A Fellow Round Head...

Grace has never been one to actively watch television or movies. That doesn't include the occasional Oprah or The View being on while she is playing but she doesn't pay much attention to the t.v., unless a commercial comes on with a catchy jingle. We really try to limit the amount of t.v. that is on while Grace is awake.

Grace has again been struggling with her B.M.'s (bowel movements). We had a pretty bad episode on Tuesday where she was really straining and very uncomfortable. She would cry in pain every 30 minutes or so, the poor thing. To relax her I put PBS television. I wanted to distract her so that she was not focusing on her B.M. (or lack there of). We happen to catch an episode of Caillou - it was immediate love at first sight. She perked up at the t.v. and excitedly said, "Mmmm." That is her way of telling us she likes something. Grace sat still and watched the entire half hour episode - I have never seen her sit still for a half hour even when she is sick. She watched and enjoyed the entire program and she signed for more when the show was over. It was unbelievable.

As illustrated in the picture included in this entry, I don't need to point out the obvious - Caillou's round head. In fact, his family which includes 2 androgynous looking parents (Doris and Boris, no joke) and a little sister Rosie who has red hair and is always in trouble are the picture perfect round heads! I guess it was only natural she be attracted to her own kind, but this was just too uncanny.

If you find yourself bored out of your mind or looking for an idea of what the kids are watching these days, flip on PBS at around 12:30 p.m. to get your fill of a fellow, favorite round head - Caillou!

Drum Roll Please....

Thanks to those who voted for Grace's Halloween costume. I really do appreciate the input.

After much time spent looking for the perfect costume - I have decided that Grace will be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. The decision was difficult but since Grace rarely keeps a clip or anything in her hair, I didn't think she would keep a hood or mask for one of the animal costumes any where near her face. Plus, I found an adorable, handmade, original Dorothy costume on Ebay. It will be cute! I have also ordered a pair of red shoes and we will put one of her stuffed animal, dogs in a basket since she loves to carry things around her arm anyway.

I love Halloween - can't wait to dress Miss Grace up - maybe Daddy will be the Tin Man or Scarecrow. I think he would say I would make a great Wicked Witch of the West. We may be on to something....

Snotty Kids!

I have one. Not in the bratty sense but as in the constant runny nose...I have that germ-ridden kid that runs around with an endless snotty nose. Pre-Grace days I never understood how a parent could allow their child to have all that goop hanging from their nose. I thought, just wipe that kid's nose, geez!

I now understand - they choose their battles. For the past 5 days I have chased Grace around with a Kleenex to manage her extremely runny/snotty nose and she fights me with every wipe. As the day progresses, I find myself fighting her less and even allowing her to wipe her nose on my shirt when she comes to snuggle or hug me...I know, so gross but it gets the job done even if I am changing my shirt 3 times a day. But to fight her means to either her cry and even scream, so some times in the essence of peace and quiet I chose not to. I know this is universal - every child despises washing their face or wiping their nose. So, I leave you with this adorable but snotty kid! I hope tomorrow we wake up with a clear nose...and I know the poor thing is sick of it too!

Happy Thursday!

Who's excited for the hour long episode of The Office tonight??? This show is so funny. I love YouTube as well - a little something I found. Great show....Happy Thursday!

Oh no, Say its Not So!

Grace has a cold which means I have not had much sleep over the last 2 nights and I am now feeling really tired and not so well myself.

It also means I have little energy to do much, so this afternoon after giving Grace a dose of Benadryl so that she can get a much needed nap and rest. I decided to do exactly that and sit on the couch and flip on the t.v. Forget the laundry or cleaning or even the projects I have to finish. I will do something mindless and relax and watch daytime t.v.! It is something I don't normally do during the day as I find daytime television a pure waste of my time and brain cells.

Well, this afternoon in a moment of weakness and pure exhaustion, I turned on the tube to relax. Have you ever heard of Steve Wilkos or the Steve Wilkos Show? Steve is best known as the bodyguard on the Jerry Springer Show - you know the big, bald guy that always jumped in the middle of usually large and trashy guests when disputing who is the baby's daddy. I am not a Jerry Springer fan nor have watched the show that often but I did have the fortunate luck to once attend a taping of the show. Our show never aired - Jerry actually called it in the middle of taping - I never understood why since the premise of the show was a woman who was in a love with a chicken...and the audience was prompted by no other than Steve to yell out, "Chicken Whore...." Oh yes, it was a classy moment in my life....

Well, Steve now has his own show - The Steve Wilkos Show. It is just as trashy and interesting as the Jerry Springer Show. How does this happen? How could America want more of this trash? It shouldn't surprise me but it does. So after enduring 10 minutes of this awful show, I am back at the computer trying to regain the 10 brain cells that were lost during my t.v. time.

Get that Monkey Off my Back!

Please meet the monkey, Grace's newest friend. Well, actually he was purchased at the Cleveland Zoo during our visit last month. The plan was to keep him in Cleveland for future stays. However, my mom brought him to her last week, so began her love affair. She carries this monkey around the house and even around her neck - this from a girl who won't keep a hat or hair bow on without ripping it off. She wears the monkey either her back or carrying him with his neck under her armpit. It is pretty darn cute!

I was trying to feed Grace her breakfast and I had to alternate bites of her oatmeal between her and this freakin' monkey. She even wanted me to carry the monkey around my neck - trust me it looks a lot cuter on her. She even put the monkey in her dolly stroller and walked him around the living room. It cracks me up the way she will entertain herself and her family for that matter.

I currently have my own monkey on back - my own personal dilemma - what should Grace be for Halloween?? I know this is not a huge problem, please sense my sarcasm here but is a hard decision for me at the moment. I go back and forth between - a cute animal that she would recognize - you know monkey, cow, duck, pig ( my personal favorite) or something more girlish like a butterfly, lady bug, princess, etc. So, I ask my faithful readers (if I have any?!?!), please cast your vote and help me in this decision! I have narrowed down a few ideas...please cast your vote! Also, note that with each idea I would make it really cute...not that you would think differently! Thanks.

Dancing Queen!

Before I get to business with my next entry, I am happy to say that Grace did her business yesterday without the help of a suppository. Hallelujah! We were both thrilled. Just wanted to give you an update, in case you were worried!








Grace loves to dance. When she hears music she always sways her little hips and shakes her booty. In fact, she can be prompted to dance just by us singing, "Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake...shake your booty, shake your booty." She does it on demand. It is pretty funny. Her moves are like an old man at a wedding - a little awkward! At our music class this week, she broke into the most odd moves I have ever seen - a little bit of hip shaking with one arm scrunched up by her side, it made the room laugh and made me think the unfortunate - she has her dads dance moves. Sad but true. I need to get the video camera rolling to capture more of these awkward but adorable moments. It was actually this footage that inspired me - this is probably one of the funnier things I have seen on Youtube.

Where's the Poop????

That is the question of the hour at our household, "Where is the Poop?!?!?" This is no joke. Our darling little girl has not had any movement in over 2 days and it is not for a lack of trying. She works on it and then nothing, followed by a very sad and painful cry. It is heart-wrenching. I have tried everything BUT the dreaded suppository. That is next and that should be fun...oh, the joys of parenthood!

I woke up at 6 am thinking about where the poop is and how I will relieve my precious little one. Not something I ever dreamed would be my first thoughts to start the day. But then again, I can't imagine what she is thinking...especially when she is working so hard at it and then nothing. The worst part is that I can't immediately take that pain away and I hope she knows that. I talk her through each episode but I am not sure she knows what is going on....oh, that poor little girl! Who knew it had to be this hard?? Especially since she eats more fruit then anything else - this should not be her problem!

If you are reading this first thing in the morning, I am sorry if I have ruined your breakfast. I know thoughts of mine are seeming pretty gross at the moment. So, say a little prayer, keep those fingers crossed that we find this poop! Either way, I don't think this is going to end pretty...

Good Morning!

This weekend was a busy one and I am tired this Monday morning. My dear husband leaves early for work, so his not so quiet morning routine usually gets me out of bed before 7am. Especially, when my guilt as a stay at home mom (aka - housewife) pulls me out of the comforts of my cozy cocoon to make his lunch and see him off. I know, I am great wife! I am lucky that Grace is a sleeper and normally doesn't rise before 8am and many times isn't up before 9am! We are talking 12 -14 hours of sleep. I am blessed. This morning I have been listening to her adorable babble for the last 20 minutes, she is up earlier than usual - 7:15ish. I feel compelled to run in there and see my precious darling who is so fun and happy first thing in the morning. But I use this time to quickly shower and get dressed, otherwise it gets harder to do as the morning goes on. I love this part of the day even when I am tired. I look forward to seeing Grace smile and hug me and we enjoy our morning milk and coffee. She never really cries in the morning when she wakes up and she could sit and entertain herself in the crib for 30-40 minutes. I let her have this time as I think it is good for her.

Well, I am going to go and start my day with little Grace. I hope today is good day for all!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday, she is of course 30 and holding....as that would only make me just 8 or at least under 30!

My mom has a photo in her house of her mother and two grandmother's that reads - " I am the woman I am because of the women that came before me". I think it was a gift from my aunt, her sister. I love it. I think that is a such a true statement.

It makes me realize what a great woman Grace will be, she has so many wonderful examples to follow....Love to you all.

Teacher's Pet

Once a week Grace and I take a music class together, where we spend an hour singing and dancing around with a dozen other mom's and their precious little ones. I am sure it would cause many of you to laugh if you saw me. Well, it is fun and Grace love's the time with the other kids. To get her ready for class or school as I call it, I tell her, " we are going to school and you are going to see the kids!" She gets SOOO excited. I think it's just the word kids that she hears that gets her so pumped up.

Grace is well known in the class by the other mom's as an outgoing and silly kid. She always walks around the room greeting each child with much enthusiasm. It includes lots of talking and hand waiving. However, sometimes it can get crazy - she has been known to pull hair and hug a little too hard. Nonetheless, it is a very sincere form of excitement and affection!

Well, today the teacher coined her the "mother hen" of the class and here I always thought of her as "Chicken Little." Anyhow, she was given this nickname today because she made it a point to check out each child and even greet the newcomer by kneeling down and smiling at him. She runs around the class clapping and making herself known! I know my Gracie and her passionate and sincere appreciation for other kids - I know she is just thrilled to be around other's her age, especially since it includes singing and dancing!

After the teacher's observation this afternoon, it dawned on me that she does have this quality. If she is drinking her milk and one of her dolls is in eyesight she always pretends to feed them and share her drink. Or each morning when I greet her in the crib she usually hands me her beloved Ralphie (a stuffed giraffe) to kiss first. Sometimes I have to do this before she let's me pick her up. She is the little mother hen . It warms my heart and makes me excited to one day give her a little sister or brother that she can bring under her little wing or probably just boss them around!

Let's face it a mother hen is great quality to have but it also can be mistaken for other things like bossy, nosy, stubborn and even quirky...hey wait that sounds like how our loved one's would describe Mike and me in some aspect or another....hmmm, and we wonder where she get's it from!

Road Rage!

Grace is a very happy kid, she is always smiling, laughing and talking. The one place that Grace has no patience for is the car. She is content for about 10 minutes and then she gets antsy and annoyed, and the whining begins! Watch out. She has major road rage.

Although, there is one thing that instantly quiets her - The Fisher Price CD, Songs and Games For The Road. It is an adorable collection of well known child tunes, like Row, Row, Row your Boat and The Wheels on the Bus. She seriously is comforted by these tunes and of course this is too cute.

We had to use this CD to calm Miss Grace this weekend while driving - Mike was stunned with how well it worked and how quickly she was calmed! Although, by the 3rd song I thought he might steer the car into a tree to avoid what sounded like the Chipmunk's rendition of " John Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt." I couldn't help laughing at her sudden catatonic state and his bout of anxiety - it was comical to say the least!

Well, when we got home and I was able to set Grace free and gave her some much needed outdoor time. I realized that it isn't so much the car that she despises but the fact that she is confined to the car seat and unable to move freely. Here is a picture after our somewhat long car ride (mind you 35 minutes at the most).

Free at last, free at last.....

Ah ha!

It is a round world after all - things ares so cyclical - especially when you have something on your mind and then you see it featured on Oprah in the same morning! As I stated in the previous post, I had a Beatles song in my head which made me think about the LOVE show and remember how great that performance was. Well, I think I know where I heard a Beatles song this morning - it was probably in a preview for today's Oprah show. She featured Julie Taymor and her new production, "Across the Universe" that will be released on September 21st. For those who have not heard, it is a love story set to the music of the Beatles, featuring 35 songs! It looks great and is one of those musicals that you will want to get up and sing! I haven't been very excited about a movie in a long time but I look forward to this one. This is great!

Where is the "LOVE"?

I heard a Beatles song on the t.v. this morning, to be honest I can't recall exactly what song it was, but it made me think of the Cirque Du Soleil performance of LOVE. LOVE is the Cirque's celebration of the music legacy of The Beatles. For my 30th birthday last January Mike took me on a surprise trip to Las Vegas, we had a great time. One of the major highlights of the trip was the LOVE show at the Mirage - it was amazing! The best show I have seen. I loved it. So, TGIF - here is a little teaser...if you are planning an upcoming trip to Las Vegas, this is a must see!

Ah Dah!

That is DOG in Grace's terms. She hears a bark and proudly points to either a dog or somewhere in the distance knowing there is one near bye. It is adorable. On our walks she will excitedly point out every dog we pass. I have noticed that she not only checks out each dog with much enthusiasm but the dog seems to notice her most as well. She particularly likes small dogs as naturally they are more her size and appear less threatening, although I really do not think that any dog scares her.

Chicago is a very dog-friendly city. I feel like there are 100's of dog type shops (i.e, boutiques, grooming, doggy day care, etc.) through out the city. To put it in perspective, the major street in our neighborhood has 2 dog boutiques and no baby shops, and there are tons of babies in our area.

I would love to get a cute, little dog for Grace but our apartment is already crowded and it would be unfair to the dog and me who would have to clean up after it! I am already picking up after two kids - that is Grace and Mike - and I can only handle cleaning one babies behind! Luckily, our dog friendly city and parks provides Grace with her fill of Dah on daily basis.