3.30.2009

Grace hits the 1 year mark!


just so you are prepared...this post has a lot of pictures, and they're all very messily spread around. i'm having issues with blogger at the moment. but, hopefully you can still enjoy the post.
also, i realize she is now 13 months old. i know. i suck at posting. but, better late than never right???



Gracelyn's Birthday was on March 18th! Can you believe it?! Our little girl is already 1 yr. old!! It is so unbelievable. To think that we have had her in our lives for a whole year...wow. Sometimes it feels like its dragged on, day by day, by day...by day...but then, miraculously, it all the sudden has been 1 yr. and you realize that it truly has flown by.

We started our journey with this.
life flight & a lovely i.v. in her beautiful noggen!


and this in the middle...
definitely all cause for stress...












however, we've also had these...











moments like these, have made the difficult patches all worth it...

and most recently...we've had this...a little walker. who walks EVERYWHERE. and gets into almost everything...there's still time for that i suppose

Our feisty little Gracey-lou has been a challenge and a blessing, all rolled into a chubby little ball with big blue eyes & a giggle to melt your heart.



I liked this survey...so I'll think we'll use it for Grace too!
1. Height & Weight: 18.76lbs. & 26in....i think
2. Fav. Color: She is constantly pointing at the pink fish on our shower curtain...but I would say she really loves bright colors.
3. Fav. Movie: She is always very attentive for Veggie Tales...and also Muppets...although i'm trying to lay some baby einstein on her. make her educated. :)
4. Fav. TV Show: probably Veggie Tales. although her favorite thing to see on the t.v. screen is pictures of herself....
5. Fav. Food: Her favorite baby food is the Apples & Cherries. But, let's be honest...she doesn't actually believe in eating baby food for me. she loves baby cheetos and also is constantly getting adult foods. So, she loves ranch, bread, cheetos, orange juice.
6. Fav. Treat: The girl loves oreos. And I recently discovered she also has a thing for nilla cakesters...must run in our womanly genes
7. Fav. Toy: Mommy & Daddy's cell phones...remotes..however, since she ruined a remote, and a charger...we have tried to keep these away from her. Her newest favorite toy is her dolly. Her Grandma Venice bought it for her for her Birthday, and it giggles when you press it's belly. Grace adores this little dolly. She laughs, smiles & giggles right along with it, and we are constantly catching her hugging it, kissing it, picking it up and snuggling it. She just loves it.
8. Fav. Outfit: She hates getting dressed, AND undressed. Her fav. outfit is her Birthday Suit.
9. Fav. Activity: Following around mommy & Daddy and crying until they pick me up. Also, taking all the movies off the shelves and THROWING them behind me. Making a mess. Whining. Ok, a more realistic one...Grace really loves to be outside; going on walks, getting the mail, taking out the trash...any excuse to be outside.
10. Fav. Subject in School: Well, she's not in school, but I imagine she'll love music & dance. She is always dancing to music and shaking her booty. The girl has rhythm.
11. What do you want to be when you grow up? Topher said "just like her mommy"....I
roll my eyes at this...and say that she probably always wants to be Daddy's little girl. We want her to be whatever her little heart desires.
12. What makes you happy?: Cheetos, the outdoors, cuddling with Daddy, playing with Daddy, making a mess, pictures of herself or cousins, looking in the mirror
13. What makes you sad?: Being alone, when mommy & Daddy leave or won't hold me, when I have to eat, when I have to take a nap
14. Best Friend: Daddy, daddy, daddy. And if I had to choose other people....her cousins, Uncle Austin, Grandpa Curtis
15. Personality Traits: FEISTY, STUBBORN, silly, sweet, independent (she can do it all herself...), dependent (her happiness depends on you being RIGHT THERE ALL THE TIME), cuddly (as of late...she loves to give hugs, esp. to her cousins), funny, cautious, energetic
16. Special Stories about you from the past year: Since people really already know the gist of Grace's journey...rather than get super sentimental...because that's what every post is...I'm going to share with you a little it of Grace's fun personality...
She loves to make faces. They make everyone around her laugh out loud.
She has one where she clenches her whole face, with her mouth open & stretched out, and then she shakes her whole body...almost seizure like...but it is hilarious!
Another face, she does pouty/kissy lips, tilts up her chin, and breathes REALLY loud through her nose, while spontaneously blowing snot out. It may sound gross, but it also is really funny.
She loves music & loves to dance. ANYTIME that music comes on, she will start to wiggle. Doesn't matter if its a phone ringer, a commercial, or a full out song, she'll shake her bottom back and forth, raise an arm in the air and shake her booty, bounce up & down. It is so so cute to watch.
She loves little kids & babies. She can't keep her hands off them, always wants to hug them, and if just passing one by on a walk or in the store, she'll wave at them furiously until they see her and wave back. If she ever sees one crying, she'll make a sad face and blow kisses to them.
She frequently falls asleep with her butt in the air.
Everytime we change her diaper, she thinks its time to run away. Once the diaper is off, she'll immediately flip over and crawl away at lightning baby speed, sometimes attempting a dive right off the bed, and of course, she is giggling the entire time.
This little girl is resilient. She can overcome so many things & be so tough. When she had her heart transplant, she sat up by herself for the first time a week later, in the hospital.
She has developed so quickly physically, and not let anything hold her back. We are constantly amazed by her & her ability to overcome challenges & obstacles.
We are anxious, nervous & I guess excited, ;) to see what this next year holds for us!

Happy Birthday Gracey-lyn-lou!

Here are some pictures of her Birthday for your viewing enjoyment!
This was the start of our beautiful baby and her lady bug
cake...

She started out fairly timid...not so sure about this sticky red stuff on her hands...








And she became more daring as the night wore on
Soon you have this sweet face...
And of course Topher and I did NOT encourage her to put her gooey hands on her head...that would be completely mean of us...


















And you end with this. Isn't it a work of art? It turned the entire bath tub pink too. She had such a fun time mawling that cake. It was hilarious to watch....I think I may have snorted a few times from extreme laughter..luckily that didn't end up on film.

Anyway, it has been an adventure of a year. But it's becoming more and more normal feeling rather than high maintenance health concerns every way you look. Its an amazing feeling to finally think Grace is going to be ok, and that she is here for the long haul. But I think that after a year of ups and downs, that feeling is finally here to stay.
Thank you to everyone who keeps updated on Grace & how she is doing. We appreciate so much the support we get from so many people, even the people whom we have never met or even spoken to in person. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers & support! Grace has needed & been blessed by every bit!

14 comments:

Super Daysh said...

Yay! We are so grateful to have that little Gracey-lou here with us. She is such a silly little girl and we love her so much. And it's about time you posted! Slacka!

Mythreesons said...

We love Gracey! Gavin prays for her everytime he says a prayer... he also call her "our friend Gracey." So cute. What an eventful and exciting year. Maybe you'll post her 2nd birthday update before she turns 3 next time?

Bev said...

what a great post! She's a doll. After having kids I've decided the days are long but the months are short.

Bev said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gina and the Gang said...

She looks so wonderful, adorable, chunky, healthy, and HAPPY!!! Happy Belated b-day Gracie!!!

Amy Finnegan {BookshopTalk.com} said...

What a great update! Thanks!! I loved reading all of it. And the pictures are FANTASTIC :)

I love my little Gracey. I think about her every day, and every night I thank the Lord for her amazing health.

Seeing those pics from the past really made me feel the emotion all over again . . . she's come so far. You and Toph have come so far!

Love you guys!!

Liz said...

you are so cute!! i'm so happy about this post. you are a darling mommy and topher is a wonderful daddy and your daughter is exquisite! she is going to be a ball of fun just like you! those faces are PRICELESS. keep the pictures coming! PLEASE!
oh and i will call you back! probably today actually! :)

Anonymous said...

She is SO darling! I love that pic with her teeth clenched and her mouth stretched a little. So cute!!

Thoughtful Runner said...

I think we can all safely say that Gracey is our little miracle - and we are SO grateful she is here and a part of our lives.....not to mention the fact we think it is also absolutely wonderful that she loves Oreos (which hopefully her Mother lets her eat with or in milk). Happy belated birthday, Grace - we love you! Keep us smiling and keep us always mindful of just how blessed we really are.

Joe said...

How did I miss this post?
Such good pictures. That lil Grace cracks me up!

kalani said...

I loved looking at all these cute pictures. I am always telling people how cute and expressive she is with her face. I wish we could see her more often but I would hate to be the one to get her sick. What a cute baby you guys have. We are so glad she is in our family.

Sierra and Ryan said...

Alysia!?! I can't believe it is really you! It has been SOO long, TOO long! I am so glad you found my blog and now I can blog stalk you too! ;) Crazy story, I was just at a Heritage Makers thing the other day and one of the example cards was of you and your family! I started looking all over it hoping that there would be some personal information on it so I could contact you, and now this happened! I just read through some of your blog and it sounds like you have had quite the journey with your super cute little girl. You are such a strong and positive person, it is incredible. I am glad we can keep in touch now :)

Love, Sierra :)

Mimi said...

Happy Happy Birthday Miss Gracey Dear!!!

Oh- she is too cute! I really really enjoyed the pictures... what a cutie pie!!

I have to tell you I remember reading your blog months ago and feeling peace that when Mia had her transplant everything was going to be OK. Grace has done so well and it give me so much hope for Mia.

I think I will cry and cry and cry when Mia turns 1- it has been a rough year!! Sometimes to you feel like a champion for making it? You as the mom? These girls better be really really sweet teenagers!! ;-)

Well Happy B-day to sweet Grace (I still can't believe she's 1) and I look forward to "watching" her progress and grow.

princess jen said...

I don't know how I managed to miss seeing this blog post! I'm really bummed I didn't see it before. I love all those pictures. Bug, you are a GREAT mom and little Gracie lou is super cute and oh so sweet and I love being a part of her life and my kids (even Aaron!) love being part of her life too.