Grace scraped up her nose in a swimming pool a few weeks ago (just in time for our Christmas pictures). So she had to wear a band-aid to school for a couple days. Instead of being self-conscious and worried about appearing in front of her peers with a band aid plunked right in the center of her face, she looked in the mirror and said (with all the delight you can imagine), “I’m a nerd!!” 
Later she realized that Steve Nash, our beloved Suns player, sported a band-aid like hers last season. So she started doing some great Nash moves as she announced that she was a nerdy Steve Nash (don’t ask me what “Nash moves” are, she just did the “worm” or something or other with her arms…she’s definitely got her dad’s rhythm and not mine). Her teacher at school is a very serious Suns fan and wrote Nash’s number “13” across the band-aid. Grace just has fun and is pretty delighted with life all the way around. Which is very ironic considering that she was my toughest baby by far. After her first two weeks of being angelic as a newborn she started screaming and didn’t stop until she was over six months old. And that was nothing compared to the reflux she had! This picture says it better than I can…(yeah, don’t ask why I was smiling…)
Anyway, whenever I let her do anything even remotely fun…play with a friend, come to volunteer in her class, let her have a cookie for dessert…she dramatically throws her arms around me (nearly knocking me over) and proclaims me the very best mom in the whole entire world. This happens probably three times a week. And when I make a dinner that the other kids start turning their noses up at, she takes note of my annoyance and says, “Mom, this dinner ROCKS! I LOOOOOOVVVVVEE it!!!” and she really does. Lots of things “rock” for this girl. Man, she cracks me up, and man, I’m thankful for her!
One more thing…the only thing Grace wants for Christmas is “three packs of earrings.” The other night while I was helping her brush her teeth I tried to squeeze out some different gift ideas from her. This was our conversation:
me: “so is there anything besides earrings that you really want for Christmas?”
Grace: “nope, just earrings”
pause while Grace examines her clean teeth in the mirror
Grace: “well, actually maybe I want my two front teeth for Christmas.”
me: “well, you already have your two front teeth.”
Grace: “yeah, I know, but I want to lose them for Christmas.”
Grace is a good example of making the most of everything. That’s a lesson I needed to learn today. Making the most of a bandaid on your nose and making the most of finals… pretty much the same thing, right?
yep chesternut. gracejam is quite the girl.
That throw up picture made my day. The joke used to be that they only threw up on me, always on the front of my shirt, just like you! Henry never does, that’s why I love him!
Dad and I just got some great belly laughs going reading and looking! At first I thought you were wearing a tie-dyed shirt. I forgot about that little monkey’s “spitting up”! Plus the bandaide thing is hilarious. We just saw Steve Nash doing a funny routine at half time with a chipped tooth. Funny that I would find this just as we saw that!
Love you,
Mom
I love your blog site. You are awesome to be smiling amidst all that formula on your shirt. I love the Grace story, how cute is she!
love that girl. major personality! I love it!
What a gal. That spit up picture is the best picture I have seen in 25 years.
Hey Shawni, such a darling post. We got to spend a little time with Grace today at Costa Vida with Josh and she was talking to one of the girls and they all sounded like little teenagers. So cute. I love the black and white picture you have here.
I love getting to know your cute kids through your blog. There is something special with #3 child.
We got your cute card today and I loved it