Thursday, January 25, 2007
5:07 PM
Dear Gracie,
Lately you have been doing this thing in your crib at night- we call it DJ Gracie. The monitor will crackle to life and all the sudden we hear you futzing around in your crib, breathing loud, and then music starts. Then more music starts. And even more. See, you have a bunch of things that make music in your crib- four, to be exact. A book that plays a song when opened, some sort of toy shaped like a worm that plays five different songs, a stuffed animal that plays music when squeezed, and your Fisher-Price Flutter-By soother, which plays something like six sounds (three nature sounds, and three different songs).
Not only do you turn all these on and off in some sort of pattern we can't yet discern, you CHANGE the musical settings on all the toys so that at any moment we get a different smash-up of baby music. You start and stop certain toys every second, so we get a little beat.
Sometimes your DJ show lasts for a few minutes, sometimes an hour or more, depending on how tired you are. It's always entertaining, except when you turn a certain toy on/off on/off on/off every second for a few minutes.
You are now walking like mad. It seemed to happen overnight. In december you tooks ome tenative steps, but seemed in no rush to stop crawling. A few weeks ago you started being brave, and moving from piece of furniture to piece of furniture without holding on to something. Then you started walking to us instead of dropping down and crawling. Last week you were still sort of walking/crawling wiith an empasis on being on your feet, but ready to drop down to knees if something complex came up.
Now you walk. You stomp. You waddle and clomp. You rush by with your hands in the air, screaming manically. You LOVE to walk. You walk in circles all over the great room, over and over. You don't want to play unless you can walk during it. You walk by with a strange thing in your hand (an umbrella, a mixing spoon) and come by again in a matter of seconds with something else.
I love that you walk. We are more even now. Instead of not reaching for me at all because you knew I couldn't pick you up, you reach for my hand. We walk together, holding hands.
One thing that isn't delightful right now is your eating habits. I really don't understand how you could refuse almost evey food we try to feed you, yet eagerly fill your mouth up with broken crayon pieces, dropped bird seed next to the cage, and pieces of paper. Honestly, Gracie girl, macaroni and cheese and chicken and potatoes and fruit is SO much tastier than a piece of wax. I promise. Yet you spit out foods, and we find you constantly with something "illegal" in your mouth. Daddy and I just say "she's got something illegal!" and the other knows to track you right down and force you to spit it out. We can tell it's "illegal" when you walk by with your mouth tightly closed, drooling like mad. You don't usually drool at all, so that's the giveaway. Plus, your mouth being closed is another hint.
You aren't talking yet, but you are constantly making noise. You say "uh-oh" at appropriate times (read: A LOT) and are starting to shut "NO!" However, it sounds like a cross between "new" and "gno" (sort of like "gnocchi", but without the "cchi" part). That's still a random word, you like to just say it. The funniest thing you do is chuckle "heh, heh, heh, HEH" when you get something you like- animal crackers, a hat, something you aren't supposed to have. I half expect to turn around and see you twirling a moustache or something, like those old time movie villians.
When you get up every morning, we hear you warming up your voice and trying new sounds out. You don't try them out during the day for some reason, but in the mornings you give it a go.
The past almost-seven months have been amazing, Gracie. Difficult in so many ways, but just wonderful, really. I love that you have developed into this little person. I appreciate your endless patience with me and your constant forgiveness of my shortcomings as a mom. You always give me another chance to do it right. So thank you.
(The photos above were taken a week or two ago- my parents took Gracie out for the day and my mom bought her some new jeans. When she got home, we tried them on her to see if they would fit, and before we could get a shirt on her, she rushed off, jeans falling off. Typical Grace, always busy.
We are trying to grow out her hair, but a few weeks ago she came home from my mom's with a SERIOUSLY short haircut. My mom cut off all Gracie's split ends, which I knew needed to be done but was dreading. However, she did it when Gracie was slumped in a chair watching Backyardigans, so my mom didn't realize half Gracie's head was hidden by the chair. So she got an EXTRA short cut, which my father still sort of marvels over.)
She is so beautiful and such a character. I love the jeans!
Posted by Kelley @ January 26, 2007 09:12 AM
Chel, I'm so glad I had the chance to catch up with the adventures of Gracie! She is even more adorable than ever. DJ Gracie- I love it!!! Your new house looks beautiful, too. Looks like Grace took to walking really quickly- that's great! The spitting the food out had me laughing, though. Sophie did the same thing (and still does sometimes)... she will shove a whole bunch of food in her mouth (honestly, we think she stores it in her cheeks like a chipmunk), and then all of a sudden it starts coming out. We joke that she's like a human slot machine. :)
Also, I love your blog design- you did it yourself, right? You are so talented!
Kisses to Miss Grace,
xoxo, ShanaPosted by Shana @ January 26, 2007 11:08 AM
WOw she looks SO old now! A total toddler (of course she is but you know...). She is just beautiful! I love the update!
Posted by Nicki @ January 26, 2007 11:49 AM
I LOVE the part about her chuckling, "Heh, heh, heh, HEH".. I read that out to my husband and we were both laughing at how CUTE that is. :) She is so gorgeous and has such a great personality!! It's truly amazing to read about your family. Thanks for sharing with us. :)
Posted by Sandy @ January 28, 2007 01:47 PM
