Trip to the snow baby!

This weekend we were blessed to go to a cabin near Jackson CA, in the Sierra Foothills. We were there with our great friends Leilani and Chris, the cabin belongs to Chris parents who were there as well, and it was so relaxing. His mom cooks breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and everything in between. There were ample babysitters for Gracie, on Saturday morning by 10 am, Stephen and I were soaking in the hot tub, overlooking a canyon, with a glass a wine in hand! We had naps, long sleeps and went sledding, as well as watched the Superbowl. We are so blessed to have such great friends!!!!!

Daddy and baby, at least daddy is having fun!
Uncle Chris and Gracie
Our little snow angel, who hated wearing this little dohickie of an outfit!
Gracie and momma, momma trying to keep Gracie from going ballistic..

This should just be in a magazine....Gracie showing off her new soccer Adidas shorts that Chris got her:)
For our first anniversary Lani recreated the cake that she made at our wedding (we did not get a bite that night) OMG it was sooooooo good!
Bath time with rubber duckies
Look at those eyes!
Lani got her a A's jersey for her baby shower, and it is almost getting too small, so I had to suck it up and let her wear it for a day.... and now it will go in the "too small" bin
A great time to be had, and we are all feeling great, we just got over being sick. Stephen had such a bad cough that she popped a total of 4 ribs out of place as well as cracked one... Thank God for Chiropractors and pain meds... Grace is just as cute as can be, and momma is happy as happy can be, I am madly in love with my husband (0ver a year now baby) as well can't keep from hugging my baby girl. She is in the mode where she just burrows her head into my shoulder and hugs me, and I just melt every time!!!

It's been a while....

Loving her cheerios!
Don't come between me and my food!
This look comes straight from her dad.

So, it's been about a month since my last post, I apologize. Nothing really big happened, and our camera needed new batteries. Excuses, excuses. Well, Gracie is 7 months old now (in 5 days) and has two teeth!!! Can't really see them because they just broke the skin, but we sure can feel them when she bites them, and there was no mistaking when they came in due to the sheer volume if the shrieking that came from our cute little angel.

Gracie is also very mobile, not "crawling" yet, but she can army crawl and get up on her toes and hands with her butt up in the air. She rocks back and forth on her hands and knees... sooo close to crawling! I am not pushing it, I can wait for her to be completely mobile.... a few more weeks please!

Just introduced to her yesterday is Cheerios, and she can sit in her highchair FOREVER, eating them. Insanely cute:) keeps her busy, mama is happy.

Since she is eating more, moving more and getting teeth, sleep hasn't been as good as it once was. She will wake up 1-3 times per night now, most of the time she will go back to sleep, not always:(

I love her, love her love her! so is so precious. She knows her mommy, and will cry when she sees me because all the sudden she remembers that she is hungry, or sleepy or whatever! It's cute though, I feel loved.

More to come soon. Promise

More 6 months of Gracie

More 6 months of Gracie! At her doc appointment today she measured 27 inches long, and weighed 15.75lbs! That's 90th percentile in height and 50th in weight! She's our tall baby!

Gracie enjoying a Newcastle. (obviously she is not drinking it Dad if her passy is in!)

Sitting up by herself, though looking drunk, I promise it's a different day!
Her favorite toy, a cool colorful mirror that she loves looking in to (just like her mom)... she loves it! Thanks Aunt Patty, Debbie and Alicia!

Christmas 2009

For Christmas this year the whole Matthews side of the family went to my parents house in Susanville. All of us were there, kids, grandkids and sons in-law. The first time that has happened since my wedding! The Albers also were there spending the holiday in there new house, so we more people to spend our time with them as well.

We had a white Christmas, which is sooo fun, though it was mostly ice at first, but the second night we were there it snowed through the night. I probably gained all my baby weight back, non-stop food, and most if it was cooked by my mama, which only means trouble for me.

It was my first Christmas with Stephen and Grace, and we just had such a great time together. I am so blessed. Grace was a hit, per usual with her Aunties, Grandparents and cousins, I don't think she touched the floor at all, everyone was passing her around and playing with her the whole time, luckily I have to feed her so at least I get to hold her a little bit.

A lot of games, a lot of eating and a lot of rough housing is how our weekend was spent!

Such a cute picture of Zach and Grace. (he is 17 now!!! holy... )

They were trying to get Gracie to smile for a picture! Classic

My parents and all their grandkids
Look how tall they are... They are tall, but let's be real, my dad is pretty short
My favorite family. Such a great picture
This is a framer too of Marina and Sandy

A half year of Gracie!

That's right folks, we have had our little one for 6 whole months! Crazy to believe. I cannot imagine my life without her. The way she laughs at you when you blow her neck, or has a huge smile on her face when you get her out of bed, the way that her arms and legs flap and she squeals when you walk into the room. She is so interested in new things, loves being outside, and just this intense look on her face when she sees something that she hasn't seen before, she will grab it, look at it, then inevitably will try to eat anything and everything.

Developments:

• She is now eating solid foods ( a little, more to that soon)!
• She can sit up and hold her self up for a long time now
• She loves being on her tummy, and is now scooting and twisting everywhere, she can move almost across the whole living room!(though it might take a while)
• She is talking more and more, and loves to squeal, especially in church, though we call it making a "joyful noise"
• She loves toys, and will scream when you take it away, or more commonly when she drops it.
• Her favorite toys as of now is an elephant her aunt Chrissy got her and the remote control!
• She loves to jump in her Jumperoo or her Johnny Jump up and can stay in there for like 30 minutes and can give mama a break.
• She loves people! We have tried really hard to pass her off, and get her used to being held by other people because usually it is just her and myself during the day, and it has been a success. She loves being the center of attention, and will brighten up whenever anyone talks to her and plays with her (am I really that boring?)
• As much as she loves people, she also knows that her mama brings her food and comfort and will be fine until she sees me, then starts to cry and (kinda) hold her arms out for me (maybe)

I am sure there is more, but I just can't remember everything!

Normally she'll go to bed around 8, sleep till 430-5 then after eating will sleep until 730. Very doable. Though sometimes she can be up for two hours at night!

Pictures to come soon! Promise, Christmas ones as well!

Christmas Family

I love this picture. My favorite time of year, my favorite people and just happiness everywhere. Love being a family.

O' Christmas Tree.. Growing Girl and Jolly Ol' St Nick

What an eventful week! We have our first official "Baillie Christmas Tree!" We headed up to Crest Ranch in Bonny Doon with Aimee, Kevin and family and found our little 4 footer. It was Stephens first time searching for, finding and cutting down the perfect tree! (I married a city boy) Though it was freezing cold, it was the first of many years going up there with our family. The tradition we are attempting to start involves a hearty meal of eating biscuits and gravy in the morning then heading up to the mountain, drinking cider and finding our tree!

Grace saw St. Nick for the first time and sat on his lap, though she couldn't ask for any presents, she made sure to tug on his beard!

Just yesterday she sat up all by herself for the first time!!! She is growing so quickly it's crazy! She also has a favorite toy, a stuffed reindeer we got when we were at Knotts Berry Farm. It's the first toy that she holds her arms out for and gets a huge smile on her face. I know my last blog I was kinda overwhelmed with being a mom, but let me tell you that she has been sooo fun this last couple weeks, so happy and just bubbly! God knows right when I need a little help.

Below are some pictures of the last weeks, my friend Amy came down and took a lot of pictures of myself and her God-daughter.

My happy little munchkin...

Grace Elizabeth and Eliana Grace going to take communion together...sooo precious. Eliana is about 2 months older than Gracie... Just feeling each other out

Daddy absolutley in love with his little girl,

Momma in love with her little girl...
One of my favorite pictures ever!!!
Grace and St. Nick
Tugging on his beard

Daddy cutting down our tree

Posing with our new tree