Growth #4 - Squat CHAMP!

Our little baby girl is taking after Daddy already!

A few days ago I watched Gracie pick up a brand new skill.  It was so fun to watch her try and then succeed!  I had her on my lap, standing with her hands wrapped around my thumbs, wobbling all around like she loves to do.  All of a sudden she bent her knees and crashed down into sitting position.  We've been practicing sitting up from lying down and she does that really well if she can grab onto our hands.  But this time, she wanted to try to stand up from sitting down!  I noticed her pulling up with her arms a little so I gave her a boost and she stood straight up and smiled the cutest proud-smile I've ever seen!  Of course I cheered for her and got all excited.  So, she wanted to try again.  She sat right back down and once again pulled up on my fingers with her little arms.  This time her feet weren't in as good of a spot so she had to work at it a little more. She actually made this adorable little grimace like she was working really hard and slowly she straightened her legs until she was standing!

So for the past few days we've played this game when she was in my lap.  Today, I picked her and Caleb up from daycare by myself and didn't get to spend a ton of time with her right when I was picking her up.  So we got home, changed her diaper, and then I had a little alone time with her as Caleb napped in his carseat (that boy cannot stay awake in the car)!  So, the first thing she tried to do was stand up and grab my thumbs, then sit down really quickly! We played this over and over and then Caleb woke up.  I brought him down onto the playmat and sat him in my lap so I could be close to both of them.  Grace just wasn't having it! She NEEDED to practice pulling up.  It was the funniest scene, she was wiggling her way closer to my legs and trying to reach up while on her belly to get onto my lap with Caleb.  I just can't resist that little girl. I stood her up next to me and gave her one of my hands while I held Caleb with the other.  It was game on for little lady! She was only using one of my hands now and sat down and pulled up over and over, now using her LEGS more than her arms to push herself up, and was actually laughing everytime she did it! She's a squat champion! Her little laugh is adorable by the way- she snorts in between. Cracks me up!

It's unreal to watch our children grow like this.  I can't believe I got to see the first time she ever used her legs to stand up.  What an unbelievable life this is. I'm so lucky!

Peek-a-boo! I see you!

Naptime in the carseat...everytime!

She's getting SO close to crawling...

And she's stoked about it :)

She can turn herself completely around on her tummy now, too.

SIPPY CUP! GET IN MY MOUTH!

Hmmm...there's a way to get the water out of this thing, I'm pretty sure...

Got It! 

Poor little man is having some trouble with constipation today. I ended up giving him prunes after he ate his bananas (shouldn't have given him bananas, darn) and sweet peas. I'm trying to get him to drink a little more water to help, hopefully he feels better tomorrow!

Tilting the cup upwards is the tough part...