Swim lessons start again!

Well, Grace is back in swim lessons and is LOVING it once again (well the lessons & her new Dora swimsuit!). She had no fear getting in the pool...floating around on her belly in the wading pool, definitely no fear jumping off the edge (still need to work on waiting for her turn...) and surprised us when she didn't hesitate to float on her back or tummy for the teacher while dad watched from another part of the pool. Another bonus, Caroline (grace's friend) is also in the class, so the girls got a kick out of splashing around together. The only tears came when it was time to get out...and now we are getting asked daily if we get to "go to pool and swim?" :-)

Other than that...I'm still fighting off this cold, yup - another one...and Grace did get her first ever ear infection. We felt so bad for the poor little bean...you wouldn't have known she was sick except for a little rash on her chest and every now and then while playing, she'd hit the ground crying and pulling at her ear. We took her in, got some medication and she's doing great on it. It's just a little insult to injury that I got my cold/sickness first and with the help of modern medicine...she'll be better in a couple days and I'll still be waiting out the end of this cold. Uggg...

She's doing great with her potty-training...maybe has one accident a day...and is so proud of herself when she makes it and gets an "M-min-em" treat! :-)

Elmer Fudd...

Well this weekend wasn't super exciting for us...until Sunday. Saturday we ran some errands up in Spokane and stopped to see Auntie Callie. Unfortunately Uncle Brian and cousin Caleb weren't there - but Grace sure tried to find them!

Sunday was a bit more busy - it was the last day of trap-shooting. Unfortunately the weather wasn't super cooperative, but I don't think that's really what kept both of us from shooting very well...but it kept Chuck in form for the *special* award he won. Chuck was recognized with the "Elmer Fudd #23" award - for lowest or most consistent diminishing shooting average for the season. So, not exactly the recognition all the shooters work toward, but as it turns out...the best shooters at the club have all been "Elmer Fudd's" at some point!

Other than that...I tried to watch the movie "Step Up" and boy-oh-boy did Grace love that! We had to "do it again" 4 times for the opening credits because she wanted to dance. What's really funny is when you watch the video - as she sees them do something, just a half a step behind, she'll do her version (the best is when one of the dancers does a funky handstand, then she does a somesault!). Too funny, but we can't deny...the girl LOVES to dance!

out of the mouths of babes...

last night grace had one of those moments...
well to be honest, she's been having one of those weeks - terrible two's and then some! she's cutting molars and her eye teeth are still coming in, didn't have a nap a daycare and wouldn't eat much for dinner...all combined = the perfect tantrum storm!
after mouthing off to daddy and getting told we don't talk that way, when she promptly shouted "NO" back, she got a swat on the butt. Keep in mind chuck is a total softie when it comes to his daughter, so this was really not much punishment...but grace's reaction was a funny-but-don't-laugh-and-encourage-her moment:
she spun around, stomped her foot and pointed at chuck with the meanest expression she could muster and then shouted, "No Daddy! My body!" and shook her little finger at him.
i have to admit he did a good job not smiling or laughing until she wasn't looking, but both of us couldn't believe it and chalked the statement up to something heard at daycare.
Nope.
today when I picked her up from CFCC and told lesley the story, she laughed and said that grace had an obstinate moment before nap when lesley was changing her into pull-ups (in case of accident) and grace told her the same thing.
so now I have to wonder...where did she pick this up? something over heard by adults or was it thanks to something on television? is this a precursor of the heightened awareness her generation will have and won't stand for someone/anyone crossing personal boundaries? or do we just have a pill for an almost-two-year-old? (sorry that extesential off-shoot definitely has to be coming from the "deep thinking" we're supposed to be doing in my master's class this semester) :-)

home sick...again!

Well, I'm home sick again. Upside = I have some time, between naps and trips to the bathroom, to update the blog.

Uggg...it's been a pain & chuck has been realy worried, but we think we finally figured out what was going on. I went to the DR and they ran a bunch of tests & bloodwork, but it was my stepmom who put the pieces of the puzzle together to bring an end to this round of sickness. She had noticed the past couple weeks when she watched Grace on Tuesdays (which she's been doing since I have class and Chuck can't off work early enough to pick Grace up from daycare...incidentally, a Godsend!) that when she got home...the rest of the evening her guts were in a twist. Well I've been that way times 10 for a couple weeks and not able to keep anything in me. The Dr. figured I had some sort of virus or bacteria, but wasn't completely sure what. After Cheryl did a little internet searching of her own, she called and wanted to know if we had changed our fridge's water filter lately. We hadn't. Come to find out, if those filters aren't changed regularly...there is a bacteria that develops and causes all the unlovely sickness that I've been experiencing. And the really sad part is...the concern for dehydration was higher because of the pregnancy, so of course..."Drink LOTS of water!" So I kept drinking and kept staying sick. Perfect. Wonder what kinda karma this is??

So - mystery solved and I'm almost back to 100%, we've got a new filter...but the Brita made it's way back into the fridge - just in case!

Things have been moving along slowly thanks to the aformentioned illness, but still rolling. We got to enjoy the last two home Cougar games - and what freakin' awesome games they were! Grace came to both and had a ton of fun clapping with the crowd, dancing to the band and with the cheerleaders anytime they did something...and of course, watching Butch - from a distance. We also went to the Uniontown sausage feed with friends. We played some close rounds of BINGO while we waited and although we never won, it might have been hampered by Grace's fun marking the cards....whereever she felt there should be color. Oh well!

We're 15 weeks along now...officially due August 30th, but likely will deliver a week or two early (gotta love a scheduled c-section!). Things seems to be going well and mid-April we will know the gender and can start planning and getting ready. Crazy enough, I won't be the only huge, pregnant lady this summer...we have at least 6 friends who are due within 2-3 weeks of us on either side of our due date, so late August/early September is gonna be a big baby time!

think that's it for now...and I'm getting sleepy so need to capitalize on the chance to nap while I can (ie. before I head back to work) so will end with some pictures! Enjoy!

Grace giving some toys a ride! Valetine's Cutie 2009

Playing in mommy's snow boots & posing cute with Apollo

Getting big...can't believe she's almost 2!