Trick or Trick

We've been practicing for days now for tonight's Halloween outing. It's gone a little like this:

Me: Grace, when the door opens say, "Trick or treat!" Can you say that?
Grace: Trick or trick!
Me: OK, close enough. Now, after they put candy in your pumpkin, what do you say?
Grace: Please?
Me: Close. Say 'thank you', okay?
Grace: Thank you!
Me: Perfect.



During our trick or treating, it pretty much went as planned, with a little prompting here and there from her daddy. The only thing I wasn't expecting was that our little princess would get all tuckered out after just hitting up one court in our neighborhood.

I was all set to ring the doorbell of every single house in the neighborhood, just like I did when I was young. But after just the third house, Grace wanted to be carried from house to house. And by the time we reached the end of the court, she was trying to climb back into her stroller. So after only filling her pumpkin bucket halfway, we had to head home.
All her loot! Her favorites- a bouncy ball and a package of gold fish. Go figure.

Next year, I'll have to remember to practice endurance in addition to good trick or treating manners. Still, in spite of the abbreviated candy collecting, we all had a Happy Halloween.

She Knows What it Takes

After a long day at work (Yes, on a Saturday. And he also has to go in tomorrow. On a Sunday), Mike came home and suggested we treat ourselves to a nice dinner out. I jumped at the chance to take a break from the kitchen. Besides, I was planning on just reheating our leftovers from last night anyway.

The moment Mike walked through the door, Grace was super sweet with him, showering him with lots of hugs and kisses. This continued all through dinner, too.

I'm positive the girl loves her daddy with all her heart, but tonight, it turns out she had an ulterior motive. All the sugar she was giving Mike at dinner was a diversion in an effort to get to her goal: his wallet that was on the table.

Smart girl already knows what it takes to get Daddy to part with his credit card.

Candy Corn Convert

One of the worst things that could end up in my Halloween bucket as a kid was candy corn. I hated that stuff with a passion. But recently, after hearing a friend talk about how much she loves them and seeing bowls of them at a Halloween party, I decided to give it another try and see how I feel about it as an adult. After all, I used to hate asparagus, but it's now one of my favorite vegetables.

Oh. My. Goodness. I am addicted. So is Grace. And we have both been indulging our addiction for candy corn and other sweets for the past couple of days. I tell myself that once Halloween is done, we will control our sweet tooth (teeth?), and it makes me feel less guilty.


Got more goodies in the mail today from Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Augustine.

Daddy came home today! Good night kisses from Daddy can't be beat.

Dead Until Dark

The monthly Tri-Delta meeting was held at my house tonight. It was lots of fun to get ready for. I'm normally not big on decorating or dressing up for Halloween, but the book club night gave me an excuse to do a little bit of both.

Grace tried her best to stay up and be an honorary member by sneaking out of bed countless times. But I had no choice but to put her back after each attempt. This particular selection had lots of blood, violence, and vampire sex. (Think a rated R version of Twilight) Not appropriate topics for innocent ears, but oh so much fun for the grown up girls to talk about.

We also had the coffee table laid out with all kinds of candy and I didn't want Grace to see us hoarding the sweet stuff. But I think she sensed we were up to something because at one point, she opened her bedroom door and yelled, "Candy corn!" I promised her that I'd give her some tomorrow if she just went to sleep for now.

The girl must really like her candy corn because that promise did the trick. Good thing I remembered to save some for her or else tomorrow morning would be awkward. Grace has an awesome memory. Gone are the days where I could promise her something and hope she'd forget about it. These days, you promise her something and she will hold you to it.


Not happy about having to give Auntie Liezel a good night hug. She doesn't mind the hug because she loves Liezel. She just didn't want to have to say good night and miss out on all the fun.

Lola's Blanket

My mom is a lady of many talents, one of which is knitting. She knitted a baby blanket for me before I was born, and she made one for Grace, too. When she came to Japan right before Grace was born, she surprised me with a beautiful blanket that matched her nursery perfectly.

I've had it safely tucked away, waiting until Grace is old enough to make good use of it. When we converted her crib into a toddler bed, I took it out and have had it folded on the side of her bed. It hasn't been cold enough to use just yet, but I'm hoping cooler temperatures will finally arrive now that November is just around the corner.

Today, Grace made it known she wasn't willing to wait until it was cold before she used the blanket. She walked out of her room this afternoon, the blanket trailing behind her, all the while proudly chattering, "Lola make blanket for Grace. It's for me."

It's amazing she remembers that because I only told her once, many weeks ago when I pulled the blanket out, and we haven't talked about it since.

She dragged that blanket all over the house. Thank goodness she was willing to leave it at home while we ran errands today. It's a mighty big blanket to be dragging all around town.

Pasta Overload

Mike and I love to eat. A lot. Unfortunately, our girl didn't inherit that trait. She is picky. Like 'stress me out, what in the world am I going to feed the child?' kind of picky. Unless it's pasta. Pasta is my go-to food for her because she will always eat it willingly.

We had to drop Mike off this morning since the ship will be going underway for a few days. This meant I didn't have to really worry about dinner for the grown ups tonight. I also didn't want to have to fight with Grace about eating her dinner so I fixed some angel hair pasta with butter and cheese and some sauteed mushrooms and broccoli- her favorite. She gobbled it up. I'm always grateful for meals that she will eat.

As I was enjoying my dinner of leftovers, she started eying my lasagna so I offered her some. I was so happy that she not only ate her dinner, but was proceeding to eat half of mine too.

Then it happened. I should have seen it coming because that was quite a bit of food for a teeny girl to be putting down. But who was I to say no when she kept asking for more? Her eyes are definitely bigger than her stomach because she overstuffed herself and it all came back up- on her clothes, my clothes, and all over the floor.

I stood in shock for a good 20 seconds trying to decide the best course of action. We were COVERED in pasta (and chocolate milk), and not in a good way. So we stripped down to our undies, right in the middle of the kitchen. Grace thought it was hilarious and kept giggling and pointing out that "Mama's naked!" I wiped her up and kicked her out of the kitchen while I tried to do damage control.

As I was busy cleaning up the mess, she was busy taking off her diaper and running around the living room in her birthday suit, laughing her head off.


To add insult to injury, as I was getting ready to put her in the bathtub, she pee-ed all over the bathroom rug. To think my husband is missing out on all this fun....

All clean again!

Nature Walk

Mike came home from work at a decent hour so we were able to take an evening stroll around the neighborhood. We had so much fun watching Grace trying to collect every single leaf she came across. To see her face when she saw another leaf she wanted to pick up when her hands were already full was priceless. She didn't know what to do, but she refused to leave until she figured out a way to take the precious leaf with her.

It was the best way to end our day.

Blue Angels

We started off our day at church where Grace, during the most sacred part of the Mass which is signaled by the ringing of bells, blurted out loudly, "What's that? It's NOISY!"

Then it was off for a quick Costco run and home for a nap in preparation for our afternoon plans: watching the Blue Angels at the air show. I was excited about taking Grace to the show because she loves planes. Every time we're outside and she hears a plane, she stops, scans the sky and points out the airplane.


It was a long, hot walk from where we parked to where the show was, and we got there just in time. She laughed and shrieked with excitement when she saw the planes first take off. She was completely into it. For about two minutes. Then she found the parasol more interesting. Or trying to take off her hat. Or her socks. And shoes. Anything but what we were there for- the Blue Angels' acrobatics.

Totally into it.

Totally over it.

Our little walking sombrero.

Despite her lack of appreciation for the Blue Angels' skills in the sky, we still managed to finagle our way to take a picture with one of the pilots. Since we didn't have time to take pictures with all of them, I made sure to pick out the cutest one, Blue Angel #4. Only the best for my baby!
Okay, confession time- this picture was really for me. As you can see, Grace could have cared less. This Angel was a Marine and I have a secret crush on Marines.

Pre-Halloween Festivities

We went to a farm to pick out the perfect pumpkin.

We attended a Halloween party.

Grace couldn't get enough of the bouncy house.

But eventually, Little Snow White got all tired and took refuge in her Sheik Daddy's arms.

Love Through the Mail

It seems like every day this week Grace has gotten something in the mail from friends and family who have wished her well with a speedy recovery. Now every time she sees a UPS delivery truck, she yells out, "Present!"

We are very blessed to have such sweet and thoughtful people in our lives who, even from afar, send their love through the mail.

A Mismatched, but Happy Day

I woke up this morning very anxious because today was Grace's follow up appointment where the experts would tell us how well she is healing and what to expect next. The appointment was down in Gainesville which meant we had to leave Jacksonville before the sun was even up to get there on time.

I realized halfway into the trip that something was very wrong with my outfit. Look at these two pictures and see if you can figure it out.


One picture is how I meant to dress. The other is how I actually left the house. Yup, I wore two different sandals! How embarrassing! I was tempted to pull into a rural Walmart and buy a pair of matching shoes, but I didn't want to risk being late. I hoped that no one would notice my silly mistake. After all, who pays any attention to shoes, right?

When we got to the clinic, Grace worked her magic and charmed everyone there. There were several college students volunteering in the waiting area, making crafts and playing with the kids. Grace sat in the midst of them answering all their questions while they fawned over her and made her a pumpkin basket, a Halloween necklace, and get well cards.

When it was time to go back to get weighed and measured, she scored some extra stickers from the nurses for giving them hugs. In the exam room, she gave the lady doctor a high five and for that, she carried Grace around like a baby doll. The guy doctor had to work a little harder for some love. He had to bribe her with the promise of a toy. Once he said the magic words though- "Do you want a toy?"- she grabbed hold of his finger without a moment's hesitation and lead him straight to the toy box.


They were all just in love with her and it made me happy to see her enjoying herself. But the best part of the visit to the clinic was the news we got about her injury. She is healing quickly and wonderfully! It's not even necessary to use the medicated ointment on her face anymore- just regular moisturizer.

She can go about everyday life without any restrictions. The only instructions were to keep her face shaded from the sun for several months and to put on a good moisturizer with SPF of at least 30. Considering I was imagining the worst- not being able to take her outside at all for a good while- I was ecstatic at the news. She now has a dandy pink sunhat and her own bottle of Oil of Olay.

A happy, happy day for Grace and all who love her.

By the way, before we left the clinic, the burn surgeon looked at me and said, "Hey, did you know you have on two different shoes?" So much for no one noticing.

I So Crazy

She received a get well card from Great Grandma Augustine and a toy from a couple of sweet friends today. Grace was so excited about the surprise of a kitty card and a singing puppy pal.


I almost didn't put this story into the blog but Mike insisted that it should be put in for posterity.

Grace has been very into bodily functions lately and insists on my showing her the goods when I wipe her nose or change her diaper. This afternoon she caught a glimpse of what was in a #2 diaper and she exclaimed, "I like chocolate!"

It's good to know my daughter is a fellow chocoholic like her mama, but that's just gross. And I let her know it. After watching me go on and on about how yucky it was and how it was most definitely not chocolate, she looked at me, laughed, and said, "I so craaaazy!"

I have no idea where she gets this stuff. Maybe, because we've been homebound for a while, we've been indulging in too much TV. Wherever she learned that phrase, she cracks me up with her craziness.

A Mother's Love

If a mother's love were enough to keep her child from harm, then Grace would never get a single scratch. But as much as I wish it were so, that's not the way life works. It breaks my heart that despite the unfathomable depth of my love for her, I can't always keep her from harm.

This past week has been very difficult. It is the worst feeling in the world to see your baby hurt. But with each passing day, I can see how much she's healing. I am quite sure that the speediness of her recovery is due to all of your prayers. There are lots of people praying for my girl, and for that, I am so grateful.

I know there are lessons to be learned in every life experience and these are two important ones that I've taken away from this one...

**I chose my husband well because he is my perfect partner. The test of a relationship comes not during the good times, but during times of trouble. I do not know what I would have done if Mike were not there to comfort me and give me strength. I had one person to take care of- Grace. He had to care for two people- Grace and me. It was as if he could read my mind and anticipated my needs, sometimes before I even realized I needed it.

**Grace is one tough little girl. I already knew this. I just didn't realize how tough. She has amazed me with her resiliency and happy spirit. Everything has been business as usual with her meaning the toys are scattered around the house, all the throw pillows are on the floor from her jumping on the sofa, she gets excited when it's time for Dora or Elmo, and my favorite- lots of 'I love you's' and kisses and hugs.

I am so blessed to have such love in my life.

Showing me what's for dinner.

Devouring the fried rice.

She refused to let go of her daddy's gift, a doll with feeding accessories. She toted them around all day long.

Back Home Again...

Cicely and I want to thank everyone for your prayers. We're back home tonight; Grace is doing well. You couldn't tell if not for the burn itself. She's talking, walking, climbing and laughing like she always does. It's almost as if she feels no pain at all. That makes us as parents feel much better.

I can't speak for Cicely, but for me, I'm proud of both my girls. Grace for toughing through the last few days, and Cicely, for going through this as a parent. I know how I've been feeling as a Father about all this, I can only imagine how Cicely feels as a Mother. Mothers tend to be a more emotional bunch.

Again, thanks for all your prayers, and please keep them coming as the recovery progresses.

Prayer Request

Cicely and I would like you all to keep Grace in your prayers. We took her to the ER at Naval Air Station Jacksonville yesterday after she pulled down a hot cup of tea off the kitchen counter and spilled it on her face. The ER stabilized her, but to be safe, referred her to the Burn unit at the Shand's Children's Hospital at the University of Florida. She and her mother took the two hour ambulance ride, and I followed. We spent the night last night and will spend at least one more here in Gainesville until the Doctors release her. The burns were second degree, but are mostly superficial. An Opthamalogist checked her eyes, and they're fine (thank the Lord). It's a good thing we spent the night because Grace woke up this morning with a rather swollen face (which is normal, after an injury like this). Had we been at home we might have raced to the ER again.

On a positive note, every doctor, nurse, and ambulance EMT/Driver was amazed at how well behaved she was when they had to poke or prod her; she just stares at her IV while they hook things up to her, and just nods her head in approval each time. That's Daddy's Little Girl.

She's doing fine and acting like her normal self, exploring every inch of her hospital room. Her face will take a few weeks to heal, but the experts have reassured us that although it looks bad right now, her injuries will leave no lasting scar. But please keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

Family Pictures

Today was a pretty ordinary day except Grace's nose started running nonstop and she ended up running a slight fever. A dose of children's Motrin and she was back to normal. I knew she couldn't be feeling too bad if she was still making a mess. My house is a wreck right now, but if it means a child who isn't sick, then that's alright by me.

What I really want to talk about is our family photo shoot on Sunday. I was so excited about getting our pictures taken because although we've been a family of three for 20 months now, we've never taken official family pictures by a professional photographer. The timing was never right, and we lived in Japan where good photographers were hard to come by. Remember Grace's first 'professional' portraits?

Christy did such an amazing job capturing Mike's homecoming that we knew she'd be the perfect person to take our first family portrait. We all had a blast playing on the beach, especially Grace. And Christy was such a trooper chasing after the girl trying to capture those elusive smiles. Grace was adorable, but she refused to do anything on cue. Still, I'm excited to see how the rest of the pictures came out because Christy is so talented I think she can make anyone look good.

We stayed on the beach until it was almost too dark to see anything and then we treated ourselves to a Steak'N'Shake dinner. Maybe I was just starving from all the running around on the beach, but I thought it was pretty good. And the double chocolate fudge shake I had for dessert was divine.