squeals of joy

Little Miss Gracie is 7 months and so much fun these days. She is basically crawling, she'll get down and army crawl after a few strides b/c its just faster, but when she sees something she wants, darn it! she's going to get herself there- and quick, too! Just over the weekend, she took on a whole new form of vocal, too. She has shreiks of joy and little squeals that sound like an old lady and she'll just carry on anywhere and everywhere. When she wakes up from a nap, that's how we know she's up b/c we hear her start 'singing' and talking to herself.

Our old neighbors and good friends, Benny and Dawn, came down to visit. Grace enjoyed all of the attention and hammed it up really cute for them and took to them as if she's always known them. Maybe she recognized their voices as she heard them through my belly. It was great to get to see them and enjoy hanging out together like the good old times.

the end... til next time :)

Yeah, Dad!!!

Grace was super-excited to see Dan after he was gone up in Dallas this weekend for the State Championships. She loves to groove with Dad, get tossed around and flipped upside down. It only adds to her spit-up problem, but hey, who cares when you're having fun!!

Ahhh....Spring....

I was doing some reminiscing while hanging out around the house while Grace was asleep and came across these pictures from last spring. I have to say, it made my heart ache for the familiar... I'm not sure why I never posted these last year when they were fresh, but they're just as beautiful a year later. For those of you not from NC, these are from the Duke Gardens. Absolutely beautiful almost any time of the year. I need to find a beautiful garden like this around here to take Grace to. She was there with me last year, in spirit. I remember being so sore the next day from squatting down (many, MANY times) to take close-ups of the flowers and not being in the greatest of shape from not lifting weights. That was like 75 squats in one hour...

Splish Splash!

Are you sure about this?? This isn't as warm as my bath tub....

After she got over the initial shock of the colder water, Grace had a blast splashing and playing in the water with Dad

Blue lips when she's cold- just like mom

Gracie is about to break free!!!

Check out these two videos. Just the other day last week, Grace started raising up on her knees and pushes up on her forearms or hands and rocks, trying to get the courage up to take off. Of course, she's always on the go on the changing table especially. Its fun trying to diaper a moving target. At least I had 6 months of practice with a 'stationary' baby before trying to lasso in this wild animal.

The other one, its just Grace playing, but that's the story of her life, everything to the mouth. And as Dan and I narrate her life for her, Grace says, "I eat that."