We are having some busy days here. 

2 weekends ago, we headed to Upstate New York for a wedding.  Grace spent 2 days with her friend Ashley in Rochester while we enjoyed the wedding in Syracuse. They had a great time playing and dressing up. 

Last weekend was Grace's first tap class.  I loved it as a kid so I signed Grace up for it. She loves the noisy shiny tap shoes the best.  There is a new video of the class....noisy.  Next weekend I will remember to bring the Tylenol with me.  :) 

Just when I thought the fall weather had arrived, I checked the 10 day forecast..yep, 80 degree days to come!  I was planning on spending time this weekend packing away all the summer dresses and bringing out the few pieces of fall clothing that will fit again this year.  Maybe next week.

Preschool is going very well.  Each week, there is a Letter and a Number of the week as well as a theme.  And twice in September, Grace came home with homework.  Yes, HOMEWORK IN PRESCHOOL!!!!  Granted, it was simple - count certain items in your house, read a book and color a picture to describe the book.  But still.  It involved sitting at the kitchen table with Mom doing school work.  Not sure how I feel about it.  Grace was very proud to do the homework but was just as happy to run off and play at the end of the homework session.

Last weekend, we took a road trip to Upstate NY for a wedding.  While we partied with our friends in Syracuse, Grace had a sleepover at her friend Ashley's house in Rochester.  They had a blast and we are looking forward to seeing them again in VA soon.

This weekend was a big one.  Grace finally got her glasses!!!

Last week, we headed back to John Hopkins for yet another eye appointment.  The difference this time was that when we left the doctor's office, we left with a prescription for glasses and the final word that eye surgery is not necessary at this time.  I definitely was feeling better after hearing that news!

After preschool on Friday, Grace and I went to the store; she got to pick out a present for the big day.  She picked a Hannah Montana purse with a few Hannah accessories for the purse.  She takes it everywhere with her now.  Adorable. 

She picked out pink wire frames for the glasses.  They even came with magnetic frames that lay on top of her regular glasses to turn them into sunglasses.  Bob, the glasses consultant who works with Bill and I, helped us out with Grace's glasses.  I wanted the lens as thin as possible and frames that could take anything a 4 year old could give.  He rose to the challenge and Grace adores him.  Hey---who ever thought we would have a personal eye wear shopper!??!?!

Grace is doing pretty well with the glasses.  We do have to remind her every few hours that she has to wear them all the time.  But she is very good about putting them in the case at naptime or at night.  She is very proud that she can put the sunglasses on all by herself!

I am curious to see how she manages them at school.  We shall see how that goes tomorrow!

New video and pictures of the glasses experience!

Time flies when you are having fun.

Between work trips, doctor appointments, and wedding planning, time has flown by this summer.  But we are having a great time, even though there doesnt seem to be enough hours in the day.

Grace was the flower girl for my best friend's wedding this weekend.  She did great...walked down the aisle by herself and didnt make a sound during the ceremony.  Well, except when she said "Silly Allie" after the bride made a joke about the groom's ring never falling off.  :)  Perfectly timed.

More wedding pictures to come but a few are in thr albums now. Go check them out!

Doctor visits are going okay for Grace.  She is getting glasses in a few weeks so keep checking back for new pictures of her in the most fabulous pair of glasses ever. 

It has been a pretty hectic month here. 

This weekend, we confirmed that Grace, like her Daddy, has Marfan Syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder.  We visited John Hopkins Hospital and met with the world's best Marfan Syndrome doctor.   She has a mild case (if that's possible) of the disorder but we are monitoring closely to make sure it stays that way.

Its hard to type this out and talk about it every time the phone rings.  So, I apologize for the repeativeness if you have already read the following (I am copying it from an email sent to our family this weekend). 

 I realize that the news of Grace's Marfan Syndrome diagnosis is very
emotional for everyone.  It is for us as well (though I think that's
 obvious).  I also realize that it may be a little easier for us to deal
 with because Bill and I have done so much research so that we can
 understand the syndrome.  For me, I need that so that I can feel better
 about both Bill and Grace's health, now and in the future.

 Marfan Syndrome is a fairly rare syndrome, though we read recently that
 it is one of the most common inherited connective tissue disorders.
 There is so much more information available now than there was when Bill  was diagnosed in the mid/late 1970s.

 Here are some links to help you understand the syndrome.  If you have
 any questions about it, please ask.  We want you to understand the
 syndrome as much as it is comfortable for you.  As you read some of the
 reports and findings about Marfan Syndrome, please remember that Grace (and Bill) are mild cases of Marfan; many times the reports and
 information talk about severe Marfan Syndrome to illustrate what can
 happen within the syndrome.  Marfan's tends to mimick itself within a
 family; Grace's case will be similiar to Bills---not severe at all.
 See----silver lining can be found if you just look for it! :)

 Again, thank you for your support---just knowing that you all love Grace
 is enough for us.  We love you too!

 National Marfan Foundation: www.marfan.org

 Characteristics:
 http://www.marfan.org/nmf/GetContentRequestHandler.do?menu_item_id=4

 Treatment Options:
 http://www.marfan.org/nmf/GetContentRequestHandler.do?menu_item_id=7

 Pediatric Marfan Information:
 http://www.marfan.org/nmf/GetSubContentRequestHandler.do?sub_menu_item_content_id=5&menu_item_id=42

Ocular Concerns:
 http://www.marfan.org/nmf/GetSubContentRequestHandler.do?sub_menu_item_content_id=10&menu_item_id=42    Grace's lenses are subluxated.  2 eye doctors in Northern Virginia want to remove them and put her in glasses.
Dr. Dietz has strongly discouraged this procedure at this point.  We
 will be visiting the eye clinic at John Hopkins to get Grace glasses
 that will correct her vision without removing the lenses.  Surgery will
always be the last resort.  Later in her life (late teens), lens replacement could be possible but that is far down the road.

 Cardiac Concerns:
 http://www.marfan.org/nmf/GetContentRequestHandler.do?menu_item_id=22

Grace has a slightly enlarged aorta and will be taking Atenolol to
stop/stall the growth of the aorta.  In 3 months, we will visit the
doctor again to make sure she has the right dosage.

Grace's doctor at John Hopkins is Dr, Hal Dietz.  He is the Chair of the
Professional Advisory Board for the National Marfan Foundation and is a
world reowned expert on Marfan Syndrome. We want the best doctor in the world for Grace and we got him!  Dr Dietz is also getting a genetic
profile from Bill so that he can isolate the actual gene mutation.  Here
is his Hopkins profile:
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/geneticmedicine/people/faculty/dietz.html.   The next link is a press release that talks about both Dr. Dietz and Dr Victor McKusick (Bill's genetist at Hopkins when he was a child): http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2004/06_29_04.html.

Hi!  Its Jaime....you know me...otherwise known as Grace's mom!

What a busy girl we have lately. 

Grace has adjusted very well to her new preschool.  She is making friends and gets great daily reports from her teachers.  Every day when she gets home, there is something new she wants to tell us about; she loves bringing home crafts and other projects to show off. 

This weekend is the beginning of the summer for us.  We have spent the entire day cleaning the pool and washing off the cover and all the pool toys.  The temperature hit 90 degrees so playing with the hose was a necessity.  Watch the video of Grace chasing her Daddy---hysterical!

Tonight we went to see the minor league baseball team, Potomac Nationals.  What a great time.  Just hanging out in the bleachers, eating pretzels and hot dogs, and teaching Grace the words to all the classic baseball songs. 

We are looking forward to all sorts of fun this summer.  More pics soon..I promise!

Can you believe that May is more than halfway over?!  We can't. 

April flew by so fast with trips to VA Beach, Houston, and then Mommy went off to Miami for a work trip.  Phew---glad to be home!

May is proven to be just as busy.  Spring is trying to shine through between all the rain showers in DC.  Daddy has worked hard and the grass is greener than ever before!!  Mommy and Grace spent some time this past weekend planting flowers and Grace is growing tomatoes and a pumpkin.  You will have to wait until October to see how that pumpkin turns out. 

Grace started preschool this month and she loves it!  She is making new friends and the teachers tell us that she joined the class as if she had always been there.  They also told me that she is a quiet and attentive little girl.  Quiet!?!?  I am not sure they were talking about my kid but hey, I will take the good report anyways. 

She continues to love ballet class and is getting exciting about swimming this summer in the backyard pool. 

New pictures uploaded for you to enjoy!

This weekend marked a special occasion for the Barnhart family. 

Grace's first plane trip and Uncle Dave's wedding.  Pictures of both events can be seen in the Picture Gallery, April 2008. 

We prepared for the worse when we packed up Grace's stuff for the plane ride.  3 1/2 hours halfway across the country is a long time for a 4 year old who had never been on a plane before.  Grace LOVED it.  She thought it was so cool to be in the clouds and flying in the clouds.  She rotated between sitting on Mom's lap so she could see out the window to cuddling with Daddy and dont forget about the coloring and sticker books. She was an angel on the plane.  Bribing her with the bags of cheese crackers from the flight attendants didnt hurt either!

Once in Houston, we headed to Uncle Dave and Almost-Aunt Marie's house for a rehearsal day party with all the extended family.  It was Grace and Jaime's first time meeting most of the Barnhart family and we had a great time.  Grace made friends with Marie's nephew, Dominick, who is almost 7 (and the exact same height as Grace!).  In fact, Grace followed...I mean, bossed.... Dominick around all weekend long.   :)

Saturday was spent in the pool.  Grace is showing herself to be a good swimmer.  We need to get her signed up for swim lessons ASAP---she loves the water.  But BAD mom and dad forgot the sun screen so we are paying for it now.  All of us.  Dad and Grace went down the big water slide together and we ate lunch by the pool.  Grace even learned how to kick holding onto the side and how to "walk with her hands"  on the side of the pool. 

The wedding was gorgeous.  Simple and perfect.  Marie looked wonderful.  My favorite part was watching Uncle Dave's face as his bride walked down the aisle.  The reception was a blast and again, Grace and Dominick played all night long. 

Early to the airport this morning before the sun came up....our weekend in Texas came to an end.  It was such a great time.  Grace was so well behaved the entire time and is a great traveler. Now we can plan trips knowing that all will be okay out of the road with her!!