Dr. Apt

Hey it's Eli again!

Well, yesterday was a check up of Mommy's to see how I'm growing. The doctor came in the room remembering my name and asked Mommy and Daddy, "So, how's Eli doing?". Mommy and Daddy thought that was just the coolest thing. According to the doc I'm really doing well. I am on schedule and my heartbeat is 145bpm. My big sister Gracie's was between 150 and 155 so Mommy thinks I'll be more relaxed than Gracie is.

The doc asked Mommy if she could feel me moving around and she said yes. I do move a lot now. I'm practicing for when I make my big entrance. I'll be mad that I'm not in a warm place so I'll flail my arms, scream wildly and then hopefully, someone will swaddle me up and give me to Mommy. So, until then, I practice. Mommy can also feel me moving more because I am taking up more room in her belly. She can never get comfortable but I hear her always say, "It's TOTALLY worth it." I'm so glad she doesn't mind so much and loves me even more!

Speaking of belly...Last night my big sister Gracie was hanging out on the couch with Mommy before bed when she looked up at Mommy and said, "No more binkys?" Mommy said, "Nope. They are all gone. There are no more around the house.". Gracie sat up and said, "E-i need one!" Mommy laughed and said, "Sure, we'll buy him his own but you can't take it from him." Gracie said, "No. I won't. He need to suck on it." Mommy said, "Well, if you think he needs one." So Gracie pulled up Mommy's shirt enough to see her belly and yelled at me, "You need one E-i??? You need binky??? E-i??" Well, I would have liked to have told her sure but there are a couple problems with that. 1. I can't talk yet. 2. I'm not entirely sure what a binky is. From what I can tell, you suck on it. We'll see I guess.

So in addition to Gracie everyday reminding Mommy, Daddy, Mamaw and Papaw Ratliff that I need Big Toys, a blanket, diapers, wipes, a broom, clothes, and a stuffed animal, she has now added binky to that list. Well, at least I can tell she loves me lots and that's what matters most :)

Well, Mommy said I have to be going now. I guess I'll talk more to you later!

Love - Eli

Super Cool Baby Stuff!

For those of you who are expecting or have recent new arrivals, my new FAVE website, Chic & Cheap Nursery, for all things baby is having a super cool contest!!!!

Courtesy of Chic & Cheap Nursery's (http://www.chiccheapnursery.com/) Blogiversary, there are some VERY cool products up to win!

She will "be posting one giveaway a day*, starting tomorrow, and all of you will have the chance to win some AMAZING prizes, including an organic crib mattress, an oval crib and some seriously gorgeous wall decor. (*Excluding weekends.)"

Here is the list of giveaways for each day: http://www.chiccheapnursery.com/the-big-nursery-giveaway-event/

Have fun and enter, enter, ENTER!!!

It's a BOY!!!

Hello world!

My name is Eli and my Mommy and Daddy just found out that I'm a boy. Mommy had written a big long update but her computer crashed and she lost it then got really busy so as of today, we are back on line!

So, more about me. The doctor says I am still on track for entering the world on June 7th, Mommy's birthday and that I'm definitely a BOY. He asked if Mommy and Daddy wanted to know what I was going to be and they said yes. Mommy is a BIG planner. So the doc looked me over, said I was healthy and pointed out my parts and pieces. I am definitely NOT shy is what the doctor said. He also said that he would bet his house that I was a boy and to buy all the blue stuff Mommy wanted. He said he doesn't usually get such a clear picture but I was very cooperative. Mommy says that she definitely thinks I'll be an on time baby since my big sister Gracie was only born 1 day early. Mommy says that the only reason she was a day early is because she prayed really hard that she would be just 1 day early. Now Mommy is praying that I come on time. I guess we'll see!

As of right now, I am a fully formed without fat baby. In the next 4 weeks I will start to get fat accumulation under my skin but for now, I'm about as skinny as Daddy. What else can I tell you about how I look? Well, I have hair growing, like eyebrows etc. I have nails and tooth buds under my gums forming. Mommy thinks I'll look just like Daddy when I show up but Daddy says that by the ultrasound pictures I will look like another "round head" like Mommy and Gracie.

My entire formal name is Eli Allen Ratliff. Mommy told Daddy that she wanted him to pick out my name but her one request was that Daddy and I would have the same middle name. Daddy prayed about it, as all preachers do, and on October 27th, the Lord let him know to call me Eli. Daddy was really happy since Eli in the Bible was the one who raised Samuel (Hannah's special requested baby) in the temple and taught him to listen for the Lord when He called. Eli is one of Daddy's hero's. I'm feeling like I've got some big shoes to step into but I'm sure I'll do just fine with a great Daddy like mine to teach me.

When Mommy and Daddy found out (January 10th) that I would be a boy, my big sister Gracie was really excited. She had been asking for a boy baby and now she'll have one. Recently, Mommy told Gracie that they were going to the store. Gracie asked, "How come?" and Mommy replied, "Well, we need to look at clothes for Eli since when he's born, he doesn't come with any.". That was all it took for Gracie to tell the whole wide world that "E-i (Eli) needs clothes.". At this point, she has now added that I need "Big Toys" and a "Broom". I think she loves her broom so much she wants me to have one too. Sounds good to me!

My biggest sister Alyssa and big brother Codey seem pretty happy that I'm a boy too. Alyssa doesn't come over much but she's excited and since Codey lives with us he's extra excited that the basement is getting finished complete with a big room for him to move into. I am going to get his current room upstairs across from Gracie's room. Gracie loves to go by Codey's current room and say, "E-i room!" Not bad for 2 years old to remember all this stuff!

Well, that's about all for now. Mommy has another doctor appointment next Monday so I guess I'll post more next Tuesday. Only 4 more months till I get here!

Talk to you more later - Eli

Where does the time go???

Wow, it's been since August since I've been on here for an update!!! There is just so much that we do I plain forget about this place :( Well, good this it's January 4th. That means there is still time to get a resolution made - update blog weekly :) There you have it folks. Each Monday I plan to post goodies from the week/end and fill you in on our crazyness in case you're interested lol!

My first order of business...I'd like to introduce you to Jr. Yep, we are expecting another addition to our family on June 7th my birthday! Jr is our nickname for the baby even though we aren't sure what it's going to be yet. Jr works either way I think because Gracie is a mini-me of myself so if it's a girl, it would probably be more of the same. If it's a boy, obviously Jr. works because I would hope it would be a cute-pie little version of Kev. Junior it is...for now.

We get to find out the official gender on Monday the 10th. My dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Dad! I thought that would be a nice b-day present. I just have to get through 6 more days. 5pm is my apt so I'm going to be an anxious wreck next Monday through work.

We have names picked out and mostly settled on. Kev says that since I'm the momma I get final say so I like that. I told him that if it's a boy, he could name it but again I like having final say lol! He came up with Eli Allen Ratliff. Me likey - ALOT! Eli means a lot of things but it's most litteral translation is "My God". My God can be taken so many ways in my life. Eli is also the priest that raised Samuel in the temple after Hannah begged God for a baby. He taught Samuel to listen to God's still small voice and most importantly - respond. Just an awesome story. All in all, for me and what God has done in my life, it just fits so perfectly if it's a boy.

If it's a girl Kevin actually has been on my case about Gabriella Faith Ratliff. Gabby and Gracie...too cute! He LOVES Gabby so since I have finalized Eli for a boy I told Kev that Gabby could be his naming of the girl since I picked both middle names :) For the record, if it's a girl, I plan on nick naming her Bri as well as Gabby. Can't help it. Gracie is Gracie's middle name/nick name I also call her Gracelyn. 2 nick names is how I roll lol!

I've also seemed to have started showing. What the world was my first thought before it was interrupted by Kev..."Hey! You're showing! Cool! But, you need to get bigger." Seriously??? Bigger? I didn't start showing with Gracie till I was 5 months pregnant and right now I'm 18 weeks. I'm 2 weeks away from my halfway point. Does this mean I'm going to be GIANT by the end? Oh man. Trust me, I'm very proud of my baby bump but when it's this early, I don't really want to be wearing materity stuff yet. Now, I will admit that the stretch belly jeans already made their debut like at Thanksgiving but it's because I'm all about comfort. Stretchy stuff is so nice :) Then I knew I was showing for real when up in the choir my friend was like "Woah Audrea! You're like, showing!" Yeah, I just popped right out.

The only think I'm confused about is that I'm pregnant and I have only gained 5 lbs but gee wiz my belly's bigger. Then when I'm not pregnant, I can eat 1 burrito and BAM! There goes 10 lbs and just a tiny belly growth. How does that happen? Weird.

In other news - We are in the midst of getting the basement finished so that Codey has a room down there away from little kids. He's in love with that. Just a couple sofets to build, a couple custom doors to do, a last coat of mud, sanding, painting then carpet. Weew! That's just the basement. Kev and I talked and we'd really like to just paint the whole house before the little one gets here then we could just be done with most everything. I am SO hoping that spring comes early so we can have the windows open when we paint. I have the colors picked out so that helps. Just 2 to be precise...unless we find out we're having a girl. Then I'm in trouble. I have to pick out a color for the baby's room. See if it's a boy, it'll be tan. Easy peasy. Can't really do tan in a baby girls room. We'll see I guess.

Just a lot to get done in the next 4 months. I don't want to do painting in the month of May so that the house can air out.

Also! Codey just earned his varsity letter as a Sophomore in marching band. I'm so proud of him. We go this coming Saturday to get his letter jacket done :) His grades are doing great too! Can't ask for a better teen! Alyssa is a Senior and almost done with high school. She's got a serious case of Senior-itis but who can blame her? She also got her Senior pics done so I'll have to post some soon!

Well, that's all for now folks. Till next Monday :)

It's almost party time!

It's been forever since I’ve posted. Life’s been going by like crazy! When does the merry-go-round stop? I have no idea. What have we been up to? Lots! Let’s see, it’s been since January since I posted which makes it 8 months. Wow! Well, Gracie’s huge, she talks all the time, sleeps in a toddler bed and loves to be a girl. Codey’s in 10th grade, is 6’1 and wears a size 11 shoe. Jolly Tan Giant! I say tan because the boy is D-A-R-K. His summer was spent at marching band practice, home band camp and away band camp. School for him started 2 weeks ago and his football team won their first game. This Friday is his first home game that he marches at. I am SUPER excited to take Gracie to her first football game. She’s totally ready to say “Go! Go! GO!” What a ham. I can't believe Codey made the snare line his Sophomore year. The boy's got talent.
SpongeBob is Gracie's new favorite cartoon. It used to be Yo-Gabba-Gabba but not so much now. All the time it’s all about “Bob-Bob!”.
Not much is new with Kevin. Still preaching, still teaching, still an amazing hubby! Some days I don’t know how he puts up with my crazyness! Me, I'm completely submerged in Gracie's 2nd birthday party. Currently our house has fallen to the way side of her 2nd birthday party. Yes, cardboard has taken over again. This year the theme is Dress Up. Yay! Boa’s, belts, necklaces, bracelets, glitter face gel, nail polish and pink pink PINK! The colors if you couldn’t tell are going to be pink and brown. There’s a cardboard playhouse completely wallpapered on the inside, and of course fabulously pink painted. There’s a cardboard beauty parlor built, painted pink, glitter sprayed and wall papered inside as well. There are 12 pink cardboard purses made to line the driveway and up the walkway. Cardboard 2 and 3 foot pink purses, cardboard 2 ½ foot number 2’s, cardboard 6 ½ foot tall people to hold happy birthday banners on the garage. If you couldn’t tell, I L-O-V-E making things out of cardboard hee hee!
I really wanted her party to be special and Kev reminds me daily how overboard I’ve gone. But tell me this, would you go over board too if you waited 25 years to FINALLY have your baby you’ve always dreamed of, especially after a miscarriage??? I answered YES! She is my angel from above and I’ll do anything to make her day special because of how special she is to me. Now, are Codey’s birthday’s as cardboard-y? Nah. He’s a teen boy. They just want music, food and friends. This year I told him he could have a pitfire hot dog roast with all of his band buddy’s coming over. And the more I think about it, the more my creative side is SCREAMING at me, do something ANYWAY! What do you think? Should I? I’m thinking yes. It’s his 16th and I only have 1 step son and it’s a good thing because he’s my favorite step son hee hee. So don’t tell Kev or Codey but…I think we’ll have something special for him too!
Back to Gracie’s party for now. I am just swooning over the dress I found at the thrift store this weekend. I wanted something very frilly and little girl but more modern looking and I found a 3-4 tired cotton frill dress from Children’s Place in white no less for $4! I scoured it to see if there were stains…not a one! The mom that had it before me is my kind of gal. Stain free, white frill dress…for a 2 year old?!?! I wish I could meet her! It’s just beautiful. It doesn’t even look worn! I can’t wait to post pics. Then I found a wonderful idea for a rosette hair pin for her and her girl friends to wear. Now to sneak to the basement and find some material…So what are boys going to do at a dress up party for a girl??? Well, those little dapper dudes need dress up stuff too. Thrift store to the rescue. I found men’s bow ties there in red, black and gold. I bought 2 black, 1 red and 1 gold. Then out of heavy felt I made little cuff looking pieces for them to put “cuff links” on in silver glitter glue. I also found dress shirts for them to dress up in. And, what dress up party is complete without a picture booth? There will be a picture area for each little one to get their “glamour-shots” done after then get all dress up. Oh! And don’t forget food and candy…I can’t wait!

It's been a long time. Too long...

But I'm back and boy do I have a super way to kick off my come back!

Kara at http://karaspartyideas.blogspot.com/ is hosting only the most super-de-duper giveaway on the planet! A Sillhouette! The funnest, craftyest, coolest most useful tool you will even find! It slices, it dices, it...well, it might not slice and dice but I'll tell ya real quick what it does do. In the wonderful words of Kara (per her website where this lovely is featured) "It's a little machine that hooks up to your computer and cuts out the shapes and letters that you tell it to! All you need is a computer, the machine and the cords! Easy peasy! There are SO many things you can make with this bad boy!!!..."

You can cut vinyl, you can cut stuff out for heat transfers, use it to help create stellar paper crafts for your party or shower, the possibilities are ENDLESS!!

You need to go to http://karaspartyideas.blogspot.com/ for full details on how to enter chances to win. Full details are listed on her site!

Come on down people and enter for a chance to win today!!!

I'll post more stuff about me tomorrow as I want the focus of this post to be on the AWESOME chance at a Sillhouette :)

Ran-didly-dom :)

My week has been allllll over the board. So why not put up a post that is alllll over the board. Ran-didly-dom. I am feeling in a really goofy mood so here's my week err, last couple weeks.

This is a picture of me & Kev while it was just us last Saturday night. Many thanks to my stellar awesome in-laws for watching Gracie!!!


Ok, now this next picture is of me & one of my new loves, Cherry Hot Chocolate courtesy of Bob Evans. I <3 Bob Evans and when I saw this yummy new drink, I knew the following 2 things needed to happen. 1. I HAD to order it. 2. I had to sacrifice my hate of having my pic taken so that you may see the yummyness that is Cherry Hot Chocolate. I hope it's worth it because at least for me it was. This was so delicious especially since I live in Ohio & it's about 0 degrees out. Now that I have you inspired, please go to Bob's & get yourself one!


This next set of pictures is of Gracie. By now ya'll should know she's my bestest little buddy in the whole wide world besides her being my daughter. The whole series of pictures started off with me just wanting to take one of Gracie in her "Pih, pih" pjs. Poor thing can't get the guh sound out but she can say "Gee Gee". I have no idea what "Gee Gee" is, but she smiles when she says it and that makes me smile. Back to the story. So, I wanted to take her pic to include in my thank you card to my grandma who did another rock start job on our Christmas gifts this year. Yes, I know it's the end of January but better late with Thanks than never right? I mean my grandma has 5 kids, their spouses, 9 grand kids, some of them have spouses, Codey, Alyssa and now Gracie. That woman has it going on! She always gets everyone awesome stuff so much thanks is needed to go her way. She's the most giving person I have ever met or have had the priviledge of meeting. I just wish I could see her more. Again, back to the story. For Christmas, grandma got Gracie a bunch of stuff but her favorite thing are these piggy pj's. I have no idea why....well, it's probably because they are just so darn cute! Gracie will walk around the house saying "Pih Pih!" dragging her piggy pjs like they are her Linus blanket. Then if she doesn't like what she's wearing, she will strip down to her diaper and try her deadlevel best to get those jammies on. She talks to them, takes them everywhere AND when she doesn't have them, she point to her toes because there are piggy faces on the feet of these beloved jammies and will say "Pih pih!". In the end, these truly are her favorite thing to wear. Which leads me to why more than one picture is taken. If you are blessed with children you will know that in their early childhood through...well through most all of their childhood, kids don't like to sit still. They explore. Annnnnnnd that bring me back to the story. Instead of just taking one picture for grandma, we took a whole bunch showing her Gracie's adventures with Pih Pih. I hope she enjoyed them and I hope you do too!




Random pics of me and Gracie in the snow for the first time. She loves her trees, I think she may grow up, at least at this point, to be a forrest ranger. She loved Smokey the Bear and the fair and is OBSESSED to say it lightly with trees. Anyhoo, when we went outside, she had the screaming desire, literally screamed, to go brush off all 8 of our trees out front. Yay for the trees. I'm sure felt so much better :)


These are the goodies that Gracie and I baked last night for my peeps at work. Banana Nut-less Muffins individually wrapped. They were good :)


Have a wonderful Friday!!!

Bowlin, bowlin, bowlin. Keep them doggies...

Bowling!!!

2 weeks ago, Kev had this brilliant idea. Let's take Gracie out bowling for the 1st time. Who was I to say no? I LOVE bowling! I'm really not good at it but, who cares. I get to fling a ball as hard as I can to 12 (I think) pins down a slick alley. What could be better??? My parents never let me throw stuff in the house and now that I have a house of my own, the rule kind of stuck, and makes tons of stuff. So when Kev said let's go hurl balls down a lane I was all for it!

The place we decided to go to was this new-ish place out east. It's about a 40 minute drive from our house but totally worth it. We discovered this place when we went to it for our work Christmas party. When we got there, we fell in love with it. It's not super huge but it's got lots in there to keep a family, especially of mixed ages like mine, happy. There's mini-bowling, big people (regular) bowling, a Wii room, archade and restaurant-like place. Having 2 teenagers with me some weekends being a combination of either Codey and Adele or Codey and my niece Adele, then on top of that a very explorative 1 1/2 year old along with me and Kev I need something with that kind of range of options.

Last Saturday comes and Kev is up and at em. He was determined for us to get there right when it opened. I got out of bed got myself together and went to get the little big girl up. She was in a great mood. Yay! I decided to put her in her little shirt dress that's gray with different color poka-dots and then bright purple tights. I thought it would be easier for her to move around. I didn't realize that it would match all of the different colored bowling balls they have at the alley. It was like her little outfit was a bowling alley outfit. My dad got it for her for Christmas and she loves it!

After Gracie was up and moving around, it was Codey and Adele's turn to get ready. For being teenagers, they did a great job getting done on time. It was 10am and we were out the door. Yippee! As we were pulling out of the driveway I did a quick check off of stuff we'd need. Camera-check. Diaper bag-check. Food for miniature version of me-check. We were set to go. 40 minutes later we pulled in the parking lot and it was packed!!! Why did so many other people have to have the same great idea as me? It wasn't like I advertised it on channel 4. Kev goes in and was beat to the mini bowling. Nuts! All the big people bowling was packed too! We were so dissapointed. But, being full of the great ideas he is, Kev suggests we do a little shopping at Sam's club for non-perishable stuff then come back in a hour. Great idea!!! We did and by noon the place was empty! We rushed in and got a big people lane. They even had little bowling shoes that were Gracie's size!!! Another plus was that they had a ramp for her to push her ball down so that she could have enough momentum to knock pins down. She is now addicted to bowling. We got her a pink 5 lb ball and she had to have Mommy hold her and her ball when it wasn't her turn. Then she wanted to play with everyone else's psycadelic colored balls.

When it was her turn Kev and I would take turns holding her up so she could push the ball down the ramp. She was rather good at it too! Then as the ball chugged down the lane she would shout "Bye Ball!!!!" really loud so the whole place could be included in her joy of the ball going down the lane. Too cute.

In fact it was so cute that Kev and I let her bowl for us too. Codey and Adele had a great time as well.

They weren't super stars at bowling but they did relish in the fact that they could at least get 1 pin knocked down. After our hour of bowling it was pizza time. Gracie's favorite food. I don't know how it became her favorite but she will get super mad if you're eating it and she is not. Especially since she has to eat everything that Mommy eats. Down to the exact piece of food. Can she live with her own piece of pizza? Nope. She has to eat off from Mommy's. Not bad as she doesn't leave slobber behind. She's mastered the whole bite off a bite cleanly part of eating pizza. The part that I am not really fond of is when wants MY drink. Ick. The good news is, I order a 2 waters and she can't tell since they look the same that she has her own. Hee hee. Sorry Gracie but drinking after little slobber baby's isn't at the top of my list of things to do. Now, if I have to and we are out where there is no other option, yes I can do it. It's an ability that most Mommy's are born with.

**Note** Mommies are born. Yep. We have a birthday too! It's our baby's birthday. So, to all you mom's out there, you have 2 birthdays. Your birthday as a normal person. And a birthday for your super human side. The Mommy birthday. Please be sure to remind your hubby's of this as at least getting flower's on your baby's birthday would be nice. It's a good reminder to them of all that you went through to bring them a little bundle of joy to play with.

***Now back to our regularly scheduled broadcast***

With our bellies full of glorious pizza and pop (water for me and my short one) and all of our energy spent wirling around the house, grocery shopping and bowling we were spent. It was time to go home.

It was the best 1st day of bowling anyone could have ever hoped for. Here are some more pictures from our bowling adventure. Enjoy!

Till next time....

A NEW Year

Wow weee! It's been 6 months since I last blogged. Bad Audrea! It’s now 2010. When did that happen? Time goes by too quick. This year I think I’ll make my resolution to blog more. Now, when I say blog more, I mean that not just in quantity but it quality. I want to blog more about my ideas, ideas I find and yes, more about my family. It will still be about the Ratliff’s but with a little more in there.

To start off, I will catch you all up to date. We are pluggin and chuggin along. Nothing new family wise. Codey and Alyssa are still doing what they do best – acting the wonderful part of teenagers. Alyssa’s 17 and Codey’s 15. And as every other red-blodded teen, they still don’t like school but they are in the final years of it. Woo! I can’t wait to have a graduation party for them! I love parties what can I say? Hee hee.

Anyhoo, Alyssa is still texts waaay too much. I think her last bill said she was up to 32,517-ish. Yes that’s right 32 THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN-ish. That girl has thumbs of thunder!

Codey is still in band. He has a drum set now up in his room so he is loving that. It’s nice because he can practice before Gracie goes to bed and she claps along with him! Yes ladies and gentlemen, we have yet another drummer blooming. She LOVES drums, she can find the down beat in music and claps along. She also love to play the drums. All of this and she’s only 16 months old. She’s gonna give her drummer daddy and brother a run for their money!

Gracie is growing too fast! My baby’s not a baby anymore. Literally. Gerber says she’s a toddler now. Ugh. Who gave her permission to grow up? I surely didn’t. But she hasn’t forgotten me so that’s nice. She still clings to me when she’s scared or needs something or it’s bed time. Other than that, it’s her world and I and the rest of you just live in it. She now has 13 teeth and they hurt. I speak from experience. Like me when I was little, she bites to say I love you. And I seem to be the only one she loves because I am the only one she bites. Who knew a “toddler” could institute “tough love”? Again, I just live in her little world; of which, she is constantly exploring. If it can be climbed, she’ll be the first to the top. If it can be moved, little Hercules is the first to move it. She has now mastered how to grab your hand and pull you where she wants you to go. She is a master of using people for her gain. And if you don’t go? The yelling and admonishing in sues. Yes, you will get scolded if you don’t aid her in her plans of escape, play, or demise of hose-hold objects. The newest skills added to her repertoire, are trading and distracting. A few weeks ago, she saw Codey laying on the couch with his new belt. She point and “OOo ugh!” were her exact words. Codey said he couldn’t share as his new belt was holding up his pants and he was sorry. Well of course this wouldn’t do. In a hmph she turned and we thought she went to play. Nope. She immediately returned with her new favorite pjs. They are very pretty with ballerina’s that sparkle on them. At which point she laid them on the couch and patted them. Then she pointed to Codey’s belt, again. And with more oomph shouted, “OOOOO ahhh ugh!” By all of this we took it to mean and it was quite plain that she wanted to trade Codey her pretty pjs for his belt. The girl can’t even say an entire sentence but she can point, ugh and let you know what she wants. Who knew she was so smart? We didn’t but we quickly found out. Then, about a week ago, she noticed Codey’s new Netbook that he got for Christmas was sitting on the couch next to him. She point at it and said “Uh!” He said it was for big people and she couldn’t have it. By now I’m sure you realize she started formulating a scheme to get it. This scheme was her best yet! She turned away but looked at him from the corner of her eye. Yep, he was watching her. Good. Part 1 of her plan was working. But what was her plan. I sat back and watched it unfold. She went and got her favorite alphabet book. She had me read it. Then took it to Daddy and had him read it. All the wile keeping Codey in her peripheral vision. After Daddy read it, she took it to Codey and said, “Book!” I told Codey that she wanted him to read it. Now Part 2 to her plan was coming along very nicely. As he read her the book Part 3 began to slowly and sneakily take place. As he read, her little hand slowly crept over to his Netbook. What a sneaky girl! Well, Part 3 of her plan was a little harder to pull off and took quite a bit of convincing since Codey then noticed her hand creeping toward his goody. He said, “Ha! I caught you!” to which she quickly replied “Book!” pointing to the book he held. So Codey went back to reading it. Her little eyes shifted back and forth from Codey to his Netbook. You could almost hear the swoosh of how quick her little eyes moved. As soon as she was sure he was back to reading the book her hand went back to inching it’s way to his prize. He again caught her and she again got his attention back to the book. As he was reading her book, he said that he would let her go and see how far she could take it. Again her little eye’s swooshed back and forth and again her little hand inched till at last! Her little devious plan was complete! She had the electrical device that she so desperately desired. Codey then looked at her and said she had to give it back. Needless to say, she was less than thrilled that her little diabolical plan had been foiled.

These are the adventures of Gracie we encounter every day! Along with scheming plans and silliness, she’s also built her library of words. Momma, Mamaw, Dadda, Pap-pap, Co! (Codey), Dell (Adele). Car, Call (Phone or the action of calling), Cuh (Cup), Cool, Cood (Cold), Box, Ball, Bok (Block), Yum num (food), Nana (Banana). Goo (Goof), Go, Vroom, Muk (Milk), No-nos(Long o sound) (Nose), Beh-buh (Belly-button), Cah (Cat), Mouw (Meow – the sound the kitty makes) , Pah (optional Pah-hee) (Potty), Puh or Puhr (Purse) and other’s I’m sure I’m forgetting. But on to the good stuff! She knows all of her body parts. Yep. I taught her to point to the following body parts when I ask where they are. Head, hair, nose, eyes, ear, mouth, hands, arm, foot/feet, leg, belly and belly button. You read that right. Belly-button. She will tap her belly when I say belly and find her little belly-button when I say belly-button. Last but not least she knows to tell me right before she does number 1! She will grab her diaper and say “Pah! Pah!”. She also grabs her diaper and says “Pah!” and will run to my bedroom door when she does number 2. At 16 months she hates being wet. Even the slightest tinkle and she lets you know she wants to be dry. Kev and I will be buying her 2 pottys this week. One for home and one for Mamaw and Papaw’s. I really think she’s ready to start. This will obviously be at her own pace. It’s not something I thought I would start right now but she hates being even slightly wet. I don’t blame her. I would hate it too. See, that’s the thing. She is a miniature version of me. She looks like me, sounds like me and acts like me. She loves all the same stuff I do and it was her own choice. Her favorite color is red like me, she loves lions like me and we are both quite fond of yogurt. I couldn’t ask for a better side-kick. She really is my little side-kick. She doesn’t behave for anyone better than me, she always has to have what I have and is clinging to my side most of the time. And that’s the update for Gracie.

As for me and Kev, we just do our best to keep up with her.

Stay tuned for more adventures in the Ratliff house.

Recent Pics

Gracie was really tired after the parade.

There he goes!

He's such a good drummer boy : )

Codey marching

Mamaw & Papaw Ratliff and Gracie

Alyssa, Gracie and Alyssa's bf-Brandon

Codey's parade.

More from my birthday.

My Birthday!!!

Silly water baby!

Gracie on the way to Mamaw and Papaws house

Zoo time. Gracie with her daddy looking at fishes.

Kevin's 1st time havn Dip-n-Dots. At the zoo