Dear Santa...

I was sharing the story with a friend the other day and she suggested I include it here.  So, here it is!  If Grace were to write a letter to Santa this year, here is what I think she would say.

Dear Santa,

Hi, my name is Grace and I am 16 months old.  I can't speak in words yet so my mom is writing to you for me.
I think I have been a good girl this year, even with all the changes it has brought.  It's been a tough one for me, moving to Canada and getting to know my new family but I like them and think I will settle in for good.  
I always eat my lunch and dinner and I'm trying hard to get the spoon in the bowl.  I have worked very hard at listening to my mommy speak English and I know lots of words and tricks now.  I can shake my head yes and no, and lean from side to side.  I can raise my arms up and blow kisses.  I've learned to climb the stairs all by myself and I can walk from the couch to the chair at Grandma and Grandpa's house!  I try really hard to go to bed on time and mommy says I am doing a good job of trying to stay asleep.  This week I learned how to wave good-bye when people are leaving.  Sometimes I wait till they are already out of the house and driving down the street before I start to wave, but then, I wave like crazy and mommy laughs. 
So, I think I have been good and would like to tell you what I want for Christmas.  I know children don't get everything they ask for, even from Santa, but please try to do your best, just like me.

I would like a new walking toy.  The one I'm using right now is almost worn out!!!  I move around the house a lot!
I would like my own remote control because mommy always hides the ones she has on top of the couch where I can't reach yet!
I would also like my own phone.  Sometimes mommy talks on the phone and then I have nothing to do so I climb up her leg, but a new phone of my own would be more fun I think.
I think I would like a puppy.  I have started to like Grandma and Grandpa's dog and now I think we should have one too!  (Mommy may edit this request out before sending if off to Santa!)
If you could, I would also like my birth mom and all the people back at Xuzhou SWI to know that I am doing great.  I am happy and healthy and am loving my new home here in Canada.  I even like snow!

I think that's it!  Thank you Santa and just so you know, you are on our front door and mommy lifts me up every day so I can kiss you!
Love Grace

Snack is Hard Work!

Just like the post title says, snack is hard work sometimes!

All Mommy Wants....

A good friend brought over an early Christmas gift for Grace.  Thanks Mary!  It was just too funny and oh so true......

However, on a more serious note, you all must know that I have already received the best gift of all, becoming a mom to the most beautiful girl in the world!

This is the ornament that I found to commemorate Grace and I's first Christmas as a Forever Family.  It's hanging on a small tree alongside several Chinese hand-painted glass ball ornaments, one from every year that I waited for Grace and two lovely First Christmas ornaments that my parents gave me recently.

Merry Christmas everyone, may the light of Christ be always in your heart and your blessings be great now and in the year ahead.

Holder of the Stuff

Grace and I spent some time at Grandma and Grandpa's last weekend, gathering greenery for the urns outside our front door.  Grace only had one job to do, to be holder of the stuff.  I'm not sure she is ready for full time employment yet....

Christmas in the Park

Grace and I have had a busy few days, Christmas shopping and enjoying the season.  Last night we were in Peterborough, listening to the sounds of my nephew's band.  Grace did a great job of staying awake and enjoying the music, clapping excitedly after each piece.  It was so cute to watch her enjoying the music!  We stayed overnight and had a nice visit with family.
Tonight we were supposed to attend an Advent Mass where my nephew's class was to sing Christmas carols.  However, he was sick and not going to be there, so we chose not to go to the church service and instead got bundled up and went to Christmas in the Park.  It was a mild night, so right after dinner, I changed Grace into her pajamas then bundled her into her snowsuit and off we went.  Our town hosts a lovely display of lights and holiday vignettes in a small park with a stream running through it.  It's quite beautiful and although Grace is a little young to really take it all in, it was a lovely walk just the same.  I may take her back a second time when there is actually some snow! And the best part of it all was... we were still home and in bed by 7:40!  Grace of course, not me!

It's a little hard to tell, but that's a beautiful Nativity scene behind her

It's not clear but that's Thumper and Bambi in the background.  Still figuring out the new camera!!!LOL

Mommy Time!

I got a few moments of "un-Grace-ified" Mommy Time last week!  So thankful to my mom and dad, who were kind enough to watch Grace for not one, but three events last week.  I had a dentist appointment one day as well as a retirement lunch for a good friend and colleague at a fancy restaurant and while I could have taken Grace, it was nice to be able to sit at the table and not have to face sideways in my chair, to feed her in a high chair.  I also had my work Christmas party, a house party where we all had a great time.  I couldn't believe how strange it felt to be out without her.  Good, but strange.

Happy retirement Norma! I actually got to wear a necklace this day!!!

Acting silly at the Christmas party!

P.S.  I have been working on lots of Christmas related posts lately.  I will try to get them all posted in the next few days, hopefully before Christmas!!

SUCKER!!!!

Do you see it??? Well, do you??  Do you see the word "SUCKER" written all over my face????  I'm driving to the department store for our Christmas photo session.  It's Grace's first Christmas in Canada and I want to do something special to remember it.  I'm telling myself, "I'm just going to get the small package, I just need a few photos to pass out to grandparents, aunts and uncles and a few close friends. Really, that's all I need.  After all, I'm not working, I don't have extra money right now, those photo packages are expensive.  I don't need a whole bunch of different poses."  For half an hour I drive to the mall telling myself that.  

Then I came home. With the whole CD.  50 different poses.  Sucker.  They saw me coming a mile away!

The Most Beautiful Touch in the World

Grace is 16 months old today and she is just not her usual "party self."  I have a sick little girl on my hands right now.  Just an ordinary cold but the poor thing is so congested and miserable I feel sorry for her.  I've been lucky in that Grace has really been quite healthy.  She had a cold and a few issues when we first came home but after that, she's been great.  Right now though, Grace has hardly been able to sleep with this cold.  She sounds like a freight train while she's sleeping and wakes herself up continually. The first couple of nights, I brought her into my bed to comfort her and of course she likes to sleep about 3 centimetres from my face.  I should feel the beginnings of a cold within the next day or two....
When Grace sleeps with me, she often reaches out her hand throughout the night to check for my presence.  It's the most beautiful touch in the world and it melts my heart every time.  It's soft and gentle and she just places her hand on my cheek or takes my hand and curls her fingers around it for security.  There's never been a better moment in the world, even if it is at 3am!

Water Baby

Grace started her first swimming lessons this week.  My girl loves the water!!!  Here we are getting ready.

This is how eager she was to get to that water!  Wait  for me Grace!!!

Once we went outside to the pool platform I could hardly hold her back, she wanted in that water so badly!  She would scramble to get down out of my arms and crawl straight for the edge of the pool!  Good times!

Fort Knox!

So, I'm pulling clothes out of the dryer the other day and I turn around to see this:

"Oh, no, no little Grace," I say, "you can't go up there."  I gently bring her back down to the floor with me.
A little while later, I am putting away our coats and shoes and I see this:

"Oh, no, no little Grace, you can't go up there."  I gently bring her back down to the floor and continue putting away the diaper bag, etc

I look again and I see this:

"Grace,"  I say, a little more firmly this time, "you can't go on the stairs without Mommy.  Back down you go."  I gently bring her back to the floor.  And then.... she heads straight for the stairs again.  Apparently she can go up the stairs without Mommy!

In fact, somehow she has managed to learn this task so quickly she is at the top of the stairs before I can even get to her!!!  The best part of all was her smile as she turned around, all proud as a peacock of herself  (or maybe just to see if I was watching, that little monkey!)!!!


The next day, I am getting her lunch ready and I see this:

And this:

And this:

Hmm, I think.  Time for more baby gates!  In comes my good and industrious friend Karen to the rescue! She arrived Wednesday night and helped me install two more gates at the bottom of each set of stairs.  I myself could barely help her as Grace chose to stay up late and keep us company (insert fake smile with gritted teeth here!) So I now have a total of 6 baby gates installed and I feel like I live in Fort Knox!  And I'm once again thankful for good friends!

Autumn Continued

Some family photos, just because they turned out so well, and because my camera is broken so I don't have the pictures I wanted to add to my next post.  Will hopefully be buying a new cheap camera tomorrow, ugh

23 years worth of grandkids!

This one is going in a frame on the wall!

We try to just ignore him when he gets like this....

I don't even think you can see all of us, but we're all there, all 20 of us!

LOVE!!!

I swear I have the best looking nieces and nephews around!

Best looking, except maybe this one shot of D.  What's up with those eyes!!?