Still laughing

Gracie was just telling us about a YouTube-ing family whose smallest member has his own bathroom.  I asked, "What does he do in his bathroom?"

"I have no idea.  I've never been to their house," came the reply.

"Well, what do you do your bathroom?" I asked.

"Basically, I go in there in times of need."

A Quiet Sunday Morning

The little girls are makers.  Cutting out paper hearts and writing love notes are Rosie's favorite.  Gracie likes to cook, create with Lego, and do whatever it is that Rosie's doing.  Sometimes making valentines is a little tame, though, and empty moving boxes become rocket ships.

This morning they took their engineering prowess a step further and made a transmogrifier, a la "Calvin and Hobbes."





Unlike Calvin's original, Rosie's and Gracie's transmogrifier offers gender-reassignment; Graham thought that he'd like to use that function. The girls were agreeable, but before the transformation could take place Jason noticed our bouncy boy was especially bouncy and suggested Graham go jump on the trampoline for a few minutes.  As he went out the door, Graham announced, "I'll go take my gender outside."

Best moment all morning.

She Talks!

So, I took an extended summer break from the blog.  Gracie is now correcting that.

She's two.  Very, very two.  Like her elder siblings, she is determined to do what mommy does:  help with laundry, put things away (wish they all still did this), & cook.  Also like her siblings, she's saving up her words until she's three.  This morning she insisted on helping with pancakes.  As we were standing at the stove, I chatted at her (since she doesn't usually say anything back), and said, "Gracie, you're a good cook.  Do you know that?"

Still looking at the pancake in the pan, she stated, "I know, Mommy."

She talks! (Her first sentence.)

Bunnies over Baby

I asked Gracie if she was Flopsie, Mopsie, & Cottontail.

Rosie interjected, "She can't be Flopsie, Mopsie, & Cottontail.  They're good people."

I see what opinion she has of her sister.

Makes Me Laugh

Daddy's Girl

Lucky #3.  Gracie really loves her daddy.

Can't Catch Me

 I went up to Fountains Abbey with Gracie and a playmate.  A toddler-sized game of tag is always fun.

 

Summer Tradition

Seemingly endless rain has made it impossible to take the kids strawberry picking. But we finally had enough of a pause for Rosie to get her wish. As much as she loves picking berries she doesn't actually enjoy eating them. Luckily, not everyone in my family has that problem...

(This is probably my favorite photo I've ever taken of Gracie. I want to print this on canvas & hang it in the dining room.)

Happiness is...

Happiness is...watching Gracie sleep on her first birthday.

Happiness is...

Happiness is...gardening with Gracie and finding the gooseberry bushes & fruit tree are blossoming.

Step by Step

I passed Graham's bedroom & saw Gracie inside take two steps.  Little minx.  I think she's been practicing on the sly...

So, she's officially "walking" at 11 months old.

Gracie's Boyfriend

Gracie is small & cute, so people are drawn to her. At church there is always somebody ready to hold her if I need my hands free for something. But she isn't quite so ready to let just anyone hold her. Except for this guy...

Grace at Waddesdon

A bunch of us from Leeds went to Buckinghamshire for a couple of days. Mostly to see this place. It's called Waddesdon Manor & was built for a branch of the Rothschild family, which explains why it looks like a French fairy tale castle. Very impressive interior, but as with most "great houses," I liked the outside better. I suppose that's a very good thing, because photos are not allowed of the rooms.



When we get asked why we moved to England, I often admit that I was jealous of my friends who had been abroad as children. The munchkins are getting experiences beyond my childhood fantasies.

Yay for Gracie

I was just watching a movie clip of a couple dancing the tango, with Gracie sitting on my lap. When the audience in the movie applauded the dancers, Gracie did too.

Christel

Guess who liked giggling with her aunt?

Cute-Meet

Neal was leaning through the slats of a bridge to look at the water & I suspended the camera to get this shot. It was taken upside down & that's the way it'll stay.


There were turtles to observe.

Not that the turtles impressed the little lady much.

Meeting up with friends I haven't seen in a long time makes traveling better. The last time I'd seen my friend Ben nine years ago. A few things have changed in that time. My kid count had gone from one to four; I'd moved from Florida to New Jersey to England; he'd progressed from an undergrad to completing a PhD; he'd gone from single guy to husband-and-father; he'd moved from Missouri to Minnesota to Iowa.

But with all those changes, he is still Ben. Just with a clever & cool wife. And a grown up job. And a cute son.

A cute son that Gracie really liked being with.

Gracie & Grandma

I'm mostly over the jet lag from a trip to Missouri. My mom was ready to meet Gracie in person. So, here's the little girl in my childhood home with Grandma.

10 Minutes Ago...

Yesterday someone told me, "I know you aren't supposed to have favorites, but you have the most beautiful baby here." Flattery that I'm inclined to believe...

Pretty in Purple, Courtesy of Ruby

Thanks, Ruby, for giving Gracie such a pretty dress. Like Cami, Grace looks great in purple. Second-hand fashion, original beauty.

Happiness Is...

happiness is hearing Rosie play with Gracie: Mommy, put us in the oven (her bed), we need cooking -- we're baby biscuits!