Happy Birthday TWO you!

Grace,
My sweet girl, my peanut . . . how can you possibly be TWO already? I'm not so sure I can handle you growing up. I was on the verge of tears all weekend . . . watching you try out your new tricycle, hearing you talk in sentences, and watching a little bit of your birthday video from last year (you were still such a baby).

Last year on your birthday you had only been walking a few months, now you are running, jumping, dancing, and pretty much on the go all day long. Last year you were barely talking, just a few words here and there and now you are talking non-stop about anything and everything and it is the cutest, sweetest thing ever.

I can't get over how smart you are . . . you know your colors (purple has been #1 in your eyes for quite some time now) and most shapes, you can count to 10 (although you miss 4 most of the time), and can sing most of the ABC's. You also love to sing "You are My Sunshine" and "Jesus Loves Me". You are sensitive and loving . . . you adore your baby brother so much and constantly shower him with hugs and kisses. You are feisty and stubborn, very strong-willed and a total drama queen (sometimes this part of your personality is challenging for me, but God is teaching me how to mother you in a way that encourages the beauty of those traits and discourages the negative aspects of them).

You are very social . . . you love being around people and playing with your cousins (although sharing is kind of tough for you), but you usually take a good 10 or 15 minutes to warm up to new situations before you feel comfortable. You are pretty much the cutest little girl in the world.

Some of your favorite things right now are: your babies (your favorite toy since you were a baby), rough-housing with Daddy, actually doing ANYTHING with Daddy, candy, coloring, your baby brother Vince, cows, pigs, chickens, anything that has to do with princesses, ice-cream, playing with your cousins, giving kisses and hugs, talking on the phone (to both real and imaginary people), playing outside (you would be outside all day if I let you), your new trike, cooking with Mama, oatmeal for breakfast, helping with just about anything, being read to and reading to yourself, dancing and jumping, eating blueberries, stickers, playing in the water, wearing dresses, yogurt, anything sweet to eat . . .

You are such a blessing to me, and to our family, Grace. You bring us so much joy, I can't even put it into words. Your sweet little smile, the adorable twinkle in your eyes, your goofy little personality, your thoughtfulness and love . . . how did I get so lucky?

Although you growing up is a little hard for me, I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for you . . . all the amazing and wonderful ways you are going to change. I know that a year from now I will be even more in love with the beautiful person that God is molding you to be. I love you so very, very much, my sweet girl.

Happy Birthday, Grace Addison!
Love,
Mama

She "needed" a trike like Cousin Jake . . .
These next pictures need some explaining . . . Saturday afternoon Grace played and played and played outside at Grandma Jones' with Jake and Max. They swam, played in the sandbox and pretty much ran around like wild monkeys. We came home and she took a nap and then we were going to go back to Mom and Dad's for a weenie roast. She woke up from her nap and kept saying, "hold me Mama, hold me" and we just thought she was having a hard time waking up. We went to Mom and Dad's, but after a little while there, it was very apparent that Grace wasn't feeling well, so we came home. We took her temperature and it was 104. Of course that put me into panic mode because she has never had a fever that high . . . I am so thankful that we can call the doctor any time of the day or night and have someone call us back. The nurse reassured us that she would be fine and that her brains wouldn't fry . . . so with some Tylenol (well, the generic brand since you can't find Tylenol on the shelves these days) Grace got a very, very restless nights sleep. (My Mom and I have since diagnosed her with Fifths Disease).

Of course we wanted her to be up and at 'em the next morning since it was her birthday . . . but when she woke up . . . she was not impressed. "How old are you Grace?" Poor kiddo . . . She went back to sleep (until 11:30 a.m.) and after a tubby, we tried the whole trike thing again with MUCH better success . . . We celebrated with Tom's family . . . remember the pink polo shirt from last year? Without any prompting, Tom pulled it out to wear for his girlie's birthday. :) And no . . . no elaborate party like last year. That is strictly for 1st birthday's only . . . I better start planning Vince's party now!What kid doesn't like MONEY? This is so "Grace" right now . . . lots of "stuff" around her and she'll say "MINES" if you try and go near it . . . After a nap (and another hard time waking up), and a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Jones we went to one of Tom's lawnmowing ladies anniversary parties . . . ha! When we got home, Grace was dying to get on her trike and ride it OUTSIDE.
Looking up at her Daddy . . . I know I'll say it every year, but I just can't believe she's changed . . .