Priceless

Grace was so cute yesterday afternoon! She was running around the upstairs, back and forth along the hall, and I was chasing her. She finally ran into our room to the far side of the bed. There's a table that has a full length cloth on it, and she decided to hide under the table. So as I came around to that side of the bed I realized I couldn't see her, but I could still hear her! She was hiding under the table, giggling whenever I said "Where's Grace? I don't see Grace. Where could she be?" She tried to be quiet a few times, but she couldn't help but laugh.

I managed to get her to do it again once Dave got home, and while he was watching, she peeked out from under the table, then pulled down the fabric again, like we didn't know she was there and she could hide again. Such a funny baby!

Tummy Trouble

Poor Grace woke up on Sunday morning at 5 a.m. crying.  She must have had tummy cramps associated with diarrhea.  Three dirty diapers between 5 and 7:30, then she slept in until 10.  She woke up hungry and seemed to keep her appetite all day.  She didn't run a fever and for the most part seemed to be in good spirits.  After a few more dirty diapers she developed a bad case of diaper rash that had her screaming when you went near her diaper.

Luckily, by this morning she seems to be feeling much better.  She woke up chipper and talkative, had breakfast, and is happily napping now.  Her bottom looks better this morning as well, and she didn't cry at all when I changed her this morning.

We are teaching her sign language, with the intent to avoid some of the frustration that children sometimes feel when they can't express themselves verbally because they are too young and lack the skills.  Unfortunately the sign language seems to be creating some frustration as well.  Last night we had baked potatoes, peas and steak for dinner.  She ate very little steak, which was fine considering the condition of her tummy, and a fair amount of potato and peas.  

I should start by saying that the signs Grace knows are "more," "all done" and "cheese."  Since I always signed "more" to her when we were eating, she signs "more" to mean "eat."  She doesn't use the sign for "eat" for some reason, even though I use it very often.  Nor will she sign for "cup," "hungry," "potato," "drink,"or anything else.

So last night she signed "all done" when I tried to give her peas, then she signed "more," so I tried to give her more potato, but she signed "all done," then "more" again.  I tried to give her more meat, but she signed "all done" and then "more" again.  In between the "more" and "all done" she was waving her hands in front of her and clapping her hands together, as if to say.  "I know I'm supposed to use these to tell you what I want, and I want more of something, but it's not peas, potato or meat and I don't know how to say it, and why don't you understand this hand flailing I'm doing?!."

I ended up going through her whole diet.  More cheese?  More yogurt?  More sandwich?  More pretzels?  More What?!  She did eat a few spoons of yogurt, but I suspect that wasn't what she had in mind.  Probably more cookies, but she normally says "cuh" when she wants a cookie, and I didn't want to offer that at dinner.  So I guess we really need to work on her signs.  I've been doing "yogurt" for her, but I think it may be too difficult for her to do.  So hopefully this will pass soon and she will learn to express herself better.

Naps

I think we may be migrating to an afternoon nap soon.  Grace is becoming more difficult to put down for a nap recently.  She is really cranky so I think she's ready for a nap, but she resists sleeping.  Once she's asleep, she usually naps for about 2 hours, unless she wakes up after one hour, then she will sleep for an additional 1 1/2 hours once she falls asleep.  Or longer, I really don't know because I always wake her up.  I'm worried that if I don't, she won't sleep at night.  I like having afternoons free to go to the gym or run errands and do playdates.  

I just spent the last 1/2 hour looking for activities for her.  There's an art class through the Town of Cary, Nature Programs at Hemlock Bluffs, and a Stretch and Grow activity class.  They are all morning classes, so those would be afternoon nap days for sure.  

Yesterday was beautiful, and we spent about 2 hours at the park.  Grace plays so well there.  She spent about 20 minutes at the baseball field watching a boy and his dad practice.  I wonder what she was thinking about all that.  She was watching very intently, but didn't seem to follow the ball when the boy hit it.  Two of our neighbors showed up as well, with their children, and they all played separately together in the sand box.  For the most part, Grace really wants to play with others, but she just doesn't know how yet.  I guess that comes as they get older.

We have a tooth that's so close to coming in.  I check it every day or so, but she hates to have me poking at her mouth so I have to trick her into it.  We're almost up to 9!

And on the language front, Grace picked up Dave's iPhone yesterday morning and said "Hewwow."  She is trying to say dog, but ends up saying "gog" instead.  That makes her vocabulary as follows:  cup (or pa), cheese, dada, mama, mo (more), and she used to say book.  She's also trying to say yogurt, but it sounds like "gurt."  It's so much fun watching her learn and grow, especially seeing her try to solve problems.