Gracie had a big day!  We played in the back yard on the new swing set and slid down the new slide!  She also scored a sucker at the bank, watched her new ELMO movie from Uncle Matthew, played with a cat at the Bethany Tag Agency, and got to hang out at the mall and watch the water fountain–of course, in her new ELMO Sandals that the Easter Bunny brought!  Those are the new favorite shoes.  Even if she’s wearing nothing at all, she’s wearing those shoes. 

The potty training’s still hit and miss.  I think some successful mom like all the moms in my Bible Study should hold some kind of potty camp, where I can just send her over to their houses for a week and viola! she’s pooping and peeing in the potty. Not on the floor, not all over the diaper she just took off, not in the bathtub. It is the most frustrating thing about Mommyhood so far. Oh, and breastfeeding- But I digress. I could definitely do without either one of those and still have a very full and pleasant life as a mom.

We spent a lot of time outside and playing with JoJo. (new pics in the gallery!) Then we went to Ma and Da’s for dinner and some more time in the yard, just swinging and running around.  Gracie got to wear her new pajamas and fell asleep right after we’d all had a chance to give her “soft tickles.” Oh, and she’s becoming increasingly obsessed with the character on her diaper.  You know, right in front, where the velcro comes together–some brands have Blue’s Clues, others are Disney, etc.  Her Pull Ups are Disney Princess, but a couple of times they have been Elmo.  Anyway, she throws a HUGE fit if you try to put a diaper on her if it doesn’t have Mickey Mouse on it.  I have to trick her into wearing the Donald Duck ones that come in the same package as Mickey.  She even made sure tonight, going to great lengths to contort her body in all ways as to somehow see the Mickey Mouse on her diaper was still there.  She took all her clothes off then bent her neck down as far as she could, then grabbed her belly and pushed it in, just to get a glimpse of Mickey.  Weird kid!  

Tomorrow’s the well-baby check up!  She’s a little overdue, but Dr. Stephens is so good, I wanted to make sure he was the one who got to see her.  I’m sad she has to get shots.  But I know she’s brave.  Maybe Mommy can be brave too.  I will let you know.

Okay, under the weather wasn’t really the word for it.  And I’m not as tough as I want to be.  Turns out when I went to work on Thursday, I had Dr. B take a look at my ears to see if they were infected.  Yup. Both of ‘em. And a severe sinus infection that wouldn’t have just gone away on its own.  I felt like I was dying!  So I got on antibiotics, too, just not the yummy pink kind Gracie got.  And all without even contacting my stupid insurance, ’cause Dr. B did it for free. He gave me samples so I didn’t have to pay for the meds either. I am starting to feel better, but I’m still pretty weak and useless.  And snotty.  Mmmm.  Needless to say I am grateful for the job I have, even if sometimes I can’t stand it. At least I only work a couple days a week. 

Yay for Easter!  Gracie’s excited to wear her new Easter dress and we’re going to be dying eggs this afternoon.  She also got to go see the Easter Bunny today and she kept asking me to take her back to see him.  We went back about four times. She kept hugging him and asking us to take him home.  Now, why in the world can we not just take the Easter Bunny home with us?  Life just doesn’t make any sense right now.  

Gracie and Mommy smile big before we dye Easter eggs!

But Gracie opted not to nap earlier…so she was VERY unhappy/sleepy by the time we got to the purple egg!

Well, I’ve been a bit under the weather, so that’s why there’s nothing new.  Gracie has been taking antibiotics for the same thing–runny nose and cough.  But I’m toughing it out.  I hate our insurance.  The only thing scarier than not having any health insurance is not having GOOD insurance that God forbid, might actually do you some good.  So goes life.  I’m so grateful that Gracie’s insurance covers her 100%.   

Gracie got to play with Leah and her sisters yesterday.  That was very exciting.  Gracie loves having friends, but friends with older sisters is like the coolest thing ever.  When she goes over there, she gets Leah, Sara, and Beth.  Kelly usually is too busy to hang out because she is so old now–11 is pretty mature–and Miss Kelly hangs out with me and Jan for some ‘adult’ conversation.

Gracie’s potty training is still slow-go, but I have found the best motivator in the world.  We do mini stickers on a chart AND mini marshmallows. This has been highly effecftive.  As Dr. Phil says, everyone has their price.  All it takes is a mention of a marshmallow and Gracie’s running to the potty with her pants down around her ankles.  LOL  Does this surprise anyone at all?  The same kid who walked for the first time to get food off the table?  Well, that’s our life right now.  Nothing too exciting.  There will be pics in the gallery on Easter.   

PS–Please pray for my friend, Sandy, who is a First Church member and comes to Mom’s on Tuesdays.  She is pregnant, but the Dr’s think she was pregnant with twins and one has died.  It’s called a Molar Pregnancy, technically, but somehow there is a possibility that she could get cancer from carrying this baby to term, or that the baby will be born with defects.  It’s a tough situation, and their decision is to not terminate the pregnancy.  There is definitely a strong healthy heartbeat in there right now.  They have so much faith! Please pray that this baby will be fine and that mother and baby will not only survive, but become medical miracles.   Thanks. 

HEY!  IF ANYONE OF YOU HAS SEEN GRACIE’S BABY ERICA, PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY!!!  SHE HAS SOME HOW COME UP MISSING AND GRACIE’S NOT HAPPY.  SHE KEEPS ASKING FOR HER AND I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO TELL HER.  PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP IF YOU SEE HER LYING AROUND YOUR PLACE!  OTHERWISE WE ARE ALL IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.

So we’re back from Colorado. Looky, Looky!

(Left to Right) Me and Chris, Paula and Nathan, Tadd, and Josh and Bonny. We had a ton of fun.  And I got some fun things for Miss Gracie!  When we arrived, we went straight over to Ma and Da’s to pick up that Princess.  She was happy to see us, but there was so much going on!  Aunt Katie and Uncle Jason were there visiting from New York, so Gracie got to spend some time with them.  Aunt Katie taught her the Beatles’ “Here comes the sun.” Here they are hanging out.  Gracie insisted that they sit in the floor next to her.  She’s so funny.

Oh, and she got THESE from her wonderful Mommy, who decided to eat a Happy Meal on the way back from Colorado just for the prize…

Tonight was date night, but since we’d been without her for a week, we made it Family night.  We ate and played at Chuck E Cheese.  Gracie had a blast, but she was exhausted when we got home. She got enough tickets to buy a bracelet and 2 packs of Sweet Tarts. Oh, and a bright red balloon.  All is well.   

Snowed in!  After a Spring Break trip to Durango, CO to ski Purgatory, we headed home.  But we weren’t halfway back to OKC when we met a million semi’s on the highway, just stopped dead in the road.  We sat for awhile, but after a quick look down the highway, and a bunch of us heading over from the church van to an RV to potty–(we got to walk all over the highway and meet some pretty cool old people!) the highway patrolmen came to tell us to get a room, that 1-40’s closed due to the weather and we’re not going anywhere tonight.  So here we are in Albuquerque. Glad we got the news early–the hotel we’re at (and most of them here I imagine,) is booked for the night.  It wouldn’t be so bad if the hotel was as nice as the one we stayed at in Durango.  This one’s without a hot tub or pool, so we’re kinda bored.  Everyone was excited to go to Target earlier.  Okay, on to Gracie…I don’t know.  She’s not with us.  She’s at Ma and Da’s right now (and for the next few days anyway) after spending the weekend at Grandmommy and Grandpa’s house.  She’s having the time of her life.  I miss my Tickle Tickle like crazy!  I can’t wait to give her big hugs and kisses.  Hope to update soon!