3 Months Old Today

Well - it's official. Heath and I have survived our first 3mo. as parents...and we love it!
Below is Gracelynn's first picture as a 3mo old - after breakfast - so she says, "Don't mind my chubby belly! A happy baby is a full baby." :)

I was so excited last night...she laughed/giggled outloud for the first time EVER! Normally, she just opens her mouth, but no sound (other than screeches/screams). We were talking away as I was changing her and then - as always - I tried to amuse her enough to flash a big smile or better yet laugh. She did! Oh it warmed my big mommy heart all over to hear her! Of course, I couldn't quite get the same repeat by the time I had hollered down the stairs for Heath to come up "NOW", but still... :) I'm going to write it down in her baby book after I'm done blogging. March 29, 2010 - Gracelynn laughs for the first time (and if she's anything like me...it's only the beginning.) Lol.

Since we've neglected to post all week - I'll guide you through our "photo blog" as it is being called now. Below is Gracelynn during her tummy time. She turns onto her side quite often now, but has trouble staying that way (we think it's that her center of gravity is just that...in the center!).

Don't let Heath fool you - he takes pictures almost as often as me! This one below is his after he came home from work one afternoon. :)

And another one of his!

Yes, she wears her "daddy" bib a lot...

Another close-up of Heath's...he likes to get the camera inches from her face. :) Perhaps that's why she flashes him her big eyes?

This is becoming an a-typical photo for me to take. They both catch up in the afternoon and then pass out on the couch for a nap.

She loves to watch us work on the computer - well, actually, it's more like she can't stand being away from the action. So here she is studying science with her daddy. :)

I'm getting a head start on science!

Hopefully you've all been able to enjoy the nice weather lately. Gracelynn and I have been out walking a lot. Poor little girl...I accidentally let her cheeks get a little pink yesterday from the sun. We only walked to the school (10min) to have lunch with Heath, but I guess that was enough to "sun kiss" her. Note to self...baby skin burns fast!

The pink is gone this morning, but I'm pretty sure I won't forget to put a little bonnet on next time. :S Anyway, she's sleeping now after spending about 20min talking to the fish hanging from her jungle gym. She ate almost half again as much this morning, so I'm thinking that 3mo growth spurt they talk about is beginning to hit. She's always eating these days!

I guess I'd better get going. I have loads of laundry to catch up on and piles of dishes (yes - we did end up getting a dishwasher, but it mocks me by sitting uninstalled in the middle of my kitchen). We're headed up to visit G'pa/G'ma Snitker for the Easter weekend. Oh! And as a side-note...Gracelynn does not like baseball caps. We discovered it last weekend when G'pa picked her up. She took one look and screamed her head off whenever he went near her for the rest of the night. Poor G'pa. Good thing she has a short memory, because the next morning she was all smiles with him again. :)

I'm going for real now. The princess of the house is sleeping blissfully - for now.

love,
the kelleys

I'm A Screamer...

For those of you who didn't visit this past weekend (we're still recovering!),

Gracelynn entertained her guests with her very high, and very girly "screams". Of course, it's very loud and so very cute right now...but mom (me) is somewhat anxious about what that will translate into when she gets older...yikes!
Here's a short video (by the time I decided I should catch a quick video...her "screams" were getting a bit tired/hungry...but it's still a pretty good version!)

I'm not sure if every mom does this...but sometimes when Gracelynn is sleeping, my most enjoyable moments are spent just watching her.


Also, in case any of you out there haven't realized that it's March Madness season (and UNI WON over KANSAS!!!) ...Gracelynn and her Daddy are very much tuned in. :D
We spent most of Saturday afternoon visiting with Cameron, Terra, and our nephew Jacen. The babies in our family are getting so big so fast. While we ate and caught up with the Burts, my grandparents and great-grandmother also dropped by with some homemade chocolate Easter eggs and a new toy - Gracelynn already loves listening to it and watching the lights blink. :)
Another five-generation photo (minus my dad). We all spent the rest of the afternoon celebrating Mady's 2nd birthday (my second cousin's daughter).

OUR FIRST FAMILY PHOTO!
(yeah, I know...we've been remiss, but we keep trying to take one ourselves and we end up chopping someone's head off in the photo...this one is compliments of Aunt Terra :)
After Mady's birthday party, we had more visitors! G'pa & G'ma Wyman came for the rest of our weekend. And in case no one knows this - Grandpa Wyman soft spots are his grandkids. :) Gracelynn had Grandpa wrapped around her little "toe" all evening while he massaged her little feet. She loved it!


Tammy and I watched as Grandpa and Daddy played with Gracelynn. :)

FIRST GRANDPARENT PICTURE WITH G'PA & G'MA WYMAN!

Sunday afternoon we hit DQ for an ice-cream/milk stop and then the mall - I desperately needed new jeans. Jerry and Heath were such good sports about it that I actually DID find jeans. :) Of course, Heath did find some new polos for teaching and Grandpa Wyman picked out an Easter dress for Gracelynn (but I'm sure they'd never admit they probably had fun. Lol)

Well, Gracelynn just woke up and gave me that look that says, "I'm hungry - now would be a good time to feed me!" Hope you all enjoyed the pictures/video.

love,
the kelleys

Just for Daddy

Sometimes - just for fun - I like to post pictures from the morning just so Heath can see his little girl while he's working. It's time to eat right now - and she's letting me know! So I can only post these two pictures.

This was from last night (another new headband) that was just too cute not to post. :)

And a big smile this morning. :)

- stephanie & gracelynn

Pretty in Pink

Oh so pretty in pink :)

Today, Gracelynn and I are going to the grocery store!
Poor Heath has been scrounging around the kitchen lately, so I guess it's time to make my bimonthly trip to Aldi. I'm armed with a list and a coke. :)

Last night, the three of us went for a long walk. Gracelynn loves to ride in her Snugli pack. It's actually much more comfortable for both of us than the stroller (but I like that for stashing "stuff" in the bottom).

So, I decided yesterday that I was tired of headbands leaving red lines on Gracelynn's poor little forehead...so I made her a new one! What do you think?

Lol - someone has some chubby cheeks yet! I crocheted her headband around one of my hair ties and made it super soft. :) Bye-bye red lines!

We were having some cradle cap issues yesterday, so her head still has some baby oil on it. I'm calling her my little grease monkey today. :) Problems solved though!

Yesterday morning, after a particularly massive spit-up, she took a bath for the first time in her rather large rubber ducky bathtub. She was very gluttonous and learned (again) the hard way that too much of a good thing is a bad thing...only this time, she soaked me too. :P Yuck! I've been a little spoiled into thinking that burping is getting "cleaner" and I've been a little lax in protecting myself from the "upchuck".

I'd write more - but I need to get on the road to Davenport while my day is still early! Somehow, now that I'm a mom...my days seem to go that much faster. I'm beginning to understand why parents say they can't believe how fast they got old. Haha...I guess there's a pun in there...kids making parents age before their time??? Did I do that? Sorry Mom!

Have a great week!
love,
the kelleys

Week Recap

Hi Everyone!
I haven't used a "picture" for our blog title in a long time...but we couldn't resist putting this one up of Gracelynn smiling. She has now discovered toys, hands, and our reaction when she smiles. She's laughing now (not outloud yet), smiling like crazy, and intentionally playing with a few of her toys - by playing we mean batting at the toys and giggling at them. :)
Here's a short video of her when she first really started responding to her now favorite toy...

It's been a rather busy week. Gracelynn is busy growing up while Heath and I try to keep up! In the meantime, I've been painting the patio, resurrecting an old fridge (epoxy spray paint is amazing - picture still to come...), and of course, washing diapers. :)

Heath and Gracelynn have really been playing together a lot now. Here and there, she dumps minor spit-ups on him, but now he doesn't mind. My dad is here for the weekend - right now he's finishing up some odds and ends in the kitchen while Gracelynn swings next to him. The bathroom is next on the list - we're going to have a shower again! Who knows, while Dad is tiling in our bathroom, I might just get motivated and finish tiling a backsplash in our kitchen...

Here was our week as follows in photo format:

Gracelynn and Daddy practicing their smiles

Quality time on the couch. :)
First smiles on camera!!!


Yes, I figured it was time to include a picture of Mom/Daughter
Gracelynn and Grandpa eating lunch yesterday (yes, Gracelynn is making nasty faces). She was fussing because Grandpa was ignoring her pleas for the paci...
Yep! He gave in and she konked out!
"Sam the Protector"!!!
He really enjoys laying down right next to her. Yesterday he was licking at her toes (of course she had socks on!) and she was just giggling away. :)
Here they are staring each other down...

Thanks to the time change, Heath almost overslept getting to school on time! Apparently, his phone thought that since the hour changed...so should his alarm! Gracelynn woke us both up on last weekend's "6:30" so he was up, dressed, and gone before I even had time to blink! (Hi Honey! I hope you had time to getting something to eat. Have a great day!)

Hope you all enjoyed the pictures - they really are worth a thousand words.
And ENJOY THIS WEATHER! Our yard is officially "snow"less. :D

Love,
the kelleys

Poor Sam

Good morning everyone!

Gracelynn and I are up and running already. Okay, not literally, that's this afternoon...but I started a few projects this weekend that I'm really excited to finish! Behold! Old, nasty plastic blinds resurrected...

Aren't these awesome? I restrung them with some hemp-like rope...now I just have to clean the porch. :( They have risen from disgusting, spotty sun-bleached blinds to nice/natural wicker!

We hung out with the McGranahan's (our new friends and their 5mo daughter, Quinn) Saturday night and played 500. We were all super pumped that the other couple knew how to play. Unfortunately, the guys won one round (poor me) and then the McGranahan's won the other round (poor us, lol!) Heath and Kyle played pool for a while while Tamika and I changed diapers and talked "mom-talk".

Pretty sure we crashed Sunday afternoon. We went to church with Kyle/Tamika/Quinn on Sunday and then hit Hy-Vee chinese on a last minute whim. Somehow booths seem a lot smaller when you're toating 2 carseats!

Of course, Gracelynn decided to eat right when the pastor began his sermon. Actually, earlier...she decided to spit up while we were singing. She aimed at the pew in front of us and everyone but me and the man in front of us thought it was hilarious that her spit-up dribbled down onto his coat. Nice.

The pastor's message was on laughing at others' misfortune...ironic, huh?

No - I don't want my picture taken!

Seriously...

I'm so done with your pictures, Mom!

Heath and Gracelynn have definitely "bonded" through movies and naps...I find them often just like this:
This is a common late afternoon...

So we come to the final update of this blog...
Poor Sam is heading to the vet clinic this morning to get "fixed". He, fortunately, has no idea and luckily, ran out of dog food yesterday so when I called to schedule him this morning...he was able to fill the 9:00 slot because of his empty stomach. Poor guy. At least it's rainy and wet out and he wouldn't be able to enjoy being outside anyway.

I think that's all for now. I've got a busy morning of laundry and dishes. Somehow...even though I have "help" on the weekends with Heath being home...the dishes/laundry never seem to get done - in fact - they get worse! Oh well!

Have a great day everyone!
love,
the kelleys

P.S.
This is how you will commonly find ME!
I'm pretty sure I'm saying, "Peee'yoou!"

Jog Days

Has anyone else just been loving these last few days?
Gracelynn and I (mostly me :) have been out jogging lately and soaking up this sweatshirt weather. She's a bit more bundled up, of course, but loving it just the same. We jogged 9 blocks to bible study yesterday...whoever thought jogging up a slight incline with a stroller could be so much work??

We've also been visiting Heath at school for lunch.

Below is the birthday cake that...we haven't actually eaten yet because we were so stuffed from Texas Roadhouse. So stuffed, in fact, that we still had leftovers for lunch yesterday! Cactus onions are still just as good the next day. :D

I still have yet to convince Gracelynn that she's not supposed to glare at me when I take pictures. She smiles like crazy until I put the camera up to my face. Well - I tried. :)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

That's all for now...I'm on a misson this weekend. Lol - sometimes I can't sleep because I have all of these crafty ideas to get things in the house finished. I have a design for curtains that I want to sew up here pretty soon, old blinds that I think I can resurect, and a patio that needs to be painted. Have a great weekend everyone!

love,
the kelleys