I Can Do It Myself!

1. At 1 1/2 months, Grace wasn't doing anything herself. She just liked to chill out with Dad and watch him read the Sunday paper.

2. At three months, she was content to just sit next to Dad and watch him play on the computer.

3. At four months, she wanted a piece of the action and ripped a page right out of Matt's magazine as they were looking at it together.
4. She was eyeing it up and shortly after this picture stuffed it in her mouth.

5. She is content when I read her Dr. Seuss's ABC, but as soon as we get to "Big Z, little z, what begins with z?" She has to hold onto the book herself.

Rolling Still Shots

I'm still trying to upload videos. I finally installed the software that came with our video camera, but when I tried to upload a video of Grace's belly laugh, my entire system froze. I had already invested over a half hour when the crash happened, and I was spent. I'll try again later. If only, I was tech-saavy. In the mean time, I finally got some pictures of Grace rolling. The poor girl really tries to now go the other way, but she won't swing her arm back around. So until she learns to just go with the flow, she is only rolling from her stomach to her back.

Abundance of Blessings

I have been blessed with five months of maternity leave. Monday will be full of tears, but I know that it will get easier to leave my sweet baby girl with the sitter.

I have been blessed with a sitter who is only watching Grace. Grace has become a member of their family when she is with them. They even transformed a room in their home for her playroom.

I have been blessed with a daughter who has been sleeping through the night since May 27.

I have been blessed with smiles each morning that just melt my heart. Who wouldn't just melt when peering over the crib rail see their child with eyes wide open and mouth in full smile?

I have been blessed with a husband who is my best friend, who challenges me to be the best I can, and who is an amazing father.

I have been blessed with a love for writing.

I have been blessed.

Two Milestones in One Day

#1. Grace ate rice cereal for the first time. You would have thought I fed the girl sour patch kids by the way she scrunched up her itty bitty face. I tried to get a picture, but by the time the camera clicked the face was gone. She ate a few spoonfuls only. I'm not sure she knew what to do with the spoon. She only wanted the cereal on the tip of her tongue, and then she was slurp it in. We'll try again tomorrow. Maybe she'll eat the entire tablespoon.

#2. Grace rolled from her stomach onto her back for the first time this evening.

Summer's Lease

"Summer's lease hath all too short a date."

-William Shakespeare

It is almost time for me to say goodbye to being a stay-at-home mother because my maternity leave is over due to school starting soon. I must admit that household chores have taken a backburner to Grace. I'd much rather sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" or read books than dust. I'm ready to go back and then again I'm not. We are extremely lucky in that Grace's babysitter just loves her.

Grace and Landon meet up during our trip to the U.P. in July. Little did Grace know that soon her pacifier would be in Landon's possession.

Grace has become the little busybody. She now loves to sit up either in the corner of the couch or a chair. This was one of the first times we realized she loved just being left alone.

Grace on July 8, 2009 - 3 months

Well, we tried to surprise Daddy this day. We got all decked out in our Tiger outfit because the Tigers were finally on T.V. down here. We had a little photoshoot because I am obsessed with them, and as soon as we were finished she spit up all over the outfit. Needless to say, Daddy didn't get to see her in it.

Grace on August 8, 2009 - 4 months

As of today, August 17, 2009 Grace weighs 14 lbs. and is 24 3/4 long.