WOO HOO!!!

Don't you love my new look!!! My good friend Lindsay made it so cute and snazy! She can make your blog look just as good too... just check out info here!

THANKS LINDSAY! I LOVE IT!

Merry Christmas!

We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. We pray that you and your family have a wonderful Holiday and travel safely.

Since Adam, Grace and I will be out of town for the next week I will not be posting until after the New Year. So check back then for lots of updates!!

Why do I need a walker??

We got this walker for a Christmas gift but decided to get it out earlier because she will walk around the coffee table and pull up on anything. But I don't think she gets it. She will take a few steps pushing it and then goes to her knees as you can see in the video. Oh well maybe she will get it soon!

The Wave

This is Grace waving and VERY excited about it! She has been waving for a little while now, but this is the first we have caught in on tape!

We're hungry.

Grace (right) and her friend Sophie (left) were having so much fun trying to get into the fridge. This seriously entertained them for half an hour. Until we had to close the fridge b/c Grace was trying to climb up the shelves!

Double Ear Infection!

Poor little Gracie! I brought Grace to the pediatrician last week b/c she was having a few issues with constipation and her skin... anyway, when we were there he checked her ears and said they had a little fluid on them but he thought it may clear on its own. Well since then Grace has just not been herself... fussy, low grade fever, cough, runny nose, not sleeping well, etc. So I took her back today and she has a double ear infection, yup both ears are raging!! He also said since this was ear infection #4 that we may need to start thinking about tubes. He wants to give it a little more time (at least till her first birthday) and see if she gets anymore. Hopefully this is it.

Anyway, her other issues with constipation and eczema are much better. We have her "going" more regularly now and her skin is doing soooo much better!

Please add Grace to your prayers tonight that she starts feeling better. I would hate for her to feel bad over Christmas, especially since we will be away from home visiting family!

A Christmas tradition...sort of

When I was little my mom would buy me and my brothers Christmas PJ's. We have tons of pictures of us growing up each year in our PJ's! So I picked one of my favorites with my big brother, Bryan. (My little brother, Todd, wasn't born at this time.) I think I was around 3 and Bry was 7. So my mom decided to continue that tradition with Gracie. She got her some cute jammies! I couldn't get a great pic, but you know how it is with a mobile baby! I will take what I can get :)

10 months!

She is now in the double digits!! Like I say every month... time flies!

Grace's had to go to the doctor earlier this week (issues with consitpation and her eczema) so we got to weigh her and she was 19lbs 5ozs. (Last month she 18lbs14ozs...slowing down!)

Here is what Grace is up to these days:

*Becoming a pro crawler... if they had baby crawling contests Grace would definitly win!

*Still pulling up on everything and getting into everything. (See pic below)

*She stood on her own (holding onto nothing) for like .5 seconds today.

*Will take a few steps pushing a walker. (still trying to get a good video to upload)

*Says "DADA" for everything and I think she said "MAMA" yesterday...we are working on that one!

*Claps and waves "bye bye", but at the completely wrong times.

*Dances all the time... even when there is no music!

*LOVES books and tring to open the Christmas presents and hates Santa (see post below).

Here is a pic of Grace getting into the drawer under the oven. She opened the drawer, crawled in, but couldn't get out. Forgive her poor little red face, that is her eczema, and her hair is everywhere since she had just gotten up!

Visiting Santa... oh the drama!

So I totally thought this year would be a peice of cake. Yeah right!

Over Thanksgiving Adam and I brought Grace to a mall near my parents and got this pic. I wasn't totally happy with it because it looks like her eyes are closed. She just wouldn't take her eyes off Santa! I am sure she was thinking of tugging that beard or tearing off his glasses. But nope she just starred.

So today my friend Melanie and I drove down to the city to try to get a better pic. No such luck. In fact it was worse! She wanted NOTHING to do with Santa as you can see in the picture below. Oh well maybe next year. Actually I bet next year I get a pic simular to this one! :) Which do you like better??

How much is that baby in the window??

I'm sure my neighbors must be wondering this. (I saw a post simular to this on my friends blog... Lindsay!). Grace LOVES windows and our lab Sammie always tries to be right in there with her. The window in our guest bedroom is nice and low to the ground, so Sammie normally sits at this window most the day guarding the house, plus she can see if anyone is coming to the front door through this window. Of course if someone were to come to the door she would initially bark, then when the person enters the house she would lick and beg that person to lick her! :)

Anyway, back to the baby in the window. Looking out the window just must be something amazing for Grace (well all little Toddlers for that matter). Plus I think she likes that she can stand up all by herself relatively easy. Speaking of standing up... I don't think she is far from that first step. She will pull up on anything, and hold on with one hand. Sometimes a toy isn't far and she will reach for the toy, think for a minute and then get down and crawl to it! She will however walk along the coffee table and couch (crusing), but no independent steps yet. Maybe soon!

Oh Christmas Tree...

Oh Christmas tree... you're making my life so busy!

We finally finished decorating the tree and the house this past weekend. We decided NOT to pull out the big 6 foot Christmas tree and instead bought 2 new little table top trees. The main reason is because Grace is into everything. I dediced on the small trees after she was driving my nuts with a small house plant that was on the floor. It was her favorite. She already tried eating the moss/ivy off that little plant twice so I didn't want to deal with broken ornaments. But on the other hand I couldn't possibly imagine not having a Christmas tree! So we will just have to wait until next year, when Grace (hopefully) will know the meaning of "No" and not just turn around and laugh at me when I say it. Yes she does laugh when I say no. So I'm pretty sure that word isn't very effective with a 9 month old baby. So anyhoo.... here is a picture of little trees that sit on top of my grandmothers buffet. We did have to put a couple gifts on the floor because of overflow and Grace LOVES those. She already unwrapped one gift (well just partly), but I caught her in the act so it was still salvagable!

The stockings were hung by the ...um, the front door...with care. No chimney for us! (I thought that was cute... I borrowed it from my friend, Megan). My mom made each of our stockings. She made Adam and I's a couple years ago (that is why it doesn't say "mom" and "dad") and she just finished Grace's stocking last month. They each took her months to finish as each beed is hand sewn! I'm sure she is hoping that we don't have another baby for awhile.

Tooth #3 & 4 have arrived!

All I have to say is FINALLY! I am so happy to see those pearly whites make their debut. Grace already seems much happier.

My MOHAWK!

Grace is a complete wild woman in the bathtub! She crawls around playing and splashing the entire time. We try to clean her the best we can, but those of you that have tried to bathe a mobile baby you know how hard that can be! Sometimes I really think its just a joke... its not like I say "Grace sit on bottom so mom can clean you up", RIGHT! If it were only that easy. At least she does love the bath. Here is a picture of a mohawk I gave her.

Here is another pic of her ready to get into the tub. Love that cute butt!!

Playdate!

My friend Margaret and her two kiddos, Karina and Cade come over for the afternoon. Grace LOVES Karina!! She spent the afternoon crawling after Karina, kissing her and hugging her. I can only pray that one day when I have another baby (no time soon), that Grace and her brother/sister will play as nice and be as loving towards one another. Here is a pic of all 3 of the kids. Karina is nearly 3 and Cade is 6 months old. I'm sure Cade will be crawling after the girls in no time!

Holiday survey...

Welcome to the 2006 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends! Post your answers on your own blog or in my comment section! Everyone has time for a few moments of fun! Don't be a scrooge!!!

NAME: Lisa
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate (does anyone really drink egg nog!)
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? In my family, Santa left an unwrapped present, but mom and dad wrapped the ones from them and put them under the tree. They wanted some credit! I think we'll do the same!
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? white
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Not this year... we use to get some at Adam's parents house, but they moved!
5. When do you put your decorations up? A few days after Thanksgiving. One Holiday at a time please!
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mashed potatoes with lots of Gravy!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I have so many.... I loved Christmas day. All our extended family lived in Dallas so we would open presents and get dressed and go to my dad's side of the family and then go to my mom's side later that day... I loved the busyness of the day!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think 3rd grade.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Never!
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? White lights and ornaments we have collected since being married. This year we have just a little table top one since Grace is on the move!
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it, but glad I don't live where it snows often. The once or twice a year is just perfect. :)
12. Can you ice skate? Of course!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Hmmm... probably anything Strawberry Shortcake or Cabbage Patch!
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with family and friends.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I love my grandmas pies... she is a great baker!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love going to look at Christmas lights. And I love the shopping... even though the crouds are tough!
17. What tops your tree? Just a bow I made.
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Well, it's always nice to receive, but I really like giving the best.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? All the ones on my Mariah Carey CD.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? I like the flavored ones.
21. Do you re-gift? Not this year!
22. Worst gift given to you. I got some socks one year from a relative... I was like 12 so it was terrible!
23. What is your favorite holiday movie? Christmas Vacation
24. Who will you be spending Christmas with this year? We will be driving to Austin to see my husbands family! We can't wait!

I love spaghetti!

I think more of the spaghetti ended up on her face and on her highchair then in her mouth, but she sure does love it!

SNOW!!!!

Grace saw her first snow today. Well actually only for a couple minutes... I brought her outside long enough to snap a picture in our backyard. It was sooooo cold, that I didn't want to risk getting her sick, so it was just one quick pic. Maybe next time I will let her play in it. She sure did look cute in her little scarf, hat and mittens! I didn't even know they made mittens that small. :)