8 months old and walking!!

The Big 8!!

I love being in my playzone aka the cage

Yes, that's a starbucks onesie. Proud to sport Daddy's new work!

Grace turned 8 months old today. This makes me sad but also excited! Sad that Grace is growing up so incredibly fast. Excited at all the new things she can do and all the cool things she will start doing really soon. Throughout the last week Grace has been making her best attempts at walking. She took 4 steps to Dad last night! When she really wants to get someplace, she crawls and fast! Her favorite pasttime is chasing the kitties around the house. They indulge her and stay just out of reach the entire time.

Grace still doesn't like food although she has gotten better. She tolerated refried beans--weird, I know!

Our house is full of chaos right now and boxes!

Above are some recent pics of Little G!

We haven't forgotten!

I haven't forgotten you! Life has been hectic in the Byers household lately with David starting a new job this past Monday, the holidays and our impending move! Also, we got a new SLR camera for Christmas which has all of our Christmas photos on it and I haven't a clue how to download them. I'll get there. Grace is standing all on her own! I can't even believe it. She even took a few staggering steps yesterday. Mostly because she was losing her balance but still! My little baby girl is growing up so fast. She is proudly sporting a Starbucks onsie today in honor of Dad's new job. David is now in house counsel at Starbucks and is very excited.
Grace is also working on teeth numbers 3, 4 and 5. Yet, no surprise here, she still doesn't like food--at all! No interest!
I will post pics of the growing girl soon!! Hopefully it's before we move but no promises.
Happy New Year from our home to yours!

You have a baby--in a bar!

We spent last weekend in Chicago and Madison, WI. Brrr, I know. Auntie Julia graduated from college so we flew to Chicago to spend some time in the windy city and then drove to Madison. It was a great weekend filled with family, snow, freezing temperatures and plane rides. We had a great time! More importantly the weekend marked Grace's first trip to a bar. Chicago allows kids in bars until 9 p.m.--makes so much sense! (P.S. Washington Liquor Control Board--she didn't consume any alcohol nor did she try to order a drink). It was great--we got the fastest service because all the waitresses wanted to spend time with Grace. Grace also took her first cab ride and witnessed her first true snow fall.

Apparently I am a week behind on updates so stay tuned for Grace's first Christmas!

Pics Pics and more pics

Hello? Hello.....is anyone out there! I'm trapped in my cage!

Grace's first ornament! So precious.

Don't I look so cool in my Uncle's hat? It might be a touch big.

The only way to keep warm in Chicago mid-December! Thanks, Dad.

My first trip the American Girl! It's the biggest one in the country!(Chicago)

Christmastime in the Byers house

The tale of the Byers Christmas Tree:

--Purchased at Fred Meyer on December 5th (Nothing but the highest class tree farm for this family)

--Sits in tree stand on front porch until late Thursday night

--Finally makes it into the house and placed in the dining room (really? weird place for a tree but the crawler makes it tough)

--First ornament put up on Saturday night (only because Grandma happened to bring Gracie her first ornament)

--It's now Monday and the tree still sits in the dining room with one lone ornament, no lights, no tree topper--no nothing!

THIS IS PATHETIC!

Anyhow, we have met Santa three times this Christmas season so we aren't complete scrooges. Grace hasn't yet decided if she likes Santa or not. Sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn't. She does like wearing her Christmas dress though so I am happy!

Our girl is growing up!

Mom thought I would be bigger by the time I needed this snow suit.....

Today Grace is 7 months old and she has all sorts of tricks up her sleeve. The past few days Grace has experienced her first cold. It's been fun times--can't very well suck on your binky when your nose is so stuffed up! Is it something kids learn in the womb to scream and cry and flail about when you try to wipe their nose? Must be. She still has an incredible amount of energy though. Grace can now crawl so fast that I have a hard time keeping up with her. She also stands in her crib and bounces. At 7 months her crib is already on the lowest setting possible. I am fully expecting her to come crawling into our room one of these mornings after she figures out how to scale the wall and climb over.

We are now in the process of buying a new house which Grace will have the pleasure of exploring and making her own. I am certain her toys and play zone will quickly make it feel like home! I am just trying to figure out how I am going to pack while chasing the crawler around the house. I might just have to pack Grace up in a box and let her play while I do some real packing. Stay tuned for many stories to come about this upcoming fiasco.

Happy December!

Grace had a great first Thanksgiving. It consisted mostly of playing with Sadie, the Leffler's labrodoodle. She loves animals! This is unfortunate for Robbie and Lizzy who run everytime she starts crawling their way. Tonight Grace was playing in her crib and I turned around and she had pulled herself up on her knees and was hanging over the side of the crib with her head and shoulders. I was shocked! No picture because David wasn't home and I couldn't leave her unattended to get the camera. Guess we need to lower our crib a level. Little stinker. She's growing up too fast!

As you can see our house is starting to look ready for Christmas. Grace's very own stocking is hanging right in the middle of the fireplace waiting to be filled. What kind of stocking stuffers does a 6 1/2 month old want anyway? Not food. The girl couldn't be bothered to eat her solids still. Each night we strap on the bib and I make stupid open mouth faces to try to get her to open her mouth long enough to shove a bite in. This works for 3 or 4 mouth fulls and then she looks at me like yeah right I am not falling for that move again.

24 days until Christmas! Santa--don't forget our house this year. Grace has been a very good girl.