Seattle Weekend--or should I say, GRACIE IN SEATTLE?

We took a quick trip to Seattle last weekend and saw some friends...I'm sad to say that I didn't capture very good pics--instead of capturing our friends on film we captured Gracie in their houses! :)


Grace and I spent the day with Sooz, as Jeff had a training all day. It was so fun to relax with her! She took us to her favorite bakery for lunch, we watched an episode of Gilmore Girls, and went for a walk along the Sound. We were spoiled that night as Sooz's parents, Mark and Carole had us over for dinner. It was so fun to see them--it had been since the wedding three years ago!

[In case you're curious, Hits House girls, Mark was up to his usual antics--no little violin playing to embarrass Sooz, but he tried out his Italian, made us espresso from Italy, and threatened to put on his ruby pinky ring so we could all kiss his hand. :)]


We also got to see our friend Brock--this is Gracie taking a bath in his kitchen sink. Brock let us stay with him overnight, watch some NCAA tournament play, and we got to go out to breakfast with him on Alki. It was fun to hear about his church's mission trip to Haiti and a potential trip to New Orleans.


And then downtown Seattle in the PACK. Gracie had a great time.

On our way out of town, we got to spend some time with Troy, Lauren, and Caleb. I'm sorry to say, I didn't capture a MOMENT of our afternoon at Trader Joe's, the delicious dinner at their house, or watching Caleb and Gracie interact. It was so fun to catch up with them--and next time we'll take pictures!

So, the pictures taken didn't show Sooz, Brock, or Seattle... I'm thinking our photo albums will be filled with Travelocity gnome-like pictures--but instead of the yard gnome posing in famous vacation destinations, it will be our chunky-cheeked girl. :)

Love from Milwaukee

Our friends Kristin and Jeremiah live in Wisconsin...we are reminiscing this week on our trip to see them two spring breaks ago... How very timely that Kristin sent Gracie a homemade present in the mail this week! We LOVE this little knit dress and booties! Kristin, you're very talented! Gracie is very squeezable in her soft threads! :) Thanks, friends!


The box was a hit as well! :)

Cheerio Monster

Six little cheerios,
minding their own business,
relaxing and sunning themselves
on the ottoman in the Lochhead livingroom...


...until Hurricane Grace
sweeps through,
grabbing innocent oh's
and leaving a trail of devastation in her wake...


When the storm eases,
they survey the damage...
...and realize they are now five.


What a sweet little monster!
Don't be fooled...she's merciless.
She's been known to snag three in one fist
and gum each one until they disintegrate into nothing.


She may even be storing several in her cheeks
as
we
speak.


Of course, brave moms have been known
to try to avert the monster
with bottle cap prisms,
but she is not thwarted for long.


Monster Gracie has just learned to stand at the ottoman,
and now that is all she wants to do!


She seems to be going through a
"no thanks"
stage when it comes to the bottle.
However, if STANDING,
she's suddenly a fan again.


Can't you hear the little cheerios
screaming for their lives to be spared
as they are shoved into the
CHEErio
holding
KompartmentS?


It's a bit early to be certain,
but after giving this little monster some creative play time,
we found this encrypted message
and are thinking she's quite advanced
for her 10-months-of-age...

Discoveries, by Grace

I always thought it was silly when adults put words into babies' mouths, but these pictures just scream for dialogue. You can see it in her eyes. Translation may not be perfect...


Today Grace would like to show you how she can read a magazine.


First I open it up, like this.


Then I lay it out and look at the pretty pictures. Are you with me?


Finally, I take a little bite. Paper is delicious!


Now I want to show you how I can make things fall to the ground.


Now I have the frog...


...and now he's on the ground. Just like that.


I'll show you again with my knitted flip-flops. Now I have them...


...and they're down. Works every time.


This is Gracie's crazy flap. Translation: this is all very exciting! :)

Our Silly Girl

How funny is this picture? The Rogers YL team came to our house last week for a meeting. Can you guess who kept stealing the attention? :) Oh, my. She looks as though she's in complete attention-hog-heaven!


Bath time is always fun. This is peek-a-boo with the camera.


G'ma Caroline had another eye appointment in Spokane on Friday, so we got to go out to eat with her and G'ma Joan and Papa Greg. Grace really enjoys showing off her eating-at-a-restaurant skills. I should've taken a picture of the food on the table and then the food on the floor to see which accumulated more. We leave big tips for servers with big brooms and dustpans.


Isn't G'ma Caroline the sweetest? She had good news this appointment--the eye degeneration is slowing! She was filled with stories and even let me hold her hand as we walked. She's such a spry almost-octogenarian! :)


Gracie loves Papa Greg...


...and G'ma Joan...


...it couldn't be because they give her new food experiences, could it? She figured out the straw function on the first try! :)


And here is Gracie soaking up all of the attention from her "big sisters," Kalei and Alea. She loves these girls! I can just hear Heidi, their mom, now..."Okay, girls--give Gracie a little bit of space now..." She loves it...and follows their movement with big eyes. Don't look now, girls, but she watches your every move! :)

Christ Clinic and Christ Kitchen

I just wanted to give a few more details about the Christ Clinic and Christ Kitchen, since I'd mentioned it in the last post and realized that not everyone knows about these amazing ministries! (Thanks for the nudge, Bethany!)

The Christ Clinic is a non-profit medical center in Spokane that provides medical care for people without insurance. Check out their website! Many doctors from the area volunteer their time and services to help people in medical need. The director of the clinic goes to our church, as does our good friend, Debbie, who is the head nurse there--so we have seen the clinic grow through the last few years and recently move into its new building on Monroe. Our friend Julie was also involved in helping the Clinic in their capital campaign to create this new facility, then she moved to the TriCities! I wish she were in town to help me take pictures of it now! It was quite an amazing process, and we've been encouraged to see what God is doing through the lives of those who enter the clinic.

Working alongside the clinic is Christ Kitchen. Here, women in poverty are trained and employed in a kitchen that makes AMAZING gift baskets, cookie bouquets, and now deli take-out from 11 to 1. I cannot help but feel overwhelmed with hope as I walk into this place. (And might I recommend the chicken salad sandwich on the take-out menu--scrumptious!!!)

Out of Quarantine

Whelp, it looks like we've survived the first battle with THE FLU. Poor Gracie came home early from daycare on Monday and educated us on the difference between spit-up and vomit. We'd always wondered... After the seventh demonstration, we told her we'd seen enough. We felt pretty helpless holding a girl who would rather lean on Mom or Dad, AND MOAN, than hold a toy. Three days later--a sick day with Dad and two with Mom--she's finally on the mend! We ventured out to see Aunt Debbie on her lunch hour today. Grace was VERY excited to see faces in the outside world. We're very excited to see her smile again!


I had to post this pic. I was asked to take a few pictures of the Christ Clinic, which has been newly finished at its new site next to the Christ Kitchen (old Taco Time on Monroe), while we were visiting Debbie. It's such a beautiful facility!!! I couldn't get a good shot of the Clinic and Christ Kitchen together while standing on the sidewalk, so I decided to be brave and go across the street to ask KPBX if I could lean out one of their 2nd story windows to get a good shot. They offered one step better--to take me up on the roof! I was on a radio station's ROOF today--that's so crazy!

Da-da, da-da, da-da...

Three Lochhead Family Facts can be learned through the following pictures:









Fact #1: Gracie loves her Da-da!
Fact #2: Jeff got a haircut this weekend.
Fact #3: We are about to have many great outdoor adventures with a Gracie-Pack!

Ta-ta, Tonsils!

You did a great job on your big day, Abby! I'm sure you made those doctors' and nurses' days with your smiles and stories. Enjoy the rest of your week filled with cartoons, popsicles, and tylenol--and get lots of rest, rest, rest! Uncle Jeff and Gracie and I love you!!!

(Did the doctors let you keep your tonsils in a jar? I want to see those throat pickles!!)

Pat-a-Cake

Gracie's new favorite aerobic activity is Pat-a-Cake. She's been showing it off to everyone she sees. All you have to say is, "Pat-a..." and she's off and running. Debbie and Daniel came over to play Catan last night and she was showing off, so we had to get it on film. So funny!