Link to Gracie's Update

Gracie is now 9 months old. To read an update and see pictures click HERE! Or go to: www.adoptingaria.blogspot.com

The Libster

Libby is almost 4. That makes me want to cry... 4? really? How can it be? But sure enough, next month the celebration of her 4 years of life will arrive. Libby has grown into a whole new little girl in the last few months. Her love for Gracie makes my heart melt. She's beginning to ask big questions about her adoption. Tonight, as a matter of fact, she was looking over pictures on our wall of our first moment holding her and our first moment with Gracie. Then she asked, "mom, why didn't other people end up with me?" She was basically wanting to know how we were the ones who ended up being her parents. We had a great talk about it and in the end she started hugging me and in her baby voice said, "you're MY mommy, MY mommy!" Be still my heart!

Libby is in love with her Bible Reader's DVDs. Its the Bible set to cartoon/movie. She is absorbing knowledge of Jesus and His Word at such a fast pace and with great depth for her age. She is also starting to incorporate some of the lines in the DVDs to situations in other contexts. Sometimes she's dead on. Sometimes she is not. About 2 weeks ago Libby was sitting in my lap and kissing my arm - just being sweet. But then she said, "mom, I don't want to lose you." I was taken back a little since that statement was out of the norm, but quickly we moved on from that conversation. A few days later, Libby was in the tub and she looked at me very seriously and said, "Mom, you are going to die in 3 days." Now I was starting to get scared. I mean, Libby has been somewhat prophetic in the past about some things so I literally started counting the days to recall what we would be doing. It was going to be Monday and we would be at a revival in East Texas. Hmmm... what might happen on that day. I was a bit concerned. Later that evening I told Billy what she said. After a few minutes he started laughing and said, "She got that from her Bible DVD when Joseph interpret's a dream and has to tell his co-jailer that he will indeed die in 3 days." We now laugh everytime her DVD gets to that part. Whew!

It's fun seeing Libby try to incorporate the information she learns into other areas of learning. For instance, Libby is always asking why God made trees, rocks, flowers, grass, etc. I give her answers including science facts and she loves to soak in the details. But one day she had a different idea. She asked, "Mom, why did God make rocks?" After I gave her the basic answer she replied, "No mom, God made rocks so David could kill Goliath." Well... I never thought of it that way, but yeah - maybe so.

Libby is now on a soccer team. She went to one practice, had to miss the first game because we were out of town, and now she has the flu and has missed another practice. Hopefully she can get well and play this weekend. Libby still loves to play drums and keeps asking for lessons... I'm putting that off for obvious reasons (NOISE!). And Libby loves being back in Mom's Day Out. Her teachers are Tanya and Sharon. She loves them both and loves Mrs. Bonnie (the music teacher) as well.

Maybe I'm biased, but Libby gets more and more beautiful everyday, inside and out. Every day I thank God for her.

Eight Months Old and Counting

Gracie Lu turned 8 months on Sept 22. She is growing incredibly fast. She is currently (at 8 1/2 months) 19 pounds and 14oz... just under the big 20!!! She has fat thighs and her arms are filling out too. Her hair is growing into soft precious curls. It mostly grows on the top while the sides and back are still short. Her skin is constantly dry. I've tried a hundred lotions, it seems, and nothing has really worked. I lotion her up every morning and night and have even used baby oil gel... still she is dry and ashy - (advice anyone?).

Gracie is sitting up perfectly with great control of her head, neck and trunk. She rolls everywhere and every-which-way. She recently started sliding backwards on her belly. Since our first floor is mostly tile/wood she backward slides all around the kitchen and living area. When she runs into a wall, she scoots herself around and slides backwards away from the wall. Very cute!

Gracie also recently started putting her hand out and cupping her fingers in and out, as if she is telling us to come near. Gracie and Libby are a delight to watch together, especially in the morning hours. They make each other smile and laugh. They cuddle and bounce and chatter back and forth. I love it!

Almost 2 weeks ago we decided Gracie was able to sleep through the night without a bottle. It only took about 2-3 interrupted nights for her to get it. She now sleeps through the night from 7PM to about 6-6:30AM. We have some seriously early mornings (at least, for me...I haven't regularly seen 6AM in YEARS! I am a late night person learning that early nights are to become the norm for a while). In the last 6 weeks Gracie has also started eating baby foods such as oatmeal, carrots, sweet potatoes, apple sauce, pears, butternut squash, green beans, peas and bananas.

Gracie has been on several long car rides/trips and a few more flights in her short life. She travels alright but definitely is not as content in a car seat as Libby used to be. Gracie will NOT nap unless she is in her own crib or pack n play. She sometimes falls asleep in the car, but as soon as the car comes to a stop for more than 30 seconds - she is up! She is incredibly alert at ALL times.

While Libby is more an observer of people at first meet, Gracie is just the opposite. When she meets new people she leans towards them and then comes back and tilts her head into my chest as she bats her eye lashes and smiles big at the new person. She is such a flirt in that way. I can't describe at all the brightness and life that comes to her eyes when she smiles. The camera just can't do her justice regarding those eyes and smile.

Gracie had her first moment in the playset swing last week and its her new love. She just sits there and smiles as see breezes back and forth. (side note: today while the girls were swinging I was pulling a few weeds without gloves and proceeded to pull up bullnettle (sp?). Uh... can you say PAIN!!!!!!)

Gracie has literally skipped the 3-6 month sizes and is almost in 12 month clothes. Today a box arrived from my sister. It was full of Libby's old clothes that I had let Becky borrow for her youngest. When I opened it I was reminded of all the sweet pictures and moments of Libby in those clothes and then I realized that Libby wore most of those 12 month clothes AFTER she turned one and she was walking. Gracie is only 8 months and not even crawling yet. I'd say she is done "catching up" and has surpassed the "average" for her age body growth. Amazing transformation!

So... here's what you really want to see:

PHOTOS!!!!!!:

I love this pic bc what the girls are wearing reflects them individually very well! Gracie's outfit says, "little miss tea party" and Libby's says "big sister's are the coolest" - which she totally is with that baseball cap.

the cutest gummy grin ever!

not the best pic of Libby, but pic is so true to their sisterhood. Libby loves on Gracie all day long and is usually the only one who can make Gracie laugh.

Gracie's first time out on the swing!

Paci party!

Libby decided to put her hair clips in Gracie's hair. The entire moment was adorable! And below was the end result!

And Gracie's face is saying, "are you sure this is right?"

This was early one morning and Gracie's little face was puffy bc she was still waking up.