Is this what you were talking about?

I've read many moms' posts about their SWEET little girls (and a couple of boys too), and how sometimes they have terrible tantrums. . .Is this what you were talking about?

Notice her on sitting on the floor? When she doesn't get her way, she drops to her bottom almost instantly and will sit there and fuss until I go get her. Only once has she gotten up on her own and it was because she saw us putting on our shoes to leave the house. If she's really mad, the sitting position escalates to laying on the ground bouncing her bottom up and down on the floor and moving in circles around herself!

 

Just seconds before I took the pictures above, here is sweet Gracyn using sign language:

EAT

 

PLEASE (her modified version)

 

I guess she was REALLY hungry!

Bonding with Daddy, but where is Amazing Gracyn?

After meeting Gracyn in Taiwan and her rejection of me, I was fully convinced and had prepared DH to be ready to take care of her. When we got home, while she was happy to see DH and let him carry her, the opposite of what I had anticipated happened.

Gracyn allowed me to feed, bathe, change, and put her down to sleep, even in Taiwan. At home, I became the only one that she would allow to do most of these things. Always happy to go outside with Daddy, but never in a car without me, and still screams if he tries to put her down for bed or comfort her during the middle of the night. Lucky me!

In all honesty, while I'm fortunate to be the one that can comfort her, it's been hard. We all need sleep, and we all need a break, right? In the past month Gracyn and Daddy are taking baby steps together. As you can see below, she loves to play with water and the hose, which is something Daddy started doing with her. Fun for a while, yes, but the rejection she dishes out to him is still very hard. Hard on him, hard on me to watch, hard on me because that means it's still up to Mommy, hard on brother because that means he has to always give up mommy to sister. . .

Pictures don't lie, so you can tell that Gracyn and Daddy are bonding, and for that, I thank our Heavenly Father. If you feel Gracyn on your heart this week, please pray for her to open hers just a little more to Daddy. The reward of being able to pick up your crying child and having them stop instantly is amazing, isn't it? You know you're their parent at that moment, right? Your arms are where they feel safe, and loved. Your smell, your touch, the sight of your face is instant comfort. I can attest to the amazing feeling it was to experience this with Gracyn. Even more amazing because the sight of me used to terrify her. I only had to wait 10 days or so, and well, Daddy is still waiting and really deserves and needs to experience an "AMAZING" Gracyn.

 

 

 

 

To Daddy,
Hang on just a little longer. . .I will show you what amazing is.
Love, Gracyn

Many faces of Gracyn. . .

Gracyn has many faces that speak a thousand words. One of pure joy, one of peace but deep in thought, one of innocence, one for play time, and one funny little crinkly face too! I love them all! But her crinkly nose one always makes me do the same thing right back at her!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My 2 Lil' Punkins!

I can't believe Halloween is here. . .what I consider to be the first of "THE" holidays, and Gracyn is home with us!

So, I've decided that the day I posted the 7 things about me, I was absolutely drained. . .Mommy-brained-out. . .after reading the posts of the much funnier moms that I lovingly tagged, not because I think they're BOOOOREED (LOL), I thought I better change it up and borrow some fun from Jackie!

In the spirit of Halloween, here are 7 SCARY things about me that you didn't know:

1. When I worked at a pizza parlor I let people use expired coupons, and could never get the pepperoni smell out from under my nails. I'd even dig them into a bar of soap and let them sit. . .

2. When I worked at the Dim Sum restaurant, YES, I pushed around a cart with food. . .I'd yell out, "Ha Gow" (shrimp dumplings) or "Sui Mai" (pork dumplings) or "Pi-goot" (steamed pork) and with my great accent people believed I spoke Chinese. Guess what? I'd stare blankly when they stopped pointing and putting up one finger, and started speaking in Chinese.

3. Before DH proposed I asked him one day (well, I asked several times before this) when he was going to propose and he said "One year." So, I got a calendar and marked it 365, 364, 363. . .until the year was up. . .I think he ended up proposing after that, but of course, I still said yes.

4. As a child I was obsessed with numbers and counting. I'd lay in bed counting the number of slats on my window blinds, I'd count the number of steps on a stairwell going up and down.

5. I have an impeccable memory (well, I used to) and still remember the phone numbers, addresses, and birth dates of kids I knew in elementary school. Funny I have to ask DH whether his is the 10th or the 11th all the time! LOL

6. I lived in 2 houses until I moved out of my parents' home, but lived in at least 6 places in my college years, and lived in 4 different houses in 5 years with my DH.

7. When I eat, I have make sure the last bite is perfect. A little rice, a little meat, a little veggie all mixed together. Oh, and with cereal, the last serving (I usually eat 3-4 in a sitting, has to be just right - not too soggy, milk not to sugary)

8. I know, I said 7, but what the heck, 8 is a lucky number. . .when I'm stressed, nervous or bored I pick at a spot on my head. . .after I came back from Taiwan my hairdresser gasped. . .I now have a bald spot. I need to find a new habit!

So, there you have it. . .hope these were worth reading. So, here's the FUN part for you. . .comment with the funniest or scariest FACT about yourself by 10/14 and I'll send the WINNER a bag of their favorite Halloween Candy!

Here's Peyton willing to sit on a punkin!

 

And daddy's getting Gracyn's approval on the first of many punkins!

 

The picture I've waited to take for so long!

 

Peyton showing his sister some love!

 

Gracyn made it to the top of the Hay tower! (with my help of course!)

 

I've been tagged. . .

I've been tagged by Shannon!!! Well, as you can see from the rules above, here are my "seven". . .

1. I eat more sweets than veggies or fruit on a daily basis. Cookies and brownies.

2. I don't cook or do dishes. (But don't worry, my family is fed. Gong-Gong cooks and DH washes.)

3. I LOVE to eat. . .funny looking at #2 above, but explains #1.

4. If I had time, I'd explore photography! I love to take pictures.

5. Never played sports (unless gymnastics counts), but danced all my life.

6. I clean the kitchen floors by getting onto all fours and wiping with a towel.

7. I like to clean the bathrooms. (Good exchange for no cooking, right?)

Let's see, I get to tag SEVEN people. . .hmmm. . .(click on names to link to their sites1)

Jackie
Judy
Ramona
Sarah W.
Sofa
Staci (Be sure to keep your eye on this one!)
Tami

Have fun! Can't wait to see your SEVEN!

Magic by Sarah (Hannah Claire's Mommy). . .

Favorite Pictures of the First Month with Gracyn

So, I was a little late coming home from Taiwan, and I'm a little late with this post. . .I wanted to capture the first month with Gracyn. She's changed so much already, it's unbelievable!