Carroll Counties, is an easy drive from Akron and Cleveland. With 1,500 acres of water it is one of the state's top lakes for sailing and pleasure boating. Kellie's parents have a vacation house at Atwood so we visited "Grammy Betty" and "Papa Pat" for the day. I am not sure where we were in this aerial view, but wherever it was, it was very serene and pretty.

Grace and I followed Kellie down to the lake - about an hour drive from our house. When we got there we were greeted by their house nestled among trees and pretty gardens on a hillside. You walk down about 25 steps to get to the dock and their boats.Gammy Betty, Dawson, and Grace drove the boat to the marina where we had lunch. Grace and Dawson loved steering, pushing the button for the horn, and leaning over the sides of the boat to look at the water. For some reason this made them really giggle!Playtime on the deck started out with exploring, pouring water, and dipping their toes in the pool.

But for Grace (who couldn't wait for her bathing suit) playtime quickly turned into splashing and jumping in the pool in her shorts and shirt! She was having such a great time that I just went with it and didn't worry about changing her. Heck, she was already wet! What good would it do now?The girls also practiced taking turns on the swing and slide - a difficult thing for 2-year olds! They had their share of saying "mine" but overall did really well with each other. There was a lot of holding hands, talking to each other (we are not sure what they were saying) and smiling, too!And right before we left, Grace and Dawson roasted marshmallows in the fire pit. Grace ate all the ingredients for S'mores - marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers - separately - not in a S'more!

It was another really full, fun day with our friends!

Let's give this a try....

This morning Grace and I went shopping for some big girl panties. For a few weeks now she has been showing awareness of her body functions by telling me "Mommy, potty" and "Mommy, poop". We bought a potty chair and a potty seat several weeks ago and lately Grace has been sitting on the potty chair reading her books - but so far she hasn't "gone" in the potty at all. Too bad, too. It plays music when something is in there, if you get my drift.

Well, as of today she is now the proud owner of 12 pairs of big girl underwear - Dora, the Little Mermaid, and some pretty florals. After nap today, instead of putting a clean diaper on her we looked at the big girl panties, talked about not making Dora wet or dirty and put them on her. I set the kitchen timer for 30 minutes with the intention of putting her on the potty every time it went off. But, as is so often the case, Grace had other plans. Thrilled the the novelty of new underwear, she told me "Mommy, potty" every few minutes so we went to the potty. We sat. We waited. We read stories. We sang potty songs (I made these up...I don't know any real songs with that subject). We talked about Dora....The conversation went something like this:

Me: Do we pee pee on Dora?
Grace: No.
Me: Do we poopy on Dora?
Grace: No.
Me: What happens if you need to pee pee or poop?
Grace: Mommy, potty!Good....she understands. We did this over and over for about an hour and I kept a close eye on her looking for signs of something about to happen. Then, all of a sudden I heard "Uh oh mess" and yes, she peed on the carpet! So I said that was okay and we went right upstairs to change...into another new pair of Dora underwear. Feeling a little confident that she wasn't going to pee again any time soon, I decided to snap these pictures. And wouldn't you know it, about two seconds after this shot.......she said, "I poop!" Ah, yes. She pooped on Dora. Didn't we just talk about this?

Two hours, two pairs of new underwear....not bad, I guess. At least she is aware of what happened. Baby steps, right?

Please touch

Every time we go to the zoo the experience is totally different. It was a cool, sunny Sunday morning which made it perfect for a walk to see the animals. As I looked back at the pictures of our visit, it seemed like it was a very "hands-on" experience.

For the first time, Grace walked on the rope bridge alone. She saw other kids doing it and with a little encouragement tried it herself. I waited at the end to give her a high five when she finished. Grace was every pleased with herself and ran around to do it again!I bought Grace a "zoo key" which you insert in the slot on a variety of kiosks throughout the zoo to hear information and songs or poems about the animals. Since Grace has been interested in necklaces lately (she calls a necklace a"na-neck") , I told her it was her special zoo necklace and showed her how to put the card in the slot. Once she got the hang of it, we were on a hunt to find the animal exhibits that offered the zoo key narration.Next time we might pretend we are Dora the Explorer looking for the place to put our key card. They are not at every exhibit and not the easiest things to find!We stopped to touch the fur of a coyote, a bobcat, and a rabbit. Grace liked touching these and asked to go back a few times. The zoo employee was very sweet and let her touch as much as she wanted. You really can feel a difference in their fur. The bobcat's was especially thick. We also looked at their ears, eyes, and noses.After the jellyfishwe waited on line to touch the sea stars (aka "starfish, but they really aren't fish), sea cucumbers, and snail shells and looked at hermit and horseshoe crabs up close. We learned that the hermit crab will turn the horseshoe crab over to eat it so the zookeeper was there to make sure that didn't happen while they were in the same tank together! Grace was patient and gentle so she must have really liked touching the sea animals. Of course she asked for "more" but instead of more sea creatures we went to see the farm animals.After her feeding experience with Nana and Ba at the Central Park Zoo in New York last week she was very brave and climbed the fence on her own to get closer to the sheep and goats. I almost had a heart attack thinking she was going to fall into their pen! I even heard other parents telling their older kids, "See, that little girl is not afraid!" I guess they didn't notice me holding my breath!We didn't touch these animals, but it WAS a special treat to see the two of the baby jaguars in their enclosure with their mom. Three babies - Bella, Nakita, and LeBron - were born in March and will stay in this zoo for about a year. We only saw two of them, though. In the wild, the mother jaguar stops taking care of her babies after the first year. The big one is named after LeBron James from the Cleveland Cavaliers. He weighs 25 pounds - the same as Grace - and the other two are about 20 pounds each.

First sleepover...well, almost

Grace stayed with Kellie, Tommy, and Dawson yesterday evening so Kyle and I could go to a wedding. (Thanks, guys!) All afternoon, I kept telling Grace she was going to play with Dawson. On the ride over we asked her, "Where are you going?" to which she enthusiastically replied "Dawson house!" Of course I reminded her to be nice and to share, but I was worried that Kellie was going to get some of Grace's two-year-old attitude at some point during the night.

I was so thrilled that as soon as we walked in, Dawson grabbed Grace's hand and they went off to play with her toys. Oh, to have a picture of that! But Kellie did a great job of taking pictures all evening so I wouldn't miss a thing. If you want to read Kellie's post about the night click here.

Grace and Dawson ate dinner (turkey burgers, corn on the cob, and milk) al fresco, and then went for a ride in the wagon which turned into a walk and a run. From what I hear, Grace didn't want to run as much as Dawson and eventually got back in the wagon - lazy bones!I wonder what they could be talking about here....they are just so cute together and seem to become better friends each time they get an opportunity to play. Kellie and I were just talking aobut how we hope this friendship will last a lifetime. They played on Dawson's swingset and with all of Dawson's toysincluding this big ball which resulted in one of my favorite pictures of Grace - ever!And eventually they went upstairs to bed to read stories and to sleep. Dawson sleeps in a "big girl" bed now but it sounds like she was happy to have Grace for company. Kellie said that Grace was a little afraid and started to cry so she rocked her and put her to sleep in another room.I guess that counts as her first "sleepover" since she slept over at Dawson's house...just not all night. We went to get her around 11:00 after the wedding reception. Can you believe that I have not spent a night without Grace since she came home in March 2008?

Thanks again for letting Grace stay over. We are lucky to have you as friends!

Water, water, everywhere

Sunday, July 12

Considering the fact that Manhattan is an island, water tends to be an important feature of the lifestyle here, especially in the summer. There are pools, sprinklers, boats on the rivers, and many opportunities to sit and enjoy the view of the sun rising or setting over the buildings.

It has been years since I have been to South Street Seaport, but when we went there on Sunday morning, it was pretty much as I remembered it. The old tall ships create an interesting contrast to the modern glass and steel buildings in the background.

Some new features include a beach overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge

and a water taxi that takes you uptown in the Hudson River up to Pier 84 at 44th street right next to the Intrepid. Grace enjoyed her boat ride. She sat by the window looking at all the sailboats and kayaks in the river. Grace noticed the Statue of Liberty in the distance right away and asked "What that?". We told her and even though she tried many times she had a difficult time saying "Statue of Liberty" so I just told her to call her "Lady". She waved to the statue saying, "Bye, Lady" long after we were past it.

We liked the Pier 84 area so much that we took Big Daddy back there for dinner at an outdoor place called O'Hurley's. We were able to sit at cafe tables for dinner and watch Grace play in the dancing waters of a fountain as the sun set in the background. Grace and I ran through and around the fountain a couple of times, timing it so we only got sprinked and not soaking wet! (This evening I left the camera at home so I could just relax and play instead of watching the action!)

It was relaxing, fun way to end a really great trip.

Walking on the High Line

Saturday, July 11

The High Line is a new public park that just opened this week in lower Manhattan. It is the result of a massive movement of businesses and residents in the area who wanted to make use of the elevated train tracks that were built in the 1930s to move freight trains above the busy streets of the city. The train lines have not been in use since the 1980s and a variety of trees, plants, and wildflowers have naturally grown around and between the tracks. The designers used what was there already as the basis for expanding the gardens and creating walkways that mimic the tracks. You can read more about the High Line park here.

We took the bus downtown on Saturday evening to walk along this really interesting city park. Grace loved the bus as much as she did the horses on Thursday. She held on tight, looked out the window, and sang "The Wheels on the Bus" which now has more meaning to her since she has experienced bus rides. When we got off and the bus pulled away Grace said, "Bye bus". Too cute.

The man-made paths were really well done - artistic, geometric, and planned to mirror the lines of the original tracks. They also had built-in lounge chairs to take in the sun and the views of the city on one side and the Hudson River on the other. This is definitely a place for a city stroll on a summer evening. Eventually, the park is going to extend further uptown and will have stores and places to eat. but until then, if you are planning to visit, I highly recommend one of my favorite NYC restaurants called "The Park" right at the corner of 18th Street and 10th Avenue. We stopped there for iced lattes and a cheese platter. Mmmmmm....

Near the end of our walk, Grace got a little case of the "terrible twos" and decided she didn't want to take another step. I had to laugh as people just walked around her!

Moo at the zoo

Saturday, July 11
The Central Park Zoo’s history is one of chance and convenience for New York residents. It began with the city’s residents’ habit of dumping unwanted animals at the arsenal – ranging from swans to bears. In 1864, the city’s legislature gave the go-ahead for the construction of some permanent structures to house the ever-increasing collection of animals and finally by 1934, funds were made available for the construction of a (then) state-of-the-art facility. The location quickly became a major attraction for visitors to and within the city.

Over the decades, as the zoo’s popularity increased, it became clear that the present construction was insufficient for the city’s needs. In the early 1980s, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the New York’s Parks Department jointly funded the renovation and reconstruction of the zoo’s facilities. In 1985, the improved and modernized zoo was opened focusing on keeping animals in their natural habitat as much as possible, while promoting conservation and animal protection.

They say the Central Park Zoo houses over 130 different species of animals, but on our Saturday morning visit we concentrated on the sea lion feeding and the children's petting zoo area.

The sea lions are a major attraction right in the center of the park. There are two sea lions who perform a variety of tricks a few times per day for their breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Grace watched them closely and even mimicked their "barking" sound!

We also had fun feeding the goats, alpacas, and a big black cow in a specially designed area of the zoo that lets kids get close to the animals. Grace was hesitant at first, but Nana and Big Daddy showed her how to hold her hand out so the animals could get the food. Nana, being a city girl said this was the first time she was that close to a cow!

Three grandchildren

Friday, July 10

Grace and I don't live near any family members. Our closest family is 450 miles away in New York and New Jersey. So, we don't get to see them as much as we would like. But this weekend, Grace got to meet her cousins Connor and Ryan and her Uncle John and Aunt Deborah for the first time. They have kept up with her through this blog and Grace has been looking at pictures of them that we have hanging on the refrigerator. It was amazing to me, though, how easily she fit right in with them as if she had known them her entire life. Sometimes Grace is shy at first, but that was not the case with her cousins. She jumped right in and tried to keep up with 5- and 9-year old boys!

Connor was the perfect older cousin, protective and cautious with Grace. He pushed her stroller through the park, held her on his lap at dinner, and helped me to make sure she was eating. If it wasn't for Connor, Grace might have been having too much fun playing at Tavern on the Green to eat anything!Even though Ryan is three years older than Grace, they played together so easily. He showed her how to hop like a bunny and tried to teach her some break dancing moves! They were so cute dancing together every time there was some music playing. Ryan and Grace shared their milk, chicken, and French fries at dinner. Whatever Ryan did, Grace tried to copy!The three grandchildren had an artist sketch their portraits. Connor and Ryan do a little modeling so they are used to posing and sitting still. Grace had a more trouble, but did okay sitting on my lap as Nana, Aunt Debbie, and Uncle John made funny faces behind the artist to keep her attention.Uncle John bought Grace her first New York City hot dog! We also rode the carousel, chased bubbles, said "hello" to the horses again, played on the rocks and in the playground, and made sure to take our turn getting a photo at the "LOVE" sign in midtown.We went straight from playing in the park to end our busy day with dinner in the garden at Tavern on the Green. The garden was a beautiful setting with lanterns hanging from the trees that illuminated just as we were finishing our meal.

Nana took this photo of her three grandchildren in the Tavern on the Green garden.

Yes, we bought the souvenir photo!

Touristy, but it was the only photo of the entire family together!

What does the horse say?

Thursday, July 9

Do you remember this photo from last fall? Maybe Grace has outgrown her fear because she loved the horses who pull the carriages in Central Park. We walked along the southern end of the park a couple of times on Thursday and she really wanted to stop and pet the horses. As we walked past each one she reached out trying to touch them. The drivers, used to accommodating tourists, were very nice and held their horses' heads so she could get a close look. It was so obvious how much she wanted to go for a ride so we took her for a 30 minute evening loop.

Our driver told us that there are two horses for each carriage and the horses have an ID in their hoof so they can be checked in and out of the stable. Each horse is only allowed to work 9 hours at a time. He has been working evenings for 15 years and shared that a lot of "romantic" people go on carriage rides. And, surprisingly, many are locals out on dates for special occasions.

Grace enjoyed her ride so much. She ended up riding standing up holding the reins and making the "neigh" sound for most of it. I wonder if Scooby Doo, our horse, understood what she was saying!

Mine?

We are back from a great trip to NYC. We did SO much in 4 days. I am going to post the pictures this week but date the entries as they occurred.

Thursday, July 9

Grace is such an incredible kid. I had to wake her up at 5:15AM on Thursday to catch our 6:40AM flight. We did great, boarding the plane at 6:20. What we didn't count on was a mechanical issue that delayed our flight for an hour - while we were on the plane! But Grace was so flexible and cute, entertaining herself and everyone sitting within a few rows of us. When we got to New York she loved riding in the taxi - belted but not in a car seat, riding up to the 29th floor in an elevator, going out on the terrace and looking down on the city below, and then exploring the ultimate toy store - FAO Schwartz.

When we were there, Grace and Nana saw some favorite friends,

Grace rode a giant polar bear,she watched a Barbie fashion show (you can design your Barbie's outfit online and in about 10 minutes she comes out on the runway),and played the giant piano like Tom Hanks in Big.

Grace looked at everything and touched many different toys and asking "mine?" but gently replaced the toys and left without a fuss when it was time to go. We were willing to buy her some special toy but I guess she didn't see anything she couldn't live without! That has to be some sort of record for FAO. I don't imagine many parents leave that store without dropping big bucks on toys.

Lucky me, I guess.

My favorite thing in the store was the "design your own muppet" area. You can choose its hair, eyes, clothes, etc. learn how to operate it and leave with your own piece of Sesame Street. I was tempted to say "mine?" when I saw those!

No Gabba Gabba

Along with thousands of other people in New York, we went to the Summer Stage in Central Park this afternoon hoping to see DJ Lance and the Yo Gabba Gabba crew. But, it certainly wasn't a unique idea. When we arrived, the outdoor theater was already full (it holds about 1,000 people) and there had to be another 1,ooo people (no kidding!) waiting in line ahead of us. Good thing Grace is too young to get her heart set on something and not understand when it doesn't work out. We just came up with another plan, forgot about DJ Lance, and moved on. It turned out to be a really nice afternoon just blowing bubbles at the Bethesda Fountain and wandering through the Ramble.

In a New York minute

We are headed to New York for a few days to visit my parents. I know I will take tons of pictures, but I doubt I will post any until we come back next week. Stay tuned.....

Summer is for sundresses

Grace and I went to file her passport paperwork yesterday so we stopped near the city park and fountains for a short photo shoot. I couldn't resist since she looked so pretty in this pink summer dress.Always curious, Grace wandered around touching water in the fountain and then sucking her fingers,

pulling bark off the trees,

and picking up sticks of all sizes.

She might be wearing a pink dress, but she is still a curious toddler with a little bit of tomboy in her!

Fly girl

On Monday nights Grace participates in a toddler "gymnastics" class at a place called Flytz. You can check them out here. Her class consists of some songs to get the kids moving and to stretch, and then three segments using different mats and gymnastics equipment (bars, balance beams, trampolines, etc.). The teacher, Miss Amy, does a quick demonstration (mostly for the parents) and then lets the kids try. She walks around observing and trying to give each child some individual attention. Grace is certainly not the most skilled or the best listener in her group, but in the 4 weeks she has attended I can see an improvement. We have four more weeks to go for the second summer session and I signed her up for 10 weeks this fall. If nothing else, it is great exercise and good for her balance, self confidence, and muscle development. I don't expect her to become a gymnast...for now we are just having fun!You can't really tell from this picture, but this is a horizontal bar positioned parallel to the wall. She was holding the bar, facing the wall, and then she walked her feet up the wall. Grace is getting the idea that the next step is to kick her legs over to flip!

Kids on the couch

This weekend we reuinted with some of the families we met on our first visit trip to Guatemala. At the time (September 2007) the kids were 4-5 months old. There were seven children in our group and the families really hit it off. We have kept in touch via e-mail, sending each other pictures and updates periodically over the last 1 1/2 years. We were happy to be able to see three of the families again on Friday and Saturday and we took the opportunity to recreate this couch photo that we took back in Guatemala in 2007.

From left to right: Luke, Alaina, Grace, Emma, Lizzie, Mya, and Jordan.

From left to right: Lizzie, Alaina, Grace, Mya, and Luke

Grace looked adorable in her patriotic dress and she did make it for another night of fireworks! She sat in her wagon (boy, that was a great purchase!) with her blanket and watched the show saying "boom" and "more" until we finally called an end to the day at 11PM! Grace has always been a great sleeper, but I was extra happy that she slept until almost 10:00 on Sunday and went in for an early afternoon nap that day that lasted three hours. I think all the playing and celebrating wore her out!

That little stinker!

Grace and went to the Cleveland Zoo on Friday morning to visit the rainforest exhibit with some of our friends. They were delayed so Grace and I spent about 45 minutes outside the rainforest just hanging out and eating a snack.

Of course you know I had the camera, so I asked Grace to stand over by the yellow flowers and "say cheese". She went right over (multiple times!) and posed for me. That little stinker....she knows exactly what I am asking when I want to take her picture. She just purposely looks away most of the time!The rainforest was fun,

especially the orangutansand the baby monkeys! (or "mon-ka", as Grace calls them)We need to go back again this summer to see the rest of the animals.

4th of July fun

Our July 4th celebration began on the evening of July 3rd with a cookout and fireworks supplied by some friends. Before we went, I how to photograph fireworks on the internet and feverishly wrote everything down - ISO, aperture, shutter speed, use a tripod (okay, that part I knew), focus to infinity in manual mode, and on and on. It was too much for my brain to absorb so I opted for the "fireworks" setting on my point and shoot camera. And here are some of the results:<