Grace @ 2 and a half.

Today- Grace is 2 and a half years old.  {gasp}

Before I know it she'll be 3 and I just can't get over it.

I'll stop at that....no need to go on and on and on about how fast this time flies with our precious little ones.

So...here's what Grace is up to these days....

-I think we may be {reluctantly} phasing out her afternoon nap. She would probably go down pretty easily every 2-3 days...but then- she'll have a random day when she won't want to nap at all.  So sometimes I'll still put her down...but then she's not ready for bed by my early bedtime. ;)  Parker's really ready for bed by 7:30-8:00 because she doesn't nap (and doesn't really need one)....but IF Grace naps- then she's not ready for bed til 9:00.  Just haven't quite figured out what the best thing for everyone is...

-We have tried putting her in a big girl bed...and after the first successful night of her staying in bed ...her older sister did not.  And the second night in her big girl bed....she ended up in our bed.  And the third night in her big girl bed....both of them ended up in our bed.

That next day the bunk beds were reassembled and she was back in her crib.  ;)

-So she goes to bed around 7:15-7:30 and usually sleeps until anywhere between 7:30-8:45 (she really needs to sleep later if she's not going to nap!)

Sweet girl.

-She wears a size 2T clothes (IF I can get her to wear anything besides her leotard or tutu!)...but I think it won't be long until she is in 3T because some of the 2T are a little snug and short.

-Potty trained. {99.5% of the time}  Still wears a pull-up to bed.

-Umm...what else?  I suppose I have hit the hi-lights!  She's just a ball of energy and so full of life!  Not a day goes by that I am with them that I don't stop in my tracks for at least a moment.... and am just amazed by them.  Still can't believe they are mine.  And how so blessed I am to be their mother.  Just love them beyond measure.  There really are no words.

two big girl beds....

So we bit the bullet tonight.

Parker has had bunk beds for a while (can't find a picture of them....  may not have ever taken one!).  Anyway- bed time has somewhat become a bit of a chore with me rocking Grace (something I chose to do about 6 months ago to hold on to her being a baby for just a tad longer)...and then me laying with Parker each night until she falls asleep (usually 5-10 minutes).  It was basically 2 different rituals.....taking me way too long.  I thought that maybe if we went ahead and put them in the same room with a night light....they'd have each other and our new rule would be no rocking and no laying with them.

Our plan has been for Grace to stay in her crib until she is 4 (I kid.  Sorta.)  And then for Parker to move to the top bunk and Grace to the bottom.  Well- Parker didn't want to move- which is totally fine and probably for the better.....so we just separated the 2.  We still need to rearrange the headboards and footboards to be in correct placement for twin beds...but we decided to leave it this way for now because Grace would have the rails for a bit.  I also need to fix their lights and a few other things need to go up on their walls.  OH- and they still need comforters/quilts of some sort!  Slowly but surely we'll get there.  I hope.

We did our bedtime routine as usual....

All tucked in snug as a bug!

 Parker cried for me for a bit.  I went in there and she wanted me to lay with her.  I firmly told her no and then Grace started crying....saying she didn't want Parker to wake her up.  So I told Parker again- please stop crying so that you don't wake Grace up.  I left the room and heard not another sound.

It's now 35 minutes later and so far so good.  We'll see.....

Look who's crawling....

.....and into everything! She started 'army crawling' and scooting on her belly about 6 weeks ago (around 8 months old).....and I thought that she would have started crawling sooner after. Well....she got pretty fast at that scooting and didn't start crawling consistently until about a week ago!

I had not really gotten any pictures of her crawling, so today I finally got a few. ;)




Pushing and pulling the stroller.....

....onto the next thing....

this picture is just so sweet to me for some reason...










And she loves, loves, loves her sister!


And she really likes to try to poke her eyes, scratch her face, and pull her hair! ;)

She was pulling on the curtains. And I said, "No Grace," with a firm, but not raised, voice. And she just started smiling and shaking her body and head 'no.' Little stinker!








I haven't quite figured out these faces that she makes?



And this next picture has nothing to do with crawling or getting into things....but it's a good picture of her 5 teeth. And I think she is working on the 6th! Poor baby.

Patty Cake, Patty Cake!

I remember when Parker was 12 months old.....and I was getting ready to take her to her 1 yr well-visit. I had to fill out the Ages and Stages Questionairre....and one of the items stated something to the extent of..."can your child play 'patty cake'?"

I remember thinking...."Ummm.....nooooo."

I had never taught her, for whatever reason. But I did know that she could clap. And after that I tried to teach it to her, but really.....she wasn't that interested.

So the other night.....it was 15 minutes before Grace's morning nap and she was being extra fussy. I wanted to hold her off a little bit longer....so I started teaching her "Patty Cake".

And to my surprise....she really took to it! And by the end of the day....she was clapping....and 'throwing them in the pan'!

By the next day....she was even "rolling them up!"

Here is a 15 second video of her doing Patty Cake. She loves to "throw them in the pan" and is so proud of herself! We are, too!

Look who's sitting up....

....all by herself!!

I guess it was about two weeks ago (I don't have an exact date....because when would you start counting? When she first sat by herself, regardless of the length of time?)....Grace started being able to sit up by herself for seconds at a time. Each day we 'practiced'....and each day she could sit up for longer.

I kept meaning to take pictures....but because she is still wobbly....I didn't feel comfortable leaving her to sit all by herself while I took a picture. And when Geoff was home, the moment never arose. And I can put a pillow or boppy behind her (which I still do)...but she falls forward, as well.

Anyway....now she is sitting for almost 10-15 minutes at a time with no help!! So today when she was fresh up from her nap and raring to go....I sat her up to take a few pictures.



I think this makes Parker excited. She immediately sat in front of her and started reading her one of those crinkly books. And Grace seemed very intent.