Our Top 5

Since Grace turned five months a few weeks ago, I thought I would make a top five list of our favorite things she does at the moment.

1. In the morning when Grace awakens she makes the cutest coos and sounds, gently reminding you that she is ready to get up. Todd and I will go over to her crib and the second she sees us she lets out the cutest smile and squeal that melts your heart. It is as if you were gone for centuries. It is my favorite part of the day.

2. Grace is a very active and silly baby. It is quite astonishing that babies come out of the womb with these ready-made personalities. Grace does several things when she is on the changing pad, on a small rug, or in her crib:
-she squeals like a dolphin or does a fake cough-sneeze.
- she sucks in her lips and chews on her tongue (we always ask, "Grace, where did your lips go?").
-she tightens her legs so that they are super straight and lifts them up like she is doing crunches.
-if undressed, she instantly puts her feet in her mouth, gross!
These things are very hilarious to us and to her.

3. Standing Grace up on her legs makes her open her mouth. She gets excited because she knows she is a big girl.

4. Watching Grace right before she goes to sleep. She has a lovey blanket that has a little bear on it that she holds and usually she'll cry a little bit as she is falling asleep. All Todd and I have to do in go in and hold her hand and she turns her head to the side and falls asleep. Sometimes, she really wants to lure you in. You go in and check on her and she shoots you the cutest smile and talks to you, "play with me", "pick me up", "aren't I cute?". It is bedtime after all, but we are suckers for it and we always laugh and smile because it is so cute.

5. Holding Grace in front of a mirror will make her smile really big at the adorable baby that she is looking at. It never fails!

We love you little Grace Amelia.

Las Nubes

This weekend we headed to the Russian River for 3 nights for a final vacation before I had to go back to work. The home was in Monte Rio, up on a redwood covered hilltop in the clouds (hence the name, las nubes). You had to climb many, many stairs from where you parked the car, which made for many trips to and from the car ! It had a gourmet kitchen, tons of windows and a huge deck space with hot tub (which we did not use because it was raining). It was such a peaceful and relaxing vacation and just what all of us needed.

view from the deck

the hundred of stairs we had to climb

Both Grace and I were sick during the trip (I had a slight cold). Grace's cold developed during the trip and kept her from sleeping well on two of the nights. Despite the illnesses, we were able to cook delicious food each night, go wine tasting and shopping and sit and relax in front of our wood burning stove and listen to the rain. We did not have cell phone service there, which was even better. No one to call and no emails to check. We also watched the Academy Awards on Sunday, and thought they were the best in years. Sadly, it was the first year we had only seen a few movies.

Grace in her car seat watching the rain

the best of the three pictures we tried to take of ourselves

View of our house from the back

one of the many decks in our house

Gracie, in her pumpkin hat Alli bought her, right before we left

Grace taking a bath in the kitchen sink

A bear in the woods, oh no!

Grace getting some R&R

Five Months Old

I have been behind on posting, and have a lot to catch up on. I go back to work officially on March 9, but Grace will be starting daycare next week. I am not sure how current I will be once I go back. This transition has been extremely difficult for me, and keeps me up late at night with insomnia. I am trying to appreciate the few days that we have left together before I return.

Grace turned 5 months on February 13! We can't believe our little baby is already five months. Time sure flies! Here are some recent pictures of Grace at five months:

Grace, with her feet in her mouth, again

My folks came up for a visit on the 14th to see us, Alli and Grace. It was a rainy weekend when they arrived, so we had to alter some of our plans. After we picked them up at the airport, we met for lunch, did some grocery shopping and headed home to our house. Alli and Brandon came over in the afternoon to hang out with my parents and Grace, while Todd and I went to see Slumdog Millionaire (great film). We have not seen a movie since we took Grace to see Happy Go Lucky when she was much smaller and could sleep through almost anything.

My parents prepared a great meal that was ready on our return (and a sleeping Grace for the night). We planned and ate a wonderful meal together: 2 cheeses whose exact names escape me, a triple cream brie and something similar to a cheddar (both from Rainbow Grocery, a co-op grocery with wonderful produce and the best cheese selection in the city), tomato and goat cheese tarts for a first course, baked shrimp scampi (both recipes from Ina Garten), sauteed broccoli raab with green garlic, and focaccia that my Dad baked in the oven using the pizza dough from our favorite bakery Arizmendi. The focaccia was so close to the one that my Nonna used to make. For dessert, I made a mascarpone cheesecake with almond crust (from Giada De laurentiis). You drizzle nutella mixed with cream over the top before you serve it, which made it even better.

Alli was very interested in the capabilities of month old babies, not understanding that they do not recognize themselves in the mirror yet becuase their sense of self is not fully realized until somewhere between 12-18 months. It is kind of crazy to think that it takes that long!She was a great helper to my Mom while Grace was bathed, fed and given a bottle.

On Sunday it was terribly rainy, so we canceled our plans to go to the Zoo. We ended up getting pizza and going bowling. However when we arrived at the bowling alley, the rest of the world must have had the same idea. The wait for a lane was over an hour, so we just returned home! Since my sister and Brandon had plans on Sunday evening, we ended up going to dinner in our neighborhood and relaxed the rest of the evening.

It was a nice trip, but of course way too quick. I am glad that my parents had lots of bonding time with Grace, though!

Here are some of the pictures that were took during their trip. We have been just awful about remembering to get pictures, so there weren't very many at all!

Grace standing up and looking over at Grandpa

Grandy feeing Grace her rice cereal

Grace, making a funny face after her bath.

My First Meal

Today was Grace's first solid meal of rice cereal! We were trying to wait until she was 6 months, but she was exhibiting all the signs that she was ready sooner than that. We are hoping that this might be what she was needing to start sleeping through the night again.

Did she like it? I think the video speaks for itself!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Look What I Can Do!

Here are some Gracie updates:

She consistently rolls over from stomach to back.

She has become even more expressive and silly when she is alert. She squeals, giggles, laughs, and talks. This is most apparent when she wakes up from a nap or when I put her on the bathroom rug.

She can take her pacifier out of her mouth and put it back in. This week, she found her pacifier in her entertainer and put it in her mouth. She often uses her pacifier as a chew toy and chews on the side of the plastic, very clever girl, our poor teething baby.

She goes down every night by 6:30 pm without much of a fuss. She naps in her crib now with little fuss.

We started her on acid reflux medication this week (long overdue!). Seems to help with some of her pain and has helped with some of the spit up that comes way after she eats. She still is having issues with her burps during feedings =( I have come to the conclusion that she is sensitive to her body and environment and vocalizes how she is feeling.

She has become VERY interested in food. We were hoping to hold off on solids until she was 6 months, but I think we will start her on rice cereal in a few weeks when she is 5 months. Maybe it will help with her middle of the night feedings!

She continues to grab her feet in Happy Baby and now has resorted to sucking on them. Todd and I laugh every time she does it. We tell her it is yucky and she just laughs.

Here are some pictures that we took before the Superbowl Party. It was actually warm enough for Grace not to have socks on.

Grace sucking on her foot before her bath. Hope this doesn't become a habit!

We don't often get to see Grace's cute bottom. Last time I had her naked, she peed all over me. Take notice of her mullet (party in the back) that she was born with and has yet to go away. It is the only patch of darker hair on her head.

Vacaville and the Superbowl

The last weekend in January was a fun one!

Saturday we headed to Vacaville to visit with some of Todd's coworkers who have not met Grace yet (except Elizabeth who met Grace at the hospital). The drive takes about an hour, but it took us forever!! There was traffic to get onto the freeway (it took us 30 minutes), traffic on the bridge and traffic in Berkeley. This would have been a good time for Grace to take a nap but of course she decided not to. She does not sleep in the car anymore unless she is really tired. Why isn't she like most babies?

Elizabeth hosted a very nice lunch at her house, and everyone brought something to share. The food was amazing: artichoke dip (my fav), bean and corn salad, fruit salad and homemade chili rellenos and rice. I made Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (really yummy but like most of her recipes, lots of butter). The weather was perfect, and it was great to see everyone again. I am glad that Todd works with such special people.

Vicki and Grace

Becky, Darci and Grace

Elizabeth and Grace

Grace refused to take a nap while we were there, but then fell asleep when Darci held her.

On Sunday we headed to Richmond to Jack and Christina's house, who graciously hosted a Superbowl Party. There were two precious newborns there: Savannah (4 weeks) and Carter (3 weeks), one adorable toddler, Anthony and two glowing pregnant ladies Bonnie and Christina, who I might add are due within a week of each other! I can't believe how much our group has changed in the past year. In addition to babies, Jack and Christina have a Zoo at their house: a Great Dane, a rabbit, a Macaw and a Cockatiel who talks.

I really did not pay too much attention to the game, but it seemed like it was one of the better ones. Grace cried every time the crowd cheered really loud, which was rather funny!

Grace's favorite place to be: a small rug. I think she likes to look up at us from below. Take notice of the position of my hands- I hate that I always do that!

Charlie and the Macaw

Carter and I

Todd and Carter

Bonnie holding Anthony and Grace