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Thanksgiving has always been a very special holiday for our family but it is even more special to us now. Grace was due to arrive on Thanksgiving day this time last year but she decided to wait a little longer to make her appearance! We are most thankful for our beautiful daughter and our wonderful families. Happy first Thanksgiving Grace ~ we love you more than words can express.
We enjoyed a fun family trip to L.L. Bean today ~ it was the debut of their Northern Lights display, which consisted of an incredible display of lights throughout the L.L. Bean grounds, as well as activity and product demonstrations, crafts for kids, a 40-foot Christmas tree, ice carvings, life-sized gingerbread characters, and carolers. Grace loved walking around L.L. Bean and she gathered quite the collection of items throughout the store along the way......the girl can shop!! Grace was in awe of all of the beautiful Christmas trees and lights. As seen here, Grace closely examined the lights on the Christmas trees. The advertisements stated that there were 50 Christmas trees throughout the grounds and we think Grace pointed out 49! We also enjoyed seeing L.L. Beans new 15-foot fish tank. Daddy excitedly pointed out a rainbow trout to Grace. Grace momentarily looked perplexed. A few seconds later Grace turned, pointed, and said, "What Daddy? Do you mean an oncorhynchus mykiss?" 
It felt like spring today! Grace & I spent most of the day outside enjoying the warm sunshine.
After our swimming lesson this morning, Grace and I spent the afternoon together at the Children's Museum. It struck me today as I was watching Grace play what a big girl she is and how grown up she seems now. Rather than playing in the baby/young toddler play area, Grace chooses to spend most of her time "shopping" at the grocery store within the museum. Grace found all of her favorite fruits and vegetables and put them in her very own shopping basket. Grace also picked apples from the apple tree and put them into her basket 
too....and she did all of these things all by herself! Grace also enjoyed interacting with the older children in the grocery store area and proudly told everyone that she had "apple" and "nah-nah-nah" (bananas). Grace even approached an older boy who was holding an apple and said, "peas," (please) to ask him if she could have his apple too. On our car ride home, I asked Grace if she had fun at the museum and she replied, "apple," "nah-nah-nah" and "bah" (ball) - all of the things she played with today at the museum. Grace continues to amaze me each day!
Our sweet Gracie Girl is becoming quite the little singer and musician! We are always singing and playing music in our household-- everything from the classic children songs to songs we make up ourselves, and Grace now sings right along with us. Grace especially enjoys singing in the car and in her stroller when we are out and about. Here, Grace is loudly singing "la la la" in her stroller, which drew lots of attention from onlookers. Grace also loves to play the piano, shake maracas & tambourines, blow on a penny whistle that her Poppy gave her, and turn on CD players.......the budding of a future musician perhaps?!?!
"Kimberlee was born at 7:06 p.m. She weighs 7 pounds, 12 ounces and is 20 inches long. Isn't she cute?! My Mommy told me that Kimberlee looks a lot like Rose did when she was a baby."
"Here I am with Auntie Allison and cousins Rose & Kimberlee. Having two girl cousins to play with is the best!"
"Rose and I had a great time together today. We played on the swings and even got to play Memere & Pepere's new piano. My Mommy has been showing me how to make music on our piano at my home so I was excited to show off my newly learned piano skills. Cousin Rose has so many fun and new toys and it was nice of her to share them with me!"
not go in Grace's mouth, like shoes!), ah-duh (all done), bah (Grace's word for sheep), ooo (Grace's word for cow), pretty, and ghee? (this is Grace's unique way of asking, "What's that?" or "Tell me more." She will point to something while saying this and look to a person for more information). Grace even combines two words together to say, "bye-bye dada." Grace says this phrase each morning just before her Daddy leaves to go to work. Grace's verbal imitation skills have also taken off over the past month. She will now attempt to repeat any word when asked to do so. Grace also uses the signs for up (reaching both hands up in the air) and more (bringing hands together). Grace also initiates the singing of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by opening and closing her fingers. I can't seem to keep up with Grace's receptive language skills. She identifies so many objects and pictures and is able to identify novel pictures after being told what it is only one time. Grace's favorite things are: books, swinging, walking through the leaves, going for long walks, the lake across from our house, pine trees, music & singing, balloons, shape sorters, blocks, puzzles, baby dolls, broccoli & spinach with cheese, carrying her play phone up to her ear while walking around our house, farm animals, her kitchen set & play food, the Children's Museum of Maine, pointing......and ladybugs. Amazing Grace! 
Today was a pumpkin day at our home! Grace wore her pumpkin pajamas all day, ate pumpkin for lunch, painted handprint pumpkins for Halloween, went on a walk to find all of the pumpkins in our neighborhood, and we read all of our pumpkin and Halloween books!
After the Halloween party, we went to a state championship little league football game to support the son of one of Daddy's co-workers. After the game was over, the fans rushed out onto the field to celebrate while the next teams to play were warming up for their game. Grace loved running on the football field and she said she is now ready to play. We eventually talked Grace out of playing football and convinced her to become the teams ladybug mascot instead!
"I have my very own swing at home now. I'm so happy! I love it!"
