Firsts...

Well, the boys are back at school and the routine has returned. Nate and Aidan both have great teachers and had great first days! Nate is a safety this year and so excited about it! I tried to get a picture of him with his bright orange belt but he wouldn't let me! They are already off today due to Rosh Hashanah. Grace is doing great! I really thought we would have a setback with Brad and boys all being gone again all day. But she hasn't been clingy or misbehaving. We have her on a pretty set schedule and that seems to be making a huge difference. I am already a routine kind of girl, but Grace is on a tight one! She is now going to bed at 8:30 and sleeping until 7:30! Heaven!!!! She's napping about 2 hours each day also. If she doesn't wake by 3pm, I wake her because that will mess up our bedtime routine. She is so funny! We love her facial expressions and squeals! She says "hi" to everything!!!! It doesn't even have to be a living object :) If it has a face, it gets a hello! Whenever I get out of the car and walk to her side to get her out, she waves and says "hi" with a huge smile on her face (like we haven't seen each other in a while)!

The boys weren't the only ones with a "first day". I toughened up and took Grace to the gym nursery with me. I was terrified to do it. I did not want to hear her cry and I knew I would pick her up and leave. But I have been physically falling apart. Putting on the pounds and lots of back and leg aches. I'm not a huge exercise person, but I have gone to the gym for the past 7 years. I try to go at least 2-3 times a week, so all the inactivity since April is catching up with me. I feel like a saggy, soft mess. Anyway, Grace did great!!!! I took her two times prior and stayed in the nursery for her to get a feel for it. Yesterday, I left her for 20 minutes and there were no tears! The teacher there really made the effort to take her on the playground and distract her. When I returned, I expected her to see me and get weepy like "where have you been?". Not at all!!! She smiled and kept chewing the toy horse :) Now I just have to get over the germ factor again. It's been a long time since one of my kids chewed other people's stuff. I am going to keep going and see how it goes. I don't do well exercising on my own, so I really need to gym. But if it causes stress to Grace, we'll take a break again. And I'll just be a softy. Good thing for winter clothes :)

Happy 4 months Home, Gracie!!!!!





Great first day!

Nate trying to outrun the camera!

Grace and one of her BFFs, Maggie the Pug!

Grace LOVES Chloe and doesn't really give her much personal space!