Pictures in the Park

I've been begging Grace for the past couple of weeks to please not wiggle those oh-so-loose bottom teeth until I got pictures done. I had trouble deciding on dresses, and then had to find the time to take them to the park. I'm not sure how loose those bottom teeth are by now; I haven't felt them, for fear of bringing more attention to the fact that they need to come out. I was biding my time! Well, friends, I got it done :) It wasn't easy. On top of all of the normal kid photography issues, I have glare from Marion's glasses to contend with. Out of almost 300 shots, these are our best...

her first year

Grace only has 2 weeks left in her first year of school. A year ago, when I signed her up, I was worried that the 3 mornings a weeks may be too much for her. She just seemed so little. I know now that it was perfect. She's had so much fun going to school this year, that I know she has much disappointment ahead of her this summer. She's really going to miss it and I will too. I love picking her up after 3 hours and hearing her adventures from the day... what she had for snack (usually cookies, cheese puffs, or something equally nutritious!), what she made for me (she's always so proud and excited!), and whether or not she got a turn on the scooter at recess. I also get a full attendance report with explanations for why anyone was absent.
She's also learned so much! She can write her own name with no assistance, and can write anything else if you just tell her how to spell it! She's learned numbers, shapes, seasons and much more! She's such a smart little girl!
Grace will be switching to a different school next year and it was such a tough decision. She'll be going to a preschool that has a schedule that will allow me to take Marion to her Mommy and Me class. I hope Grace loves her new school as much as she's loved Temple!

Mrs.Paula and Mrs.Ginny's 2 year old class

while mom was away...

the Big Sister and Nana played!

Grace playing in the fountain outside the hospital.

They even went to a "Fancy Nancy" party! Grace was instructed to put together her fanciest ensemble...

Grace was so sad to see her Nana go... she had a mini-vacation while we were away! Thanks Nana!

zoo with friends

After another late night Saturday, we promised to take the kids to the zoo on Sunday. We got off to a late start when the boy kiddo did some "work" on the dvd player in Heather's van. We tried for a while to fix it, but ultimately were unsuccessful.

We hadn't totally anticipated how terribly freezing the weather had turned over night. We tried to talk the kids out of the zoo the whole way there... once again, unsuccessful.

We did have fun once we got there...

Grace, Madeline and Nathan on the train

We were there right before feeding time and the animals were all on their best behavior. The jaguar was acting like a big housecat begging for food- pawing at the glass, giving high fives, and licking the kids' faces through the glass. Grace thought it was hysterical! We have visited many times and he has never acted like that at all before.

grace's 3rd birthday party

The weekend is over and I'm relieved to say that although I am still exhausted, it all went very well and we had a great time. Heather, Madeline, Nathan and Camille arrived from Auburn on Friday and it was a nonstop party through Sunday night.

Friday night something in my already delirious mind thought it would be a good idea to let Grace and Madeline have a slumber party in Grace's bed. Fun for them, yes... for me and Heather, no. After many threats and dirty looks, we resorted to Heather sitting on the floor in the room until they finally went to sleep at 10:30. Incredibly, the kids were ready to go again early Saturday morning.

The weather for Saturday's party had been iffy all week and on Friday the chance of rain jumped from 40% to 80%. The fear of rain had consumed me all week to the point where I really went nuts. Now 9 months pregnant, I'm already up all night visiting the potty... there's just no room left in my bladder! I couldn't resist the urge to check the weather on my Crackberry each time I woke up... yeah, I told you, cra-zy! I ran around town on Friday and planned some indoor activities for the kids to do in case of bad weather. Heather, Jeremy and I stayed up until 3:00a.m... Heather and I made princess cookies for the kids to decorate and Jeremy was in charge of making sheets of craft foam into crowns for them to decorate.

Saturday moring the rain started early, but thankfully stopped for most of Grace's party. We had a great time! Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate and made Grace's day so special!

Admiring her cake before the party... for Grace, the cake IS the party. She remembers parties by what kind of cake they had and when she asks what kind of party someone is having, what she means is... "what's the cake going to look like?"

Grace in the princess jumpy

Eating a cookie she decorated

Chandler and Grace in the crowns they decorated

Madeline swinging at the pinata


Grace and her friends waiting for cake

merry christmas!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

On Christmas day we visited Nana and Paw Paw's house. We decorated gingerbread men and kitties...




We had made special arrangements with Santa for him to visit us on the morning after Christmas so Daddy would be here for the party. He had just come home on Christmas Day. Grace was very pleased with her delivery from Santa!



He even left her a new house of her own! Here she is checking it out for the first time...


Grace dancing out some of the Christmas candy craziness!

school christmas party

Yesterday Grace had her school Christmas Party. Really, we've been partying everyday! Who knew having an almost 3 year old came with such a packed social schedule?! The theme was "Home for the Holidays," and everyone wore their jammies to school. The kids had snacks and hot cocoa, and did a small gift exchange.
Lately I've gotten to know many of the moms of Grace's classmates and they're all so much fun to be around that I now look forward to all of the parties. Of course, we often have unscheduled mommy pow wows on preschool mornings at the Hattiesburg Target too. Two out of the three preschool days last week literally half of the mommies of Mrs.Paula's class were hanging out there! I had to leave Tuesday morning before I even started my shopping because I had spent too long talking and it was time for me to be at the doctor! I never even made it past the "dollar spot!"

Starting with Grace and going clockwise... Grace, Natalie, Mary Allen, Luke, Emma or Ava (twins, not totally identical, but I can't tell from behind!), and Kadin

Grace brought the cookies for Christmas snack- here she is trying them out!

caroling and christmas lights

Last night was Grace's Christmas program at school. Nana and Paw Paw were there and Grace was very excited to show them her school and her classroom. The 2 year old pre-k kids were carolers. Grace had been singing Christmas tunes like crazy at home for the past couple of weeks... Rudolph, Frosty, Jingle Bells... so I figured she had it down! I was quite surprised when the songs they actually "sang" were more like Silent Night and Away in a Manger. She didn't really know those, and neither did any of the other kids. They did sing Jingle Bells at the end, which really perked them all up, and Grace got lucky as she was one of the two bell ringers!



After the program and Mexican buffet dinner at the school, we headed out to Purvis to see the Lewis Lights. We didn't follow the directions and we got a little lost in the country! When we finally found the Lewis home, it was well worth the trip! Mrs.Lewis has been decorating "all out" for almost 20 years, and seems to love the company it brings. She even had a visitor from Holland this week! She handpainted all of the wooden cut out scenes, and there are many! She has the story of the night before Christmas, Snow White, the Care Bears, Blue's Clues, Tigger and Pooh, the Rugrats, and many many more!!

Nana and Grace


Grace by the Snow White scene, one of her favorites!


I showed Grace this picture and asked her what she was doing.... "I'm making my dress like Snow White!" Ohhh! :)

This was so cool! This tree actually had hollow areas in it and Mrs.Lewis had arranged elves inside of the tree. It was lit from inside as well... awesome!

a new "first"

Grace's First Time Bowling
December 13, 2008

I guess I should explain her outfit. We had been at a ballet party Saturday morning and the tutu was her party favor. We were running late for the bowling party and I had to do a quick change of her clothes in the car and she was adamant that the tutu stay on. I was too rushed to argue, so I went with it! Honestly, I'm lucky she was awake and smiling by this time, it was a busy day!

The bowling was really fun for Grace! They had cool metal ramps that held the ball until she pushed it down, and there were guards to keep the ball out of the gutters. She got quite a few spares!

let it snow!

Last night I put to bed a very excited little girl who had big hopes to see snow this morning. This morning, about 6:45, I awoke to the sound of her sliding out of bed over the baby monitor. Next, I heard her at the window, "Snow! Snow! It is snowing!" followed by lots of very loud squealing! I really can't recall ever hearing her so excited. School was cancelled (you know Mississippians can't drive in the snow, right?), so we skipped our showers, put on our warmest clothes and headed out...



there was a lot of snow tasting and snacking on the snow...



there were snowmen...



and there were snowball fights...



and lastly, my little snow angel...