Baby Sale!

• No not my baby for sale, Gymboree is having a baby sale that ends on Sunday. All sale stuff is marked down 20-30% with an additional 20% off with a coupon they sent in the mail. I am usually a Baby GAP fan but I took this opportunity to get Grace some deals for the summer AND I earned my first GYMBUCKS. Whoo-hoo.

• The last thing this kid needs is more clothes but it's a disease...And my excuse is that most of her 3 rubbermaid totes full of 6-12 month clothes are for winter because they are hand me downs from Ally. Sure, anything to make me feel better.

• I got some cute cropped pants, tees, and cardigan from the "Tulip" collection, a couple of frilly tanks with a matching pink cardigan, two pink and brown gingham bubble suits, and jammies with scotties on them. TOO CUTE!! Now all we need is for it to stop snowing...

On your Sock

Heres a funny for ya. I am upstairs on the computer going through Grace's 6 month pictures that Nicole took trying to narrow them down. I go into Grace's room to ponder a photo arrangement and I hear music drifting up the stairs where Adam is feeding Grace. He has the iPod on and is listening to Pachelbel's Cannon in D (you know the wedding song- don't ask me why). Only he is singing his own words to it including the refrain, "you have carrots on your sock, carrots on your sock, carrrrrots on your sockkkk". I about lost it laughing at him. Weirdo :)

4-Wheelin'

Grace went on her first 4-wheel ride at Grandma and Grandpa Dawson's on Sunday. I strapped her into the Baby Bjorn and put a coat on over the two of us and off we went. Daddy drove pretty slow and she seemed to really enjoy it and even acted like she was going to fall asleep. 6 months old and she already has been on the back of a 4-wheeler!

Yea!!!

Grandma Ann taught Grace how to clap last week. She is very proud of herself and practices a lot. She randomly starts clapping then looks around to make sure someone is watching to make a big deal out of how smart she is.

Photoshoot

Nicole took Grace's 6 month pictures on Saturday. My usually happy baby made poor pregnant Nicole work for those smiles! Her shoot was complete with 4 wardrobe changes including a PINK TUTU. Her uncle Scott said she should be a baby model but I am pretty sure he's a little biased. Nicole couldn't get over how she has grown and her rolls and chubs. She put a sneak peek up on her blog. As usual, she did a beautiful job and I can't wait to see the rest!

Alumni Meet

The Spartan Gymnastics Alumni Meet was heald last Saturday. It has now been 6 years since I was done competing gymnastics at MSU. That is crazy! What is even crazier is that no matter how much time has passed when we get together its as if no time has passed at all. We have been through it all together and I am pretty sure we are going to be laughing at eachother and hanging out when we are 80 reminicing about the good old days!

I am the first of the group to have a baby which means Grace is absolutely adored and spoiled by her many aunties. As you can see from the picture above she actually had four of them laying on the floor taking her picture at one time. The waitress at Max and Erma's wasn't sure who she belonged to she was loved so much. I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and only wish we live closer together.

Some other memories from the weekend:

• all the kiddos on the first place stand
• lining up on the floor and Kathie making us introduce ourselves while we all groaned
• Gabe wanting to meet the "real gymnasts" (not us old wash-ups)
• Drinking in the lobby of the Kellogg Hotel
• Kathie buying us 4 bottles of wine
• Telling stories of all the trouble we got in in college
• Buffy falling off the couch
• Linder's vault run
• Petey's Africa stories- a monkey biting her for a lollypop!
• "See you around like a donut!" and "I miss you already!"

1/2 Birthday

To my sweet baby girl,

Today you turned 6 months old! Half a year, 26 weeks, 184 days. What did I do before you came into my life? It seems like it was just yesterday I was sitting in a hospital bed with you in my arms and we were getting to know each other. You looked into my eyes and I took your little hand in mine and I knew that I was put on this earth to be your mom. It's been said that a baby fills a place in your heart that you didn't know was empty. Mine in brimming over with gratitude and love for you.

You are so much fun right now. You smile and talk and interact with us. Everyone comments on how "vocal" and happy you are. They say how lucky we are to have such a wonderful baby. You started sitting up a few weeks ago and your favorite pastime is playing with paper, your ring stacker, and tooling around in your walker. Your little hands are reaching and grabbing everything! You have no interest in crawling yet but love to stand and bounce and step. Your favorite foods are sweet potatoes and applesauce. Your best friend is Dooley. You love to pet him and smile and laugh when he gets close and licks your face and hands.

You are definitely a girl after my own heart. The only time you get upset or grumpy is when your hungry or tired. You are a girl who knows what she wants and that will serve you well in life! You are the spitting image of Daddy. I love that when I look at you I see him. You have also made me love the parts of myself that I see in you. Your long fingers and toes, that nose, your ears, those thighs(!), the eyebrows that knit in concentration.

I thank God for you everyday and wonder what I did to deserve you. Happy half birthday baby....I love you.

Love,

Mama