Only in Arkansas

I'll blog more about our vacation to Arkansas later, but I had to write this down before I forgot. 

On our way into the Walmart in Clinton, Arkansas these cute teenage dancer girls  were selling raffle tickets to raise money. One of them walked right up to us and asked, "Wood y'all lack to buy a raffull ticket to we-yun a guhn?"  After saying no thank you, Ryan, Steph, and I all looked at each other asking, "Did she really say a gun?!"  Only in Arkansas!  

A Birthday Party and A Couple of Firsts...

On Saturday we celebrated Gracie's 3rd birthday at the Gladstone Community Center indoor pool.  We began in the party room where we played a short game, ate a light snacks and cake, and opened gifts.  Afterward, we headed to the pool where Gracie and her friends/family enjoyed sliding, jumping, splashing, and playing together.  It was a fun, fun time!  Gracie even took off her floatie and jumped in several times.   She's gaining her underwater confidence lately!  My camera battery died before the swimming part, but that was okay because I thoroughly enjoyed being in the moment with my girl, instead of trying to capture the moment with my camera.  Here are a few pictures from the first part of the party.

I can't take credit for the cake, but it was delicious and beautiful!

Just before Gracie's birthday, she had her first big girl class.  We only got to attend the last 3 days of a weeklong Dora and Diego class through Community Education, but it was such a good experience for Gracie.  Her teacher was Mrs. Greene, who also happens to be Pastor Frank's wife, Gracie's Sunday School teacher, and her soon-to-be Preschool teacher.  So needless to say, G is pretty comfortable with Mrs. Greene.  Kia was in the class, as well, so the conditions were right for Gracie to have a fabulous time.  

I was a little worried about how her first drop-off experience (aside from her Aunt Steph's house and Miss Barb's during her first year of life) would go.  When she heard that Kia was going to class, while we were on a camping trip, she asked if she could go when we got home.  I explained that Momma wouldn't get to go to the class with her, I would go to the store while she played and learned.  She seemed unphased by being dropped off, so I went with it.  I enrolled her and planned to get her birthday shopping and party prep done while she went to class.  

If you had asked me 6 months ago, I would have told you that Gracie would take several months to get adjusted to being dropped off at Preschool in the Fall.  I would have said that she would never agree to take a class without Momma or Daddy.  I would have said that dropping her off would involve some crying and screaming, and require peeling her off my hip.  But something matured inside her and she seems to understand that Momma will come back and while she's gone, Gracie's going to have fun!  And so she did.  She had a great time at Dora class!  There were no tears, only reports of the one time Kia cried because she was sad for her Mommy.  She was all smiles and eager to get going.  The first day, while I was signing her in, she asked if she could go on in and see what Mrs. Greene was doing.  I said she could, and off she went.  No squeezes or smooches good-bye, she was off and jumped right in!  I felt relieved that it went so well and so, so happy for her.  Here are a few pictures from her adventures in Dora class.

Using her binoculars to see me!

On the second day of class, it was raining all morning, so instead of exploring outside with their binoculars, the kids went to the "after teria" (cafeteria!) to look out the windows to explore.

Her Dora backpack!

The Great and Wonderful, Mrs. Greene and Gracie!

Gracie and Kia... the best of friends!

Last night was Gracie's first experience with dance class.  She's been talking about taking dance for a long, long time.  Aunt B found a dance class for little ones that's at a Christian Studio and using music from Frozen.  I mean, could it be any more perfect for Gracie and Kia?!  It's just a summer camp where they learn 'bal-la-lay' and tap.  We've been counting down the days for dance to start, so last night both little girls were ready to go!

Dance is so different from most other sports in that your parents aren't allowed to watch.  So when we arrived at the studio, Steph and I walked the girls back to their class and helped them get their ballet shoes on.  Then we left.  After waiting in the car for 45 minutes, we went inside to pick them up and Miss Cassie, their teacher and the studio owner, said the girls did great!  Then we headed outside to get in the car and we asked the girls what they did.  What songs did you hear?  How did you move your feet?  What did Miss Cassie show you?  The responses were all pretty vague and confusing, since both girls are only three.  When we got home, I played some songs from Frozen and had Gracie show me what she learned in dance.  It was pretty much the same moves she's always done to the Frozen songs, so I'm still not quite sure what she learned.  Now I realize that it's only the first week, so she will probably know more after a few more classes.  Whatever she did, she had a fun time!  She wants to go back again!  She did remember to mention that she herself did not cry, but one girl did cry for her Mommy.  Gracie would never do that!  Here are a few pictures from her first dance class.

Waiting for Aunt Steph to come pick us up!

They look like real ballerinas!  So cute!

When we were getting dressed for dance, I asked Gracie how she wanted her hair, and of course, she wanted a bun.  I had to google how to do a real ballet bun, because the kind I do always fall out quickly.  Rest assured, I found a new way and she was rockin' a tight ballet bun for her preschool ballet class!  

Hard Knock Life

Too cute not to share!

Let it Go

For those who know Gracie well, you know she loves to sing!  We love to sing together and I love to just let her sing on her own!  Last weekend while we were camping, it was too hot to go to the park during the day, so I promised her that we could go to the 'park in the dark' later that night.  So when the sun set, we headed up the hill to swing and slide, and an impromptu singing session ensued.  We both sung at the top of the our lungs to our favorite songs while we swung high and let the air blow through our hair!  We will definitely continue this tradition in the future!  These days, her favorite songs include "It's a Hard Knock Life" from Annie, "Let it Go" from Frozen, and "Praise Ye the Lord".

Here's her singing "Let it Go".  Video courtesy of Auntie Steph.  

Going Under!

Gracie has become a little fish in the past couple of weeks, even purposely and willingly going 'under under under'!  She loves to hear me say that I've never seen anyone your age do that before!  So big!

Happy Birthday, Gracie!

Today is Gracie's 3rd birthday!  It's insane to think how much she has grown in 3 short years!  It's insane to think how much our family has changed since Gracie arrived!  We have been so blessed.

Gracie has grown into a smart, incredibly smart girl. She is a talker and a listener.  Mrs. Greene had her in Dora class last week and said that she forgets Gracie is still 2 because she fits in with the 4 year olds so well. Gracie can articulate things that she's feeling and wondering. And she listens intently, trying to make connections to what she already knows. She notices similarities and differences without being prompted. Which, educationally speaking, is a very good thing. Even last weekend while we were camping, Gracie surprised me with her smarts. She asked how many pairs of jammies I  packed for the trip. I told her I'd brought 4 pairs. She replied, "Well if you packed 4 pairs and you're wearing this yellow pair, then you brought 5 pairs, actually."  Already thinking mathematically. Smart little cookie!

But there's more to our 3 year old than intelligence. She's also very physical. She's excellent at gymnastics. She's mastered the seat drop and knee drop on the trampoline... which is an advanced skill for her age. She prances around like a ballerina as she eagerly awaits learning some real "bal-la-lay" skills at her first dance class this week. She can bump a balloon volleyball with fairly decent technique and accuracy, and she's already interested in using her softball glove and a baseball bat. Although when we played last weekend, the ball turned into her baby and the glove was it's bed. But still, she understands that we don't want to drop the ball (or baby!). 

Speaking of babies, she's still a little momma. Apparently I've modeled love and sweetness to her because she's about as nurturing as she can be. She loves her baby cousins and gives them smooches and squeezes all the time. She is passionate about her love though, sometimes gritting her teeth and squeezing a little too tightly. I know it's out of her intense feelings for them though!  She's also all about princess dress up stuff. She's usually Belle or Elsa when she and Kia play. But her love for princesses isn't selective. She pretty much love them all!  

Gracie's most endearing trait right now is her heart for God. She loves The Lord and loves learning about Him. Sometimes the things she learns and questions are over her head and cause her anxiety, but I trust that God will ease those fears with time. I've been praying this scripture for her and with her for a while now, having faith that these words are true. Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in all situations, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds, through Christ Jesus. 

So, today she is 3. An intelligent, loving, passionate, active, follower of Christ. Could we ask for anything more?  I think she's simply the best!