Tot School: "C" is for...

(Gracie is 27 months old.)

Last week, Gracie and I focused on the letter "C", which meant we were able to discuss lots of wonderful things, like cake, caterpillars, candy, and her lovey, Cuddles! :)

I cut out a caterpillar in the shape of a large letter "C" and let Gracie decorate it any way she wished. She chose stickers. Her caterpillar, however, wasn't the only thing she decorated!

We also made a caterpillar out of circles that I cut out using scrapbook supplies. I traced the circles onto paper in the the shape of a caterpillar and asked Gracie to place her circles on top of them (we used double-sided tape). This was a great activity, and she enjoyed it so much that we've done it multiple times since!

Gracie, say "cheese"!

We also had a friend over this week for a play date and Tot School activity. "N" just turned four years old. My sister will be keeping him during the day every other week. She turns her home into a pre-school while he's there and has been busy making lesson plans and taking him on lots of fun "field trips". Gracie and I will be getting together with them for a joint Tot School lesson at least once during the weeks she has him. He's such a sweet boy and they, along with little Austin, had a great time!

This week, "D" is for...Dragon, Dog, Daddy... :)

Bright Eyes.

If these two have anything in common, it's those bright blue eyes...oh, and a love for the same playground equipment! :)

Happy Monday!

Little Miss Independent.

Gracie turned 27 months old on the 27th. I am in love with watching her grow. There are moments that are bittersweet, like the ones that remind me of how tiny she once was and how perfectly she fit curled up in my arms while rocking. Her legs are so long now, she is quickly outgrowing my lap. This doesn't mean that I don't try. I like to swaddle her up in her towel after a bath, pretending that she is my "newborn", but she still puts up a fight and wiggles away. I always adored how she punched her little arms free from receiving blankets during her first months.

Now, I'm watching and I'm observing this sweet, timid girl discover herself and test her boundaries, and I'm discovering that she's becoming quite the "Little Miss Independent".

In any and all stores, she prefers to walk "by me-self", which would be fine if she didn't have her own ideas of where we were going. She wants to do everything on her own and will even push me away so that she has her chance. She doesn't mind playing alone (as long as she knows I'm nearby) and I enjoy walking by her door to find her content in her own little world.

We're noticing a shift in our shy, hide-behind-momma-girl. She's becoming quite the jump-out-and-wave-at-random-people child!

She's also showing pride in her accomplishments, a fact that just warms my heart. She enjoys doing crafts and activities and she knows they will be displayed for all to see. Recently, she did an excellent job with a certain craft, and I told her as much. She watched me put it up on the refrigerator, then said, "Daddy will be so proud!" Later, I told him to check out what she'd made and he informed me that she had already shown him.

The thing about this move to toddler independence is that it's exactly what I'd hoped to see at this stage. We're doing our best to encourage her and give her praise. In turn, her confidence is building. A few weeks ago, she said, "Mommy, I am beautiful."

Yes, Gracie, you are beautiful, in every way, and I'm going to tell you that very thing, everyday, for as long as I have a voice to say it. We are so proud of the little girl you are becoming.

Heaven on Earth.

When I think about heaven, I think about angels and miracles and the most beautiful, perfect things. Things difficult to grasp in their indefinable beauty, things untouchable, beyond understanding to the simple minds of this earthly world. I imagine heaven to be a place of overflowing joy, where only tears of pure happiness find the cheeks of those who cry them, smiles waiting to catch them when they fall...

I have experienced heaven on earth. I've observed the crossing of a line, a shift between there and here, darkness and light, waiting arms and dreams come true. I've witnessed a miracle, and my emotions surround one tiny baby boy.

Welcome to the world, Baby C. If I could tell you one thing, it would be that you are going to find a lot of love waiting for you here. You were dreamed of long before you existed and loved long before you had a name. Your momma and daddy prayed, then planned and prepared, and when they placed you in the arms of your parents, life seemed as perfect as it can get, as heavenly as earth can be.

This is the third birth I've been a part of, the first being the birth of my own daughter, the second the birth of my nephew, and now, the birth of a baby boy who is not technically a relative, but is considered family.

Baby C. was born this morning, at 3:02. This is yet another day I will never forget. The experience brought back a flood of memories and emotions, the ones I felt on the day Gracie was born. This time, though, I stood back and smiled, knowing what my friends were feeling while holding their baby for the first time, and also knowing how long they've waited for this moment.

Seeing the look on my friend's face, the one that screamed "this is the sweetest moment of my life" was enough to make me believe we can find little bits of heaven on earth, and they come in tiny packages, this one 6 pounds, 13 ounces, to be exact.

Wordless Wednesday. :)

Two of my favorite things--my Grace and a $1 McDonald's sweet tea.

 (of course, one of the two actually is my favorite thing, of all time...)

Happy Wednesday.

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Zoo Trip!

Yesterday, Sean and I took Gracie to the zoo. I love it, he loves it, she loves it. We love loving the zoo and enjoy this time spent as a family. I wrote this post last August about my love for these visits, and the whole experience only gets better the older Gracie gets. She came home roaring like a lion cub, chasing Sean from room to room (where she had that energy stored up, I do not know. We were exhausted!).

We spent the entire afternoon walking to each and every exhibit. Gracie was most excited about seeing the elephants, but said the giraffes were her favorite zoo animal. We were met at the zoo gates with the perfect weather, a partly cloudy sky serving as a shield from the hot sun.

The animals were cooperative for the most part. Even the lazy ones (Miss Polar Bear and both the Lion and Cougar couples) were lounging about within viewing range. The gorillas and chimpanzees weren't shy, at all. They were so close and interactive that I was almost a little uncomfortable...The male gorilla is an insanely large animal.

We stopped for lunch and a ride on the Merry-Go-Round--she looks concerned because she was, until the ride began...

...then she cried when our turn was over.

It was a wonderful family day. We made a point to soak it all in, we took our time and walked out of those gates smiling, feeling satisfied with our Sunday outing, and looking forward to the next visit. :)

Tot School: "B" is for...

...Bumblebees, Balls, and Bears, oh my!

(Gracie is almost 27 months old.)

One of our books of the week:

This one did a great job of getting Gracie excited for our trip to the zoo, which was actually today!

I didn't take a lot of Tot School pictures this week, but I did want to share a few. Gracie is a Backyardigans fan (Nick Jr.), so I was excited to find a few printable coloring pages with her favorite characters on the Nick Jr. website. Pablo here is kicking a "ball", which went perfectly with our letter "B" week!

Here is our letter of the week craft! "B" is for Bumblebee! I'm enjoying helping Gracie with these. :) My plan is to put them into a binder when we're all done. I think it will be really adorable to look back at. For now, they're finding room on our refridgerator. I've found lots of useful information and great ideas here: No Time For Flashcards.

For more Tot School ideas, visit 1+1+1=1.

Jumping Bug.

This little one, likes to jump.

And loves exploring outdoors.

And of course, enjoys creating driveway masterpieces with sidewalk chalk.

And I adore doing all of the above with her.

My Littlest Best Friend.

One night last week, I stood in our kitchen cleaning up after dinner and listened to the squeals and giggles of my daughter playing in her room with her daddy. This is how it often goes, we excuse ourselves from the dinner table and Sean and Gracie spend a little one on one time together, which gives me time to clear away the dishes and load the dishwasher. It works out well and Gracie loves this time each evening. Lately, as soon as Sean walks in the front door, she yells, “RUN!”, and waits for the opportunity to chase him throughout the house! The noise level rises and any energy left over from our day is poured into those little legs that run so quickly. It’s a running train, Gracie after Sean, the dog after Gracie. Her daddy is her best playmate.

Once my evening chores were finished, I stood by Gracie’s closed door, listening to the sweet communications between father and daughter. I knocked gently, peeked around the door, and asked if I could come in. Gracie, who was sitting in her chair, gave me a quick “uh huh”. She then jumped up and came over to me, grabbing my hand to lead me to where they were playing. As she pulled me along, she said, “You’re my best friend, Mommy.” It took me a second to register this simple sentence, and whether she knew what she meant or not doesn’t even matter to me, it brought tears to my eyes.

I want to be her best friend, always. I want her to know that she can come to me for anything, that I will always be a shoulder to cry on and eager to listen. I also realize that a time will come when I’ll lose a little piece of her to the outside world, a world of school, sports, and best friends, a world where my presence won’t always be necessary. It’s heartbreaking for me to even think of. I would love to keep her right here, safe and hidden from the “real” world. Just she and I, everyday, just like it’s been since she was born.

I’m also ridiculously excited for her and her future. I believe that she will just soar when the time comes to set her free, little by little….In the precious days between now and then, I will savor every little moment with my littlest best friend and I will soak in her beauty and the way her tiny hand feels in mine. I will remember that little voice and her kissable cheeks and those perfectly pouty lips telling me that I’m her best friend. And one day, when she’s an irritable teenage girl, I will remind her of the sugary sweet things she used to say and I will make sure she knows how much she’s loved. I'll also tell her that she can count on me, both as her mother who adores her, and as a best friend that will be standing by.

Always.

Wordless Wednesday. :)

My Grace on a Tuesday morning...

Gracie and I are having a really nice week, and it's following what was a really nice weekend. :) We've been busy doing our mommy/daughter things, meeting Austin and Ashley at the library, and Nana for lunch. This morning, my little sweet was up almost an hour earlier than normal, which went perfectly with my plan to take her to the park before the heat had a chance to convince me to stay home.

I chased her around the playground as she yelled, "You can't catch me, Momma!" We took a nature walk that lead us to a quiet lake, where we did a little exploring. We were actually the only mother/child duo in sight for almost an hour. It was kind of nice having the whole place to ourselves.

I love spending mornings like this with my Grace...

Tot School: "A" is for...

(Gracie is 26 months old.)

What a week! Gracie had the perfect playmate last week, her 6 year old cousin! We all had a blast, and while they did argue like sisters at times, they were also constantly giving each other lots of love. I enjoyed including Madison in our Tot School activites and was amazed at how well these two kept each other entertained!

Last Monday, we began what will be our journey through the alphabet, week by week!

Week One: "A" is for Alligator!

I found instructions for this craft at No Time For Flash Cards (such a great resource).

And...Apple Tree!

Madison chose the letter "M" and made a beautiful mountain scene!

Shapes:

Gracie can identify and name the basic shapes at this point: Circle, Square, Rectangle, Oval, Triangle, Diamond, Star. We're beginning to move on to the more challenging shapes: Octagon, Hexagon, Trapezoid, ect. We're also beginning to work on drawing these shapes, the Circle was first on the list.

Other Activities:

The girls also spent time making "dog treats" with Gracie's outdoor kitchen/mud table. They used water to create the "treat", which our dog happily lapped up on this humid evening!

We sat under the shade of the trees and played with Play-Doh, painted butterflies and flowers, read book after book after book...observed butterflies and caterpillars, baked and decorated cupcakes, and played computer games on Nick Jr.com.

(I think this looks like a painful way to sit, but apparently not for a limber 2 year old!)

My favorite part of the week, however, was just standing back and watching these girls together. I can vividly remember Madison at Gracie's age. I'm so thankful for this time we were able to spend with her! We dropped Madison off on Thursday, before she left she gave Gracie a good-bye kiss. As we started the car and began to drive away, Gracie asked, "Where's my cousin going?", her little voice seemed so sad and concerned! That was a tough moment for me! It was difficult to explain to my two year old that her cousin was headed home and their fun had to come to an end, for now. She woke up the following morning and informed me that Madison was at her house. It had apparently been on her mind and she seemed okay with that. She also knew she would be visiting her cousins soon, and meeting her new baby cousin! Still, it was heart-warming to see how much children can genuinely care about each other. :)