Soccer

One of our new experiences this summer besides adding that whole other family member has been getting Grace started off in the wonderful world of sports.

She started the summer with swim lessons at the YMCA. She is all fish. She would spend all day in the water if she could. She is swimming quite well considering that in June she had forgotten everything from before and decided to be afraid of getting her head wet. She swims well without floaties in the shallow area, and likes to retrieve her "fishies" off the bottom. It was fun watching her progress to being able to get them. First she just used her toes, then she could get them if you shoved her under because she just couldn't overcome her own buoyancy, now she tries to get all four with one dive. The other great thing with spending so much of the summer at the pool was her learning overcome being shy. She became a champ at befriending kids at the pool in order to have some one to play with. She must get that from the Dillender's because I know I was never that good at it.

The second big sporting adventure has been soccer. Grace is a member of the Mullins Monkeys. This has involved Tod somehow getting to be made a coach and now two evenings a week consumed, but it is fun. The first game was the past Friday. It reminded me of the hysterical chaos of watching peewee football where Bob used to play football. It did go much better than I thought it would considering what practices are like.

There is no denying Grace is my child. She was out of the car at the field for oh maybe 45 seconds when she tripped over her own feet and scraped the skin off of one knee. She spent the game alternating between limping and whimpering. She did get out on the field and play some. About like practice, usually miles behind the action with some great moves when she didn't have to fight off the mob to get the ball. The game was a riot. A few Monkeys resorted to falling on top of the ball to keep it away from the other team in an effort not to use their hands. Grace got shoved down and stayed down because she landed on the injured knee. None of the adults on the field realized this so I made a mad dash across the field after the play ended up at the other end with Martha in arms, scooped up Grace with the other arm and ran a circle around the perimeter to get back to our chairs. Then the child asked me why she had to come off the field. Mr. Tod (his official coaching title) explained that if you are going to sit down you can't stay in the game. At least we weren't the parent's of the Monkey that put an opposing player in a headlock after the ball was stripped away from him. Grace did have fun even if she won't admit it.



Don't worry, I like them short.

Welcome to the world Baby!

Martha Claire Dillender

July 11, 2011

10 pounds 6 ounces

22 inches

I know that most of you will already have had all of this information but I am pretending that I did this posting more quickly than I really did. Plus this is a chance to tell the long version. So here it is:

My mother kept coming to Memphis for the week and returning home for the weekends for most of June to be here for the big day. She was very determined to be here since Grace came on the one day that was impossible for her to be present. Also she was a tremendous help to me and a great playmate for Grace. I spent June ready for Martha to make her arrival any day. My doctor was ready to induce early but alas the hospital was completely booked, so I kept waiting and twidling my thumbs ready for the baby to decide to come on out.

My annual family reunion was scheduled to start on the 9th of July which meant that the Cooke's were going to be unrepresented most likely this year. However, so many folks flew in to Memphis on Sunday that we had a meal in Memphis and Tod and Mom and Grace and Dad and I all were able to go join in and see a large group of the family. It was a wonderful treat. Mom stayed to visit and the rest of us headed home to get Grace in bed. Dad and Tod headed of to run and errand, and I went through the bedtime rituals and all. I realized while I was reading to Grace that my contractions that I had been experiencing for weeks were finally in a regular rhythm. Mom and Dad and Tod came home and we sat down to play a game of cards. About half way through the game I announced to the table that I was having contractions every 5 minutes. Obviously they weren't terribly strong but they were quite consistent and growing in strength. Tod and I decided we would wait until the end of the game before we would think about heading to the hospital. I'll have you know that I creamed them all.

Anyway (this is the long version) We headed to the hospital at about 11. Since Dad was in town on his way to Alabama, Mom was able to come to the hospital and no desperate calls had to be made in the middle of the night to arrange for Grace's care. Everything went on smoothly and with the aid of my epidural and potocin Martha made her entrance to the world at 9:40 in the morning. No one thought she would weigh in at ten lbs plus. A few moments before she was born my Dr. said I thinks this is going to be a big baby. (not the thing you want to hear mid push by the way) But she was big and a she and she and I were both quite fine and healthy.

The biggest news of the morning was that Dad was able to sooth Grace in the middle of the night, because yes my 4 and a half year old doesn't sleep through the night, and get her up and dressed and fed and off to school (mother's day out) all by himself. Something he never had to do for Bob or I. Mom and he picked Grace up for lunch and then Grace got to see us late in the afternoon. She was interested in all of the buttons on the bed and playing with the ipod. She was interested in meeting Martha and defending her from Daddy's teasing, but the technology won out in the end.

Martha was wonderfully healthy and did great and we came home the next day. Grace had a bad case of swimmer's ear and so our fist night home as a family Grace ended up in our bed and woke me up at least three times in pain and needing comforting and Martha slept for like 10 hours.

Grace and Mom ended up at the lake for several days which was wonderful to have time to get some calm time with Martha and get acquainted as it were.

I must end with a line of thanks to my super mom. She was wonderfully helpful this summer and helped my stay calm and relatively rested and ready to welcome home Martha. It made all the difference in the world to have her help. Thank you!

Here are a few pictures of the first few days.

Alrighty so much has happened since I last posted anything. First I thought I'd share the new rooms. Grace's room got a bit of work just after the nursery was finished. Grace and Tod went to Saint Louis for Memorial Day weekend and then Grace stayed an extra week on vacation all by herself. She stayed at Casa Dillender and had a blast and then had on night at Riverwoods before coming home. That was the start of so much summer activity!

Here are the rooms:

Nursery first.

There is now a bumper pad with birds appliqued on it, and a mobile with needle felted birds and leaves hanging above the crib. I never have bothered to take a photo of them which is why I never posted photos of the room. Tod enjoyed watching by needle felting. I used the giant melon of a belly to hold my needle felting pad while working. It was perfect. We also added an area rug, just a medium beige nothing to write home about rug but it did help lighten up the room.

One of the little felted birds found a home in a bird house by the changing table.

Grace's room:

Grace's room had an odd assortment of bookcases and shelves of all different wood tones and finishes to hold all her books and toys. So while she and Tod were in St. Louis I made these white shelves as a base unit and bench and added some store bought shelves for up above. And then I cleaned and sorted and discarded and donated the toys for hours to find out what was actually around. I also put drawers in her closet so she could get to her own clothes. She was enjoying being independent about dressing at the time. Not so much right now, but now she only wears two or three outfits a day instead of six or seven!

This is Grace's big girl bed. It was mine, Uncle Bob's briefly, and purchased way back long ago for Granddaddy (my father). I don't think Grace really is impressed by any of this, but I love that it has that long history. The toy box is one that my grandmother decorated for my brother. It was originally a wooden trunk from a summer camp that her mother ran for disadvantaged youth.

It was great to have all of this done and accomplished before delivery. Poor Grace had the corner of the living room to shove her bassinet for the first two and a half months of life. I recommend having a ceiling in all of your rooms and no major construction half finished when bring a child home for the first time if at all possible.

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.