Didn't take Dad long! Here ya go...some pics he sent in an email...

The group photo is all of my immediate family plus an extra cousin thrown in there :)

The three bellies :)

Dad wanted this particular shot the moment we all got there...I'm 30 weeks, Megan is 37 weeks and Jone is 14 I think? Sadly I think I have the biggest belly...

More pics...

Taken at my cousin's wedding...great food, awesome music, sadly this pregnant lady couldn't dance as much as she usually does!

Proud of my Mom and sisters-in-law for dancing for me!

A fabulous family reunion

It was so great to see cousins I hadn't seen in 4 years and aunts and uncles and most importantly great to see my parents and brothers and sisters-in-law...Grace was attached at the hip to my niece Jessica and my brother Jeff...after she made the rounds of hello's to the extended family she seemed most comfortable with her aunts and uncles and of course her Mimi and Pop-pop. I've already heard many times since, how much she misses them now. The highlight of the trip for me, I think, was the visit we made to see my Grandma and Grandpa Lee (or Papa Tom and Gigi as the grandkids call them). They live about 1 1/2 hours from where the reunion was so we all took turns going to see them and it reminded me of when I used to stay with them as a child...Gigi and David played a marble game, Grace got to color in Gigi's beloved flower book and leave her name and the date for all to see that she'd been there :) Papa Tom looked great (or he's a great actor) and had some great conversation with David...A memory I'll keep for a long time, it was a great visit :)
Unfortunately (well actually fortunately, because my Dad takes excellent pictures) since my Dad, aka the Paparazzi, took a zillion pictures while we were there, and I figured what was the point, I don't have any other pictures of the trip until I get a copy from Dad (hint, hint :)

David teaching Grace to tie a knot while we waited for our 2nd flight into Kansas City...

All that learning apparently tired her out...

Lollipops always help with ear pain on the ascent and descent!

No new pictures until next week...

I posted all the current ones I have and am excited to fill the camera with pictures of my family this weekend at the reunion! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, 'see' you next week!

Girly Girl

I got this dress and these flip flops today for Grace to wear to my cousin's wedding on Friday night and made her try them on so I knew they'd fit...she LOVED them (she is so much fun to shop for now, she DELIGHTS in new clothes and shoes and says over and over "Thank you Mommy for my new 'fill in the blank'!" Anyway, she felt so girly in this new dress that she asked to get down her make-up kit that Granny got her last year (only comes out for special make up occasions (i.e. we're not going out anytime soon and the make up comes off before we do!)

Grace's Little Sister

Grace has seen this little one go from a newborn to a big girl now and they have a pretty cool bond, if you ask me...Ava has taught Grace alot about sharing and nurturing and prepared her for having a baby brother and Grace in turn has taught Ava about love and the protection of a big sister-figure (and of course "Mine" and a few other naughty habits along the way :) We got lucky yesterday and got to watch Ava for a few hours...it's such a treat now because we really do miss Ava and Ellie and seeing them on a regular basis!

Ringling Bro's and Barnum and Bailey Circus

Last Saturday we took Grace to the circus...went with her good friend Tayla and her parents...the girls had a blast, dancing and clapping most of the time...at about the 2 hour mark however, Grace seemed to lose interest (I have to admit, so did I! :)

The life of a 3 year old...Happy Moments...

And not so happy moments...

Ahhhh, all is right with the world watching your hubby read a book to your darling little girl, both curled up nice and cozy together...then all hell breaks loose... ;)
This was taken last night, a battle over baked zucchini...I could eat a whole pan of this, sliced yellow squash and zucchini, a bit of olive oil drizzled over them, then baked in the oven, mmmmmm.....she managed to get the squash down somehow (she chases it with milk) but the zucchini was another story...it took FOREVER to get her to eat it, I was ready to go on my nightly post-dinner walk (helps with my numbers) and threatened to go without her, hence the tears...it's hard being 3.

This song cracked me up....really, Ms. Jenny?! "Push it"???!!

As if the song choice wasn't funny enough, the prop was TURKEY BASTERS! Too funny.

Tapa- tapa - tapa!

This was taken a week ago and a lot has changed...

So here ya go, a somewhat current picture of me that I'm not too fond of :) But it shows the water weight I was carrying, in general I had been feeling really really tired, horrible mood swings, my ankles were really swollen, just not a pretty picture! A couple of days later, I got the call from the doc saying I have gestational diabetes and began a pretty strict regimented diet and have since lost 3 pounds! No more swelling, no more mood swings, I feel great all of the time and so does Thomas, he is kicking up a storm again. I have to test my blood sugar levels 4 times a day and so far the diet has kept them in a normal range so I'm hoping to avoid insulin shots. I eat 6 small meals a day and although I do miss sugar, it's hard to deny the fact that this diet is keeping us healthy and may even prevent the pre eclampsia!

Another dance class, a TINY bit of improvement

She's still standing off to the side most of the 'creative' portion of the class, hold the props but will not dance with them or follow the group. But as soon as the tap portion of the class begins, she is as giddy as can be, stands at the bar and does heel-toes, and shuffles and watches Ms. Jenny, tries to do exactly as she does...she loves it! Videos to follow...

No nap that day, she just didn't seem all that tired and it was actually easier just to let her stay up...

So about 5:00 Daddy is reading her a book on the couch and we both notice she is moving very slowly, lots of heavy 'blinking' :)

Daddy suggested she lay on his chest for a backrub...

Sound asleep under that hair, within minutes...

And THIS was the aftermath

Why on earth she woke up miserable is beyond us, she didn't get out of that funk for quite some time...

Playgroup

We really look forward to Tuesday mornings around here because of playgroups, whether they're at our house or someone else's! Yesterday we went to Tayla's house, she has an amazing backyard.

"There'll be no slippin' and slidin' for me Mama! Careful, planned steps..."

"Whoa...a little slippery right here!"

"I did it!"

Poor, poor Buddy...

Donut Date Fridays

Friday mornings we take our time getting ready and out the door to school so we stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way for some special Mommy/Grace time...she loves their strawberry frosted ones!

Would you just look at this etiquette?! :) Rare glimpse of it I assure you...

These pictures actually make me sad! She looks like she's so much older than 3, she's growing too fast :(

We missed our 2nd dance class due to strep throat last week so I kind of figured today's class would be like the first one all over again...she did stay to the side of the group at first and then Ms. Jenny made a huge effort to talk to her and pull her in towards the group and by the end of the class she was tapping away and having a blast!

Moooom! Pictures again, really?!

Random shots