The Adventures of Luna & Grace: The First Week of April

April. Really? April already? Grace is almost 1 year old? But...but...she was just born!? Our little Gracie is just as happy as can be. Thanks to Rebecca for this picture. It captures her spirit beautifully. While we try not compare too much, this is something that Grace shares with big sister. People are always commenting on how happy she is. A little more shy than Luna was at this age, Grace still gives people BIG grins. Grace has been standing herself up with the help of anything she can hold on to. She walks with help; it seems like she is just going to take off any day now. She is also climbing a bit as I horrifically discovered yesterday. Can't leave her alone for a second any more. New words include "Wow!" and what sounds like "daddy's nose" (from a game we play).

We got Uncle Bob tickets to see the Seattle Men's Chorus. I was excited to find out my old friend, Rod, who just recently moved up here from Southern California, was in the Chorus. He had been in the LA Chorus for several years, and I had never been able to see him there, so it was really great knowing I would finally get to see him on stage. We stopped at Green Lake for lunch.

Uncle Bob was reading Luna's Brain Quest "question cards" to her. Girl is scary smart.

Grace wasn't really impressed.

Yum!

What's that smell!

Luna was excited to know there might be dancing.

Grace wanted to practice walking. She's not quite at the dancing stage yet.

Wow, big theater and BIG, sparkly red curtain.

Where are they? She kept asking. When is it going to start?

This was about as happy as she got. It went quickly downhill from here.

Unfortunately, it was a rough afternoon. Grace wasn't feeling too well, so Lynnelle had to take her out of the theater. Luna had a hard time sitting still and had a lot of questions, much to the chagrin of the people sitting around us. "Where is the dancing?" was one of my particular favorites until the stage went black and she busted out with "Hey, where did they go?" That one got a lot of laughs from those around us, but she couldn't sit still or remain quiet after that, and Lynnelle and I spent the whole second half of the show in the lobby with 2 pretty restless girls. I had really overestimated Luna's readiness for something like this. To many sitting around us, we were "those people" who brought their kids to a theater. It gave me insight to what other parents I have observed have gone through. "What were they thinking bringing their kids to this show?" is something I have thought in the past. Well, on this occasion, I'm sure people were thinking that about us. What I was thinking was that my kid could handle it, and I was wrong. It was a good learning lesson and a time that gave me some empathy for other parents I have previously judged. It also reminds me of being on a plane when you hear people say "Why don't they shut that kid up?" Again, now having been through that situation as well, the parents are doing everything they can. It's something to keep in mind. People don't go into this thinking "I hope my kid is a HUGE distraction at the theater today.

Luckily, Uncle Bob had a great time, and I still got to see Rod on stage. Though there were some difficult moments, it was a good day.

It's Spring Break! We're off to Vancouver!

Uncle Brian and Uncle Raj moved back to the West Coast from Toronto. We took off to Vancouver to see them for a couple of days and to enjoy the big city.

Grace didn't waste any time checking out the place and making her way into the closet where she promptly climbed up and...