Fingin'

Today was the first nice day in awhile, so we spent about an hour playing on Gracie's new fing set. She can usually say her 's' sound, but apparently she thinks swinging is finging! Funny girl!

There's something about her teethy grin and chubby fingers that just makes me want to eat her up! I can't help it! She really enjoyed the slide and 'carpet' which is her word for the 2 person swinging cart in the first picture. I have no clue, unless maybe it makes her feel like Princess Jasmine?!

She's becoming quite the climber and adventurer. I'm not sure of all the specifics, but Daddy did come out of her room after reading her bedtime stories tonight saying, and I quote, "Story time is becoming the Wild West!" She's constantly moving and discovering.

Psalm 127:3

When I think about Gracie, and everything I love about her, I know the words of Psalm 127:3 are true.

"Children are a gift from The Lord; they are a reward from Him." (NLT)

She is absolutely nothing less than a gift from God. And for the opportunity to be her mother, I am eternally thankful.

Thrifty KU Shirt

With all the March Madness going on, I decided to make Gracie a new KU shirt. I made it big enough that she should be able to wear it next season, too.

It was super simple and cheap to make because I already had some Jayhawks fabric from another project. I bought a shirt from Walmart for around $3 and then sewed a heart of the Jayhawks fabric in the center. I used a thicker stitch on my machine to add some dimension (#26 on the Brother 6000i machine). I left a little more than an eighth of an inch outside the stitch so that I could cut slits in the fabric which would make it fray when washed, adding more character to the unfinished edge.

Here's the final product. Not bad for 10 minutes and $3!

Shampoop!

Last night at bath time, Gracie and I decided we'd shower together.  When we do that, we shower in her bathroom because the the shower in the main bathroom is bigger than the one in our master.  Before I headed down the hallway to grab my shower stuff, I said, "I'll be right back!  Momma's gonna get my shampoo and stuff.  Tell Daddy to get you naked!"

She replied (as always) with, "I come, too!"

I didn't realize she'd followed me to grab my things, but when I turned around,  Gracie was saying something about poop.  I was all confused, thinking she was poopy.  I asked her, "G?  Are you poopy?  Tell Daddy to clean you up so we can shower." (Yes, tell Daddy!)

She responded with, "I get shampoop, too!"

I still wasn't sure if she was poopy or what, so asked again.  She replied again with, "I want shampoop, too!"

By this point, I'd figured out that it was another Gracie-ism and just died laughing!  Ryan said she'd been saying all the way down the hallway... "I come, too!  I want shampoop!"

So we did... we showered, and shampooped our hair together.  It was a slippery-good time!

It's a Pigtail Kind of Day!

When your daughter and niece are as cute as my daughter and niece, you can't pass up the opportunity for pigtails and curls!

I went to curl my own hair this morning... more on that in a second... and sweet little Kia followed behind, "Whatta doin' Aunt Nuhn?"  She's kind of my sidekick any time she gets the chance.  So I explained that I was going to curl my hair, and of course, Kia decided she wanted her's curled as well.  Which I was totally good with... I've always loved doing hair... right, Meghan?!

Before I knew it, Gracie was at my feet begging for the same... even though she has to reassure herself that the curling iron is hot, but does not hurt, by repeating those words over and over again.  I dug out some old ponytail holders... the kind with the balls!  Man, I loved those as a kid!   They're actually a lot harder to use than the gel elastics I'm used to.  The girls have such fine hair right now.

So here are the results!  I find them to be absolutely beautiful!

Cindy Brady... I mean, Kia!

Happy Gracie!

In order to keep them looking straight ahead, we practiced identifying body parts and making funny faces in the mirror.  The result... well, girls who enjoy sticking out their tongues!  Too cute to pass up!

And for some reason, I love this pic of Little Gracie checking herself out in the mirror!

Now for my hair, real quick.  I think I've finally mastered the art of not washing my hair every day!  This is really good news, people!

I've wanted to jump on that bandwagon for years, but never could make it work.  When I wash it daily, it pretty much never dries because it's still wet when I wake up the next morning to shower.  No joke!  It takes like 45 minutes to blow dry because the hair dryer stops working part-way through and I have to let it rest before it'll turn on again.  So washing every day means a ponytail like 98.4% of the time.  True story.  

So, for those reasons, I've always wanted to wash less often.  Besides being better for your hair, saving tons of time, and maybe allowing me the chance to 'do' my hair more often (without investing more than 4 minutes, of course!), I also have super de duper dry hair (can you tell we watch a lot of Barney?!).  

But problems all over the place have prevented the process from actually working.  Frizzy bedhead when I awake, shower caps that don't hold all my hair, the smell of sleep in my hair all day long (I can't explain what I mean, just trust me), and crazy-whispies when I try to wear the old standby ponytail.  

Being a part-time stay-at-home-mom has allowed me a little wiggle room to play with not washing daily, even if it meant several bad hair days.  But here's the process that works for me.  Wash on Saturday night or Sunday morning and also on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.  That's it.  Once cleaned, leave wet hair to air dry for an hour, then blow dry.  I can curl it in different ways or straighten, too.  The first day is the worst for frizzies, after that, my hairs lays well (as good as it gets).  As for the shower cap issue, I just put it in a ponytail when I shower every day and don't cover it at all.  Getting a little wet actually makes it easier to style, so I just try to keep my head dry.  It stays fairly nice looking for 3-4 days, but I really think my hair could go longer.  I just can't handle the smell of sleep any longer.  By the fourth day, I can't smell shampoo at all, and that bothers me.  So I just have to wash it!  

I just wanted to share my newfound free time and ability to style my hair.  It took me like 30 years to figure it out, but better late than never, I suppose.  People have always commented about how much hair I have.  And they're right.  They think it'd be awesome to have a head full of hair, but they're mistaken.  But I will say that I can appreciate my thick locks a little more when I don't have to wash them as often!  

Spring Break!

Last week was my Spring Break, so Ryan took Thursday and Friday off work to spend some extra time with Gracie and I.  We had an absolute blast, especially with the unseasonably warm weather on Thursday and Friday.  The highlights for me included a trip to the zoo, a new swing set, and a date night for Ryan and I.

We've been planning to buy a swing set for the backyard for a while now.  Gracie is old enough to really enjoy sliding, swinging, and sitting in the glider.  With the warm weather last week, we just couldn't resist the opportunity to get started!  We spent Thursday morning shopping around and measuring, then during Gracie's nap, Ryan went to pick up our final choice.  We chose this model from Kmart.  It suited our needs (lots of kids in the family!) and our budget perfectly!  Thursday after nap, we all (Gracie included) worked together to begin assembly.  Believe it or not, Gracie was a big helper in the process.  It was great to be outside and work together.  We didn't finish until Friday afternoon, but let me tell you, the swing set is a big hit!  Unfortunately, the weather hasn't cooperated the past couple of days, so we haven't gotten outside to play on it again.  And another piece of bad news, I think I was too 'in the moment' to snap any pictures of our swing set adventure.  I promise to get some the next time it's nice out!

As for our trip to the zoo, it was probably the most fun (outside of camping) that we've had as a family! Don't get me wrong, we do lots of fun things, but our day at the zoo was just the best!  When we arrived on Friday morning, it looked like everyone in the city had the same idea we did... lines snaking through the parking lot.  I was a bit discouraged, thinking we'd spend most of our time waiting to get in.  But I was wrong, the lines moved quickly and before we knew it, we were checking out the polar bears.  Amazing!  It was pretty hilarious trying to get Gracie to see the animals though.  Sometimes they were right in our faces, like the polar bears swimming behind the glass.  And she had the hardest time figuring out what we were pointing at.  But it was always clear when she finally found the animal... like a light bulb going off and huge smile!

We wandered through Africa, seeing elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, turtles, african hunting dogs (I mean, puppies!), goats, and several others.  The weather was beautiful and Gracie was very content.  She walked and rode in the stroller, just taking in the sights and sounds.  We packed snacks and drinks to keep everyone satisfied.  We saw several families with picnic lunches throughout the zoo, and I definitely think we'll try that next time we go.  We purchased a Friends of the Zoo Pass for $70, which includes admission to the zoo and unlimited train, tram, and carousel rides for a year.  It's really a steal, as long as you plan to go at least 3 more times.  We had so much fun, I know we'll make it a regular family outing.  I think Gracie and I will head out often this summer... it's good exercise and something that she really enjoys!

I was able to snap some pictures on our trip to the zoo.  Although I'm not a typical photographer when it comes to the zoo.  I'm not so interested in pictures of random animals... that's what Google is for!  I just take pictures of people!

Big smile from my big girl!

"I can't find him!" about the elephants!  

Daddy's girl

Momma's girl

Looking for African Goats

Enjoying the view

My two loves!

I couldn't resist this picture!
Here's what happens when you tell Gracie to "smile"!
Totally cracks me up!

Friday evening, after the zoo, Ryan and I went out for dinner and a movie.  We had a Groupon for one of our most favorite restaurants, Piropos.  And let me tell you, it did not disappoint!  We kind of completely overate.  Appetizer: empanadas, crab cakes. Dinner: me: tomato basil soup, stuffed chicken, mushroom risotto, and veggies. Ryan: seafood chowder, beef short ribs, veggie kabob, and some type of carb... can't remember.  It was so, so yummy!  Afterward we went to see Identity Thief, which was good.  It was the first movie we've seen since the Smurfs when Gracie was like 5 months old.  And we paid $10 per ticket, which is absolutely insane, in my thrifty opinion.  I told Ryan we could buy the DVD for that price.  But whatever?!  We don't go that often... wonder why?

Our little 4 day family weekend was so fun!  Gracie has definitely grown out of being a 'baby' so family outings are becoming so fun!  Before, we took her to fun things, but it was more for us than for us.  Now, our fun times are all also fun for her!  I often think about my first memories as a child... I think was about 3 years old when I starting remembering experiences.  I know she won't remember this long weekend, but I won't forget assembling the swing set and her first trip to the zoo!  I'm so thankful for these moments together.  

Jammies

I took advantage of nap time yesterday by sewing a pair of pajamas for Gracie. I started them awhile back, but never finished them because my sewing machine wouldn't cooperate. For Christmas my loving husband bought me a new machine, and it works like a champ! I love it! So finishing the project took only 2 hours or so. Here she is modeling them. Kind of Plain Jane Jammies that actually look more like scrubs, but they are soft and comfy. Note to self, think twice before working with jersey fabric again. And definitely spring for elastic thread!

Corn on the Cob

It's so funny watching Gracie devour corn on the cob!

Gracie Says...

So I think I've mentioned that Gracie is extraordinarily verbal. Like, mind-blowingly articulate (after all, I make up big words and she is my daughter!). But seriously, I think some of my amazement over her language development is rooted in the fact that it feels like just last week she cooed and smiled for the first time, but I also have to say that she's just ahead of the game in the area of speech right now. And it's really, really fun having a 21 month old discovering new things all day long, and as she does so, explaining her thoughts and feelings right and left. It's hilarious, endearing, and just plain amazing.

The thought crossed my mind a few weeks ago that I wanted to write down some of these phrases she continues to repeat, or the words she strings together that simply blow my mind. I knew I'd never remember them as long as I'd like to remember them... and I was right. So here are a few of the Gracie-isms I can recall right now.

"Hode on, Mommy!" Or Daddy. Said all the time now when she feels like we're rushing her.

"Good yummy dinner, Mommy!" and everyone else at the meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all 'dinner'). I think she says that because before sitting down to dinner she sometimes asks for "kanny" and I always tell her, "Be a good eater and we can have candy after dinner." So I think it's her way of convincing/reminding us that she was a good eater. She says it even if she won't try the food. Makes me giggle every time!

"Beast no say sorry still. Beast in time out." I'll have to find time to write about Gracie's struggles with time outs... obviously the issue surrounds her lack of willingness to apologize. But the other day, all on her own, she put Beast (as in Beauty and the Beast, you know, Belle's better half?!) in time out. She marched him upstairs and went back time and time again, each time she returned saying the same thing, "Beast no say sorry..." We finished the whole time out in perfect Supernanny fashion, with a hug and a kiss, but not until Beast complied! I will say she's been more willing to say sorry herself since the incident with Beast!

"I play Mommy's puter?" That's computer. And 'play' to her means 'Watch YouTube videos of my favorite princesses.' Mostly Tiana, Snow White (although its Dopey she likes), and Ayell (ie. Ariel).

"My got it. My do it myself!" Miss Independent says that All. The. Time.

"Tysie no licky me."

"I tell Daddy sum-ting." It's the way she says 'something' that I love.

"Good song. Good song." Usually said while I'm singing her songs before bed. My voice is that good! Hehe!

I know I'm forgetting some of my favorites. I'll post them later as I remember them. This phase is just so much fun! She's becoming quite a big girl. I just love spending time with her!

Family Fun in the Snow

Because a snow day for me means an extra long work day for Ryan, we hadn't been able to get outside, and enjoy this white stuff as a whole family, until this weekend. We had a grand time building a snowman and throwing snowballs at each other, well, mostly at Daddy. Gracie could've just sat and ate snow all day! Silly monkey!

A Snowy Week

Another snow storm hit KC this week, resulting in a lot of time at home and a few fun moments in the snow. The highlights of our week include...

1. Beautiful views of our backyard...

2. Playing in the snow with Kia and Gracie. The girls and these snow suits just slay me! I could not stop laughing as I watched them waddle around. Gracie's headband ear-warmer kept falling down over her eyes. She'd simply stand there and calmly say, "I can't see, Momma." It was seriously hilarious!

3. New snow boots! They even got worn over footy jammies a few mornings. I paid $17 for them on sale, regularly $50. Thank you, late season snow!

4. A "slide" down the stairs made for balls, Little People, plastic foods, and anything else that will fit. Lots of climbing up and down the stairs. Good practice for Little Miss G. She perfected her speedy tummy slide down the stairs.

5. Water play with a milk jug. Gracie loves to pour and scoop.

6. Why play with water when you've for snow? We brought snow inside, which provided a solid hour of fun and hydration!

7. All the water fun resulted in naked baby fun, while her clothes spun in the dryer. Gracie asked to be a 'baby burrito' which is what we used to call her when she was swaddled. But eventually she shed the tortilla and pranced around wearing only a diaper and socks. Oh yeah, while she ate more snow. Eventually Momma insisted she get back in her burrito. "No! I naked baby!" But in the end, I won!

8. Homemade pop tarts. Which is really just pie crust and a quick stove top jam. Delish!

While I don't like extending the school year, I must say that I enjoyed our snowy week!