New Walker

Graecyn has been taking a few steps here and there, but on Friday she decided she was ready to walk.  She's still crawling every now and then, but for the most part, we officially have a walker.   She's quickly gaining confidence to the point that she now falls down on purpose because she thinks it's hilarious!  She's such a funny little girl.

Look out world!

Happy 1st Birthday, Graecyn Nicole!

Happy first birthday, my sweet baby girl!  One year ago today, at 7:14 a.m., our lives were forever changed.  It is so hard to believe that you're one!  One year ago today, I never could have imagined the silly, spunky, independent, beautiful, blue-eyed girl you have become.  I never could have imagined how happy you make me and your daddy.  You have changed our lives for the better in a million and one ways!   We love you so much, baby girl!!

Over the past month, you have started walking, taking several steps on your own - sometimes provoked, but often you'll just decide on your own to stand up and walk a few steps.  However, you do still prefer to get around by crawling...I guess you figure you can get where you need to be a lot faster this way.  You can also go up stairs lickety split (coming back down, not so much) and just learned how to give high five.

You absolutely LOVE puppies!  You make your barking sound (which sounds more like "ooh, ooh" than "woof, woof") every chance you get.  You cannot sleep without your dolphin stuffed animal near by - you tuck it up under your arm when you're falling asleep (this has been a saving grace for Daddy and me).  You're favorite word is still "uh oh", but you've also mastered mama, daddy, nana and are starting to say hello and puppy.  You are such a sweet girl and love to give hugs and kisses.

Anytime you hear music, you start "dancing" (it's more like bouncing up and down) and it's so cute.  You also love to wear things around your neck (necklaces, ribbons, anything you can find). You have such a great personality - always smiling, giggling, babbling, and making funny noises and faces.

You now have 6 teeth - 4 on top and 2 on the bottom.  You love to eat avocado, greek yogurt, chicken, sausage, apples, and french fries.  There really isn't a food that you do not like.  However, you seem to prefer the food on Daddy and my plate over what's on your plate (even though it's usually the exact same food).  You love your sippy cup - especially if it's filled with water.  We made you a special birthday breakfast today - a pink, star-shaped pancake, which you loved!

We had 3 separate birthday parties for you - one in North Carolina, one in Iowa, and one in Michigan - so that all of your family and friends could be there to celebrate with you.  You mastered the art of opening presents by the 3rd party - you've learned that if you tear off the paper, there's something fun inside.

 

I decided not to do a smash cake for your birthday parties and just did a smash cupcake instead (less mess).  But, I did not want you to miss out on the whole smash cake experience (plus, I really, really wanted cute pictures), so I baked you a cake, set up a photoshoot in our kitchen and snapped away.  Thanks to Daddy's help, we got some pretty cute pictures.

 

Happy, happy birthday, sweet girl!  We love you to the moon and back!

New Years Eve & Graecyn's First Snow

Since we started our Christmas travels on December 19 and didn't return back home to Michigan until December 30, we had to wait until New Years Eve day to celebrate our own Christmas as our family of 3.  We slept in, ate cinnamin rolls for breakfast, and opened our presents.  It was nice to have a way to extend our Christmas celebration a little bit longer.  We spoiled Graecyn with more toys...in hindsight we maybe should have used the money towards her college fund given the masses of toys she received from our families...but what fun is that?

Our traditional pre-present opening family picture

playing with some of her new bathtub toys

Graecyn's present to us she made at daycare.

Graecyn got to see snow while we were in Iowa, but it was so blasted cold that we were not able to take her outside to play in it. So, on New Years Eve day, we took Graecyn out into the snow. I think she liked it! She tried walking in it (with assistance, of course) and kept stumbling and giggling.

 We stretched our celebration through the evening by going out to eat in downtown Rochester and stolling along the sidewalks gazing at the beautiful Christmas lights adorning every building along the downtown strip - the pictures do not do it justice...it is beautiful!

Christmas Fun

Eric, Graecyn and I had a wonderful Christmas!  We were fortunate to be able to spend some time with both of our families allowing them to see Graecyn experience her first Christmas.  We spent four jam-packed days in North Carolina where we squeezed in our niece’s 6^th birthday party at Chuck-e-Cheese as well as Graecyn’s 1^st birthday party (pictures to come later).  Graecyn had so much fun playing with her cousins and seeing her Nana, Granddaddy, aunts and uncles. 

at the airport and ready to fly - hate those early morning flights

having a great time at Chuck-e-Cheese



The Taylor Family

Abbie - Graecyn - Anna

 

Next it was on to Iowa for 7 more jam-packed days of fun!  Unfortunately, we had to spend Christmas Eve morning at the doctor's office as Graecyn came down with the worst cold she's ever had - fever included (her first!).  Fortunately, she started to feel better within a few days, so everyone could see the true happy Graecyn. 

I think Graecyn is going to be a dog lover (which makes Eric and me very happy).  She has become obsessed with dogs - while we were in NC, she became obsessed with a Daschund puppy calendar that Eric's mom has on the kitchen wall.  We couldn't make it through a meal without Graecyn barking at it and "demanding" we bring the calendar to her so she could see it up close (funny thing is that once the calendar was near her, she was scared of the pictures).  In Iowa, she was obsessed with my parent's Golden Retriever, Riley.  Every time she caught a glimpse of him or heard him, she would immediately start making her bark sound and start reaching out for him.  We couldn't walk passed him without stopping to let her pet him.  He was such a good sport (I'm sure he loved the extra attention). 

Graecyn and her cousin Addison got to wear matching outfits on several days (thanks Addison and Juli!), which was so cute.  I was able to spend a few hours catching up with a great friend and former roomie - it was the first time I had seen her in over 2 years (and the first time meeting her son).  We also squeezed in another 1st birthday party for Graecyn with her Iowa family (pictures to come later).

We had a fantastic time visiting both families and were very spoiled - Graecyn especially!  She has so many new toys, I don't think she knows what to do!  She has enjoyed playing with the boxes the toys came in as much as she's enjoyed playing with the actual toys!



matching pjs

Addison - Graecyn - Colton

matching cousins

Guess who snuck into Gramma & Papa's room...busted!

Holly - Blake - Graecyn - Brooke

Boxes are so much fun!