All About Grace

Usually I am the one telling all about what is happening. Like the fact that right at the moment. Baby Dillender is kicking the heck out of me. Grace likes to think that the baby is just tickling Mama. Tickling, nice thought.

But today I am going to let Grace give you all the details. Last week at "school", they made "All About Me" books. Here is Grace's:









(just a quick explanation, Grace loves to draw bones on things. Usually on herself and even once a doll and once on the computer screen.)





(and the last explanation, Grace has on occasion gone to school as Master Yoda, not in costume, but in spirit. Her wonderful teachers, Miss Allison, Miss Rachel, and Miss Rose will not only call her Master Yoda, but also but her name on the roll call on the board as Master Yoda (in the girls list no less).

And lastly, because several people have asked why I only rarely include a photo of myself I have included a photo to let you see and know how I am doing at 34 weeks and counting.

Quarterly Report

Seems that it is time for another update. We (well I) are 25 weeks and counting so we have passed the halfway mark. Yeah! Everything is going well and the little one is getting healthy marks at check ups. We opted to be surprised again so start the betting as to whether Tod will be out numbered or the genders will achieve balance.

We are all well and have been enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Tod's spring break we had tons of sunshine and warm weather and two very helpful visitors.

Because we are who we are and we will never leave this little house, baby number two means another house addition. We figure that this is major house improvement project number four. We've totally lost track of all the small projects around hear. Tod spent his week off hard at work ensuring that he would want to get back in the classroom. His father came and helped with the hard labor and head scratching. It was much needed help and very appreciated. Then later in the week my mother came with a truck and helped keep track of Grace while I pitched in a little here and there. Luckily Tod was able to get all the big work out of the way and the roof on so now we are to the inside work. This means I have to get busy. This time round we were spared any leaks and so currently have not taken any steps backwards like the addition before Grace was born.

Grace is continuing in her inquisitions into everything. Most of all she loves signage and deciphering what "skip signs" say. Skip signs are any sign with a circle and slash through an image such as a no smoking sign. She spots them everywhere and requires a discussion of any new ones that we find. She also spends a great deal of time looking for words to read everywhere. The appearance of spring means that we are spending a lot of time outside again: at the park, in the backyard, on the bike, on the scooter, and just lately in the bike trailer. We live right next to a wonderful new bike trail and now Grace can enjoy it it style.

I hope you all are having a wonderful time and seeing evidence of spring. I'll close with a few photos of the project and a few smiles.

Happy New Year!

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday.

We had a very good visit to St. Louis. I haven't put together a collection of recent photos of Grace, but she is still growing like a weed and learning an incredible amount everyday. She loves to study road signs, and can identify most of the "universal" signs faster than Tod and I. She loves to read and has an incredible imagination.

What she doesn't perhaps understand yet is how her life is going to change. Tod and I were very happy to tell our parents and siblings that in July there is going to be another Dillender to keep the world on their toes.

With out further delay here is the newest Dillender:

October 2010

It has been a very busy month, actually the fall in general has been a whirl. The biggest even was going to Orlando with Grace. My mother had a meeting that she had to attend and so she and my dad very graciously took Grace and I with them. Tod didn't make the trip. He's switched schools and didn't think that the new principal would be impressed by taking some of 60 some odd sick days for a trip to Disney World. Luckily, his new school is wonderful. The kids are always a challenge, but generally an easier challenge and the administration is very supportive. He also enjoys the 1 mile commute and no more PTA duties.

Grace loved Disney World. Most of the really great photos are on the grandparent's camera, but you can imagine the maniacal glee on her face with her first roller coaster ride. She did get a little tired of the camera being out.

Her first ride was Dumbo. 20 minutes of waiting while the 4 year old just in front of us totally melted down, during which Grace tried to be patient. Then finally the magic moment getting to ride in the yellow hatted Dumbo and 1 min and 20 sec of flight and glee and joy and then massive tears when she realized that was all that 20 min of waiting got you. After about the 3rd ride she got the idea and learned to accept the timing.

Her favorite ride the "Brer Rabbit" inspired log flume. Since getting home she's watched "Song of South" way too many times and loves to sing Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da, throw her animals in to the "butter patch" (she can't say brier to save her life), and no tries to convince me to do what she wants with by telling me how much she doesn't want it.

The trip was wonderful and just the right length.

Since being home dress up has become of extreme importance. Luckily since it is October most people think we are in the Halloween mood. We have made a lot of errands dressed as super heroes and princesses lately. Correction. Grace has. Her favorite is to dress as American Eagle, a character from a library book that she loves. The book is done in a comic book style and half the illustrations show American Eagle as he really looks, a little boy wearing: boots, shorts, tee shirt, gloves, cape, and baseball hat. The other illustrations show him as he sees himself, a muscle clad super hero flying through the city saving the day.

Please note the items needed because Grace went a found one of each item on her own to complete the ensemble. The next time we check out the book I'll scan in a sample of the art.

Grace is a wonderful imaginative little imp, and is growing in many wonderful ways.

So it is summer here and really stinking hot. Really hot! We have been very busy this spring and summer and so I have neglected adding any photos for quite sometime.

We had the house on the market and tried to relocate to St. Louis. Unfortunately that plan didn't turn out as expected but Tod did get a new teaching position here in Memphis. He now is teaching 6th grade social studies, which is world history, at a middle school literally on mile from our house. He is excited for a new challenge and because of the differences in student base and new administration should be a "gravy" job.

Grace still is growing like a weed. Her imagination is in full throttle. She spends her day informing me that she isn't Grace right now she's _______. One of any assortment of characters her current favorites being either Bug Lady or Buzz Lightyear. When she is one of these alter egos she tells us that Grace is a work and will be home later. If asked she'll inform you that Grace fixes teeth at work. Granddaddy must be proud.

She loves to read and paint and her newest word "rough house".

We spent the summer with visits to St. Louis and my family reunion at Pickwick, and most recently the three of us visited James, Lisa, Laura, and Elizabeth at their home is West Stockbridge, MA. It was a delight. I spent quite a lot of time with them in middle school and high school there but hadn't been back since Laura's first summer. She's driving now. Grace really had a blast with the cats and "playing cello" like Laura and dressing like a fairy as often as she could. We took in the grounds at Tanglewood and Grace attended her first concert on the lawn. She also fit in very well with the Cooke proclivity for ice cream.

At Up Yonder she had a good time playing with the other youngest cousins and went swimming and tubing and knee boarding. She was highly disappointed that she didn't get to stand up on the knee board. Maybe skiing next year who knows.

She also had a rather major mile stone this summer she got to graduate to a "big girl" bed. She didn't fit length wise in her crib any more so we took pity on her. She now is sleeping the in the bed that was Dad's, Monnie's (my great-grandmother) Bob's, and mine. She likes it. Especially when she realized one morning that she could get herself out and come get in bed with me to snuggle. (Curse the 6 am sunrise into her room, but the snuggles are nice)

Here are an assortment of pictures to share and I hope you all are having a wonderful summer and that you are able to avoid melting before Autumn.

A little site seeing in MA took us to the highest peak in the state which has a lighthouse memorial on its top.


On the grounds at Tanglewood. Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony. We went to a Sunday afternoon Pops concert and heard the Pops playing with Arlo Guthrie and others. It was quite lovely and Grace even sat and listened occasionally. Her favorite part was applaulding and yelling bravo. Lisa cracked up every time and I still don't know where she learned bravo from.




Lots of water color painting. They just don't ever make enough blue paint.


playing the little "cello" next to Laura's big cello. Mama had to turn the pages on the music stand for her and when she was done she set the little player violin down on its side and rested the bow on it just like Laura.

lots of fairy dances on tip toes

making music

watching for kitty cats

lots of fairy time at James and Lisa's

She really wanted me to take this picture of her "stitches" I was busy finishing the last bits of sewing on an order and so Grace wanted to do some sewing too. The arrangement of thread on the peg strap on the dulcimer is her stitching.

hiding

squishing Daddy

fairy god mother (Grace is at work)

reading often

more hiding

Ice cream

The bees are her favorite both at the zoo and when we encountered them at the Shaker village in MA. She is difficult shall we say to get to leave them.

Granddaddy at the zoo

she loves the birds at the zoo.

more reading

big girl bed

More ice cream!

Playing at the Park


a hug for Mama.