Fort Fisher Aquarium

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is the perfect way to spend a few hours. It's just big enough to manage in a morning or afternoon. Both times we've gone on Saturday morning and by the time we head out for lunch it's filling up. They have a lot of areas to explore. The Cape Fear Region, home to the Albino Alligator, the touch & feel area, shark tank and lots of little tanks with various local and exotic fish. After we went to the Fort Fisher park for a picnic lunch and to blow off some energy. Something that Gracyn never lacks, energy! Girl is busy, busy!



2010 and 2011 by the alligator. Obviously the alligator doesn't move, just Gracyn. Child never. stops.

Potty Training

Gracyn is currently potty training. This is cra-zay to type or say out loud...such a big milestone.

I would say it officially began Wed, Dec. 28 when we tossed the diapers in the trash. {Not all of them, there's still a bag full in the garage that I need to do something with.} We put on big girl panties and never looked back. Lee has been working with her for a while before this day. Sitting on the potty before bath, talking about 'pee' and 'poop', things like that, and she was also letting us know when she needed a 'diaper change'.

This is mostly for me to remember this milestone than anything. So, my apologies to anyone who's still reading.

We we're all-in on this one, with me leading the charge. We used the 3-day bootcamp method. I just knew Gracyn was ready and the biggest motivator for me was that she would moving into the classroom with a potty. So, it made sense.

Of course the night before our 'big day' I lost all nerve and panicked, big time! Over the next 48 hours it went something like this....Lee encouraged me, I encouraged Gracyn and Gracyn was completely freaked out!

Looking back it wasn't horrible at all, but in the middle of cleaning up lots of pee...it's was a challenge. I'm pretty impressed though, she really picked it up quickly. Here's a summary:

Off we go with our Dora seat & Minnie Mouse

Day 1: Diapers off and into the trash. Gracyn did the honors. Straight to the bathroom to review the set-up. Minnie Mouse panties. Check. Dora potty seat. Check. Stepstool. Check. Wide-eyed toddler. Check. Wide-eyed Momma. Check. Not 15 minutes in and we had pee. Everywhere.

So Minnie didn't make it dry long. New panties and we got set-up to do some play-doh. More pee. Now, at this point Gracyn is like "Diaper Mommy?" And I remind her she's a big girl. Poor thing clings to me like glue, like that's going to keep the pee in. Not so much.

She finally goes in the potty and we have a HUGE celebration. HUGE. M&Ms and dancing and singing and clapping, lots o' clapping. Meanwhile, Bella is hiding from us crazy gals.

Gracyn is super clinging for the rest of the day. I'm finally able to get her to nap laying beside me on the bed. While I pray that she doesn't pee because I went into this without a pull-up in sight. Lee's at work and arrives with toys & pull-ups because I'm realizing we're not going to make it through the night without them.

Minnie's turn!

Day 2: Gracyn sleeps like a champ and we both face Day 2 with positive attitudes. At this point we're 4 for 4. Now, we've just to poop on the potty. Again, sorry for those still reading. Lee shows up at lunch time with high-protein items. Edamame, Apples, whole wheat anything he can find. :) No accidents so far, but we are constantly reminding her to "Tell Mommy/Daddy when you have to potty." If I had a dollar for every time I've said those words.

At this point she's doing great, just a little damp when we make it to the potty. But that's a sign to me that she's controlling the urge. And we go poop in the potty! Whoohooo. Now this was a GIANT celebration.

Day 3: I'm confident we're on track. Girl has 'got this'. Now, I'm just trying to think who's house we can go hang out at while we wait for her to use a 'strange' potty. And, I finally leave the house after 48 hours.

Day 4-6: We're accident free and get to the park, and the park, and the park. Yeah, we went a few times. And the neighbors house too.

Now, Lee and I just need to get over public restrooms. Ick.

Gracyn: 2 years old

Dear Gracyn, you are 2 years old today. We love you so much! You make us laugh all the time at the funny things you do and say. You keep us on our toes!

Here's what you're up to:

- Running and talking. All the time. You are busy, busy!

- You can recite the entire ABC song

- Other songs you sing: Twinkle Twinkle, Sit back down, Happy Birthday. There have been a lot of birthdays at school, so this is a favorite right now.

- Can count from 1 to 10, and sometimes up to 14. Right now we are teaching you to count backwards from 10.

- You know all of your animals and what they "say"

- You can point out basic colors such as red, blue, orange, green, yellow, and purple

- Daddy taught you how to throw since you started walking. You now have a great arm and can throw with accuracy and distance! Daddy is now working with you on how to "step and throw." You are also learning how to catch.

-You can operate the iPad to find your games and movies (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse & Little Einstein)

- Your vocabulary has grown exponentially. In some occasions you can put together a series of about three words to tell us what you want. You also can repeat just about any word that we tell you.

- Your dexterity is also growing exponentially. You can stack up building blocks by yourself about 1.5' high before they topple over.

- You can tell Bella how to "sit" and "down" before you give her chews.

We love you so much! And we're so thankful that God choose as your parents!

Halloween

Via Instagram, our little bee. Buzz!

Pumpkin Patch

Fun afternoon visit to the Pumpkin Patch, complete with pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins. We came home with our hand-picked bunch!

20 Months

Gracyn,

You are 20 months. Closer now to 2, WOW!

Weight: 26.5 lbs

Diapers: Size 5

Clothes: 18 month & 2T

Shoes: 6

- Lately you've become a master a procrastinating bedtime. You drag it out to say: "more books", "more rock-rock", "more daddy", "more mommy", "more Bedda", "more music" .... anything to stay up a little longer.

- Your vocabulary continues to grow and you're adding words together

New words: Boat, Car, Kakhi, Ketchup, Get Up (you tell me this a lot when I'm not doing what you want), yo-gut, banana, elefant

- You tell Bella what to do when we play fetch or to get a treat: Go Bedda, Bedda sit, Bedda down

- You've developed a picky eating style, we offer you what's been made for dinner but you usually request milk and yo-gut

Asked for a smile & got this face!

Peek-a-boo!

With Bella (Bedda)

First Haircut

It was time. Out with the mini-mullet! Thanks to some personal styling efforts, G has been rocking a mulletesque style lately. It was time to get this situation under control.

DeDe at Seagrass was happy to help.

Baby got her hair 'fixed' too!

Lee thinks this shot is hilarious!

Trimming up the front, slightly successful!

I love this expression. G's thinking "DeDe get that comb out of my face!"

We left with a few strands of hair and headed to Chick-fil-a for lunch. All around everyone was pretty happy!