Turning four...what have we learned?

When you first become pregnant, it seems as if time stands still...pregnancy moves so slowly! You are so anxious for the end result, and I was the same way when I was pregnant with Grace. Then, when she was born, and I am sure it is this way with all of our babies, time begins to fly. It moves faster and faster, and before you know it, 4 years have passed, along with about a million "firsts". During the past amazingly quick four years, being a mom to my Gracie girl has taught me a few things. For example, I have learned that...

...it is possible to push a very full and heavy grocery store buggy with only one hand, because the other is tightly holding your child's hand.

...the sweetest words really are "I love you", especially when they are mumbled by a sleepy toddler.

...baby giggles are musical.

...it is possible to entirely use the bathroom, from beginning to end, in a mere 30 seconds.

...privacy is overrated.

...my own parents are utterly amazing.

...you do not know true fear until you have lost your child, even if only for a second.

...baby food, especially carrots and sweet potatoes, will stain anything, even ceilings.

...it is possible to watch your heart walk around outside your body.

And so, for all these lessons, I would like to thank my brilliant and beautiful daughter. Happy birthday, Grace Ann! I love you more than you will ever know...at least until you are a mommy yourself anyway.

A look back at my "teacher" through the years

"Tu Tu Cute!"

Grace's ballet class danced to "I Saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus" in their first recital on Saturday, December 19. They wore beautiful red satin outfits, with big red tutus and matching hair bows! Grace has been taking dance lessons for several months. During dance class, she never actually did the Christmas dance they were practicing or even listened to directions that well. The other girls all danced well during class though. So, I just knew that the recital was going to be a catastrophe for Grace!

She totally proved me wrong! She had a little trouble finding her spot on stage initially, but once the music came on, she danced and danced. She did amazingly well! I didn't even know that she knew the dance moves at all! And she looked absolutely beautiful! I am so proud of her!

Party Time

We held Grace's fourth birthday party on December 12. She chose to have an Ariel party, and enjoyed having several of her friends over to play and dress up together. We feasted on pizza, cupcakes, and ice cream, then she opened her gifts and exclaimed after every one, "I want that!" Bless her heart, she didn't realize that the gifts were already hers!





















Her biggest gift was the pink vanity that her aunt Kathy bought for her. She loved it! All the kids at the party took a turn playing with it, and Grace had fun styling hair for $45 a person!






At her preschool, Grace had cupcakes with her classmates on Friday, December 11. She enjoyed wearing the birthday hat from her teacher and having her friends sing Happy Birthday to her. She has really liked all the attention she has been getting about her birthday this year.

Big Girl Bed

Gracie is finally in a big girl bed! After sleeping in a toddler bed for the past two years, she finally got too tall for it, and was agreeable to moving into the twin sized day bed we had for her. Deej and I cleaned out her room, took down the crib/toddler bed, and moved in the big girl bed. She loves it and no trouble adjusting. All vestiges of her "babyhood" are gone...