Go in THERE!

This morning, Grace showed me what an individualist she is! I was getting her ready for play date and she didn't like the shirt that I had picked out. So, I let her pick a different shirt. Then she wanted to pick out her shoes, so I let her do that, also. She was trying to put her shoes on, but couldn't quite manage. I leaned in to help her. She snatched her foot away and said, "No, no, no, mine." I told her I was sorry, but the damage was done. She pointed at the door to her room and said, "Away, go in there." I just looked at her. Apparently, I wasn't moving quickly enough, because she came up behind me and started pushing me towards the door, all the time saying, "Go in there." Knowing when I'm not wanted, I left. I watched as she put her shoes on, the wrong feet. I congratulated her and started back into her room. She jumped up - said, "No, in there" and then slammed the door in my face.

After a while she started hollering at me to come let her out (and, yes, I was tempted to let her stay in there). I opened the door - she had changed her shoes and had them on the right feet this time!

Big Butt!

The other day at the store, Grace pointed to a plump lady and shouted, "Big Butt!" She didn't just say it once - she said it over and over and over again until I agreed that the butt was big.

Piggy Tails

Nonni decided that Grace's hair is long enough for piggy tails! We went to the store and bought some really little, tiny pony tail holders. That night, Nonni put her hair up! Grace LOVED it. Since then, daily, she asked for her "pig hair."

Take a Hike

Jeff, Grace and I joined Jack and Mimi at Lajitas this past week to take a little time off! On Friday, we all decided to go for a hike at Big Bend National Park. There was a path that led to something called The Window. It was a beautiful overlook 2.6 miles down the path.


Grace had a great time checking out the HUGE ants that were every where. She loved to stop to smell (and pick) each flower along the way. She would run ahead as best she could (only falling once). Of course, the fact that there are bears and mountain lions in the area made us a little nervous!


Daddy carried her for most of the way down the path, though I took a turn or two. We stopped at large boulders to rest along the way and to take photos from time to time. When we got to the end of the trail, a beautiful sight awaited us:


Of course, if you walk, 2.6 miles down, then you must come 2.6 miles back up! Grace was worn out! It was past her nap time and she had more than enough walking for the day. So, her daddy and I then carried her back up the mountain! She fell asleep right at the beginning of the return trip. And, let me tail you - it is much harder to carry a 25lb sleeping baby up a mountain than it is to carry an awake, squirming toddler down one!

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Girlie - Girl

Grace is totally a "Girlie-Girl." She loves to dress up, wear my high heels, put on make-up and bows - the whole nine yards.

The other day, she wouldn't come to me to get dressed...she just kept running all over the place. When I finally pulled out a cute little outfit from her Aunt Val and Uncle Johnny and said, "Grace would you like to wear a dress?," she came running. She screamed, "Ohhhh, dress!!!"

A couple of days before that, I went into the bathroom to get ready for a party. The phone rang, so I ran to find it. When I got off the phone, I came into the bathroom to find that she had snagged my eyeshadow and was giving herself a make over!




And, of course, you can't forget the bows. Now that bows will actually stay in her hair, she has to wear them all the time. For some reason, the orange bow is mine and I always have to wear that one. The other evening, we were playing. She had a ton of bows in her hair and I had 3-4 in mine. When it was time for bed, I took out all her bows and mine. I put her to bed, then I left for a Ladies' Night Out. I stopped to get gas and also drinks. Everyone kept checking me out, so I thought I must look hot tonight! HAHA - Nope, I just had her orange bow dead center on the top of my head!



A few mornings ago, Grace wanted to go outside pretty badly. She kept opening the door and walking out. Finally, I told her if she put some shoes on, she could go out and play. I should have been more specific. She did put some shoes on, just not her own.

I didn't see a chicken.

Grace's first complex sentence was spoken on Friday, Aug. 20th. Earlier that day, she and her Mimi were in a store and they saw a huge chicken. It was as tall as Grace. That night at dinner, Mimi told Grace to tell me all about the chicken she saw at lunch. Grace just looked at her. Mimi said you remember the big chicken.

Grace looked at her and said, "I didn't see a chicken."

What was funny, was the look on her face and her body language. She flung her hand out as if exasperated with Mimi's claims of seeing chickens.

Da-Da-Da-Dora

Grace went through Dora deprivation on our weekend trip to Big Bend. The TV at the resort didn't have Nick or Noggin' - so that meant, no Dora!

Every day she asked to watch Dora - she would sing the opening line of the introduction. "Da-Da-Da-Da-Dora!"

On the last morning, she woke me up by crawling into our bed, putting her nose an inch from mine. I opened my eyes and she said, "Da-Da-Da-Da-Dora!"

When we finally got home, she ran into the house screaming, "Da-Da-Da-Da-Dora!" She went straight to the TV, pointing and singing!