Silly Song

Sometimes Gracie thinks I'm hilarious and it cracks me up!  When she starts giggling I do everything I can to keep her tickled because her belly laugh is so funny to me.  Oh, one of these days she's going to think I'm embarrassing and not so funny...until then, enjoy her giggles!

Happy Anniversary

Wishing Ellee & Granddaddy 

a very Happy 36th Wedding Anniversary!

We love you very much & 

hope to see you soon!

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Home Depot Balloon

While I was getting my hair done today...Gracie spent the afternoon with her Daddy.  Guess who went to Home Depot and got a balloon?

What should I do?

You all were so helpful with your kind words, suggestions, and words of encouragement when I asked for help with Gracie's bratty behavior with her friends last weekend.  

I need your thoughts yet again...

I'm contemplating going back to work on a casual basis - meaning I would sign up to work the schedule I choose.   Here's the burning question - Should I continue to be Gracie's Mommy and homemaker FULL TIME...or...can I do both and work in the Neonatal ICU (Saturday nightshift each week)?  I need your opinion!!!  

I love staying at home with Gracie!  We are so fortunate that we can afford for me to stay at home and Todd is so supportive of me doing so.  

I love that Gracie wakes me up in the morning, not an alarm clock.  I love that we snuggle on the couch.  I love feeding her and laugh every time she makes her "O" face.  I love that I don't have to get out of my PJs.  I love that we read books at least 20 times during the day.  I enjoy having the Today Show, Ellen, The View, and Oprah on and catch bits and pieces of the segments.  I have time to blog and read my friends' and stranger's blogs.  I love that Gracie is my shopping buddy.  I love watching her walk around, talk, explore, and learn new things.  I love playing with her.  I love bath time.  I love watching how happy and excited she is when Daddy comes home.  I love putting her to bed.  

I JUST LOVE BEING WITH HER!!!!

I miss being a nurse.  I miss taking care of sick babies; I miss helping their families by offering emotional support and education; I miss using the knowledge I spent hundreds of hours learning in school and the experience I gained while working; I miss being with other nurses; and I even miss wearing my scrubs!  I am incredibly proud to be a nurse and honored that I have been able to help patients and their families.  I really have a passion for helping others.  

So what should I do...should I go back?

The reasons TO go back to work:

I miss it!  It is a part of who I am.  Me time.  I can use the knowledge I worked so hard to obtain.  I can keep up with my skills.  I can help others.  A little extra money never hurts.  I can meet more people.  Todd and Gracie can have more one on one time.  

The reasons NOT to go back:

Every day with Gracie is special and precious - she is only little for a few years!  It is WORK.  I'm willing to bet lots of people would trade places with me in an instant to stay at home and not work.  The process for getting my Canadian License is long and I have to take the Canadian Nursing Board Exam (300 multiple choice questions - yuck, I've been out of school for 7 years and my experience is very specialized).  I would need to find someone to watch Gracie through orientation.  It's time away from my family. Less flexibility for traveling.  Taking care of sick, little babies.  The possibility of being short staffed.  The potential for making a mistake or medication errors.   We're only in Canada for another 18 months or so.  (oh yah - and we might be thinking about trying for baby #2 in the fall).  

There's plenty more reasons both for and against it...and obviously I've listed more reasons against going back than I have for...and I think I know what I'm going to do but I'm curious what y'all think.

So with all that said - what do you think I should do?  

1 Year Wellness Check-up

Gracie had her one year old check-up and immunizations (MMR, Meningitis, Chicken Pox) on Wed, March 25th.  

She's 13.5 months old:

Weighs 23 lbs 3 oz (75th percentile)

Length 32 inches (>95th percentile)

The doctor wants to see her back at 15 months for a weight check because she dropped a little in the weight percentile.  She had been 95th at 6 months, then in between the 75th and 95th at 9 months and now is right on the 75th percentile curve.  I'm not worried because she is a great eater and very active.  She's WALKING (almost running) all the time.  The child is burning so many calories being a toddler and playing.  I mean, come on, do we really want her to be in the 95th percentile for weight?  NO - that would mean she was fat.  I think it is perfectly appropriate for her to gradually come down to the 50th percentile - meaning that she is average size for her age!!!  

Some things she's doing these days:

Walking, walking, and walking!  Loves to look for Tucker.  Gives Tucker kisses.  If we walk into another room she comes to find us.  When asked - she can find her belly, feet, and hands.  When asked - points to our nose, eyes, ears, hair (she doesn't quite get the idea that she has these parts too because she can't see hers).  Loves her night night blanket.  Makes her "O" face on her own and when asked.  Does the sign for "more" - well, really she claps her hands together but it's her version of more.  Follows simple commands for throwing something away, gets the ball, finds her car, goes to her changing table for diaper changes, picks out books.  Recognizes dogs and cats on TV and outside.  Drinks well from her sippy cup.  Is transitioning to whole milk.  Gives High Fives.  Likes to climb on the fireplace hearth and up into her high chair when we lower it.  Gives kisses and hugs!  

She is such a happy, smart, funny, and beautiful girl!  We are so lucky to have her.  

The Library

We went to uptown Saint John to the City Market and walked around the indoor shopping squares last weekend.  While we had a good time - we're really looking forward to being outside.  Guess we only have another 2 months of winter!  Ah - Canada!

Checking out all the books at the library!

Not a lot of reading but a lot of lounging.

A little jet lagged!

Traffic Violation Warning

I think we might be in trouble.  Gracie seems to really enjoy her "naked" time.  She got a little distracted on her way from her bedroom to the bath tub.  Maybe she thought that driving to the bathroom would be faster than walking.  

Our friend Katie

A few weeks after we moved to Rothesay - we were lucky enough to meet Katie while we shopping at Little Bundles, a baby boutique in town.  Turns out Katie's husband works for Exxon too...such a small world.  We have really loved getting to know Katie and Dave - and we are so grateful for their friendship.  They are both so sweet and have helped us out so much.  They stayed at our house and watched Tucker while we were in SC and have babysat Gracie.  

We're so sad that they are going to be moving to DC in June.  We'll miss them so much!

I truly consider Katie to be a best friend!  She's always smiling, is a great listener and gives good advice, is up for brunch or lunch any day, is a great "chick flick" movie date, and a very stylish dresser (I'm hoping she'll be my stylist when we move back to DC). 

Katie, thank you for being you and for being my friend!!!

We went to brunch at Cora's for Katie Birthday on March 23rd.  Cora's is one of the places I will really miss when we leave Canada.  It is an amazing breakfast, brunch, & lunch place.  They serve amazing fresh fruit with everything.  My favorite is the waffle with custard, strawberries and banana. YUMMY!!!

Happy 30th Birthday Katie!

Gracie is wearing the adorable dress Katie gave her for her 1st Birthday!

How about Tucker peeking his head in at the bottom of the picture!?!

Daddy's Toolbox

I found an adorable book at HomeGoods for Gracie and Todd.  It's called "My Dad's Toolbox" and it is a pop-up book that has a toolbox cut through the middle of all the pages and has velcro tools that attach/detach.  The story is a "fix it" list from Grandma.  It's perfect for the 2 of them to read and pretend together.   Gracie loved spending Saturday morning playing with her Daddy...it was so cute to watch!

Todd's Dubai Trip

Todd had a business trip last week in Dubai.  It was a 12 hour flight from Toronto to the United Arab Emirates (flying business class on Emirate was very nice - according to Todd - "champagne, sir?") and an 7 hour time change.  It was definitely the desert and temperature was in the upper 80s.  Todd was amazed that half the city was still under construction.  

A Masque.

The world's tallest building.  Still being built.

A 7 Star Hotel (no, this is not where he stayed).

The harbor.

Atlantis in Dubai

Dolphin Park.

Indoor ski slope at the mall.

Indoor ski slope/lift.

GOLD!

Hugs & Kisses

We love that Gracie knows how to give hugs and kisses.   When we ask her to give us a kiss she leans her head down for us to kiss her forehead and every once in awhile she'll lean in to give us a little peck (sometimes open mouth) kiss.  Here she is loving on her baby.  

We went to a first birthday party for one of her friends over the weekend and I was so embarrassed because Gracie was a little bully and wasn't playing nicely with the other children.   While she was playing with a toy, one of her friends would come over to play with it too or would try to take something - she would then grab a fist full of their clothes and try to pull them down, or push them away, or pitch a fit if she wasn't getting her way.  

Oh no, no ma'am!!!  Is what I kept saying over and over and over again.  I'd then help the child she was being mean too and would tell Gracie she needed to play nice with her friends and I'd redirect her play.   

Do you have a similar story or experiences and any recommendations on how I can change this bad behavior?  I hope that Gracie will keep the friends she has and make new friends but I'm worried that if she keeps acting like this that we won't be invited to play with everyone.  I do not want to have a bratty child.  Please help.

Tighty Whitey Toss

Spring is Here (sort of!)

The temperature has been in the upper 30s for several days.  We're finally above freezing and I guess we're considering this our Spring.  The snow is slowly melting (and slow is good because otherwise we would have major flooding with the river in our backyard).  We took advantage of the warmer weather and the fact that we can finally walk on the sidewalk.  

Whose ready for summer?

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day but more importantly, 

Happy 36th Anniversary to BeBe & PaPa!

An attempt at coloring which ended very soon after we started because she kept trying to eat the crayons.  I know one day she will love coloring and I can't wait to frame her works of art.  

How cute are these jeans?

She is Mommy's Helper and is becoming more and more independent everyday.  She proudly carries her wet/dirty diapers to the trash all by herself.

"Oops - dropped it!

Don't worry, I'll get it!"

"Okay - trash compactor here I come."

Getting closer to the kitchen.

Almost there.

Yep, I see the trash.

Trying to get a cute St. Patrick's Day picture.

 (here ... hold a lime & sit still)

Cute enough.

We love our 'lil leprechaun.

We hope you all had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day & 

Happy Anniversary BeBe & Paul!!!

Banana Pancakes

The morning after Todd left for his business trip in Dubai - Gracie and I decided to lift our spirits since he was away by having banana pancakes (thanks to Liz for introducing me to this yummy breakfast treat).  Of course, I had to top them with cool whip - come on, we were sad - Todd was gone!

Hummm....what is this?  

Doesn't look like rice cereal to me!

Pretty good

Loves Cool Whip

Where's your "O" face?

YAY - there it is!!!