A playdate for Grace

Grace and Amelia got together to play this week...they had a great time swatting at each other, pulling hair and tipping each other over.

"Samisms"

"It's OK Grandpa, it happens to us all sometimes." After grandpa threw several pitches that were too high, too low or too short.

Grace is eight months old...yesterday!

It's amazing how fast the time is passing. I feel like I just brought her home from the hospital...She had her eight month check up today, she is 18 and 3/4 pounds, 26 and 3/4 inches. She has slowed down dramatically...if she had stayed on the same growth curve, the doctor expected her to weigh 20 and 1/2 pounds. She's crawling all over the place, loves to eat everything...yogurt, cheese and blueberries are current favorites. She still doesn't sleep through the night, but we're working on it! She's really exploring her voice, she has four teeth and I think another four about to cut the gum. She loves Sam. Nobody else can make her laugh the way he does. He pretty much just has to look at her and she cracks up. It's so much fun to watch. I feel truly blessed to have two healthy, wonderful children.

Potty Training ...part 4

We have had an entire week in underwear with no accidents...then this morning it was like it never happened...started with poop in the underwear followed by three wet accidents in less than a half hour. What's a mom to do? It's so hard not to get visibly frustrated when you know that they are capable...

A day at the pool

This morning we met Sam's best buds Abby and Cooper and had a wonderful morning at the pool. Last summer going there was stressful, I was afraid that Sam would fall down and get trampled by the big kids...this summer Sam is capable of doing the trampling!

While we were there, Grace crawled on all fours for the first time. She's been kind of scooching around and can pretty much get where she wants to go, but this morning she actually crawled. We were sitting on the blanket eating strawberries and she got herself up, crawled across the blanket and got herself a strawberry! It was actually a day of firsts...this evening she pulled herself up to standing in the bath tub (scary...) and before bed she sat up by herself....she'll be walking before I know it.

Summer Delicacies

Yummy!

Potty Training...part 3

It's happening! On Sunday morning Sam asked if he could wear underwear...and he's pretty much been wearing them since. Yesterday we went to the mall, today Brad took him to visit Grandpa...and he has been accident free! He's so proud of himself, anyone who is around has to drop everything to witness him use them potty...and I am asked to do the pee-pee dance for no less than 45 seconds during and after (it's a really good dance)! I'm so proud of him...I really think that he's got it! (Only problem is he hasn't pooped in three days...he has no interest...he told me yesterday "Mommy, I don't even want to try that.")

Potty Training...part 2

It's basically not happening...he may wear diapers till he's five...the other day we had three accidents in a matter of 20 minutes...however, I think we may have found the motivation! Sam loves to put his hands down his pants (guess it starts early...). The other day I told him to stop...he asked "Why?" (our favorite question/word)...I told him that it was dirty because he always has a wet diaper on and he's getting pee-pee on his hands...He looked at me very seriously and said, "Mom, when I wear big boy underwear can I touch it all I want?" I told him yes...

"Other Nama" comes to town...

My mom came up the same weekend that we went shopping for bridesmaids dresses...but she stayed for the weekend. She (and my dad) gave Sam the coolest sprinkler as an early birthday present. I'm not sure who had the most fun!

Shopping for a bridesmaid dress...

It ain't what it used to be...none of it, shopping, my body, what I could afford....

My sister Michelle is getting married on September 7 of this year..a few weeks ago she and my sister in law, Laura came up (with Laura's twins) to go shopping for dresses. We were a sight walking around the mall and trying to try on dresses with three 7 month old baby girls! We did find dresses at Ann Taylor simple and pretty.... and best of all, they are straight off the rack, and always available, so if I manage to lose the last ten "Gracie" pounds, I can exchange it for a smaller size!

More fun than shopping was seeing the girls together...it really makes me wish that I lived closer to my family...it's only two hours, but it's not close enough to get together for an impromptu play date or a family dinner...(Also..we could afford a house four times the size of the one we live in if we moved back to good old NB!)

Cookout at "Nama's"