gone fishin'

After hearing from friends that the neighborhood lake was swarming with fish ready to bite, we decided to go for it and take Grace fishing. After all, I was told the longest wait would be picking out which cricket to hook! Well we followed all the directions... we bought a cute pink Barbie fishing pole, hooks, and plenty of crickets... but no luck! We didn't catch a single fish! I asked the security guard that was hanging out at the clubhouse what the deal was. He said it was the weather and that we should try again when a front was moving in or at night. We haven't been back to try again, but we will be soon.

Even with our lack of fishing skills, we had a great time! Grace was slightly disappointed. She did her best...

"Here big fish, come on big fish, get a cricket!"

... but no such luck. We did take lots of pictures... you even get a peek at me 5 months pregnant!

grace's nightlife

On Saturday night, we went with Nana and Paw Paw to our favorite kid friendly nightspot, Walnut Circle. Grace loves to dance and is always looking for a partner. The catch is, Grace doesn't dance on the sidelines, she has to be center stage! Here are some pictures...

Grace dancing with Paw Paw

my little ballerina

We had a first at ballet this week... we got to watch!!! I could hardly believe it! all this time, they've gone into a room with a wooden door and a small window that was sealed up so we wouldn't be distractions to our children. To make things even better, I just happened to have my camera with me!!! It was indescribably precious!

with her bag, ready to go in

ballet/tap

here she is tapping!

It seemed that her tap dance number for the recital is "Clang Clang Clang Went the Trolley." It was so cute!

in grace's words

first, a couple reminders...

1. lately, all talk at our house has been about Baby Marion, especially what her middle name should be
2. Grace attends THE MOST Christian preschool in Hattiesburg

When I picked Grace up from preschool a couple days ago, she had a big, proud smile on her face. She was beaming with excitement and had something to tell me...

"mommy, let's name the baby 'Marion Joseph!'"

I laughed hysterically! Poor Grace had kinda missed the whole day's lesson on Mary and Joseph!

marion update!

I had an appointment with the doctor this morning as well as another ultrasound. Before the ultrasound, I got a quick speech about how the cyst would still be there, as it is usually 28-30 weeks before they go away. She searched and searched, even did side by side comparisons with the last ultrasound, and couldn't find it. It's gone!!

When my doctor walked in, he said, "I hear we have a little miracle today!" I'm so happy and relieved! Here are some pictures of Marion from this morning...


Also, I have to note how wonderful my doctor is. After the appointment, he made a point to make sure I was not charged for today's ultrasound! How nice is that?!


and a little update on Grace... she had a GREAT day at school!! Ms.Paula told me she did the best of all the kiddos today, as many were cranks today!

it's a phase

This month Grace has begun what is hopefully just a phase. She is scared of all sorts of things. Between lovebug season and Halloween, the scares are everywhere we turn. Today it crossed the line! It interfered with our shopping! ;) We were approaching a home decor shop when Grace noticed a stone lion right outside the door. She could go no further. It seemed to be true fear... there was crying, shaking and pulling. I quickly pulled out my phone to get a very quick (and from a distance) picture of the culprit that sent us home...


as we walked back to the car, Grace told me

"we need a lion tamer at our house... because I very very scared of lions."

Where does she get this stuff??? I couldn't help but laugh. Sorry babe, a lion tamer just isn't in the budget right now!

Update: Jeremy, unaware of the story, noticed the picture on the computer and said "Cool lion." Yeah, if he only knew.

the purple fairy

Grace has finally made up her mind! There was much talk about mermaids, Aurora (the pink princess) and Dee Dee Doodle; but she has chosen to be a Purple Fairy! Grace is very excited and so am I! I think she'll be precious!

the dress

the wings

the wand

the hair flower
the pixie pail

lovebug update!

I've been doing everything I can think of to ease Grace's fear of lovebugs. We talk about them all the time... those lovey buggies love to land on you and tickle you... and we've been spending as much time outdoors as she can stand. We also listen to The Jonas Brother's "Love Bug" all the time. Grace requests "the love bug song" often. In her mind it about nothing more than those black bugs, and I think it really is helping her learn to love those pesky creatures. Thanks to the Jonas Brothers for your great timing in releasing this song; you have your littlest #1 Fan!

Despite our constant efforts, we haven't totally gotten over it, but here's where we're at...

I've been going into preschool everyday to pick Grace up instead of going through the car line. That way, I can talk to her teachers about her day and ask any random questions that I have come up with in my 3 hours without her... yes, I'm that mom... but she's only 2, I think I have a few more years before you can call me a "helicopter mom." On Tuesday, Grace had a major lovebug encounter at recess and totally freaked. On Wednesday, she sat in Ms. Ginny's lap the whole recess, and Ms. Ginny acted as her personal bug deflector. I hated to hear that. I know Grace would have loved to be playing with her friends instead of sitting in the teacher's lap... just too worried about the bugs. After school on Wednesday, I made a playdate for Grace at the neighborhood park with her friend Chandler, who I know loves all bugs! I figured Chandler could show Grace that bugs could be "cool and fun!"

It worked! Here are the girls playing with bugs! This was a BIG step for Grace!

Of course, she got some playtime in on the jungle gym also...

... and on to Thursday... On Thursday when I asked Ms. Paula how Grace did at recess, I got this response: "She did much better. She was a little nervous at first but got over it and was singing and dancing for everyone on the playground." On our way home, I asked Grace what song she had been singing... of course, it was "the love bug song!"

She 's doing a little better, but I have a feeling we'll be over the bugs about the time they leave anyway!

marion blythe

she will no longer be referred to as "baby girl," she has been been named...

marion blythe!

marion was taken from my maternal grandmother marion...

marion is pictured with nana and aunt linda on her lap

I began thinking about using marion a while ago and the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. marion means "wished-for child," which is very true. it sounds so fresh but classic to me and even ends with the "-n" sounds that's all the current rage in baby naming! ;)

I have had the most trouble choosing a middle name. I decided that one syllable would be preferable, since marion coupled with our last name is already a lot! I had a short list of options and took my time to really figure it out. I read that blythe meant "happy" - that was it, I knew it was perfect. a wish of happiness for her life... what could be better?

grace made this "m" at school and has been telling visitors to our home that "m is for marion."

I am so excited that baby has a name! let the ordering and monogramming begin! :)

just pics

"what are you doing mommy?"

"I'm just putting some pictures on the blog."

"you mean my website?"

"yes Grace, your website."

the new generation... they're learning young!

baby naming with grace

Nothing too exciting here this weekend. On Saturday we were visited by Nana and Paw Paw. We went out to lunch and did some shopping around town. We visited the new Corner Market grocery right at the front of the neighborhood. I was impressed... really nice and oh-so-convenient for this mommy!

Today, Grace and I focused on naming baby! Grace had lots of suggestions and strong opinions. After spouting off the wildest name she could possibly think of, she would rub and cuddle my belly very lovingly and say things like...

"hi there baby douza lou lou, we love you so much!"
or
"oh my little dee dooba, you're sooo cutie cute cute!"
or
"baby crocodile, I can't wait to see you... I'm you're big sister!"

of course, she laughed hysterically at how funny she thought she was every time. I guess I was much too serious about getting it figured out... I didn't quite see the humor! ;)

things mommy likes!

www.pandora.com

this is sooo cool! I tried it after reading about it on a playgroup message board. it's amazing. it creates personal radio stations that play music YOU like. you can tailor it more and more as you go. if only I had at&t or sprint... I could listen to it on my blackberry. stupid cell contracts! anyway, give it a try... very cool!


the women, the movie

I went to see The Women last night with a couple friends... loved it. it was laugh out loud funny. loved annette benning, debra messing and meg ryan!

baby update!

today I called my doctor's office for the results of the triple screen blood test. my doctor has been in Honduras all week on a mission trip, but I was able to get some of the results from a nurse. The chances for down syndrome, trisomy 18 and spina bifida were all less than 1 in 5000. chances are baby is healthy and will not have any of these genetic issues. now if that cyst would just go away!

more from the pantry door...

This week Grace's lesson at school was about "Friendship." Today she made this F out of feathers. I asked her if she made the letter F for friendship, since that's what they were learning about this week....

"No Mommy! F is not for friendship. F is for frog, fish and feathers... not for friendship!"

Hmmm... despite a little error... I was still very surprised and impressed!




Grace was very excited to show me her handprint on this one...




This is her jellyfish. Grace says, "Jellyfish live under the sea with mermaids!"





This is Grace's schoolbus. She says the circles are the people, the lower squares are the wheels and the squares on top are "cars on top of the bus." Yikes!

she's not feelin' the love

it's that time of year again. for those of you who live far enough north that you are wondering where this is going... let me fill you in! twice a year these tiny creatures take over the south! at first you'll see one, within a week there are thousands. the front of every car around is plastered with a smelly graveyard of white and black (which btw, will destroy the paint on your car and can even clog your radiator - yes! it's that bad!). they swarm in your yard and will even try to sneak into your home...

"lovebugs"

now onto my story....

as I've mentioned before, Grace loves school. I was quite surprised when picking her up today. Ms. Ginny approached me and blurted out, "you didn't tell us that Grace was deathly afraid of lovebugs!!!" I swear, she said it in a tone as if I had not warned them of a serious allergy that had sent them rushing to the ER. she went on to tell me that while they were on the playground at recess, a lovebug had the nerve to land on the one child that it could easily send into orbit over such an occurance. there was screaming, crying, and major fear and panic.

the truth is, it's not just lovebugs, she detests all bugs, no matter size, stinger or color. anyone who's been in a restaurant with Grace as a bug suddenly appears can attest to the sheer look of horror on her face as she yells, "shoo!! shoo!!"

I assured Ms.Ginny that I would talk to Grace about it to try to ease her anxiety... the lovebugs won't be gone anytime soon. we talked all the way home about how fun it was to have lovebugs land on you, tickling your skin. she really had started to seem into it and was excited about going home to play with these new bugs! well... talk is cheap as we all know, and once we were in the backyard... she didn't want one within 10 feet of her, much less tickling her.

what to do?! I'll keep trying and hopefully Grace and the lovebugs can learn to live together in peace... at least on the school playground.

my little gymnast

monday mornings are set aside for gymnastics, and Grace really looks forward to going. I took a couple pictures this week to show off my little gymnast...

posing in front of the gym

doing her "donkey kicks"

Grace started gymnastics last April and she has come so far. Her class was never a "mommy and me" class... but she wasn't quite ready to separate last year... so there I was out on the mat with her! She has matured so much and now confidently walks out on her own and I watch from the balcony. the class has much improved for me too... it's now a 10:30 instead of a 9:30! big deal in my life... a relaxed morning :)

as proud as I am of my little lady who's growing up and becoming independent, it's so hard at the same time! time is going by way too fast...

slow down Grace!!!

the nursery is under construction!

These are the two main fabrics and colors...

The large damask will be the drapes and the rose dot will be the crib sheet. We'll also use the same damask on a smaller scale, a black and white stripe and a rose minky dot. I've put dark bronze (almost black) hardware on the furniture and I ordered a chandelier in the dark metal too. The walls will be light rose on top and the bottom half will probably be striped with a couple shades of rose in wide stripes and a very dark grey in very narrow stripes. Jeremy put some paint samples on the wall last night and a couple of them were good... I'll be trying again on the others!


This room will be very different from Grace's room...



but I really wanted something just that... different! No fun to do the same thing over!

it's a GIRL... for sure this time!!!

I had another ultrasound yesterday and this time we are 100% sure it is a girl this time! I'm very excited to be able to put all of Grace's clothes on our new baby. I started sorting, washing and ironing last night and it's so wonderful and sentimental, baby's closet is filling up already! Grace found her Snow White princess costume from when she was a baby and I told her we had gotten it out for her little sister to wear. Grace ran to her dress up clothes and put on her Snow White costume and began twirling and dancing around the house with "her baby sister," err, her baby's sister's costume actually! She is so excited and will make such a wonderful Big Sister!

There was one area of concern from the ultrasound. Baby has a unilateral choroid plexus cyst. It is a cyst on her brain that will most likely turn out to be nothing and usually goes away during the third trimester. It is however a "soft marker" for genetic issues such as down syndrome. My doctor stressed that this is unlikely (especially since no other markers were found) and we will continue to monitor it through ultrasound. I also had blood drawn for the "triple screen" test that will give more insight on the probability of a genetic disorder. I should receive those results in about a week and a half. The only way to get an absolute answer before she is born would be an amniocentesis, which I will not do because it would put her at risk. We will be praying for the health of our new baby girl!

Here are some new pictures of our new Baby Girl! We are working on a name and hope to be settled soon!

she's a cutie!

sucking her thumb... just like her big sister did!

big day!

today is my 19 week ultrasound I've been waiting weeks for and I'm so excited! it's not until 11:40, but I've been up since 6. the rest of the house must not share in my level of excitement, as they all continue to snooze! anyway, we should get a 100% answer on boy or girl and assurance that all is well with baby. I'll update soon!