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!!

Today was the annual trip to the pediatrician for Grace's well child checkup.  Her doctor is my doctor from childhood so its actually pretty fun to go to the appointments.  I think the doc secretly laughs when I tell him some of the things Grace does....cause its a bit of payback for all those things I did as a kid. 

Her stats were great today.  75% percentile in weight and OFF THE CHARTS in height.  Her growth curve has not changed since she was born so that is a good thing.   Developmentally, Grace is right on track. 

The only issue we ran into today at the appointment (well, other than trying to explain why she couldnt have 2.486 stickers!) were her eyes.  It seems that she may have a lazy eye or strabismus.  Jaime had a lazy eye as a kid so its not devestating but one more thing to manage on a daily basis.  No diagnosis yet---we are heading to the specialist pediatric opthamologist this week.  Details to come. 

This weekend, we are heading to Houston, TX for a Barnhart family wedding.  It will be Grace's first airplane ride so I am sure that will be an adventure.  Pictures and stories to follow on Monday!!!!! 

Dear Grace:

4 years ago today, you changed our lives.  Since the moment you were born, you brought smiles and laughter to every one you meet. 

It has been so exciting to watch you grow up.  Every day there is something new to learn from you and about you.  This past year, you have grown to be such an independent little girl....no more baby in you and you need us to help you less and less.  Somehow, though, you still like to cuddle at night just like when you were small enough to fit in one arm. Now, you are so tall that you can reach the cookie jar that we so cleverly put in the far corner of the kitchen counter. 

We love you Moo more than you will ever know.  And we cant wait to see what this year brings!

Love, Mom and Dad

We started this website so that there was a place for family and friends were able to stay updated on all the happenings in Grace's life.  And we havent kept up with the website.  That's a good thing though---we have been having such a great time and keeping so busy that we dont get a chance to update. 

But, we are giving the site a new life now.  Starting today. 

Here is the quick update from the past few months:

1.  A new addition to our family arrived Christmas week.  Polly is a Saint Bernard/Foxhound mix, 100 lbs young dog.  She is the sweetest dog we have ever met and loves to curl up with Bill on the couch every night.  Grace and Polly have become the best of friends. 

2.  Jaime and Bill are still working hard and spending way too much time on their Black.berrys. 

3.  This weekend, we went to VA Beach for a Barnhart Family event.  It was a blast!  Grace spent time with her cousin Drew while we went to a gala charity event for the SPCA.  Pictures are posted on the site of our trip. 

4.  Lookng forward, this month is crazy.  VA Beach this weekend, Grace's Birthday next weekend, Houston the following weekend, and Jaime ends the month in Miami. 

We will post an update again soon.

Every day Grace gets bigger and bigger.  Yes, I mean tall but really what I mean is that she has turned into a child.  No more baby.  Not even a toddler.  But a kid.  She is also quite the diva! 

We are working on cutting down on whining.  Yea I know......the whining will never end and we are definitely only at the beginning of all this butwe can do what we can to make it a little quieter.   But how are we doing it?  By asking Grace to speak in sentences.  It forces her to stop and think about what she is asking and 9 times out of 10, it works like a champ.  Bonus points to Daddy for that idea!!!

Our temporary roomie, Catherine, was talking to Grace the other day and said "Oh Grace, you are such a diva!".  Well, Grace just didnt agree with her.  She threw herself to the ground and cried for 5 minutes, repeating over and over again "I not a diba!  Cat call me diba!  I grace marie.  Not a diba!!!!!".  Hysterical.  It still makes us laugh.

Other than that, just the same old day here in Virginia.  Grace is spending her days playing with her friends at daycare and swimming in the pool on the weekends.   

What fun it was to have a long weekend!!!  

The pool is open at the house so we spent all weekend laying in the sun, splashing in the water, and just hanging out at home.  Great times!!!  Mommy bought Grace a kiddy pool, a new umbrella, and some pool chemicals.  And planted a few flowers.  That is it for the entire weekend. Doesnt that sound great?!!?!?  More weekends should be like that!

Grace is really growing up so quickly these days.  Full complete sentences, her own little opinions and ideas.  Its so amazing.  And what a Princess she is.  Lately, she is into Peter Pan, anything Princess/Dora/Diego, and loves to play ball outside with Daddy.

We have temporary roommates too....Catherine and Mitch.  They are building a house and are staying with us while the work is completed.  SO MUCH FUN!  We love having them here with us.  2 extra sets of eyes to watch Grace, other adults to converse with, and Grace just adores them both.

I know...nothing exciting right now!  More later..........