Merry Christmas

Grace, Deb and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and to thank you all for your love and support this year.  We kept our sanity only through the love our friends and family.

Jingle Bell Run

Last weekend Grace completed her first 5K race.  The Jingle Bell Run in Cincinnati.  Hopefully this will be the first of many more races that Grace gets to compete in.  This week we are hoping to do the Jingle Bell Run in Indianapolis.  Dad might actually have to drag his butt out of bed for that one.

Three Birthday Celebrations

Grace made the rounds this weekend with a stop at Grandma Ellen's in Cincinnati on Saturday, and then on to Columbus on Sunday to Grandma Pam's. Family turned out in force and Grace benefitted from the family's generosity in the form of lots of new toys and clothes. It was great to spend time with both families and we are looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas now that Grace can travel with us.

Grace mutilating another birthday cake at Grandma Ellen's.

Grace opening gifts with her cousins.

Enjoying a joke with Grandma Ellen before heading to Columbus.

Quiet time with Great Grandma Margie.

Getting tossed in the air by Mommy. (Please don't call child protective services on us).

Happy First Birthday Gracie!

Gracie is one today! We can hardly believe it. What an incredible first year of life for our little girl. As I glance back through the blog I am overwhelmed by all she has been through. In the past year she has grown over 23 pounds, she has learned to sit and to smile, she can eat, she can play, she can babble, and most importantly, she can make us smile. Who knows what she will learn in this next year, but we are so excited to see what she gets up to. Join us in wishing Grace a very Happy Birthday.
Thank you all for the cards, gifts and calls. If I have said it once, I have said it a hundred times: we couldn't have made it through this year without the love and support of our family and friends. Thank you.

Grace about to open her gifts.

Playing her new drum. She also got a xylophone

Her first birthday cake.

Tucking in to her first cake.

What a mess!!!
What a happy baby!!

Happy Halloween II

Mommy gave Gracie a pumpkin to play with last night. Here's the little pumpkin eater making herself a big ole mess.

Happy Halloween

Grace went trick or treating for the first time yesterday. I would post a picture of her hitting up the neighbors for candy, but she was so bundled up in the stroller that you can barely see her. She also slept through the whole thing, so basically Mac hogged all the attention. He is good at that. Instead I will post more pictures of her in her ladybug costume.

Grace had an exciting week. On the downside, she had her first ear infection. This is responding well to antibiotics and she is back to normal today. On the upside, she got to spend a few days with Grandma who came to stay while Mommy and Daddy went to Boston. Dad was at a conference and Mommy went shopping for new clothes for Gracie. Grace did great and was sad to see Grandma Ellen leave at the end of the week.

Here is Grace in her Halloween outfit. In case you couldn't figure it out, this is a ladybug costume. I wish I could say Grace was as thrilled about it as she seems in this picture, but....

Once again, I apologize for the delay in publishing, but I do have an excuse. We just got back from our first family vacation! Yup, Grace went down to sunny Florida for a week of sun and fun. We did all kinds of things that we weren't supposed to do. Mommy and Daddy are not very good at following the rules, so Grace went for her first swim in the ocean. She has already been in a pool, so that was no biggie for her, but we included some pictures anyway. The other couple in the pool with her is David and Shelly, our friends from Denver who stopped in to meet Grace and hang with Mom and Dad. Grace also met her Uncle Sam and Aunt Juanita. Pics of that meeting in the next post since we are reaching our acceptable upload limit at this point.
Grace tolerated car travel well, thanks to her new car seat. That thing has been a God send! She also learned to sit by herself for extended periods. Very cool! Finally, her quarterly ultrasound to check for tumors was negative. Overall, a great October for Grace.

Grace Singing!

Grace flexing the golden pipes. Look out Celine Dion!

Grace Giggles

Although Grace smiles a lot, a full blown giggle is rare. Luckily we caught this one on tape.

Feed Me!

Let's talk about Gracie's favorite thing to do: Eat! The girl likes her food, and we are proud to say it is not limited to formula. You never know what a girl will like, but so far Gracie likes pears, squash, prunes and peas. She has also had a go with some biscuits which she mutilates with her first two teeth! I think she wears most of the biscuit, but at least she knows what she is supposed to be doing with it. Speaking of that, she has figured out the what to do with the spoon as well.

MMM Pears!

Chew on this...

How could anyone not love that face?

Mom making it happen.

Go Colts!

Grace's new hat.

Bath Time

Gracie taking a bath. Yes, the fauxhawk is our doing. We think she looks cool.
Grace went to the pool again this weekend and also to the Indiana State Fair and no she did no eat a deep fried twinkie -- someday.

Snot

Who gets a cold in summer? Apparent Grace, Deb and Tim do. I would say it was funny but its snot!

Updates

Grace continues to thrive this summer. She is a delightful little girl with a surprisingly sweet disposition despite all that she has been through. The only time she seems to get really irate is if she is not fed on time. Actually, lets make that not fed early. We are trying to stretch her out to four hours between feeds. I would guess she makes it to about 3 1/2 before becoming hell on wheels. Other than that she prefers to be held and talked too but not left alone. Do all these things and she is an angel. Waiver from her plan at your own risk!
She has been to the local pool already. She frequently goes on walks with Mac (our dog), and she works hard on her therapy. She is starting to reach for things a little and we are working hard on unsupported sitting. Standing seems to be a favorite activity and of course bouncing is big fun as well.
Medically she is holding her own. Not a lot of changes and no plans to fix her omphalocele or wean her off her vent/trach yet. It's a time to grow right now.

Grace and Grandma Ellen

Lounging Poolside

Cool Shades!

Grace writing her blog

Grace Blogs

Dad doesn't seem to be able to get his act together and put out a blog, so I guess I will have to learn to type and do it myself.  Please excuse typos, don't have full motor control yet!

I have been doing great stuff lately.  I am learning to sit like a big girl.  I still topple over a bit, but I am coming along.  I can stand (with a little help).  I dig that!  

I can also kick- I kick a lot and I'm pretty strong.  I am trying to roll-over, but my belly gets in the way, plus I am tethered to this stupid ventilator.  I'll figure out a way around this stuff sooner or later.  I reach for my toys, particularly with my right hand.  I can also stuff most of my fist in my mouth. Mmm good.

But what I am really good at is eating.  Mom and Dad haven't got that part figured out.  They are feeding me every four hours when I think that feeding me every three and a half would be a big improvement.  But I raise holy hell when I am hungry and the suckers usually give up and feed me.  Ha!

Most of the time I am a happy, contented little thing.  I smile for my Dad and he gives me whatever I want, I drool a lot, I can clear a room, and I get sweeter each day.

Thanks for tuning in.  Dad will do the next blog.  Maybe he will put up some pictures.

More Pics

By Popular Request

Grace watching Barney - sigh.

Pretty as a picture!

With Paddington - thanks Sheila and Steve!

Mommy

Father's Day

She Loves Uncle Hamish - but then all the girls do!

Not so happy about sharing a blanket with Mac.