One Apple Up On Top...

Mornings are my absolute favorite time of the day. Strange, but true. Before Grace, I dreaded the morning just like everyone else. I never wanted to get out of bed and always thought the alarm buzzed way too early. Nowadays, we get up without an alarm. Well, actually, Grace is our alarm. We get out of bed to greet the day when our funny little toddler starts her morning chant of "da da da."















After we wipe the sleepys from our eyes, we start our routine of books and game playing...

"Where is Grace's belly button??"
















There it is!!

Then we have the ducks over for breakfast...

And act out our favorite books. Here's Grace demonstrating the Dr. Seuss classic, "Ten Apples Up on Top."















Tada!

All better...

Hope so, anyway!

Grace got a virus last week and it was very yucky!! All she wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch her movies (Baby Einstein to be exact, a/k/a Baby Crack)...














... and talk on the phone with Grandma (I know that's a Blackberry, but she doesn't).














Things started to look up on Saturday...














And Sunday seemed to be even better!














This morning, Grace was wondering if she really felt better...















And the verdict??
















Yay! Grace is ready for summer!!

The Big 3-0

Well, I turned 30 on Sunday. And it wasn't as big of a deal as I thought it would be. It's not that I am afraid to grow older - I'm not, it's just that 30 is talked up so much that I thought I would somehow "feel" differently. Well it turns out I didn't wake up feeling any differently at all (not that I really thought I would). There was no sudden crop of grey hair on the top of my head (ha!). No sadness for times gone by. No giant parade down Fifth Avenue marking my transition from my beloved 20's (although the Puerto Rican Day Parade was on the same day -- but I don't think my people came out in droves for just me!). No drunken escapades to live up the last moments of youth like it was my 21st birthday.

It was only me, my daughter, and my husband...
















running to the park before the sun set ...














...to play with trucks.
















Who could ask for anything more??

Grace Goes to Virginia (Again)

This time our little family traveled to Virginia to celebrate the 25th Wedding Anniversary of Aunt Rosie & Uncle Bill. Their three terrific kids threw them a fabulous party and Grace had a great time dancing, playing with her cousins and most of all, spending quality time with Grandma.

Here's Grace & Grandma reading books sent by Grandpa... Thanks, Grandpa!!





Wow! What a great hotel room. Gotta love the Marriott pack-n-play...






Thank goodness there are big cousins out there to teach you how to properly play on a luggage cart!








And here's Aunt Rosie opening her gifts!


We had a really great time!

Swimming lessons!!

As you will recall, Grace has been taking swimming lessons since she was six months old. The vast majority of these lessons have been attended by dear old Dad - and for good reason. Not only do I have to be at 7 Times Square during the swim lesson hour, Brandon is also much better at letting Grace do her own thing in the pool than I am. For example, he has no problem with the instruction -- dump kid under water even if she has no idea what is about to happen. Me, on the other hand, I stink at following such direction. I get all nervous and freaked out and end up scaring Grace more than if I would just submerge her in the water for the brief fraction of a second the actual dunking takes.

Alas, I took, I dunked and then I quit.

I think I'll be in charge of the ballet lessons instead!