Trick or Treat

Trick or Treating was a success! The kids looked cute and got plenty of candy. Weather was a little chilly and we still had snow on the ground, but it wasn't bad. Grace loved trick or treating and did most of the neighborhood. She needed a little monitoring when allowed to take her own candy :)

FBI Agent, Pig in a Blanket, and Witch

More Gymnastics - Help Needed

This was the last class for this session. I planned on signing her up for the next session too, BUT, the way things went this week, I'm worried! Grace started the day off very wild. I knew gymnastics was not going to go well. I gave her my little lecture that I gave last time (and she was AWESOME at following directions then), but it didn't seem to take. She almost looked drunk. Wandering around, her head swaying and looking giddy. The coach had to raise her voice several times because Grace was wandering off and not listening. I had to give a reminder several times from the viewing area. But then she decided she wanted the hoola hoop that was against the wall. The coach said to put it back and Grace threw it on the ground and walked off. The coach put her in time out which Grace did not stay in. I asked if I could put her in time out in the waiting area. Grace did her time with some fake crying. When it was time to go back in, she started screaming and saying, "Go home!" I made her sit on my lap and watch until the end so she could apologize to Coach Jill for not listening. I tried several times to get her to go back in and participate. She wanted no parts of it. She then started asking for food and said she was hungry. Class went over time and at that point I had had enough. She said her apology from a distance and we left. I hated to give in to the "go home" routine. Now I am so worried she won't want to go in again. I can't force her in and have her scream and run for the door the whole time. It will totally disrupt the whole class and the other group as well. (I'm not afraid of a little crying) This is suppose to be fun for her and a break for me! For now, the whole family knows not to even mention gymnastics in hopes that she will forget about the incident and we can continue on peacefully. I am prepared to bribe her with McDonalds if I have to :) Any advice????


Waiting her turn or taking a nap. Not sure.



Grace is so good at swinging on the rope by herself. She stands on the block, grabs the rope and lets go!

Pumpkin Palooza

We had a very unusual snow day today! I think we got close to 6 inches of VERY heavy snow. My mums are flat!! We finally got around to the pumpkin carving and painting. Grace LOVED painting her pumpkins. It's so strange how Grace has taught me to relax a bit with artwork. When the boys would do something like this, I didn't want them mixing the paint colors and I liked them to have a "plan" of what they were going to do (maybe not at age 2). Within a minute, Grace had all the colors mixed together and was on a mission! And I love her finished pumpkin!!! Part of this more relaxed me is due to Grace's determined personality and the other part is just that I have surrendered to number 3!


This is what she looked like throughout painting. Very serious work!


Aunt Denise, check out the cute pony tail :)

The finished masterpiece! Grace saw the googely eyes and just had to have them. I think it kind of looks like a parrot :)

Please don't mind the mess in our sunroom today. It went from giant fort to work station for Brad to pumpkin carving within hours.

Aidan did every ounce of the carving this year! He didn't plan on his jack-o-lantern having such a big forehead :)

Nate doesn't have the most patience when it comes to this stuff. This year he decided to just do the scraping of the skin :) It was better for all of us that he made this decision:)

Merrymead Farm

The boys had off from school on Wednesday, so we finally were able to get our pumpkins and do the whole corn maze thing. We saw the animals, played on pumpkins, did the corn maze (which I am amazed the boys didn't lose Grace in) and got ice cream. Grace is at such a fun age. Finally understanding holiday traditions. She CAN NOT WAIT FOR TRICK OR TREATING!!! Every night she says, "It's getting dark out. Trick or treat?"

Grace dragging around Aidan's $16 pumpkin! He drove me crazy wanting this one.

Grace loves cows!

Early Intervention and Speech Evaluation

We had Grace's six month evaluation with Early Intervention. She has been receiving behavior therapy and OT with them once a week since April. Grace has grown so much and is doing awesome! We are cutting back the services to every other week for a little while and then will move to once a month finishing around her 3rd birthday. I really don't feel she needs anymore from the therapists (I do what I need to do with her daily), but I hate to take them away from her. It has taken a long time, but Grace asks for them now and looks forward to them coming over to "play". However, I will be very happy to have my Tuesdays back:)

Today we went for her follow up speech evaluation with CHOP. The speech pathologist has worked with many IA kids and totally "gets" Grace and the situation. I really trust and respect this woman. She jokingly asked why we were even there! Grace is speaking in complete sentences, uses contractions and pronouns correctly and uses phrases such as "safe and sound". After we were there a while, one of the questions seemed a little difficult to me for a 2 1/2 year old. We were told they were now on the 6 year old questions!!!!! They had to keep going until Grace got 7 wrong! She said, "We want her to start getting some wrong at this point." We were there a while!!! Overall, Grace did fabulous, with the exception of her being very active. I knew from the moment she woke up it would be one of those "sensory days". Some days she is so mellow and "chilled out" and other days she just isn't.

The best news out of the speech evaluation was that she expects Grace to do wonderful in preschool next year!!! With Grace's sensory needs and history of liking to control things, I have worried about that next stage of life. So, I loved hearing that! She also discussed how it is very common for IA kids to have language or learning issues develop during elementary school, but she feels Grace will be an exception, not the rule! Phew!!! I love good news!

2 1/2

Grace turns 2 1/2 today! (The same day I turn 30 something) She is becoming the sweetest little girl. I absolutely love it!!! I can't believe how far she has come the past 6 months! She went from being this two year old terror who needed behavior therapy to this sweet, funny, imaginative, girly little girl!!! I know most of us hate to see them grow up, but I'm seeing who Grace is becoming and it is so wonderful! She talks all the time and says the cutest things. My latest favorite is "oopsy daisy". I must have said it once and now she says it ALL THE TIME. So cute! It is so rare that I have to put her in time out. She wakes up happy and pretty much stays that way all day. Her imagination is unbelievable! I wish I could have hidden cameras in my house to capture all the games she makes up. Just today we were hiding in a fort from a giant. I love watching her play! She has blessed us so much! We are the lucky ones!

Our beautiful Gracie!


Disclaimer: Potty talk :)
Almost forgot! Grace went poop on the potty last night!!!!! She has been peeing on the potty before bed some nights, but I haven't been pushing it. I like to wait until they are so ready it happens in a day or two. She isn't quite there yet. But last night she pooped before her bath! Very exciting stuff!!!

Fall Ball

Aidan is playing fall baseball again. He loves baseball and is pretty darn good, if you ask his mother :) He has pitched a couple times this season, which is both fun and stressful for him. We are so proud that he gets out there even when he is nervous. He has amazing composure on the mound. Here he is doing his thing.....

Random Happenings....

Grace is talking non-stop! She is speaking in mostly sentences now and is so clear and easy to understand! I love listening to her talk.... most of the time ;) She is really becoming a little girl before my eyes. So sweet!!! She is sharing so much better and loves to help, especially in the kitchen. We are all so smitten by her and the funny things she says. I love the "girly" things she does that balance out the rough and tough. The other day she was spinning in a circle calling herself, "Ballerina Racie".

I haven't gotten many "good" pictures of Grace lately. I haven't been trying much though. It's getting exhausting trying to get her to cooperate and sit still. The bigger problem is that my camera isn't fast enough to keep up at Grace's speed. Luckily, this past week, we met a photographer at a park for family pics as well as individuals of the kids and more. I warned the photographer that Grace was "VERY ACTIVE". Grace was Grace! She was so excited to be outside and didn't strike a pose for too long. The exciting part was that she won the "Most Difficult to Photograph in 23 Years" Award! She wasn't bad, just active. Grace was actually calmer than I expected her to be :) But we ended up with some beautiful pictures! I'll share soon. I'll leave you with these for now....

Grace has got an amazing imagination! Here she is "skiing" with carpet slides and swords! This was all her idea! Please excuse the "crazy girl" look! She is forever pulling out hair clips lately...


Who's that reading in the fort???

It's Gracie!!! This girl LOVES a good fort! She will request books, snacks and of course, Mommy. I've learned to make them large and comfy since I always have to get in them.

Grace was fascinated with her blue tongue! She spent a good amount of time in the bathroom looking at herself and laughing :)

Somebody got new "flippers"! Any guesses???

Aidan made Grace this little fort with the box from our new microwave. He AND the box entertained her for a couple of hours!!! Love big brothers!!!